A Baltimore Christmas

For all you applique'rs out there, 

A Baltimore Christmas Quilt

I know it's only March, but as a quilter, I receive Christmas quilts all year long, and I just had to share this one! Since this is a Baltimore, you know there is lots of detail with lots of little pieces, and I commend anyone who actually finishes one of these quilts.  

On most appliques, I try not to quilt on the applique itself, but the Santa center block in the one was too large not to. This client also did not mind a little quilting on her work, so I did quilt veins in the border and holly leave, and just a few areas where I felt it was needed in the actual blocks themselves. 

This quilt is mainly a lot of background work, and I have included a few of the blocks for you to check out. It was indeed a privilege to have been given the opportunity to quilt this one!

Border 

Christmas Boot block

Wreath block

Gingerbread wreath block

Partridge in a pear tree

The large center Santa block

Embroidered Snowmen Christmas

The Holidays are Coming Quickly!!

We have enjoyed such a beautiful and warm fall that it is hard to believe that Christmas will be here in less than 2 months - Scary, isn't it?! I certainly have several projects that are in need of completion, and I am sure you do too.

This embroidered alphabet snowmen quilt kind of gets me in the mood - not only do I love snowmen, but this one is so cute, I really did not want to return it to its owner! But then, I am not into lawsuits, so off it went.

Snowflakes, swirls, feathers, loops, and needle pines were all incorporated around the embroidery. The snowmen were large, so did require a little quilting, but a 3D look was maintained. Snowflakes seemed perfect for their tummies, and, of course we had to put some snowmen in the border!


November is only a few days away, so I hope you are getting those holiday projects completed. Until next time, happy quilting!

Cathy

Verse for the day: "See that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8)

Winter Snow Friends

Merry Christmas!

I am happy to say that my last "must be done for Christmas" quilt went out the door last week - I definitely breathed a sigh of relief! However, since then, my husband and I have had a visit from that nasty flu virus that is being passed around - would have preferred he did not share this one with me! Oh well, we are on the mend, and are thankful that our bodies are so wonderfully made that they have the ability to fight such awful stuff!

I have a number of quilts that need to get put on this blog, but for now, I will settle on this cute little winter appliqued wall hanging called "Winter Snow Friends".

The many 1/2 sq. triangles were quilted with continuous curve and holly leaves. The appliqued portions were mainly stitched around, but a few of the figures required additional stitching to make them lay flat.

I used a variety of backgrounds -  feathers, swirls, snowflakes, loops, and stipple - to add interest and to flow with the pattern. This is just a happy quilt, and it brings a smile to my face!

That's it for today - I just wanted to make sure you had a Christmas quilt to check out. (If  you want to check out another Christmas applique, Dec. 2013 has AJ's stunning Merry Christmas quilt.) I will be adding more quilts very shortly, but company is coming - I must get some baking done!

May each of you enjoy a very blessed Christmas, and may you enjoy, blessed, and be challenged by all He has in store for you in the coming year!

Cathy

Verse for the day: "Your adornment must not be merely external - braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:3-4)

Woodland Christmas Applique

outer border

Fall Greetings!

It is hard to believe that summer is over and our busiest season about to approach, but yes, it is coming quickly! Already, my schedule is quickly filling with holiday requests, and I love seeing them - it sets my anticipation for all the season has to offer.



Regretfully, I somehow did not manage to take a picture of the whole quilt for you -  I am so sorry, for it really was a wonderful detailed applique and you will miss the full appreciation for the work that went into it. The woodland creatures included bears, foxes, raccoon, hedgehogs, bunnies, and birds among a mix of houses, trees, and stars, which allowed opportunity for a variety of fills and detail work. It has a winter-y looking swirled outer border, leafy corner blocks,  and a holly leaf  pattern for the inner.

One of the house blocks - hmm,
 bears protecting the town hall?

corner detail

Bunnies, fox, and bear admiring
the tree decorations.

All the woodland animals
pitching in to help.

Santa has a new helper!

Hedgehogs preparing for the celebration.

Somehow, these raccoons look
a bit mischievous.

And Merry Christmas to all!

As you can see, this is just a fun quilt and I really enjoyed working on it - thank you, Barb! If you were able to attend Quilt-a-Fair in Longmont, you may have seen it hanging at the Laughing Ladies booth. We have been in New Mexico, so were unable to attend, but hope you were able to enjoy all the variety offered there!

Until next time, happy quilting!
Cathy
Verse for the day: "Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness." (Psalm 30:4)

Some Early Christmas Joy

Holidays are coming!

As quilters, we have usually already started thinking about Christmas by now. Our projects do take a while to complete, no matter how simple they are. This cute little quilt is not simple, for the embroidery itself took some time to complete, and I just love the joy of the season it represents: joy; peace, merry, love, delight, magic, believe, noel, and cheer are embroidered in the blocks.

Quilted crosshatch inner border. 

The outer border is a busy fabric, so a simple feather pattern was quilted there. The inner border has a crosshatch with a Christmas variegated thread. The small black border was small enough to let it stand alone.




The embroider blocks were highlighted with and outline and echo around the wording, and then a small swirl pattern around the circles. The border around the blocks was a ribbon-like swirl pattern to give the look of a wrapped package, and the small blocks were given a holly leaf pattern.

Quilting detail of embroidered blocks

Holly motifs in small surrounding blocks

I always like it when I receive a Christmas quilt long before the season hits - I can relax, and enjoy the quilting process without the pressure!








That's all for now! Until next time, happy quilting - and help your quilter out by getting those holiday projects to her early!

Cathy

Verse for the day: "Your Word I have treasured in my heart, that I might not sin against You." (Psalm 119:11)

Merry Christmas Applique

Christmas Blessings to Everyone!

Border View

A Glimpse of the whole quilt.
It is large, 88 X 110

Pear Tree Block
"and to all a goodnight"

This quilt both challenged and delighted me - It was so much fun to work on! Thank you, dear one, for giving me the opportunity! It took me a long time to complete it, (the results were well worth the time!) and I was so attached to it by the time it was finished that I did not want to give it back! The pictures do not do this justice, but wouldn't you just love to have this one displayed in your home during the wonderful holiday season?

Center "Merry Christmas" block

Star block

I am often asked how I decide what to quilt. There is not an easy answer to this, but basically, this is how I typically work. While I am working on a quilt, I hang my next one on a clothesline near my machine so that I can look at it every time I walk into the room or glace up. It keeps me thinking, and little by little a plan begins to take shape. I look for clues within the quilt to guide me - allowing the quilt to "speak" to me. This will extend from what colors to use (I find myself often trying out various colors) to what I might do in each block, section, sashing, border, etc. For a quilt like this one, I find myself thinking: " If I were a (holly, stocking, leaf, ornament, star, menorah, etc.) how would I look? Or, what background fill would look best here? I am more of a traditional quilter, although I do modern quilts as well, so most of my ideas have more of a traditional theme.

Wreath Block

By the time I am ready to work on the quilt, I have sticky notes pinned all over it to remind me what I was thinking. (With my feeble mind, the notes are vital!) This also helps me keep a consistent flow to the quilt, since I can only see a small portion of it at a time.



poinsettia block



Menorah Block

That's it - not much of a secret, is it! But, it is what works for me. As you can see in this quilt, there are all kinds of stitched additions - oak leaves added to the border pattern, ribbons added to the wreath and stockings, flames added to the menorah, star "light". There is also quite a variety of fill patterns: echo quilting, swirls, paisley, feathers, curls, etc.


May each of you and your families know the most blessed gift of all this Christmas.
"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (I Cor. 9:15)