Two Chicks lost trying to find Two Chicks

April 30, 2024April 30, 2024 / lifesloosethreads / 1 Comment

Today, April 30, 2024, is the final day of the very first All Texas Shop Hop. Over 100 Texas quilt shops participated which began on the first day of March. My sister and I participated this past weekend for just one day!

It was an interesting adventure that had some steep downs and lots of ups. It all started on Friday evening after checking into our country hotel. Gretchen and I were catching up in our room … Room 104. Suddenly, there was a little “eke” from my sister’s bed. And then … “there’s a bed bug on my bed.” After a frowny face at the front desk, we were offered another room and a large discount.

“We will check it out and let you know,” I sternly said.

It was far away from Room 104. It checked out fine and we reluctantly stayed. It was late and the thought of checking out and going to another location was not appealing. I mean, what if we encountered alligators in the bathtub? What would we do then?

The following morning we headed out to Two Chicks Quilting. We decided the back roads were our best route! The thing about back roads is there are lots of twists and turns. Unfortunately, we both have no sense of direction. When we wound up at the end of a long dirt road there was an entrance for someone’s ranch. Obviously, we knew something was amiss. The sign read “No Trespassers.” Yep, our maps program had let us down. These two chicks would not be going to Two Chicks. Maybe next year, we said, and turned around!

We did make it to four lovely quilt shops: Yorktown’s Seams Like Home, Shiner’s The Square Quilter, Hollydee Quilts in Luling, and Fiberworx Fabric Studio in McQueeney. At the shop in Yorktown, we noticed someone had dropped off Flat Colleen (kinda like a Flat Stanley). We offered to take her to our next quilt shop destination. Flat Colleen rode in the backseat and was a wonderful travel companion. We could tell from all the signatures on the back of Colleen, she had traveled to lots of quilt shops!

Road trips are so much fun! Road trips to quilt shops, even better, especially when there are sisters involved! We are going to do this again next year. This time we may even make it to Two Chicks Quilting.

Teaching Collage Quilting is Fun!

March 16, 2024 / lifesloosethreads / Leave a comment

Recently, I had the opportunity to teach Debi and Anne collage quilting in my home. Super nice ladies! Private lessons are the most fun. Late last year, Anne won a collage quilting class I donated to a silent gala auction.

During our first introduction class into the wacky world of collage art quilting, Debi picked a pattern to make. It was the Halloween version of the gumball machine. Not gonna lie … it is pretty stinking cute. At the end of the first day, the ladies were skeptical they would come out alive with an actual quilt! So much information, they said! It looks hard, they insisted! But I kept reassuring them they were going to be most pleasantly surprised.

By the end of our two-day class, they were delighted. This pattern is so fun to make. I have previously made prototype gumball quilts in three versions: I Spy, Halloween, and Christmas. Future options for this pattern can include just about every major holiday, including Easter! I gotta remember to make an Easter version. Can you see it … giant Easter bunny (from a panel) hanging out in the gumball machine surrounded by all things Easter?

But I digress! Anne and Debi LOVED the glow-in-the-dark spider web binding from my prototype Halloween quilt. Looking through my stash, I noticed there was just enough left for the spooky binding on Debi’s quilt.

Future blog post spoiler alert! I found a Moda marble black fabric for the background. The cut out and fused collage was next glued to the background. After piecing a super cute Halloween backing I found at My Favorite Quilt Store‘s online shop, my go-to fabric shop, all was delivered to Erica at A Needle and Thread in Old Town Spring for her expert longarming! Waiting is going to be hard! Just saying!

Looking in the Rearview Mirror of 2023

December 28, 2023January 9, 2024 / lifesloosethreads / 4 Comments

I have posted multiple photos of quilts and projects in Instagram (@lifesloosethreads), but thought I needed a proper 2023 end-of-year blog post!

In 2023, I finished 7 quilts.

