Jun
8
Teapots 6, 7, 8!
Filed Under Show & Tell | 2 Comments
Speeding up now, more on the way!
The designs are in the Teapots to Appliqué Pattern Pack, which can be found on my website or Etsy shop, links below.
Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop
Instagram • kaymacquilts
May
3
Teapot No. 5!
Filed Under Show & Tell | 1 Comment
Enjoying the lovely paisleys in the Ann’s Arbor line.
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop
Instagram • kaymacquilts
Mar
12
Teapot No. 2!
Filed Under Back-basting (no-template), Hand appliqué, Show & Tell | Comments Off on Teapot No. 2!
I’m using a layer cake of the gorgeous Ann’s Arbor line by Minick and Simpson for Moda. It has lots of scrumptious prints for the teapots!
Instagram • kaymacquilts
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop
Feb
7
Teapot No. 1!
Filed Under Back-basting (no-template), Hand appliqué, Show & Tell | Comments Off on Teapot No. 1!
I’m posting a teapot a week for 16 weeks over on Instagram. Here’s the first one!
Made with Ann’s Arbor fabrics by Minick and Simpson for Moda. I hand appliquéd it using the back-basting method of preparation. It feels great to be going back to hand work for awhile. You can click Back-Basting in the Categories for a visual tutorial of this fabulous method.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop
Instagram: kaymacquilts
Jan
6
Teapot Appliqué-Along
Filed Under Hand appliqué, Instagram, Show & Tell | Comments Off on Teapot Appliqué-Along
Greetings fellow appliqué enthusiasts! I’m planning a project this year appliquéing new blocks from my first collection of teapot designs. I’m kind of excited about it!
When the top is done, it’ll be donated to a charitable kids’ quilt group in my guild, to use as a fundraiser for supplies.
A few months ago I joined Instagram and have been having a wonderful time over there. I’ll be “insta-gating” a Teapot Appliqué-Along and posting photos of the new blocks once a week starting Sunday, February 4.
If you’re on Instagram and want to follow along, the account is kaymacquilts. I posted all the info about the #teapotaal on December 29. Would love it if you joined in the fun, and spread the word!
I’ll show the blocks here on the blog as well, so if you’re not on IG you’ll still see them.
Here are the fabrics for my first teapot, from the Ann’s Arbor collection by Minick & Simpson for Moda.
Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop
Instagram = kaymacquilts
Jul
4
Teapots in the Central Coast!
Filed Under Show & Tell | 5 Comments
At the recent Seven Sisters Quilt Show in San Luis Obispo, California, I was met with a delightful surprise!
The board members of the Central Coast Quilters have been busy!! Close to a year ago, they contacted me to ask permission to use the designs from Teapots to Appliqué for a fundraiser opportunity quilt for their guild. I told them I would be delighted.
As it happened, the quilt was hung directly next to my booth! All weekend long I was treated to the admiring comments of passersby and those who bought tickets for a chance to win. I almost got a swelled head, but really, it was the fabulous creative work and design of the board members who pulled off this wonderful quilt.
Teacups danced around the borders. And notice how teabag labels were scanned and used for the sashing posts! What a great idea!
Thank you, Central Coast Quilters, for choosing my designs for your opportunity quilt. I hope it raises lots of funds for your good works.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop
Sep
14
Tea Ceremony
Filed Under Books, Freezer paper on the back, Machine appliqué, Show & Tell, Starch | 3 Comments
Before the lights went out in San Diego, I was tromping up the aisle, and someone was taking a picture of a quilt. Naturally I turned my head, and then I put on the brakes hard. I can spot my teapots at 50 paces! There was the most glorious oriental teapot quilt. I stood there with my jaw on the floor.
![]() Tea Ceremony by Marjorie Kilcrease, 109 x 120 |
Most of the teapots are from my Teapots 2 to Appliqué. I got the chance to talk with Marjorie a couple times during the show. She was beaming with pride over her quilt and so was I. Here’s the story of this masterpiece, from Marjorie herself.
When I saw Kay’s book on teapots, I fell in love with it. However, I kept thinking “Are you crazy? This is applique!” I collected oriental fabrics for about two years while I was trying to figure out how to display the teapots. Then I found the center panel with the Geisha holding the teacup.
Next, I found the block pattern called BQ2 by Maple Island Quilts and it looked very oriental to me. I was ready to sew!
This was my second appliqued quilt. I used the directions in the book to enlarge the patterns by 150% so they would fit on a 12″ block. I used a freezer-paper method (ironed to the back) with spray starch to anchor the edges down. Then I used the liquid basting to adhere the teapot parts to the block. The final step was machine-stitching the teapots. My husband designed three blocks for me too. The whole project took about four months.
The quilter, Wendy Knight, did custom quilting. In the black horizontal strips are names of tea or words like ‘happiness’, ‘peace’, etc. The vertical black strips have bamboo quilted in.
I had bought a large backing but still needed to enlarge it to make sure there was enough for the quilter. My husband helped me mimic the front design and we offset the black strips (instead of centering them) and then I used another panel that I found to add a decorative touch.
The quilt is for us and will take its turn on our king-size bed. However, all of my friends want me to put it in our will and leave it to them! They’ll need to discuss that with our two daughters though! :)
What Marjorie didn’t mention is that her quilt won First Place in Viewer’s Choice!
Congratulations Marjorie!!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie