Don't Miss Quilting Secrets Blog Hop

Ready for the new year? Start it out by learning something new!

Here is a fun blog hop that is just about ready to begin - it's the Quilting Secrets Blog Hop sponsored by Mrs. Pickles Garden.  It's due to run Dec. 31- Jan. 6.  And just look at the line up of seven wonderfully talented quilters who will be sharing a few of their Quilting Secrets!

Christine @ Quilt Monter in my Closet December 31st

Linda @ Buzzing and Bumbling  January 1st

Barbara @ Cat Patches January 2nd
Melissa @ Bitter Sweet Designs   January 3rd

Sharon @ Vrooman's Quilts  January 4th

Sue @ Quilt Times  January 5th

Hayley @ Mrs Pickles Garden January 6th

Mrs. Pickles has a variety of give-aways scheduled as well, so be sure to check it out. It's always fun to learn something new!

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed reading about everyone's Christmas projects this month! Especially this past week, everyone has been finishing up their gifts in time to get them under the tree, and it has been an absolute delight to see the amount of creativity, skill and enthusiasm that goes into these lovely hand-made gifts.  Aside from being gifts that are to be used and treasured for always and a day, they are made from the heart. And that is what quilting is all about.

So, my dear bloggy friends, I want to wish you the merriest of Christmases and only the best for you in the coming year.

Barb

Last Minute Christmas Pillow

I had so much fun yesterday! As I was reading through my blog updates, I came across a free pattern from Tula Pink for an awesome, retro VW van pillow, made with the new Salt Water collection. I made a mental note to make that pillow some day.

Then, I ran across a post from My Go Go Life and Kim's great rendition of the Cruiser Pillow.  Quickly my mind went into overdrive and I thought, "That would be a kick to make that pillow for my sister-in-law for Christmas, particularly since she has an old VW Van."  My husband agreed, and so I began pulling fabrics from my stash to come up with a mod version of their maroon colored van.

Here's what I came up with.

Our last name is Neiwert, so I embroidered a big "N" on the front emblem.  Putting this together was so cool - I had this great black fabric with gold and silver stripes in it, so it looks just like tires. The colors and patterns are kinda funky - exactly the look I wanted.

I quilted the front with a paisley pattern in gold thread, just to give it that little psychedelic touch!  I did make one blunder in my quilting, and I'm always the first to point it out. I quilted the yellow background first, and then moved down on the right-hand side of the dark pink. I did about a fourth of it and couldn't see very well, so I stopped and went over to the left-hand side, moving back over to the right.  Oops. Should not have done that. I ended up with a crinkle in the fabric, down by the right tire.  Sigh. So glad that wasn't on a large quilt.  I eased the quilting into it as best I could, and have now learned a valuable lesson: don't do that again!

Here's the backside of the pillow. For that I just ran straight lines across it, mostly at half-inch increments, but I'd throw in a quarter-inch every now and then, just to mix it up a bit!

  

Here it is, started one day, finished the next, and now patiently sitting beneath the tree waiting to be boxed up and wrapped for my fantastic sister-in-law.  They can either use it in their van, or have a fun touch for their family room. Either way, I hope she gets as much of a kick out of it as I did making it!

Barb

Linking up with Link A Finish Friday by Richard and Tanya Quilts and Sew Darn Crafty Linky Party.

Fun little gifts

Living in land-locked Idaho, our family relishes the time we get a chance to see the ocean, wiggle our feet in the wet sand, watch the birds glide effortlessly across the vista, and breathe in that fresh, moist salt air! And the Oregon Coast happens to be my coastline of choice when it comes to wonderful beaches and gorgeous scenery.

From the time I was seven, my mom, who raised two children as a single mother, saved her quarters so that every other year we could vacation at Cannon Beach, Oregon. It quickly became our Favoritest Vacation Spot In The Whole Wide World!  So imagine my delight when I was able to spend some time there this summer on business. What's that? Business in a beach resort community! Heavenly!

And wouldn't you know it? Just a block down from our hotel was the best little beachside quilt shop, Center Diamond.  And after browsing around for an hour or so, I came up with an idea for Christmas gifts for my daughter and nieces.  And one for myself, just because! 

These watercolor panels of famous Haystack Rock were just $8.50 apiece and would make a great centerpiece for a small wall hanging.  Just now as I looked up their website, these panels are featured on Center Diamond's home page, so I guess they are a popular item.