The first benefitted MD Anderson’s Ovarian Quilt Project. It is an online auction held every other year. The funds go to ovarian cancer research and education. This is my third quilt for MDA which honors the memory of my sister, Mary. My sister, Gretchen, made her first quilt for MDA’s project. The angel wing art quilt pattern is my own design. The quilt measures 44″ wide by 49″ long. Since teal is the color designated for ovarian cancer, one of the feather layers is teal. The others are yellow, purple, and orange. Expertly quilted by Lisa Taylor and awesome quilt label by Sally Wasserman.

The second quilt is a Quilt of Valor given to a local World War II veteran in August. The quilt kit is entitled “For the Brave” by Patti’s Patchwork and measures 72″ long by 58″ wide. As I was constructing the quilt top, I kept telling myself this was the only Quilt of Valor I would ever make in my life. The kit had some challenging blocks and I was just over it. However, when months later, I placed the quilt over the shoulders of my veteran, I changed my mind. I’m already thinking about my quilt for 2024. It was quilted by Lisa Taylor.

I am not certain when I started quilt number three! Maybe at the beginning of 2022. I worked on it at several quilt retreats and got lots of fun poked in my direction. And rightly so! The complex little blocks (each 4 inches square) took up very little space on my designated very large design wall. The quilt is entitled “I Spy 96.” The adorable paper-pieced I Spy quilt pattern is by Kimmie Tanner and Missy Winona. It is 43″ wide by 60″ long and contains 96 of the 100 quilt blocks in the book. I have a specific wall for the finished quilt. My least favorite block was the teapot with 41 fabric pieces. Judy Mathis used a swirly quilting design and the label was made by Sally Wasserman. I used Kona solids and mixed in batiks for the images and various white solids for the background. The backing is by Wilmington entitled “School is Cool” by Nancy Mink.

Quilt four is a baby quilt entitled “For Baby Calvert” for my friend’s first grandchild! I used a Moda panel called “Farm Charm” by Gingiber and sashed the blocks. Love the black sheep! The backing is from the same collection but with small sheep. It was quilted by the lovely Val Payne and label by Sally Wasserman.

Quilt five is “The Little Ghost” from a pattern/kit by Leslee Price with multiple blue and cream blocks and appliqued eyes and mouth. It is 45″ wide by 50″ long. It is quilted by Val Payne and label by Sally Wasserman. The quilt goes with the children’s book “The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt” by Riel Nason. I am thinking about donating this quilt/book to a charity next fall.

Quilt six is a Minecraft wall hanging quilt for my grandson, Jacob. The pattern is by My Rainy Day Designs. I made nine 12″ blocks and Jacob picked his favorite Minecraft characters: dirt, sheep, chicken, creeper, mooshroom, pig slime, and zombie. I have no idea what Minecraft is all about but that is okay! I used a fusible 2-inch Quilt Fuse grid for fabric placement. Jacob and Ben helped with the layout of several of the blocks. The finished blocks are sashed with finished 2-inch black borders. The backing is Benartex’s “botanica” by Amanda Murphy. It was quilted by Val Payne.

Quilt seven is a 30″ by 30″ small quilt from Jillily Studio entitled “Joy Wreath.” I purchased the kit/pattern (included fabric for the top, back and binding) at this year’s International Quilt Festival. It was a fun little project that came together quickly. It was quilted by Val Payne with a snowflake panto.

There were several quilt-related projects in 2023, which included: a collaged banner with granddaughter Melanie’s name, a University of Alabama pillow for my favorite neighbor’s awesome son, barn quilt (it was a super fun class), and participation in our guild’s 2024 paper-pieced raffle quilt.

Presenting Quilts of Valor

September 1, 2023 / lifesloosethreads / 8 Comments

This week I was honored to present my first Quilt of Valor quilt to a 95-year-old World War II veteran. While the ceremony was just beginning, I remember seeing my veteran sitting across the room in the audience. We made eye contact more than once. I wondered if he knew I made his quilt.

