Oct. 8 Open Sew cancelled

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, the Tues. Oct. 8 Open Sew is cancelled. I will announce a new date to replace it in a few weeks.

It's been busy here with new classes and getting ready for the next retreat in Pawleys! Yeah!  It is Oct. 12-19.  If you haven't been on a retreat there yet, you should consider it for next year. I am now doing 2 retreats in the fall there.

I will try to do some updates while at the retreat this time. I think I chilled too much at the last retreat! LOL

Have a quilty day!

New classes announced!

Go to my Classes tab above and get the low down on all the classes being offered this fall. Yes, I know. There are not near the amount of classes like I used to do.  I had to scale back because there are just not enough Saturdays in a month! AND I felt like I was overloading everyone with classes and not enough time to finish them. And that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

QUILT SHOW THIS SATURDAY! Don't forget!  I will have all the class samples up and sign up sheets for those interested.

Have a great week!

2013 KQS Quilt Show

It is right around the corner! What happened to the summer? Oh wait, I know, we didn't get one this year! Although I love this fall like temps, I worry what that means for fall. Either it will be scorching hot....or really cold. And I love Fall the best in Ohio.  Days like today.

Anyway...here is the information on the Quilt Show!  All are invited. Hope to see you then!

I will also have class samples and the schedule at the Quilt Show.  I am finishing up samples today and will start posting them under the Classes. Check back often as I will update as I get things done.

Do you know you can subscribe to get emails when I update this website?  That way you don't have to keep checking back.  You won't get any spam (I don't even get the emails), just an update when something changes here. Look on the left side of the page and see where it says Subscribe to this site by email?  All you have to do is enter your email address and that is it! Easy peasy.

Have a great day and hope to see you soon!

Finally! A July finish

Finally..a finish for July! It's been a tough month with my long arm being down for the count. :(. So I dug out his little wall hanging from years ago. It was the second one I had done in a class with Ricky Tims probably in 2004 or something! I got the first one done, but have no idea why I waited so long to finish this one.




Chantel II


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More Open Sew dates announced for the summer

Please check the Classes tab above to see the new Open Sew dates AND see more retreats!

Next Open Sew: Tues. May 14

Happy Quilting!

May 14 Open Sew Cancelled

I'm so sorry, but I need to cancel the Open Sew that is scheduled for Tues, May 14.  Kirt had a Dr. appointment for his knee and obviously I am still his chauffeur.  I might be relieved of my duties after that! Woo hoo! He is doing great, once he really started following Dr's orders!

I am still plugging away on quilts, here is the first one done in May.

4 Patch Posy

Sorry it is such a small blurry image!  I sent it to my hubby's computer and it showed up really small!  You can see more pix at my other blog, Passionate Quilter.

Happy Quilting!

Slide Show done

Remember this class? It was hanging on the wall for the longest time, but it's name came up next in line to be quilted and so down it came and onto Khloe (my long arm!)

Slide Show

and the back, using the very last bit of what I had left of the border and binding.

And that's it for this week, and now on to the next one!

How are YOU doing on your UFO list?

Happy Quilting!

Quilting more UFO's! And more OPEN SEWS!

Yep, I'm on a roll, still! It's going to get harder as my UFO's are getting where they need more work to finish. But that's okay. 

Here is my latest one...

Pink Pinwheels

I know, several of you got yours done a few years ago. But I really wanted to do a special border on it! You can read more at my other blog, Passionate Quilter.

Kirt had his surgery yesterday and came through fine. Now for the recovery and rehab!

I added a few more OPEN SEW dates!!

and don't forget---

Keep on quilting and getting those UFO's done. It is such a good feeling to be getting projects finished. The reward will be that we get to start new ones in the fall!! 

Happy Quilting!

Quilt Show year--are YOU ready?

Boy, I'm sure not!  I have made a dedicated effort to pick up the pace with getting UFO's finished. Having the Quilt Show is a good incentive!

I've been working hard here at the Studio, getting LOTS done!  Which is one reason why you are seeing so many Open Sews and not so many classes at the moment. We all need time to pause, take a breath and catch up with what we started. I hope that I can encourage you all to get those old projects done so you can be excited about NEW ones in the future! I've already started thinking about some fall classes to reward ourselves for getting projects done. Right? Right!

