Howdy,

I know, it has been awhile since I did a blog for everyone to read.  I have enjoyed my summer and fall quilting for customers as well as getting some quilts completed to post for sale on the website.  I am still trying to learn Instagram and apparently I've managed to get 3 accounts instead of one, so be patient with me until I get them merged into one.

I will post some pictures below of some quilts I have worked on for others.  You may have seen them on Facebook, just in case you haven't, they are below.  I found some cute freestanding lace embroidery projects which I will post below as well. 

I now have my Crown Jewel Longarm quilter which I use daily.  There is a lot you can do with a longarm quilt machine besides longarm quilt a quilt.   I am going to keep you in suspense here, as I am learning to do videos and hope to have them up and running on my facebook as well as my website.  Yes, you will see that I am in the beginning stages of doing video, but I am told the more I do them, the more comfortable I will get.

The family including granddaughter along with a friend and her family did a project for a local cottage outfit in Ft. Collins.  It is sad to report, we have yet to see any payment from Tree Cycled Art. She apparently received a backer who gave her monies to complete her CSU Souvenirs.  She has ran into some difficulty on getting payment from CSU for the 7200 pieces that we did for her, so the story goes.  Hopefully, we all can see some monies before the New Year.

The Destiny II is an awesome machine.  I have done lots of embroidery, scanned a picture for the granddaughter, which this machine digitized and then we embroider it on a sweatshirt. She was thrilled.  I am still learning what all it can do, and amazed what it can do.  Maggie, at Maggie's Sew and Vac https://www.maggiessewvac.com/ in Ft. Collins sold me the machine in March.  This is a lady who doesn't care where you bought your machine, is there to help you with your sewing issues and needs with any sewing machine you have old or new, and any brand.  It is my understanding she was a Home Ec teacher and loves to teach others how to use their machines.  I did my first video when I did my granddaughter's Prom Dress.  Did you know if you have fabric and it is curved or uneven, you can program this machine to stitch around that curve and adjust to keep it exactly even all the way around.  Awesome!!!

This week, I am rearranging my Quilt Studio and then plan on posting a new page on my web page called re-purposed fabric.   This is fabric that I have acquired from Meals on Wheels, along with donated fabric.  There will be different categories such as jelly rolls, fat quarters Charms, Cake Layers and 2-1/2 inch squares.  Also applique which will have the fusible on the back and ready to iron on that outfit you wanted to add to. 

Also, I am still working on donations both cash and fabric for Cheyenne Quilt For Kids.  Lots to learn on how to get cash donations.   I sent a pack of 5 kits to Gillette Wyoming for the FBLA kids to do.  My goal is to get one person in each town to be an organizer for that town and get the younger generation to sewing.  What better way for them to give to that community and we keep the younger ones learning to sew and create outfits for themselves as well as for others.  I try my best to make my Christmas gifts for the family and friends.   Yes sometimes, it is an item that you cannot make, so I do try to get what is on their list.

Well enough of my rambling.   I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous and Happy New Year.

I will leave you with this saying I found on line.

Sewing is magic, creative and fun,
its meant to be shared with a special someone.
Let's fly off to Sewland and stitch something new,
where all the town sews at a quarter or two.
                                       author   Jenny Wilding Cardon.

Can you believe it, March 2017 has arrived.  I have been busy working on 1952 quilts for a customer as well as in between working on my new Babylock Destiny II.  Maggie at Maggie's SewNVac in Fort Collins made me a terrific deal that I could not refuse.  I love her store and her employees.  Everyone there is so helpful.  They treat you like family.  There is no high pressure sales, just a warm welcome when you walk into her store.

