Quilt As You Go, Simply Done

Simply Done

Marguerita

Bonnie’s Sawtooth Star Quilt with Quilted Borders

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I recently received the nicest note from Bonnie about a quilt she adapted to quilt-as-you-go, using methods that worked best for her. That’s my very favorite kind of story! Thank you Bonnie for sharing your quilt and your tips!

Dear Marguerita and Sarah,

Here is a photo of the sawtooth star block quilt I made for our grandson.

I used the method as described in your book Crazy Shortcut Quilts however I attached the sashing so that I could hand sew at the back . Thank you so much for the chapter 6 from your new book about quilted borders. I quilted the borders with wavy lines using my walking foot and then joined them to the quilt.

I was having some difficulty with sewing on the back sashing as described on page 105. Then I noticed that you were using a different Bernina foot (not the walking foot), so I changed to my 34D foot. A lot narrower than the walking foot and so much easier.

Thanks again for your help.

Kind regards.
Bonnie Jenkins
Salisbury, South Australia

Robbie's Quilt by Bonnie Jenkins

Robbie’s Quilt by Bonnie Jenkins

Heather’s Modern Jelly Squares Quilt

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Heather used my book “Quilt As You Go {reimagined}” and resized her quilt to king size and sent me the pics and this note – I am just speechless!

Hi Marguerita

I just wanted to show you the king-sized quilt I made from your Quilt as You Go Reimagined Book. It has taken me 2 ½ years (on and off) to make and I am so proud of myself. I am a self taught quilter and gaining more confident with my sewing all the time. Hope you like it.

Regards,
Heather
Far North Queensland
Aust

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Debbie C’s Special Quilt

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I met an Alaskan Quilter – Debbie lives in Anchorage and sent me a pic of her quilt and the most heartwarming message to go with it:

I make charity quilts mainly for a NICU, but occasionally I will get a request to do a special quilt for a family. I thought I was in over my head with a quilt I promised to a family going through a really tough time now in the process of trying to adopt a little boy. I was given a bag of his clothing, and asked to use the pieces in a quilt. I had no clue how I was going to do this and then I remembered I had purchased your book on shortcut quilts.

Oh my gosh! Now I must admit, it wasn’t easy, it required a couple of wine coolers?!! And at times I looked outside to see the beautiful weather, I live in Anchorage too, and thought to myself, ” why did I volunteer to do this!?”

But… I finished it this morning, your instructions were easy to follow and I am so pleased.

Thanks!

Debbie C

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Judy’s Corvette T-Shirt Quilt

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Judy and I have been emailing since 2009, when she wrote to tell me about a quilt she made and about using my first book to make it. In the years between we’ve just kept in touch, asking a few questions here and there and and sharing brief updates. But recently, she sent me pics and I really need to share them with you.

Her newest Corvette Quilt!

Judy Simmons's Corvette T-Shirt Quilt

Judy Simmons’s Corvette T-Shirt Quilt

I really like the attention to detail she paid to the blocks. Her quilting makes each one stand out!

Custom Quilted Blocks

Custom Quilted Blocks

Teresa Rush’s Finished Quilt

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Not only did she finish her quilt (here’s more about finishing any quilt), and beautifully, she sent the most gorgeous pictures too! Here’s Teresa’s story:

I hope the new year is finding you happy and healthy. I thought you might enjoy seeing what your book, “Finish (Almost) Any Quilt” has recently inspired. I have been playing around with free motion quilting and the techniques you so skillfully describe makes it possible to do on a my cherished 30 year old Bernina 930.

I sent a close up the free motion quilting I did on this border. It was the most intricate quilting I did.

The blocks in the middle was my first attempt at foundation paper piecing. Definitely helped with the scrap busting. LOL

Again thank you writing a book that is so easy to follow and allows me to make the quilts I want without having to wait until I can afford to pay someone else to quilt it on their long arm.

Teresa

Teresa's Gorgeous Quilt

Teresa’s Gorgeous Quilt

She added two quilted borders using QAYG.

She added two quilted borders using QAYG.

Teresa's Gorgeous Blocks

Teresa’s Gorgeous Blocks

Teresa's perfect machine quilting!

Teresa’s perfect machine quilting!

Caroline Pope’s Table & Quilt

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Another custom sewing table is created (read more here) and a quilt waiting to be finished. Here’s Caroline’s story:

Hi Marguerita,
I am a new machine quilter, this is my first machine quilt. I ambitiously went ahead and pieced together a full sized quilt, not even thinking about how to manage the quilt on my home machine once I got to the quilting part. Thank goodness for your YouTube videos. I know you made them years ago, but I was so happy to stumble upon them. My husband and I made the table yesterday, and already the smooth surface and extra work space is a dream on my practice squares. I can’t thank you enough for putting up those videos.

Sincerely,
Caroline Pope

Caroline's Custom Sewing Table

Caroline’s Custom Sewing Table

Caroline's First Quilt!

Caroline’s First Quilt!

June Copeck’s Table & Quilt

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June asked me a common question about my Sewing and Quilting Table adaptations and when I replied, she sent me pics of her table and her quilt (check out those gorgeous batiks!), along with her story:

Thanks so much for your information. This is what I did. My sons cut a hole in my sewing cabinet and
it will work for both my sewing machines. I thought about spending over $100 for a plexiglass cover
to fit the sewing machine. but I thought of you and you plastic idea, so this is what I came up with.
I cut it a little short on the right side but it works really well and I love it. Cost $5.99.

