It all started when I saw a “Boyfriend” quilt at the American Quilting store in Utah. It was love at first sight! This quilt was just a basic square block quilt. I was excited and decided to make it. I have always loved plaids and gingham and so I decided to give it a western theme. I then renamed the quilt my “Cowboy” Quilt, and decided that my future “tall dark and handsome” could maybe be a cowboy. I mean really who doesn’t like tight jeans and boots!!? When designing my quilt I also added more rows as well as added borders. This quilt was the easiest quilt to make. It’s simple and straightforward. The hardest part was laying it out. It is my favorite quilt I’ve made so far.
I often joked that this quilt was for my future husband, which was very forward thinking of me since I didn’t even have a boyfriend at the time. however, whomever he was he was going to become the lucky owner of a very cool quilt. That was back in 2010.
Three years later I met Dan and we started dating. He is tall dark and handsome but no cowboy. When we started to talk marriage I told him my cowboy quilt would be his if we got married. (I think that’s what sealed the deal.) After visiting his family for Christmas we went on a drive together. He drove us to a scenic view, said I had to stand up, and gave me a pillowcase with something inside. Not exactly the ring box I was hoping for! To my surprise inside was a quilt he had made with his mom. A quilt asking me to marry him. The quilt says “Margaret will you be my eternal cuddle buddy? Y/N ~Dan” I circled the “Y”. It was very original and pleasantly unexpected. Dan, with the help of his mom and sister, came up with the idea to do a quilt because knowing how much I like crafts, Dan wanted to do something crafty. It was the first quilt he’d ever sewn. He chose the fabric well, it’s cute and completely made of Minky, the soft, plushy material perfect for snuggling with. (So of course I said yes.)
Now we are living happily ever after in our apartment and finishing our undergraduate degrees together. And we often use these quilts for cuddling and watching movies together. It’s great because we’ll have these quilts, and eachother other, forever. Happy Wednesday!
Archive for the ‘Quilting’ Category
Quilting Romance
Wednesday, July 30th, 2014Eeny Meeny Miny Moe…
Saturday, July 26th, 2014Which one to use I just don’t know. Eeny meeny miny moe.
Choosing fabric can sometimes feel like a difficult task. You are about to spend tons of time on creating this work of art and once you start cutting out and sewing together you are pretty stuck with your choices. There are things to do that can make the process easier.
When I am choosing fabric for a new quilt I try to think about a few things including; the quilt pattern ~ meaning the size and shape of the pieces and the way they will fit together, the fabric print & aspect ratio ~ so if it is a huge print or a polka dot that is spaced very far apart (in my opinion that print is wasted on a quilt with very small pieces). I think about color ~ I sometimes want a range of colors and sometimes I want the colors all in the same family, Lights and darks ~ some patterns are highlighted better by the use of lights and darks and some are beautiful when more monotone in hue. The majority of these choices are determined by the feeling and purpose I want my quilt to have. Do I want it to be; Sweet? Edgy? Peaceful? Bold? Fun? Scrappy? For picnics? For reading? To cuddle? For holiday fun?
There’s a lot to think about when planning a quilt. One of the easiest ways to decide is just find a line of fabric that you love. The designers usually include big and small prints, lights and darks, patterns and solids in each line. Sometimes a fabric line that I love has inspired a quilt. Another helpful tool in choosing fabric are great programs that give you the chance to put colors and fabrics together and into the actual quilt pattern. These give you a better idea of what your quilt will look like. However always remember that, whether coloring it on paper or designing it on the computer, The real quilt will look different and more raw than a rendering.
I am currently in the process of making a quilt. Surprise!
So, I’m really excited to start this project. The quilt I am working on is a charm quilt (which means that every piece of fabric is different). There are 480 different pieces of fabric that I have accumulated over the years. I planned the quilt and then changed the plan. Once the plan changed I decided to add sashing (that’s when there are lines of fabric separating the blocks). For a while I was thinking white sashing to make the colors stand out more… or at least that was the idea. I got this awesome white on white fabric and when I put it next to the squares it looked SO BORING! So, what was I to do?
My life since having children has been crazy and much more full of color. The color and life are bleeding into my style. I am in love with pattern and color. I began going through my fabric stash to find a sashing idea. I found two fabrics that I thought would be fun… a polka dot and a striped fabric. Harley was helping me decide. He was laying out his favorite squares and the backing he chose was the polka dots… My preference also. I took photos and texted them to my sisters for more opinions. I laughed when all four of us liked the same one. Polka dots! Great minds think alike… sometimes.
