Featured #battgirls (May2014) - The Quilt Studio/ Designs by Karen Gibbs

Meet fabric and pattern designer Karen Gibbs. Her passion in quilting.. Bargello! Check her out on Craftsy as she teaches you how easy this technique is. 

Karen started quilting when she worked as a sweater and textile designer for a clothing manufacturer. She would graph out holiday sweaters, giving the movement of color, similar to the way bargello is created. Now, the bargello quilts she creates uses bargello in sections or blocks of the quilts adding texture and movement, drawing the eye into that area.

Madison's Star

Her Madison's Star Quilt screams with vibrancy as many bargello quilts do and is only rivaled by the dramatic flair of a special 14 year old the quilt is named after! With the ease of strip sets, with a nod to traditional lonestar piecing, it's a dynamic quilt! Karen chose to use Quilters Dream Poly Select. She loves how it doesn't add weight to the quilt- which in a bargello, is really important with all those seams! 

Madison's Star close up

Textures are fun to freemotion with bargello and the Dream Poly Select allows enough "poof" around the stitching to show the design that compliments the quilt.

Argyle Style

Loving the Madison's Star but not quite ready to commit? Try it Argyle Style!  In this version you'll use precut strips (same layout as the star) BUT no Y seams! Using the Poly Select gives this quilt great background texture as well.

Karen's love for fabrics:

Like to experiment with fun fabrics? Well, you and Karen have something in common. Her favorite....Shannon Fabrics Cuddle Collections. You too can create these quilts by simply picking up your favorite style of Cuddle Fabric and Karen's Tilting at Windmills or Radiating Americana patterns. See her experience with these projects on her blog.

Radiating Americana

Tilting at Windmills

Karen's tips when quilting with Cuddle on the longarm:

* Use a thin lightweight batting like the Dream Poly Request (loft). Cuddle fabric is super heavy so any batting heavier might make your quilt feel like an x-ray protection shield! Because the Dream Poly Request stabilizes the stretchiness of the Cuddle, this allows for fun quilting options! 

*Try using open motifs when quilting with Cuddle on the top and back.

Karen's love of batiks:

This lucky duck was fortunate enough to travel with Anthology Fabrics as staff on the Bali Expedition Tour for 10 days! While there, she was able to experience the batik process. She currently has over 200 batik designs in stores that she has created for them! Pretty cool adventure if you ask us. :)

Pittsburgh Spring Quilt Market w/ Karen:

Have some fun with Karen in booth #450

For more details on demos, giveaways, sample sprees & schoolhouses, head on over to The Quilt Studio.

Keep up with The Quilt Studio/Designs by Karen Gibbs

 Facebook

Twitter

Blog

The Quilt Studio website

Pinterest

Google+: designsbykarengibbs

Well..... are you grabbing your keys and running to your local quilt shop? If so, don't forget to share, remember the search for future #battgirls will continue. We can't wait to see your ideas! 

Looking forward to your submissions. :)

~The original

Featured #battgirls (April2014) - Doodlemoochie Quilt & Design Studio

 We are very excited about our new blog series! We've been emailed fun and creative submissions from you #battgirls and can't wait to see what you other busy bees have been up! To get yourself caught up on all the excitement, check out our previous post.  But hurry back because we want you to meet our first featured #battgirls!



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Right: Becky Everett (the Moochie)
Left: Becky's daughter (Doodle)

Meet Becky Everett, the CEO of  Doodlemoochie Quilt & Design Studio! We have had the pleasuring of knowing Becky for some quite some time. She has been a dedicated Quilters Dream customer for years and LOVES quilting on her Gammill. It was through her Instagram account- @doodlemoochie, where we really got to see her talent. We are always SO eager to see her new masterpiece when we get notifications on our phones that Becky has tagged us- @quiltersdream in her photos!! Take a look for yourself... :)
                        

This cheerful bright gem on the left won the "Professionally Quilted" category on the Quilt Bloggers Quilt Festival last Spring. In her blog, Becky refers to this quilt as a "30's quilt with a Modern twist."

*For more on this quilt- visit her blog post.










Or how about this fun wall hanging she quilted up? Her unique color choice and detailed definition truly shows off her creativity and talent!! She used the free Star Bright Quilt Pattern from Swim Bike Quilt.

*Check out her Star Bright blog post. 







So are you ready to hear the secret of how Becky achieves the look on her quilts like this stunning eye-catcher?? Start by snagging the Kiara Chevron Pattern  on Craftsy and head to your local quilt shop for some Quilters Dream Batting!

*See the process in creating this pattern.



Becky's Technique: 

Use a double layer of batting. Pick a batting that is thinner, like Dream Cotton or Dream Blend. Then pair that with one that has some loft, like the Dream Puff or Dream Wool. When doing this technique, your quilt will have a nice added weight to it as well as giving it that 3 dimensional pop to your stitching! 

Check out more from Doodlemoochie:

Website

On Pinterest

Instagram: @doodlemoochie

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Well, there you have it #battgirls! Spreading the love, creativity and inspiration! Want to try the technique like Doodlemoochie? Call us for free samples and we'll help you get the ball rolling! So get your cameras ready and send in your projects. The search for future #battgirls shall continue. 


Looking forward to your submissions :)
~The Original