Karen: I kept thinking about all of the colors of the southern Appalachians and tried to put them in this quilt - sometimes
​the forests are so dark and close together, and then, there will be a little patch of light on the forest floor.

     Karen: I made this quilt for my husband. He is a herpetologist (from Greek "herpein" meaning "to creep"); herpetologists study and teach about reptiles and amphibians. At the moment, my husband studies salamanders in the southern Appalachians and a critically endangered frog in Mississippi called the Mississippi gopher frog. We’ve been married more than 20 years, and during that time, I have spent a lot of time helping him study salamanders and frogs. 
      The fabric in this quilt is frog fabric I’ve collected over the last few years. I’ve also included dragonfly fabric because dragonflies use the same habitats that many species of frogs use. I also like dragonflies – a lot. The quilt itself represents the ephemeral ponds and wetlands where many species of frogs live. These are wet areas at the interface of water and land. I chose the “wedding vine” quilting pattern because, like any marriage, ours has had its ups and downs. Also, when you’re out catching frogs, you’re often creeping through vines and underbrush.

Jun 23: First contact.
Jun 25: Selected Wedding Vine pattern. Wants Magnifico thread.
Jun 27: Quilt arrived.
Jul 07: Measured & photographed. Slight problem to work out.
​Jul 24: Done. Prepping.
​Jul 25: Backing is prepped ready to load.
Jul 28: Top is prepped. Took care of a slight issue.
Jul 30: Programmied. Couldn't do overlay.
​Aug 01: I use PIXLR to do the overlays. For two days I have not been able to get it to work. This morning, it is back. Great online tool! So now Karen & I both know we have the density she wants. Decided on Magnifico #2138 Lakota Blue thread.
Aug 02: I am glad Karen is no hurry. Got the back loaded. The batting is cut & loaded ready to baste after I wind a slew of bobbins. My vacuum was not working so well so I took it apart and cleaned it including washing parts that required 24 hours to dry. Darn...should have cleaned up the area around the work table and longarm so I could proceed.
Aug 03: Wound most of the bobbins I will need. Everything is loaded ready to quilt.
​Aug 04-06: Quilting. Finished.
Aug 07: Decided to order boxes for the super sized quilts that have dominated my work lately. Karen doesn't mind waiting so it is time.

These quilts are commissioned by my neighbors, Tina Wiggins & Denise Munday, for a set of twin beds in their cabin.
The only difference will be the backings. 

Oct 2015: While working on the Grey & Grey, Please quilt ideas for Suej, I came across this fabric. Decided it was too cute to pass up so I have purchased enough fabric to make a version of my Red Flannel Quilt, a simple quilt with just three fabrics plus a backing, yet not boring. Ordered the fabrics & can only hope they will really match. If they don't, I'll use them &/or others in a different way.
Oct 07: Fabric shipped.
​Oct 09: Fabric is here & everything matches.
Jun 26, 2018: My neighbor, Tina, just stopped by. She wants me to use the fabrics here to make her a pair of twin no-piece quilts. 
Jun 30: Tina & Denise stopped by. Making progress.
Jul 14: Tina & Denise selected this layout over lots of other options. The quilts will be identical except for the flannel backings. Fabric not on hand is ordered.
​Jul 20: All fabrics came in yesterday & today. All set to start piecing.
​Aug 07: Prewashed. Always a good idea and especially since these quilts will be used by young girls. Flannel backing shrunk a bit too so I am very glad I did this.
Aug 08: The backings are pieced ready to load. The bindings are ready to attach after quilting. The pics are awful but the best I could do. My camera has a mind of its own I can't always master.
Aug 09: Borders cut and ready to sew.
Aug 10: The women chose Acorns and  Oak Leaves for the panto. I choose Bottom Line Silver thread.
Aug 11: Both quilt tops are pieced ready to load.
Aug 12: Presented a couple of overlays at 10" & 7.5" rows for consideration. First quilt is loaded ready to longarm.
Aug 14: Density is settled. Quilting. First quilt done.
Aug 15: Second quilt is loaded ready to quilt.
Aug 16: Quilting in one room, attaching binding in the other, blogging in the third.

Mar 12: I've known about this quilt for over 3 months. It looks way difference from the original idea of 4 patches. Nice Kathy, especially with all the extra work.
​Jun 20: Quilt arrived.
Jun 21: Just found the quilt outside in my rocker. Eeech! Glad it is okay.
Jul 16: Pattern is Ginger Heart. Thread is Magnifico #2003 Snow Flake (i.e. white). Batting is Warm & Plush.
Jul 17: I'll be out awhile. Finished programming so I know how many bobbins to wind. Cut the batting.
​Jul 18: Prepped ready to load. Loading back, batting, top.
Jul 19: Well, I got the bobbins wound & the tension set for plush batting, batik backing, regular cotton top. Geez, I need to get out of this everything going on around me state so I can quilt! Tomorrow morning it continues but hopefully things will settle down after that.
Jul 21: Loaded ready to quilt. Quilting.
Jul 22: Quilted.

May 25: Quilt is here.
May 26: Paula made all her decisions...
May 28: ...and changed them.
Had to order Gold bobbins.  Going with Wedding Vine panto.
May 31: Bobbins are here but not the  size I ordered. Superior Threads has shipped the right order.
Jun 02: Bobbins are here.
Jun 13-14: Programmed IQ. Prepped ready to load.
Jun 15: Loaded ready to quilt.
​Jun 16: Quilting.
Jun 17: Quilted.
Jun 18: Final pictures.

