A hot, lazy, crazy summer

The weather has been ridiculously hot these past few days, which is making work difficult to do. No air conditioning in the work room upstairs means it's hot-hot-hot by the frame.


Here's a couple of projects I've been working on for Summer!

Miss Kathy sent along several quilt tops for me to work on. The first of the group is the Noah's Ark quilt. I carefully quilted around the animals and boats, and echoed the branches around the border.

Next was Sharon's Chains Table Topper. This one gave me some heartburn--at first I tried a Celtic pattern, but it was not working for the quilt. I carefully picked out my stitches and started again with a new pattern that I'm much happier with. I hope she does, too!

Coming up is a Christmas quilt for Donna, which is a large throw with some non-traditional Christmas colors in it. It's scrappy and joyful--perfect for the season...which now I'm looking forward to after several days of HOT weather. Then a couple more quilts for Miss Kathy.

Stay cool!

Karen, the Merrie Quilter

Spring Project

With the slow economy, so have things been around here. I did have a few small projects come in, though. This one is a table runner for Sharon. The background teal fabric was similar to the pattern I've done on the last few projects, that I have named "Dr. Seuss Feathers".

Detail. Thread used was YLI in a varigated colorway called "Mediterranean".

Back of quilt. The same YLI thread also used on the back.

I have a couple more quilts ready to go on the machine--first up is a Noah's Ark panel for Kitty.

If you are interested in getting a quote or finding out more, my pricelist can be viewed at http://www.yemerriequilter.com/

Merrie, as always,

Karen

April Sister Projects

Bow Tie Restoration for Andy

My nephew, Andy, received a bow tie quilt from his mother (my sister) with blocks swapped in an online group. My sister quickly quilted it up with muslin on the back, and he loved it! He nearly loved it to death. Ten years after the gift was given, he returned it with some tears in the backing fabric. She brought it to me and we shopped for some new backing fabric, and I restored it with new backing fabric and handed it back to her for binding and it will now be returned to its rightful owner...good as new!

And another Bow Tie for myself!

Inspired by the restoration, I felt it was time I finished my bow tie quilt as well. After all, it had been sitting in a box for all those years that Andy was loving his, so it was time!

Purple Mystery for Tara
Tara loved the quilting I did on my bow tie so much that she wanted the same pattern on her mystery quilt that was done in our guild several years ago. It turned out really nicely!

Round Robin UFO!
I then loaded up and quilted the round robin that I participated in several years ago with some online friends. Each of us started with a center block, then mailed it in a squishie envelope to the next person on the list, who added to the top, took photos with a disposable camera, added gifties (packs of needles, needle cases, etc.) in the envelope, then sent it on to the next person. Eventually, your quilt went around the circle and was returned a bed size quilt!

Tara and I have worked out a deal, which should be very helpful for future customers! I will be continuing with the quilting, as I have done all along, and Tara can bind your quilts for you! She is a skilled quilter and I have entrusted her with several of my own quilts. Both of us are in non-smoking households without cats; she has a little dog, and I am dogless.

If we can be of any assistance to you with your quilting needs, please drop me a note!

Karen, Ye Merrie Quilter

February & March Projects

I finished the Clowning Around quilt, a one block wonder quilt! I used the this quilt as an opportunity to practice and develop a new quilting pattern. By the end of it, I found a great series of motifs were possible borrowing a couple ideas from another blog I visit.

Sharon benefits from this practice, however, on her Log Cabin quilt!

Karen, Ye Merrie Quilter

Be Vewy, Vewy Quiet!!

Long time, no see!

Yes, it's been very quiet out here in Ye Merrie Land! Not much work partly due to the INSANE weather we've been experiencing and the holidays, so I've been focusing on some personal projects--only a couple of them quilting-related.

This quilt, which I call Clowning Around, is a King size one-block wonder made from clown fish fabric. I created waves around the outside with Drunkards Path blocks. It was a challenge doing the math and trying to get the borders to match the length and width of the top. I have it on the racks now, but no real clear idea how I'm going to quilt it.

I also have a quilt top sitting on the sidelines, just received from Sharon...which means I need to get inspiration on Clowning pretty quick so I can finish that up and get to hers!

Enjoy!

Karen, Ye Merrie Quilter

And then it was November!

The temperatures have dropped into the low 50s, the winter rains and winds have returned to the coast, and it's getting dark before dinnertime. It must be nearing winter!


The end of October had a couple projects for me. The Moonlight Quilters' Guild asked me to quilt two items. First was the President's Quilt, a gift that is given each year to the person who holds the presidency. This year it was Marilynn, who is all about bright colors and contrast! I created a custom design to fill the area with a motif that resembles sun rays and icicles, which was quilted in varigated threads to match the "hot" and "cold" areas.



Next was the guild's Christmas quilt, which was a group effort by all the members of the guild. I found a poinsettia motif as part of a more complicated design, and modified it to be more of a free-form pattern. It was a lot of fun!


Now on the racks is an Amish style sampler quilt for Michele, which is going to have feathered cables around the borders, and echo quilting throughout most of the middle of the quilt.


Karen
Ye Merrie Quilter

The Quiet Month of October

I don't know if it's the uncertainty of the economy or if it was the beginning of the school year, or if it was a series of quilt shows that kept people busy with other things than visiting this local long armer, but I really only worked on one quilt this month, something for myself. This quilt is one that I got blocks in a friendship block exchange throughout 2007 from some online friends. I put them together to make a King size top, and have named it Mountains of Friends.


I heavily quilted the green border with "pine needles" and covered the rest of it with an all-over birch leaf motif.


Hopefully business will pick up in November. If you have something to work on, please drop me a note and I'll see if I can help you!

Karen, Ye Merrie Quilter