Archive for March 2013

Spring sewing creates hope of warmer weather

Spring sewing is tricky here in Chicago.  Do you put out handmade spring items when the calendar says you can, even if there is snow on the ground?  Do you put them out for the spring holidays?  Do you use those items to try and force the weather to become more springlike?  Yes, yes and... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
March 29, 2013 at 8:30 am • 

Borders make the difference

Borders can make all the difference in a quilt top which just doesn’t seem right.  My heart quilt was way too “hot” – it just seemed so extreme once I put the heart blocks with the black and red lattice/cornerstones.  Do you remember the heart blocks?  They were featured in this blog.  Then I showed... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
March 28, 2013 at 6:52 pm • 

Hand quilting or machine quilting?

Hand quilting or machine quilting is a choice which faces many quilters.  I don’t think there is any one answer, I just think it all depends.  Depends on what, come one, spill Ms. Blogger!  It depends on you, the quilt and what is available to you, oh curious quilter.  Let’s examine why I choose whether... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
March 27, 2013 at 3:32 pm • 
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Vintage and Modern Blue and White quilts - always popular

Vintage and modern blue and white quilts are my favorites and I am lucky to own a number of them. Just two colors? Yes! The sharp color contrast appeals to me as it did to many quilters at the end of the 1800’s. Indigo was such a superior dye that many women made blue and... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
March 26, 2013 at 7:27 am • 

Baby Boy Space quilt - easy and done!

The super cute baby boy Space Quilt is done and it was a treat to sew and quilt.  From cutting to quilted it was fun to make and turned out great.  I saw the little guy who is getting it on Saturday and even though he’s only a month old, he looked like he was... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
March 25, 2013 at 8:21 am • 

Modern quilts and traditional quilts - what are the differences?

I love all quilts and I just don’t want to have to declare myself a traditional quilter or a modern quilter.  (Although I did have a semi hilarious experience in a quilt store where a cranky woman queried, “You’re not one of them modern quilters, are you?”)  Sometimes in life you have to choose, you... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
March 22, 2013 at 8:24 am • 
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Baby quilt made from precuts - finished product

If there is a greater feeling in this world than finishing a quilt, I would like to know what it is!  Fine, winning the lottery, graduating from college, all right I get the idea.  However, out of regular kind of experiences it is right up there.  I think no matter what the goal is, it... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
March 21, 2013 at 8:38 am • 

Making easy peasy boy quilts - part two

Hip hip hooray, I finished this little cutie and it is on the longarm. let me show you how I got there! Remember all the framed squares we had and the lattice blocks with corner stone blocks?  They made up quickly and then I put them out to make sure I still liked them.  (Really... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
March 20, 2013 at 9:02 am • 

Making easy peasy boy quilts - part one

I have made quilts for Zara and have another girl quilt on the Long arm.  But not everyone in the world has a baby girl.  I know, I was surprised also!  Some pregnant friends are having baby boys so I thought I better crack off a few baby boy quilts.  And if you are making... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
March 19, 2013 at 10:29 am • 
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Final Four NCAA Basketball prediction using quilt block names

Right now you are probably at work trying to fill out your NCAA brackets.  You need that edge, that new way of looking at these brackets cause any fool can go by the seed or the experts’ predictions.  You are NOT that fool, no sir, you are going to use Quilt block names to predict... Read more »
By Kathy Mathews,
March 18, 2013 at 8:35 am •