Sue Bower - Quilter's Finishing Touch

I have some very exciting news to share–the Airedale Rescue raffle (it featured the quilt “A Day in the Life” and two smaller wall hangings ) raised more than $15,000!!!! The winning tickets were drawn at the Montgomery County Kennel Club All-Terrier Dog Show on October 5. It was a beautiful sunny day and the quilts (which were gorgeous) hung on display during the dog show. Thanks to everyone who bought a ticket, passed on the link to an Airedale lover, or just wished us well!

I heard over the weekend that the raffle quilt is doing well, and that more than $5,000 has been raised so far. If you’ve already visited the site, bought a ticket, or passed on the link to a friend, thank you. If not, please take a look. The quilt is truly amazing (the blocks are very clever), and any Airedale or Welsh Terrier owner would be very happy to own it. Here’s the link again: http://www.airedalerescue.net/a_day_in_the_life/

Today started out with the usual morning walk with Mac (and Angus and Hugh, since it’s the weekend), but not *quite* as early as during the week (6:15 a.m. instead of 5:30). The weather has been great, and it was a great day to work on a chocolate and teal customer quilt. Pretty fabrics, reminds me a lot of the Vera Bradley look.

The new web site is up and running, and I am very happy with it. It’s also much easier to update than my previous site, and that’s a really good thing!

I recently purchased some quilting designs by a designer whose work I hadn’t used before (Judy Lyon, of Meadowlyon Design. Looking forward to using them-Judy’s work is beautiful!

The smartest decision I’ve made recently was to have my web site redesigned instead of sticking with the MS Front Page templates I started with two years ago. Yes, I realize that the other route was cheaper, but, as we all know, cheaper isn’t always better!

I found GloDerWorks quite by accident a few months ago when I looked at the new A-1 Quilting Machines site. I had been checking out other designers and site hosts, liked what Gloria had to say and her approach to quilting and web design, and the rest is history. As it turns out, Gloria and I live less than 10 miles apart, and we have several interesting similarities in our backgrounds. Great job everyone, I love it!

While I’m passing out thank-yous, I must include one to my friend and highly respected computer-assisted quilting pattern designer, Ellen Munnich. She was kind enough to permit me to use a couple of her quilting patterns as graphics in my site. I use a lot of her designs on client and personal quilts, and they are beautifully drawn. Not all quilt patterns are “created equal,” to borrow a phrase from history, but I can say with all honesty that I have never had problems with, or complaints about, Ellen’s work.

Hello everyone!

So much to report, and where to start?? I guess I’ll start with a couple of difficult quilts that I recently finished–you’ll have to keep an eye on the Gallery pages to see when photos go up.

I completed the quilting on a gorgeous batik Lone Star recently, and it was a challenge. The unquilted top had hung in a favorite shop for more than a year, and the concern was that it would not be quiltable due to possible stretching out of shape. I loaded the frame, laid the top onto the batting, and crossed my fingers. Wonder of wonders, it didn’t look too bad!!! After some strategic misting with Mary Ellen’s clear spray starch (which I love), and a LOT of pre-basting with Vanish Ultra thread (which will dissolve when the quilt is washed), I was ready to go. I quilted the top using feather designs and a couple of different Sulky Blendables threads, and it came out beautiful. I’ve asked for photos when the quilt is bound and washed (and the basting stitches dissolve) and will post them when I receive them.

Right on the heels of the batik Lone Star came the 2008 Airedale Rescue Raffle Quilt. Beautifully pieced, all applique work, with machine embroidery, stabilizers, batiks, everything that could possibly throw a curve my way. Since this quilt (throw sized, will make a terrific wall hanging for the lucky winner) really can’t be washed, basting using Vanish thread wasn’t an option. After 12 different thread color changes and three different bobbin color changes, I took that baby over to FedEx on Monday, to ship it overnight to Florida. Happily it made it there without a hitch and I can get back to regular customer quilting.

If you are an Airedale lover who is interested in buying a raffle ticket, please check the following link: http://www.airedalerescue.net/a_day_in_the_life/