Holly's Quilts & a Little Bit More

Mystery Quilt Finished!

2012-01-06T22:51:00.000-08:00

"Round and Round"

The Mystery Quilt, named "Round and Round" is completed. I would like to give credit where it is due. Amanda from "Crazy Mom Quilts" designed this pattern and gave me permission to use it for our guild "Mystery". The quilts that were completed by other guild members were fantastic! This was a simple, yet fun and do-able quilt to complete. Especially if you were using a Jelly Roll for your strips, as they were already cut and a co-ordinated fabric line.

The pattern I used to quilt this on my Intelliquilter is from the collection of Anne Bright.

This picture shows the actual colors of the quilt! Very white background and vivid teals, spring greens and deep browns. The quilting thread I used is also a bright teal.
Right now this is one of my favorite quilts!

Uncle Ted's Quilt

2011-08-04T09:57:00.001-07:00

Patriotic

2011-05-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

Brooke's Quilt

2011-03-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

Valentine "Love" Quilt

2011-02-12T22:45:00.000-08:00

A Sweet Heart Quilt made by my friend, Rachael.....I sure got in the holiday spirit quilting this little treasure!

Background heart fill.

Notice the Hershey Kisses in the little brown border!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!

Memory Quilt

2011-01-28T01:08:00.000-08:00

I have a friend that is a self taught Quilt Maker and has made many photo quilts. She started out making them for herself. As others have seen her photo quilts, she has been commissioned many times since to make them for families that have lost a loved one and created as a Memory Quilt for them. Raelene seems to choose the right fabrics, pictures and message to put on the quilt.

I have been lucky enough to quilt them for her. I choose an all over pattern and quilt it edge to edge except I don't quilt over the photos.

This Quilt was a gift for Raelenes friend that had lost her husband to cancer.

They always turn out lovely and I'm sure they bring comfort and peace to the family that receives them.

I like them so much that I will be having one made for my family, too!!!!

Mystery Quilt-Along #2

2010-11-09T22:45:00.000-08:00

The next set of instructions for the Mystery Quilt-Along is NOW posted on the Needles N Friends Blog......
http://.needlesandfriendsquilt.blogspot.com

Woohoo!!!! Let The Mystery Begin!!

2010-10-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

some of my fabrics

Welcome, NEEDLES n FRIENDS, to the first month of the Mystery Quilt-along!
Last month, I handed out fabric requirements:
4 1/2 yards of background fabric and 31 strips from a Jelly Roll OR 10 fat quarters OR 2 1/2 yards of printed or solid fabric.

This month we will be cutting up our fabric.

*PLEASE READ ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE CUTTING*

From the 4 1/2 yards of background fabric, cut ONE piece 65" by wof (width of fabric).
With that piece, fold the fabric lengthwise so the selvedges are on both sides and get ready to cut into strips 2 1/2 " wide

First, cut 8 strips of fabric. You will soon be nearing the crease of the fabric, so then you will flip the fabric around, trim off the selvedge from the other side and cut 8 more 2 and a 1/2" strips, working towards the crease of the fabric!

This leaves you with a center piece of fabric as a scrap with a crease in the middle. Creases don't always iron out so it is just easier to work around it. (See strip at far right of picture)

From the 16 strips that measure 65" x 2 1/2", cut as follows:

Cut 4 down to 64 1/2". LABEL and set aside. ~LABELING IS VERY IMPORTANT~

Cut 2 down to 56 1/2". Use the remainder to cut 2 pieces 4 1/2" x 2 1/2". LABEL and set aside.

Cut 2 down to 52 1/2". Use the remainder to cut 2 pieces 8 1/2" x 2 1/2". LABEL and set aside.

Cut 2 down to 44 1/2". Use the remainder to cut 2 pieces 16 1/2" x 2 1/2". LABEL and set aside.
Cut 2 down to 40 1/2". Use the remainder to cut 2 pieces 20 1/2" x 2 1/2". LABEL and set aside

Cut 2 down to 32 1/2". Use the remainder to cut 2 pieces 28 1/2" x 2 1/2". LABEL and set aside.

