Bella Tiles

Some quilts just kind of come together.  I had an idea for this quilt for a while but just hadn't got around to putting it together.  Then, my 3 daughters and I were on the Annual Wasatch Front Shop Hop.  This is a thing that my girls and I have done together for probably 8 years.  They love, and so do I, going the the 15 shops (all in one day).  I know. It is crazy.   

Well, we were at one of the last shops of the day and one of my daughters saw some fabric that she absolutely fell in love with.  She really didn't know what she wanted to do with it, so we bought 1/4 yard pieces of the whole line with intent to make some kind of quilt.  As we thought about it, I thought that this pattern that I had had in my head for a while would be perfect with the fabric.

So it started.  Planning. Cutting. Pinning.  Piecing.  Pressing. Sashing.  The result- an amazingly beautiful modern quilt for my teenage daughter.  

That is only part of the story.  She entered it into the county fair and the State Fair where she won sweepstakes awards in both.  Then one day I was at quilt guild and they announced that the state guild was having their annual conference and quilt show.  This year they were going to have a youth category.  Well, we decided to enter this quilt.  To our excitement she won to honors with big blue ribbon and a brand new sewing machine.

Baby Bella Tiles...

Happy Quilting!!!

Tricia

Make Modern Magazine

I am so excited about my newest quilt pattern.  I was contacted a few months ago by Make Modern Magazine asking me to submit a quilt pattern to put in their magazine.  Well... I did and now that pattern is published in their most current issue.  I couldn't be more thrilled. This is an awesome opportunity for me.  

Make Modern is a new online quilting magazine based in Australia.  It is a digital magazine that is publish 6 times annually (every two months).  It is jam packed with quilt patterns and other quilty projects and informationation for any level of quilter.  

  I think the magazine is wonderful.  To see what they are all about go to their website.

There you can suscribe to Make Modern Magazine and sign up for their free newsletter.

In issue 4 you will be able to get the "Ellie's Elephants" baby quilt pattern that I created.  So, hop on over and see what it is all about.  

Happy Quilting!!!!

Tricia

Doily Love!!!

I am really loving these two quilts.  There are a couple of reasons that I love them so much.  I love to look at them and I love that the doilies on them are made by my Great-grandmother.  I love that I could take my love of quilting and add my Great-grandmothers love of crocheting doilies and put it together.  Several years ago my mom gave me a stack of these precious doilies and then I saw a quilt using doilies in a quilt magazine and right then I knew that I had to make it.  The first one  I made for my mom and she absolutely loved it.  She then asked me if I would make another for her sister (my aunt).  I hope that this heirloom will be cherished for a long time.  I do have a lot more doilies, so I think I see some more of these quilts in the future.

Happy Quilting!!!

Tricia

What an Honor!!!

I live in a really great place.  In the beginning I didn't think so, but I have come to love the place that I have called home for almost 22 years.  The place where I had 6 children.  The place where they were born, went to school, played many sports, participated in 4-H and grew (2 so far into adults). The place where I have learned and grown myself.  The place where I found my passion in quilting.  I have met and associated with many great people here.  Many opportunities have come to me here that I may have not found anywhere else.  This place that I call home has a piece of my heart.

Towards the end of July I received a phone call from a member of the Heber City 125th anniversary planning committee.  She told me about a big celebration they were planning to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of this fine town.  She explained that they wanted a quilt for the occasion.  One that would show some of the history and character of the city.  They wanted to commission someone to do that.  They asked me.  What an honor. 

 

I thought about this quilt a lot.  I was trying to decide how I wanted this quilt to be.  I wanted it to be amazing.   One of the kickers of this arrangement was that time was limited.   The Celebration was set for September 13 and it was already a week into August when I got final word on what specifically wanted for the quilt.  Once I got all of the information I could really start planning and working.  Time was my main issue.  It was at the end of the summer.  I was trying to get my kids ready for school (one of which was starting her Freshman year of college at the University 2 hours away.)  So the day that school started I really started in earnest to make this quilt.  I had three weeks to pull this off.  I was working two other part time jobs, taking care of my family and trying to fit in the quilt making.

Well, it was three crazy weeks.  I ate, drank and slept quilting.  I pulled many late nights and even an all nighter  to get it done it time.  I did it and I am pleased with the results.  

It was first hung in the Tabernacle and then they decided that for the day the visitors would see it better outside.  It was a great celebration.  I love this little town of mine!

Tricia

Small Town Quilt Show - In a Big Town Way

Yep...  It's true.  I will be teaching at Small Town Quilt Show in a Big Town Way. 

I am very excited about this and I have a really fun quilt that I have designed to teach at the event.  There will also be lots of other teachers there as well.  The show will be held in the beautiful Heber Valley at the Zermatt Resort in Midway, Utah.

This is the quilt that I designed..  I think this would look great in any home and in many color ways.  If you want to attend this class or just check out what is going on at the show. 

Click here  A Small Town Quilt Show in a Big Town Way.

So... what are you waiting for?  Go register. :)

Happy Quilting!!!

 I hope to see you there.

Design Challenge

I recently participated in a design challenge through my local guild - The Heber Valley Quilters.

As I was working on this years challenged, I reflected on years past when I have participated in this fun yearly event. 

I have been a member of my local guild since 2003.  Since that time I have participated in the design challenge 5 times.  It has been fun to look back and also remember the quilts that I designed for this event

as well as all of the wonderful quilts designed and made by the talented ladies in my guild.

This year the challenge was to design a quilt using half square triangles that we traded with other members of the guild.  So I ended up with 18 pairs of half square triangles that were all different.  The rules were that we had to use all of those mismatched triangle pieces and then add at least one other size of half square triangles to the design.  The finished size was to be at least 20" x 20".

So... this is what I designed.  I like how it turned out!

I am trying hard to remember what years that I did the rest of the quilts.  I really can't.  I guess that is why quilt labels are so important.

The first challenge that I participated in must have been in 2004.  Because it was before my 5th child was born and he was born in 2005.  The challenge of this quilt was very simple.  They passed around a bag of all different candy bars and we were to grab one out without looking.  We were to then design a quilt using some aspect of that candy bar. (This really pushed our creative limits.)

Here is the quilt that I designed.

Can you guess what candy bar I picked out?

...BUTERFINGER!!!


My idea for this quilt came from my children and their little fingerprints that they leave everywhere.  Each one of their hands are represented on a block that I traced each one of their hands and then appliqued the shape onto the block.  I had each of them write their name and then embroidered that image.  Instead of binding it like a normal quilt, I thought it would be fun to frame it.  It is a fun keepsake.

I am trying so hard to remember what year this challenge quilt was made.  I really don't remember, but I think it was the second that I did for the design challenge.  Everyone who wanted to participate in the challenge swapped charm squares.   This was before you could buy the commercial charm packs.  So for a few months our assignment was to bring precut squares to trade.  The challenge was to design a quilt that was a "charm quilt", meaning that each piece of fabric in the quilt was different.  A true charm quilt.  

Mine was very basic.  As I remember I needed to make something that was quick so I made a small quilt that had 144 different fabrics, each one a 1 1/2" square.

This took a lot longer than I thought it would.  Cutting out all of those small squares out of different fabrics and then piecing them together one by one.

The next quilt is one of my favorites.  The theme for this challenge was "Everything I need to learn I learned in Quilt Guild."  The rules were simple.  We could use anything that we had learned in quilt guild to make this quilt.  We also had a group that did Round Robins every year.  I had not yet jumped onto that bandwagon, but I liked the idea, so that was the premise for my design.  I wanted the Round Robin look.  The center of the quilt was a crooked pieced Buggy Barn style heart.  (Both methods that I learned at quilt guild.)  A checkerboard border, which was one of my favorite designs at the time.  Then, the final border I did hand applique, which I also learned how to do at quilt guild.

Another quilt that I designed for the design challenge was a brown monotone log cabin quilt.  I don't remember the exact details of this challenge.  Each person participating got assigned an earth, wind, water or fire theme for the quilt.  Our quilts would reflect each of these themes.  Each month for several months we would get the next assignment for designing the quilt.  The only one that I remember is that one of the months we had to add beads to the design.  I didn't get this one totally finished.  I don't remember why. It is still sitting in a stack of quilts that need to be quilted.  One of these days....

Do you belong to a guild that hosts a design challenge?  If not, suggest it.  It is a lot of fun!


Happy Quilting!!!!!

Tricia

Quilting Class

So I have been teaching a quilting class to some ladies at my church.  I designed a quilt with twelve 9 patch blocks.   They have been doing a great job. Here are some pictures of what they have started.  I think they are going to turn out great.

I had to show this crazy friendship star.  This is what happens when you sew the last row on backwards.  I did this.  I don't think I have ever done this before.  

New pattern - The Go-To Bag!

I just completed a new pattern.  This is new for Quilt Bug Creations - it isn't a quilt.  It is a Go-To Bag.  This is a fun bag to have for anyone who is on the go.  The bag is designed to stock with items that you may need on the go.  This is a bag that you can keep in the car or toss in your suitcase.  You can keep anything that you want in it - wet wipes, hand sanitizer, lotion, nail clippers, bandages, safety pin ect.  The list could include just about anything that you may need.  It has 6 zip top bags sewn into it so that all of those things can be organized. The great thing is that you don't have to carry it all in your purse. You can purchase and immediately download this pattern on my Craftsy Store by clicking on the link that is posted at the top left side of my Blog.

