Blue Dreams - started 2006, finished 2009 

appx 55" X 65"

This one is a traditional look, but has some sparkle in person. The fabric itself is not glittery, but the selection of fabrics and their arrangement together creates a sparkling effect. I also used sparkly decorative thread to quilt around the trapunto areas. I made this with high-quality quilting fabric and threads, and I think I used Hobb's Heirloom 100% cotton batting. This quilt was made with love for my nephew as a gift. The finished quilting is very close together (heirloom style) but still ended up with a nice drape, and I added various trapunto elements and a patterned binding. I am still looking for the finished pics, which I know are hidden somewhere on my computer. I probably worked the hardest on this quilt than any other I've done.

Firecraker Flowers - 2006 29” X 39” This was done during my first quilt workshop, taken through a local guild in the winter. It was very freeform. We brought our own fabrics and just played. I enjoyed creating these bursts of color on a gray day. The technique used Steam-A-Seam 2 for all of the central design.  It was my first wallhanging and first time using Steam-A-Seam. It was FUN.

Red and White in Colorado - 2005

45” X 45”

This quilt was made for my mom for Christmas 2005. The idea to make her a quilt had been forming all year, and for some reason red and white just seemed like the perfect colors for her. I wanted to use the good fabric, and this was my first project using fabric from a quilt shop. My thinking was that quiltmakers rarely get gifted with quilts, and I thought it might be a nice surprise to do that for her.

I decided on the traditional Ohio Star pattern, as she was born and raised in Ohio. Red and white combined with a traditional pattern reminded me of the west, where we always seemed to set our minds on going as kids, and where my mom now calls home (Colorado). My only wish is that I’d have made it bigger, as it is okay for a lap, but not for curling up under. I kind of ran out of time and fabric. I actually worked on it in the airport on the way to Houston where my family was gathering for Christmas. I gave it to her on Christmas and THEN hand sewed the last of the edge together the same day. My mom says she turns it diagonally and it covers her feet, but I think a bigger quilt is in order to add to the collection. In good time. This one is hand-tied with red embroidery thread.

Always In My Heart - 2005

appx 55” X 65”

This quilt was made for my brother Mark and his wife as a late wedding gift in the Fall 2005. It is intended to be a cuddly cozy lap quilt. This was made using muslin and homespuns with double polyester batting for extra puff.  I included my signature puffy hearts on the corners. This quilt was tied with embroidery thread. Backing is a deep red flannel print which was folded to front and used as binding.

Straight Shooter - October 05

appx 45” X 45”

This quilt was made for a friend at work as a baby/soon-to-be new mommy gift. I made it with mostly flannel and some homespun fabric with a light blue soft cotton backing. It was finished and bound with a striped pieced binding that mirrored the inside pieced border and gifted, after which I realized I never took a picture of the final product. I just used my imagination on the design and machine quilted this using Sulky thread and had so much fun with it!

GL Quilt - July 2005

appx 45” X 45”

This quilt was made for a baby shower gift. I wish I had a finished picture because I did finish it. I used muted colors and cotton batting and did machine quilting. This quilt was my curse because I machine quilted a great big pucker problem into it before I realized it. Then I got so frustrated I just let it sit for months and months. Finally later I took it out, got out the seam ripper, fixed it as best I could and added binding. I was not happy with my machine quilting, which I did in a natural white so all mistakes in the blocks showed. I was happy to finally pass this on to the new owner after sewing a hand-embroidered label onto it. I am glad I finished it or it would have been sitting there mocking me still! The great part is that every mistake made in quilting is a wonderful learning experience!

Bear Hugs - Christmas 2004

appx 55” X 65”

This quilt was made for my little second cousin Caleb to celebrate my love for him and his gentle, happy spirit. It started with the backing, which was very sweet and had bears carrying hearts and little sayings like “I love you beary much” and “Bear hug.” It was my first “stack n whack” style quilt and my first time using triangles. Again, I played it by ear, and for the machine quilting I used a sun design I had seen on a stained glass window which I liked and quilted my version of it in some of the diamonds alternating with quilted swirls. I used black cotton thread to machine-quilt. I added some puffy hearts to the corners for my final touch. Polyester batting, black binding.


Here are some close-ups: