Topography Quilting Tutorial

Hey there!!! Lets have a quick quilting tutorial. My latest favorite quilting design is Topography (or contour lines).

I have always LOVED maps. You can learn so much from a good map (especially military ones like the one above. It is one of my husbands maps. I think it is some part of Texas). You can look to see how to get somewhere, what alternative routes to take if a road is clogged with construction or backed up because of a wreck...where big intersections are where lakes and rivers will be. But did you know that you can actually see elevation on the maps? I am sure you knew that.

The red lines in this map show elevation. The closer the lines are together the more steep the incline.

It also show hilltops which are handy to have a good look around. It is these contours that I love quilting! Let me show you how I do it!

1) Start with a loose curving line.

2) Echo on either side of the line.

3) Add more curving lines

 4) Keep echoing the lines

5) If you get stuck make a hilltop

6) Add more hilltops! Hilltops are cool. This is a really really really fast way to quilt. It is seriously fast and so simple. This about it as a really big, echoed stipple - but light years better.

Here is is on my Doe quilt. I was looking for this one the other day and found it on my sons bed.

Look at that awesome texture!

I quilted contour lines on Elizabeth's Cotton+Steel quilt.

Good heaven it was fun to quilt!

I also used contour lines on the bags I made for Christmas presents for my sisters and mother.

It is great for small projects too!

Try it out next time you have a project! Or you can send your quilt to me and I would love to quilt it. Best design right now.

If you try I would love to see how you go.

xo,
Tia

Cotton+Steel Bundles in the Shop

I have been having the best time putting bundles together for my Shop. If you know me at all you know how wild I am for Cotton+Steel and their AWESOME fabric. There are so many prints that finding happy combinations are intimidating for some. Heck I know they have been for me. The shades and tones are very unique, and it has been a bit tricky to find stuff that works well without being Chaos. I especially love the combination of substrates. I like to mix the linen blend, the lawn and the double gauze. It makes the coolest quilt!

Anyway, I have been making some pretty simple quilt designs with these sets and will soon have them finished. If you want a bundle or two please find them in my SHOP. If they are gone it is easy to cut more, just send me an email or message.

xo,
Tia

latest quilts

Hey there! I hope you are all well. I have been busy quilting and cutting fabric. Let me show you a few of the quilts I have quilted lately. First up is Cindy's fabulous snowball quilt.

I used on of my favorite edge to edge quilting designs on it (Modern Maze) It blends so well, but gives the quilt the best texture.

I love how this design looks custom quilted, but it is a great cost alternative. It is so pretty! I tell you that I love custom quilting, but boy sometimes an edge to edge is just the ticket! Thank you Cindy for letting me quilt your quilt!

This next one was done by my friend Shelley. She now is lucky enough to live in Hawaii. The Pattern is called Balinese Wedding Star by Judy Niemeyer. It is just a glorious quilt and my photography does nothing for it. It has was dark and dreary and the lighting in my studio was funny, so forgive me.

I custom quilted this quilt with the help of my Statler Stitcher and a set by Laurie Thomas. It took so long to quilt with the Statler. Many folks think it is so easy to use the Statler for custom quilt work, but in reality quilting a Custom quilt in computer guided mode takes about twice the time as just free handing it. At least that is what I have found in my experience. I do love how this quilt turned out though.

Here is a shot of the back...again the light it terrible. Sorry.

This is what the quilting looks like.

Next up is Traci's little wall hanging. I taught this block a couple months ago to my quilt posse. We took a picture of our houses and turned them into an improv pieced quilt block. Traci took it a couple steps further and added trees and borders. She wanted it custom quilted and the only stipulation was that I do a green vine in the white border.

So...swirling sky went in, and jagged grass. Bricks and slate roof. Some of you may recognize this house as one of the historic homes on Ft. Leavenworth. You are right! Traci has since moved to an even better historic house on post. I suppose another quilt is in order!

I quilted my very favorite Army quote in the yellow border "I had cast my lot with a soldier and where was was home to me." I used it for years on my Camp Follower Bags and I was thrilled to use it again on this quilt.

Here is some of the back of the quilt.

Traci's sewing room was up in the attic, so I put her sewing machine in the window.

And her awesome cat, Breezy is in the window down in the living room.

This was such a fun little piece of art to quilt! I want to finish my houses too!

have a happy week folks!
Tia