Just off the frame....

These little foxes were so much fun to quilt. My customer's last name is Fox so I'm sure it will be cherished for some time. I think she plans on hanging it in their home.

I forgot to ask...but I think this is an Elizabeth Hartman pattern??

I had fun using this little fox pantograph I found in my collection and 

the variegated thread blended perfectly with the quilt's colors.

Summer is fast approaching...which means I'll have more time to quilt.

I wanted to remind everyone that:

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

and offer quick turn-around service.

Email me with your inquiries.

Share your Pin-Cushions with us this week at Tuesday Archives.

Click HERE for this week's linky party.

On the frame this weekend...

This is a fun, scrappy customer quilt that I'll be working on today. She chose a fun Dragonfly Fantasy pantograph that I think will look fun among these wonky log cabins.

I'm also inspired by her use of decorative stitches she included in each block:

Note to self: I totally want to do this!

 How about you? What creative ways have your used your machine's decorative stitches?
My curious mind is wondering.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

Eye Spy Inspiration!

Fresh off the quilting frame this morning is this twin size Eye-Spy quilt 

created by Nancy who blogs at PugMom Quilts:

Those of you who participated in last year's Eye-Spy Swap here at Val's Quilting Studio, will notice many of our four inch blocks in Nancy's finish. I like how she alternated four patches of eye-spies with a single large eye-spy block. Good idea!

 I had fun quilting this one with this truck, plane, train and helicopter pantograph. 

Just perfect for the four year old little guy Nancy made this quilt for. 

Don't forget my summer quilting deal:

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

As always thanks for stopping by.

WIN Batting This Summer!!!

I'm celebrating Summer with a chance for you to WIN this batting: 

This batting is twin size and measures 72"x 90".

As a teacher, Summer is my quilting season and this year I have no plans but to be home. 

Annnndddd, I'd love to quilt for you! Here's the deal: with every quilt top you send to me to be quilted using an edge to edge pantograph, you will be entered to win the above batting. 

The give-away will stay open for nine weeks (Until August 14th...when I return to work.)

I specialize in pantograph quilting, charge a flat rate of .018 cents per square inch and offer quick turn-around service along with FREE return shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A. For more details and examples of my work, please do check out my Long-Arm quilting page by clicking right HERE

This "Chasing Cats" is my newest pantograph: 

This cute cat quilt was sent by Nancy who blogs at PugMom Quilts. This one is for a five year old little girl and I was thrilled to have found this whimsical pantograph to finish this quilt for her.

Click HERE to contact me about quilting for you.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Some Quilting and Sewing...

 So I've spent a large portion of my long weekend off from teaching right here: 

 I've been quilting.

I used this "Square Dance" pantograph to...

 ...quilt this top for Nancy who commissioned me to do this for her. She blogs at PugMom Quilts. 

This one is for her nephew and I absolutely love how it's turning out!

 I've been sewing. 

 I finally started my Feb. One Monthly Goal. About now I'm thinking it was a little over optimistic of to think I could sew a queen size quilt top together in one month...as, seriously,  I should know better! I mean I ALWAYS have more than one project going on at the same time...what was I thinking! I do love all these prints though and find the fat quarter friendly pattern I'm using quick and fun! I'm  spending the rest of the afternoon sewing a few of these rows together and will look forward to sharing a little bit more of this project with you later this week. (Who knows...maybe I'll even make my goal!)

And speaking of multiple projects...I also have my second step of Carole's Scrap Dance Two Step QAL all ready to sew together tomorrow after school. (LOL! Can you say squirrel!)

Anyhoo, we're hoping for a break in the weather, as an afternoon walk outside sure would be nice.  

Until then, that hum you may hear in the distance, is me just sewing along here as I use my sewing to beat the Wintertime Blues with a cozy sew day at home with my buddy Jackson.

Thanks for stopping by.

I'd love to quilt for you too.

Click HERE to read the details.

A "Campy" Quilt Finish

 I always feel so honored to quilt for someone else. And I couldn't help but find myself falling in love with this adorable children's quilt Nancy, who blogs at Pug Mom Quilts, sent me.

First, what a great pattern to highlight our favorite larger print fabric.

Second, I had the perfect campy themed pantograph to help finish it with a whimsical touch.

This pantograph, though kinda hard to see in the picture, has tents, campfires, compasses, and fishing poles that perfectly accented her fabric! I had fun quilting this one. 

Thanks for letting me quilt for you Nancy.

This one will be on it's way back to you tomorrow!

Check out my Long Arm Quilting information by clicking right HERE.

