Quilters on the Rock

Quilters on the Rock quilting guild meets in beautiful Coupville WA. I was happy to present a program and Bead Candy workshop for their members!

Road Trip

Always new surprises down the road. Visited the new location for Fabric Crush. It's in the Wallingford Center, 1815 N 45th Street, #217. 206.432.9929.
The cute, well lit shop features fabric, books, patterns and classes.

A Few of My Favorite Things

The Bottom Line by Superior Threads; quilting, embroidery, bobbin, binding,and appliqué.
Comes in 55 colors and is 60 wt. lint-free polyester. Its smooth surface allows it to work well with metallic threads. The smoothness of the filament poly thread does not snag or grab the top thread. If you've had trouble using metallics, give it a try.

Shiva brand oil paint sticks
Make elegant fabric with the look of airbrushing! Paint sticks applied to silk or cotton are simple, fun and permanent.

Cotton and cotton blend battings
Sticks to other cotton; thin; can be machine quilted & shrunk to produce antique looking quilts or to hide quilting stitches; comfortable to sleep under; it breathes. Cotton endures and will not beard like polyester. A good choice if “shadow through” from the quilt back is a problem. Cotton, bonded or glazed batting won't pull apart and needs to 'relax' after removal from the packaging.

Golden Threads quilting paper
For use with the No-Marking Method to create tear away stencils. The paper tears away cleanly and easily without pulling out your stitches.

Starch

I like to starch my fabric. I prefer to use concentrated liquid starch, purchased at a big box store. A heavy solution of 50% water to 50% starch. Spraying the starch to warm fabric, makes the fabric firm faster.

• With aerosol cans I must wait for the foam to sink in...waiting just isn't in my vocabulary!

Why starch?

• I prefer to work with firm fabric.

• It stabilizes bias edges
• Stabilizes light weight fabrics
• Stabilizes fabric for some decorative stitching
  

I starch after washing, piecing and the final pressing of the top. And any other time I think it necessary!

• Be aware that bugs like to eat the starch!

To remove starch build-up from your iron, place a couple of wet paper towels in the sink add the HOT iron and wipe!

Quilt Show

Great modern quilts with fresh looking fabrics. But put these quilts in the 'what was I thinking' category. I like them both but they are so not my style!

Interesting what the different border does for them.

Treat yourself

What a treat to have a new ironing board cover! Makes pressing almost fun.

Road Trip

Port Gamble is the home of Quilted Straight. Located about an hour (via the Edmonds ferry) away from Seattle or 1 1/2 hours to drive around Puget Sound, it is well worth a day trip. Situated on the shores of scenic Hood Canal the the 120-acre National Historic Landmark is complete with picturesque, turn-of-the-century buildings filled with a quilt shop, an historic church, breathtaking views, expansive grounds and New England style houses on maple and elm tree-lined streets. Authentically restored and operated by Pope Resources, Port Gamble is the only remaining company owned mill town in Puget Sound.

NC Symposium

We had fun with Simple Surfaces - Foil and Paint Sticks

NC Symposium

We painted with Paint Sticks

NC Symposium

Some of the great Eye Candies quilters made by my students

North Carolina Quilt Symposium

Happy quilters at the opening ceremony!
Energized teachers


Raffle quilt
Merchant mall where I just had to check out the YLI thread booth


And quilts!

Sewing Scrap Quilts

I finally realized that the blue pieces will be a quilt some day! Here are some now!
Green Screen, the ultimate scrap quilt! The borders and sashing are from my making fabric sessions!
A quilt from my book Eye Candy Quilts.

Sewing Scraps

I sew pairs, press; sew pairs, press; you get the idea.

A finish piece looks like this.


If I decide I want to use the fabric as a block, I cut a window template and audition the options.

More after I get back from the North Carolina Quilt symposium.