There will be 2 remaining pieces of fabric. You can set them aside as scraps, or you can substitute some of those for the next step.

Now, from the remaining piece of yardage, cut 31 pieces of fabric 2 1/2" x wof.

All of your backgroud fabrics should be cut.

Now for the main fabric!

If you are using a Jelly Roll, choose 31 strips from the roll.
If you are using yardage, cut 31 strips 2 1/2" x wof.
If you are using fat quarters: iron, trim the selvedges, be sure you have 21" of fabric to work with, then cut 62 strips 2 1/2" x 21". AND....if you are using fabric any smaller than that.....call me and you will get "special" instructions!!!

Be careful with those rotary cutters!!!

Now for part B!!!

It's not alot of fun unless you make "A Block! So lets get started.....

Take 2 different strips of colored fabric and 2 strips of your background fabric. Sew strips together in pairs: one background and one colored. 1/4 seam allowance will be use throughout this project. Sew strips right sides together and down one long side. Press the seams toward the colored fabric. You will now have 2 sets of strips sewn together.

div>

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Take the two sets of strips and line them up on your cutting board....

trim off the unevenedges;;;;

cut segments every 2.5"...

take two segments

pin them together and sew

Press the seam to one side.......now you have a little four patch, which is the center of your quilt! You can stand back and amdire your handiwork! Isn't it cute!!!

Now using the background fabrics that you have labeled with the measurements;;;

add the 4.5"x 2.5" pieces to the sides of the 4 patch

Sew together and press;

Add the 8 .5" x 2.5" piece to the top and bottom.

Sew together and press.

We will stop here and wait for instructions after Guild day!!!!

Here is your first block!!!

Mon petit doigt me l'a dit......

2010-05-31T19:25:00.000-07:00

A Little Bird Told Me to show you this quilt!!!

This little customer quilt was pieced using a fabric line by Moda called French General(hence, the title, A Little Bird Told Me)!!!! It's reds and greys are beautiful together!

Here is a close-up of the back so you can see the quilting.

This is the "true color" of the back using the camera flash.

And here is the back again, taken without the flash so the quilting shows up nicer.

I hope you have enjoyed looking!!

Looking Back

2010-05-10T22:05:00.000-07:00

I am going back in time right now.....I found a baby quilt, I quilted, that's sweet! Little various colors of "chubby chicks" on white, alternated with pink pinwheels. This is one I would like to make.....someday!!! The prairie point border and green border adds more whimsy to the quilt!

I quilted this sweet thing with a leafy/heart vine in the white border, swirls in the pinwheels and picos and little heart/wings on the chicks!! I love it!!

I'll bet the chicks YOU are raising aren't as colorful as mine!!!! :)

2010-02-21T21:47:00.000-08:00

This quilt was a joy to quilt! Let me tell you about it.....2 years ago I was in charge of the "Friendship Blocks" in our guild. For this grouping of blocks I asked that those join in, that they use red reproduction prints and white/off white shirting and they were to use this pieced pattern and keep them at an 8 " block. We had about 26-26 sign up. This one guild member had all her blocks put together with alternate red squares and she used black and white prints for the 2 inner border! It turned out fabulous!

I quilted a square feater in the red alternate blocks, a "Betty" flower in the pieced blocks, feathered along the borders. and put a small line pattern of "Betty" flowers in the black and white inner borders.....

In the black and white inner borders I put a line pattern of "Betty" flowers to echo the Betty flowers in the blocks!

It's a sweet quilt that looks like a civil war reproduction.......

I must put MINE together, soon! After, I get caught up with my QUILTING!

Princesses

2010-01-24T22:23:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year, seven of our Princess Granddaughters, each received a TuTu made by Grandma Holly. Yes, seven TuTu's!!! Grandpa and 12 year old Uncle also pitched in to help. We hope the girls are enjoying them as much as we had fun picking out the colors of tulle and ribbon to match the personality of each little princess! When they opened up their gifts there was alot of "twirling" going on around the room!!!

