Client Quilts and Easter Runner...

Hope your week is off to a good start!!  Here are a few things I had the privilege of quilting last week.  

First up, this fun wall hanging made and kitted by Laser Cut Quilts!  You may remember me sharing a quilt like this last fall in their kit release for Quilt Market.  This time, I quilted the car differently.  So, I thought I’d share it again.

I quilted this quilt all free motion or freehand.  Free motion means that I am guiding the machine.  I did use Edge rulers from Linda at thequiltedpineapple.com for all of the lines.  

In my classes I preach, “keep your quilting as clean or neat as possible”.  That it’s better to stop and start your thread over, than to travel and add tons of more thread to the quilt.  That’s how I like to quilt.  However, I recently saw this pebble quilting done by some other quilters, where they went around the circle a few times.  Which I’ve done here.  The reason behind it, it adds greater definition to the quilting, and lets it pop that much more.  Especially because the batting I used here is just my regular favorite, Winline 8020 cotton poly blend.  It definitely added extra texture. I only did the extra stitches in the pebbling, everything else is done neat and clean.  

I used a lovely cream Perma Core 30 tex thread from A&E for the background.  My favorite colors of cream are Antique Cream and Dyed Natural...I think I used the Dyed Natural on this one.  I used a bright red thread for the truck, green for the trees, and dark grey for the road.  

I also want to take a moment to share more about Laser Cut Quilts new fusible interfacing, Flexi Fuse.  As you can see there are multiple layers of appliqué pieces on this quilt.  The wonderful thing about their fusible, is the softness of it...even with those multiple layers.  I noticed the machine needle doesn’t leave those big holes like it does with other interfacing, and also I can actually quilt and have it not feel like I’m dragging the machine.  Check out those tiny circles in the tire rim above.  They were easy to freehand quilt...even with multiple layers.  So for your next appliqué project, give Flexi Fuse a try, you’ll be happy with the results.  Go to their website for more info: https://flexifuse.com/

Okay, how cute is this bunny runner?!?!?!!!  I think it’s one of my very favorite Easter anything, that I’ve quilted.  It’s made by Barbara!

The pattern is Country Bunnies by Margot Languedoc from The Pattern Basket, and it’s available here: http://www.thepatternbasket.com/catalog.htm?item=234

Here are some close ups...  I love the little tail.  I used Linda’s Edge ruler to quilt these 1/2” squares.  Once again, I love mixing hard lines with soft curves in the custom quilting that I do.  It creates texture and definition.

To frame the blocks, I quilted ribbon candy in the sashing.  I did a 45° angled line in the background and a swirly feather in the bunny.

1/2” horizontal lines and pebbles.

1/2” lines going the opposite direction and overlapping circles inside the bunny.  I share how to quilt this design on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/x0UNyEJdm9Y

It’s fun to add all these different details, and yet they compliment each other so well.  I used Antique Cream 30 tex A&E Perma Core thread on each part of this runner, and 8020 cotton poly blend batting.  

Next up...

My aunt Kristin, who is half of the www.sistersandquilters.com team, made these for her two grandsons.  These turned out sooo cute.  The fabric is Mighty Machine’s by Lydia Nelson from Moda.  They have some charm packs still available on their Etsy.  www.sistersandquilters.etsy.com 

I actually quilted two of these, and cut one very long minky backing.  It’s easier when smaller quilts are the same size, to quilt them on one backing.  

On this close up, you’ll notice that the border around the square is even all the way around.  The strips are the same size.  Kristin is going to do a blog post on Sisters & Quilters blog, once she gets the quilts finished.  Check their blog here for that future post.  http://sistersandquilters.blogspot.com/?m=1

Kristin picked my Crosshatch©️ digital quilting design for the quilting.  This is actually how the design looks before you offset it 50%, which made the perfect tire track look.  Go to my shop here to get this design, and to see what the design looks like offset.  https://www.quiltingit.com/shop/crosshatch

I quilted this design at a height of 2”.  Seems small, but it’s the perfect height, as the design is complete with two rows together.   

