Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Kieffer

Last month we traveled to Tennessee to watch Pete's daughter Summer get married.  The wedding was in Lebanon in a beautiful woodsy chapel.  Summer was absolutely radiant and so was Matt.  The ceremony and reception was intimate with just close friends and relatives. The reception was a lot of fun and there was much dancing.

Congratulations! We wish them the best on their journey together!

I started on the wedding quilt as soon as I heard, but had possibility paralysis!  I know Summer is a strong Christian and has very modern taste.  For the fabric, I chose Natalie Barnes Maker's Home and lots of Kona Silver.

This gave me a chance to play with my Quick Curve Rulers by Sew Kind of Wonderful and leave lots of wide open space for custom quilting.  I have been Pinterest stalking Judi Madsen and all related quilters.  I have two of her books and just love her work.  

We stayed with some friends in Heritage, Tennessee, Sandra and Tony Usher.  Sandra is a friend of mine from the EZQ Quilters in Southern California.  She moved to Tennessee the same year I moved here.  I miss her and my quilter friends from So Cal so much.  A very talented and fun bunch of women.

This a view from their back porch, there are dear in the background looking to score some goodies.















Here is one of her beautiful quilts! Gorgeous work.  Sandra has always had such wonderful taste.


More about our vacation next week!

I hope you take the time to quilt this week!

Love Aunti Nicole

Oliver's Garden - Happy Anniversary

Last year my dear friend Dione turned 40, graduated USC and...married Garrett Oliver.  We celebrated their wedding in South Dakota on her Dad's farm where she grew up.  It was truly a blessed day.  Yesterday they celebrated their one year anniversary at the Jazz Festival in LA.  The happy couple will be hiking the swiss alps this summer.  Happy Anniversary Garrett and Dione! 

Their wedding quilt, shown above, I designed in Autodesk Inventor which is a software that I teach.  In this program, typically used for manufacturing engineers, I could adjust my design, get true dimensions and past bitmaps of the fabric on it, so I could see the results.  In engineering we call it virtual prototyping.  I printed a  1/8" wedge of the pattern on large format paper, then added a litte bit of detail by hand to make it feel a little more natural.  The borders are a 9" mirror and repeat and then 1 corner.  Quilt dimensions are 109" x 109". 

The whole quilt was reversed appliqued, except for the cross hatch which was appliqued bias strips.  My mom took 3 of the borders to applique on her vacation around the country (3 mos).  Then I hand quilted the whole thing in an echo.  All told it took about 1 1/2 years.  I'm glad they had a long engagement, hehehe.

I am so happy with the way this came out and I put wedding prayers and blessings in every stitch.  Thanks Mom for your help! 

Happy Anniversary Garrett and Dione Oliver! 

 

Happy Anniversary Baaaabeeee!

On one hand it is hard to beleive its been 8 years and on the other hand it seems like its always been this way.   Thank you for being a loving and supportive husband.  Here's to many many more years together.  Love You Pete

This Celtic Knot was made by my sister Dana for our wedding in 2002.  Its all hand done and about 14" square.   Actually it is currently the only quilt adorning our walls and hung so that we see it everyday to remind us of that day.  I think it is just beautiful.