Must Have Book!

As a quilter with more books in my personal library than my local quilt store (really, I have counted), it takes a very special book to get my attention.  Elizabeth Hartman’s “ModernPatchwork” has done that and more.  This book has all of the prerequisites to gain a spot on my shelf:  First, the quilts are artistic and photographed very well – this could be a coffee table book, valued for its artistic self.  (Photos by Christina Carty-Francis and Diane Pederson.)  Elizabeth (check out her blog) has captured the modern quilting look, and yet, as she states, her patterns are of a more challenging nature than other modern quilt patterns I have seen.  Second, the quilts are calling me to make them – each and every one of them.  Ordinarily, if there are 2 or 3 quilts per book that I would consider making, the book is a winner.  With this book, I want to make all of them.  Based on the names alone, who wouldn’t want to make “Roller Rink,” “Looptastic,” or “Fire Drill,” just to name 3 of the 12 quilts in this book.  Third, there is a unique aspect to the book.  Elizabeth not only shows different color options for making the quilt, and discusses her thought process for selecting fabrics, she also offers an assist on what to do with the backing.  Backings are rarely addressed in quilting books, and Elizabeth has done a fantastic job of creating beautiful yet simple backings to complement the quilt tops.  Finally, the directions are simple to read, simple to follow, and in full color with a lot of illustrations, and the back of the book contains tips on fabric, color, cutting, piecing and quilting from which beginners and advanced quilters alike will benefit.  Although I have granted a spot on my shelf for this book, I don’t intend for it to sit on that shelf – I expect it will be sitting right beside me on my worktable.

I am starting to work on "Glam Garlands" now that I have some goody goody scraps left over from my last project, a quilt for our bed!  what? crazy talk!!  That one will be seen on this very blog once it is quilted.  Stay tuned. .. . 

I also am going to talk to my LQS and see about teaching a project or two from this book.  LOVE THESE QUILTS!!

p.s. AFTER I posted this, I went over to see what Monica was up to.  Yes, Monica at The Happy Zombie always has the best blog posts!  (And the best patterns, best stories, best fabrics.)  You must go see her adorable quilt and the post that goes with it.  She started with alphabet letter pattern by Elizabeth Hartman (yes, the very same whose book I just reviewed - small world, huh?) and then spelled out "Treat Yo Self" from an episode of Parks and Recreation which I had to then place over here as a clip so I can watch it a lot.  I love Aziz Ansari.  I love his rant about thread counts and Cold Stone.  hilarious.  I think we all need a "treat yo self" day and mini quilt.

Let's get right to the show and tell, shall we?  First up is a baby quilt I made.  Awww!

An original pattern baby quilt for Amadea and Frank's little "cowboy or cowgirl?" which was the theme of the shower.

I really love the colors I chose for this quilt.  It is so hard when the dang parents won't find out the sex of their baby to help us quilters out.  But I think this strikes the right balance between boy brown and blue and girly yellow and flowers.

boot detailing, two are girl boots, two are boy boots.  (notice the heels)

An original pattern baby quilt for Amadea and Frank's little "cowboy or cowgirl?" which was the theme of the shower.

I stitched "cowboy or cowgirl?" in the top border, and their last name in the bottom border.  Each star got a "badge" saying, this one below says "Diaper Duty"

I quilted this beautiful purple and rosy pink quilt for a new customer whom I would love to work with again.  I was in a cheery mood throughout this one!  It was even more exuberant than my poor camera work would have you believe!

Here is the back of the quilt.  I free hand quilted a simple spiral roses pattern.

I have quilted 5 of the 6 tiger quilts that I was asked to quilt by members of our guild who participated in a workshop.  They were a lot of fun to do - #6 should be done by tomorrow. .. 

This is a customer's pineapple quilt, super queen size:

I quilted simple daisies and loops, and some flair for the corners!

I have been busy teaching classes and designing patterns for our table runner of the month program at Gathering Stitches.  Here is the June table runner I designed and made with Lakehouse fabrics.  (Kits are available if you are interested!! Just $15 plus shipping, contact me!)

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Simple satin stitch machine applique'

Here is the May runner I designed and made, hanging on my design wall, pre-quilting.  Can't figure out how to rotate it.  ha ha.  And I can't locate a picture of mine finished.  oh well.

 And here are some customer interpretations of the May table runner I designed:

Darlene added lovely foliage and metallic quilting to her lily of the valley.

close up of Darlene's

The bottom one is Connie's table runner

This is what "un-sewing" looks like on the longarm.  Yikes.

aww, this quilty blog is interrupted to bring you a bouquet from my sweetie, picked from our yard.  

This is going to be an awesome Strips n Curves quilt!!  I am teaching this class and making one along with the students. Here is my array of fabrics to go with that awesome amy bradley focus fabric.  stay tuned!

Ok, now the "tell" part of show and tell.  Come see us at the Southern New Mexico Festival of Quilts at the Otero County Fairgrounds in Alamagordo!  June 21-24 we will be there, representing Nolting longarm quilting machines, our own designs, and if we get our shipment in time, we are also a new distributor for Quilter's Rule products!!  Yay!!!

Off to finish July tablerunner and the last Tiger!!

See you soon!!

Kristin