Around the Block – US Tour – week 10 Virginia

Posted on October 4, 2020 by debbiewendt

Next up, week 10. Take a look at Orange Blossom Design Studio for the state of Virginia. You can find the block HERE. Laura’s blog post is dated July 15 but you can still get to her block from that post.

in quilting,

Debbie

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Two Tip Tuesday – Teal Mini Swap Finish

Posted on September 29, 2020 by debbiewendt

I participated in the Teal Mini Swap again this year. My swap partner is from Texas. I’ll post pics below of what she sent me. I love teal and orange together, so I was excited to see my swap mini with so much of both. I love the fabrics she used!  She spoiled me with a mask and couple extra mug mats.

My Teal Swap gifts from Denise!

I love a challenge to find just the right design/block/idea to fit the person I swap with.  Denise mentioned she likes Modern and Kaffe Fassett fabrics.  In one of our email exchanges, she said her favorite pattern on my website was Twirl-A-Tool.  Bingo, I know what I’m going to make her.  I made a mini Twirl of Kaffe fabrics and added other Kaffe fabrics with a gray background to go with the required teal fabric.  I had just enough of the teal fabric to also use it as the binding.  I love a pieced backing, so I even did that as well.  She Loves it!  I’m so pleased!  (it is about 9″ x 10″)

Twirl Mug Rug for Denise

Pieced Back of Twirl for Denise

 

 

 

Have you even done a swap?  I know I have mentioned these over the years.  It is a lot of fun and you get to meet a quilter you may never have known was out there.  Denise and I have made a connection through this swap and look forward to the day we can meet up at a quilt show.

When choosing fabrics, I went with her favorites.  You can’t go wrong if the person you are giving a quilt to loves the fabrics!   (Tip #1).  Besides, I love working with Kaffe fabrics so it was a joy for me as well.

#2 – Join a swap, check out a designer’s Facebook page, follow a blog.  Ya just never know what quilty connection or new quilt friend you will make!

Thanks to Beth Helfter of Eva Paige Designs for doing the Teal Mini Swap for the last many years.  This was her last year to run this event where she has raised thousands of dollars for Ovarian Cancer Research.  Well DONE!

in quilting,

Debbie

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Around the Block – US Tour – Week 9 – Wisconsin

Posted on September 27, 2020 by debbiewendt

And the tour continues!
Stroll on over to Phoebe Moon Designs for the next state, Wisconsin! She gives some awesome suggestions on adding to her block.  Link to block HERE.

in quilting,
Debbie

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Two Tip Tuesday – First Day of Fall

Posted on September 22, 2020 by debbiewendt

Today marks the Fall Equinox. Plus it is my hubby’s birthday.  I made birthday breakfast and dinner.  Cake was made yesterday.  I added a couple candles and sang.  So, I didn’t think much about it being Two Tips today.  But, in realizing it is the first day of Fall it shouts that cooler days are here to stay for a while.  Did you have a cool Fall day? Fall is a great time to dig out those quilts to snuggle up. I love Fall for the warm days and cool nights.  My hubby’s favorite quilt is “Tin Man”.  This was the first quilt I made for him.  I started it in 1994 for his birthday and finished it four years later.  I hand quilted it and took way to long to finish it, but it has been the favorite for years!

Tin Man by D. Wendt

Do you have a “go to” quilt to snuggle under?  I bet you do!  “Tin Man” has a very thin polyester batting.  A great weight and very easy to hand quilt.  Also shown are some of the hand quilting from the back of the quilt.  I love using a muslin back so you can see the quilting!  Plus at the time I started this we were living in Egypt and I saved the “good” fabric for the front.  US cotton prints were hard to come by in those days in Egypt.

Tin Man quilting on back.
by D. Wendt

Tin Man border quilting,
by D. Wendt

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite batting to machine quilt is bamboo by Winline.  Have you thought about trying different battings?

#1 – A thin polyester batting is easy to needle for hand quilting!

#2 – My favorite batting for machine quilting is bamboo.  It behaves like cotton but is lighter and so yummy when washed.

Give some different battings a try!