Yes, I am still working at IBMC as an adjunct instructor.  This is what funds my quilting business and I love teaching computer classes.  Do you know of someone who wants a career change or a student who would like to receive their diploma in 24 months, an externship and then a job?   Send them to IBMC to check us out.  Also check out our massage therapy and our cosmetology.   Their prices are reasonable and who couldn't use a haircut and a massage. :)

I have been working on my website as well.  www.longarmofthewestcustomquilting.com.   Setting up two more tabs, one is E-commerce, so now customers can purchase online products and quilts that are for sale.  I have added another tab which is called recycled fabric.  All the fabric has been washed and pressed and ready for sell.  I volunteer at Meals-On-Wheels and volunteered to take some of the fabric and wash it and press it and sell it online to generate a little more income for them.  When you order that recycled fabric that you have been looking for, note that 10% goes back to Meals-On-Wheel on this tab only.

I have been working with some ladies who are making "Quilt For Kids" for Cheyenne. New to sewing and new to quilting.  This is a great way to learn for a new sewer.   If you want to join us, contact me and we can set you up sewing up some of these quilts.  If you have fabric you want to donate to the cause, please do.   We accept 100% cotton for those we make for the hospital and the binding has to be zig-zagged down. (Reason for this is they have IVs and we do not want them getting caught in the blanket.    Flannel, fleece, and any other soft fabric is welcomed and we donate these to other organizations for children.

Last Sunday, I went to The Fig Leaf in Ft Collins to teach the computer side of the ScanNCut2 cutter.  You would be amazed what you can do and send wireless back to the ScanNCut2.   Go check out Laura's s quilt shop as well.  Tell her Marcia Sent you.  Sign up for one of our ScanNCut2 classes too.  Did you know if you love to do crafts, quilt and design, this is the machine for you.   It cuts fabric with a 1/4 seam line if you choose to have it draw it.  You can scan in a template and cut the accurate fabric for that template to make that pieced quilt.   Need a card, well it will do that as well and Pop-up cards to make  with projects listed in there ScanNCut Canvas program which, by the way, is a free program.  Just create an account and then log in.   https://scanncutcanvas.brother.com/en.

Below are some quilts that I have done some longarm quilting on.  Visit my website and like me on facebook.  

Happy Quilting and Sewing.  Until next time...

This is little house on the praririe that I did the Panel with the ScanNCut2 machine and fused it onto the background with OESD FuseNSeal and a blanket stitch.  The customer then completed the quilt blocks which I precut on the ScanNCut2 machine for her to sew together.   

The quilting was done for a Customer who calls this her scrappy flag quilt.  The backing was her design as well.  I think she did  an awesome job of making this quilt.

This quilt is the 1952 quilt.  I chose 108 inch wide backing so there were no seams. I took the bottom row of quilt blocks and replaced the damaged ones in the quilt, all hand-stitched in.  Then washed it in the bath-tub as the reds are noncolor fast with the color catcher and rinsed twice.  It was then pressed and put on the frame to quilt.

Well our summer and fall has flown by and winter has visited us with a snow storm.  I am blessed to have customers calling me to do their quilts.  A GREAT BIG thank you to those who have referred them to me.

I have been busy quilting for customers and working on a couple of special ones.  The one is shown using my ScanNCut2 and ScanNCut Canvas software.  We started a small group of us here in Cheyenne and I am teaching them how to utilize the ScanNCut for applique cutouts to save cutting after the fabric is sewn in the hoop.  I also will be teaching at The Fig Leaf in 2017 to show how to enlarge a pattern to the 200%, 300%, 400% size in order to do an applique panel like the one shown below in the pictures I am sharing.  I had so much fun in doing this panel and now it is ready for the customer to complete from Carpenter Wy.

I have found a new place to design my web page and set it up with online shopping as well.  I am loving how it is turning out but still some work so please visit often.

Received a QuiltForKids donation from a gal in Burns and still looking for businesses that want to donate $$ to get this up and running again.  The main office is in Pennsylvania that started this program and there is an account for CheyenneQFK@qfk.org.

I have posted a slide show on my Web page and will be changing that out every month and a half, so go visit and see what is being offered there as well.

I want to wish you all a Very Happy Holidays and that the New Year will bring us all good blessings.