Which one do you like best?  It was fun to mix and match batiks for the borders, and quilt them with swirls to resemble the ocean waves.  The backing is a great white fabric with blue starfish.  So for all of us landlocked beach-walker-wanna-be's, these  wall hangings will be a good visual reminder of our Favoritest Vacation Spot In The Whole Wide World.  Sssshhhh......just don't tell them yet.

I also want to share a project I just finished up.  It's my Christmas quilt and it was the first quilt I quilted on my long arm machine last spring.  I finally got the binding put on, gave it a good washing, and now we are snuggling up with it just in time for Christmas.  Couldn't resist posting this photo of my husband with such a smug look on his face.

And, just in case I don't get back here before we start our Christmas festivities Friday, my wish for all my quilty friends is a Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and safe journeys if you will be traveling.

Barb

And we have a winner!

It has been so much fun hosting a give-away this week in conjunction with Quilting Gallery's 5th Anniversary Party.

I asked people to share their most unusual Christmas gift with us. And boy did I get some strange answers on that one!  Perhaps the one that made me smile the most was a comment by Beulah. She said: "The first Christmas we were married my husband shopped on Christmas Eve right before the store closed...I got a Flash Light that year for Christmas."

I didn't tally up the votes for who is the favorite reindeer of all, but by far, it was Rudolph. I guess it's just really difficult to compete with a shiny red nose!

With 106 entries, I used the Random Generator to pick a winner. Congratulations to Vesuviusmama.  I've sent you an email for your contact information so I can get these sent to you soon.  Thanks to all of you who took time to make comments, and to those of you who decided to follow my quirky blog!

Barb

P.S.  Perhaps it's needless to say, but give those kids and loved ones of yours a little extra hug today. Just because.

Celebrate Blog Hop Party with Give-Aways

'Tis the season for celebrations, and so what fun it is to be a part of the Quilting Gallery's 5th Anniversary Party!  I'm joining the fun, and you can, too. Dozens of Quilting Bloggers around the globe are helping the celebration with Give-Aways and fanfare, all intended to relay a great big "Congratulations!"



I'd like to welcome you to Mountain Quiltworks, if you haven't been here before.  I have been smitten with the quilting bug and so enjoy reading about what all the talented quilters are doing. So much creativity, friendliness and compassion, all wrapped into one here in Blogland. Fantastic combination. Take a minute to look around my blog - I'm not a prolific blogger. I just write when the mood strikes, and when I have something quilty to write about.

For the celebration, I am giving away a pair of vintage-style Christmas snack mats and a set of four Christmas coasters that I've made.  You can use them yourself, or tuck in a stocking - Santa won't mind the help!

Entering is easy. Just leave a comment and let me know what was the most unusual Christmas gift you've ever received, or if that's too personal, how about your favorite reindeer that pulls Santa's sleigh.

No need to be a follower, but if you'd like to hop along for the ride, I'd love to have you!

One winner will be chosen at random. The give-away will remain open through Saturday, December 15 at midnight Mountain time, so be sure to enter.  And visit the other bloggers who are taking time to give back to the blogging community. Again, you can find the list over at Quilter's Blog Hop.

Party On, at the Quilter's Christmas Party!

Did someone say "Party"?  I'm in!

Time to get ready for this virtual Christmas Party.  I have a favorite red sweater that I bring out only for the holidays, so I'm going to jump into that. Maybe find those Avon Christmas tree earrings I inherited from my mom (I know they're someplace in the dark recesses of my jewelry stand), touch up my hair a bit, and I'm ready to go. Oh, yes - can't forget the hostess gift! I'll bring a bottle of fine wine, packaged ever so nicely in one of the classy wine gift bags I made this year for my Etsy shop!

What the heck am I talking about? Well, it's the Quilter's Christmas Party sponsored by our good friend SewCalGal.

Not to disappoint, she has lined up a plethora of great giveaways from her gracious sponsors, and has included an opportunity for you to make a donation to a great cause - Operation Homefront. You can participate by buying raffle tickets - check out her site for more details.

Christmas.  What a special time of year, not only for remembering why we celebrate, but for the chance for loved ones to come together.  If it wasn't for Christmas, would you 'make' time to get all your kids and parents together for a few days? Or does life get too busy and those things would not always get done?