I offer free return shipping and quick turn around service.

Sunday Sew Day

"Yep! I got got her back in the studio guys. 

 Keep reading to see everything my creative mom is up to. 

Oh! And thanks for all the belly rubs!" Jackson

It felt good to spend the morning catching up on all your blogs and we got in a long walk.

I finished this cute bear and star pantograph I was commissed to do for a friend.

I also prepared two blocks for the Bloom QAL

Now it's time to get the rest of the laundry folded, um excuse me Jackson, 

and myself ready for the work week. 

Happily, I'm four teaching days and one work day away from my Spring Stay-cation! 

My list is already started and I look forward to sharing it with you soon. 

This week's theme is Cross Hatch Quilting.

Monkey Pantographing

It's an overcast, rainy Saturday.

I'm "monkeying" around in the studio as I quilt this for a friend.

I have to admit, baby quilts are my favorite. How about you? 

Sun Bonnet Sues Quilted!

So part of my Winter Sewing over my break from teaching was to quilt these darn Sun Bonnet Sues for our friend.

Why'd it take me so long??? Good question!

Quite honestly I was scared! (I was!)

I mean these were made in 1940 and someone else's heirlooms were in my hands!

Seriously!!! 

I'm a hobby quilter...in "real" life I'm a second grade teacher.

But I DID IT!!

The smaller one I stitched-in-the-ditch the Sues and cross-hatched the background. 

 The next quilt was QUEEN size.

After a LOT of thinking...I finally decided to pantograph this one!

Why?

Well.....the seams were thin and some even needed resewing as there were holes.

Next, the fabric was old. I wondered how much quilting it could withhold?

I remet with my friend  and asked her what her purpose of the quilt was?

Her answered that they wanted to use it....eventually passing it down to their grand-daughters.

I also had to keep their budget in mind.

So I chose a light, loopy flower pantograph that mimicked many of the flowers in the Sue's dresses.

Here's the clincher! Geuss which quilt was their favorite! Yep! the one I pantographed!! OMG!!  Have you ever sat on a project for months...contemplating???  When in the end, the project was much easier than you made it. (I mean they didn't know you are "not suppose" to quilt over applique.) 

Lesson learned.

Click here to see more Antique Quilts at this week's Tuesday Archives.

Tuesday Archives #96: Antique Quilts

Hello! Hello! and Happy Tuesday Archives! 

The linky party that let's you rejuvinate OLD blogging posts.

. If you are new to our linky, click over the here to read the details about this fun, weekly linky party.

(You can also check out all our past Tuesday Archives themes by clicking right here.)

This week's theme is: ANTIQUE QUILTS

Like these Sun Bonnet Sue Tops I've been commissioned to quilt, what antique/heirloom quilts do you have? These were made in the 1940's. The backing was of a flour sack texture and all the Sues were hand sewn. Their thin dresses carefully detailed.  

These quilt tops have been well stored as they have no smell and minimal stains. The repairs were minimal, with only a few seams needing to be restitched before I starting to quilt them.

As sometimes happens when I'm preparing for our weekly linky, I get lost in the internet "researching" our theme. This week, as I tried to "define" antique, I found some interesting articles: 

A Brief Essay of Dating Quilts

18th & 19th Century Quilts

The is no legacy of quilts in my family, yet as I quilted these Sue's I found myself curious of the woman who hand-stitched these so very long ago. Her precise stitches. Her attention to detail. Who was she? How Long did it take her to make these? The great-granddaughters these will be gifted to.

1940's Sunbonnet Sues

My next big quilting project is going to be these Sunbonnet Sues:

Our friends came over for dinner and in her arms were these two precious quilts made by her grandmother in the early 1940's! She doesn't want them to live their life in a cedar chest and asked if I'd quilt them for her. Would I? You bet!

This one measures 77" by  97".

I'm parcial to these scrappy girls with no sashing:

This one measures 57"x 72".

As we sat admiring the hand stitching of her grandmother, my friend told me stories of the quilts' past and shared memories of her grandmother with me. I told her I'd be sure to make  special quilt labels so each quilt's heritage will be with them forever.

These will be gifts to her granddaughters, so we decided not to go with traditional muslin and add a little pop of color for the backing. Imagine my happy dance when I found this wonderful material on clearance today for $5.00 a yd. while at my Saturday Sampler meeting! 

I think just the fact that theses were made 73 years ago and that they are not going to be buried in a chest, makes me look forward to quilting them even more, So now I'm curious,..do you have any vintage quilts handed down through your family? If so, how old are they and what have you done with them?

Click here for information: