Christmas Lights

 

This house that belongs to a member of our family won the prize for the best decorated home in the vilage a few years ago.

This  is the approach to the house.

My Studio Assistant

 Have you ever wondered how I get so many quilts finished?

I have a full time studio Assistant.

Her name is Quilting Granny and she is a whiz with a needle and thread.

Double Digits

 

The hand quilting on this miniature quilt is amazing.

I drew the feather design that was hand quilted.

It also uses a variety of black fabrics to add texture and interest.

Nine Patch Heart Quilt

 Another finish.  

This Nine Patch Heart quilt was made with a variety of colors and I used various black fabrics to give texture to the background. 

A Colorful Scrap Quilt

 

Anyone who makes a lot of quilts accumulates a lot of scraps.

This is one of the quilts I made from an accumulation of my scraps.

It was a lot of fun to make and it almost emptied the sxrap drawer.

Quilt Made From Extra Sampler Blocks

 

These were blocks I used to demonstrate how to make them when I taught a sampler quilt class.

I made a king size bed quilt with similar blocks that has been used and abused and needs repair work.

There were enough blocks to make a quilt that is about 70 x 80 inches.

This also qualifies as a time lapse quilt.

 

I'm sharing the top 2 tiers of my corner bakers rack that holds some souvenir ornaments and other items that have meaning for me.

When I was in high school I made red and white stripe cotton flannel nities for the sisters and my Mom and PJ's for my Dad and brother..

We had this photo put on out family Christmas card.

This was before color photos were available!

Christmas Quilt

 

Christmas Quilt

This is one of my favorite Christmas quilts I have made. It is in a private collection.
I designed a vest that used these blocks and made enough extras to make this quilt.
If really made a striking quilt with a lot of sparkle in the fabrics and the threads.
It was a lot of fun to make.

My Grandma Koeper's Quilt is finished

I think this is the only quilt top my Grandma Matilda Gruenwald Koeper ever pieced.

When she passed away I became the custodian of the top.

It took years for me to find someone sho could do the hand quilting as I could not longer hand quilt.

It took two hand quilters to do the quilting.

I finished the binding and casing recently.

I'm so happy to add the quilt with a family heritage connection. 

 

Is This The Real Santa

 

I was sure when Santa walked in the door 3 year old Jeff would be scarred for life when he saw Santa. 

No he was in awe and all he could say was "Oh Santa....Thank you Santa!"   

It's all a matter of perspective.

Let There Be Light

 

 

Twas 2 weeks before Christmas

And all through the house

It was cold and dark this time of year

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

BUT A PACKER LAMP, THAT MADE EVERYTHING CLEAR

Blanc n Noir

 This quilt was started at least 30 years ago and was finished recently.

The quilting is amazing.

Christmas Tree and Santas

 

It's time to share some of my favorite Christmas things with you.

Sorensen Heritage Quilt Number 4 and the Story of the Quilts

 This is the story of  the Sorensen Heirloom quilts.

It is printed on a label on the back of each quilt.

Heirloom Quilt made by your grandma Kay Koeper Sorensen

To Blake, Jessica, Nicholas and Jared Sorensen

This quilt is quite different than what you are familiar with as the quilts I currently create.

It was made with scraps of fabric from sewing projects I created from 1954 through 1962.

It is one of 4 similar quilts that were originally 2 twin size quilts.

The 2 quilts were the first quilts I made and finished.

They were originally made for your great grandparents Harold and Florence Sorensen as Christmas gifts in 1962.

They were patchwork on both sides as I had more time than money.

They were filled with old fashioned cotton batting and tied with wool worsted yarn on the floor in Edon, Ohio while I was 8 months pregnant with Greg Sorensen.

The reason they survived and have been made into 4 quilts were because your great grandma Florence Cooper Sorensen didn’t use gifts she was given for whatever her reasons were. Had she used and washed them they would have probably had frayed seams as I did not use adequate seam allowances in some places and the batting would have been one ball of cotton inside the quilts.

When she passed away in 1971, I again became the custodian of these quilts. I took them apart intending to make 4 quilts. I was concerned the light green thread I had purchased at a Junior House clothing fabric sale on a large cone might have deteriorated but found it to be as strong as the day they were made.