This year is a little more special for our family.  On Christmas Day, it will be my in-laws' 60th Wedding Anniversary.  Just think: they got married on Dec. 25, 1952.  That's such a busy day to get married, but my father-in-law was home on leave from his duty in Korea. The window of opportunity was slim, so they just went for it!  60 years - hard to believe.  They are 80 and 78 now, but to me, they don't look a day over 50 (my perspective changes drastically the older I get. To illustrate, I'm 57 and I'm absolutely certain I don't look a day over 30. Oh wait. My son is 30. What am I thinking!!!!)

Anyway, all their kids and grandkids and friends and a few other relatives are getting together for a celebration on the 22nd. I'm so looking forward to it. Not only will be get to spend time with everyone, but both our son and daughter are coming home, and my daughter is bringing her boyfriend so she can show him her old stomping grounds. How exciting!

Our house, a few winters ago. That's Misty sniffing at the corner - gotta love those corners, if you're a dog, that is!

On the quilting side of Christmas, I have been so busy this fall with my Day Job and then with trying to get ready for a Christmas Fair (it was last weekend, lots of fun, sold lots, glad it's over - whew!), that I hadn't even had time to think about making anything for gifts. But then I decided I've love to make a quilt for my dad, who is losing his eyesight.  I want him to be able to 'see' my handiwork while he can.

However, I can't find the fabrics I want in our local quilt shop, I don't have the proper time to devote to it, and so it's not going to happen. But I am going to make it right after New Year's and give it to him as a belated Christmas gift.  I'm very happy to be working on something like this.

What makes you happy at Christmastime?  Any special going on in your life this month? I'd love to hear what you are all up to.

Don't forget to visit SewCalGal soon!

Barb

Flinging is great fun!

My goodness!  I stepped away from my cutting table yesterday and was surprised at how bad it looked. It was piled so deep - I just kept flinging fabric this way and that, and shoving everything backwards so I'd have some space to work.

But, our realtor had an Open House today, so I had to put it all away and get everything spiffed up. Having a sewing room and not being able to keep it cluttered is the pits!  Hopefully we can get this house under contract and sold soon, so we can stop showing it.

Here is what I was frantically working on - journal covers.  I had wanted to make covers for a long time, and so started collecting fat quarters and one-fourth yards here and there. I  was actually had a mission as I traveled around the state this fall facilitating my seminars as part of my Day Job.  I now know every quilt shop from the tip of northern Idaho to her southern reaches.  These journal covers were intended to make out of scraps, but I didn't have many scraps that blended well. Now I do!

I only had time for five, but I think they turned out real cute. And of course, as I was making them, I kept thinking, "Maybe I should just keep this for myself - I really, really like it."  But then reality set in and I think that after they don't sell this weekend at the Christmas Bizaar, I may actually have several coming back home with me.  So I might as well wait.  I got the basis of my pattern from Stitched in Color and you can find her tutorial here. This would make a fun Christmas gift for a daughter or niece or for the office Christmas Exchange.

I also finished up this Christmas table runner yesterday, too.  It's made from this really rich fabric called Happy Christmas and designed by Fabric Freedom of London.  It costs a little more than average, but it's such a high quality fabric, you can feel the difference and it's really nice to work with. I bought quite a bit when I had the chance, so more table runners or Christmas projects should be forthcoming.

Only three-fourths of a day left before the craft fair.  Oh - I should say I was quite pleased when I saw one of the posters advertising the show.  Apparently it's a juried show (I didn't know because I just blindly wanted to participate, so I applied.)  They took one of the photos I submitted with the application and used it for their poster.  That made my little heart sparkle for a bit!!!

So, wish me luck. I'm down to the wire.

Barb

Sewing for the Christmas Bizaar

I wish I could say that I am such a calm, cool, and confident person that juggling three major things at once has no ill effect on me.  But as it turns out, that's just not true.


In addition to just finishing up the busiest time of year with my Day Job, I have been trying to prepare items to include in a Christmas Bizaar next week. I think I could have managed okay, except then my husband and I got a wild idea to try to buy a different house.  The offer was accepted, contingent on selling the one we're in of course. This was just enough to tip the scale out of balance to the "Oh My Gosh What Are We Doing" side.

Stress levels have hit the roof.  As many of you know when you have your home for sell, it needs to be in tip-top shape and ready to show at a moment's notice. And when it is shown, you have to vacate the premises. All understandable, but this all takes precious time away from my productivity.

