Blog – Page 3 – Lana Russel

December 19, 2022

Mini Pumpkin Patch Quilt

Mini Pumpkins Pattern by Sew Kind of Wonderful

My favorite season is autumn and I love this pattern, It has been on my to do list for a few years. Motivation came in the form of a challenge; a Handi Quilter Educator Challenge. This year’s challenge was to make a black and white (grays allowed) quilt, plus one other color that can’t be more than 25% of the quilt.

Time is always a factor, and this quilt being only 36″ x 36″ was doable considering my traveling schedule between now and the due date. Easy decision. I finally get to make this quilt!

Pieces were cut and piecing together was begun in early October.

Two days later it was pieced. However, getting it quilted within the next 9 weeks between several teaching events, a quilt show, celebrating a birthday, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, would be tricky. But a busy schedule makes for efficient planning.

Now to decide how to quilt it. I knew I wanted to make “ghost pumpkins” on some of the background squares to mimic the colored pumpkins, so I played around with ideas for the background. Hay, so it looks like the pumpkins are laying in a patch? Pumpkin leaves with wisps of curls? Pebbles and swirls? I decided on the latter, so the small pebbles and swirls would make the “ghost pumpkins” pop. I added some leaves for interest as well. I also double batted with one layer of 80/20 and one layer of wool on top for the poof.

Challenge accepted and completed on time.

July 17, 2022

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show

A Quilter’s Affair

July 9,2022

A phone call letting me know we had made it off the waiting list for a camping spot at Bend/Sisters Garden RV Resort led me to being able to make a bucket list trip to the show this year – always the second weekend in July. (As a side note, I would recommend this RV Resort. It was beautifully kept!)

My bestie and I (both from Indiana) have had our eye on this show for several years. Having moved to the PNW recently, it was easy for me to get there on short notice. Hopefully she and I can go together in the future.

Quilting classes are held in the high school Monday – Friday the week of the show. I didn’t take any of those on this trip. I did spot Tula Pink within arms length, however!! Also Jenny and Helen from Sew Kind of Wonderful!!

It was a gorgeous day and we arrived early, around 8 am, to watch the firemen hang quilts made by the employees of the Stitchin’ Post on the side of the quilt shop. I knew the show began at 9, so 8 turned out to be a good time to arrive to see the firemen hang the quilts.

Volunteers hang the rest with wire and clothespins in front of all the businesses willing to take part. We began our trek through town after breakfast at Spoons, Spoons has a good breakfast with the standard coffee option. Sisters Coffee Company has a wonderful selection of special coffees as well as pastry with great outdoor and indoor seating. We had coffee there two other mornings.

Quits are hung by theme or color. I thought these were cute.

You may notice red ribbons on every quilt. Quilts are not judged, but everyone gets a red participation ribbon. A blue ribbon indicates the quilt is part of a special exhibit.

I didn’t take pictures of every quilt, just the ones that especially caught my eye. As usual, I noticed I tend to like color and contrast. I always try to give credit to the artist, also, but the type was so small and often the quilts were hung high enough that the tags were difficult, if not impossible to read. If you see yours here, please feel free to comment and introduce yourself!!

This one was hung on the side of Stitchin’ Post which indicates it was made by one of the employees of the shop.. Reminds me of the sea.

These two were part of a bee themed exhibit.

Another special exhibit with a water theme.

Effective use of fabric for the buildings

This one was 3D. The feathers were fluttering.

I believe this was a wholecloth quilt and not pieced, but beautifully quilted.

This begins an exhibit with the requirement of having ORANGE in the quilt

I can’t count the number of times I’ve said I’m going to make a quilt from this perspective!

Being an Aquarius, I’ll always be drawn to water…

Hope you enjoyed my virtual quilt show and recommendations for your future visit to the show. I love that it’s not judged and just for the enjoyment of the art. No stress. Enjoy!

Please subscribe if you’re so inclined so as not to miss any quilty goodness over here.

June 29, 2022

Sewing when Traveling

After teaching longarm quilting all day, I grab a bite for dinner and head to my hotel room…to SEW! It’s how I relax. My trusty lightweight, dependable Singer Featherweight is my travel partner when I’m able to drive to my events. When I fly, my Kindle is my lightweight, dependable travel companion.

September 1, 2021July 14, 2021

Modern Double Wedding Ring

I’m more modern than traditional, so when it came to making a Double Wedding Ring quilt, I had to swerve. Sew Kind of Wonderful has a great pattern that fit the bill – Metro Rings.

I have a healthy stash, and I was able to find the perfect combo within it – Jelly Roll, background, binding, and backing. I’ve always thought scrappy binding was cute, and this would give me an opportunity to use the leftover strips from the Jelly Roll for that.

Metro Rings uses Jelly Roll strips and the Curve ruler to cut the pieces = less curved piecing.

Also used the sold lime green and solid navy from my stash for the triangle inset pieces.

Quiltable.com has a specific digital quilting design intended for Metro Rings! Score! Quilted on my Handi Quilter Forte with Pro-Stitcher and Superior Threads So Fine!

All finished except for the binding.

