Classes at Hunter Heirloom Quilting

Once again this fall, I had the opportunity to teach at Hunter Heirloom Quilting in Centerview, Missouri.  Visit their Facebook Page at  Hunter Heirloom Quilting 

As always, owners Amy & Joe were amazing hosts, the students rocked and my Teacher's Angel was, well, an angel!  Three days teaching in November and three in December, in a QUILT SHOP, surrounded by Quilters, Longarms and FABRIC, who could ask for a better job???

The classes were all day and most of my students were there for the long haul, all three days.  I was able to spend time getting to know these incredible quilters.  Everyone went home tired, but smiling. I hope they had as much fun as I did.

First here's the class samples:

Feather Class

Ruler Class

Background Class

Second, a few shout outs.  My fabulous Teacher's Angel Penny Gleason Roberts, who just happens to also be a teacher and the designer of the 3D Threader!  3D Threader

And Employee of the Day, Amy, who loaded my samples on all 6 machines in the mornings.

Teacher;s Angel Penny

Employee of the Day Amy

Of course, all my Rockin' students.  Sorry to anyone who I missed a photo of.

A great finish to a great year!  Maybe I'll see some of you at next year's classes.
Happy Quilting
Ann

Grand Canal - Modern Applique Illusions

I certainly hope that Santa doesn't only bring gifts to faithful bloggers!  If so, I think I might come up a little short this year.  My only New Year's Resolution was to blog every week, (beside the basics, lose weight, eat better, get taller...) and it lasted thru April, sort of..  The end result is, I have a lot I want to say.

Thanks to friends, I have had an amazing year.  I had the privledge of working on a few Quilts of Valor, I won a few awards, I bought a second longarm, the longarm classes I teach have been in demand and a Modern top I quilted was published in a book!!!

Today I want to talk about the book.  Last year my friend Casey York asked if I would quilt a top she made for her book "Modern Applique Illusions".  I jumped at the chance, I love her quilts.  Casey has a background in Art History and draws her inspiration from her love of art.  Visit Casey's blog to read her vision for this quilt.   The Studiolo  While you're there, check out some of her other quilts in the book.  She explains her concept for these quilts. I enjoy reading about the thought process behind a quilt design.

Casey and I met for a little brain storming session.  With the top laid out between us, we immediately started throwing out ideas.  Casey had a definite vision for the quilting, and I saw the direction the quilting needed to go to meet her vision.  Our ideas meshed perfectly.

I laid the quilt out on my longarm.  I like to look at a top for awhile to get the "feel" of it before I start stitching.  I quilt on BeBe, a Gammill Classic Plus Hand Guided system.

Casey wanted the top half of the quilt to be a little more formal and had the idea of a repeating Damask pattern.  After looking at pages of Damask wallpaper, I designed a quilting motif I hoped she would like.  With a few tweaks here and there, it was ready to quilt.  Cross hatching in the background completed the design, accentuating the Damask motifs.

The bottom half of the quilt needed to be quilted in a way that would add the depth perspective Casey wanted.  I quilted all the sections smaller at the center of the top with the quilting designs gradually getting larger as they move toward the bottom of the quilt. Casey gives a great explanation of why/how this works in her blog. The Studiolo 

Wavy lines gradually get closer

Light green bush quilting

Dark green bush quilting

Pebbles, lots of pebbles....

Pink flowers echoed

Finished quilting.

 Modern Applique Illusions   

with Grand Canal on the cover!!!!

If you would like to purchase a copy Casey has signed, visit Casey York Design

Thank you for visiting my blog,
Happy Quilting
Ann

Machine Quilt's Showcase

I admit I have enjoyed teasing you all for the last couple months.  Now is the big reveal.....

But first, just a little info.  Last spring I asked my friend Kevin if he would be interested in collaborating on a show quilt with me.  After a little pause, he agreed.  I then handed him a box of fabric and said "Make a quilt with this".  When asked what kind, I replied "whatever you want, just make it scrappy. I totally trust you". And so began the journey and the birth of "RADAR".

Sharing his ideas and path with me, I could tell we really had the same vision of what we wanted the quilt to be.  Everything just clicked.  If you want to read more of his part of this journey, check out his blog Kevin The Quilter regularly (he has LOTS of stuff going on!).

Last fall, he gave me this amazing quilt top. It was his interpretation of the actual Radar from the storm with the devestating tornados that went thru Oklahoma.  He was flying over at the time. I spent 242 Hours quilting it. My part of the journey was to give life and movement to the quilt.  Apparently it was well worth all the time and effort we put into our quilt!  Radar took FIRST Place in Tools of the Trade at MQS in Wichita, KS.

