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Monday, January 30, 2012

Getting Up Close with My Quilting - Extra Large Swirly Gig Quilting

First, a little explanation about my quilting, (It's my job):  Once a week, I share here, an "Up Close View" of my free style quilting.  I quilt on a Gammill Plus long arm quilting machine with regulated stitch.  I quilt all free style designs, which means I manually move the quilting machine across the quilt to create the designs.  It is not computer generated and I don't use templates or panto graphs. I doodle or sketch a design for the customer's quilt on a piece of paper. Then I envision it in my mind and start stitching.  I make it sound simple, but it is far from simple.  I have been quilting customer's quilts since 2003 and every day is a joy and a new adventure in creating a "cool design" on customer's quilts. Yes - I repeat designs, but because they are free style, they don't always look exactly the same.
This quilt is a great example of a free style design using the extra large "swirly gigs". I have made the swirly gigs in many different sizes and styles over the years. 
The swirly gigs flow across the quilt, intertwining within each other to smoothly fill the space. I have to concentrate very carefully as I move in and out of the spaces, so that is never looks like a uniformed pattern, without repeating the exact motion, but keeping it consistently even throughout the quilt.  That's what makes it beautifully unique'.




 The backing fabric on this quilt is the fuzzy minky fabric.  It is wonderfully soft and smooth...




I share, because I love what I do every day.  I am very blessed and very lucky to have such a wonderful job.
Again, I make it sound easy, but there is a lot of work, time, and energy involved in owning and running your own business. The best part about my days are that they are never boring. I create, I quilt, and I photograph each day to share my quilting life with the world.
When my kids were little my husband told them something like this: "Find something you love to do, do what you love, and make it your job. You will never feel like you are working - if you love it!" 
We are both so blessed to love what we do!
Thanks for following along in my life...
Marcia
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13 comments:

  1. UnknownJanuary 30, 2012 at 11:21 AM

    Your husbands are words of wisdom and words to live by. I (like you) sew or quilt everyday as my JOB, but its not a job its a passion and I love it

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 30, 2012 at 1:28 PM

    I would love one day for my "job2 to be craft related.

    I do love my current job, but i think once i have had the children i would love a job where i create or atleast us my creative skills.

    Beautiful swirly gigs by the way!

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  3. Love Of QuiltsJanuary 30, 2012 at 2:06 PM

    I do enjoy seeing you work and I know it is not easy.
    http://www.thecozypumpkin.com...is having a giveaway tell her I send you.Trish

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  4. Vroomans' QuiltsJanuary 30, 2012 at 2:56 PM

    I told my kids the same thing. Sweet swirlies!

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  5. LindaJanuary 30, 2012 at 3:12 PM

    Beautifully written...thanks foe sharing, I love to see your work, its amazing!!!

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  6. Kathy HJanuary 30, 2012 at 3:24 PM

    Thanks for sharing your quilting with us. I am trying to improve my quilting and it is always an inspiration to look at your quilts. i am also glad to see a quilt with minkee quilted as it was difficult to work with on a small quilt and i was wondering how it would be to use it on a big quilt.

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  7. The Slow QuilterJanuary 30, 2012 at 5:55 PM

    Swirl on girlfriend. That is lovely work you are doing. I want to be just like you when I grow up. I received my Square Packets today, and the colors are great, cannot wait to make something with them. Thank you for the note cards and post cards. I will show them on my blog tonight.

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  8. PersimonDreamsJanuary 30, 2012 at 8:39 PM

    I love the 'hearts' that show up in this quilting! fantastic!

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  9. VickiTJanuary 30, 2012 at 8:44 PM

    What a beautiful quilt and the quilting you've done is just gorgeous. I have a Granddaughter arriving in the next 2 weeks and I've been thinking about using minky or possibly cuddle on the back of some blankets or quilts for her.

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  10. Richard HealeyJanuary 30, 2012 at 11:39 PM

    Amazing quilting. I for the first time tried to machine quilt (for practice first on hot pads) after about 4-5 my wife kindly told me to sew strait lines so I would not make people lose their lunch looking at them. Oh well such love and support you can see 2 of them (the better looking ones) on my blog on Tuesday.

    http://richardquilts.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. matate10January 31, 2012 at 7:45 AM

    Love your quilting! I agree about loving your job. I do the same thing only I FMQ on a mid arm Bernina 830. Every day being an adventure truly makes quilting for others a gift and not so much of a job.

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  12. AnneJanuary 31, 2012 at 8:53 AM

    You are amazingly talented, Marcia. Love the swirly gigs!

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  13. Miss HillbillyJanuary 31, 2012 at 11:47 AM

    Love your swirly gigs!!!

    The love of your job just comes through! I know it takes time and trial and error..I am going to get there too someday sister. Someday!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for leaving a comment! I really appreciate your input and thoughts. If you don't hear from me for a couple days. don't be surprised. If you don't get a reply from me, you are probably a NO REPLY Commenter -- check your settings please. I want to reply to you. And if you have a Yahoo email I may not get your comment in my email. Sorry. Thanks again for commenting!