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Feathered Stars!

I’ve had the pure pleasure of working on a Feathered Star quilt for a friend.  Besides having known each other for about 3 decades, we’ve worked together, and now have quilting in common too!

As you can see, the Feathered Star is a masterpiece!  Perfectly pieced, and I know this because I was “up close and personal” with it for many hours while I completed the quilting.  Another thing that puts this quilt in the masterpiece category is the adventurous use of scrappy fabrics pulled together with the neutral background and a killer focal fabric used for the border, not to mention the polka dot sashing! There are some surprises in there and lots to look at in this quilt.  Careful and consistent pressing can’t be seen on the surface but contribute more than you realize to the quality of the finished quilt.

My hat’s off to you Carolyn!  Congratulations, and may you have many years of that warm quilty feeling with this work of art!

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Sheila’s New Book Has Arrived!

Sheila's New BookMy new book Perfect Fit Pieced Borders has just been released by Martingale & Co. It’s exciting to see the great photography, graphics and clear instructions.

You already know from my previous patterns that I like to piece the quilt right out to the edge; that includes the borders!  Some designs have traditional looking borders, some have what I call finishing elements that give the quilt a finished look without borders.  Be sure to look at the slide show to see the fun designs.  It really has been an honor to work with Martingale & Co. to develop this book as they are easy to work with and have allowed me to have so much control.  Of course the quilting is very important to me as a longarm quilter, and I was able to include quilting designs for each quilt that also included photography of the quilting so you could get some ideas of how to quilt your version!

Pieced borders will change the look of a quilt, making it more interesting and exciting by adding a surprising finish.  What I love most about quilting is what I call the “layers” of design: choosing the fabrics, cutting the shapes, piecing, creating appliqué designs, sewing everything together, adding borders, quilting, and the final statement of the binding.  Each layer relates to the others, and this always teaches me something and keeps me interested.  Every step along the way can be fun and creative, and I think traditionally the borders are often overlooked.  I always take the time to consider border options.  Almost every quilt can benefit from pieced borders; they make a quilt extra special.

I hope you love this book and make several of the quilts!

 

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My Quilting Life

For those of you who haven’t met me, or never even heard of me, and for those of you who have, but are still curious, I’m a professional quilter! For me that means I started out as a longarm quilter, learning by the seat of my pants for the first year or so. After that I was lucky to be able to attend my first Machine Quilters Showcase, a longarm convention, and was bowled over, overwhelmed and inspired! I had seen the light and opened my eyes to the awesome possibilities of longarm quilting. That enlightenment continues to this day, more than ten years later.

I’ve been lucky to have quilted about 1800 quilts, taught longarm classes nationally and locally, designed quilts, authored a book (a second book will be ready for Spring Quilt Market 2011), developed a line of quilt patterns, taught piecing and project classes and best of all admired, touched, bought, stashed, stored, sewn and generally loved thousands of yards of fabric! What a life! I’ve been lucky to have met and learned from so many quilters, some famous and some not so famous, but all so interesting and talented, their energy has been inspiring and infectious.

I have lots of ideas, and can’t wait for the next inspiration. Since I started out as a longarm quilter, the quilting is very important to me, so just let me warn you, you’ll be hearing a lot more about that!


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CLASS: Longarm Series

JANUARY 14, FEBRUARY 11, MARCH 11, APRIL 8, 2011 (classes can be taken individually or in a series)
Longarm Series at Sheila’s Studio
Girl’s Night Out
WHO: YOU can quilt like a Rock Star!
WHAT if you had a chance to learn some rockin’ and rollin’ new quilting designs?
WHEN: Lessons are offered in a series of four Friday evenings: 7-8:30pm
WHERE: Sheila’s Longarm Lair

We’ll get together for fun-packed short lessons and hands-on quilting for everybody!  Learn some great new designs and skills.  Drop in for one lesson, or sign up for the whole series!  There might be a glass of wine (or sparkling cider) with your name on it, and some hors d’oeuvres to go along with the laughter and good cheer.  Of course the focus is on freehand artistic quilting, so sign up soon, space is limited.

Lesson 1:  January 14:  Rockin’ Out All-over Designs
Lesson 2:  February 11:  New-Fangled Feathers
Lesson 3:  March 11:  Skills and Basics (Make your circles round and your squares square)!
Lesson 4:  April 8:  Micro, Mini and Amazingly Small Designs!

Each Lesson $15; Complete Series $55

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CLASS: Not Your Grandmother’s Footstool

Some may see it as a Turban Footstool, others may conjure up visions of Little Miss Muffet’s Tuffet – whatever it is to you, you have to admit is a fabulously charming. In this two-part class you will learn to foundation piece wedges of fabric together to be made into the upholstery for a footstool. You can use scraps or coordinate your fabrics to give your footstool a particular personality. This project is best suited for a confident beginner or intermediate sewer. A kit for the base and foam will be available for purchase and instruction will be given on putting your stool together once the cover is sewn.

Not your Grandmother’s Footstool Class Details

DURATION:  This is a 2 day class.
CLASS FEE:  $45
KIT FEE:  $30 – A kit for the wood base, foam, tufting cord and drafted pattern will be available for purchase from the teacher at the first class for $30. Feet may be purchased for $20/set of four, various styles and colors available.

Supplies List

  • 1.5 yard muslin for the foundation
  • 60 strips of fabric 2 inches wide and 22 inches long.  These can be coordinated or mixed and matched.  It is ok to repeat fabrics.
  • Marking tool (pen or pencil)
  • Straight edge for drawing straight lines – a cutting ruler works well for this
  • Thread to blend with fabric
  • Bobbin loaded with thread
  • Fabric scissors
  • Basic sewing supplies:  pins, seam ripper, etc.
  • Sewing machine with attachments, cords, etc.
  • 1/2 yard coordinating color felt
  • One twin size extra-loft polyester batting
  • One 2” or larger decorative button, may be fabric-covered (preferably with shank)
  • One 1” flat plain button, two or four holes
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CLASS: Quilting Decisions

Don’t know what style of quilting will enhance your own or your customer’s quilt?  In this class there will be a discussion of quilting and thread options for a variety of quilts.  Streamlining the decision process will make you more efficient in your business.

Sheila will bring unquilted examples to discuss together as well as her teaching quilts to learn from.  This class is appropriate for all types of machine users – longarm, midarm, shortarm and those using a home sewing machine will also benefit.

There are no supplies required for this class, but please bring an unquilted piece to use in the discussion.

CLASS FEE:  $40

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CLASS: Big Star Quilt

Sheila's Big Star Quilt
Sheila's Big Star Quilt

Make this BIG star quilt as a throw, twin or queen size quilt. Big pieces = fast work! The throw can easily be completed in class. This pattern is sure to become your favorite gift quilt since it goes together so fast. The pieces are large enough to show off those large-scale prints, geometrics, batiks or florals – anything goes. Don’t you love the drama of the large scale? Bet you can’t make just one!

Big Star Quilt Class Details

DURATION:  One day class: 10 am – 2 pm
CLASS FEE:  $35
Supplies List

  • TBA – supply list coming soon!