So..... Drum Roll......

The beginning of my part of the journey, Kevin gave me a top, 100" x 100" of 2,500 squares!

So I got out my rulers and tools and started quilting. 

Some of the rulers I used are my favorites, Dusty Farrel's Radical Rulers and Bones, "Scapula"

(Country Stitchin)

 Lots of swirls, and circles and then some straight lines.  The only free-hand can be background fills.  So lots of tiny pebbles for pockets of hail.

 

And, YES! I TOUCHED THE QUILT AT THE QUILT SHOW!!! 

(The Quilt Police weren't looking)

It was a fun and amazing journey this quilt took us on. Guess I need to buy Kevin another box of fabric......

Happy Quilting,
Ann

Modern Minarture and Kevin's Quilt of Valor Drive

If you're looking for a worthy cause, check this out: (yep, you have to click on the link, cause I can't figure out how to make the button work! LOL) 

Kevin the Quilter's Quilt of Valor Block Drive!!!!!

Teaser Alert..... The quilt I collaborated on with Kevin the Quilter is now at MQS.  I won't see it hanging till Wednesday and then hopefully I can get some good pics! I can't wait to share this quilt and the entire process with you. Sneak peak of pebbles.......

1/8" pebbles.

 My Modern Mini is pieced, quilted, bound and shipped to MQS!!!  

Recap.....  The original quilt I used as inspiration was designed by my friend Jamie Mueller, visit her blog at Sunflower Seeds.  Her quilt was originally named "Master Carpenter's Square" (available at Sunflower Quilts)

So, because I never play totally by the rules, I made a few changes.  I love it, Jamie loves it, and that is really all that counts...  but, I hope you like it also and OK, the judges too.  The colored squares and background squares measure 1/2" x 1/2" and the brown squares are 1" x 1".  The quilt finished at 24" x 24".

All those little pieces became.....

A Quilt Top   24x24
I added 7" corner squares for negative space.

And the fun begins... Quilting!

The idea was to keep it Modern, so some pebbles and LOTS of Ruler work.

Lines, straight and curved and crossed.

A little checkerboard never hurts.

Crossed design in each 1/2" square repeated in 1" square, sort of.

Large (7"x7" lol) negative space filled with 1/8" lines.
And then on to those colored squares.....

Tiny 1/2" circles in each square using my new favorite ruler by Dusty Farrell, available at Country Stitchin. Then each color's circles were filled different.  BUT, I did not take a picture of the finished quilt!  Since it had a deadline to be mailed, I pulled an all-nighter to get it finished.  Around 6:45AM it was done.  2 hours sleep and off to UPS to ship to MQS show in Wichita.  So, I now have to wait till Wednesday, April 2 to see it. If you happen to be in Wichita next week, come check out the show!  

Happy /Quilting!

Ann

Modern Quilt Interruption and More Dot's Block

I am taking a Modern Quilt Interruption from Mine and Kevin's MQS quilt.  Well, actually this Modern one, hopefully, will be done in time to go to MQS also, but we'll see.

I fell in love with a quilt designed by my friend Jamie Mueller, visit her blog at  Sunflower Seeds or her website at Sunflower Quilts to see some of her amazing quilts and buy her patterns.  The quilt was originally named "Master Carpenter's Square".  Because I wanted to make a miniature, and if you know me, you know I never follow directions, I changed the quilt somewhat..... and now I'm making my quilt "Jamie's Carpenter Squared".

The original pattern was made with Charm Squares (5").  Miniaturized would have been 6.5" x 6.5", way too small  for me.  Sooooo, I added lots of rows, and rows, and rows.  It is now 48 rows by 48 rows, and will measure 24"x24", Although I am throwing in some larger solid pieces for negative space. Or at least that's the plan!

2 of the sections I have done!
Yep, those are 1/2" squares....

*******************************************

Dot's Blocks...

Star Block 6

Planned Design using ruler by Off The Edge.

 Finished center of block

Finished Block.

 *******************************************

 Star Block 7

Designed center star.

Off The Edge Ruler used to add heart quilting to center

Fill the heart with feathers!

Add some X-hatching and the finished Star Block.

 *******************************************

 Star Block 8

Block Designed using
 "Flourish" Dusty Farrell's Radical Ruler
Visit Country Stitchin

Center Stitched.

 Finished Block.

So, that's all for today.  Hope you enjoyed seeing the beginning of my miniature quilt and more of Dot's blocks.
Happy Quilting
Ann