Longarm quilting in Europe

Stop in for a tour of my new sewing studio away from home. It took me weeks to get set up, but now it does feel welcoming enough. Still, I never use the fluorescent lights as they spoil my mood and the colors. Three cheers for the design wall and pretty wall quilts!

Finally I am entering the moving homestretch. I have one week left of “normal life” after which it is time to put everything in boxes, no exceptions. Well, you can imagine then how good it feels that I am totally caught up on quilting customer quilts. Plus, that means that I have some pretty things to share with you!

I always feel so grateful to collaborate in the quilting stage on someone’s special project. Each quilt that comes through my studio reminds me again of all the possibilities that quilt-making offers. There is so much yet to discover. Shall we have a little quilt show?

Greetings from America! I am a long ways from my quilting studio, but we can take a virtual visit there together. I have some fun images to share with you of projects I finished for clients before packing my bags. Each of these fresh, modern quilts was a pleasure to get to see in person and to see transformed via quilting into something even more special. Enjoy!

Look at that - it’s the 50th edition of my longarm quilting service series! Since I write these updates less than once per month, that means I have been at this longarm quilting gig for more than 50 months. I am actually surprised to realize that it’s been so long! The year do fly by.

I LOVE it when a quilt is finally finished. It feels so good to witness the transformation of pretty patchwork into a three-dimensional, useful object. How lucky then that I am a longarm quilter! Not only do I now enjoy this stage of my own quilt-making (instead of dreading the quilting), but I get to live vicariously through the finishes of my clients.

How is it going in your sewing room? Are you starting a quilt, finishing a quilt or finding yourself everywhere in between? As a longarm quilter I get to see the final phase of so many quilts, which is truly an inspiration to me as a maker.

Welcome back to my quilting studio! In January I was busy, busy catching up and somehow it is already mid-February? Time moves on like a train. Let’s catch up on a few of the projects I have been quilting for my customers.

Today is a special edition of “in the Quilting Studio” because all of the quilts that I will share are from the hand of one talented maker. Sabine Hofferer is a regular longarm quilting customer, on Instagram as @la_boite_a_couleur. She loves sewing with bright, vibrant colors and especially favors fabrics that feature the art of Charley Harper.

Is it the end of October already? Boy does time fly when you’re having fun! I hope that you have been enjoying these cozy, fall quilt-making days if you also find yourself in the northern hemisphere. I have had the pleasure of helping my European clients finish off a fresh batch of their beautiful quilts. Here are several that I am lucky to share with you this month.

Since I returned from summer vacation, my longarm business has been busy. How nice! Thank you to each quilt-maker who has chosen to entrust me with his or her quilt. I know that it means so, so, soooo much to you, and it is my honor to get to be part of your creative process in this way. Today I will highlight a few favorites that have come through my studio this summer. Enjoy the mini quilt show!

This week my longarm has been at rest. That’s no surprise - as things always slow down in the quilting studio in the summertime. The warm weather beckons us all away from our sewing machines and out into the world where inspiration awaits. July will be a quiet month, I think, but in June I was still busy quilting. Come see some favorites from my customers! Two are English paper pieced wonders - ideal for sewing away from home.

This season has been busy in my longarm quilting studio. Quilts are zipping in and out at a pleasant pace, which means that there is lots to share with you. Today three lovely quilts that are as different as can be!

Today’s Quilting Studio update is all about a special custom quilting project. I recently longarm quilted a large bed quilt for one of my most prolific quilting clients, Primrose Bohne. Would you like to see how the quilting plan developed and quilted out?

Completing a quilt top is like reaching the top of a mountain. The outlook is exhilarating! But soon it is time to descend, only the work of basting and quilting aren’t quite as easy as walking downhill. I really love that my service as a longarm quilter puts me in the position of helping fellow quilt-makers. I have the equipment to make the descent a pleasure, and as a team we can accomplish something pretty amazing, like these finished quilts!

This January my head has been full of new quilts, and maybe it is the same with my clients! This is a nice time of year to turn towards something fresh and shiny for a mid-winter boost. Today’s quilts were quilted in 2022 during the holiday season. It’s a pleasure to share them with you!

Winter has arrived in Europe, with temperatures in the past week rarely rising above freezing. It seems that the cold weather has spurred quilt makers to get busy, because I have received a flurry of quilting orders. Here are some stunners I’ve been blessed to quilt this year. Enjoy the show!

Unpacking client quilts tops is so often a fantastic surprise. The colors, shapes and fabrics are a delight to see in person. How lucky I am to take part in their transformation into textured, cozy quilts! Come see what I’ve been quilting lately.

As I gathered images for today’s In the Studio update, I noticed a theme - bright and modern. These quilts use bright colors and/or oversized motifs, in a way that connects to the modern quilting movement. Please enjoy these beautiful quilts sewn by my customers in The Netherlands and Germany.

Custom quilting a sampler quilt like this is SO much fun, especially when the maker gives me free rein to explore. When I quilt a project like this, I don’t plan everything in advance. Instead, I feel my way through the project, starting with a collection of possible designs.

Between Pas de Deux and my longarm quilting services, you all are keeping me pleasantly busy, and for that I am grateful. Let’s catch up on some of the quilts I’ve had the opportunity to finish on my longarm quilting machine this year from.

Christine’s La Passacaglia illustrates the fact that custom quilting is not the default for every special project. Here, all over quilting compliments the swirling, turning style of the patchwork and thoroughly reinforces seams, while not stealing any of the spotlight from her incredible patchwork masterpiece!

Wow have I been BUSY in November and December with longarm quilting! Todays quilts run the gamet from minimalist to maximalist. I hope you’re inspired by these lovely creations by fellow readers.

On sunny days, I absolutely love to begin in the studio, basting and setting up a fresh project for longarm quilting. Not every day is so picture perfect, of course. But this one, which began with a fresh autumn bouquet and plenty of light, was one I knew I must share with you!

My longarm has been busy, busy, busy lately! Come see some rainbow-themed projects that I've been blessed to quilt in recent weeks. May your rainy days be filled with color!

Happy September! I love this time of year - the return to routine after busy days of summer, sweaters and jeans, apple picking, leaves changing and gatherings around the fire. Here’s a collection of fun, modern quilts I’ve recently had the pleasure of longarm quilting.

While I’m away from the studio, it’s the perfect time to reflect on some of the quilts I’ve recently longarm quilted. Today’s round up includes a very summery fun quilt, a special custom-quilted mini and a few quilts with new-to-me quilting designs for all-over quilting.

From modern to classic, from colorful rainbow quilts to minimalistic neutral ones - I give quilts of all styles a hearty welcome in my longarm quilting studio. In fact, the diversity of the quilts that I get to see is part of what I love about this business.