Hello, Again!

It’s been a while since I blogged about our life changes, moving to Hawaii and then returning to the mainland to Naples, Florida. We are either Hobbits or Gypsies, we haven’t decided yet. I’ve shared photos of quilts I’ve made or those treasures I quilted for others.

However, this site had limited space and we have wanted to include a web store front to compliment our blog. I had a worldwide audience, but no real way to deliver products. Now, I am expanding to offer digital quilts and embroidery designs for a large number of machine formats.  Because of the growth of my long-arm quilting services, we are taking on a new adventure which to offer embroidery services. We didn’t stop there though, my husband has taken the opportunity to retire as a CPA and use his wide array of technology skills to add design and digitizing for quilting and embroidery machines, giving us a world wide presence for our brand of products and services.  He also built this site completely by himself integrating numerous plugins for email campaigns and eCommerce.

What this is all leading to is that we now have a much better internet presence than before, offering products that can be ordered and shipped, delivered as downloads, or as a virtual service.  Without further adieu, let us say hello again and we look forward to hearing from you.  If you are new to The Beachy Quilter or have not signed up for our newsletter, we urge you so that you can receive our newsletter filled with coupons and FREE stuff, such as free pattern downloads, videos, etc.

I hope you will visit me again at https://thebeachyquilter.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs and Kisses Block 4

Hello all! Here is a promise of Spring for those still digging out of snow!

I am re-blogging a post today from Simple Bird Studio. I was thrilled to be asked to quilt this beautiful top made by new friend, Joyce using an applique pattern called Peggy’s Puzzle! She won a 3rd place ribbon in the Naples Quilt Show this past February!

What are you sewing for Spring?

Be happy wherever you are!
Tracy

Simple Bird Applique

Before I post pictures of Block 4 of Hugs and Kisses, I want to show you something really special.  Joyce Dickens-Loffree from Naples, Florida sent me these photos of her quilt, which won a ribbon at her guild’s show.  Do you recognize it?  The pattern is Peggy’s Puzzle, a free pattern available on my website.  I am so honoured that Joyce chose to make this quilt.  Congratulations on a spectacular finish.  And the label is a wonderful addition.

Block 4 of Hugs and Kisses is a nice, simple block.  I am thoroughly enjoying making this quilt for a second time.

As I mentioned, I am making this quilt again, but in browns and pinks.  For some reason, I have a rather substantial amount of both brown and pink in my stash.  So I thought this would be a good time to use some of these fabrics up.  Even the…

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Quilt Shop Discovery

We’ve been in Florida “officially” since May 15 and would you believe that I just now went to the local quilt shop in Naples?!? What?!?

Is that some will power or what!? Actually, since the longarm wasn’t re-assembled and we had house hunting, then furniture hunting, then wall painting, then company…well, there just wasn’t enough left in me to look for a quilt shop. Fear not, however, I knew where it was! As always, my thanks to Mr. Google! 😉

Flash Quilt and Sew is in our new favorite part of town…conveniently located near The Home Depot, Bed, Bath and Beyond, the bank, and other necessity type retail establishments! Flash Quilt & Sew is a Janome and Baby Lock dealer.

Mr. G suggested we stop in on our way back home from a quick shopping trip! Yes! 🙂

The classroom is as large as the shop space! I recently joined the Naples Quilters Guild and they meet here once a month to work on charity quilts!

Here is some additional eye candy from the classroom!

Flash Sew and Quilt has a second location in Ft Meyers. Click here for their website.

I think I can find just about all I need in our new home!

Do you have a new quilt shop discovery!? Let me know! 🙂

 

 

The Artistry of Sheena Norquay, Part 3 — Scottish Highlands Collection

Last of this series. This has been so interesting to read!
I hope you enjoyed the talents of Sheena Norquay. I can’t wait to get back to creating!

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Sheena Norquay’s Scottish Highlands Collections were inspired by the colours of mountains, forests, moorlands, and lochs of the Scottish Highlands as well as native animals such as Highland cows, Red squirrels and Red deer.

The colors are rich and vibrant and well represented in 2 small boxes — 1 in 50wt and 1 in Aurifloss.

The colours are:
2309 (cream), 2612 (pale blue/grey), 2566 (light mauve), 6735 (dark mauve), 2885 (dark green), 1246 (grey), 2775 (dark blue), 2155 (rust brown), 2975 (ochre), & 1147 (light green).

Please visit The Artistry of Sheena Norquay, Part 1 for more details + the full interview with Sheena.

GIVEAWAY
To enter-to-win the two Scottish Highlands collections by Sheena Norquay, please leave us a comment on this post letting us know which of Sheena’s pieces below is your favorite and why. Entry will close at 11:59pm on Friday, August 18 and a winner will be…

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The Artistry of Sheena Norquay, Part 2 — The Beach Collection

Well, I’m not gonna lie…I love everything in this post!
Sit back and enjoy!

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Sheena Norquay’s Beach Collection was inspired by the colours of shells, stones, pebbles, sea glass and sand. It is a box of 12 Large Spools of 50wt thread.

The Colours are:
2524 (light blue/purple), 2564 (light pink/lilac), 4150 (yellow variegated)
1248 (dark blue/purple), 2311 (cream), 2375 (peach)
2610 ((dark grey/blue), 2312 (light beige), 2340 (light rust)
2615 (light grey), 2805 (light turquoise), 2326 (dark beige)

Please visit The Artistry of Sheena Norquay, Part 1 for more details + the full interview with Sheena.

GIVEAWAY
To enter-to-win The Beach Collection by Sheena Norquay, please leave us a comment on this post letting us know which of Sheena’s pieces below is your favorite and why. Entry will close at 11:59pm on Friday, August 18 and a winner will be announced here on Saturday, August 19. This giveaway is open to all of our International friends!

