I just love the vibrant, colorful sashings. Flowers and animal blocks combine to make a beautiful animal garden. While the quilting is subtle on the front, just look at the stitching on the ombre backing. Makes my green thumb happy!
This brings out the Irish in me! I loved all the greens in this quilt, and I had to add a variegated green thread when I was quilting this chunky spiral and star design. May the luck of the Irish be with this quilt!
All hand guided quilting on this sewing inspired quilt. I had so much fun doing background fills and feathers. I was sorry to see this one leave the studio, however, the excitement of my customer when she came to pick it up more than made up for it.
Bright pastels and vivid white sets the stage for a springtime quilting design with feathers and flowers. I love the backing fabric both is color and print so much that I used a matching thread for quilting.
Diamond quilting gives straight line texture to this jelly roll quilt. I especially like the dimension of the quilting on the backing.
Lots of glitter and shine in this quilt. Not to be outdone, I used a shimmery gold thread to quilt butterflies across the quilt. I am glad they have a place to show on the yellow border.
This fun, bright and bold quilt is a gift for a grandson. No ribbons or flowers for this one, instead I quilted bold geometrics. Just look at the design in the bright yellow minke backing.
A football team inspired quilt for a loyal fan. How fun is that? Novelty fabric comes together with bold colors in this magnificent layout. Add quilted footballs and its ready for kickoff!
When the daughter brought her father’s clothes to Ideal Stitches, she talked about his love of sailing. This quilt is full of sailing motifs, his red bandanas, and his khaki and navy pants. She was moved to tears when she picked this up. This is why I love my job!
This is my first time to use this cable quilting design and I love the texture. Even on the backing the cable quilting stands out. Definitely a new favorite.
Pretty little daisies are quilted across this scrappy batik quilt. Just looking at this quilt inspires me to add more color and flowers to my garden in the spring.
Pops of red on this scrappy quilt inspired me to back this in a cherry red fabric. Sweet flowers and curls reflect the floral fabrics for a quilt that just blossoms with color.
I can’t get enough of this exploding heart quilt pattern. Stunning blues, purples and pinks look like light facets on a white background. My only direction was, “don’t quilt hearts”. Swirls and bubbles look great on the front and magnificent on the hot pink minke backing. Love it!
There are so many unique features on this T-shirt quilt. One is the checkerboard layout of lights and darks, the other is the rounded corners. The southwest quilting motif stands out on both the front and the minke backing. Definitely a winner all around!
I am excited to share one of my own quilts. In 2016, I posted pictures of a similar quilt that I had quilted for a customer and knew I had to make one for myself. Made from Kaffe striped fabric that was cut into strips and sewn back together to add variety, then separated into groups of light and dark colors before starting the piecing. The intentionality and prep work were well worth it. I spent two days doing the ditch stitching which does show on the back of the quilt before I added the variegated thread and added free motion back and forth lines. Simple but spectacular!
Fun little wall hanging featuring New Mexico. I love the texture and dimension that the wood grain quilting gives to this project, especially on the chestnut brown border.
When I saw this quilt top, I knew I had the perfect quilting design for it. The fiesta skulls are quilted in a light gray thread and are the perfect companion to the pieced skull. Spooktacular!!
This quilt took quite a bit of planning and creativity. I used a piece of plexiglass to audition ideas as I quilted my way through the project. Lots to delight the eye, from applique to pieced blocks and quilted motifs. Enchanting!
The fabric is fabulous for both color combination and featuring the quilting. Pumpkin leaves dance their way across the quilt in a rich gold thread. I chose an autumn variegated thread for the backing which is much more stunning in reality than in the photograph. I am ready for a fall harvest picnic or a hayride with this quilt!
One of my own quilts, finished and fabulous! I used a light teal aqua thread and loved every minute of custom quilting this block of the month. One of my favorite techniques is negative quilting. Note the frames around the blocks and the thin border frame that has no quilting except stitch in the ditch and how puffy it is compared to the swirly background quilting. While blues are not typically my color, the light turquoise and gray combination is incredible. This is definitely a keeper!
Just the pieced center came into Ideal Stitches with a request to make it larger. I added a thin turquoise and larger navy border that just sets off the colors in the quilt. The top was quilted with turquoise thread while the back was quilted in a bright variegated thread to bring all the colors to both sides. Truly spectacular.
I had so much fun working on this quilt, from the tight quilting around the eggs, background quilting around the quail to the line quilting in the border. Eggs-cellent!
Fantastic use of lights and darks. Because this is going to a bachelor’s home, I chose a green backing and an all over leaf pattern rather than purples and flowers. The result is incredible. He is going to love it!
Brilliant! One side is a Christmas quilt, and the other side is a Halloween quilt. Which is the front and which is the back side? Let the calendar decide. The stars on the Christmas side were quilted with blue and gold metallic thread while the Halloween side showcases blue and silver thread.
