Trunk Show Time!

It's finally time for my virtual trunk show!

Please have a seat and grab some coffee while

I share the quilts I've poured my heart and soul

into these last months...

The first half of this year brought some pretty big changes

to my quilt world.  Shopping for a new longarm, converting

a bedroom into a quilt studio and then moving everything

in, including a new longarm.

(Practicing in the new studio!)

  In all that time, I continued to keep up on my quilt-making,

creating a pile of tops to be ready for when I felt comfortable

 enough with the new longarm to begin quilting again.

I've finished them all and, believe it or not, I finally have

photos to share with everyone who put up with me

has been there for me throughout this whole crazy process,

and for anyone else who just enjoys a good trunk show!

Harvest Pumpkins

8-20-22 Update: SOLD

First up is Harvest Pumpkins (46X63)

I purchased this fabric several years ago thinking it would make

a great background for just the right quilt.  When a LQS had

their version of this pumpkin quilt on display, I knew immediately

it was the the one.  The pattern is found in County Seat Quilts,

and as you'll see, that book was a great investment for me!

The quilting is an oak leaf and pumpkin design.

Old Glory

Old Glory is 65 x 65, also from the book

 County Seat Quilts.

Stars and ribbons were chosen for the quilting design.

On the back is a reproduced Civil War Fabric.

Winter Woodland

This is the second quilt I've made from this

layer-cake-friendly pattern.  The first one I mde,

here, was a gift for my grandson.

It measures 60x70.

For the quilting, I chose a swirl design that gives

the appearance of wind sweeping over the quilt.

In the Pines

In the Pines is also a "repeat" quilt.  (Some patterns

are so fun you just have to make them more than once!)

The first one, pictured here, is part of my own collection.

The pattern is   by Erica Arndt and measures 74x86.

The dots in the gray fabric have a light shimmer to

them, making it a great snowy background.

The quilting shows the wind blowing the snow

through the pines. 

All That's Christmas I

Here's one you can make to be any size; above is 52x64.

I like to push my creative boundaries when pulling fabrics.

On this one, I had this pine fabric chosen for the back from

the very beginning...but what if I used it for the background?

Would it be too busy?  

And those darker blocks, do they add interest?

(In person they are not as bold, btw.)

I think it took me 10 or 15 years of quilt-making to finally

just open up and go for it on these types of decisions.  

I think one day you just wake up and you've graduated

with a degree in Quilter's Confidence.

On this one, I love the pine background.  The busy print is

fairly small and because it's used in such a large amount

it blends into the background with the 9-patches settling

in over it and to me the overall effect has all the

cozy, inviting traditional, vintage, Grandma's house

holiday feels, you know?  Thus the name.

All That's Christmas II

With pine fabric left and a good handful of 9-patches,

I was easily inspired to make a bigger one.

This one is 70x76.  The pattern for both of these

 can be found in County Seat Quilts.

My favorite part of these quilts is that scrappy border

that is made from the same strips as the 9-patches.

I quilted holly leaves and berries on both of these.

Because I had run out of the pine fabric at that point,

I had to use a different backing on this one but it

shows off the quilting super-well.

One of my favorite places for photo shoots.

Christmas Grace

I kept going with the traditional Christmas feels on this

churn dash quilt--yet another pattern from County Seat Quilts.

I was sure having a blast working my way through that book!  

This quilt measures 63x63.

I added more interest on the back with an orphan block.

And there are those little 9-patches again.

The holly leaves and berries with ribbon swirls are

quilted over this one, too.

Serenity

Because I sell most of my quilts, it leaves me

free to explore all kinds of patterns and styles.

(A small part of why I won't take custom orders.)

I get to play with fabrics and styles that I love but

they don't have to fit my home or a specific person.

These fabrics all fell together!  Finding the border

and backing fabrics on sale was a great bonus.

One of those quilts that was just meant to be!

On Serenity, which is a nice 88 x 102, I quilted that

 sweet pea design that sets off any quilt beautifully.

Why the name Serenity??  The colors, the quilting,

the patterns--the whole quilt is just calming.  Serene.

What I didn't expect was how well it matched

my own bedroom!  It was tempting...but no,

I have plenty for in there already. 

Spring Dresden

Photographing white is tricky and I'm still trying to

get better pictures of this one but I went with these

for now just get it listed.  It's a priority to get better

ones asap because it really is so bright and cheery.

It measures 74x74.

I quilted happy little flowers and leaves

(Bob Ross?)

on this to complete the springy look.

A couple years ago I made a similar quilt with these

Bonnie & Camille fabrics so when I found the "Icicles" pattern

  in the book Season to Taste, I didn't have to think twice on

fabric selection.  I might have to make a third to use up

what's left of those--they're so fun to work with!

When one sister saw the cherry backing, she suggested the

name Bowl Full of Cherries but I'd already sewn in the label.

I like that name much more!  Sometimes when you get to

the end of a project, you just feel creatively-spent.

Especially when working on 9 projects!

September Glow

SOLD

Now this last one (78x84) I actually made a year ago

but I struggled with the idea of selling it for that long...

I'm including it here because I finally decided to list it

along with these others--and it sold in about an hour.

With such a quick decision, somebody must love it

as much as I do so I think I made a good decision.

The pattern is the Mini Double Nine-Patch from MSQC.

And that wraps up the trunk show.

It's not news to any of us how much time and effort

goes into this art of quilt making but I do love it and I'm

happy to have found a way to do more with my quilts.

(I donate a portion of sales to charity)

I have to say a word about doing photo shoots and

creating the listings:

 they are not my favorite part of the process!

(a heads-up to anyone thinking about it!)

 Would I go back and do 9 at a time like this again?

There were certainly times I wish I hadn't such a pile

staring at me--nagging me!--but in the end, it can be

pretty fulfilling to get 10 quilts up for sale all at once,

especially when one sells quickly!

Yes, I believe it was worth it.

Thank you for visiting and happy quilting!