Queen of Remnants

I love it when my hobbies intersect.  Especially my quilting and my photography.  Modern technology allows us to expand our creativity in ways we couldn’t years ago.  We can now take our photos and transfer them to fabric.  Several on-line services will print the fabric for you and do a wonderful job. This is the first of my photo quilts.  Printed at fat quarter size on cotton fabric by Spoonflower.  Then thread painted and quilted.   Here are some closeups .  The double layer of batting (cotton and wool) allows for some depth in the piece.  Using lots of colors of thread allowed for great definition.  The original photo was taken at Chanticleer Garden in Wayne, PA, of a large urn with ivy growing over it.   This is the urn but not the original photo that the quilt was made from. This is another  photo quilt. Also fat quarter size.  This photo was also taken at Chanticleer.  The thread ...

I’m home from the AQS quilt week show in Lancaster, PA.  Had a fun time.  Took three classes: machine quilting with rulers, EQ8 Beyond the Basics, and a needle turn appliqué class.  All good. Sue Patten taught the rulers course.  She is great and a lot of fun.  If you are into machine quilting you should look into her YouTube channel, Sue Patton Quilts.  If you get an opportunity to take a class with her I would jump on it. The needle turn appliqué course was by Becky Goldsmith, of Piece of Cake Quilts.  Fantastic teacher!  I’m going to check out her blog:  https://pieceocakeblog.com .  She also has a YouTube channel: Becky Goldsmith.  I really enjoy needleturn appliqué, it is very relaxing, for me. The show had a wide variety of quilts on display.  Great creativity, fabulous workmanship.  It seems to me the level of the quilting has gone up significantly in the last couple of years.  And since I machine quilt I fo...

     Wow! What a first day of spring!  Snow, sleet, and more snow!  So far the main roads are fine where I am, but tomorrow’s commute could be dicey.  This seems to be the winter that never ends.      I’m in Lancaster, PA for the AQS show, which starts tomorrow.  This will be my fifth year.  I spent most of the day today on the road, shopping a little on the way.   I’m trying to use up stash, so only bought a little fabric: an off cut of minkie (which I’ve never used before), a couple yards of a border print and enough wide backing fabric for my On Ringo Lake Mystery Quilt by Bonnie Hunter.      I like to eat at Miller’s smorgasbord at least once while I’m in the area so I did that today.  Lots of variety and good quality.  I had oatmeal pie for dessert.  First time I’ve ever had it. It won’t be the last time.      I’m looking forward to the classes I’m taking.  One on m...

   Welcome to the Queen of Remnants blog.  This is a spot for me, BJ Chadwick, to discuss quilting, crafting and life.   So, let me introduce myself.        I’m a retired math and computer teacher and have been doing crafts since my mother started me embroidering at age 5. I can knit and crochet, do many types of embroidery, and many types of beading.  I have been quilting for about 8 years and enjoy piecing, free motion quilting, and binding my quilts.  I find hand sewing and turned edge appliqué relaxing. I enjoy hand quilting  but have only done small pieces, so far.  I also enjoy garden photography and combine this with my quilting, printing photos on fabric and quilting the result.  Here is one of my photos of cone flowers  (Echinacea)  and liatris. '       I call myself the Queen of Remnants because I love scrappy quilts and often buy and use remnants for my quilting.  I like figuri...