This took many years to accomplish but I am happy they now are finished for you and future generations to love and cherish for the future.

Since none of you or your father were familiar with any of these fabrics, I am also creating a memory story sharing some of the fabrics and their stories.

Sorensen Heritage Quilt 3

 

Nick is my tallest grandson and towers over his quilt.

Another Sorensen Heritage Quilt

 Each quilt is similar but different,

They were created from the scraps of my fabric I accumulated from sewing cotton clothing from 1954-1962.

Family Quilt

 I hope you can read this new blog post.

This is one of 4 Sorensen Heritage Quilts I created for 4 of my grandchildren,

A New Unique Quilt

 This is a totally new way of creating a quilt for me.

I had this section of irregular strip piecing so decided to trim it and attach in to a black base. I had intended to use black cotton for the base. When I went up to the studio in the treetops I remembered I had this rough silk and decided to use it.

One thing led to another and I decided to do a lot of curved quilting. It was really an enjoyable way to stitch. I did find a long repeat variegated thread that was perfect for the project.

I was concerned I'd have trouble with bulk in the corners when I did my usual facings. The corners are as close to perfect as any I've ever done.

This quilt is only about 13 by 18 inches. I am in love with it and hope to use a variation of what I've done for a future project.

I Couldn't Wait For Christmas So Here's the Series I Finished

About 20 years ago I started a set of luggage for my daughter in law Julie. I finished one piece and gave it to her.
The remaining 5 pieces were not finished until this past week. I had intended to save them for her for a birthday or Christmas gift.

Yes, this is the series of 5 pieces I mentioned several times on Facebook.

I was too excited about them and gave them to her yesterday. She loved them.

This is the piece I gave her 20 years ago and she uses it all the time.

I'm so happy to have the entire set completed so she can enjoy it all.

 

How Long Does It Take To Make A 24 Inch Quilt?

   

This one took 34 years.

I marbled the fabric and soon after I made the blocks and sewed them into strips. 

I was not impressed so I put it away for over 30 years.When I discovered it again I loved it so I finished it.

Calling All Former Students - LONG AND FUN!

Whether you took one class from me, were one of my 25 year plus groupies, took classes through Gateway or took my on the road classes, THIS IS FOR YOU!

I am sharing some of the things I have recently finished with photos just to make this post interesting, even though they may not be related to what I am writing about, but to keep you reading and maybe tweak your memory about something you have made from a class project.

I am currenty finishing some projects I taught and didn't finish years ago.
I am working from memory and not looking at my notes.
The one I am currently finishing was a real challenge and I am amazed that those of you who took the class were able to make it, (I can't share the project as it will be a Christmas gift for someone).

It would have been a lot easier if I had pulled up my class notes and it probably wouldn't have taken 3 tries to get the zipper in right side out.

 I had the best group of students anyone could ever have.
It was YOU who pushed me for more, more, more and the reason I developed as I did as a teacher and designer.

I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

I know some of you read my blog and/or my Facebook posts.
I love to hear your comments and thoughts.

I still am left with many unfinished projects because even though a class was finished the project didn't get finished as I was on to developing something new for all of you.

But I do have a prioritized list and I am working on finishing some of them.

Although I am no longer teaching, I continue to develop new ideas and implement them as I work on my own original  ideas, designs and projects.

The Next Of The Story

I had a larger section of this incompleted cross stitch piece left over after making the zipper pouch.

Unfortunately it was stained and had the blue x's to make more cross stitches.

I soaked it overnight in Oxyclean and not only did the stains disappera, but so did the x's.

I haven't quite decided what I will do with it yet.

BIGGER Zipper Pouch

I had a vintage piece of cross stitch that the stitcher had never completed. I cut out a completed section and filled it in with crazy quilting.
It was a fun projet to work on. It even has a pocket inside.

For Never Plaid 2 Has Been Acquired

This quilt spoke loud and clear to the new owner when she saw it.
I am always happy when this happens between my art and an art appreciator.

Hawks And Heros Quilt 2

The first quilt in this series was the first place winner in the Quilters Express To Japan contest.

This is the second in the series and uses freeform curved piecing.

I love to share photos of quilts in room settings. 

This is a quilt you could hang anywhere.
This shows how art can add beauty to a home or office.

