50 years a quilter, one stitch at a time

It’s been a long time and I’m finally back to share! Four years ago today Covid erupted, and time has flown since then. But Covid didn’t stop me from quilting! I was was really quite productive and I enjoyed every minute. I made a quilt for my grandson Evan for his dorm room, I made quilts for my son-in-law’s great niece and nephew, I made a couple of charity quilts and I also made quilts “just because”. I also made a quilt “We Three Birds” that is almost all hand pieced, hand embroidered, hand applique and hand quilt. I loved making it so much!

I am so thankful and grateful for all the classes I took and the quilters who taught them. I am so lucky to have started when I did using just graph paper, a pencil and ruler, sandpaper for templates and a pair of great Gingher scissors (that I still use today) that I bought at my first (1979) Continental Quilt Congress. Best advice from Elly Sienkiewicz. It wasn’t till a year or so later that rotary cutters, cutting mats and rulers changed quilting forever. I still have my first small cutter, cutting mat and my Nancy Crow ruler. And now I am ever so grateful for my wonderful quilt friends who have mastered the art of longarm machine quilting. So thanks to Heather, Nadine, the Langille team and Lynn without you all I couldn’t have accomplished all that I have.

I made this quilt for my grandson, who went to university in September of 2023. Time flies! He needed a quilt for his dorm room. I called this one ‘At The Crossroads’, inspired by a quilt I saw on Public Library Quilts (Instagram). It is machine pieced, machine quilted (by Nadine Stevens).

“The Big Cheese” pattern by Dianne Harris published in issue 145 of “Quiltmania”

Machine pieced, machine quilted (by Heather Stewart). The horizontal strips were cut in random widths and sewn together on the long strips. This was a fun quilt to piece.

This next quilt “Dance Moves” was inspired by a pattern called “Ladies Chain” by Stephanie Soebbing of Quilt Addicts Anonymous. “Dance Moves” is the name of the fabric line designed by Katie Pasquini Masopust.

“Dance Moves” was machine pieced and machine quilted (by the Langille “team”). I donated it to my Guild Cuddle Quilts (charity quilts) program.

“Mrs. Mosher’s Stars” machine pieced (1994) and machine quilted (by Nadine Stevens, 2023). Inspired by a quilt in the Nova Scotia Museum collection. I “set” the quilt blocks with a herringbone or zig zag pattern which was often used in Nova Scotia quilts. it also does not have any borders, another design element typical in old Nova Scotia quilts.

Two kid’s quilts “Rockin’ Robots” pattern designed by Astrid at “Apples and Beavers” a Canadian quilt design company.

Both quilts were machine pieced and machine quilted (by Heather Stewart).

“Street Party” machine pieced and machine quilted (by Heather Stewart). The second picture shows two strips before they are trimmed straight and sewn together. The third picture (above) shows the pieces laid out ready to sew together, then the detail of the quilting and then the back. I prefer to piece my backs with what I have and not buy “widebacks”.

“Wensleydale” Pattern by Jen Kingwell, machine pieced and machine quilted (by Heather Stewart). No two blocks are the same. I really enjoyed making this quilt, it is FPP, foundation paper pieced. This is another favourite quilt but aren’t they all?

Virtual Quilting Workshops and Lectures

It has been a busy couple of weeks with both Quilt Canada and the Vermont Quilt Festival presenting their annual events online. They are two of my favourite shows to attend. While Quilt Canada happens in a different location in Canada each year, the Vermont Quilt Festival is held now in Essex Junction near Burlington, Vt. Quilt Canada just had their 40th anniversary and for VQF it was their 45th! I have been to about a few QC’s and once to VQF. I hope to go to both again in person when QC comes back to Halifax in 2023 for the 4th time and to next years VQF.