For awhile, I was really downing the Tums, but now I have organized myself and am feeling much more calm about things. Whatever will get done, is what I will show. And all the yards of fabric I have left over can be used for next year.

So as a preview to what my booth will look like, here are some of the new items I have been creating.  But first of all, here is a great banner that I got from Vista Print - it was just $9!

  
I'm trying to hit up the festive, holiday time here in our resort community, so I have make a bunch of these classy wine bags.  They have squared bottoms, and I dressed them up with some great, sparkly rhinestone buckles that I found online at Lucy's Buckles. I have about 26 of these in assorted fabrics. If they don't sell well, I won't need to make cookies for my friends this year - they will get wine in these fantastic, reusable wine bags!

 
And then I decided that Christmas stockings are a staple at this time of year, but nice ones are really hard to find, at least in our stores. So, I made up two dozen of these. Most of them have really soft faux fur cuffs, and are lined with batting and a coordinating fabric. I even have some for the pet dogs!

 
To have different price points, I made up several sets of Christmas coasters. I tried FMQ them on my regular sewing machine, but found that after using my long arm, I can't get the hang of FMQ on my domestic machine. Drats. So, I decided not to quilt them and just let the great fabric pattern do the talking.

I also added some great new fabrics for my microwavable hot/cold rice/flax packs.

And to finish things off, I'm frantically trying to finish up about five Christmas table runners, two baby quilts (just binding them), and a large Summer Weight Quilt that is perfect to use at all the outdoor concerts we have here in the July and August.

 Whew. I thought there was more?  Oh, yes - a few mug rugs, just for good measure. They will look good displayed with a fancy Christmas cup and some cookies for Santa.

 
Thank goodness this is a two-day show.  It will be interesting to see if it is a worthwhile venture, and if I will repeat it next year.  If I do, one thing is for certain:  I will be making Christmas items in July, not in November!

Barb

P.S. Linking up to Quilting Lines: Christmas Stocking Hangout

Winter is setting in, plus a winner!

My goodness, our Canadian friends have sent all their cold weather right down into Idaho and the Northwest. Cold, snow, more cold. Not complaining, mind you. Just had to dig out my down coat and find my gloves. And the ice scrapper for the car.  I was so enjoying this very nice fall that we've had.  For me, winter means lots of sewing and quilting, so see? I'm not complaining. Not really. Sorta, but not really.

Thank you for all the comments and ideas you gave me this week for my One Year Blogiversary Giveaway!  And the winner is......Kris from krislovesfabric!  I've emailed you for your contact information.  Congrats.

I'm out of town this week, but then I'll be entrenched in my sewing room to finish up a lot of projects for my local Christmas Bizarre Dec. 1-2.  I can see a two-week sewing/quilting marathon in my near future.  It should be fun!

And I'd like to salute all our military personnel and their families who make living in the United States a freedom we all enjoy.  Often times we take it for granted because our lives are busy and complicated.  But I'd just like you to know, that you are so very much appreciated - thank you!  

Stay warm out there,
Barb

One-year Blogiversary and Giveaway!

My goodness, how time flies when you're having fun!  And it flies even faster the older you get, too, but that's an entirely different story.

A couple of weeks ago I was updating my blog and noticed that I began blogging at the end of October 2011.  I couldn't believe it had been a year already, but there it was, in black and white. One year.

It's been such a fun year. I've met many wonderful women and a few good men who share my love of quilting.  The ideas for cutting up fabric and stitching it back together are endless! Reading through other quilters' blogs is fascinating, inspirational, a bit overwhelming at times, but always keeps me coming back for more.  I certainly would not be at the same level of quilting ability if I had not had so many tutorials to learn from.  Heck, I remember when I was starting out, I back-stitched every seam, not knowing that you could just sew right on through without securing the seam. Who would have guessed?

I'm afraid to admit that I am not a very consistent blogger. I'm very sporadic due to my Day Job and travel. I find that when I'm sewing or quilting a project, I just can't take time to stop and take photos. But that's okay. That's not my goal. I don't have sponsors. I just write because I like to write and share common interests. That's me, pure and simple.

You have all been a part of my Quilty Journey.  I've have more than 100 followers, and I've learned so much from you.  To celebrate, I'd like to offer a Giveaway!

Before fall is completely over, I've got this great charm pack from Moda called Phenomenal Fall. Would you like a chance to win?  It's easy.