A Day Spent Quilting is a Day well Spent :)  Enjoy the pictures from start to finish of the panel.

Marcia
Longarm of The West Custom Quilting, LLC

Another Quilt done for Emma in Seattle Wa.

Well, it is June. Oh my half of 2016 is almost completed.   How time flies when your having fun.

Emma from Seattle WA loved the first quilt I did for her and sent me another.  I mailed it back to her and she was thrilled.  She loved my thread choices and said my quilting was exquisite.  I am so happy she love the work I did on the quilt.  I love doing her quilts.  She is an excellent quilter and makes beautiful quilts.

I have also been doing appliques for customers.  Those intricate designs that no one wants to attempt.  Well ScanNCut2 does it well.   I am amazed as what I can do with this machine. Since I have posted that I would do quotes for appliques, (note not just for applique) this machine does a lot of other projects as well.  The picture below of the fish is 22 inches long and about 7 inches wide.  There are several who have a ScanNCut and I am offering classes for those who are interested.  Cathy called me for a quote and this is what I did for her.  I think you all will agree that this is a very intricate design.   Contact The Fig Leaf in Ft. Collins.  Tell Laura I sent you.  She is a Brother Dealer.  Those that do not want the expense of the machine, have been calling for Quotes.

I am officially a Quilt For Kids sister Chapter.  All the paperwork is in.  Web page to contact me is http://mail.google.com/a/quiltsforkids.org
I am setting up a sign-up sheet for those who want to help sew up the quilts.  There are some special instructions for the quilts that go up to the hospital for those kids.   I will be setting up a room at the Library as a sew day as soon as I have received some interest in those who want to help sew these quilt kits.  New sewers who want to learn to quilt, can contact me as well.   These are simple quilts for those to learn how to start making quilts.

Well I will close for now, and be back soon with a couple more pictures of what I have been doing.  See you soon

Marcia

Can you believe it half the year almost gone,  It is May and I want to wish all the moms Happy Mother's Day.

I received another quilt from Seattle Washington.  She was thrilled with the longarm design I did on her first quilt.  Emma does awesome piecing of her quilts and I so enjoy quilting them for her.

I received a quilt from Lorraine.  My son met her in the UPS store and gave her my card. She gave me a call and brought me out a quilt. I did an overall free motion heart design on the quilt and really like how it turned out.

I am also a licensee to do the University Wyoming quilts.  I have had lots of requests to do throws and queen size quilts, so I took the plunge.   I have just finished digitizing Pistol Pete and ready to incorporate him into the quilt I am working on.   Come back and check for my next blog to see the end results of the quilt.

To all a Warm Howdy and a Thank You to all those who follow my blog, facebook and web page.

Have a Great Week,

Marcia

Excited about my New ScanNCut2

I have just purchased a new ScanNCut2 and have demonstrated it to some of my customers.  This Item is available to come in and use.  I looked at the new Bernina 750 and 880 bur not in my budget right now.  The ScanNCut will do exactly the same thing the features the Eernina has such as cutwork, Rhinestones, applique and even do stencils for your quilting.

My granddaughters love the Rhinestone capabilities and are able to add bling to their clothes. I have had several gals come in and use the machine (for a small rental fee) and have enjoyed learning to create some awesome projects.  

March has been Quilting Month and I have had a great month.  I received a quilt fro Seattle Washington to quilt for a gal there.  Below is a picture of the quilt .  I love her colors and she did a beautiful job on piecing it together.  She pieced together the back from her leftover fabric which is absolutely beautiful.  She can put this on her bed either side and it will be absolutely gorgeous.  I received her call and she found me on the internet and loved my work and asked to send me her quilt to quilt it.  We  decided on swirls and feathers as an overall design on the quilt.  She should receive it this Friday.  Thank you Emma for giving me the opportunity to freehand motion with my longarm this design.  So ho knows, I may have the opportunity to quilt a quilt from each state.  I have done one for a gal in Arizona and now one from Seattle Washington.  She has a second one almost ready to get quilted and will be sending in a couple of weeks.