2010-01-04T00:31:00.000-08:00

2010-01-04T00:23:00.000-08:00

2010-01-04T00:20:00.000-08:00

2010-01-04T00:09:00.000-08:00

A FREE QUILT for the Auction

2009-11-05T14:36:00.000-08:00

Click on this link to a fun GIVE-AWAY here at Jaybird Quilts!!!

http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/2009/11/100th-post-giveaway-wip-wednesday.html

These little kiddos are trying out the "FREE QUILT" I recently made!

My "Guitar Boy's" Charter School was having a fund raiser so I dug in to my stash to make a quilt for the silent auction. I needed to make it quick so I cut browns and blues into large blocks. I let my hubby set them into a pleasing design of his choice and I think he did a great job!!!

The backing was from my stash. Then I pieced together batting scraps then quilted it with a design, that could please both male and female, of leaves, cattails and swirls. Bound it with leftover scraps from the blocks......So.......It's a FREE QUILT!

I love FREE QUILTS.....don't you??

2009-11-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

Our small HARVEST of PUMPKINS were just picked when I snapped this photo.

Before we get too far away from Halloween I wanted to show what my "guitar boy" was for Halloween. I really don't know WHAT HE WAS......but this is what he looked like. He received quite a bit of attention from the other party goers at our YM/YW Halloween Party. I actually painted his face for him and I got the idea from our grandson that lives in Colorado when he went to a theme park and had HIS face painted for FUN! I just copied and it turned out pretty freaky lookin!!

And this was a fun Halloween Wall Hanging that I quilted. The candy corn border was so perfect for this fun quilt!

Clisty's Signature Wedding Quilt

2009-08-23T22:09:00.000-07:00

On February 2, 2002 (yes, it was Groundhog Day!) my daughter, Clisty was married. Instead of using a guestbook to sign in each guest, I made signature blocks from fabric. Each block was made with three pieces of fabric. Two colored or printed pieces of fabric on the outside of an off white piece of plain muslin. The guests would sign in the white area their name and any advice or congradulations they desired.

This is the quilt all put together. Clisty and Lloyd treasure this quilt as a remembrance of their special day! It's fun to search over the quilt to read the heartfelt and sometimes funny messages that will always be there to remind them of family and friends.....

At the top border I quilted in their name and wedding date!
(Excuse my toes at the bottom of the pic, I stand above my quilts when I take pictures of them!)

In the border I quilted reversing hearts with a little vine going through each heart.

In the body of the quilt I quilted a trailing vine throughout that coordinates with the heart vines.

In the back I used up and pieced some extra fabric to make the backing a bit larger. This purple is pretty true to the colors. Clisty's colors for her wedding were green and purple.

This back picture is not true to what the color is. I used different lighting in order to show you the quilting better. It is fun when a quilt is made with MEMORIES attached!!

2009-08-22T23:30:00.000-07:00

This quilt was pieced by a fellow Guild Member that had a daughter getting married. The hubby-to-be didn't like "quilts". Soooo....Mom-in-Law pieced a contemporary quilt! I used a contemporary quilting design to complement the piecing and fabrics.

I think it turned out Fabulous!

By the way.....it was a HIT with the NEW COUPLE!!!!

Granddaughters Quilts

2009-04-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

This is a close up of little Jordyn's quilt. The alternate squares are Minkee! (Very soft, velvety fabric) The pieced squares are scrappy greens, pinks and purples.

I free-handed the quilting. Hearts in the minkee and flower or leaves in the pieced squares. The border is also free-handed with hearts and loops.

Below is the back of a quilt made for a Granddaughter. Flowers and hearts were freehanded on this one.

Here is the front. Squares of yellow, pink and orange. Bright happy colors.

This closer view shows that I also used chenille squares. Chenille was very popular years ago used in bedspreads. It is a fun retro fabric to use now in making quilts, stuffed animals, soft toys, bedroom decor, etc.

This little Granddaughter is happy with her new quilt. This quilt is also is somewhat scrappy. I used bright pinks that some are a soft, plushy, minkee fabric and bright yellows with a white background and border where I could use a bright pink quilting thread to quilt hearts around the border!