That night, there were four quilts presented to veterans at the VFW Post 4816 in Porter, Texas. This was also the first time Quilt of Valor quilts had been presented at the VFW hall. It got pretty emotional in that hall after the first quilt was presented. It was also my first time to set foot in a VFW hall. It was quite something! Did I mention we happened to be attending during “steak night” and were treated to a lovely and delicious dinner? My friend, Susan, who heads up Quilt of Valor for our guild, Peace by Piecing Quilt Guild, also made one of the beautiful quilts.

Quilt of Valor is a national organization that has given veterans quilts since, I believe, right around 2004. As of July 31, 2023, 354,712 quilts have been wrapped around the shoulders of service members and veterans. The mission of Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comfort and healing quilts. Not only are the quilts wrapped around the shoulders of recipients like a “hug” during the ceremony, we also give them a little hug!

When I joined the guild a few years ago, I knew at some point I would make a Quilt of Valor. Just one though. Each quilt is a huge project. There are also lots of specific requirements. The quilt has to be a certain size: larger than I usually make quilts, and machine or hand quilted, not tied. Longarm quilters donate their services on behalf of the guild. Lisa Taylor did a fantastic job on my quilt! There is a patch stitched on the back with information such as who is receiving the quilt, date awarded, who pieced it, and quilted the quilt. We make a pillow case for the quilt to be stored in when not in use. Everything also has to be washed. The six color catchers I used came out purple. Thanks Susan for the heads-up on the color catchers!

I purchased the quilt kit at Stitchin’ Heaven in Quitman, Texas a couple of years ago. After the quilt top was finished, I purchased a wide back quilt backing with a patriotic-theme from My Favorite Quilt Store. The kit sat on my project shelf for a year after reading through the instructions. I noted the kit could be made with, or without, the central panel with the eagle. The instructions stated the quilt could be made with six-pieced blocks and the panel, or twelve pieced blocks with no panel. After finally piecing one of the blocks, I decided the quilt would be made with the panel. The pieced blocks were very challenging. There were lots of biased pieces. Six blocks vs. 12? Easy decision on my part! I almost had to go to confession over a few of them.

After the quilt top was finally finished and handed to Lisa for quilting, I decided I had made my one and only Quilt of Valor. I just checked it off my bucket list. Except … wait … after presenting my quilt this week … stay tuned … I betcha nine dollars I’ll be making another Quilt of Valor next year!

Back to School Pillow – University of Alabama

August 10, 2023August 10, 2023 / lifesloosethreads / 4 Comments

A few months ago my lovely neighbor, Marie, had an idea! I call her the Cookie Lady. She makes the most wonderful decorated sugar cookies on the planet. I’m the Quilting Lady and taught her how to collage quilt. Just because. We like to say we are the most creative people in our cul-de-sac.

She had a very specific design in mind for a pillow. Her son attends The University of Alabama. This fall he will be a sophomore. In between her very busy schedule making cookies (seriously, her house smells so amazing) and my schedule (quilting, traveling, and marketing my book), we managed to get together and create a one-of-a-kind University of Alabama pillow!

Thankfully, I remembered having an elephant template (what are the chances of that?) for a future quilt. Marie and I traveled to our local quilt store where she picked out a crimson grunge for the elephant and pillow piping, and houndstooth for the pillow background and backing. Marie also wanted something different for the elephant’s ear. Her son is a golfer and we found a “packed” golf ball novelty that was perfect!

Back at my house, we fused the back of a piece of crimson grunge and a small piece of golf ball fabric with Misty Fuse. It’s lighter than Steam-A-Seam 2 Lite which is my go-to for collage. I wanted something to hold the pieces to the houndstooth fabric. There are only three pieces to the elephant: ears, body/face and tail. After fusing, we traced the outlines and cut out the pieces and fused to the pillow top. I used a blanket stitch to machine applique the edges.

Next, we took the pillow front and back and piping fabric to A Needle and Thread. It is a sewing lounge, and so much more, in Old Town Spring. There was no way I was going to tackle piping on the pillow. I love how the pillow turned out. Erica is amazing!