INTERVIEW (con.)
Tell us about The Beach…

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The Artistry of Sheena Norquay, Part 1

I know,…I know…it’s been a L-O-N-G time since I blogged! I promise we are alive and well here in Naples, Florida! Our move from Kauai in May has kept us busy with finding a home, getting our things shipped from Hawaii, buying new furniture and beach combing. We’ve been in our new home just over a month now and things are starting to gel. We have even had a weekend visit from the grandsons with their mom and dad! Yes, Stella the Statler made the trip just fine. She is getting a spa treatment (reassembled) this weekend! In light of that fact, I’m sew ready!! I have things to share but this article seemed to be the push I needed to get on with it!
This Scottish lady hits all my favs right now…the beach and the soon-to-be-aired Season 3 of Outlander! Enjoy!

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I first met Sheena Norquay shortly after I started working with Aurifil, a mere 4 years into my time in this industry. Up until that time, I’d never seen anything quite like her work and was immediately taken with her artistry, her vision, and her undeniable quilting genius. She is adventurous in her work, always up for trying something new, while remaining meticulous and measured in her experimentation. Every time she creates a new piece, she sends along thoughts on that piece… what she tried and why, which threads were used, and what she thought about the process. It is both fascinating and breath-taking and I’m excited to share some of that with you over the next few days.

In the last year, Sheena has released 3 new collections… 2 last Fall and one just this past Spring. Each collection has its own voice, its own purpose, and its own…

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Finishing 3rd

With another move ahead of us, I am going to finish up some UFO’s before we disassemble the Gammill and pack up the fabric stash.

The house is in good shape from repairs, cleaning, etc. for the appraiser and we enjoyed having friends over on Sunday for brunch. I had several bits of time this past week to get this UFO top complete. It is the 3rd of 4 projects from last summer’s retreat with Jenny Doan. These were the blocks I made at the retreat…the pattern is “Chopped Block” and can be found in the MSQC magazine BLOCK, Late Summer 2014 Vol. 1, issue 4. The fabrics are from jelly strips in the Desert Rose collection by Island Batik.

With all the blocks made, here was the design laid out (hung up?!) on the design wall…

The next step was to sew the blocks into rows…then sew the rows together.

I used my super (cheap-o) row numbering pins to keep from losing my (mind) place…

as I sewed the rows together…

And now the last side of the outer border is sewn on…the end is close!!

A little pressing and ta-da!!! One almost queen sized FINISHED quilt top!! Woohoo!! 🙂

It measures approx. 81 x 90…a generous full size but add another row and it would easily fit this queen bed. The pattern stated it would finish 82 x 93″…well, close enough! Finishing the 3rd project is better than perfectly sized. Once it is quilted, bound, and washed…it will be so super soft and warm…and perfect for someone! 😉

It is so colorful and bright after a gray, rainy weekend! Now to get the backing fabric and batting so I can let the quilting magic happen! I hope your Monday was just as productive!

Have a great week!

Aloha!

 

 

Kauai Quilt Show 2017-Part 2

As promised, here are some pictures taken at random of the show! Enjoy!

This year, we have storefront windows for display! Sorry for the glare on the glass, but what a lovely presentation! Left to right – all are donations quilts for sale!

Get ready to be dazzled!! 🙂

Pretty awesome, right?! My apologies to the artists whose quilts I missed. Some were sold before I could get a picture!

I hope you enjoy the pictures, but the quilts are so much more vibrant in person! Please visit as soon as you can! The show runs through February 22!

Aloha!

 

 

Kauai Quilt Show 2017

The Kauai Quilt Show 2017 will be from February 10-22 at the Kukui Grove Shopping Center, Lihue at the Kauai Society of Artists location. Thank you KSA for allowing us the use of your space.

Here are a few photos from this year’s setup…thanks to all the volunteers!

We are in a new space this year so the layout was carefully planned.

The poles are going up as quilts are being delivered!

Quilts being checked in.

Each quilt is labeled and numbered.

Once labeled, they are ready to hang!

Measuring, lighting is adjusted, hanging & rearranging quilts…busy, busy, busy!

2 of 3 baskets of donation quilts tagged and ready for sale!

Every quilt entered will be displayed…these are waiting for their spot.

I’ll post more pictures tomorrow of the final setup. It came together great and will be an awesome show! We have over 70 quilts and 20+ donation quilts. Various quilts are for sale and there will be Viewer’s Choice awards.

I hope you can attend! Admission is free!

Aloha!

 

 

Got Batiks?

Happy New Year! Can you believe we are already a week into it!? I have been busy quilting and preparing for our upcoming trip to Okinawa, Japan! I can’t wait to share it with you when we return!
Today, I am sharing the Aurifil blog about Island Batiks and their new Fall/Winter 2016 collection. I love these fabrics and thought with all the cold wintry weather occurring in almost every state this past weekend, you might need a fabric fix!
Enjoy!

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Welcome to our Fall/Winter edition of Island Batik Week!! We’re so excited to partner with this wonderful company once again to present a variety of new fabric lines along with the coordinating Aurifil thread collections. We’ll be featuring one designer every day and each post will offer a fabric + thread giveaway, so make sure to come back daily to learn more about our talented designers and to enter-to-win some gorgeous prizes!

To learn about Island Batik and the batik process, please visit their website. For a peek at the full range of Fall/Winter 2016 releases, in-stores now, click here or on the image below to browse the catalog.

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Deep Purples, greens and magentas are beautifully represented in Kathy Engle’s  Coastal…

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