Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from 2010

New Free Quilt Block Pattern Search

I just updated MyWebQuilter .com with an easier, more graphical search for free quilt block patterns. The new search shows a larger picture of the quilt blocks. You may enter key words, choose a skill level, color and/or quilt block pattern types. Clicking on a quilt block picture will take you to the free quilt block pattern for that quilt block. The old screen is still available via the small link at the top " Select Blocks for Quilt Design ". Check out the free quilt block patterns and free quilt design software at MyWebQuilter .com Amber

Free Calculator for On Point Quilt Setting Triangles

There are many web pages that will tell you how do the math for setting triangles for an on point quilt. However, there aren't very many that actually do the math for you. I just add this capability to the free calculators at MyWebQuilter.com . On the calculator screen, enter your finished block size and the number of columns/rows in your quilt. Click calculate to have MyWebQuilter.com calculate the size setting triangles to cut as well as the total fabric requirements for the setting triangles. Easy and free.... Check it out..

Quilts at the Bay Quilt Challenge

My quilt guild has a quilt show every two years. Our show is called Quilts at the Bay as it is held at Bay Community College in beautiful Escanaba, MI (located on Little Bay de Noc, Lake Michigan). Our next quilt show is October 13-14, 2011. Does this sound like a long way off? Well as one of the organizers...the time will pass too quickly! We are having a quilt challenge as part of the show. The challenge is open to anyone, there are prizes and the challenge quilts will be displayed at the show. The challenge is to use a "recognizable amount" of each of the 4 fabrics in the challenge pack. The challenge pack is pictured below. There is a maximum size and a few other rules. For full details check out our quilt show website . Challenge packs are available for $10 at Quilts 'n Stuff . The packs are available at the shop or by ordering on-line. Consider joining the challenge! My quilt is already in process...... Happy Quilting, Amber

Pretty Quilted Rising Star Pillow for Aunt Joann

My aunt and uncle recently celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary. My aunt is quite ill with cancer so I made a cheerful, flowery, star quilted pillow as an anniversary gift. I used the Rising Star quilt block pattern at MyWebQuilter .com to create the block. To quilt the center square, I used the Flower Ball free motion quilt design from Day's Style Design . I was very happy with that pattern although is doesn't show up very well in this picture. Making the pillow back was quick and easy using the envelope method . Happy quilting! Amber

Madison Quilt Expo

Several friends and I had a great time at the Madison WI Quilt Expo last weekend. We caught a bus tour run by Westlund Bus Lines out of Marinette, WI. It was a long day but very fun and inspirational trip. Our small home town of Escanaba, MI was well represented at the show. This is a picture of my friend, Sally with her quilt at the show. The quilt is call There's a Bunny in My Garden. The quilt is beautifully appliqued. Also note Sally's quilted jacket. I think more than 100 quilters at the show asked if she made her jacket - she did! In fact she has entire wardrobe of them in every shade of the rainbow. She did a trunk show at our local art center showing all of her jackets. Maureen is another friend and expert quilter from our town of Escanaba, MI. This is her quilt Kamakura Sisters. Happy Quilting! Amber

New Free Quilt Block Pattern: Stamp Basket

Stamp Basket quilt block is a pretty, traditional quilt block that combines piecing with embroidery. The handle for pieced basket quilt block can be hand or machine embroidered. The free quilt block pattern for Stamp Basket is now available at MyWebQuilter.com . Click here for the free quilt block pattern for Stamp Basket quilt block. Free quilt patterns are available at MyWebQuilter.com using the stamp basket quilt block in many different colors. Here are examples in purple and Christmas colors. For more free quilt patterns, quilt block patterns and quilt design software visit MyWebQuilter.com .