Sometimes a great idea turns into a magical pillow! I think we did Big Al proud!

Make a banner using collage techniques!

June 29, 2023 / lifesloosethreads / 4 Comments

Did you know that collage quilt projects can take several forms? I love making art quilts but banners and pillows are also an option!

I recently had my granddaughter, Melanie, involved in a banner for her room. Big sister, Zelie, also helped! After printing off each letter of her name, we traced them individually onto pattern ease. I had so many pretty fused motifs in my stash from previous projects we went to work laying out (overlapping and underlapping) bright-colored flowers (mostly Kaffe Fassett fabric), birds, a couple of tuna cans (vintage Tula Pink), etc. Since it is a small project, we laid the letters on a table, took the paper backing off the motifs, and applied the tacky pieces. Afterwards, there was a final fuse and I cut out each letter. I used the same light blue background fabric (2017 Seeds collection by Cori Dantini, a Blend Fabrics) for each letter and applied fabric fusible glue to the bottom edges of the letters to adhere to the fabric squares.

Instead of batting, I used Pellon Fusible Fleece (987F) and fused each individual letter square with fusible fleece. Next, I layered the top, fleece and backing and machine-quilted around the motifs and outside edges of each letter to give it a little dimension.

Finally, I made binding using 2-1/4″ strips for machine sewing the binding to the sides and bottom of each letter square. I made extra binding to link the top edges together allowing for a long tail on each side. For the top edge, I folded the binding twice and sewed the left-side of the tail maybe 8 inches long, top edges of each letter, and finally, the right-side of the tail about 8 inches long. I kept the distance between each letter small since her name is so long.

My favorite letter is the “N” with the hummingbird. What is your favorite letter?

Angel in Flight Art Quilt on “A Joyful Embrace: A Memoir”

February 28, 2023 / lifesloosethreads / 6 Comments

So I wrote a book entitled, “A Joyful Embrace: A Memoir.” It is now available for purchase as an e-book, paperback, or hardback on Amazon. The book was a labor of love about the rare glimpse into the inspiring and joyful life of my daughter, Mimi, who was born with cerebral palsy. Though wheelchair-bound with the mental capacity of a delightful two-year-old her entire life, her extraordinary social and spiritual gifts challenged what is “normal” for anyone she encountered.

I also designed and made the collage art quilt, entitled Angel in Flight, which graces the cover of the book. My friend, Lisa Taylor, did a beautiful job longarming the quilt. The pdf pattern is available for sale in my Etsy shop.

Profits from the book will be joyfully donated to The Village Learning Center in Mimi’s memory.

2022 Quilt Projects Roundup

January 15, 2023 / lifesloosethreads / 1 Comment

In 2022, I cranked out 7 quilts and lots of smaller projects like Christmas stockings, table runners, as well as pillowcases and backpacks for charity. I’ve also learned some new skills in 2022: machine binding, cute little zipper pouches, and a chic sewing machine cover at A Needle and Thread, a local Houston area sewing lounge. I am definitely going to do more learning this year.

But back to the quilts! The collage angel wing quilt was the only quilt pattern I created this year. It can be purchased in my Etsy shop as a pdf downloadable pattern. It is definitely wall hanging size. A photo of the angel wings will also appear on the cover of my upcoming book A Joyful Embrace: A Memoir which will launch on Amazon this February.

My lovely fellow quilter, Noreen (we call her the “Fabric Whisperer”), agreed to be my pattern tester and made the angel wing quilt in pastel colors. I love how it turned out. As always, she continues to awe! Just as she asked, I paid her in jars of homemade pickles.

I re-created Laura Heine’s elephant collage, Lulu. Originally, I was going to give the new quilt to my niece, Karin, a mighty cancer survivor. Instead, I gave her my original quilt over Thanksgiving. I will keep the new version. It is very similar with the yellow background. I love to show Lulu at my trunk shows as the quilt that got me hooked on collage art quilts.