What a bright spring green color for the background. Best of all it shows the quilting. The texture is just what this quilt needed to make it magnificent!
What is more difficult than custom quilting is when you are asked to keep it simple. I used echos and circles to create a focus for the applique and a boundary for the background quilting. Magnificent!
Scrappy quilts remind me of the beginning of quilts before the quilt tops were coordinated. I am glad for the black fabric so that the quilt has a place to shine on the front of the quilt. I chose a dark blue bobbin thread so it would show on the backing and match the binding. Fun and spectacular!
Soft and muted color in salmon and lime are a beautiful color combination for this sampler quilt. I chose a floral pattern that looks like the flowers in the print of the fabric and the lightest salmon thread color in my studio so that the quilting would not overpower the piecing. Stunning!
If you want the quilting to show, be sure and use a puffy batting. Just look at the dimension of the quilting on both the backing and the light-colored blocks. Simply charming.
I wish I had a “before” picture to show how flat and uninteresting the black colored blocks appeared. I added brightly colored variegated thread and now the blocks complement the brightly printed colored blocks in the quilt. Stunning!
This scrappy patchwork had an extra helping of hot pinks and oranges, so it inspired me to use a bright blazing variegated thread. The curls, feathers and flowers in the quilting design softened the harsh line and added a whimsical touch.
Precision piecing and a rainbow of colors made this quilt top a delight to quilt. Taking my queue from the polka dots on the backing, I quilted interlocking circles. Great texture but not distracting makes this quilt a pleasure to behold.
It is always fun to see the same quilt done with a different palette of fabrics. This block of the month has cheery summer fabrics. My favorite block is the three sunflowers but summer calls for a rose garden of quilting.
I couldn’t wait to get my needle into this beautiful quilt, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how it turned out. The appliqué work is exquisite, and I wanted it to shine! Each applique is carefully outlined before the background is stitched, while the borders have curls and feathers just to accent!
I really got to know this mom through the stories of her when she brought me her clothes for a memory quilt. She loved to fish so I was sure to use a fishing pattern. Her favorite colors were teal and purple, and I found a terrific purple fabric for the border and backing. Her favorite piece of clothing was a flowered dress, so I used it for the large center block, scattered smaller blocks and the inner border.
Below is a quote from the daughter after she picked up the quilt. This makes all the work of making a memory quilt worth it.
“My dad LOVES his quilt. We all did. Thank you for the thoughtfulness you put into the quilt capturing the precious memories of my mom. ❤️ “
Delightful T-shirt quilt for this college age daughter which celebrates her high school memories in band and her long history with the Girl Scouts. She loves cats and I was sure to include felines in the quilting!
Flying geese and Ohio stars come together for a snowy woodsy scene. Add quilted poinsettias and you have a cozy Christmas quilt that is sure to brighten up the holiday season.
Fall would not be complete without sunflowers, and I have a whole garden quilted across this quilt. This block of the month was from a local quilt store and my friend made two this year. Stay tuned for the spring/summer color palette coming soon.
Look closely and you will see hoof prints running across this quilt. Of course, I have a family full of hunters so they would be tracking this quilt. Here is to Bambi getting away!
The brighter the better is what I was told with this quilt. So, I found a vivid backing to complement the colors from the front and used the brightest variegated thread I had in the studio. It is bright and beautiful.
I have had an unused pink and brown variegated thread on my shelf for the longest time. I knew one day a quilt would come into Ideal Stitches that would be perfect for it. This is the quilt and it came out amazing!
I was told that this pattern was published in response to the COVID lock down in 2020. A block a day for two weeks until the country reopened. Looking back, we know that the shutdown was much longer than that, however, my client had the time to rise to the challenge and make a quilt top in two weeks.
This holiday quilt hangs in place of putting up a traditional Christmas tree. Gifts are placed beneath the quilt. What a charming idea. I just wish I had a wall for which I could make a Christmas tree quilt.
What a memory! Photo quilts for two families. They are going to love them! I quilted the brown frames separate from the background and the results are stunning.
Blue and white with a touch of gray, until you see the back of the quilt. The feather and spiral pattern is just right for softening all the straight geometric lines. I had a touch of sadness when this one left the studio.
This is really two quilts in one. The yellow side is quilted with dark blue thread while the blue side is quilted with yellow thread. The groovy pattern is whimsical and delightful.
I almost couldn’t get the whole quilt in the photograph as it measures 114 x 114. Spirals and leaves fill the gold areas, while a fern motif covers the blue areas. This is an incredible wedding gift from a mom to her son and new wife.