New Free Easy Quilt Block Pattern: Puss in the Corner Variation

The free quilt block pattern for the easy, beginner quilt block, Puss in the Corner Variation is now available at MyWebQuilter .com . Examples of Puss in the Corner Variation in Oranges and Reds Click here to access this free quilt block pattern. Example Quilts the Easy Quilt Block Puss in the Corner Variation For more free quilt block patterns and free quilt design software go to MyWebQuilter .com . Happy Quilting! Amber

Raffle Quilt for Charity

I am a member of the Rapid River Quilt Guild. Every year we make a raffle quilt with the proceeds going to local Delta county Michigan charities. In past years we have given to the Salvation Army , St. Vincent De Paul , Alliance Against Violence & Abuse , as well as several local schools to support children's need for clothes. This is a picture of our 2010 Raffle Quilt. It is the Strip Tease pattern from Bettie Hammock. Raffle tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. They are available at our local quilt shop Quilts 'n Stuff . The drawing will be in October 2010. Amber

My Quilt was selected for the Traveling Hoffman Challenge Show

I blogged about my Hoffman Challenge quilt back in July. I just found out that it was selected to travel with the 2010 Hoffman Challenge quilts! I am thrilled! I have placed in a few local quilt contests but this is the first international quilt challenge that I have entered. My Hoffman Challenge quilt is called Ariel. The sailboat applique was created from a picture of my friend's boat with the same name. The picture was taken in September 2009 during a sailboat cruise. This cruise was very productive for generating quilt ideas! In addition to the Hoffman Challenge quilt I made the one below. It is called "Deann and Amber's Most Excellent Sailing Adventure 2009". I made this quilt for my friend Deann who sailed with me. This quilt is based on a nautical chart of northern Green Bay, Lake Michigan. It shows the route of our sailing cruise from Escanaba , MI to Fayette State Park on the Garden Peninsula , then on to Jackson Harbor on Washington Island, WI, then back hom

New Quilt Block: Propeller

The free quilt block pattern for Propeller has been added to MyWebQuilter.com . Propeller is an easy quilt block pattern using simple squares and half square triangles. Here are examples of the Propeller quilt block in purple and yellow color waves. Use MyWebQuilter.com to test your favorite fabric colors with this fun, easy quilt block. Here are examples of quilts using Propeller quilt block. Happy quilting! Amber

Quilted Postcard Contest

My friend Glenna, who owns our local quilt shop, Quilts 'n Stuff by Glenna is having a contest for the best quilted postcard. She is also celebrating her 20 th year in business with a GREAT sale and a bead party. See her blog for more details on the sale. I recently took a class on making quilts of faces so I attempted to make a postcard of Glenna's face for the contest. I didn't want to use "normal" colors. Glenna loves batiks so I wanted to make her face in crazy batiks. My first two attempts went in the trash can.... In the first one, I made very bad fabric choices. Glenna's face looked green...like she was going to be sea sick...very bad. In the second one, the features of her face seemed lopsided. I had tried to place the nose, mouth, etc. just by looking at the picture. In my third attempt, I actually traced her facial features on clear vinyl and used it as an overlay to fuse the pieces in the correct location. So here is my third postcard...and

New Quilt Block: Electric Fan

This is a fun easy 4 patch made up of quarter square triangles. The free quilt block pattern can be found here . A quilt in the yellow and black color waves looks like this. The free quilt patterns for these can be found at the MyWebQuilter.com Quilt Pattern Gallery . Happy Quilting, Amber

New Quilt Block Pattern: Steps to the Altar

The Steps to the Altar quilt block is now available is now available on MyWebQuilter .com . This 9 patch quilt block has a few half square triangles but is still pretty easy to make. Click here for the quilt block pattern. A quilt in the blue green color wave looks like this. Click here for the quilt pattern for this pretty quilt using Steps to the Altar quilt block. Happy Quilting! Amber

Fabrications II

Three of my art quilts will be in Fabrications II Art Quilts of the U.P. at the William Bonifas Arts Center in my beautiful home town of Escanaba, MI . The three I submitted are: A Night on the Town - I used a Ricky Tims' Convergence Quilt Method for the background. The image is inspired by old pictures of my mother & father-in-law all dressed up for a night on the town when my father-in-law used to play saxophone in a band. Color Wheel - This quilt was created for a Batik challenge. Everyone had many 8 inch squares of many multicolor batiks. I was inspired by a quilt color theory class that I had recently taken. Fish School - This quilt was also part of a batik challenge. The fish are each made of a different batik square. This quilt was in honor of my pet fish in the pond in my yard. We recently had a disaster. For some unknown reason, all my fish died. They stopped eating one day, stopped swimming the next and all died the next. I am very sad about this. My husband and I