I also created a simple baby quilt with appliqued name for my grandson, Leo, born in late 2022. He is also the cutie pie featured on the angel wing quilt. The zookeeper panel quilt was made for the Michigan grandkids and now hangs in their playroom. The gigantic snowflake quilt was for my daughter, Katie. She loves all things modern! This quilt is totally her style right down to the horizontal quilting. My quilting buddy, Sally, made the amazing quilt label with the snowflakes. Another one of my friends who is at the top of her game.

The cowboy boot quilt is currently hanging in my foyer all ready for when Houston Rodeo season cranks up in late February. I purchased it as a kit several years ago at the International Quilt Festival changing up a few of the fabrics.

I’ve made my list of quilt projects this year and hope to top 2022. I do expect a fair amount of time to be spent marketing my book so we will see what happens. At the top of my list is a Quilt of Valor kit purchased at Stitchin’ Heaven in Quitman, Texas. I have a few of the blocks finished. Let’s just say the directions are great but this one is not as easy as I expected!

Collage Quilting students are the best!

August 16, 2022 / lifesloosethreads / 1 Comment

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of presenting and teaching for the Tri-County Quilt Guild in Cypress, Texas. This is a large guild with over 300 members and 80+ in attendance at the meeting. I was treated to dinner before the meeting. Not gonna lie. It made me feel like a rock star! Later in the week, I taught a dozen enthusiastic ladies at Bobbins & Threads Quilting & Crafts in Houston.

I have found the heart pattern is the best way to learn collage quilting and the ladies certainly stepped up! It is a large enough image that students gain confidence in their collaging skills to move on to a more challenging pattern. The ladies came ready to work and by the end of class we actually auditioned lots of completed hearts for background fabrics.

Each heart is so unique! This is the first time I’ve had someone try Christmas motifs and it is beautiful! The lady in the hot pink shirt had lots of new Kaffe Fassett fabric. Seriously, I was on the verge of drooling. It was all so new, I didn’t have any of it in my stash. Also, you might notice a Tula Pink vintage tuna can in one of the quilts. I allow students to pick through my secret stash when I teach. I have found quilters to be very good at sharing. It is probably why I always wind up with more great fabric than when I started teaching the class.

Angel In Flight collage quilt pattern release!

May 20, 2022 / lifesloosethreads / 2 Comments

While at a recent quilt retreat, I put the finishing touches on my latest quilt hand sewing the binding and quilt label. The quilt measures 42″H by 45″W. The pdf pattern is available in my Etsy shop. I call it “Angel in Flight.”

I chose lots of Kaffe Fassett fabric, and a teeny bit of vintage Tula Pink, for the angel wings. Can anyone spot the tuna can? While auditioning the wings at work, Robin, picked out the perfect background fabric. She really knows how to put fabrics together! The ombre background fabric, by Hoffman, is called Southwestern Skies Storm Clouds. It gives the perfect illusion of the angel wings flying to Heaven. Margo, owner of My Favorite Quilt Store (great online fabric store), picked out the binding (Blissful Blooms Navy by Moda). The longarm quilting was done by Lisa Taylor at Kingwood Quilts. The quilt label was embroidered by the lovely Sally, who has been making my labels for the past 10 years. This quilt was truly collaborative. Yep … it took a village to make this quilt and I love how it turned out!

While designing the angel wings pattern earlier this year, I envisioned it being a baby quilt. It would be one where you lay an infant each month between the two wings and snap cute photos documenting baby’s growth and changes. Of course, when the quilt was finished, the first words out of my mouth were “This is not a baby quilt.” But it could be. I have someone that wants to make it with pastel fabric. Stay tuned! It will be lovely!

The photos below basically show the steps of collaging the angel wings. Many of the supplies to make my collage quilts can be purchased at My Favorite Quilt Store such as Steam A Seam 2 Lite, pattern ease, applique pressing sheet, Karen Kay Buckley Scissors (blue handle), fusible glue, and lovely fabric!