Enjoyed the ruler work on the triangle insets. Curved cross hatch!

Hanging at Handi Quilter Academy 2021.

August 4, 2021July 14, 2021

Have you thought about making placemats or a table runner on your longarm?

I found a beautiful piece of fabric that was a perfect fit for my BFF’s kitchen and she had a big bday approaching. So my mind got busy creating. I loaded the backing, batting, and fabric on my HQ Infinity Longarm and quilted the entire piece. After unloading it from the longarm, I cut the pieces out of the quilted fabric the sizes that I wanted and bound them. I love how they turned out and she did too!

placemats, table runner, and table topper

July 12, 2020December 8, 2022

Handi Quilter Educator Challenge – Vintage Quilts

At our training, we accepted a Vintage Quilt Challenge. Brenda Groelz, Director of Education for Handi Quilter, has been collecting vintage quilts for years and now it’s time to get them quilted. Our directions were to quilt them in a way the original piecer would not have imaginied. You may add a border, but you are not allowed to wash them because they are fragile. We drew numbers and when our number was called, we could have our choice of around 30 quilts. There were only 11 of us. I loved the salmon color of this one. It was machine pieced and not in too bad of shape.

I added two borders and quilted it on my Handi Quilter Infinity. I think the dark teal blue border really sets it off nicely.

Close up of the quilting. I used Pro-Stitcher in the solid areas and borders and free motion on the rest.

May 26, 2016

New Class added

Beginning next week is a class featuring the Dancing Stars Cotton Theory quilt.

This is a beginner Cotton Theory quilt and uses both of the two main joining methods – the Highway and the One Way. It’s 52″ x 52″ so it would make a nice baby quilt, lap, or throw. If you live locally, and would like to join us, please email me (lanarussel@gmail.com) for current openings and project materials list. Classes are on the first Monday and Wednesday of every month in my home studio. I have room for 6 in each session. Dates for this project are June 1 and 6, July 6 and 11, August 1 and 3, and September 7 and 12. Mondays are 1:00 pm – 4 pm, Wednesdays are either 9:00 am – noon or 1:30 pm- 4:30 pm. Cost is $10 per 3 hour session. Pattern is $12.

This is an easy one to cut out; I was able to get all pieces cut out, labeled, sandwiched, and pressed in one day. Lots of same sized pieces makes it super easy. I’m ready to sew!

If you come in June with all pieces cut and labeled, we can get right to the quilting because you piece and quilt at the same time!! If you are unable to get it cut out before then, please bring a mat and rotary cutter, so you won’t have to wait for the cutting table.

Hope you can join us to learn this fun way to quilt!

September 19, 2015October 31, 2015

Time for TWIST

{Sorry to keep you waiting, but I’ve had some major technical difficulties which required a full backup, restore, and reload. Hopefully, I’m back up and running again. This post is from the week of August 14. I’ll get you caught up asap. Thanks, Lana.}

TWIST ~ This Week In Studio Time

I completed Step 2 of my current Cotton Theory project, the piecing.

August 7, 2015August 12, 2015

TWIST ~ This Week In Studio Time

This week was a short one for me in my studio, but I did manage to meet my goal of getting my next Cotton Theory project cut out and labeled.

Step One -cut and label front pieces according to the directions. This is Bossa Nova.

Cut and label batting pieces. Hobbs 80/20 batting is recommended. Cotton Theory makes great use of batting scraps.

Can’t wait to get quilting it next week!!

August 2, 2015July 19, 2015

Healthy Families

When I retired, I decided 20% of my sewing time would be spent on charity quilting. I just needed to decide on the organization or cause I wanted to support. I have a heavy heart for those who suffer from domestic violence, even though I don’t know anyone personally. I guess I’ve just experienced enough of the male dominated society I’ve grown up in that it touches me in that way. We don’t have a women’s shelter in our county, but there are plans for a 30 bed unit to open in 3 years. I thought I could make 10 simple twin size quilts a year and have 30 ready in 3 years. I knew it was a lofty goal, but I set forth. However, retiring allowed me the freedom to travel quite a bit and I fell farther and farther behind in that goal. But, I retired, so we could travel. I needed to reassess.

I had a friend who had mentioned she had organized a sewing group that supports Healthy Families and invited me to sew with them. They make items that support members can take with them on home visits and leave them at the home as a gift. I researched Healthy Families and liked what I found.

“Healthy Families Indiana is a voluntary home visitation program designed to promote healthy families and healthy children through a variety of services, including child development, access to health care and parent education.

By working closely with hospital maternity wards, prenatal clinics and other local agencies, Healthy Families Indiana systematically identifies families that could benefit from education and support services either before or immediately after birth. The program is designed to strengthen families by reducing child abuse and neglect, childhood health problems and juvenile delinquency.”

I ran it by my friend, who is in social worker, to give me a personal account of Healthy Families and she gave it a two thumbs up.

Mary Alice’s group is very well organized (they’ve been at this for 12 years!) and each person has their station, be it, cutting out, ironing, sewing, quilting, sandwiching batting, etc.

Quilts, receiving blankets, and burp cloths ready for pick up

receiving blankets, burp cloths, and bibs