I am also licensed to make some Wyoming Quilts.  I was contacted last fall to make a  UW quilt with steamboat on it.  We are working out a small throw design that she will like.  I am so fortunate to have the skills to create my website and it has reached across the US and everyone has liked my work.  I am a strong believer that we all have a place here on earth and God provides us guidance and answers our prayers.  We may not always get what we want but we get what God knows we need at the time.  My middle son says, "We are not in charge of the Master Plan."

I also decided to be a "Sister" Chapter for Quilts For Kids for Wyoming.  I am setting up quarter jars in various stores for donations and Sally who is one of the gals in the main Chapter "Quilt For Kids"  has received all my information and I am all set to start organizing a place for those who would like to join me in sewing up these quilts to give out to the children in the hospital and, the different charities around town.  My goal is to contact Quilt Shops across Wyoming to see who would like to be a pickup and deliver of these quilt kits to put together and deliver to their hospitals and charities in their towns.

Well I have a quilt to design and hope to have one or two posted on my web site for sale.  Accuquilt has free patterns and there is a place on my website to click on the home page "Pattern" to go to the site and download a free pattern or two.  They have some really cool patterns.  I have Accuquilt Cutter and the Go Big machine available to rent to cut out your blocks for those who do not want to store all those cutters for maybe just one or two quilt you want to make.  Remember their saying "Accurate Cuts make Better Quilts."

I have several other quilts I have completed and will be posting and blogging on this week.  So come back to visit my blog.   Happy Quilting from Longarm of The West Custom Qulting and enjoy the pictures

.

Can you believe it, January 2016 almost half over.  I just finished another quilt for a customer. I really like how this one turned out.  I did free motion design and used a ruler for the rope design.  One of my friends said it looked like a candy cane design.  I am posting both the front and backside as I like both sides.  Just have the binding to do since she asked me to do it for her and then in a pillow case and a box to send off to Arizona where she is at for the winter.

Next is my granddaughters fleece throw.  I gave her the Frozen top and pink backing with the batting and told her when she was no longer grounded, that she could quilt it.  So tomorrow will be her day to quilt on the longarm.  She is 15 and does a wonderful job.

I love doing quilts for others and see the look on their faces.  My business is slowly building by the grace of God and I am so thankful.   I acquired my ScanNCut2 and my granddaughter and I will be starting to cut quilt blocks and applique to create a quilt to display for all to see.

Well it is late, so I will say goodnight until we talk again

Another quilt completed

Completed this quilt for a customer and she loved it.  She gave it to her son for Christmas.  Not only does it look great on this side, but she had white on white for backing and it created the most awesome design so can be reversed to use either way.  

I just got in some more accuquilt cutters. Accurate cuts for better quilts.  I have a few customers that have purchased my  cutters and loved using them to get their quilts cut out and ready to sew.  I have heard a lot of people who would love to use the cutters but do not want the expense of purchasing the cutter and then do a quilt and have the cutter sit on the shelf.  So one of my customers wanted to know what I would charge for her to use mine. Well we came up with a price of $10.00 per project.  She was thrilled.

I also purchased a ScanNCut2.   What is this you ask, well this machine will do just about anything but cut out cookie dough.   I have had customers that love to applique but do not like the tedious cutting.  Well I have the solution.  We can scan in the designs of the applique into this unit and then place the fabric for the applique with the iron on adhesive of your choice and cut them out and in no time appliques are ready to put on that project to iron on and edge.  Also watch for my blue Canyon Truck around town.  I have done my own vinyl decals.  Awesome.  So for a $10.00 fee per project we create rhinestones pattern to put on a sweatshirt, skirt, or any apparel you want to dress up. (Rhinestones of course are an additional cost)  Cutwork, paintwork and crystalwork like the Bernina Sewing machines, this machine can do it as well. Scrapbooking, Card Making  oh my my brain keeps coming up with lots of creations.

