As you can tell there haven't been any posting in awhile, so I finally figured out how to get back in here to do some blogging. I have had many quilts to build and quilt and can't wait to post some of pictures. Also, I have been busy helping Jen at Reannalily Designs. She has allowed me to be one of famed testers. I am a little prejudice when helping her - she's my daughter. The above 3 photos are a few of her designs that I have tested. As you can tell I will have several quilts on the design wall waiting to be finished.

In two days we are off to Houston for the annual International Quilt Market (booth 2048). Market is business to business and I learn so much.

I lost one of my emails for awhile and as a result could not respond to customers who where asking about my service. Well here about 3 weeks ago I found that email and answered letters from September. Thank goodness one of the ladies I responded to is close to where I live and was willing to let me quilt her tops (and her friend's top). I think they turned out great. When she saw them she was please as well. Let me show you what Nancy and Terry have turned out.

So it has been awhile since I have taken time to post. I have added some new customers and expanded what I can do with my machine. I went with Jen of Reannalily Designs to the Quilt Market back in October (I know that was ages ago) and found out that there are so many new ideas and products on the market now days. One is Seamingly Accurate, by Reannalily Designs. I was a sales person for Jen. What fun. The vendor across the walk from us (Quilt Woman.com) was a nice representative by the name of Joe from Quilt EZ. He showed us (Jen and I) how easy it is to use templates on a short arm home quilting system. I love what the templates can help you accomplish. So Christmas time brought me several templates that I am now learning to use. Which the learning curve is so short - boy - Quilt EZ is great. I will be posting a sampler of the templates in a few post from now. Really, I will.

Here is a cute children's panel quilt. It is backed with flannel and has a poly batting. It measures 34.5 x 42. This would make a great snuggly quilt for a little bundle of joy.

This is the first Teeshirt quilt that I have had the good fortune to quilt. Thanks to Cassie for letting me do this for her. She did such a wonderful job. All the teeshirts were well stabilized and had a good working diminsion. It was backed with the same material as the sashing. It is my understanding that a loving niece is now the proud owner of this quilt. Thanks again, Cassie.

Only her second quilt but what a beautiful quilt. Such great workmanship. I am honored to be able to share her work with my friends.

Here is a not to good picture of baby Ashlyn's Ladybugs quilt. The material was purchased one of my visits to South Korea. The top is cotton and backed with flannel.

Some breaking News for the faithful followers ---

I am stepping up a notch in the modern world.

I have obtained a web site. http://www.karensquiltingservice.com/ It is like one of my quilts I am not real sure how it will end up but the creative juices are flowing. Jen (my daughter) has taken the bull (or the internet) by the horns and is setting up the basic design. She is really trying to get me involved in the new stage of my quilting service, but this old dog has a problem with new tricks. It took me awhile to welcome the 1/4" foot, but couldn't live without now, so there is hope. Please check it out. I look forward to your feedback.

This is a wonderful quilt done by my daughter's friend. She let me bring it home from South Korea. I just loved all of the little house's in the quilt. This quilt makes me think of family love. I know she did this quilt for the love of it all. Great work Dawn.

Before I went to Korea a friend ask me to quilt her Heart quilt. When I got back after to 2 weeks I was ready to get the quilting machine going. I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to quilt it, but I couldn't be more pleased with the finished results. Hope the red back really shows up because the way all of hearts it outlined is really neat. The hearts on the front are all puffed up which really doesn't show at all.

Well, the trip to South Korea was a very fun time. It was really amazing learning about a new culture, but the biggest thrill was the 3 story fabric mart. I only shipped home a ton of material. Since my inside clock was so off I was only able to do 2 quilt tops in 2 weeks. I had some help on the red one. After all the blocks where sewn I wasn't sure about how to lay it out, well problem solved ask the 7 year old granddaugther to help grandma figure it out. This is how she saw the quilt. Works for me.

Walker Jen (my daughter) wanted me to post some quilts. Well here is an assortment of Irish Chains I have finished. These were probably 2004 - 05 and were donated to a pregancy clinic to be given to newborns. And a couple of these are - this fabric looks good with this fabric and we now have a blanket. I love change in the middle of a quilt. Forget patterns I'm into freestyle. Or my style.

Just to let you know I will be visiting my daugther and her family (ready or not here I come) in South Korea for 2 weeks. I am hoping to go to the 3 story fabric mart and leave some US dollars there. I wonder if hubby will notice the bed has been moved out and fabric is now in its place. Forget restraint and good behavior IT IS 3 STORIES.

This is one I recently finished quilting. A friend of my daughter sent this to me to quilt. She had this back in a week. Boy, when postage rates went up I had no idea that parcel was the thing the USPS would hit. Forget the forever $.41 cent stamp how about the forever return quilt box. The second pic is the truer color of the quilt. You would like I could operate a point and shot camera - no.

I have to thank my "little" brother and his wife for the gift certificate at Christmas that put me onto the neatest quilt shop in Buda, Tx. The sisters that run the shop are so helpful and nice. What a great shopping time I had there. And thank goodness the gift certificate only cost me an additional $15. I was on good behavior and great restraint that day. Here are some of the pieces I had to have in my stash. I see another Around the World in its future.

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I am way behind on post. I am trying to make sure that everyone in my family has at least one warm "made with love quilt". Here are pics of my nieces quilts. My daughter had sent me the green material from Korea, because I asked for some kind of green. That was some green material. The other fabrics in the green quilt all came for Korea at different times. I was so surprised when this quilt turned looking really COOL!!! Once it was finished everyone was impressed, including me.