A talisman was an item given by Duke Horacio in the old version of the Rune Mysteries quest. It looked like an air talisman but cannot be used as a runecrafting talisman.
1998 movie
Talisman – Magic Quest game
Authentic Kabbalah talismans by Rabbi Azulai for protection against evil eye, black magic, talismans for love, friendship, prosperity, luck and more.
book by Stephen King
Talisman Decorative handmade white ceramic tiles Talisman patterns arise from a conversation between hands and clay.
Talisman is an a cappella group at Stanford University that was founded in 1990 to sing music from the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa as an act of solidarity.
TV Mini-series
Talisman Energy
Definition: “A talisman is an object which is believed to contain certain magical or sacramental properties which would provide good luck for the possessor or possibly offer protection from evil or harm.[1]
Amulets and talismans are often considered interchangeable despite their differences. For example, the amulet is an object with natural magical properties, as opposed to a talisman which must be charged with magical powers by a creator. It is this act of consecration or “charging” that gives the talisman its alleged magical powers. The talisman is always made for a definite reason whereas an amulet can be used for generic purposes such as averting evil or attracting good luck.[2]
According to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a magical order active in the United Kingdom during the late-19th and early-20th centuries, a talisman is “a magical figure charged with the force which it is intended to represent. In the construction of a talisman, care should be taken to make it, as far as possible, so to represent the universal forces that it should be in exact harmony with those you wish to attract, and the more exact the symbolism, the easier it is to attract the force.”[3][unreliable source?]” (Wikipedia)
Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and get familiar with your blog or website.
The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.
We are also talking about this on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP
My friend Kathleen is organizing a great event in beautiful Reno: Make it Modern. This is the premier Reno event for modern quiltmakers. It is a great opportunity to work with a couple of QuiltCon 2016’s hottest designers.
What: Fun and fabulous days of creating, led by modern quilters Christina Cameli and Libs Elliott. Additional help, discussions, and general shenanigans each evening at the sewing salon, and a trunk show on Sunday morning.
Where: Peppermill Resort, Reno, Nevada
When: June 9-12, 2016
Who: Christina Cameli and Libs Elliot will be teaching
Why: Because it is fun to meet up with other like minded quiltmakers and have some fun sewing
ByAnnie, the company that makes Soft & Stable, sent me a newsletter advertising their newest class, Sew Sturdy: The Ultimate Travel Bag, which is available on Craftsy. It looks like some other bags I have seen and I decided to buy it. I have to make the Sew Sweetness Rockstar bag first, but I decided I would make this bag as well. Buy the class on Craftsy and we can support each other.
Other Artists
Ms. Lottie has made a couple of art pieces. The pieces comprise a triptych and one thing I like about the pieces is that they have a clean, non-messy look.
Adinda Zoutman showed this crochet shawl on FB. I can’t believe how gorgeous it is!
Media
Pam recently posted an episode of the Stitch TV Show talking about thread. I was reminded of this when I began listening to an older, but new to me, episode of Annie Smith’s podcast. The topic is thread. Annie has a lot of good information on the different manufacturers, well known and not so well known as well as the properties of thread. Listen to episode #227.
Fabric, Tools & Supplies
Massdrop has a couple of great things that I think you will enjoy. First, they have the new folding mat by Olfa. I bought one for my quiltmaking Go bag. I use this bag to take to classes and retreats without having to raid my regular supplies. Next I saw the Martelli RoundAbout set in use at a class. The set ($40 off) includes a ironing surface, cutting mat and a piecing surface for use right at your class table or for smaller projects in your sewing room. Massdrop also has thread sets, batting, LOTS of fabric, including Eden by Tula Pink, as well as the electronics, fountain pens and gaming accessories. Use my code and will get a prize. 😉
Hawthorne Threads has a new companion line to their Celestial Stars called Stitch the Stars. There is an Indigo, Charcoal and other colors. It reminds me of Karen Lewis’ new line.