Another quilt on the frame, so I guess I will close for now and until we meet again, happy quilting.

A New piece of equipment added to my studio

What a machine.  Just added this unit to my collection.  This machine is awesome.  I researched this and found it was just the thing I needed to compliment my crafting and quilting skills.  What does this machine do?   Well it doesn't make cookies but it comes close.  I bought this at The Fig Leaf in Ft Collins   Laura Shotwell and her girls were so helpful in making sure I had what I needed.  Come on in for a demonstration and test drive. 

Brief outline of it's capabilities.  I can scan in material and fussy cut items I want perfectly.  I can add fusible web to the back of the material,and skillfully place my appliques where I want them on my fabric and let the machine do the work. Very little waste of fabric. You want an applique that you want to turn under the edges, no problem, this machine will draw a line around the applique for accurate turns before you stitch.  It uses the water soluble pen or the disappearing ink pen.  Awesome.

Well, I love what the Bernina 750 and 880 does as far as attachments for rhinestones, cut work, and paintwork.  Well hold on to your hat, we can do Rhinestones, cut work and paintwork with this machine as well.  This lets me keep my Bernina Artista 730, which I love, but gives me the ability to do the things that the new Berninas do along with much more, as not only am I a quilter, I love to make cards, scrap-booking, and stamping with my granddaughters.  Yep, it does all that too.

I have several local gals here in Cheyenne who will be coming in to use the machine to do their applique cuts for their quilt.  

I needed a decal to advertise my Longarm of The West Custom Quilting, LLC on  my pickup.  Yep, I have it all designed in the ScanNCut Canvas ready to cut on my vinyl and put in the back window.  I see around town logos advertising car dealerships that sold them the car  on the back windows, so I put my brain to work and have a decal to do the same thing on my pickup.  

Don't worry, you have a quilt that is ready to to be quilted, my Crown Jewel is ready to do the work for that beautiful finished quilt top.   I have done a few quilts for customers over the Holidays, so have not taken time to blog, but 2016 is a new year and will try to post at least once a week on what is going on at the Longarm of the West Custom Quilting, LLC   You can see these on my Facebook and Pinterest.  Easy way to find them go to Longarm of The West Custom Quiltling and click on the Facebook or Pinterest icons.

Also, don't forget I also have the AccuQuilt dies and Go Big machine to cut those quilt blocks as well.  Several have come in to test drive it as well.  Their comments are that it is nice to come in and cut their fabric for a small fee and not have to purchase the dies and machine for just one or two projects.

This quilt I did a meandering design for a customer.  Her son designed the quilt  and loves to do puzzles so the meandering quilting was appropriate for this quilt.  

Well until we meet again,

Happy Quilting

Marcia

November update

Good morning,

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  I have been busy quilting thus have lapsed on my posting.  I just wanted to share some pictures of quilts I have done for some customers.

This is the front and backside of a quilt from a customer that asked that I do a design fitting for the quilt.  Barbara Graham came to the CHQ in September and some of our members showed her the mystery quilts they did after reading her books.  This was a lot of fun to quilt.

Another quilt I did for a customer was a simple meandering I did .  All of these were free motion quilting on my Baby Lock Longarm (not computerized).  I love to free motion with my longarm as it is me that is operating the machine not a computer.  Sure the computer has it's place but I want my hands on the handle and create as i go.  

Beautiful colors.  She gave me 2 quilts to quilt for her.  Here is the first one which I love the colors.  I did an overall meandering design as she wanted something that looked like puzzle pieces.  

Well off to my quilt room to complete another quilt.  I will try to post a little more frequently.  My passion is making and quilting quilts for my customers and my family.   Visit my facebook as you will find a poem that AccuQuilt posted at Thanksgivine time.  Beautiful video about God created Quilters.