Just leave a comment and let me know your favorite thing to make with a charm pack.  If you have a pattern or link to share with us, all the better. You don't need to be a follower, but the more the merrier!

This is a short and sweet contest because I have to be out of town on business next week. I'll leave comments open until Friday Nov. 9.  If you're a No Reply Blogger, be sure to leave your email address in your comment.

I'm so looking forward to my second year and all the great quilting projects that await. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Barb

And the Traveling Stash Box Goes To......

Oh my goodness - it was so hard to choose a winner to receive this Traveling Stash Box.  So I just closed my eyes and picked one.

Drum roll please..... I'm glad to announce that the Stash Box goes to Denise :) of Count it *all* JOY!.

The box is winging it's way to her doorstep as I type.  In my hurry to get it in the mail, I forgot to take a photo, but trust me, it was stuffed full!  I had to put it all in a new box - the old one had seen better days.

If you didn't get picked for this box, be sure to visit Sewingly Along to see the other Stash Boxes that you can try to win.  And don't forget to check back on Denise's blog as she'll be posting her box soon.

So, what is a blog without a photo?  Here's a very random one to share.  It's my quilting doodles and my notes from Angela Walter's free motion quilting class on quilting negative space that you can get on Craftsy. Random, right?

Stay safe, all you East Coast Quilters!

Barb

Christmas is just around the corner

I'm awfully glad the weather is changing. It just gives me more time indoors to sew!  I am getting ready to have a booth at one of our local Christmas craft shows - The Papoose Club Christmas Bazaar - and so I am frantically trying to get enough things made to actually make it look like a store front! Yikes - it's Dec. 1-2, which is only about a month away.

This is one of my favorite Christmas shows, and I make it a point to go (as a customer) every year. I love giving hand-made, one-of-a-kind gifts, and craft shows and bazaars are the perfect venue to find quality products.

The problem with this show, is that I always look for decorative Christmas items, and there are practically none there! So the point of my booth is, that in addition to my quilts and table runners, I want to offer some festive Christmas decorations and gifts.

Here is what I have been working on this week:

Festive Christmas Stocking

This is a great fabric by Benetrex called Winterscapes  and the cuff is dotted Minky, which actually looks like snow!  I've lined the stockings with a coordinating fabric of the same colors with a white background, but it's actually a Kaufman Christmas fabric.

Here's a photo of another stocking I'm working on. It's from Happy Christmas from Fabric Freedom, a fabric company based out of London, England.  It's very pretty with some gold glitter which doesn't show up too well in the photo. Makes a very classy stocking!

Work in progress - classy Christmas Stocking

And then I've had fun making a series of little mug rugs. They are from the Moda Christmas line called Sentiments by 3 Sisters.  I think they'd make the perfect item to include in a basket of cookies for your best friend, teacher, or hostess gift.

These Mug Rugs are like Victorian Christmas Cards!

With the snow we've had this week, thinking about Christmas, and working on Christmas projects, has been very easy. I'm just not ready to be listening to Christmas music, though!

So, inquiring minds want to know....do you still hang a stocking for yourself and significant other?  And if so, is it a stocking from your childhood, or have you progressed to a newer version of Christmas stockings?

And I almost forgot! I'm having a Give-Away next week. Looks like my one-year blogging anniversary is coming up, so I think we should celebrate!

Barb

Linking up to Sew Many Ways' Sew Darn Crafty Linky Party

Thanksgiving - Vote for me!

Good morning (I always do my best computer work in the mornings)!

I'd like to try something here.  I am part of a team on Etsy - Quilts Quilts Quilts. We are having a little fun competition. The entry with the most votes gets to have one-month free advertising on the Etsy Shop Owners Flea Market.

I'd love it if you took a look at all the great hand-made items and vote for the one you think best fits the theme "Thanksgiving."  Mine is item #7 - it's a great table runner made from non-traditional colors including purple. The focal fabric has great words, like Giving, Bounty, Harvest, Celebration, Love, Family - you get the idea. Great stuff!  You can vote here.

Of course, I'd love it if you voted for me, but do vote for the item you think best fits this month's theme of Thanksgiving.  Votes must be cast by Wednesday, I believe.  Thanks, and have fun!

For more views of this great table runner, check it out at Mountain Quiltworks on Etsy.

Barb

Traveling Stash Box....Are You Next?

Last week I ran across some posts in Blogland about a Traveling Stash Box. Now how intriguing is that? Well, it caught my attention. So I signed up to hopefully be drawn as a recipient of this traveling stash (it so reminds me of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants).

