Rebecca's Quilting: Quilts Made by Me

Showing posts with label Quilts Made by Me. Show all posts

Saturday, February 12, 2022

KITTY CAT BED BY REBECCA LATHAM

Okay, it's not technically a quilt, because it is not quilted!

I've been meaning to make a little cat bed for one of Prim's favorite sleeping spots. She jumps up on this coffee table to look out the window and relax, and her claws have started scratching the wood a little bit. Plus, although she doesn't seem to mind the hard surface, I wanted to make her a soft, cushion-y place on which to rest.

I found a jungle cat fleece remnant (50% off!) at a JoAnn Fabric and Craft Store, and the piece was big enough to make the perfect size kitty cat bed for the table. The bed is four thicknesses of the fleece, plus two layers of leftover very poof-y wool batting.

I simply sewed around three sides, turned it right side out, then folded over the fourth edge and sewed it closed. Prim took to it right away!

Saturday, February 5, 2022

QUILTY CATS WALL HANGING BY REBECCA LATHAM

I've made two wall hangings for my foyer, one for Fall and one for Winter, so I decided to make another one that works for Spring and/or Summer. I found a cute panel in a quilt shop several months and just now got around to working on it.

Here's the thing about panels: They are always skewed, and if there is a border in the design, you can be sure that it is going to be crooked. There are videos on Youtube that show how to straighten them out, and I've tried them all! I even tried hanging it up so that the grain could fall back into its natural form, and that didn't work either after hanging for several months. So, I just went ahead and made the wall hanging anyway, even though the printed borders are crooked.

This is the panel after I tried to straighten it out, and you can see how wonky all the printed borders are. It started out even worse than this. I decided that if I ever buy another panel, it will have no straight lines of any kind that will end up looking crooked!

I found these two border fabrics at JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts. The purple batik was the perfect shade, and the swirly fabric looks like it was made to match the colors in the panel!

Normally, I am not the kind of quilter that buys extra fabric. I figure out how much I need, then buy that amount, with maybe an extra inch just for good measure. At JoAnn, you buy fabric by the inch, and do not have to buy 1/8 or 1/4 yards, like you do at most quilt shops. If I am shopping at a quilt shop, I need to go up to the nearest 1/8 yard.

This time, I decided to get a few extra inches, for no particular reason. As it turns out, I measured the panel wrong, and it was larger than I thought. If I had only bought what I needed, I would have had to go back to the store! I ended up with enough fabric for the borders and binding. So here is the quilt top, ready for the long arm.

I looked through my catalog of digital quilting designs, which you can find here, but none of them was quite right. I jumped over to my Wish List at Urban Elementz and found the perfect design! It's called "Espresso", and it has swirls that compliment the swirls in the panel. I bought the design, added it to my catalog, and started quilting. It wasn't until after I was halfway finished that I realized that the design also had the petal shapes that are in the panel! I love this new design, and I'm glad that I can now offer it to my customers. As one of the reviews said, "Plays well on fun, casual quilts as well as elegant pieces." So true!

For the binding, I used the same swirly fabric as the outer border. I love the way it came out, and I can't wait to hang it up when my Winter wall hanging comes down on April 1st!

Here is a short video of the quilt being digitally quilted with my Tin Lizzie Ansley 26 quilting machine and Butler Perfect Stitch computerized system. Maximize the screen to maximize your viewing pleasure!

If you are a quilter looking for affordable rates for your latest project, give me a call! Don't quilt, but looking for a great gift for a special person in your life? Or maybe you want something special for yourself. I would love to design and create a quilt especially for you! Contact me for details at 815.735.0997.

Thursday, January 27, 2022

DAD'S MEMORY QUILTS BY REBECCA LATHAM

My new customer, Gloria, brought me quite a challenge when she came to my home studio bearing two large bags filled with her late father's shirts. Normally, memory quilts are made from T-shirts, but there were only two T-shirts among the twenty-four shirts delivered. There were regular button down shirts and polo shirts, too, and Gloria had divided them into two groups, one to make a blue quilt and one to make a green quilt.

I used YLI Pyramids of Giza cotton thread, which is contains variegated off whites and beiges. The digital quilting design for the green quilt is called "Outside In", and the design for the blue quilt is called "Bean Sprout". Both Designs are available from Urban Elementz.

Here are a few photos of the quilts in progress.

Here is the first completed quilt.

And now for the green quilt.

Here is the second completed quilt.

Here is a short video of the two quilts being digitally quilted with my Tin Lizzie Ansley 26 quilting machine and Butler Perfect Stitch computerized system. Maximize the screen to maximize your viewing pleasure!

UPDATE: Gloria just sent me photos of her family with the Memory Quilts I made for her recently! I rarely get to see quilts again after they leave my studio, so I love this! Thanks, Gloria!

