Sharing Ideas at Quilt Expo

I would like to invite you to join me 

at Quilt Expo in Madison, WI

September 5, 2014

 I will be sharing ideas for highlighting your quilts 

with fabric bits and pieces. 

If your studio is filled with smaller scraps of fabric, 

rejoice in your good fortune.   

Learn creative paths for using these small treasures in your next quilting masterpiece.  

Ideas for both traditional and art quilts will be discussed.

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

I am Conquerer!

Some days you are just in the mood to sew.... 

just for the pleasure of stitching pieces of fabric together. 

Today was a day like that.

Without a quilt design in mind, it was the perfect day to have fun conquering the scrap bag. 

My, there was quite a pile of fabric stuffed in that bag!

I began pulling out fabric strips. Who needs to buy jelly rolls of fabric strips? 

I was amazed at how many strips were stuffed into my bag.

Stitched and pressed, they went from trash to treasure.

I stayed with the brown color theme. 

(That does seem amazing to me, as I can't wait for the colors of spring after this long winter.)

I started to put together some larger pieces, re-cut the strip sets and add them in.

There is still no definite plan as to what I may do with the pieces I've made. Today, it doesn't seem to matter. It is the joy of stitching that drives me on. 

Isn't this fun?

Do you have any suggestions for my pieced sections? 

(If nothing else, the mess is conquered and it will be easier to fold and store.)  

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

Mark It Sold!

 Just wrap a cord around a bundle of fabric. 

Call it a grab bag and I am there. 

It doesn't matter if I can see the fabrics or they are hidden in a brown paper bag. 

I can't resist the adventure of scheming and dreaming of what I can make out of these random pieces.

With its vibrant colors and happy patterns, this purchase was a no-brainer for me.  

I can't wait to see where these fabrics will lead me.

Perhaps I will stitch them together into a pillow, such as this one that brightens my day every time I look at it.  My granddaughter loves it too, so in my mind I see her smiling face.

A double treasure!

What brightens your day? 

I hope you find it.

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

Northwoods Rebels

This past week I had the wonderful opportunity to lead a workshop for the Rhinelander Northwoods Quilters.  The class material was Rebel Architecture, an improvisational piecing technique.

Some quilters are a bit hesitant when it comes to flying without a pattern, but after an introduction to various approaches, these talented ladies dove right in.

Some were inspired by a color or a small scrap of fabric.

Others chopped and rearranged extra blocks they had left from a previous project.

Each found a way to express herself on an individual level.

I was amazed and thrilled at the different directions each quilter went as 

they explored, experimented and then turned their vision into fiber art.

It was certainly a privilege to meet and work with this energetic group.

Is My Back More Interesting Than My Front?

I've layered and basted my quilt sandwich together and have started the quilting. I am speaking of my green improvisational background that I stitched together and shared with you earlier.

But... after quilting a bit, I turned it over and found the back to be even more exciting than the front. 

Well,

maybe?

The designs definitely show up more on the back.

You can see details of the leaves

and the fern.

Perhaps I have made a mistake in making the front so complex. 

Sometimes in the joy of sewing together bright colors and fabulous patterns, we loose the option of creating the drama with our quilting stitches.

I'm not at the point of changing this project, not when I only have a small area left to complete. 

I know the rule is to start quilting in the center and work to the outside of the quilt, but sometimes things just don't work that way for me.

The quilting is finished with different leaves and various other growing things. 

Yes, I do like the back....

but then I also like the complexity of the front with its interplay of fabric color and design set off by the "up-close" details of the quilting.

Perhaps in my next quilt, I will use a solid background and have fun quilting fabulous designs. 

What is your favorite approach?

Meanwhile, is there a rule that says your quilt cannot be hung in the center of the room where viewers can see both the front and back?

Linked to Off the Wall Fridays

A Little Head Poked In

Once there was a porcupine. The porcupine was in need of a world to explore.

In comes my green scrap improv piecing. I knew I was doing this for a reason. It wasn't just for the fun of sewing bits of green fabric together. I was dreaming up my next quilt and I didn't even know it.

As my green world grew larger, it had to have a few berries included. I find joy and a bit of torture each year as I push my way through the bushes looking for tasty treats.

This all came together for an lively green background for a nature quilt.

And the little porcupine crawled in to give it a try.

In the future weeks, we'll see if he finds this a cozy place to live

 or is just visiting.