Wouldn't you know it? Ellyn from over at Ellyn's Place picked me! I received the box quickly, and here's a little peek at what was inside:

I opened the stuffed box and things just started popping out. BAZINGA!  It's like being a kid in a candy shop, getting to pick something special out just for yourself.

Here is what I chose:

Two cute little holiday patterns of Santa and a snowman, the green fat quarters which match some fabric I have my own stash, a cute, bright pattern, the red and black coffee/tea pot fabric, and another quilt pattern. Score!

The rules of the Traveling Stash Box are simple:  Receive the box, take things out that you like and can use, replace those things with like kind and quantity, blog about it, pick a winner, pass it on!

  

Here is what I am replacing as my contribution to the Traveling Stash Box:

Since I was sewing on Christmas projects yesterday, I'm sharing some of my Christmas with the Stash Box, along with a place mat pattern and a cute wall hanging pattern. Plus, I'm adding a couple of extra 'secrets' which I won't show right now.

Would you like to be the next recipient of the Traveling Stash Box?  You must be an active blogger, blog about the box soon after you receive it, choose a winner, and pass it on. Full instructions are included with the box.

In order to be considered for the treasure trove of goodies, just leave a comment below. Let me know what quilting projects you are working on and hope to complete before Christmas! I will pick a winner Sunday night so I can get the box in the mail on Monday, so don't delay!

Check out the other Traveling Stash Boxes for more chances to win, and to get acquainted with other great blogs at:   Traveling Stash

So, let me ask again. Are you next?

When You Least Expect It

This little quilt turned out to be cute as a button!  Wow - where did that saying come from?  I guess it's been quietly waiting in the recesses of my mind all these years, waiting for just the right time to use it. The right time is now, because it was just adorable and really, as cute as a button.

  

There's no need for a tutorial on this quilt, it's awfully easy!  The point of my blog is all about for whom the quilt was made.

This little baby quilt was created from a printed panel. I simply added a brown sashing and then a border, so putting it together was a snap.  What took quite awhile, though, was machine stitching around every part of those cute little puppies, and all the patchwork blocks, and then stitching in the ditch.  This quilt is not going to fall apart, no matter how many times it will be washed!

 

The thing about this quilt that makes it special, though, is that it went to a young family who needed a lift.  She had a difficult pregnancy, and at one point they thought they might lose the baby. Needless to say, their medical bills were enormous after all the hospital stays.  Not a good way to start out with your first child.

When their son was born strong and healthy, it was cause for celebration!  The back of the quilt is brown Minky and the top is flannel, so it was soft and cuddly enough to treasure that precious baby boy.

This quilt is being entered in the 100 Quilts for Kids program that Katie over at Sew, Bike, Quilt! organized.  While it didn't go to an organized charity per se, it did go to a young family that needed a bit of help. They were struggling, and I hope that an anonymous gift brought a bit of unexpected joy for them!

 

Quilter McTavish Was In The House

I traveled 160 miles to Boise last weekend to take in an Heirloom Quilting Class put on by Karen McTavish, and to sit in on her Trunk Show. What an absolute delight!

 I signed up for the class knowing that I was over my head as far as my abilities as a long armer, but I was there to learn, right? Right.

Her fame as a skilled and talented long arm quilter precedes her wherever she goes and so I anticipated that I would be awed by her quilt work. But what I wasn't prepared for was her fabulous wit and character. Karen just might well be the Quilting World's Most Tattooed Quilter with a more colorful past than many, and she has the greatest way of telling her story so that you feel an instant connection. Look at the intensity in her expression in the photo below - she was definitely 'into' her story!

Anyway, I wanted to share a few of her pieces that she displayed at her Trunk Show.

In the early days of her quilting career, her local guild coined the term "McTavishing" for her style of quilting, and the term has stuck. Karen does a variety of dense feathering and fillers, trapunto, and whole cloth quilting that truly makes your heart stop when you look at it. Over exaggeration, sure. But definitely a show stopper!

In class we learned a variety of techniques and practices with cross hatching, curved cross hatching and stenciling.  I won't show you my practice piece - definitely not photo worthy yet.

Sigh. I have such an admiration for people who have such a talent with their craft. My goal isn't to do such intense quilting as this. However, I sure would love to practice and practice and become half as good as Karen.  One day . . . . .