May 01: I suddenly had no water. Time to call David Braswell who dug & has serviced my well since 2003. After the work was done, I started talking to David about a quilt for him. He was more interested in me making quilts for his daughters, Caroline & Alison.
May 23: Caroline & I have been working hard on fabrics & quilt designs with a nautical theme. Yesterday things started to come together & today we finalized the design. I ordered fabric. Waiting to hear from Alison, the 2nd daughter. There is enough Sea Cottage fabric for a second quilt. Would need sashing, border & backing fabrics.
May 24: Fabric is on the way.
​May 26: Fabric is here except one small piece. It is wonderful with a very soft feel.
May 27: Worked out a map for the small squares. Need to help Caroline select a longarming pattern.
May 28: Piecing. Cut the border, backing & strips except for the one not here yet. Still need to cut the sashing.
May 30: Strip sets are together except for the Creme Damask not here yet. The last fabric came in. All 7 strip sets are done & cut in block size sections.
May 31: Got the small blocks done. Will use them to connect the large blocks...tomorrow.
Jun 02: The columns are done.Only the sashing & border remain.
Jun 03: Quilt top is finished. Backing is next.
Jun 04: Caroline is working on choosing her pattern.
Jun 05: The backing is ready to load. Caroline wants the Seashells at 13" rows.
Jun 06: Using Magnifico 2170 Old Lace on the top & in the bobbins. Loaded. Quilting. Forgot to reconnect the power cord after programming so IQ died without a whisper after the first row. She'll be good to go in the morning.
Jun 07: Quilted. Ready to bind.
Jun 08: Squaring the quilt.
Jun 13: Attached the binding. Clipping for hand work.
Jun 20: Binding is done & thus the quilt is done.
Jun 21: Met David at the Linville Post Office to show him the quilt. Together we shipped it to Caroline in Florida.

May 11: I spotted Marsha's quilt on Facebook. A short chat later, Marsha agreed to let me longarm it. She likes my Whispy Feathers plan so I get to see it quilted here long before I piece mine.
May 15: The quilt is here. Pictures do not capture how beautiful it is. Will be using Quilters Dream batting & white Bottom Line thread. Prepped the back including cutting it down to max size 96".
May 16: Had to tweak a few places.
​May 17: Prepped the top. Back & batting are loaded.
May 18: Fussy programmed until I got the look we want. Uh oh. This will take more than 7 hours of quilting time & over 6 bobbins even the density is in the medium range. Everything is loaded ready to quilt. I'll start fresh in the morning.
May 19: I woke up thinking I need to start in the middle of the quilt to get the pattern placement over the side 9-patch areas where we want them. As with all quilts, the real dimensions are never exactly the same as a drawing, e.g. our mutually measured width of quilt was 90" but 91.5 once loaded. Quilting.
May 20: Still quilting. Got the top half done. Shifted to the bottom & completed one more row. Each row takes 50 minutes to quilt. Setup for the next row is taking as long because I am making certain the pattern aligns all the way across the quilt.
​May 21: Quilted.

When I priced potholders (OUCH!) recently, I decided to make my own. The fabric I am using is the first I ever bought back in 2008 from the Marie Osmond line. It is a perfect match to my kitchen rug--mauve & teal..
May 05: Crosshatched mine. Very substantial with 2 layers of Warm & Plush 100% cotton batting and crosshatching. Should probably use cotton thread but I am sticking with Bottomline Gold with Tan bobbins. Using a coordinating cream fabric--2 actually as happens with remnants--for the binding.
May 06: Making a second set for my friend, Van. Her kitchen is black & white. Went to see her with a stash of fabric so she could select what she likes. Using black thread & solid black binding.
May 07: Crosshatched Van's. Made a small test potholder. Binding & loops for hanging are ready to sew. Will machine bind everything.
May 08: Only got one finished. Finding too many other interesting things to distract me.
May 10: Finished my set. Attaching the binding to the black set.
​May 14: Finished the black set.

Apr 09: First contact. Leigh has two 90" wide quilts she wants longarmed this month.
Apr 16: Using Acorns & Oak Leaves.
Apr 19: It's here. The fabric is a tightly woven flannel that is very soft. There are issues with the dimensions I will try to remedy or cope with it. Backing is prepped but still need to trim a bit from the side(s).
Apr 20: Backing is prepped ready to load. Got the batting cut. Leigh selected Magnifico Orange Spice for her thread. We will use Bottom Line Copper (same color as the top) bobbins.
Apr 21: Leigh finalized her density at 11" rows. Prepped the top. My EQ7 rendition was wrong so I tweaked the programming, paying attention to where the pattern falls on the borders. Magnifico requires a larger needle & looser top thread...tension is set. Loaded ready to quilt.
Apr 22: Started quilting. Have a communication error on my system I have never seen before -- IQ stopped talking to the longarm. Once I found them, I wiggled & pushed in 3 wires like the online help said to do & it worked. Scary stuff. Quilting again. 4 rows done leaving 6 for tomorrow.
​Apr 23: Quilted & shipped.