Articles & Information
Pat Sloan has a post on her site about how to use a Jelly Roll. It is always useful to see how others manage pre-cuts.
We have all discussed different brands of solids and their properties. I have recently been using 2.5″ squares cut from a Northcott solid. I didn’t even know Northcott made solids until QuiltCon, which gives us yet another choice. Right Sides Together wrote an article right on point. I am sure Frances will be thrilled! This is not a comprehensive article and she says right up front that YMMV. This is a GREAT start and we should add to the knowledge. She doesn’t talk about fraying (not every article can talk about everything!) beyond a brief mention. Fraying is huge for me. The author does include American Made Brand solids, which is great. I also liked it that she includes the number of colors in each line and whether or not there is a color card. She doesn’t mention the Northcott solids, but I believe those will come more into the quiltmaking consciousness as time goes on.
You have seen the many donation quilts and blocks made from the 16 patch pattern. I saw a great quilt on Instagram. If I would plan better, I could make one of these. We can all dream.
Julie Silber was at the EBHQ Show. I looked up her website in an effort to see if I could find one that I really liked. I couldn’t find it, but the others are really great, too.
La Passacaglia
I am still thinking about the La Passacaglia quilt. It is such an interesting concept that I can’t stop thinking about it. Here are few resources if you are also thinking about making it.
I know I must be boring you to tears with these donation blocks. Still I have more.
I think it is interesting to put the fabrics together in different ways. I also like the idea of using a bunch of the same fabrics and then combining those blocks with blocks in the same colors. For example, taking that red and white block, making other red and white blocks and combining them all into a top.
I finished the first tablerunner and was able to show it at the BAMQG meeting on Saturday. I am pleased with how it came out. I can’t wait to use it.
I did the (minimal) piecing and I did all the quilting. It was mostly straight line quilting or quilting with an applique’ foot. No free motion quilting on this one.
Thanksgiving Tablerunner detail
Thanksgiving Tablerunner detail
Thanksgiving Tablerunner detail
I didn’t put a label on this one, so I embroidered my name and the date and that will have to do.
I put the blocks together (as leaders and enders) that I talked about last week into a top. The center is made up from the simple postage stamp/16 patch blocks. As you know I have been working on them for the last few weeks.
The border is from the Sugar & Spice collection from a few years ago by Amanda Herring of the Quilted Fish. I bought that line and even though it was fine fabric in nice colors, I decided it wasn’t really my style. It made a great addition to this quilt, though.
Sugar & Spice back
I saw the group of fabrics in my fabric closet and decided to use the plaid for the back. I needed a bit more to make the back larger, which was when I was inspired to use some of the fabric on the top’s border.
My Chubby Charmers (I have two) are full, thus I decided to make another one. That makes sense, right?
Half Moon Modern Chubby Charmer layout
I started it last week and worked on it a bit this week. I hope to finish it today.
I used a Half Moon Modern charm pack I have had for awhile. I decided that this would be a good use of fabric I have been trying to find a way to use for awhile. This was a good use of the fabric, because it made me delve into my group of Half Moon Modern fabrics. I didn’t have as much as I thought and I had a lot of the same prints.
Half Moon Modern Chubby Charmer parts
The charm pack had most, if not all of the prints and they were fun to work with. I used the yardage liberally and I am pleased with how it is working out so far.
Someone asked in a comment how I select patterns for a donation quilt. This is an interesting question and I am so glad the commentor asked. I never thought of the topic and it is a great one!
The biggest issue to consider for me is what kind of sewing I want to do. I have to judge my mood and my interest level. After that there are a couple of things I think about when selecting a pattern.
First, I have some go-to patterns. I use these patterns over and over. At least I am still using them. Even though I have made several tops using the patterns, I am still interested. One is a 16 patch, which is a basic, easy block that the guild always encourages.
