Four Seasons at MQX

Hello Everyone,
How many of you belong to a guild? Does your guild seem to be always searching for the next group quilt project to do? Let me share with you an exhibit from a guild in Italy that was on loan to MQX. 

Beginning in 2010, the enthusiastic members of Casa Patchwork and Quilting Guild began a journey of creating "banners" to represent the four seasons. The only rules were to use three basic colors to represent each season and the finished banner needed to measure 6" wide by 60" long. I present to you the four seasons as interpreted by the members of Casa Patchwork and Quilting Guild of Bassano Del Grappa, Italy.

Spring - Pink, Green and Brown

Summer - Red, Orange and Purple

Fall - White, Brown and Black

Winter - White, Grey and Blue

As you can see the end result is an approximately 40-foot long exhibit of color and imagination with each member being able to express their own creativity.

Until next time…
Happy Quilting, Kathy

Spring Sprung at MQX

Hello Everyone,
Andrea Brokenshire has a true eye for nature and its beauty. At MQX she had a wonderful exhibit entitled Flora Bota'nica. It displayed realistic botanical imagery, that is based on her photography. These works of art were created by applique and thread painting. Andrea combines her love of the natural world and fabric with in her art quilts. Here are two quilts from this exquisite display.

This special exhibit was truly a breath of fresh air. It was hard to believe that these were quilts. As you approached this exhibit the quilts looked like photographs. Really unbelievable. 

Until next time…
Happy Quilting, Kathy

Most Important People

Hello Everyone,
As many of you know I am a big fan of continuous learning; both as a student and as a teacher. Last week was my turn to learn at the Machine Quilters Exposition in New Hampshire.

I was fortunate enough to take both creative and technical classes from some really wonderful instructors. All the classes I took will help me enhance and deliver more beautiful and professional quilting to my customers.

While attending the festival I ran into a few friends. 

My longtime friend Jackie Kunkel of Canton Village Quilt Works was teaching at MQX.

Her online shop is not only a Judy Niemeyer certified shop, but Jackie herself is a certified Judy Niemeyer instructor.  She was very busy teaching a few Judy Niemeyer classes - A Party for Four; Sunflower Illusions; Charm Elements. Be sure to check out Jackie's website.

I had the pleasure of seeing and talking to some of the designers that create all those wonderful quilting designs that I use on your quilts. 
Here is Anne Bright of Anne Bright designs. Many of my customers (you know who your are) spend their lunch hour perusing her website for designs for their next quilt.

One of the very first instructor I had when I purchased my Gammill with Statler Sticher was Kim Diamond. Kim's instruction over the years has been invaluable to me. It was such a great joy for me to see her at MQX last week. I was also fortunate to meet Janet who works with Kim at Sweet Dreams Quilt Studio. Kim's designs are always the ones that all of you seem to search out for those quilts that you want to make great impact. All those custom and beautiful whole cloth baby quilts. I had such a great time meeting up with Janet and Kim.

I don't think that a quilt show would be complete without some other famous people stopping by as well. I'm sure that all of you know Mark Lipinski.

Well there you have it. Some of the most important people that I have in my life as a longarm quilter. Without these great people I would not be able to do my job for you with enormous confidence and success.

Until next time… 
Happy Quilting, Kathy

Down the Aisle and Around the Corner

Hello Everyone, 
No matter where you looked at MQX your eyes were delighted with beauty. Every aisle you walked down, every corner you turned was filled with extraordinary quilts. My photos do not do these quilts justice. Take a look for yourself.

Flashy Spectrum Play
Pieced by: Fern Harvey
Mt. Vernon, OH
Quilted by: Catherine Carr Gynn

Flashy Spectrum Play

Cluck Cluck
Pieced by: Marta Price
Grass Valley, CA
Quilted by: Marla Monson

Cluck Cluck

Show your Colors.......
Pieced by: Kristen Vierra
Lincoln, NE
Quilted by: Kristen Vierra

Show your Colors......

Town Squares
Pieced by: Kim Loar
Lancaster, PA
Quilted by: Kim Loar

Town Squares

Batik Beauty
Pieced by: Michelle Civetti
Medway, MA
Quilted by: Michelle Civetti

Batik Beauty

Evolution of the Crop Circle Project
Pieced by: Stephanie Adams
Kansas City, KS
Quilted by: Lisa Sipes

Evolution of the Crop Circle Project

Elsa's Knot
Quilted by: Clem Buzick
Fargo, ND
Pieced by: Ann Helbling

Elsa's Knot

I hope you enjoyed this little trip down the aisle and around the corner.

