Life in the Scrapatch: My Quilty Life in the Scrapatch

Welcome to My Scrapatch!

I am participating in the

at Geta's Quilting Studio

Geta has posed these questions to those participating
and I have done my best to answer:

List three of your favorite quilting notions:

My newest block, Boston Hub Block

made with the Hex N More Ruler

My 1st block in the Curve It Up Quilt-along

Quick Curve Ruler

My Dresden Square Quilt

made with the Easy Dresden Ruler

Any advice for a successful color scheme of a quilt ?

My Favorite Bed Quilt

My personal favorite is blue, yellow, green and white.
There should be a good contrast between light, medium and dark values.

Some thoughts about thread and needles, batting, fabrics ?
I use only 100% cotton thread. I like to use Aurifil 50/2 in off white which I buy in large cones for piecing and Superior King Tut for quilting which I also buy on the larger cones.
Could you share some tips for easy piecing?
I always check my 1/4 inch seam allowance to make sure my seams are accurate and consistent. I always press and nest seams. I always trim and square units to size as I sew.

Some machine quilting tips- if you are a machine quilter ?

Mini Quilt made with test quilting block for Hugs and Kisses Quilt

I like to always make a sample quilt sandwich with an extra block, a scrap of batting and backing to "test" my planned quilting design and thread. I turn this sample into a mini quilt or pillow or a bag or other useful item.

FMQ on HQ at B'n'P

I quilted my favorite spring bed quilt on the rental at my LQS.

I also learned to use a long-arm at my local quilt shop and like to go in and rent one of their machines for a few hours and do hand guided free motion quilting on large bed quilts. I would love to own one of these beautiful quilting machines. I could happily quilt doodle all day.
Or hand quilting tips - if you are a hand quilter ?

This Fall Table Quilt is completely pieced and quilted by hand

I hand quilt using colored perle cotton embroidery thread
to add detail and color to my hand quilting.
I would love to do more hand quilting but it is difficult for my hands so I enjoy small efforts.

Other tips related to quilting ?

Two posts about straight line and free-motion quilting here
The sewing machine - please share a few things you love at your sewing machine; what makes it special ? What features do you think are the most important to a sewing machine used for quilting?

My Janome 6600p

I have had a Janome 6600p for two years. I love this machine. It has a computerized stitch selection and many extra stitches and feet. It has a stop/start button so I do not have to use a foot pedal. It also has a built in threading lever for easy threading and a push button thread cutter and a knee lever for lifting the presser foot to remove pieced units. As I have arthritis in my hands and knees this is very helpful. This machine also has a heavy duty walking foot for quilting through thick layers. I like to do a lot of straight line quilting. As I also have impaired vision, I think good lighting is important in a sewing machine. This model could have better built-in lights so I supplement the lighting with a gooseneck lamp focused to the are in front of my needle.
Do you have free tutorials on your blog? Share a link to one of your favorites.

Easy Tumbling Blocks

I do ... My Tutorials ... may be found in my header bar at the top of my blog. I have learned so much from other online quilters that I try to give back to help others.
What about modern quilting tools? Quilt software, die cutting systems, other tools? Why do you like them ?
I use Electric Quilt 6 for designing some of my quilts.

Share some tips for organizing the sewing tools, the fabrics, the sewing studio?

My Sewing Room Tonight

Last fall I moved into My New Sewing Room
Since then I have made a few changes to make it more ergonomical by raising the height of my cutting table and pressing board to reduce pain in my back. I have also set up my space to make everything close and convenient. My hubby custom built my new sewing table to the size and height I needed. My next sewing room improvement plan is to put in a padded design wall. Like my quilting, my sewing space is in a constant state of learn as I go.

My New Ergonomic Cutting Table is 34" high
My hubby inserted wood dowels to raise it up and put new caps on the bottom of the legs and leveled it for me.

My New Ergonomic Pressing Board is 35" high
I made this myself with long boards, batting, fabric and a heavy duty stapler. It is long enough to press a WOF and it is moveable so I can set it on my cutting table to press a whole quilt

Could you recommend a book to someone who just started quilting ? A quilting bible ?

Quilting, The Complete Guide

by Darlene Zimmerman

List one or two of your favorite quilting techniques and a tutorial/pattern/book where you learned about them ?

I like this method for making HSTs ... includes a link to where I learned this method. One of the reasons why I like this method is that the cut edges are on the straight grain of the fabric instead of the bias so there is less stretch when sewing them into a quilt.
Do you have a favorite quilt designer ?

My Misty Irish Morning Mystery Quilt

Jessica J.E. Smith at The Quilt and Needle, who hosts the most interesting mystery quilt weekends four times per year. Many of my favorite quilts have started with these mysteries.
Do you have a favorite quilt blogger?
I read many, many blogs ... too many to choose just one ... and I have learned sew much!
Would you like to share one of your favorite quilts, made by you ?

Delectably Twisted

which I made for my daughter on the occasion of her first apartment

Some of My Other Quilts Here

Do you have a favorite quilt, made by other quilter ? (please ask for permission before you post a picture of her/his quilt, or post just a link).

Great Blue Herons

Quilt made by Joanne Baeth

Blogged with permission here

Do you have a favorite online quilt shops ? What makes it special ?

My favorite quilt shop is a local shop which is also an online shop:
Bits'n'Pieces Quilt Shop

:) Good stuff, good sales, good people :)
What would be the perfect gift for your best quilting friend ?

Quilted Key Chains

A handmade gift by me. I like to give and send these keychains to my quilty friends. They may be small but they are made with lots of love.
Please share your failure lessons to encourage the rest of us that we're not alone and quilting is worth the hard lessons along the way.

I am always making mistakes and I keep my seam ripper handy. I try to always learn from my mistakes and just keep sewing.
If there is something else you would like to share with us, please do it. And please tell us a little about you, we would love to know you better.
always have good quilty helpers like ...