And here is another sweet baby Granddaughter that just received her quilt! It is done in beautiful greens that also has the plushy minkee in it. This pattern is called "Yellow Brick Road" which is fun to use different coordinating fabrics. Grandpa and Grandma are enjoying this visit in Colorado with the Grandchildren.

This quilting on this one is echoed hearts. Fitting for a baby we love!

This next quilt was made for a niece's new baby girl. This is how I signed it on the back, in the hearts that I quilted onto the quilt. Their LAST name is Ball. Hence, "Ball Baby"!

This shows the back where you can see the quilting pattern better.

And the front shows the lime green and hot pinks used. I tend to enjoy putting together scrappy fabrics and using what I have....

My Favorite Quilts

2009-03-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, I do have Favorites.....They are the quilts that I make for my Grandchildren!! I collected browns and pinks for a while before starting this quilt...Do you know how many different pinks there are!! I had to choose just the RIGHT PINKS!! But it was fun searching!

This pattern came from an Art To Heart book called Winsome Baby... The name of the quilt is Pip Squeak Baby Name Quilts.

The hard part was deciding which fabric goes in what block

There is some applique work and the iron on fusible is what I used...Then I machine button hole stitched it to the background.

There is also embroidery work as you can see. I took THIS handwork on our trip to Lake Powell last summer and enjoyed the restful work it provides while relaxing on the houseboat!

Most of the machine quilting was free hand but I did use my computerized on the border and in a few other places. In a few blocks I quilted flower fairies.
Those digitized patterns were created by Anne Bright

This is the back, a soft pink with white polka dots....

You can see the quilted flower faries and other free hand quilting.

On the back I used a pink soft Minkee-like fabric.

I put in alot of Whimsical designs for the quilting! I tell the little Granddaughters to see if they can see the "hidden" flower faries....It is fun to watch them search for the faries.

It is a sweet, cuddly, special quilt for our now, one year old, Sophie!

Yes, she is our little "Pip Squeak"!

2009-01-18T22:31:00.000-08:00

This is another quilt pieced by my sister. The large print is bright and looks like a flourishing flower garden! It is actually the 2nd of one, just like it! If I can find the pictures of the first one I will post them later........Again, she does great work!

I quilted a leaf pattern in the small floral blocks, a simple flower blossom in the large floral blocks and double outlined the colorful sashings.

In the setting triangles I had to split a block pattern in order to make it a triangle shape. I used a bright green thread in the black settings. I love how the color pops in the black! In the smaller border I free-handed the swirls. The outer border I put in a double line piano key border. I like the geometric look when there is a lot going on in the prints.

I am sew glad you stopped by..... hope you have enjoyed the view!

2009-01-08T23:37:00.000-08:00

During our November (2008) Quilt Guild meeting a member asked for volunteers to piece, quilt and bind lap quilts for Bear River Activity and Skills Center.

BRASC trains adults with developmental disabilities in communication, self care, independent living skills, fine and gross motor skills, and social behaviors. The program is one of approximately 70 projects operated through the CPD on the Utah State University campus.

My small circle of friends, that I meet with monthly to sew with, and I, took on several of the quilts. My friend, Annette, pieced this one. I quilted it and my sister-in-law, Val, and another friend, Louie bound it.

The quilt is pieced in orange fabric of different designs. It definately IS a HAPPY QUILT!!!!

We were told a male adult will receive it.
I quilted it with a pattern called Champagne Bubbles! I wanted it to be fun but masculine!!

I have used this quilting pattern on many quilts as it is fast, fun and can either be for girls, boys, men or women!

The back was also pieced with lots of different fabrics!

Here are some of the ladies that worked on the quilts from my Quilt Guild. I will also add some links if you would like to read about this project!

http://www.cpd.usu.edu/home/cpd_recognizes/index.php?id=1331

http://www.cpd.usu.edu/newsflash/view.php?date=2008-12-01

www.mountainlyon.blogspot.com

2009-01-07T22:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! May you have good health and lots of time to do the things that bring joy and happiness to your life!!!

