Thread Emergency!!!!!

So!

Pretty darn excited to be quilting this BEAUTY!!
I was really surprised to find out that it was a KIT (!)
My customer, Mary has excellent taste in Antique quilts as well.
http://www.thequiltpatternshoppe.com/shop/product/alliance-collections-for-a-cause/
I dont think the picture on the website does this justice ,IMHO.

I really love this one!!

I had 3 different Aurifil Mako Brown threads I was considering using. I SHOULD have used the 2 on the left. One on top and the other in the bobbin. But Noooooooooooooo.

I decided to go with the one in the center because I already had 3 bobbins wound that matched it and thought that would be enough.( duh!)

I was wrong. I am one third of the way through quilting and even with changing the top thread to the other color when quilting the 9 patches, I
still wont have enough .

If the backing fabric had been a PRINT I may have been able to substitute the other color without it being noticable.

I called my usual thread place "Bigfork Bay Cotton Company"
http://www.bigforkbaycottonco.com/ and spoke with David who was crazy helpful , even giving me the name of other shops that carried Aurifil when they didn't have what I needed.

But then I remembered
"That Thread Shop"http://thatthreadshop.com/ located in LeMont, IL, which is so much closer to me .I called them right up and lo and behold they had my color !(1318) in the weight I needed! ( 40) and were super friendly .

THREAD EMERGENCY AVOIDED PEOPLE!!!! WHEW!!

We chatted about the the next quilt shows they were going to be vending ( Lancaster.Pa , Bloomington,In and Cincinnati,Oh)

and how we were both bummed about the International Festival moving from Chicago to Cincinnati.( Chicago is so much closer for us both)

And.......as an added BOUNUS..to this saga... that SATEEN..... is looking pretty darn GREAT!! IMHO!! LOL!



Who knew?! Now I can say "Sateen is my friend!"

Secret Squirrel Santa revealed:Project #1

December was the month for commission quilts!
Besides the usual "Quilt for Hire" routine, I had agreed to custom build 2 quilts for former classmates. Because of Facebook they had seen examples of my work and had inquired about the possibility of making custom quilts.

(name can be seen upside down on the back of the quilt in the front upturned corner)

This first one was decided upon early in October but was to be made and delivered at the very last minute before Christmas as a surprise gift. The fabrics were picked by the recipients Mom ( dyed with this project in mind)via secret Facebook messages and photos, as was the entire process .Each stage of creation was documented and she was excited to be able follow along with the progress.

Fabric choices and shadow waaabits...

Chosen fabric layout..

Deh Puppeh heps....


Hand dyed Fabric pieced for top..

Variegated thread choices ( all King Tut cottons)

Quilting..

More Quilting..

Christmas message detail..

This was made for her daughter Kara, who is attending college in California. Her name and Christmas message from her Mother and the date are all quilted within the design of the quilting.

Binding...

Finished quilt detail shot..

Finished Quilt !!

It was really great to get reacquainted with my old friend and classmate!We realized we had not seen each other since once a long long time ago at the grocery store when her daughter was just a pre-schooler and before then, High School graduation! We both felt and agreed because we had been friends, the meaning, the making and the gifting of the quilt was even more special for the both of us!