"What If" Project!

Let's do a project together!

We'll call this

our

"What If"

Project!

Why?

Because we'll quilt one design,

then

quilt variations of that design.

This is my

"What If" mentality!

It can take only a simply little change

to 

TOTALLY

create a new quilting  design.

So...

Let's have FUN!!!

FIRST...

Cut a 1 1/4 yard of white, 

or solid fabric for the top.

Cut a batting a little larger.

Cut a backing a little larger than the batting.

On your top,

Fold it in half, crease, open back up, then mark that line.

(I used a blue water soluble marker.  You could easily use a Fixion pen. Even a permanent marker would do,  We'll be trimming each section in the end so it will fit into a clear page protector.)

Now, fold the side into that mark, crease, open back up, and mark that line.

do the same on the other side.

You should have 

4 equal (ish) lines.

Now,

do this in the opposite direction.

This will give you 

16

sections on your top.

Each section should measure 

roughly 9"x11".

Now,

Pin all layers together...

or however you prefer to baste!

Here's mine!

See how I have 

16 sections?

Each is roughly 9"x11".

I'm ready to go now!

Go ahead,

get yours ready!

We're going to have so much 

FUN

exploring different designs!

How they're quilted!

How to change them up!

And you'll have a

sampler of 32-64

free motion quilting designs

when we're finished!

Are you ready?

I'll post in a few hours

our first design...

Stitch the pieces of life together!

It makes a BEAUTIFUL quilt!

Nina Clotfelter

Wavy Clams

Wavy Clams

Ok...

For those of you 

who have taken a class with me...

You already know this about me...

I have a 

"What If" mentality.

What does this mean?

For me,

it's all about seeing what else 

can be made out of a design.

What if...

I change this line?

Make it wavy?

Go this way instead of that?

There are so many different things we can do!

SO...

we did the

CLAM

yesterday.

Today...

What if we make it a wavy line?

Here it is...

Really pretty...

Right?

This is a great filler,

either large or small!

Here's how you 

create it...

Please,

remember...

learning a new design

DOES

take practice!

Be patient with yourself!

Allow yourself time to learn a new design!

The fun is 

ENDLESS!!!

Now,

Your clams will NOT

look like mine!

You learn clams the way your hands

want to create them!

That's what makes the world so 

AMAZINGLY

BEAUTIFUL!!!!

None of us

are 

exactly alike!

You be YOU!

And mostly...

Be 

HAPPIEST

as

YOU!!!

You're 

FABULOUS

JUST 

the way 

YOU

ARE!!!!

Stitch the pieces of life together!

They make a BEAUTIFUL quilt!!!

Nina Clotfelter

Let's learn to quilt CLAMS!

CLAMS!

The free motion quilting design

"Clams"

is such a beautiful design!

You can use clams,

in any size,

as a gorgeous background fill!

You can use it large,

in most of your background.

You can use it small,

in just little sections.

And anything in between!

Let's do this!

PLEASE,

PLEASE,

PLEASE,

know every design takes practice!

Get a notebook

and draw the design 

over,

and over,

and over,

and over

again!

This is great to do for 2 reasons...

1. You get to practice the design and get it down 

before taking it your machine.

2. Drawing a design over and over creates a muscle memory 

you need when you go to your machine.

Here is a picture of clams quilted out!

Beautiful!

Right!?

Here's how to create your own...

PLEASE know...

we each have very different hand writing!

(Way to point out the obvious, Nina!)

I say this because...

Your clams will look different from mine.

You friends clams will look different then yours. 

Be happy with YOUR clams!

You can do this!!!!

You get into a groove with this degin!

It's LOADS of FUN!!!

Tomorrow,

we'll make a little change 

that will totally change the look!

Sew the pieces of life together!

They make a BEAUTIFUL quilt!!!

Nina Clotfelter

MQS Classes!

Oh, SO many designs!

This was a FUN class!!!

Everyone was working on a

sit down longarm!

Thank you 

Nolting 

for supplying the classroom machines!

LOOK!!!
Each of the ladies
did SUCH AN AMAZING JOB!!!
LOOK!!!

We quilted a design,

then looked at several ways 

we could change it.

(Sorry...the lighting was awful!)

The idea is...

when they finish their sample,

each section will fit into a page protector

for a great reference.  