My Hoffman Challenge Quilt

I was so inspired by seeing the 2009 Hoffman Challenge Quilts at the Chicago Quilt Show that I decided to try designing a quilt for the 2010 Hoffman Challenge . After experimenting with traditional quilt designs using MyWebQuilter .com and testing several ideas, I decided on making a mixed method quilt of a sailboat. The Hoffman Challenge fabric - below - reminded me of water and sailing. Of course my love of sailing had just a little influence on this idea. So here is my entry to the Hoffman Challenge. I based the sailboat on a photo of my friend's sailboat taken during a sailing cruise on Green Bay, Lake Michigan last year. The boat's name is Ariel so of course that is also the name of the quilt. The water is made using Dina Pappas ' Quick Fuse method. The rest of the quilt is raw edge applique. I used *tons* of Sulky thread hoping to get considered for the best use of Sulky prize. I tried to make the quilting in the sky look like the wind was gently blowing. The words a

Free Quilt Block Pattern: London Roads

London Roads is another new quilt block at MyWebQuilter.com that can be used as a signature or album quilt block . The London Roads quilt block looks very different depending on colors and patterns of light/dark fabric that you use. Here is London Roads in several color waves. I think London Roads looks best when combined with other nine patch blocks. Here is a quilt pattern in pretty girly colors. This pattern would make a nice gift for a little girl who had to move - all her friends could write messages on the London Roads blocks. Now days they could include their cell phone numbers and email addresses to make sure they stay in touch! Click here for the free quilt pattern for this pretty quilt. Click here for the free quilt block pattern for London Roads. Happy Quilting! Amber

Memory Signature Quilt Block and New Red Fabrics!

The traditional Memory quilt block is now available for your quilt designs at MyWebQuilter .com . This quilt block works nicely in signature quilts . Here are some examples of the Memory Quilt Block in new shades of red fabrics that have recently been added to the fabric stash at MyWebQuilter .com. For the free quilt block pattern for Memory click here . An example quilt using pinks looks like this. Click here to get this free quilt pattern. Happy Quilting Amber

New Log Cabin Quilt Block Variations

Two new fun Log Cabin Quilt Block Variations have been added to MyWebQuilter .com . This expands the number of free quilt block patterns at MyWebQuilter .com to more than 150! Here are examples of the two new quilt blocks in a black/white color pallet. MyWebQuilter .com includes several standard color pallets as well as letting you recolor quilt blocks on line for free. Quilts made from these blocks look like this. Click here for the free quilt pattern for the first quilt. Click here for the free quilt pattern for the second quilt. Try using these new Log Cabin quilt blocks when using the free quilt design software - MyWebQuilter .com . Happy Quilting Amber

More Quilt Design Capabilities at MyWebQuilter.com

Creating quilt designs at MyWebQuilter .com is now more flexible and powerful. You can now manually place quilt blocks in a quilt design and rotate quilt blocks in any direction. This quilt design, Maple among Pines, is an example of using the new quilt design software capabilities at MyWebQuilter .com . Click here for the free quilt pattern for 'Maple among Pine Trees. The Design Quilt page at MyWebQuilter .com looks like this. The Quilt Block area of the screen has been highlighted with a red box. When you first arrive at the screen, MyWebQuilter .com will automatically place quilt blocks in the design based on your selected quilt blocks. Use the check boxes to the right of the selected quilt blocks to choose blocks for automatic placement. To manually place a block on the quilt design, first click the block picture in the selected block list. Then click on the square on the quilt to place it. To rotate or flip blocks, first click the rotate or flip buttons. Then click on th