Right now, autumn quilts must be my favorite! Until next month when I am quilting Halloween quilts followed by Christmas quilts. This quilt is no exception. Old Gold thread stitches falling leaves across this super-sized quilt. I know it is a gift for this client’s brother and he is going to love it!
Check out how the variegated thread adds so much color and interest to the charcoal background. The quilting pattern is full of fall leaves and acorns and is a splendid choice to complement the pieced design of the quilt. What a cozy autumn quilt.
There is just something about a scrap quilt that clinches the idea of making a quilt. And to have one that is scrappy on both the front and the back takes it to a new level of scrappy! I quilted a whimsical curl that breaks up both the horizontal lines of the back and the diagonal lines from the front. Delightful!
While I knew that most of the quilting would be muted on the front, I decided to make sure it showed on the backing by using a contrasting thread. The result adds a terrific design element to an otherwise plain backing for a quilt project that is magnificent.
Sweet roses grace this antique quilt. This was a set of blocks found in an attic that was transformed into a charming quilt top. Add a solid back to show off the quilting and you have a finished project that can be enjoyed for years to come.
Look closely and you will see llamas in the fabrics and in the quilting! Add some cactus and you have a pickly llama!
Out of six customer quilts that were entered into the State Fair this year, five won ribbons including Best of Show! I am thrilled and so proud of our collaborative efforts.
This is an original design by my client. Imagine my delight when she said, “Quilt as Desired”. I used variegated threads throughout, from the blues of the water and sky, browns on the mountains and beiges of the cornfields. Interpretive quilting complements the scenic view. Spectacular.
Shades of the Southwest! The colors and scenery remind me of Arizona and the Painted Desert. The quilting reminds me of Native Americans. Ya-te-hey!
Chilly and Charming! Blowing snowflakes quilt across this delightful patchwork quilt. Just the thing to keep you warm on a winter night!
I am thrilled to have this off my unfinished pile and quilted. I made this little Albuquerque wall hanging years ago and just never got around to quilting it. It looks wonderful hanging in my studio!
You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch! Fun novelty grinch fabrics come together for a quilt that will warm your holiday evenings. Look closely and the quilting pattern is also grinchy!
I was delighted to find an edge-to-edge pattern with Snoopy and Woodstock for this novelty quilt. I used a bright yellow thread in the bobbin so the pattern would show on the red backing and the result is fantastic.
I have so much fun picking threads, especially variegated threads for my quilting projects. It’s even more exciting when they stand out on both the front and the back of the quilt. Stunning Success with this quilt.
The flannel backing is perfect for displaying the paisley quilting. By using a thicker red thread on top, the quilting takes this quilt top from scrappy to spectacular!
This adorable, pieced puppy needed more dog bones, so I quilted in a huge supply. You can almost see his tail wagging.
Charming tulips and swirls dance their way across this little table topper and will look fabulous adorning a dining table this fall.
Sometimes there is no place for the quilting to show and that’s okay! The fabrics work magnificently in this quilt and although the quilting pattern does have cats, the quilting is more functional than visual.
There is just enough color in the thread to show on the white background of the quilt top and the gray backing. Blues and magentas from the quilt top are brought out in the variegated colors in the thread. Picking thread colors is one of my favorite parts of my job!
Bright red and royal blue are a cheerful combination. I added more birds in the quilting and this project just soars to new heights!
Old Gold colored thread must be my most used colors when choosing a thread for a quilt. It’s perfect to bring out the golds in the print of this charming lap quilt.
Could those triangles be dragon teeth? The dragon’s breath swirly quilt pattern looks fabulous on the front and back of this graduation gift for a dear nephew. Yes, I do think they are teeth!
To break up this brick pattern, I used a swirly quilting design. The texture that it gives both the front, and the back is fabulous. Now I can’t imagine any other pattern on this project!
It’s so fun when I can find a quilting pattern that matches the print of the fabric. By using contrasting bobbin for the backing, I brought the flowers to the back. Everything is coming up daisies with this one!
Someday I want to make a red and white quilt for myself. But for now, I thoroughly enjoyed working on this one. Red thread in the bobbin gives great texture to the backing, while the red thread on top shows up beautifully in the white border.
If I don’t know the back story on the quilt, sometimes I make up a story to go with it. Two almost identical baby quilts make me think of twins. I don’t know if that is true in this case but it’s fun to imagine these quilts with little quilted paw prints for twins. If not, I am sure two precious babies in separate households will have animal quilts to cherish.
I added a spikey quilt design to this jagged pieced quilt and the result is edgy and rugged. The dark thread adds interest to the plain white squares for a quilt that is serrated and incredible.
This quilt reminds me of looking at an aquarium, so I was inspired to quilt vertical wavy lines and bubbles. I added swimming angel fish to the border and outlined the fish and seaweed for a quilt that captures the beauty of the deep blue sea.