Oh,

the amount of

FUN

we had!!!

Everyone learned SO many new designs!

(As in 28-32 designs!)

Tomorrow,

we'll start going over

some designs!

Join me one this venture!

Sew the pieces of life together!

They make a BEAUTIFUL quilt!

Nina Clotfelter  

Traveling...

WELL...

I didn't get to

Cedar Rapids yesterday!

I have a Beginning Free Motion Quilting class

This morning at 8am!

For those of you in this class...

I'm so sorry!

I'm in an airport

trying

VERY

 hard to get there!

I hope you'll understand and be able 

to make the rescheduled the class!

It's SUCH a FUN class!!!

It all started yesterday

when I arrived at the Mobile, AL airport at 6am.

My American Airlines 7:30 flight was cancelled!

The agent booked me on a Delta flight 

out of Gulfport, MS.

My WONDERFUL husband

drove me over there.

No seats available!

They booked me on a American flight out of 

New Orleans...

Flight cancelled!

They put my on another Delta flight.

No seats available!

Then I was booked on a 

United flight

for this morning...

but they didn't finish the ticket.

This means I can't reserve a seat, 

or print a boarding pass!

The American Airline phones were so busy,

they just hung up on me!

I also held on hold for 2 hours...to be disconnected.

Again, hold for 2 hours...disconnected.

Again, hold for 3.5 hours...at 1:30 am

I hung up and went to bed

Did you get that?

3 airports,

3 states,

5 flights...

My husband is still with me ladies!

He got us a hotel room last night.

Now,

 know he had no change of clothes,

no toothbrush,

no necessities at all,

 no book to read...

And he just wanted to make sure I was able to get out today.

As horrible of the day

yesterday was...

it sure was nice to have 

my wonderful, amazing husband 

there with me...

even if he couldn't fix it.

He is my rock,

my friend,

my supporter,

my encourager,

my greatest fan,

my even greater believer in ME!

I hope and pray each of you 

has a husband

as wonderful as mine!

Be good to your husband!

We'll be celebrating our 

28th wedding anniversary

this August 1st!

I LOVE HIM EVEN MORE 

THAN WHEN WE MARRIED!  

We've been through SO much

TOGETHER!

Thank you honey!!!

You're my hero!

So...

this morning...

we got up at 5am again...

went to the New Orleans airport...

got American to finish the united ticket...

checked into United...

now I wait for my flight...

PLEASE,

PLEASE,

PLEASE

pray these flights land as scheduled!

I'm asking you to be prayer warriors

for me!

United #1908 N.O. to Chicago

United #5953 Chicago to Cedar Rapids

PLEASE PRAY!

In the mean time...

love on your husband today!

(Or a friend!)

Thanks for listening...

I had to vent...

I don't do much of that...

I a positive person

with a positive outlook on life.

But,

yesterday got me.

Have a blessed day!

And I hope each of you had a 

WONDERFUL

MOTHER'S DAY!

Sew the pieces of life together!

They make a BEAUTIFUL quilt!

Nina Clotfelter

MQS Cedar Rapids, Iowa!

Machine Quilters Showcase

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

HERE I COME!

I'm going to 

TEACH

at MQS!

I'll be teaching

ALL week!

7 classes!

This is also the show 

Mardi Gras!

and

Fantasia Too!

were sent to.

I'm getting all my

student handouts ready!

Preparing the fabrics!

Packing samples!

Oh, can't forget those candies!

I

LOVE

what I do!!!

If you know anyone going to this 

QUILT SHOW...

tell them to come see say "HI"!

Or take a class from me! LOL!

Wish me luck everyone!

Sew the pieces of life together...

They make a BEAUTIFUL quilt!

Nina Clotfelter

Paper piecing class!

FUN!!!

FUN!!!

FUN!!!

Oh, we had a fun class!

Here is the class sample of what we make in class!

We worked on getting all 4 sections completed...

and 

almost made it!

Here are a few student 

pieces...

FABULOUS JOB!!!

I wish I had gotten 

pictures of each 

persons work before they left!

Sorry about that!

They were ALL

AMAZING!

Great class!

You ladies were wonderful!

I can't wait to see them all completed!

Keep on going!!!

Sew the pieces of life together...

They make a BEAUTIFUL quilt!

Nina