Adel Quilting and Dry Goods

Let me tell you about one of my two favorite quilt shops.

Adel Quilting and Dry Goods is the shop closest to my home and heart. It’s owned by Jacque Johnson and her husband Frank. Check out their website here. Be sure to read up on Jacque’s blog here or as linked through the [...]

Books for machine quilting

I was asked to recommend books for machine quilting. There are four books that have helped me tremendously (in no particular order). I’d like to preface my book recommendations by saying that I took a machine quilting class at a local quilt shop first. I had the best teacher; instead of coming out of class [...]

Janome Memory Craft 6600

This is the Janome Memory Craft 6600. I’ve had it for almost a year. Overall, I love it. It’s got some great features that now that I’m used to having, I wouldn’t want to be without.

This is the third sewing machine I’ve had in the last three years. The first one I bought [...]

Grace again

I mentioned a baby quilt I was working on in an earlier blog. It’s done… here it is! My customer will be picking it up today. It was really fun to make. In any case, I think the fabrics make the difference nearly every time. If you love the fabrics, the quilt will always be [...]

New Pattern

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today is an extra special Valentine’s Day for my family. I’ll tell you more tomorrow.

For now, do you remember those vibrant fabrics I posted in an earlier blog? This is the new pattern in which I’ll be using that same fabric. It will have some easy applique – a departure [...]

Banana bread, importing new fonts and hand embroidery

What do these things have in common? I tried them all for the first time yesterday. I know! What a busy day!

Yesterday was a regularly scheduled day off for my husband. When he works a Saturday (every 3rd weekend), he doesn’t work the preceeding Monday (yesterday). I love the Mondays when he’s home; the [...]

Updates from last week

Jett is doing much better after a long weekend. Not 100%, but still better. The nights are usually much worse with croup, and Jett proved that to be true. He tossed and turned each night, not finding comfort in much of anything. He’d wake up crying and not want a drink of water, not want [...]

Pattern writing

I’m working on quilt for a woman who is expecting her baby granddaughter in less than a month. From my website, she selected the “Grace” pattern pictured above. I found the cutest fabrics for her quilt last weekend; I’m in the planning stages now.

Before I make any quilt, I draft it [...]

Phew… I’m done!

First of all, I wish I was a better photographer. I found it very difficult to capture the dimension of the quilting in these snapshots. Anyway, let me tell you about my latest finished quilt. This project is a combination my last two blog entries: trapunto and antique linens. Starting from the beginning…

[...]

Antique linens

(photo courtesy of Cindy Needham)

No, this is not one of my creations. I wish. I found this on Cindy Needham’s website – check it out, her work is stunning. I discovered Cindy Needham because she was featured on an episode of The Quilt Show – an online community for quilters. Cindy has [...]