Here is my Retreat quilt from last year...all done!

Keep Calm and Quilt On

Keep Calm center

Not any fancy quilting, but it is done. And what a good feeling it is to get the older projects done. Admittedly, this was not a very old project...now the one I JUST finished...that is waiting for binding to be done?  4 years old, at least.  The one that is 10+ years old is now getting the blocks done.  10 years! That is insane!

What are some of the reasons that quilt tops become UFO's?

1. Taking too many classes to get any one done

2. I didn't like the technique

3. I didn't like the fabric.

4. I got bored with it,

5. Not enough time to sew

6. I made mistakes and got frustrated.

7. I lost the pattern.

8. I really don't like the quilt at all.

9. I ran out of fabric.

and #10. It wasn't for anything or anyone special, so why the hurry?

So, how do we fix our procrastination?

1. Attend LOTS of Open Sews to work on older projects

2. If you really didn't like the technique, stop where you are, make a mug rug, a pillow or tablerunner with what you do have finished and release that fabric into something you DO like.

3. Maybe stop and evaluate the rest of your fabric. Is there something else you can add to make it more palatable? If not, see #2.

4. Come to Open Sew, chat with other while you do the boring sewing. It does get tedious to work on the same blocks over and over and sewing with friends will make that time go a LOT faster!

5. Hmmm. Maybe forgo that one TV show....put a timer on your FB and Pinterest time.  Just 1/2 hour a day will give you progress on your projects. And if you are like me, once you get started again, it's not as hard to stick with it. But you have to START!

6. Depending on how severe the mistakes were, can you live with them?  Or as I recently found out when I spent only 25 minutes taking out several blocks that were wrong...and put it on hold for 4 years!  Over 25 minutes of ripping. 

7. See me...I might have an extra. :)  I try to keep the pattern with the project box, it sure makes it a lot easier when you did it out a few years later! LOL

8. Go ahead and finish it. Someone will love it and feel blessed to have it. It's all in the eyes of the beholder. 

9. Well, be a true quilter and find the closest thing you can and carry on. It's not an heirloom....it's not THAT critical to stop you in your place. Actually, it times like these that force me to be my most creative! Remember, quilters of the past had to work with fabric from other sources. They certainly didn't buy coordinated fabric to make quilts. So we can veer off the path ourselves as well. You never know, you might like the end result even better!

10. The hurry?  WE HAVE A QUILT SHOW LADIES!!!  What better excuse to push yourselves?

that's all for now..I did post more quilts on my Passionate Quilter blog...feel free to visit me there as well!

See you at Open Sew!

Happy Quilting, Karen

New Open Sew Dates

Yep, I'm doing it again.  Changing dates around. But I'm also adding a few more, so that's a good thing, right?

In case you haven't noticed, there are no classes listed other than a Khloe class, which is Monday, Feb. 11.  This is the year for my biannual quilt show and I would really love to encourage people to get their UFO's done in time for the show.  Bonus: YOU get your projects done! A win-win situation. So for the rest of the spring, I will be only offering Open Sews. I might offer a Beginning to Quilt class in later March, stay tuned for that.

Rules for Open Sew: Ha! there are no rules!  Seriously, if you have a project, even if it is not a class project, you are welcome to bring it to work on.  I will be available for advice. Please note though that this is not class time, so no new projects that need instruction.  Just a day of sewing without interruptions and having a great time with other quilters.

Tuesday Open Sews are bring your own lunch. Saturday Open Sews are generally potluck, although sometimes we place a carry out order somewhere and send someone after it. I will let you know the week of the Open Sew what the plan is.  All Open Sews are from 9 AM to 4 PM.

Tuesday Open Sews: Feb. 19, March 12, March 26
Saturday Open Sews:  March 2, April 6

I may add more in between those dates, so stay tuned. Make sure to sign up for emails from this website so you will always have the latest information!

By the way---we had an AWESOME RETREAT!  And there was lots of sewing, laughing and eating and GETTING THINGS DONE! Woo hoo!  Pictures to come later.


Happy Quilting!

Karen

First finish of the year

THIS is the year I will get a handle on my UFO's! A battle cry from many bloggers at this time of year. After the holidays, it's a great time to reorganize and get back on track with life again and so many of us are finding ourselves overloaded with too many quilt projects started and not enough finished. And I certainly fit in that category.

