May 8, 2014 – Embroidered Panel Quilts

Embroidered Kitten Panel QuiltThis project was a pre-printed panel that was hand embroidered and custom machine quilted.  The original panel design includes the teal colored embroidered border.  An additional rectangular border was machine quilted to set off the kittens and give the appearance of an inside border of paw prints.  Each kitten was quilted with an outline stitch, and various other items (eyes, ears, etc.) were also quilted.  The ball of yarn and butterfly were quilted using an outline stitch plus additional stitching.  Diagonal lines were added to the interior rectangle.  Each embroidered paw print was outline quilted and connected with a wavy line (similar to butterfly line).  The outer border was quilted using an echoed paw print design and connected with wavy lines.  Three paw prints from the flannel backing were hand appliqued on the lower right hand side to give the appearance of a kitten walking on the quilt.  A white thread was used to blend in with the quilt background.  The backing was a white flannel fabric with black paw prints. Embroidered work was enhanced and not quilted over.

April 22, 2014 – Quilt Designs Enhance Quilt Piecing

Modified Log Cabin Quilt

Modified Log Cabin Quilt Design

Modified Log Cabin Quilt Backing

 

 

 

 

 

This quilt was pieced using fabrics from a recent Nebraska Shop Hop.  It is a modified Log Cabin Quilt design utilizing various lengths of fabric strips connected by blocks of smaller squares.  Several colored fabrics were used to match the multi-colored floral print, which was the focal fabric.  A golden yellow thread was used in quilting to bring out the hints of gold found in most of the fabrics.  The project was quilted using the Chamomile design (by Denise Schillinger) to highlight the flower in the focal fabric and the swirling design found in several of the fabrics.  The muslin backing and the basic stripe pattern of this quilt are both enhanced by the swirling movement of the quilt design used.

April 8, 2014 – Panels are Versatile

Peanuts crib quilt

Giraffe crib quilt

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you found a fun fabric panel, but not sure what to do with it?  Don’t stress, you have several options.  You can add sashing and borders, cut the panel apart and use as many sections as desired, etc.  Then let the fun begin. (more…)

March 25, 2014 – Summer 4-H Projects

AH 4-H Quilt Entry

AH 4-H Quilt Design

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer is only a few short months away, and that means county and state fair time.  Get an early start on your 4-H projects and begin quilting now.  The above quilt was made by a young first-time quilter and quilted using the Button Flower & Loops design (to coincide with the fabric flowers) and black thread.

March 11, 2014 – Quilt Labels

Basic labelLabel Example 1

An important item that is often overlooked when making a quilt is a label.  Basic information such as name of the quilt, quilt maker, quilt pattern, recipient, date and occasion provide historical background.  Additional details to consider might also be things like a baby’s weight and height, wedding location, high school, pieced by, quilted by, in memory of, etc.  Besides plain text, you can also include images as shown in the example here.

Labels are typically attached to the back of the quilt during the binding process.  Labels can be handwritten on muslin and attached to the backing or written directly on the quilt backing using a fabric marking pen.  Some quilters embroider (hand stitch or machine stitch) words directly on the backing material prior to machine quilting.  (Note:  Some quilted stitching may cross through a label that is stitched into the backing fabric when item is machine quilted.)  With computers and modern domestic sewing machines, making personalized labels is a fairly simple process.  Loftworks Quilting provides labels.  Contact us for more details.