44 x 44 inches

$2499 includes shipping in USA

Feather Pouches

I made these 3 zipper pouches from the pieces left from a jacket I made years ago. The fabric was already quilted. 
Making things like this is always a great way to get back into quilting and sewing when I have been away from it for a while.

Words I Live By

This title may not sound very exciting.
Will you keep going and see what I have to say?

The word is SIMPLIFY!
One reason to use a computer is to simplify our lives and make it easier. It is easy to fall down a rabbit hole and waste precious time. And when they work smoothly that is true. When they don't, not true!
Although this quilt may not look simple I used the fabric to it's advantage and created a shaded very complex looking quilt quite simply.

Then we also PROCRASTINATE
That is another way we can waste time.

I had to make a decision on what to do with these pieced diamonds and it only took me 18 years to decided this was the one! 

Two positive words I live by are SERENDIPITY and INTUITION.

They both come from very similar parts of who I am.
I am not one to make long range plans and goals. I found it is too easy for me to get sidetracked if I do and never achieve them.
But if I let SERENDIPITY take over my life goes forward and many wonderful things happen.

I needed something to help deaden the sound in our sunroom. All of a sudden a bolt of lightning hit and I thought maybe this quilt I had made years before and had planned to display in a totally different way might work. I played with it on the tables in my studio to see if I could make it fit the space. It worked perfectly. It is a 2 sided quilt so I was able to loop it around the pole I used to display it.

INTUITION may send me on a journey that I have no idea about why I am heading in that direction, yet when I make that journey the result is often a great reward.

Lest you think my life is only about quilts, my family and friends are a most important part of my life. I had great friends from years ago when we lived in Ohio. We had lost touch with each other for over 40 years. I did remember they had moved to Ocala, Florida so I let my intuition and a little bit of detective skills go to work and I found them. This is the "My Florida Family" I mention often.

Not only did I find my friend Sally (on right) but with a little more detective work we found our other BFF from Ohio....Grace, who lives in Nebraska on the left. What a great feeling after we hadn't been together for 50 years and find it's still the great friendship it was many years ago.

There are always exciting new things happening in my life that I share so stay tuned. 

Still More Zipper Pouches

These were made from Fairfield Cotton Classic batting I painted. I layered organza over the batting  and quilted the sandwich with metallic thread.
I made a vest from the fabric and these were done with what was left.

Ice Dyed Floral Quilt 3

This is the third quilt in the series I made from a gorgeous piece of my ice dyed fabric.
It is also the last as I used all the fabric. 
I used unique borders and quilting on this one.

Making Lemonade Out of BANG Table

When my table fell and broke I tried to figure out what to do as I did need a table to work on. I had other tables but they weren't right.

All of a sudden a light bulb went off in my head as I remembered I had a cutting table in the studio that I wasn't using.

My friend Bob came over and moved the broken table out of the way.

He also single handedly carried this down the stairs. 

It is even better than what I was using as it is the proper height for cutting.

It is also larger.

It's all ready to work at with priority projects and cutting supplies.

And YES the broken table is fixable but I won't be using it now.

BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was sitting in my chair and ready to start sewing when I heard a lound BANG.

My kitchen/cutting table fell and broke.

Friends will be here to help move it out.

Missing My Florida Fiber Friends

These are my friends who I  have so much in common with. We all love to create with fiber, paint, dye and share. They were all there for me at my Florida Ice show to help out with the crowd. 
Right now we are all spread out around the country. Sure do miss each one of them.

Beatrix Potter Baby Quilt

 I made this quilt with a set of Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit hankies. It is at least the 5th similar baby quilt I made. I have more of the hankies somewhere so expect to see another in the future.
It's nice to have a finished baby quilt on hand as there seems to be a lot of babies being born these days.

Amish Shadows Variation

This is the last quilt I hand quilted myself. When I look at the quilting closely I am impressed with the length and evenness of the stitching.
Most of the stitching was done years ago but I did the last bit of it in the past year.

Zipper Pouches From Shirt Cutouts

I made these pouches from several neck cutouts from my No Sweat Checkerboard Shirt pattern I designed.

I adapted my pattern to make an ensemble for the Fairfield Fashion show. These are the cutouts from those garments.