During 2007-2008 I was on the board of my quilt guild and my assignment was to plan the Friendship Blocks Exchange. This quilt was made from those Friendship Blocks.
The quilt was given to our outgoing President of the Guild.

I quilted this quilt using a co-ordinating feather pattern throughout the quilt, except in the red sashing and the setting triangles. The feather patterns are one of my favorites!

The sashing swirls were free-handed!

Hope you have enjoyed looking!

My Sister's Quilt

2008-11-21T09:16:00.000-08:00

My sister, Brooke, is a fabulous quilter! She has a great eye for color and I'll show you with this quilt that she pieced. It is a broken star pattern and she has used the most lucious batik's in various shades of purple and teal. The pictures shows the teal as green but it really is a beautiful, rich TEAL.

I quilted a feather motif in each of the paralellogram shapes. In the light lavender spaces I put a swirl/ribbon motif.
In the deep purple outer borders I put a continuous feather plume that meets a square feather motif in each corner. The pieced chunky block border has a smaller, chunkier, continuous feather that wraps around.
The smaller dark purple border has a freehand little undulating swirl.
This was one quilt that I hated sending back to it's home!!! It is more beautiful than these pictures show! Thanks, Brooke, for letting me quilt this one!

The last few Indian Summer Days of October.

2008-11-03T11:37:00.000-08:00

We wrapped up last week with a four wheeler/motorcycle ride with my 10 year old son. He had been to a motorcyle track with some friends a few days earlier and since there was no school for him that day he wanted to show me "the track". I, on my 4-wheeler, and he, on his Honda 70, rode down the side roads a couple miles before we arrived. I had no idea where it was so getting there was new to me.

I sat and watched while he "caught air" on the jumps!! It was a beautiful day and fun to see him have such a great time.

He likes to do "wheelies", too.

This was most likely the last time, this year, we were able to go for dirt bike ride. The cold, wet weather is on it's way!

Now, for the Quilting!...Last week I finished quilting an "Iris" quilt pieced by a super lady, named Joyce, that lives in Nevada City, California. The flower petals of the iris were pieced using drunkards path blocks in various hues of pinks and purples. She used some beautiful batik fabrics.

The back ground was pieced with creams and whites. I quilted "Iris" at the top of the quilt and tight stippled around it.

The two upper right and left corners I added ribbon motifs in the background.

The two lower portions of the background I added a matching ribbon motif with an Iris placed in the center. Most of the background was tight stippled. The blossom of the iris was "McTavished". You can't see the border as it is too dark. I quilted a simple iris blossom repeated along the borders.

To Quilt or Not to Quilt?... what a silly question!!!

2008-10-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Holly's Quilts and a Little Bit More!

It is such a beautiful Fall Day here in Utah. The weather is warm (70 degrees) and the sky is clear. My son is out picking the "final" apples off of our apple trees before the storm gets here this week-end. Halloween is just a few days away and our family will be hosting the "missionariess" for dinner that night! I think we will serve them "chili" and "green, hairy, witches fingers"!! Sounds fun, huh?? I have made these BREADSTICKS 4 times in the last couple weeks! They really ARE good and easy to make. Everyone ate them up, except my 4-year old granddaughter (she thought they were real and got grossed out). Here they are served at the Halloween Party we went to a couple weeks ago. You can even serve them with a side of "blood" (marinara sauce) for dipping!

This fall I wanted to make a daughter-in-law a table runner for her birthday. I made one for myself for a practice piece. When I showed it at my quilt guild I had orders to quilt 6 more! I finished the last 2 last night....Still have ONE more to do (my sister wants one!). Here is mine on my kitchen table. It is about 41" x 17". Mine is quilted on a Moda Marble (deep orange) fabric and I used a brown botanical print on the back that was from my stash. It was quilted with a verigated green thread by King Tut and I used Hobbs 80/20 batting.

This quilting of this pumpkin table runner is NOT quilted on a Moda Marble. This customer chose a different texture fabric which I thought also wonderful.

I hope you have enjoyed being here on my blog...Please leave comments if you "sew" desire!

Up And Running

2008-10-21T12:30:00.001-07:00

I'm trying to get things together, so watch for a fun blog!