While both events were very well organized I did miss the usual chatter and excitement that you just can’t find online at a virtual event. I did enjoy the excellent quilt shows and being able to see the quilts over and over again. There are some talented people out there! I was very disappointed that Nova Scotia quilters were not represented at all at QC! Why not? We have amazing quilters here, did they just not enter? We need to work harder at promoting the National Juried Show and encouraging our quilters to enter. My philosophy is that if I am happy with the quilt, enter it, if it gets in that is a bonus, if not it that’s ok! I was delighted that several Canadian quilters had work accepted in the VQF. Special shout out to Mary Elizabeth Kinch who won several ribbons!

I am really going to be better organized for next year and chose a quilt or two to enter our NJS and maybe even the VQF.

Quilt Canada’s event was primarily lectures and demos, no workshops. VQF has had workshops, lectures and demos by their vendors. I have taken two workshops and one lecture. I decided to take a chance and try something new for me. I have been quilting almost 48 years and there is still so much to learn, techniques to try and new quilters to meet. I took a workshop on Improv Piecing from Cindy Grisdela and later today I am taking a workshop with Sujata Shah on Kawandi Siddi quilts. I will post pictures of the results soon, both are small projects. the improv class was all by machine and the Kawandi is all by hand. you can see images of Kawandi quilts here Wish me luck!

in between everything else I did get some sewing done on other projects. I enjoyed the New England Motel Quilt Along hosted by Brimfield Awakening so much I started another one called the “Amish Motel” for now! I now have all the blocks and 3 rows sewn together, the completed top will come soon!

Amish Motel top.JPG
“Street Party” top done! Pattern is by Teresa Jantzi. I will repost these once they are quilted.

“Street Party” top done! Pattern is by Teresa Jantzi. I will repost these once they are quilted.

Quiting During Covid Time

As I write we are a good 14+ months into “Covid times”, a whole new way of living with masks, hand sanitizer, social distancing and making do. For me making do has meant a lot of quilting. I don’t know how people are coping if they don’t have a hobby, a passion something to do other than watch tv.

I have reorganized my sewing room, added a set of shelves which has relieved the pressure on the over stuffed other ones! That has made a huge difference and I like “tidy”! but you would never know that looking at my sewing machine table right now! I am in the middle of two piecing projects. they are very different so I can’t mix them up! One is another Sew Along, this one with Lo and Behold, the Nightingale quilt (which honours Florence Nightingale). The other one is the an Amish inspired quilt based on the Brimfiled Awakening Sew Along called “The New England Motel Quilt”. I am trying to use what I have, “making do” as I have written about before, though I must admit I did some curbside pickup at my Local quilt shop Woolworks for a few solids that I needed to add to the Amish Motel quilt. I will post a picture soon, I almost have all the blocks sewn.

Here is the first New England Motel quilt, beautifully quilted by Heather Stewart. It was really fun to sew and I really liked the way the Foundation Paper Piecing was sewn. Yes, it is that bright!

Here is the first New England Motel quilt, beautifully quilted by Heather Stewart. It was really fun to sew and I really liked the way the Foundation Paper Piecing was sewn. Yes, it is that bright!

I am working on my second New England Motel quilt,

The three triangle units have to be trimmed to 1/4” on the sides and 1/2'“ on the bottom, the 1/2” will eventually be trimmed as well, it just gives a little extra wiggle room!

The three triangle units have to be trimmed to 1/4” on the sides and 1/2'“ on the bottom, the 1/2” will eventually be trimmed as well, it just gives a little extra wiggle room!

This is the Nightingale quilt, designed by Lo and Behold. I really enjoyed making this sew along too. Heather S and I met weekly on Zoom to sew together.

This is the Nightingale quilt, designed by Lo and Behold. I really enjoyed making this sew along too. Heather S and I met weekly on Zoom to sew together.

I really enjoyed the “Sew/Quilt Along” challenge. I challenged myself with fabric and colour choices. If you are interested there are a lot of Quilt Alongs going on, check out this link to find some Let’s Quilt Along and have fun with it!