Nine Patch Quilt

I have been asked to teach a basic quilting class for some of the ladies at church.  

This is the quilt I have designed for the class.  It has 12 nine patch blocks  and applique.  

It should be fun.  A pattern will be available to purchase shortly at my shop on etsy.

A closer look at the Table runners

I have a Holiday Runners Pattern and a Seasonal Runners Pattern.  Each contains instructions to complete four different runners.  The Holiday Runners pattern includes - Halloween, Christmas, Valentines Day and Easter.  The Seasonal Runners pattern includes - Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.

Halloween

Winter

Spring

Fall

Christmas

Easter

Summer

Valentine's Day

I realized that the pictures on my seasonal and holiday runner patterns don't show a very close up view, so I am posting some close up pictures.  You can purchase these patterns on my etsy shop at the Quilt Bug Creations Shop on Etsy or my Craftsy shop.  

At the Fair

This is my daughter Ashley who is13 years old.  When we were at the State Fair last year she decided to buy  a fat quarter of this crazy animal print for their Fat Quarter challenge.  The challenge was to design a quilt using that crazy animal print.  So she did and won a 1st place ribbon and some gift certificates to some local quilt stores.  She bought another fat quarter for next year, so it will be fun to see what she comes up with.(Her quilt is the one in the top left corner)

Ashley also made this quilt.  She won a sweepstakes award in the 4H competition at both the county and state fairs.

Way to go Ashley!!!

As we walked into the Home Arts Department at the State Fair, we were so excited to see Katelyn's (15 years old) quilt hanging from the rafters with a big purple bow on it - She won the youth sweepstakes award.  She and I designed this quilt together.  

This split nine patch is Becca's first quilt.  She is just turned nine years old and she  made it all by herself.  She even sewed the binding on by hand and did an awesome job.  She entered into the 4H department in the county fair and won a sweepstakes ribbon.  She then got to enter it at the state fair and won a blue ribbon.  Not bad for her first quilt.

Cruising with Riley Blake

So...a few weeks ago I entered my Spring quilt into a contest sponsored by Riley Blake Designs.  To my surprise I made it into the top ten and now the online voting begins.  You can only vote once from each computer or other device.  Go to www.rileyblakedesigns.com to vote. I would love to have your vote.

Table Runner Patterns

I had four cute fat quarters that I bought  just because I like them.  After I got home I thought to myself, "Why did I buy these?"  I had no idea what I was going to do with them.  I hated to cut them up too much because they were such fun prints.  So I laid them out and  was looking at them and the thought came to me that I could just cut them into wide strips and sew them together and then  I could still enjoy the darling fabric.
And, of course there had to be applique involved, so I appliqued a flower to each end and it was so easy.  At the time I was serving as the president of my quilt guild and each month I would show a fast and easy project for the guild to do.  This was the perfect project for that.
It turned out to be a very popular project and groups were getting together to do them.
This is also a great project for beginners because the quilting can be done by stitching on each side of the seams.  With four fat quarters (and maybe a few scraps) you can make a table runner.  You can purchase these patterns on either my Craftsy or Etsy Shop.

Make a Wish!!!

I am excited to share one of my newest pattern designs.
"Make a Wish" is a wall quilt that you can
put up on Birthdays. It can be personalized as well
by making individual mini quilts with the persons name
on it on tying it onto the buttons that cover the word you.
HaPpY BiRtHdAy to YoU!!!

HMQS Riley Blake Design Challenge

A couple of Friends and I entered the Riley Blake Challenge at the Home Machine Quilting Show held in Salt Lake City, UT a few weeks ago. The Challenge was that we had to design and make a quilt using 10 fat quarters from Isabella fabric line.
So about 10 days before they were due in, we started creating. We spent many hours creating this quilt.
I got a call the day that the awards were being announced and was asked to come to the show. So we figured that we had won something. I never would have thought that we would take 1st place. Yea for us!!! The quilt raised $850 in an auction for the charity organization Lifting Liberia.

Welcome!!!

Hello and welcome to Quilt Bug Creations!!!

I am so excited to start a Blog about quilting.

  I am a little obsessed with quilting.  It is not

much that I am always quilting, but rather, I think

about it a lot.  A little over a year ago I started 

designing some seasonal quilts for the ladies

in my local guild.  I had so much fun doing it

that I decided to start selling patterns. Below are

my seasonal quilt patterns.