In The Mood...

Hello Everyone,  
In preparation for National Quilting Day this Saturday, I am sharing with you some great activities that I took part in this week.

Visited A Local Quilt Shop - The shop was quite busy taking in finished quilts made by their customers. If you are in this area Saturday, you may want to stop by Patricias' because they are having a quilt show and wonderful sale in celebration of National Quilting Day.

Patricias' in East Rochester

Fondled Luscious Quilting Fabric - What better way to help welcome Daylight Savings than with these luscious fabrics.

Bright and cheery fabrics.

Read Some Quilt Magazines - It was really nice to spend an afternoon reading some quilt magazines.

Lots of Magazines to choose from.

Worked on a Quilt - I made the time to work on my own quilt project. How often does that happen?

Trimmings from fifty blocks.

Attended a Quilt Guild Meeting - Thursday was the Genesee Valley Quilt Guild meeting. There is always something happening at guild. Our 2013 raffle quilt - Blue Moon Magic was on display.

Blue Moon Magic 2013 Raffle Quilt

Put a Binding on a Quilt Project - An evening was spent sewing on binding. There is nothing quite like taking that last stitch on a binding!

IPAD cover designed and quilted by Kathy Echter.

Worked on a Charity Project - The Irondequoit Quilt Club that I belong to, like many clubs has a Block of the Month exchange. This year the club is having its members make blocks that will be donated to a local quilt shop.  The shop has some volunteers that  will piece the blocks into quilts. Once the quilts are finished they will be donated to the Wounded Warrior project here in New York state.

12" Finished Antique Tile Quilt Block

Quilted A Quilt - My business was not slowed by all of these activities. There was still plenty of quilting going on at True Creations.

Custom quilting on Fig Tree designed quilt.

I hope that I have gotten you in the mood for National Quilting Day this Saturday! I certainly have been busy this past week. How will you be celebrating "OUR" day? Will you visit a quilt show,  sew with quilting friends, read a quit magazine, buy some delicious quilting fabric from your favorite quilt shop, read blogs about quilting, put a binding on a quilt? No mater how you decide to celebrate, be sure to enjoy the day!

Until next time… 
Happy Quilting, Kathy

A Pleasure To Quilt

Hello Everyone,
I want to share with you a quilt that I recently quilted. 
The quilt was made using Maison De Garance by French General. The piecer wanted a simple all over design. I chose an open airy pattern called Flirtatious. 
From a longarmer's perspective, what makes this quilt great is the care that the piecer took with cutting, piecing and pressing as she constructed her quilt top. As you can see in this photo her top lays really, really flat!

The first row.

The quilting pattern, Flirtatious.

The quilt just before I'm ready to deliver it. (I think I need to work on my photography a bit.)

The quilt maker was thrilled with the quilt. She immediately began to put her binding on the quilt that afternoon. I hope that she brings it to a local shop's Quilt Tea next week. If she does, I might have a chance to get a finished quilt photo!

This quilt truly was A Pleasure To Quilt.

Until next time…  
Happy Quilting, Kathy

Before, During and After

Hello Everyone,
Many quilter's ask me, "How do you decide which design to use on a quilt?"
It is a process.

Before~
First I look at the quilt...

This is a customer's Carpenter's Wheel quilt. It measures 39" x 39" and it is going to be used as a wall hanging, and not as a table topper. 

During ~ 
Since this quilt is going to be used as a wall hanging, I should choose some designs that will enhance the piecing. If this quilt was going to be used as a table topper; then I would consider an all over design. The thought here is that the quilt will probably not be seen in it entirety as a table topper; there would be items on top of the quilt (lamp, book, etc.); thereby making the quilting design less important to the overall quilt design.

The blocks of this quilt top are only three inches square. I need to be concerned with size and scale. I would not want to place any very detailed dense design in those areas. I need to choose simple and open designs to complement the over all feel of the fabrics and the piecing.
Here is a look at a design for the outer border, inner corner, and center side areas.

The designs are all very simple and open. They do not take away from the over all feel of the Carpenter's Wheel wall quilt.
Once I have a plan, I am ready to start quilting. Although, sometimes part of the plan may change as I quilt; I may become inspired to go in a little different direction.

After ~
Here is the wall hanging after quilting.

Here is a shot of some of the details.

I hope this blog entry has given you some insight as to the process, Before, During and After that I go though with each quilt that I quilt.

Until next time…  
Happy Quilting, 
Kathy