I love polka dots. I am excited for the outcome of this quilt. Let me know… What are the things you think about when choosing your fabric?
5 steps to get excited to quilt! How I did it!
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014
Compared to my sisters I was late to the quilting game. All my sisters had already made quilts of their own before I even considered the idea. I had the desire to quilt after seeing their end results, but lacked motivation. I didn’t quite know where to get started or how to get excited. I decided what the heck, let’s quilt, and found a sure way to become a quilting lover! There are a few steps that got me through my first quilt and I think they apply to every quilt!
1. Love your fabric. If you don’t like the fabric, you won’t like the quilt in the end. I chose 30’s inspired fabric that fit my personality.
2. Go for simple. I used a simple strip quilt design and picked my fabric that was already matched and cut into strips (I used a jelly-roll). First quilt, Sew,cut,piece it together, sew the sashing and borders, but for sure make it simple!
3. Have help! There are so many resources for quilting; quilting blogs, stores, classes, the internet! I had my mother and sisters, I got lucky. 
4. Enjoy the work (probably the most important step). Focus on what you enjoy. I love to design quilts and then piece it together. I don’t enjoy cutting fabric, so I got pre-cut strips of fabric that skipped that step. Also, I liked to listen to music as I sewed. I recommend John Taylor and Neil Diamond!
5. Professional finish. It’s worth it to hire someone to professionally quilt your finished top. Looks clean and polished. Again I was lucky, I had my mother and her long arm quilter, this massive machine in her garage that makes quilts look put together!
I am so proud of my first quilt. I loved making it! Follow these steps and you’ll love quilting too!
Happy Tuesday!
Quilting Studio Move
Sunday, July 20th, 2014Earlier this summer we decided to move my quilt studio and its been a eye-opening experience.
For starters, moving can be a long drawn out process, and I have been unpacking for a week. I’m still only a quarter of the way through my fabric stash. Before the move, I stored my fabric in plastic bins (open, of course), but I decided to sort my stash by color in the new studio. Except for the fabric for the twenty or so quilts that I have designed already in my head, I’m stacking. And this is just the beginning.
Scraps are one of the things that slow me down sometimes, because I have so many. Every time I make a new quilt, I create more and more scraps. One of the things I’m excited to do once I’m all moved in, and have the fabric all sorted is to get those scraps organized and usable. I’ve dreamed of the day that I would FINALLY be able to get a quilt done fast, fast, fast. That day is coming, thanks to Bonnie Hunter’s Scrap User’s System from Quiltville. Another post for another day~Happy Saturday!
My First REAL Quilt (well… the first one I started)
Tuesday, July 15th, 2014This is the first quilt I ever started.
Throughout my youth, I had seen my mother make all kinds of pretty quilts and decided around 16 that I wanted to make one also. My mom helped me design the quilt in a new computer program she had. Once designed I did some math and we went to the store and purchased material. After we got home, I was all “Gung-ho” about making it, for about a week. I started cutting out the fabric but there were SO many pieces. Did I take on too much? This really was a time commitment… then my drive fizzled.
At that time I think I thought this might be the only quilt I ever make so I had better make it good. In hind sight I probably should have chosen an easier pattern with less peices. Five years after starting my first quilt and after starting and completing two other quilts I finally got back on the boat and finished this quilt. I was so proud when it was finally done! It’s very imperfect… just look at those points… but I like it anyway.
This quilt was finished eight years ago. Its a fun quilt and I will always love it because I designed it and it was my “first”. Now the quilt belongs to this sweet little girl. I hope she likes it. 
Happy Tuesday!
Feeling Blue Quilt
Thursday, July 10th, 2014Cloudy day in AZ… Clouds on the quilt, blue and white…
Those of you who are from Arizona can relate to the fact that rainy/cloudy days are not the norm, especially these last few years in AZ even in the monsoon season. Ironically, my daughter called from AZ and told me that today and yesterday have been overcast and rainy. So here’s a quilt to brighten the day of anyone who is experiencing “the BLUES.”
Last year I decided to make birthday quilts for all my in-law children, since I’d already made quilts for all of my children. So knowing that my son-in-law loves blue (thanks, Stephanie) I chose to make this striking quilt from the February 2013 American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine.
Wanting to add interest and contrast to the geometric lines of the quilt, I quilted Feeling Blue on my Statler Stitcher long arm machine, using a cloud design from the Statler Sisters group. Hope you like it! 
Happy Thursday!