Tip Bonus – Use a plain fabric on the back to show off your work.  You’ve spent the time quilting it, show it off!

in quilting,

Debbie

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Around the Block – US Tour – week 8 – Minnesota

Posted on September 20, 2020 by debbiewendt

Our next stop is Minnesota. Join Cindy Staub of Quilt Doodle Designs for her story and Minnesota block. Love the background fabric she used. You can find her information HERE.

in quilting,
Debbie

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Two Tip Tuesday – featured video

Posted on September 15, 2020 by debbiewendt

Another week already?  Time is sure moving fast.  A couple days ago, a quilter friend, Laura, was inquiring about the templates I used in the video tip clip I did for AQS.  Wow!  They posted it again about 4 days ago.  Thanks Laura for sharing it again.  So, I thought it would be fun to share it again here!

The templates she was asking about are for the Lucy Boston blocks.  The Honeycomb shapes for the blocks are fun to play with and fussy cutting fabrics gives wonderful effects.  You can find the paper pieces and templates at PaperPieces.com.  I carry them when I vend at shows.  Since those aren’t happening right now, I do not have a supply on hand.  Have fun with the tips I give in the video, my two tips for this week!

in quilting,

Debbie

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Around the Block – US Tour – Week 7 – Oklahoma

Posted on September 14, 2020 by debbiewendt

Jump over to Ashli Montgomery’s site for your next state! Oklahoma…”Where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain…” (I couldn’t help myself!!!  Yes, I like musicals!) She will tell you much more about the state and the state block she designed. You can find her blog post and block HERE.

in quilting,
Debbie

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Two Tip Tuesday – Marking Half Squares

Posted on September 8, 2020 by debbiewendt

I had a bunch of half squares I needed to mark the diagonal line. Instead of standing at my cutting mat, where I usually mark. (because the fabric doesn’t slip like it does on a regular table) I was looking around for something that would keep my fabric from slipping… (Then I could sit in my comfy chair to do the marking instead of standing at my cutting table.)

Ah ha!  My iPad cover…  It has a rubberized feel and when I drag my pencil across the fabric, it didn’t slip.  Perfect!

Table cover instead of sandpaper board.

#1 – Use a tablet cover instead of a sandpaper board when marking lines on fabric.

It made short work of all the squares I had to mark and NO slipping.  A couple other favorite tools in the photo…

Papermate mechanical pencil with #2 lead.  It has the smoothest, no drag, lead that I have found to mark fabric.  It has to be the one in the photo, yellow!  I learned this years ago from my quilting friends in Monroe, Louisiana.  (I sure hope they are safe from all the rain and winds that the latest Hurricane brought through.)

#2 – Use a Papermate yellow #2 mechanical pencil when marking lines on the back of fabric.  It is so smooth!  Hold it at a lower angle so it more easily pulls across the fabric.

Drag pencil across at a lower angle for a smooth line.

Papermate yellow #2 mechanical pencil! Plus Brilliant Bindings!

AND my favorite tool for marking (and BINDING!!), Brilliant Bindings.  It has a great feel, nice clear edge to follow, 1/4″ lines are easy to see, if you need them.  Makes for a bonus use and extra #3 tip!

in quilting,

Debbie

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Around the Block – US Tour – week 6 – Texas

Posted on September 6, 2020 by debbiewendt

I’m loving all the variety in the Around the Block – US Tour blocks. We are up to week 6. This week we travel to Texas. Thank you to Sarah Ruiz Quilts for her Texas block. You can find it HERE.

in quilting,

Debbie

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Two Tip Tuesday – Sun damaged quilts

Posted on September 1, 2020 by debbiewendt

I have been moving quilts around my house. With the stop of in person quilt shows, my quilts do not need to stay in the suitcases all fall and winter. So, I’m laying them flat on a spare bed. The quilt that was on this bed was made over 20 years ago. I noticed the sun damage a couple years ago and now turn up the side edge of the quilt that faces the window. BUT the damage is done. The back of this quilt is muslin, so sometimes I turn the quilt completely over to protect it further.

Sun damaged quilt!

More sun damage

Be sure to check where the sun comes in windows and hits your quilts!  As you can see, the most damage was to the navy blue.  You can even see what part of the edge was tucked in a shadow.

#1 – Turn up the overhang of a quilt on a bed to protect it from sunlight.

#2 – Turn a quilt completely over so you protect the entire front of the quilt.  I don’t mind fading on the back of a quilt.

in quilting,

Debbie

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