Just some thoughts, do you ever wonder?

Well I just responded to a couple of ads on Craigslist for some unfinished quilt tops, hand stitched. I apparently can't pass these up, cause I never do. I have had the "opportunity" to complete so many quilts that I sometimes wonder, "Do people make quilt tops just for the experience of making quilt tops?" I know that Bonnie Anderson loves to make them and therefore it works for me, cause I love to quilt them, but what about those ladies out there that have made these tops and for one reason or another they get "sold". It makes me a little sad that someone put so many loving hours into making something for their families or themselves to just let them go.

On one occasion I was checking over some quilt blocks that I had picked up from an estate sale. The blocks and a couple of unfinished quilt tops were being sold by the new wife of an older gentleman. He said, "my wife was obsessed with quilts, now that she has passed, I just want them gone." I am thinking he has earned himself some negative points on the other side, what about you, would you sell them, give them away or just let them go or keep them, cherish them and appreciate the work that went into them? On the occasion that I was examining these blocks, one of my daughters came in the house, spotted the blocks and went on and on about how lovely they were, (I didn't happen to agree, they were nice but not my style) and how wonderful they felt in your hands, (that I could agree with). Well I finished the blocks and passed them on to that same daughter at Christmas. She and her family were thrilled and I am told by her children frequently that they love to cuddle under the finished quilt. I think the original piecer would be happy, don't you think.

My thoughts on quilts is that they are physical representation of the love and affection that is showed by a parent or loved one. Each time that they are used they give off a little of that love and remind the user that someone cared enough to work a little harder just for them. I have quilted for most of the last 36 years, since my first child came along. Some years more than others, and I have a very large family, 9 children and 18 grandchildren so far. My second son, who you will of course hear more about, but later, told me several years ago that "his quilt" was wearing out and needed a new. At the time he was well into his 20's, on his own, with a beautiful wife and doing just fine for himself. Well that Christmas was my first experience with Walmart, found a great looking quilt for $30, said to myself are you crazy you cannot possibly make a quilt for that price and a quilt is a quilt after all. Boy was I set straight. Right out of the gift wrap, he said, you didn't make it? No but it is a quilt and you said you needed one. Wrong. He never used it and continued using the one that he had had for over 10 years at that time. We won't do that again.

It is crazy tho to look at the quilts that you can find in the stores and catalogs. When I decided that I wanted to make really intricate quilts, quilting with all the feathers, micro stipples etc, I happened to be looking through the JC Penny's catalog, there was one for under $100. A little discouraging, cause that kind of quilting takes many many hours far too many to let go for $100 not counting the fabric, thread and batting.

Well these are just thoughts that I felt the need to pass on. Hopefully I will either get the quilt tops that I found or someone else will that will love them. Hope you are happy, with love in your hearts. I have a couple of quilts that I just finished but trying really hard to get better pictures of them to post so hopefully will be able to do that soon. Till another time, go with love in your hearts. Sandy Wilkinson

Blackford's Beauty, Glenna's quilt

Today I got the blackford's beauty quilt off the frame. From here on out I will be calling it Glenna's quilt. When I first met Bonnie Anderson and asked if she would piece some quilts for me, I left it up to her what pattern she would make. This is the first top that she sent me, after the french braid that started our "relationship". Didn't even know what a "blackford's beauty" quilt was, as a matter of fact, referred to it with the wrong name for a while. Anyway, right out of the box, this looked like my sister in law, Glenna. Well not like her, but like it would fit her style. Then I spent way too long, trying to figure out how to quilt it. Finally after looking over Lisa Calle's "Never ending Quilt" decided that I really needed to step it up a bit. This is the first time that I used the circle templates as well as the straight line template. I had tried before to use them, but I am notoriously uncoordinated and just couldn't get it. Decided I had better get it figured out. I am pleased with the result. An area that might be of interest to some of you, each pattern stitch that I used can be done with a shorter arm machine, like the Brother 1500, or Pfaff Grandquilter, or Juki 98e. Hope that inspires some of you.

Those of you that aren't in my immediate yelling range, probably don't know but I have decided that I need to work toward showing my quilts. Now that I have such a good piecer to rely on, I can just concentrate on my quilting. You will notice that I have included a pic of the back. As with everything I do, it seems I can't get it all right at the same time. Well the thread that I used for the bobbin was supposed to be medium green. Certainly looked like that, but on the dark green background, just reads as light or white. Not my intention. And to make matters worse, it seemed while the quilt was on the frame, that the greenish thread in the bobbin was showing through to the top. Now that it is off the frame, not so much but definitely showing through on the frame. The questions that I am asking myself is why? Maybe because I have the quilt pretty taunt on the frame, that it shows, I don't know. If you know let me know. These are the "little" things that I know will be detrimental in judging, but if I don't have to worry about it, I would like to not worry.

There are several other concerns that I have, not the least of which is why does it not show up well in my pics. I usually do pretty well. Another area to work on. Well that is the reason we are all here.

This is the beginning

Well, I have finally made the plunge and have decided to join the world of bloggers. Maybe in this format, I can help others or they can help me with the crazy number of questions that I have about machine quilting. I have followed some of my fav's and they have helped me so thought what the heck, maybe I can pass it on.

About me: I have been quilting for more than 35 years. I bought my first machine quilter in 2001 and have been 'upgrading' ever since. I have strived to challenge myself with each quilt and to date have been pretty successful. A few years ago I made 15 quilts for most of my grandchildren. This was at a time when my machine was not stitch regulated. Getting the stitches regular was a challenge but worth it and worked out pretty well.

Then the next year acquired the stitch regulator. Well life got in the way, doesn't that happen to all of us? Just when we think we are on a roll something happens and it all goes sideways. Anyway it took a couple of years to get back into it, but I did. Then decided that there was no way that I could concentrate on piecing and quilting so bought some quilt tops off of Ebay. All done by piecers that were not going to be able to finish them. Felt that was good, cause quilts should be cuddled under and let the love flow through them. Almost all of these quilt tops were challenges. Bubbling, uneven, some were hand stitched, didn't lay flat, points didn't meet. Most of them, my Mom and Husband suggested, I throw away cause "wasting" my time. I didn't and finished 10 quilts for my children for this past Christmas. They all turned out beautifully and I was very pleased. I will add photos of these shortly.

Well again decided I had to step it up a bit and found an extraordinary woman to piece quilts for me, her name is Bonnie Anderson and lives in Kelso, WA. If you email me, I will put you in contact with her. I am working on a quilt called Blackburn's Beauty. This brings me to the point of this blog. It is my sincere wish to get better with each quilt. Well, even though most of the people I know are brutally honest, for some reason don't think they are being as honest with me as my quilting deserves, so i am going to be posting the work I am doing with the hope that all you out there will give me appropriate feedback. I honestly want to do my work the best I can and realize that I have a ways to go. So I will be posting photos and more information soon, with the wish that I hear from others with some constructive criticism. Thanks for allowing me to take a few minutes of your time. Sincerely. Sandy Wilkinson, Roy, Washing