Its also available at Urban Elementz: https://www.urbanelementz.com/leisha-s-crosshatch.html  It’s available in paper and digital formats.  

I love the texture I can get from a simple design.  These are quilted with A&E 30 tex Perma Core thread in the Antique Cream.  I also used 8020 cotton poly blend batting from Winline out of Ogden Utah.  

Spring has definitely showed up in Utah, we’ve been getting lots of rain.  Which means the grass is getting green and the flowers are starting to bloom.  I love this time of year.  Now, we just need more sunshine.  

I hope you have some fun quilting to do this week.  Thanks for taking the time to see what I’m up to.  Have a great week! 

- Leisha

Maria’s Cheer Quilt

My aunt Maria made this cheer quilt for her daughter who is a senior in high school.  She’s been on the cheer team all three years.  I love the fabrics she chose. 

Maria had a local embroidery shop (The Logo Shop) do all the embroidery, and they always do an awesome job!!  They have great options for all of the local schools.  

Maria chose this freehand swirly feather design that I do, for the quilting.  Yes, it’s done freehand.  I even videoed it while I was quilting so you can see how I do this design randomly.  It’s all about filling each space.  Quilting tip: for those of you wanting to try freehand or enhance your freehand quilting skills...give this design a try.  It’s very forgiving.  So, for the tip, think ahead.  Where are you going to quilt next and where do you need to quilt so you don’t leave any spots unquilted.  Once you start doing that, it will become second nature to you.   

Give it a try sometime, you’d be surprised how fun it is!!!

Here is an angled and close up view.   

I used white 30 Tex Perma Core A&E thread and Winline’s 8020 cotton poly blend batting. 

Love when I get to quilt for family!!  My grandma even helped Maria do the binding.   

If any of you are strictly computerized or paper pantograph quilters, don’t worry...Patricia Ritter and I designed a pantograph after this design.  It’s called Venice Too and it’s available at  https://www.urbanelementz.com/venice-too.html

Happy Quilting!!

-Leisha  

Baby + Quilt

My sister Amanda, made this fun quilt for her sister in-law who is about to have a baby boy!  I love it! 

Those dark grey plus’ are just so striking!! 

My sister got her fabrics from https://www.sistersandquilters.com/

She used moda’s black cross weave, and Zen Chic’s dotted line fabric from their new White Christmas line.  It has a gold dot every once in awhile.   

She decided on my Squared©️ digital machine quilting pantograph design, for the quilting.  It quilted out beautifully and is available at https://www.quiltingit.com/shop/squared

Seriously loving the texture this quilting design gave this quilt.  The on point square is a great contrast to the large +’s.  

I used Antique Cream 30 tex Perma Core A&E thread and 8020 cotton poly blend batting.  

Amanda also picked Shannon Fabrics super soft embossed Cuddle (minky) dot for the backing.   

Love what I do, especially when I get to do it for family!!  

Thanks for stopping by!  Happy quilting! 

- Leisha  

Holland baby quilt!

One of our neighbor friends is having her first little girl, and she hoped and waited for her, for awhile.  My mom and I joined forces with another friend, who sews with us a lot, to make this for her.  Baby is coming any day!!  We are so excited for them.   

The pattern is called Holland and it’s by Vanessa from Lella Boutique.  I first fell in love with this pattern after I saw her navy background Holland quilt.  The tulips are huge, so cute, and fun to make.  We also used two of Vanessa’s fabrics...the green stems and the flower tips, which if I remember right are both from her Nest line.  The coral mini heart fabric is from Stacy Hsu.  The grey background is a Bella solid from Moda.  

I used New Moon Loops by Wasatch Quilting, to quilt it.  I made the loops bigger than the standard size that comes during setup, because the backing has minky on it, and the tulips are so big...I like the quilting to be at a proper scale.  

I used Antique Cream 30 tex Perma Core A&E thread and 8020 batting to quilt it.  

This quilt is being bound as I type this, with the sweet mini pink hearts.  Can’t wait to give this one away.  Thanks for coming by!!!

- Leisha