Linked to Off the Wall Fridays

Exploring Green Possibilities

With a long winter hopefully behind us, I'm finding any bit of green exciting. Today I have delved into my green scrap bag to have a green adventure.  I know, isn't it a shame to have an entire bag devoted to green scraps. Then, I guess I shouldn't tell you about the second bag.

With additional squares from my old forgotten, but newly found watercolor box, I am happily on my way. As a friend commented, this will make a wonderful background full of life and variety.

As I place these randomly pieced sections on my design wall, I can see possibilities for two backgrounds. Oh, the exciting directions I can explore.

This one seems to be growing and growing.

I have incorporated many of the squares found in my watercolor box.

To keep with the random theme, some of the squares are trimmed or divided.

As much fun as I am having merrily stitching away, the sunny day outside my window is beckoning me. Time to breathe in the fresh spring air.

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

The Beginning or the End?

 

What triggers your quilting excitement?  Is it the thrill of breaking into a new fabric collection? Or is it the satisfaction that comes with using up all of the fabric?

I just couldn't wait to see what I could do with these bright and cheery Moda fabrics-- Comma Mini Charm Packs and the coordinating thread by Aurifil.

Out popped house after house, and with the addition of only three of my stash fabrics, I completed this wall-size quilt top.

To set off my 2-1/2" fabric squares, I chose a rich hand-dyed wool from The Wooly Lady. I also added a grey plaid homespun and a pearl grey polished cotton. Three different textures and finishes to create depth in the piece.

Now I was down to just a few narrow strips of my fabrics and used them in the borders.

There I did it. To my great satisfaction, I used it all.

Well, almost. I did have a small square of fabric left, less that an inch in size. 

I was conflicted, should I find a way to use it also?

In a bold 2013 movement, I gently placed it in the trash.

Linked to Off the Wall Fridays

Christmas Wishes and New Beginnings

My wish is that you had as wonderful a Christmas as we did. Everything was perfect, noisy, cluttered, wet and snowy, so much to be thankful for, topped off with a beautiful church service celebrating Jesus, the Light of the World.

Now, I can't wait to break into my sewing studio which was cleaned and things put away before Christmas. I was lucky enough to win a pack of threads from Aurifil and fabrics from Moda just before Christmas and I've been WAITING to plunge into them. I just love the colors.

I couldn't wait any longer and cut into them. It's so fun to see what can be done with a 2- 1/2" square of fabric (or two).  These became windows or are they gifts wrapped in colorful ribbons (a hold-over from Christmas gifts)?

Add some half-square triangles to the mix.

Do I see city lights in my future quilt making?

A few larger pieces of fabric may be in order. Come back and see where I go from here.

Meanwhile....

Celebrate a wonderful New Year.

Snow and Orange? Oh, my!

As they say "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" and indeed it is after a snowfall that blanketed our little corner of the world. Nothing can rival God's beauty.

But, inside I am still thinking orange as I work to finish my Nine Patch Quad (as you can see the name stuck).

I searched through my fabric and came up with this option for the borders. The dark color sets off the quilt top and makes the darker colors in the center pop up. The border also helps to control the brilliance of all that beautiful orange.

I squared off the top and was surprised at how little needed to be trimmed considering the unevenness of the blocks.

After sandwiching the top, batting and backing, I dove into quilting. At this point, I think all the quilting will be vertical. Will that work? I quilted some pod shapes. I don't know, are they good or bad?

Even with all my questions unanswered, I do love the way that the satin weave of the Kaufman Radiance picks up the light and emphasizes the hills and valleys created by the quilting.

Continuing on................

Linked to: Off the Wall Fridays

Tuesday's Tile

 What could I do? There it was.

After I finished putting together my nine patch blocks that I showed you last Friday, there was one extra piece. It was a colorful, fun piece that called to me. Over and over again.....

I mean, could you resist this piece?

Well, actually, it was accompanied by a second piece.

My project top was completed. Shouldn't I just throw these remnants away and be done?

The piece that I am fighting with grew too large for my nine patch, but...

when I measured it, it was just the right size for a Quilter's Tile.

OK, Little Scrap, you win!

You will become a Quilter's Tile.

A bit more piecing was needed to enlarge the solid piece of Kaufman Radiance fabric to the needed 8" size.

Another scrap would provide the width to make a tile 8" x 8".

After stitching the sections together I realized there was bubbling along one seam line. On more forgiving cotton patterned fabrics, this may not be a problem. On the Radiance that catches the light so beautifully, this area will always stand out as a mistake. There would be no camouflaging it with my quilting stitches. 

So the stitching came out.

And was restitched.

Now, how will I quilt this?