I need a quilt to give to a friend later this spring and was looking through my flimsies to see what I might have and found a quilt top that I made at LEAST 10 years ago, maybe even longer! I remember making it for the express purpose of practicing my machine quilting. Well, now I can practice doing my machine quilting on the long arm! And so I did, I loaded it up and practiced. Always striving to get just a little better each time.




And so I practiced doing free form feathers in the border, figure 8's in the narrow border and a semi loose style of McTavishing and swirly things in the center.




I finished quilting it last night and got the binding on this afternoon. I am posting this at 11 PM on the last day of January....just in time for Sew Its Finished! :)

Now on to February and trying to decide what on earth to do next! All the projects are calling my name. How to choose?

Stay warm and happy quilting!

Karen

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Bonjour!

Enjoying our last few days in Paris, where we encountered snow like they have not seen in 20 years! But we bundle up and trudge on.  The only thing left I need to do is go to the fabric store where they carry ALL the Liberty of London fabric. Such a feast for a fabric lover. Such temptation though! It's still quite expensive, so I must circle the store over and over until I decide on the one or two fabrics that get to join me on this trip. It's so unfair to the other fabrics, hahaha!

Liberty of London fabric-from L of L site

NEWS FLASH!!

I am going to have to cancel the Friday PJ party on Jan. 25 and the Open Sew on the 26th. I will have out of town company. And it's good, but so sorry that I will miss you.

OPEN SEW on Tues. Jan 29 will move to Wed. Jan 30, from 9 AM to 4 PM.

Au revoir and hope to see all of you in February!

Karen

Pincushion Threadcatcher Tutorial

PQ Pincushion Threadcatcher Tutorial

Happy New Year!

Oops!  It's been just a wee few months since I have updated! Life can just get so busy, right?  Well, I vow to make more of a presence here so you don't think I got lost snorkeling or something.   By the way, I did go snorkeling with my friend, Ted, recently. BUT we had to do it our way. The excursion was cancelled due to high winds (it looked perfectly fine to us--but they didn't ask our opinion!). So, we went snorkeling in the next best place.......................the hot tub on board the ship! Hmmm, all we found were toes, pretty painted ones too!

Two fearless quilters venture out to snorkel!

We are the brave ones, aren't we! hahaha  oh well, life goes on...

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and are ready to start a BRAND NEW YEAR!  

I don't do resolutions, kind of sets you up for failure, ya know?  I don't know why we set really lofty, almost unreachable goals thinking that turning one page on the calendar will reveal a different person who is capable of miraculous things all of a sudden!  Nope, don't do that, but I do vow to do better each year. More on that later. 

Now on to important things....like, when is the Open House? 

Not happening. It just became a very huge burden to do one, and I'm only one person. So, I will try to keep up this blog with the most current upcoming events so you can always be aware of what is coming up.  Of course, you can always give me a holler and if I'm home, stop by the studio and see things in person. 

PJ Parties are back!  

First one: Friday, Jan. 4, 7 PM- ??

Subject: Kquilts Studio's own Pincushion/Threadcatcher!  I thought everyone had done one, but turns out that lots of people haven't and would like to do one. So here it is.  

Cost: $5, unless you wear PJ's, then it's free!  Please no negligees!  *LOL* I had to add that just in case someone tried!  Also--bring a snack to share, because you know quilter's get hungry. 

Supplies: Please click on the link above for Pincushion/Threadcatcher and print out your pattern. The supplies are also listed.  Please note: I WILL SUPPLY THE SAND AND THE STRAPPING MATERIAL.

RSVP: kquilts23@gmail.com 

Now, stay tuned to see more things added to the calendar.  Want an assured way to make sure you don't miss anything?  In the left column, there is a place to enter your email.  No, I won't bug you, but ANYTIME I post something new, it will automatically send it to your email, so you don't miss a thing! Now how handy is that?

I will be posting things all the rest of the week, including Open Sew days and some classes. So stay tuned, or sign up to get them in your email. 

Now....get into your sewing room and start sewing! THIS is THE year that we WILL conquer our UFO's, right ladies?  That's my plan. I'm serious, I'm really going to try. 

Quit laughing and go sew.