July 21, 2009
Twilight Flight
A beautiful dragonfly wings his way through the twilight. The blocks in this Twilt, “Twilight Flight” use the block from my pattern Mandalesque (Pictured below). The blocks feature two 3D triangles in a four patch. When grid quilted the rolled folds form the lovely scallops.
I picked the dragonfly from my bead and button collection. 
It’s one of Susan Clarke’s pieces. To see more of Susan’s work visit her site at www.susanclarkeoriginals.com.
For more info on the Twilts: Twitter quilts…….Twilts or see all my Twilts : Flickr Twilts Page.
I had a wonderful time at the Southern California Quilt Run. If you missed it I hope you will participate next year.
You can see more of my patterns on the pattern page of this blog and on my website pattern page.
July 14, 2009
Cathedral Star Celebration
For this Twilt Tuesday I have recreated a block from my second book, “Machine Stitched Cathedral Stars” in a much smaller version, “Cathedral Star Celebration”. The background pieces are 1″ and 2″ cut squares as opposed to 2″ and 4″ cut squares. The fabrics are batiks except for the outer border.
Last week end I worked the Southern California Quilt Run. It continues this next weekend, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you are in Southern California try not to miss it. I will be doing demos at Georgia’s Quilting Obsession so if you go, stop by and say Hi!
For more info: Twitter quilts…….Twilts or see all my Twilts : Flickr Twilts Page.
July 6, 2009
Cool Cat Cathedral Window Quilt
In December of 1999 my first book “Machine Stitched Cathedral Windows” was published. Every once in a while I get pictures of a quilt made using the book.
Lori Lusk created this beautiful quilt in 2007 just in time for Christmas. She used the technique from my book for the central part of the quilt. Using bright colors for the window frames. the panes use the cat fabric shown below and the cat paw print was used for the foundation. The fussy cut cats were used again in the border along with more of the bright solids. Lori had this to say:
“I entered the quilt in our quilt guild’s challenge and won the viewer’s choice, best use of color and best expressed theme (It’s a novel-tee). It was a Christmas gift for my great-niece who was three at the time. The back of the quilt is the cat paw print and had a matching pillowcase to put it in.”
This is a wonderful example that uses my technique with original design choices for the color placement and borders to make a Cathedral Window Quilt. What a great job, Lori!
May 12, 2009
Starlit Night for Twilt Tuesday
I went back to the early days of my process to create “Starlit Night”. The larger star in this piece is a Floating Star block from my second book, “Machine Stitched Cathedral Stars“. I shrunk the block and used a grid of 1” background squares. The smaller stars are miniature versions of Star Puzzle. I love the strong constrast created with gold prints and dark star prints. Machine quilted stars and a few Hot Stick crystals on the background add to the celestial feel.
The border print is an older Batik from the early 90’s, I think. I enjoy digging through my fabric collection and finding the older pieces. Twilts are the perfect place to finally use these fabrics. I am considering offering patterns for some of the Twilts so if there’s one you really like let me know.
For more information on Twilts: Twitter Quilts…….Twilts
May 5, 2009
A Blue Bouquet on Twilt Tuesday
A while back I made a quilt called “A Blue Bouquet for Barbara Jean”. It was a quilt I made in memory of my mother who passed away when I was very young. This little Twilt, “Blue Bouquet”, uses the same 3D flower block but has only six petals where the blocks in the larger quilt each had eight petals. I added hot stick Crystals in the light flower print inset and in the center of the 3D flower as well as a bead and embroidery.
The fabrics are several different blue batiks except for the inset fabric. I love blue and white quilts and I think I am not alone. 
The inspiration for the Twilt, “A Blue Bouquet for Barbara Jean”.
For more information on Twitter Quilts…..Twilts.
April 17, 2009
Memories and Merlot for Blogger’s Quilt Festival 2009
Amy at Park City Girl came up with this fabulous idea to do a Blogger’s Quilt Festival. I read about it and wholeheartedly decided, I’m in!
“Memories & Merlot”, 56″ x 64″, is a variation of my Cathedral Window Technique. The center features single 3D squares I filled in the edges of the center and the border with 3D triangles and felt that really gave the quilt it’s Cathedral Window feel. 
The quilt was stitched in a grid and the bias folds of the 3D squares and triangles were rolled and stitched at the quilting stage. It took me a while to finish, being one of those projects that I would set aside when other more pressing projects came along. Life got in the way as well, three moves in two years. Lots of memories of those times. The fabrics are all yummy batiks, different prints in the same color ranges and it does gradiate lighter in the center to darker at the outer edges. It took me ages to come up with a name. The Redish colors always made me think of wine and I do like my wine…..oops, did I say that out loud? Shiraz is my favorite but a good Merlot is very acceptable.
Click on the pictures and it will take you to high resolution ones on Flickr. Maximize the browser and you will get a larger picture.
April 2, 2009
Butterflies Table Runner
I just finished photographing this table runner for a class I am teaching at The Fabric Patch and thought I would share it here. It’s based on my pattern Butterflies but a better size for a class.
It uses the rolled bias folds of 3D Triangles to form the curves. Tuesdays Twilt uses the same basic block but much smaller.
March 23, 2009
Beginning Cathedral Windows
Simply Quilts #623 Sample
It’s been ten years since I came up with my technique to make a Cathedral Window Quilt by machine. I don’t know where the time has gone. I have traveled and taught for a lot of that time.
The Beginning Workshop is Machine Stitched Cathedral Windows and Jessica at I’m So Happy just did a wonderful example and she’s never been in one of my classes. Check it out on her Post. She learned the technique from my book and an episode of Simply Quilts that she taped. She did a great job don’t you think?
Here are a couple more samples from the Beginning Cathedral Window Workshop.
March 17, 2009
A Twilt for Spring
The grass is green and the sun is shining. I left my door open yesterday to enjoy the moderate temperature. It made me think of Spring which is just around the corner. So this Twilt welcomes “Spring’s Arrival”.
The flower is a much smaller version of the block from my pattern, Lotus Lullaby.
This is what the block looks like before it’s quilted. It uses 3D triangles to form the petal shapes.
For more info: Twitter Quilts….Twilts
March 16, 2009
Cathedral Window X & O Stars
A couple of my more recent patterns, Cathedral Window Stars and Cathedral Window Hugs and Kisses, use these blocks. They are Ohio Star blocks with X and O centers, they achieve the look of a Cathedral Window block but are not interconnected as the full version of my technique.
They are a good place to start when trying out the 3D piecing used in my designs.
Opposite colorways also show the different effects that can be obtained with these blocks.
I’m a little behind updating my website so these patterns aren’t there but I have started a pattern page here on the blog. So, check it out.
Snips and Bits from Shelley's Studio 