We are growing!

Swink Girls Quilts has added an Innova 26" Long Arm with Auto Pilot Mach 3 computerized quilting and we are so excited to expand our business!  We can now offer affordable E2E or custom quilting with a very quick turn-around (usually within 3 weeks).

Check our new web page for details at www.SwinkGirlsQuilts.com!

In addition to longarm services we also offer sewing and quilting lessons and longarm rental.  Call or stop by to learn more!

Extra for my swap partner - quilted thread catcher

I made this for my Rainbow Mini Swap partner a few weeks ago.  These little cubes are super easy to put together and very useful as a thread catcher or handy for holding just about anything.  I start with two squares of fabric approximately 12.5" square and sew right sides together along three sides.   Turn right side out and press.   Insert a piece of stiff interfacing (I used Pel-Tex) that is just slightly smaller than the finished dimensions of your fabric square.  Fold in the unfinished edges and press. Top stitch all the way around close to edge and make sure you catch the previously un-sewn edge.

Then quilt as desired.  I used Leah Day Concentric Circles.  The thread is Aurifil 28 weight and really looks fabulous!  I am using m y Juki TL2010Q for FMQ.

After quilting fold the square in half and sew a seam starting about 3" up from the fold across to the bottom fold creating a triangle.  Do this on the right and left sides and then re-fold the square in the opposite direction to make the seams on the other two sides.  This will be done with your square folded so that the fabric that will end up on the outside is to the inside of the fold.

The final step is to fold down the flaps and add a button if you choose.  I used vintage MOP (mother of pearl) buttons I scored on e-bay a few months ago.

And there you have it!  I bet the instructions for sewing the corners are a bit confusing without pictures so I will try to take some next I make one of these.

UFO turns into a birthday gift

Every year our quilt guild (Rochester Modern Quilt Guild) hosts a UFO challenge with members committed to completing certain projects by certain due dates.  I had the blocks for this quilt made many months ago (OK more than one year ago and maybe even longer...sheesh!!)  All it needed was setting triangles for the sides and corners.   I don't know why I was intimidated by this step because it turned out to be pretty easy.  I really like how the sashing and small corners stones make this look somewhat like a plaid or argyle pattern.

Odds and Ends all finished

Back view (I hate how crooked the piecing is at the bottom - ewww!)

The light is just right to showcase the quilting

I tried some of Angela Walters Dot-to-Dot quilting technique in some of the squares and free form flowers in others.  The sashing was left unquilted and should puff out nicely once the quilt is washed.  Green Minkee Dot is on the back making this a somewhat heavy and super snuggley quilt.

So...a UFO finished and a birthday gift given!

Modern Round Robin - the Sea Quilt

After a little blip where a few quilt tops went missing for several weeks, I finally received this beautiful top in progress.  I love the mix of blues and greens with the crisp white background.  It has the feel of the sea.  The medallion style quilt started with the center diamond and geese surrounding.  The next round added the clover shapes and more geese.  And finally just before heading to me the white and pieced borders.  Hmmmm.....what shall I add?

Before

I felt like the top needed some curves so I pulled out my  

Quick Curve Ruler from Sew Kind of Wonderful and went to work.  The side and top borders have an improv feel with the curves not quite lining up with each other which I thinks looks fabulously modern.  As a final touch I reverse appliqued some circles for the corners.  I scootched (is that a word?) them in to be close with the curves.

After

I am so pleased with the result and I sure hope the owner of the top loves it too.  I can't wait to see what is added for the final round.

It's all about the swaps!

For those that follow me on Instagram (swink_girl) you know I have signed up for a ridiculous number of swaps lately.  I do not know what possessed me.    The #rainbowminiquilt swap has just wrapped up so one down out of five! (I know...ridiculous).  I made this very sweet improv geese mini.

Completed Happiness Is miniquilt

I really love how it turned out.  The background is a shot cotton.  This is the first time I have worked with shot cotton and it is deliciously soft!  It made the perfect backdrop for paper pieced geese.  The quilting was done on my #jukitl2010q which handled the Superior Magnifico thread wonderfully. The thread has a nice sheen to it and really makes the quilting shine.    I have been brushing up on my #FMQ by watching videos by Leah Day.  She sure does make it look easy.    The text quilting in the middle was inspired by one of her videos  Thread Painting Words on your quilt.

Here are some more shots of the mini in progress.

Before Quilting

One row of geese inserted

Paper piecing the geese

The pattern hand drawn on freezer paper

One down and four more to go!

Tote and Chromebook Sleeve

With Quilt Con only a few days away, I have been busy with preparations such as making a sleeve for my HP Chromebook and a new backpack tote.  I splurged and used some of my most favorite fabrics.  Don't you just love those little mice from @lizziehouse?  The sleeve is very simply constructed with minimal straight line quilting along the seams.  I lined it with flannel left over from another project.  It was l looking a little bland until I added a swath of vintage buttons.  I like that they sort of blend in color wise but add an interesting texture and detail.  The top button will be for closing the sleeve once I add a loop.

This is before I added the buttons.

The sleeve coordinates perfectly with this backpack tote.   I figure I will need to have a bag for carrying around my notebook and class supplies ans this little back will be perfect.  Although I did not use the pattern, this bag is very similar to Joan Hawley's Chelsea Backpack Tote (Lazy Girl Designs).  I watched her YouTube tutorial for assembly and with a rough idea of the dimensions I just dove in and made it!  I modified it a bit and placed a welt pocket on the front instead of a patch pocket.    The fabrics are Dear Stella and Lizzie House  - divine!

Front View

Back View  - with the ingenious zippered strap that coverts the tote from a shoulder bag to a backpack.

Inside view with pockets for organizing.

If I made this again I think I would use something more sturdy to hold the shape of the bag instead of the batting called for in the pattern - like Peltex for example.  It was fun to make and I can't wait to load it up for Quilt Con!

Won't you be mine?

Just in time for Valentine's Day!

Quilting on the Innova

I love churn dashies!

All finished

Quilting close-up

Even closer

Made with Moda Kiss Kiss charm packs and backed in super soft white Minkee Dot, this is the perfect Valentine's gift.