It's been forever since I've posted anything here!  

Life has a way of grabbing hold and not letting go and before you know it - years have flown by!

I have actually been able to make a few quilts of my own since announcing my retirement and it feels so great.  

Last fall I taught this pretty quilt at my friend's shop in Idaho.  It's "Olie and Evie" quilt shop in Lewisville, ID.  You can find Rhonda and her staff working hard in this adorable shop - here's the website:

https://www.olieandevie.com/

The pattern is "Sweet Blend" by Laundry Basket Quilts.  It's such a fun one using a 60 degree angle technique.  

https://www.laundrybasketquilts.com/online-store/Sweet-Blend-p75339852

It's so great being back here.

hugs and love to you all....

Retiring.....

 It is with very mixed feelings that I write this post.

After 25 plus years of creating designs on beautiful quilts throughout my longarm quilting experience, I have decided it’s time for me to retire. 

I would like to spend more time with family and in order to do that I need to step away from “Gladdis”, my quilting machine.

 

 She will still stay in my life and my home forever, but I need to give both of us a break.  

 

So here is how I’m going to transition..... 

I will accept quilts through August 31st and finish up with those I receive, but after that date I will no longer be accepting quilts.

 

I have asked a couple of my “hand guided” quilting friends if I could refer you to them and because they are so swamped with customers of their own, they have kindly declined.  

If I find someone who is willing to take on more customers I will let you know.  There are plenty of computerized quilters out there, just not as many hand guided/custom quilters. 

I have had the time of my life getting to know each of you through this incredible art form and have formed some lasting friendships.  I hope to meet many of you in person one day – you are all so incredibly gifted and inspiring and have been willing to share those gifts with me over the years. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for finding me, supporting me and all the millions of sweet compliments you sent my way.  (tears......) 

I love you – keep creating..... 

Always, 

Kathy

"Granny's Garden" by Kris

 Kris, from Georgia, created one of the most beautiful applique quilts I've ever seen.

And I've seen several!

This one is from a Riley Blake Sew Along, called "Granny's Garden", from 2019.

You can find it here.

Kris did such a beautiful job - it was a pleasure to quilt it for her.

We've had some very cold and dreary days this past month here in Montana so every time I walked into my quilting room with this quilt on the machine, it felt like spring had sprung in my room.  

 

I quilted around all of the applique so the flowers would stand out.

In the floral background I quilted small pointy tear drops.

I LOVE this little label Kris made for the back of her lovely quilt:

It's one of the sweetest quilts I've ever seen......thank you, Kris, for allowing such beauty into my life for a brief moment. 

Backyard Blooms heart quilt

My friend, Allison, of Cluck Cluck Sew, designed another beautiful line of fabrics last summer.

It's called, "Backyard Blooms".

You can read about it here on her blog.

I was lucky enough to grab a fat quarter bundle and I knew immediately which pattern I was going to use for them.

This cute Buggy Barn method heart pattern is so fun and easy to create.

I quilted randomly spaced horizontal straight lines.  

See this cute chicken print she designed - perfect for her brand!

I put a white cuddle minky on the back - for that snuggly feel.

It's such a sweet line of fabrics - Allison, you're so creative.  

Thank you!

Jan's beauties.....

My friend, Jan, from Florida, always creates such 
beautiful quilts.

It's so much fun to quilt them for her.

Here they are.....in no particular order...

I love the indigo blues in this one - I quilted a wood grain design in the background and cross-hatched the "plus" area.

Up next is this sweet 25-patch....I quilted row after row of single loops.

This 3rd quilt is so striking.
I love how the white stars stand out between the 

squares on-point.

I quilted vertical straight lines.

Pretty backing - love these large florals.

Number 4 is a fun "plus" quilt - these prints are adorable; eggs and chickens!

I quilted an -edge-to-edge wave.  

Gives it movement.

Her backings are always so fun, too.

And number five is a favorite of mine.....the "Snowflake" quilt.

Jan used some really fun Cotton & Steel prints along with some from her stash for the background.

I decided to cross-hatch the entire quilt.

This is her backing - another fabulous Cotton & Steel "Frost". 

(I copied her and I'm using the same backing for one of my Snowflake quilts - perfect!)

Thank you, Jan, for always sending me such fun quilts 

to work on.

I love them all!

Get out and vote!

 Last year I quilted this patriotic quilt for Bev, from Virginia.

Now that the elections are fast approaching I thought I would post about it.

I quilted wavy lines through the flag, outlined the words and did a swirly design in the background.

Bev's backing is great and appropriate.

I love America! 

I hope everyone has voted.

Christmas Quilt Deadline fast approaching.....

 The deadline for getting your Christmas quilts to 

me this year is:

October 1st, 2020

It seems as though summer had a slow arrival and now all of a sudden it's almost fall!

That means Christmas is just around the corner.

And so are snowflakes!

I'm still about 4 months out but I'm starting to get a little smidge caught up so I am able to set aside some time for those holiday quilts.

Happy Holidays - a little early!