Charity blocks – April 2016
FOTY-made Donation Blocks
Black & Grey Donation Top Complete
Multi-color Donation Quilt- April
Cheryl’s Donation Quilt
Orange & Grey donation quilt
Donation Blocks – June 2014
Pink Donation Quilt
Yellow & Pink Donation Top
Pink & Green Donation top
4 Pink & Green Donation blocks
Pink Donation Top #2
Yellow Donation Top – no borders
Blue Donation Quilt
February Donation Blocks
Good Fortune Donation block
Donation Blocks – My Scraps
Purple Donation block
Scrappy B&W Donation Block
This is a good pattern for all levels of quiltmakers and can be made from pre-cuts. You need 8- 2.5″ foreground squares and 8-2.5″ background squares to make the block. 16 blocks with no sashing make the quilt size we donate to the NICU at Stanford. It works very well with the leaders and enders technique.
There is also a lot of opportunity for creativity and variety. The photos above show quilt tops as well as blocks. There are a couple from the guild that I did not make. Sometimes I have a lot of fabric in the same colors (just finished a quilt), so I’ll cut up the leftovers into a usable size and make a set of blocks in those colors and put it together into a donation top.
I also will just pick random squares in a variety of colors and put them together into a block. I always want to be working on a leaders and enders project as it makes my productivity so much more.
I am also cutting 1-2 2.5″ squares from each fabric I was and press so I have a variety of squares to use as donation block leaders and enders all the time.
These blocks can be set together in a variety of ways as well: sashing, no sashing, on point, straight set, etc. If I make scrappy blocks, I sometimes have a hard time finding a suitable sashing color, so I might use scrappy sashing.
Sometimes I add borders, sometimes I don’t. I don’t think I have begun to explore all the possibilities for setting the 16 patch blocks.
Flower Sugar Donation Top
Orange Donation Top
Pink T Donation Quilt
Green T Donation Quilt
Second, the T Quilt Pattern is another go to pattern that I keep returning to. Peggy, one of the Charity Girls gave us this pattern at a Charity Sew Day. It is easy and it makes a good break from the 16 patches. Again there are quite a few options for variety that can be employed with this pattern. I do think the T design discourages sashing (what would be the point?), but scrappiness works very well.
Cutting Corners Donation Top
Third, as with the Cutting Corners Ruler, trying something new is a good opportunity to make a smaller piece until I feel comfortable or know I want to commit to a larger piece. The Cutting Corners donation top is one of those tops. I wanted to try out the ruler and making a donation top was a good option.
Fourth, very occasionally I will have orphan blocks. If they don’t get used for journal covers, they are donated to the Charity Girls to make into donation quilts or I will make them into donation tops. Most often, I just want them out of my hair.
Black & Grey Donation Top Complete
Fifth, rote sewing. Sometimes I need a project that allows my mind to wander into non-quilt territory. The Black & Grey Teenaged Boy Donation quilt was a good example of just sewing something that required few decisions.
BAMQG Mystery Quilt
Sixth, tops or blocks sometimes don’t quite work out. I don’t mean they are ugly or unusable. I meant that they didn’t work out for *ME* for some reason. These pieces can be any fabric, any pattern, any design, any layout. Anything. As I said in the blog post, I like the fabrics in the quilt above. I also like the pattern, but together they didn’t work for me.
Seventh, fabric that didn’t work out. A lot of times I will use fabric to make a donation quilt that I don’t want to use for my own quilts. This doesn’t mean it is crappy or fabric. It might mean that it isn’t my style anymore or the color is just off enough to make it not fit with other fabric choices. It could also mean that I bought a lot of it, because I loved it, used it a lot and suddenly didn’t love it anymore.
Star Donation Quilt
Eighth, periodically the Charity girls will come up with a block of the quarter (or of the month). For a time they will collect blocks in that design and then the group will make a series of quilts in that design. The Star donation top (above) is a great example. I put the blocks together and made the back. I didn’t make the blocks. Although, it has been awhile, I am still inspired to make more of these blocks and put them together in another quilt.