Saturday, October 2, 2021

SCRAPPY SPRING GREEN BY REBECCA LATHAM

I was shopping at The Fabric Center in Morris, Illinois, and a saw quilt on display that I just loved. I have a lot of "stash" and I decided to make a the quilt in greens and blues, which I had plenty of.

I found out that the name of the pattern is "Strip Twist" and there are many examples of the quilt on the internet. I used the pattern I found on "Oh Sew Tempting" and dug into my bins of fabric. After finishing the blocks and sewing them together, I used more of my stash for the two borders and the binding. I bought a nice pale green polka dot flannel for the backing at a JoAnn Fabric and Craft Store.

The finished size of the quilt is 55" x 70".

I used Warm and White cotton batting, also purchased from JoAnn. The digital quilting design, one of my all time favorites, is called "Pergola" and I purchased it from Urban Elementz, where I get most of my designs. The thread I used was YLI White cotton.

UPDATE: I didn't know it while it was being made, but this quilt ending up being given as a Christmas gift to my son Barry's girlfriend, Anne. She had her choice of three different quilts, and chose this one, saying it really spoke to her heart. Here is a photo of Barry and Anne snuggling with the quilt, and some photos of the quilt before they got it.

Friday, September 24, 2021

GRACE'S JELLY ROLL RACE BY REBECCA LATHAM

In a post a few days ago, I mentioned that I made a quilt for my grand niece, then decided it was not really a kid's quilt. I went back to The Fabric Center and found this collection of 2.5" X 42" strips. It is "Parakeet" by Free Spirit Fabrics, part of the Kaffe Fassett Collective.

I also bought fabric for the borders and binding there.

I purchased a really fun and colorful flannel at a JoAnn Fabric and Craft Store that looks like it was made for this quilt!

The finished size of the quilt is 55" X 70".

I used Pellon cotton batting, also purchased from JoAnn. The digital quilting design is called "Nemesh's Feather Grande" and I purchased it from Urban Elementz. The thread I used was YLI cotton "Pastels".

Here are two photos of the making of the quilt.

Here is the finished quilt.

I finished the quilt, start to finish, in a day and a half and delivered it to my niece two days before the baby was born!

Monday, September 20, 2021

TONGA JELLY ROLL RACE BY REBECCA LATHAM

I was shopping at The Fabric Center in Morris, Illinois, looking for fabric to make a quilt for my soon-to-be-born grand niece. I found this collection of 2.5" strips - Timeless Treasures Tonga Treasures "Vineyard" and thought it had fun colors. Spoiler alert: After I finished it, it did not look like a kid quilt, so I went back and got a different collection, which I will post about later.

I bought the border, binding, and flannel backing fabric at a JoAnn Fabric and Craft Store.

The finished size of the quilt is 57" X 68".

I used Pellon cotton batting, also purchased from JoAnn. The digital quilting design is called "Merrily" and I purchased it from Anne Bright Designs. The thread I used was YLI cotton in "Light Brown".

Here are some photos of the making of the quilt.

And here is the finished quilt.

So now I have an extra quilt which is for sale for $275.00. If you are interested in purchasing this beautiful quilt, you can contact me.

Sunday, October 29, 2017

KID QUILT #11 - SAND IN MY SHOES BY REBECCA LATHAM

For this quilt, I used a collection of beachy prints, called "Sand in My Shoes" from Keepsake Quilting. There were 42 strips, with three of each of fourteen different fabrics. Each strip measured 2.5" x 42".

The blocks are made with 10.5" x 2.5" pieces, with five pieces in each block.

The backing is a bright, mottled purple flannel and was purchased from JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts Store. I also bought the fabric for the border and binding there.

The finished size of the quilt is 53" x 72.5".

I used Warm and White batting, also purchased from JoAnn. The digital quilting design is called "Sea Foam" and I purchased it from Urban Elementz, where I get most of my designs. The thread I used was YLI Pastels cotton.

Here are some photos of the quilt in progress.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

KID QUILT #10 - PINKING OF YOU BY REBECCA LATHAM

For this quilt, I used a collection of pinks (and one purple) from Wilmington Prints. There were forty strips, with two of each color. Each strip measured 2.5" x 42".

I found the idea for the design of this quilt from a photo I saw on Pinterest, but I do not know what it is called. I used all the strips, plus some Kona White. The backing is a really fun pink plaid flannel and was purchased from JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts Store. I also bought the fabric for the binding there.

The finished size of the quilt is 54" x 73".

The name of this fabric collection is "Pinking of You".

I found the idea for the design of this quilt from a photo I saw on Pinterest, but I do not know what it is called. I used all the strips, plus some Kona white. The backing is a really fun pink plaid flannel and was purchased from JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts Store. I also bought the fabric for the binding there.

The batting is Warm and White, also purchased from JoAnn. The quilting pattern is called "Sea Foam" and I purchased that digital design from Urban Elementz, where I get most of my designs. I purchased this design recently, and this is the first time I have used it. I really, really like it! The thread I used was YLI white cotton.