Below are a couple of pictures of cabinet and my quilt as you go quilt using Batiks. Just need to put
the binding on. I choose to not do a border since it is a lap throw.

Sewing-Machine-Table

June Copeck's Quilt-As-You Go Quilt

June Copeck’s Quilt-As-You Go Quilt

Thank you June for sharing your table and your gorgeous quilt!

Gloria’s Quilts

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Gloria graciously sent me pics of three of her quilts, made using our quilt-as-you-go techniques. Thank you so much for sharing your quilts Gloria!

Here are her pics and notes:

I made this quilt for my grandson’s 8th birthday. The appliqued blocks are all of the things my grandson loves; fishing, his dog and cat, legos, feeding a calf, tapping a maple tree for syrup, etc. The block with the crooked house is a copy of his artwork that was on display at our K thru 12 art show. I love the black strips I used for joining sections.

Jack's-quilt-2015a

This was my first Crazy Short Cut quilt, the first time making a dresdan plate and the first free motion quilting. The result has been on my bed since completion in 2012.

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I bought the fabric in Minnesota. It reminded me of summer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Michigan-summer-quilt-a

Maggie-beth’s Delicious Quilt

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“Lettuce All Be Berry Happy” is her name and below is Maggie-beth’s quilt story:

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Hi Marguerita

At long last, the quilt I started after buying your book LAST SEPTEMBER – is done. And she’s pretty, if I do say so as shouldn’t.

Actually I finished her late last Wednesday night, but didn’t get pictures of her taken until yesterday and today.

She was a BIG hit at the quilting group – and even people who work at the shop wanted to know all about YOUR version of quilt as you go. They have the book by that lady whose name happens to be “Cotton” – how nice for her! And the book is “Cotton Theory”. I’m sure it’s a lovely book, but I looked at it and was SO confused. Her diagrams look…well, never mind. I wish her well.

Anyway, apparently some of the people who work at the fabric store (quilters all), and everybody in my group – pretty much based their impressions on that book when it comes to quilt as you go. And were therefore uniformly surprised when I showed up with MY quilt. (Her name, by the way, is “Lettuce all be Berry Happy.” and yes, for me quilts are either male or female. Just like ships. My first quilt is a male. I know. I’m nuts.) So, I have given your name to several employees and some from my group. Also the title of your books. I also suggested they find your youtube site, because I know that once they hear you talk, and watch your process, they will want to buy the books. It would be LOVELY if they also bought the books for your store, but I didn’t push it. I suggested that they look at it with that in mind, but I did it gently.

The crazy cuts are all veggies. The back is all fruits. I turned the crazy-cut squares differently than your daughter did – to make large triangles in the middle. It works with these fabrics, I think – although I have other fabrics in mind that I will align as your daughter did, because her layout is quite dramatic. Mine were too busy for her pattern with this one, I thought.

I REALLY REALLY like this quilt! What do you think?

She has LOTS of flaws, but they don’t show unless you look really closely, and even so, I don’t care. Friends have asked me who I am giving her to. The answer is ME! I am NOT letting go of this bright, happy quilt! I smile every time I look at her, and that’s the point, really, isn’t it? She’s taken pride of place on the back of the couch in the family room, right next to the kitchen, which is appropriate, considering her make-up.

My next project is going to be all violets – deep purples, greens, etc. I will take your 8-square quilt of diamond cuts and make it a 12 square.

Now – I need to say something else. Your emails have made me hope that we could be friends on some level. I know you live in Alaska, and I know that you are very busy – too busy to write regular emails. Still, it IS possible that you and your husband might visit Arizona again, and as lovely as Northern Arizona is, the rest of the state also has much to visit and admire. I am hoping that one day you could visit Phoenix – there is SO much here to enjoy – and also perhaps Tucson, Bisbee, Tombstone, the caverns, the bio-sphere, our little “wine country” area…there is LOTS to do if you would only give it a thought. I would be SO happy to meet you, and take you on tours of my area and “down south”. So, it is my hope that we can stay in touch.

Sending huge thanks for walking me through the process, and more thanks for your suggestions about marketing John’s book. We will need some of that help you offered to get him going with a youtube channel!

I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Best wishes,

Maggie-beth Rees

Sharon Nadeau’s Owl Quilt QAYG Adaptation

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IMG_0214-ASharon sent me a pic of her Owls Quilt – called Look Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed, by Susie C Shore Designs – that she adapted to be quilt-as-you-go, as shown in my book “Finish (almost) Any Quilt“.

Here’s the note Sharon sent:
Hi Marguerita,

I am attaching a photo of my recently finished project … using a pattern call “Look Who’s Sleeping in my Bed!”
I put my own flair on it by individually appliqueing each of the blocks and then using the CSCQing methods for sashing & binding.
I free-motion quilted the borders, then attached also using the CSCQing method.

I was very happy, indeed, with the end result. Loved working on smaller blocks … then tying them altogether.
I purchased your book “Crazy Shortcut Quilts” a few years ago; the Owl Quilt is the 4th quilt I’ve made following your methods.
By a far cry from perfect but each one gets easier! Many thanks!!

That was such a fun quilt to make … Emoji
I sure was happy to have the benefit of the knowledge of the quilting techniques from your book (CSCQ) to bring it all together.

Sincerely,
Sharon (Nadeau)

PS … a birthday gift for my Grandson!