Until next time…  
Happy Quilting, Kathy

QOV at MQX

Hello Everyone,  
One of the best parts of going to MQX is seeing all my friends that I have made over the years. Three friends of mine can always be found in the Quilts of Valor booth. That was one of the first places that I stopped.

When I arrived at the booth, I was just in time to see Holly accepting this beautiful quilt. The women pictured was thrilled to be able to donate this quilt. She brings at least one each year to MQX.

A quilter donates a beautiful quilt.

My friend Joyce was very busy longarming a quilt that had been donated earlier in the day. 

Joyce hard at work.

I wanted to show you a close up photo of one of the QOV quilts that Joyce had quilted. Joyce designed and digitized the quilting motif on this quilt. She is a very talented women.

Detail quilting on a QOV quilt.

Joyce's sister, Janice had pieced, quilted and attached the binding to the front of this Disappearing Nine Patch quilt. Janice was busy one afternoon at the show hand stitching down the snazzy striped binding.

Disappearing Nine Patch quilt.

If you would like more information on how you can help this organization check out their website: www.QOVF.org

Until next time…  
Happy Quilting, Kathy

Bargello Gone Wild!

Hello Everyone, 
Last week was that time of year again. Time to renew and regenerate my quilting education. So off to New Hampshire for the New England Quilt Festival. (aka MQX - Machine Quilters Exposition)

Come one, come all!

I want to share with you a special exhibit that was on display. Four friends from Ohio got together one weekend and went on a quilt retreat together at the Historic Mill in Yellow Springs Ohio.

Anna Fricker, Susan Hill, Chris Landis, Mary Miller

While on this retreat they decided they would make bargello quilts using a design in the August 2011 issue of Better Homes and Garden. They took this project to new heights; all four women used the exact same fabrics for the bargello.

Hanging from the 3rd story window.

With a pile of 464 two-inch strips and strips set at 174 inches long, they realized that maybe, just maybe they should have read the complete directions before beginning. They each completed piecing their respective bargellos. Once they left the retreat each one cut the massive bargello, added borders and created two quilts!  Here are the results of their weekend retreat. Can you tell which two quilts came from the same bargello?

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

I hope you enjoyed the wonderful bargello quilts these four women created. Maybe this will inspire you and a few of your friends to go on a weekend retreat and make the same quilt, (with reading all the directions first), and get totally different results.

Until next time…  
Happy Quilting, Kathy

In New Hampshire for Machine Quilter's Exposition (MQX)

At the last minute we made the decision to go to the Machine Quilter's Exposition in Manchester, NH. What a great time. I decided to take a class from Elaine Huffman. We made "Arm Candy"! This bag is made from double sided quilted fabric. It has a zippered pocket on the inside and all the seams are enclosed.

Of course because we left at the drop of a hat, I had no supplies with me for the class. Fortunately sewing machines were provided and Elaine had one piece of double sided quilted fabric that she was willing to part with. All I had to do is fine some thread and a piece of fabric for the inside pocket. As part of the class the pattern and a zipper were provided. It was so nice just to sit and sew for myself. This bag was finished in less than four hours. If you are looking for a really nice gift for someone special this bag just may be the ticket. The Gum Drop Bag finishes nicely. If you pick up the pattern make sure to tell Elaine I sent you.

Just before my class I ran into the creator of Quilter's Home. I'm sure you know the magazine.

While talking with Mark my husband decided we needed a picture for the blog. So quick find the camera. Oooooh yeaaaah, it's in the room. Good place for it! So the next best thing was my husband's cell phone camera. So as you can see, Mark is crystal clear and well I'm a little fuzzy. That will teach us to have the camera with us at all times.



Of course since I was in New Hampshire I had to visit one of my all time favorite quilt shops, Quilted Threads. The shop is wonderful; and the staff is cheerful and very helpful. One of the displays they had was from when Mark was there.

I just love this shop!

Next year MQX will be moving to Providence, RI. I'm not sure if I will be going. There are rumblings that the Statler Users Group And Representatives (SUGAR) will be meeting in Columbia, MO. Last year the conference was held just before the Machine Quilter's Showcase (MQS) show. MQS is the midwest version of MQX. So if the SUGAR conference is at or near the same time MQS is next year I might just have to go to that show instead.

Keep on piecing those tops,
Kathy