Learning From Gammill Quilt Artist, Sharon Blackmore

I recently had the opportunity to interview Gammill Quilt Artist and long arm quilter extraordinaire, Sharon Blackmore of Love Shack Quilts, Sharon is a local long arm quilter, specializing in custom quilting, and is the host of the Prairie Quilt Militia and How do I Quilt This? Facebook group.

Sharon has been free motion quilting for about 20 years and long arm quilting (always on a Gammill) for about 12 of those years. Her secret to her amazing quilting is that she quilts every day. Yes, practice definitely makes progress towards perfection!

Sharon loves to challenge herself and this is also how she has improved her skills over the years. She believes that it’s important to challenge yourself and try projects outside your comfort zone to improve your quilting skills. Recently she has been quilting on leather and cork and the results are incredible!

As a Gammill Quilt Artist, Sharon has been teaching in Canada and the US on the Quilting with Confidence tour. Sharon loves teaching and appreciates the opportunity to learn from the other Gammill insructors on the tour.

The Rebel, designed and quilted by Sharon Blackmore

Click on the image below to learn more about Sharon and her quilting journey.

After we filmed this interview, Sharon and I recorded several more videos where Sharon shared quilting tips and advice on free motion quilting and went in-depth on how she quilted several of her quilts. These videos are available exclusively for members of The Quilter’s Way. Not yet a member, check it out here.

Click here to learn more about the Prairie Quilt Militia and the How do I Quilt This? groups.

Creatively,

P.S. Are you serious about improving your quilting? Do you want to connect with other committed quilters in a supportive, safe environment?  If you answered “yes” to these questions, you need to join The Quilter’s Way. The Quilter’s Way is the only quilting membership site that includes both training and an active, supportive online community. Don’t wait another day! Join now.

P.P.S. Did you know that you can sign up to receive emails full of FREE quilting goodness? Click here to receive FREE content directly in your email inbox every few weeks from Chatterbox Quilts. I know you'll be glad you did!

P.S. I am an Amazon affiliate and, if you purchase items by clicking through the links in this post, I will receive a small amount of commission. This doesn’t cost you any more $$$, but helps me to continue creating free content for you. Thanks!

Book Review - Shape by Shape Collection 2

Welcome to the last Telecast Thursday of August 2017! We've had 5 Telecast Thursday blogposts this month!

I can't believe that summer is waning and fall is just around the corner. The cooler weather brings a return to quilting and a great time to brush up on your free motion skills.

This week I'm taking a look at Shape by Shape Collection 2 from Angela Walters. Angela has amazing free motion skills and she shares them in her most recent book. 

What I like about this book is that she provides you with ideas on how to quilt different shapes: circles, triangles, squares, etc. It's always challenging to decide what to put in this geometric areas, but Angela gives you lots of choices. She also provides variations on the designs for each section. 

The book is well laid out with an index of the quilting designs in it right at the front of the book. It has lots of clear photographs and instructions on how to create each design. 

Learn more about Shape by Shape Collection 2 by watching the video below or on my YouTube channel.

Shape by Shape Collection 2 by Angela Walters is a good reference book to have in the free motion quilting section of your library: lots of creative designs and clear instructions on how to stitch them.

Do you have a "go to" book that you use for free motion quilting designs? Leave me a Comment below letting me know its title. 

Creatively,

P.S. I'd love to have you join me and other quilters in the private Chatterbox Quilts' Facebook group. Learn and discuss quilting topics with this engaging group.

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this blogpost and I will receive a small monetary compensation if you purchase by clicking through these links. Thank you for allowing me to continue to create FREE information for you.

Telecast Thursday - Organic Feathers on the Handi Quilter Infinity

This Telecast Thursday I'm playing with feathers on my Handi Quilter Infinity.

I love the look of elegant feathers, but haven't mastered the technique of creating perfect feathers - yet! Remember, practice makes perfect. In the meantime I'll settle for just creating some type of feather and am enjoying stitching free motion organic feathers. There's no stress to make them perfect and it's a very creative and freeing form of quilting.

Watch the video below or on my Youtube channel to see how I quilt out this free flowing design.

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to receive automatic notifications when new videos are posted. You can also click on the Chatterbox Quilts logo in the lower right corner on the video itself to subscribe. If you like what you see, please share my videos with your fellow creatives.

How are you doing with quilting feathers? Leave me a comment below to let me know your favourite type of feather to stitch and any tips you may have for me.

Creatively,

Telecast Thursday - Circle Variations with the Handi Quilter Infinity

Welcome to another Telecast Thursday! This week I'm getting loopy on my HQ Infinity. I'll show you how to take simple circles and create more intricate loop designs with them. These are easy for even beginner quilters to accomplish and you can do them on your long-arm or domestic sewing machine.

You can watch the video below or on my Youtube channel to see how simple it is to create these designs.

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to receive automatic notifications when new videos are posted. You can also click on the Chatterbox Quilts logo in the lower right corner on the video itself to subscribe. Please share my videos with your fellow creatives.

Leave me a comment below to tell me how your loopy quilting is coming along.

Creatively,

Telecast Thursday - Real Quilting: The Learning Curve

It's Telecast Thursday and I'm addressing another "Real Quilting" topic.

I've been enjoying playing and learning on my Handi Quilter Infinity, but there is definitely a learning curve with this machine. As with most new sewing or quilting machines there are many different functions and it does take time to become completely familiar with all - or even some - of them. While it can seem overwhelming to use a new machine, it is essential that you spend the time to learn about it so you will use it. It's just this issue that I am addressing in the video below.

You can watch the video on my Youtube channel.

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to receive automatic notifications when new videos are posted. You can also click on the Chatterbox Quilts logo in the lower right corner on the video itself to subscribe. Remember to like and share my videos with your fellow creatives.

I hope I've inspired you to overcome your fears about learning to use a new machine or tool. Let me know how you handle this situation by leaving a comment below.

Creatively,