What's the quilt on the home page?
I call it Mint Chocolate Chip. It's the little quilt that grew and grew and grew. I had to buy more fabric three times. I fell in love with the black print fabric and it said "buy me, I'll let you know later what I plan to be". (quilters understand this statement)
The quilt is constructed of traditional blocks--Shoofly and Rolling Blocks (sometimes referred to as single wedding ring).
Will any of Barbara's quilts be on display?
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STARCROSSED-- will be on display in Golden, Colorado from July 30, 2007 to November 30, 2007 as part of the "Colorado Excellence" display with ckMedia, LLC. CK Enthusiast Media Gallery, 741 Corporate Circle in Golden. When I started designing the mystery quilt for MURDER BY SERPENTS, I thought this might be the pattern. I quickly realized it was not something I could explain without pictures but fell in love with it and had to " hand quilt it to death".
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In addition, she usually has a quilt on display at the Yellowstone Quilt Fest, in Cody, Wyoming in September. This year's quilt is currently a work in progress. http://www.yellowstonequiltfest.info
Patterns?
Coming soon! Free patterns and "Make a quilt with Barbara". Sign up here if you want to be notified when a new block is on the site.
Do you always quilt by hand?
I almost always do. Rarely, I will machine quilt (badly) something small like a table runner or baby quilt. If it is large and I don't want to hand quilt it, I will farm it out to a professional machine quilter. My sewing machine and I have a deal worked out--it doesn't write books and I don't try to machine quilt.
I enjoy quilting by hand. It is my favorite part of the process after coming up with the design and picking the fabrics. I like to use a hoop and sit in my recliner as I quilt. As my days are full, full, full, I save my quilting until evening and settle down after dinner with a quilt and television. I find it very relaxing and I like the feel of it. Although I have done so, I do not like quilting on a frame because I tend to quilt only in one direction.
Doesn't that take a long time?
Yes, if the quilt is large or if I am quilting like a crazy person. The time doesn't really count to me. The process gives me pleasure and eventually the project is done. A twelve inch block, with normal quilting can take as little as one evening to complete. I love watching the texture of the piece change as the quilting stitches go in.
Do you have any tips?
Yes. For handquilting the most important tool is good light. A thimble and needles and a hoop are all the other tools required. I prefer a wool or light polyester batting. My hands complain if I try quilting through cotton batting. Also, beware of batik fabrics. They are incredibly beautiful but many are so tightly woven it is difficult to get a needle through--I would never use them on the back (don't use bed sheets either for the same reason).
Who are the Village Idiot Quilters?
Barbara and her best friend Michelle Quick. For some reason, no one who knows them ever question the name of their tiny pattern company, Village Idiot Quilters. Dream Garden, shown below, was designed for a a block of the month class at Big Horn Quilts in Greybull, Wyoming. The pattern was used to make the 2006 Opportunity Quilt for the Wyoming State Quilt Guild. Appliqué on this quilt was done by Jeanne Knudsen, Helen Wichern, Kathy Lichtendahl, Chris Ditzler, Roberta Brown, Sylvia Gauthier, Linda MacDonald, Barbara Graham and Michelle Quick. It measures 96 inches square and was quilted by Jeanne Knudsen. http://www.bighornquilts.com/
