Take it in Chunks with Chocolate

My tip for this week is to take it in chunks with chocolate.

I had a customer bring in a quilt that she had finished and the quilt was beautiful.  She said that it had taken her a long time to get it done because she was afraid to start.  She loved the quilt but because the pattern was something new that she had never done before it took her a long time to get the momentum/courage to start.

If this is you, my best advice is to pick a fabric that you are excited about.  There is no regulation in place that you have to follow the cover.  Get creative and have fun with it.  Be sure to read the instructions carefully.  If the instructions are intimidating all at once then brake them down in to chunks with chocolate.  If this is still confusing or seems to big then do smaller chunks.  Also, don't be afraid to ask questions of friends or family.  Even your local quilt guild or quilt shop can help.  These resources can also be great at helping you break it down into the chunks.

Customers bring in quilts all the time and we go over the instructions breaking it down into chunks that seem manageable.  Often times they will come back at intervals to go over the instructions again.  No problem.  That is what we are here for.

Be sure to include chocolate with each chunk either at the beginning of the process, during the process, or after the process.  Also, don't be afraid to walk away if it gets stressful.  Sometimes we need a break.  I consider this as breaking it down into smaller chunks and always include chocolate.  Definitely reward yourself for what you have accomplished.  Every little bit that you accomplish on a difficult pattern is an accomplishment and should be celebrated.

Chocolate is one way to celebrate.    

Happy Quilting!

Kate

Every quilt has a story

It is true.  Every quilt has a story.  Every quilt that comes into our shop has a story and I love to hear them!

Recently a customer brought in a quilt to be machine quilted that she had been working on for the last 10 years for her dad.  He is 70+ and runs in marathons.  She has been working on a quilt made from t-shirts that he has worn at various events.  She was very creative in her borders and added hand embroidery to make them look like a road.  It gives me happy chills when I see these quilts and have the privilege of helping these quilters keep memories alive.

This is, for me, what quilting is all about.

Keeping family quilting traditions alive

Helping families keep their quilting traditions alive is what we do.

This is not just a saying at Kate's Quilting Block.  This is what we do not only for our customers but for our family as well.  

Recently my mom passed away and I have been finding quilts and quilt tops that she started and was not able to finish.  In true quilter heritage fashion I am finishing them up using my skills of machine quilting, embroidery, and binding.  This one in progress on the quilting machine just needed borders and some personalization.

I personalized the quilt with machine embroidery on one of the borders.  Unfortunately I did it in the same shade of brown so you can't see it.  But it is there!

I also used a polyester batting to make it warm and cuddly.