I started sewing, making rag dolls and dolls clothes sometime early on using a treadle sewing machine which is now in my hallway, and I watched as Mum made clothes for herself and all of us kids.
After I got married I made rag dolls, soft toys and Christmas decorations for sale, then in 1984 a friend wanted to start a patchwork class. I agreed to go along to make up the numbers, and make some cushions for Christmas presents. By lesson three I was hooked!
The next term, the friend left town and left me teaching her next class. I was about three stitches ahead of the class!
I haven’t stopped making quilts since, but also still made dolls, some bears, lots of Christmas decorations. After selling work through shops and at craft fairs for a long time, I found having to mass produce items was hard work, parting with quilts heartbreaking, and there was little time to play with new ideas.
I’m not good at following directions and always had to try something a bit different, and I started designing quilts in a small way almost as soon as I made my first block. I began teaching patchwork and quilting before I had made a quilt even, then started designing dolls from scratch instead of severely altering pattern, and conducting doll workshops.
Now I spend time playing with designs, for quilts, dolls and Christmas decorations, and sometimes even making some of them.
The Virtual Quilter
The quilts featured on this site are virtual quilts, designed on Electric Quilt.
I can design heaps of quilts in just a few hours, but I can’t make quilts that quickly, so I pick out the ones I like best, and because I quilt by hand, I only finish two or three a year.
The rest have been stored in my computer, unseen even by me unless I open a project file looking for inspiration for more designs.
This site is a chance to show the designs to others, and occasionally share designs
You may send me an email message at
virtualquilter at gmail dot com
What a COOL Blog. Love it. Thanks for stopping by. I was intrigued and thought I’d follow you back. Glad I did. What a treat!
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Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed it.
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Hi Judy
I am very very impressed by the way you work systematically. Your work is beautifull.
And I want to thank you for your supportive comments on my blog.
Margit
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Margit,
It is wonderful the way my computer makes me look so organised! Just don’t look beyond the screen!
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I love your applique calligraphy quilt. I, too, used to dabble in calligraphy but this is so much easier. I’d love the pattern–you are great to share it. Thanks.
Mary Frances
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Mary Frances
The best part about quilted Calligraphy is no bleeding ink!
Judy B
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Judy,
My first glimpse of your work was on the EQ site, about the Calligraphy letters…Amazizng and Beautiful!
I picked on the link to your Blog, and am even more amazed by your work!
I am new to blogging, and would like to share your link when I get mine up and going (in the next week or so).
Is this the appropriate place to ask about the EQ file for the calligraphy for Electric Quilt?
Thanks for any reply…You are a fabulous designer!
Deb
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Thank you for the compliments, and hope you enjoy the project file.
Judy B
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I saw your caligraphy quilt on the EQ blog and love it! I used to do a little (very little ) caligraphy years ago and would love to have this EQ file. Thanks for being so generous!
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Thank you, enjoy the project file.
Judy B
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Great job! What font did you use for this project or do you give that information in the project file. I would love to have copy of the EQ file. Thank you
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Charlotte,
The font started as Boister Black, but there were some modifications made as I traced it to make it easier to applique. Enjoy the file!
Judy B
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Judy, your calligraphy is lovely and your quilts even more so. Thank you for offering to share the EQ calligraphy project with other EQ users. The text option in EQ6 is nice, but you have gone so much further.
Thanks in advance for sharing.
Jane in Northeastern Ontario
P.S. the quilt blocks in your blog are a nice touch.
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Jane,
I started doing Calligraphy on quilts before the text option was available, and though it takes time to draw up the letters, once done they can be manipulated every which way.
Judy B
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I love the EQ Caligraphy project! Don’t you just love designing in EQ!
Luann
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Luann,
Yes, I do love designing in EQ, and being able to share the designs on a blog is just great!
Judy B
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Hi Judy
Your calligraphy is fantastic…I love those letters.
I came to your blog from EQblog which mentioned and showed your work.
This blog was very interesting to visit. Thank you.
I would very much receive your projektfile.
Best wishes
Ingrid
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Ingrid,
Thank you for the compliments, and hope you will come back to see more designs in the future.
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Hi Judy
I’m impressed by your calligraphy – great work.
The information about your blog I found at the EQblog
Thank you for sharing your work
I would very much appreciate to get your projectfile.
