About Me

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Bigfork, Montana, USA
Bigfork Bay Cotton Company is a full service, brick and mortar quilt shop, as well as a retail/wholesale pattern business. You can view our pattern line on our website, but on a more personal level, we'd like to invite you into our shop and share with you the joy of quilting in our corner of the world!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

FLATHEAD QUILTERS GUILD SHOW


This year's gorgeous raffle quilt. Raffle will be held tomorrow at 3 pm!




Detail of this year's raffle quilt....beautiful quilting by Vicki Ibison!




Next year's raffle quilt was organized by Josie McCollum. Isn't it a cheerful quilt? Next year's theme is "Good Old Four Patch". Guild members made the blue four patches for this quilt. Josie and her mom, Jane Anderson, fused and blanket stitched the poppies and daisies.



Closeup of next year's raffle quilt




Shot of our booth. If you look closely above the "One Moose Open Sleigh" quilt, you will see the tiny painting upon which the pattern is based!




Traci's ready to demonstrate fusible applique!




Putting the finishing touches on the booth just before opening.....




Mo Harrah made the beautiful sample of "Stella Blue". She worked so hard to have it ready for the show. Thanks, Mo!


The Flathead Quilters Guild Show is going on right now! If you haven't had the chance to come over yet, you have one more day! The show is open Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm. Here are just a few shots...our booth, this year's raffle quilt, and a preview of next year's raffle quilt! I'll be posting a slideshow of the quilts from the show soon!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

VARIATIONS OF MYSTERY QUILT

This variation has little contrast between the background and diamond fabrics. Looks more "snowflakey" to me....


A Patriotic version.....


This version uses only the star block.


Just another color variation.


This is an alternate layout. Blocks are on point. This requires pieced setting triangles.


Another version of the above quilt.


This version uses only the alternate block.


A brighter version...no pieced border or focus fabric border yet.


I just want to say how much I love EQ for designing quilts. No, it doesn't do everything. I am going to have to learn Adobe Illustrator because I just can't write my instructions the way I would like with EQ. But for initial design and general "playing around" with blocks and layouts, it is great. If you don't have it, you are really missing out! We're thinking of starting a monthly EQ workshop at BBCC. If you're local and would be interested, let me know....

MYSTERY QUILT UNVEILED!


The Mystery Quilt was unveiled last Saturday! It has been a long nine months since we all started. This was a "piecing intensive" quilt. At times it was hard to keep up. I have to admit that my second one won't be finished for a while. I have decided to make it a king size quilt, which means I have quite a few more blocks to make. Before I show you my finished quilt top, I thought you might like to see some of the fabric choices people are working on:



This is Sandi's star block. The focus fabric is so fun! And her stars are going to pop!



These are Bonita's blocks. The fabric is from the Moda collection "Portobello Market". I just love this group of fabrics. Her quilt is going to be breathtaking.


These are Jane's blocks. Notice that she used the same focus fabric as Sandi, yet the quilts look so different! It will be bright and fun!


Notice that in this one, Jane swapped her light and dark. I love the results!


Finished top! In this one I swapped the light/medium fabric and the dark....


Here's a close up that shows both blocks within the quilt.

I played around with some other colors in EQ. I'll post some of those soon.

Friday, September 11, 2009

GREAT MACHING QUILTING BLOG

I don't remember what I was doing when I stumbled upon this blog, but it's a great machine quilting site. The concepts apply to all quilters, longarmers, as well as mid and short arm quilters. This quilter has challenged herself to share a different free motion filler design for 365 days in a row! This began on August 14th. It's easy to go back and see what she has posted already, and now that I'm hooked on her site, I'll be checking it daily! Many days have videos of how to do that day's entry! The site is http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com. Enjoy!!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

NEW PATTERNS FOR FALL QUILT MARKET!!

Spirit by Toni Whitney






Well, I have been away from blogging for awhile....just a bit too much on my plate with the mystery quilt and our move.... Thanks for sticking with us...I'm back in the saddle again!

These are our newest patterns, the ones we will be introducing at Quilt Market in Houston next month. (I have included the eagle, Spirit, which was released between spring and fall quilt markets.) I know that many of you have had sneak previews of these quilts in various stages of completion, but here they are...done! The patterns are being printed, the fabric kits are being cut, we are VERY CLOSE to being able to ship! There are some fabric issues; we are awaiting some key fabrics that may not arrive until mid October. But we are taking preorders now, so if you are interested, hop on to our website for pricing info, www.bigforkbaycottonco.com ....you can order either online or give us a call at 406-837-2399 or 866-245-5718!

If any of you are going to Quilt Market or Quilt Festival next month, please stop by our booth, #662 to say hi! and to view these quilts in person!