Happy Holidays From The Longarm of The West Custom Quilting

Can you believe it, it is the last Day of August.  Fall is in the air.  I am Co-Chair for the Community Quilts of Cheyenne Heritage Quilt Guild for this year as well as VP which includes setting up programs for the  Cheyenne Heritage Quilt Guild.  I am so excited to be able to help organize the fabric into Kits for the members to sew, quilt and bind.  Rest assured I am doing some myself as I love to quilt with my own longarm Crown Jewel.

I just completed a Quilt for a customer headed to New York for her Niece's wedding.  I have a couple more to complete today for 2 Customers and I will post those as well here and Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Google, and my web page.

We have been receiving fabric donations, so feel free to contact me or Debbie with your donations.  I will be more than happy to pick up any fabric you care to donate or drop them by at 507 Julianna Road, Cheyenne.  Also willing to pickup within outlying towns close to Cheyenne.  Longarm of the West Custom Quilting ...Quilt shop/Studio is in the back and I am there from 8 a.m until 5 pm or knock on the front door as there is someone always home.  :)

I found in the last donation of cotton and flannel fabrics some preprinted patterns.  Remember those fabrics that had a quilt block preprinted or the animal patterns already printed with instructions to sew.  I found an awesome fabric such as Jingles the Reindeer to sew up and stuff to give to Carol Gardner, who is this year's Boutique  Chair.  Also some fall leave appliques to make a table runner as well to give to Carol.   I love going through fabric and see what others have picked out in fabric choices for projects that had completed.

Longarm of The West Custom Quilting, LLC  A Day spent Quilting is a Day well Spent.  
As soon as I get Jingles completed and the table runner I will post here as well as on Facebook, Pinterest, Google, Twitter, and www.longarmofthewestcustomquilting.com

Happy Quilting and Sewing,
Until we Meet Again :)

Marcia Stewart
Longarm of The West Custom Quilting, LLC
(308) 641-8638 (Cell) You can call or text me
Email marcia@longarmofthewestcustomquilting.com

BInding a quilt at Longarm of The West Custom quilting, LLC This is so much faster than on my Bernina sewing machine. No more wrestling the quilt. Planning on offering it as a service on my web page to my customers. Quilting and embroidery are my passion. I am passing my knowledge onto my granddaughters. Lexi presently is making her a dress Since we could not find strips of 3 pinks, we bought material enough yardage of 3 colors of pink and making 3-1/2 inch strips. She will then learn how to place a pattern onto the fabric and cut it out and put it together. We will post pictures once she gets this accomplished. Nice to see the sun out and no rain. Have a great day..

I am enjoying my Crown Jewel Babyloc and started a community quilt for Cheyenne Herritage Quilt Guild which I am a member.  This one I am doing my free motion stippling on.  Later on I will try a pangograph.  I sketch out my design on a long sheet and place it on the table to follow with the laser.  I love to create my own pantograph.  

The QBOT is the computer system with lots of designs.  The next project will be a whole-cloth quilt with all the designs that QBOT has on its file.  A great upgrade from my Pfaff Grand Quilter and Inspira frame.  If anyone is interested in purchasing it, give me a call.  

Keep watching as I will show pictures of my little quilt shop/studio.   AccuquiltGo Big and cutters are here.  If you have fabric and want it cut, let me know.  I have some fabric in my studio but adding the online storefront to order fabric as well.  So visit http://www.longarmofthewestcustomquilting.com for the online store.

My Brother applique cutting machine (similar to the big laser machines that cut applique but smaller version) Watch for quilts that I create the applique with the machine and Iron on to the fabric and stitch down.

Happy Quilting and Sewing

Marcia

Finished Autumn Splendor

Just posted my new quilt on website.  Autumn Splendor.  This was made to help raise funds for the Curt Gowdy Mule Deer Foundation and will be on display for their auction being held at the Holiday Inn March 7, 2015 at 5:30 pm in Cheyenne Wyoming.   Dinner Tickets and/or memberships are available at the door or contact Dave Lockman at 307-635-3865 for tickets.

http://www.longarmofthewestcustomquilting.com/