Regards
Barbara
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Barbara
Hope you enjoy the project file, and thank you, EQ, for the mention in your blog.
Judy B
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I don’t have a blog nor do I know how to create one.
I saw your calligraphy quilt on electric quilt website and would love to have the directions to do this. I love to add writing to my quilts and this is beautiful work.
Thank you for sharing.
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Cheryl,
Hope you enjoy adding this writing to your quilt!
Judy B
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Hi Judy, I found your blog through Quilter Blogs.com and the word “virtual” really caught my eye. I’ve been using EQ ever since it first came out and can’t imagine making a quilt without it. I too do lots of designing, some has actually made it into real fabric as a whole quilt or just an orphan block just cuz I wanted to try piecing it (I’m strictly a hand piecer).
Just wanted to say that I enjoy looking at your creations & EQ Rocks!! LOL
I’ve added you to my blogroll.
Crispy
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Crispy,
Thank you for adding me to your blog roll, and yes, EQ rocks! Pity we can’t hand piece as quickly as we can put a design together in EQ.
Judy B
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I love your blog, but have an alternative motive for stopping by;-) Could you please send me the file on how to create calligraphy applique in EQ6? Thanks sew much, Molly
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Molly,
The file is probably at your place by now.
Judy B
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I am a new EQer, but I do a lot of work with letters. I would like to get a copy of your EQ file on Applique Calligraphy. I am not sure if this is the right form to request this. But let me know what I must do. Like you I use to dabble in calligraphy. Your work is just beautiful.
Rena Hefley
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Rena
Yes, it is the right spot, and the file is on it’s way.
Judy B
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I love your site. Keep it up !
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Glad you like it, and yes, I intend to keep it up!
Judy B
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Any chance of still getting the EQ file on applique calligraphy….would appriciate it…..thankyou…
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Linda,
It is on it’s way as I type this.
Judy B
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Judy B. Thank you so much for your very kind comment on my blog. It meant so much! BTW, how did you know I loved quilts? My Grandmother was a quilter on the family farm and I have a couple she made for me. I will always treasure them. Thanks for making me think of her!
http://www.doncokerart.com/blog
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Don,
I commented because I guenuinely like what I see on your bog. As for knowing you loved quilts, it must be woman’s intuition!
Judy B
https://virtualquilter.wordpress.com http://stuffups.wordpress.com
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Hi Judy,
Sadly I missed your deadline and was not able to post a nice message to receive the EQ6 file. I really regret this. I am totally computer illiterate and my EQ6 skills are woeful – I have the software but make all my quilt designs by hand still.
I love the log cabin design and would dearly love to take part. Would you please make an exception?
I love your work, I’d love to take part.
Thanks for your time and for your blog ( am always lurking and envying your skills)
Esther Aliu
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HI again – not sew easy being almost completely technically illiterate. Had to search and search but patterns and fabric are worth it.
It is #750 from April 30/2010.
I have dial-up – how hard is it going to be to get your
pattern and how much will it cost.
Thanks a lot
Mary
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Mary,
I haven’t created a pattern for that quilt, but if you have EQ6 I could send the project file for it.
Also, if you are willing to act as a guinea pig I will try creating some PDF format pages of the blocks and send to you to see if you can download them. I haven’t tried sending to anyone with dial up so don’t know how long it would take to download.
Worse case senario would be you going to the library to download and print the pages if you can access your email from there.
You will need Adobe Reader to open and print the files, and I can find the site to get the free downloads of that program.
Judy B
http://virtualquilter.webs.com https://virtualquilter.wordpress.com http://stuffups.wordpress.com
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Thankyou for your nice comment on my blog Judy.You have a neat blog, I will be back for more looks.
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Leeann,
Thank you too ….. love the name of your blog!
Judy B
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You mention that you hardly see most of your EQ designs. You could use the free EQ Show screensaver software by Electric Quilt to display them randomly as your computer screensaver. (It’s available for download at Electric Quilt web site.)
I’d love to post some of your designed quilts and their EQ project file for download through my online free EQ Project Library web page. If you’d like to do this, visit http://www.chickenladyquilts.com/eqlibrary.asp and then click the link to email me the project file. I’ll post it ASAP.
Thanks! Your designs are beautiful.
Karen
aka Chickenlady
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