Ninth, too many scraps is a good reason to make donation blocks. They can be mosaic pieced like the journal covers, trimmed to size and then put together in an appropriate size and layout. They can be made into Sawtooth Star blocks or other blocks with a large center. The microscopic scraps I use for journal covers would take too long to sew together into blocks.This works better for donation tops with larger scraps.
I also cut larger or smaller squares into usable sizes and shapes, depending on what I have, and make a top from those. If I use smaller sized pieces, such as a 2″ square, I try make a whole top or enough blocks for someone else to make into a whole top. I try not to leave the Charity Girls in the lurch by making just one block, though I have known Peggy to run with one block and come up with a great top.
Also, if one of my scrap bins (I sort them by color) is overflowing I will cut a bunch of squares or other shape and make some blocks or a top.
Stars & Stripes blocks
Tenth, sometimes I will start a project with great enthusiasm. This often happens with class projects. At some point (too late to abandon) I will lose interest or realize I don’t like the results. It is a good opportunity to turn it into a donation quilt.
It could be that the fabrics are just fine and the technique makes me cringe. The above Stars & Stripes blocks were made using paper piecing. Not my favorite.
I was kind of surprised at the different ways I choose patterns to make donation quilts.
I do my best to use patterns I like and try very hard not to make ugly donation quilts. The beneficiaries of these quilts don’t care about matching points or perfect layouts. I am sure they are looking at the pretty fabrics and softness of the object they have been given. Everyone deserves some beauty in their life.
A cylindrical container used for shipping bulk cargo.
a communication device
Virtual Drumming is a hub for drum set game where you can play and learn through digital sheet music about songs of the sixties.
Freshwater drum fish
drum lessons
drum shields
Talking drum – An hourglass-shaped drum from West Africa, whose pitch can be regulated to mimic the tone
drum brake
drum magazine
Drum GAC
drum memory – A magnetic data storage device invented by Gustav Tauschek in 1932 in Austria.
electronic drum
Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement
An American LGBT-interest magazine based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
A 2004 film based on the life of South African investigative journalist Henry Nxumalo,
A brand of tobacco, owned by parent company Imperial Tobacco.
China Drum
1976 film
Drum – The first release from art rock band Hugo Largo.
Federic Drum – A fictional character who appears in works by the Norwegian author Gert Nygårdshaug
An Australian current affairs and news analysis program which appears on ABC News
An American indie pop band from Brooklyn, New York. The band is signed to Minor Records.
Augustus Drum – A Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
Chris Drum – A former New Zealand cricketer who played in 5 Tests and 5 ODIs from 1999 to 2002.
drum set
Drummerworld: World of Drums and Drummers. Created and run by Bernhard Castiglioni.
drum kit
Fort Drum
Dr. Drum’s easy-to-use drum machine
“Drum Bunker Dragon”, or simply “Drum“, is a character in the Future Card Buddyfight anime and manga, and the buddy monster of Gao Mikado.
Definition: “The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone.[1] Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player’s hands, or with a drum stick, to produce sound. There is usually a resonance head on the underside of the drum, typically tuned to a slightly lower pitch than the top drumhead. Other techniques have been used to cause drums to make sound, such as the thumb roll. Drums are the world’s oldest and most ubiquitous musical instruments, and the basic design has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years.[1]
Drums may be played individually, with the player using a single drum, and some drums such as the djembe are almost always played in this way. Others are normally played in a set of two or more, all played by the one player, such as bongo drums and timpani. A number of different drums together with cymbals form the basic modern drum kit.” (Wikipedia)
Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and get familiar with your blog or website.
The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.
We are also talking about this on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP
I got two new-to-me round robins last Friday. I didn’t have enough design wall space, so I took them out and looked at them. Different elements caught my attention – the squares in Annemarie’s and the applique’ on Michelle-Nicholle’s.
My addition to Annemarie’s piece – detail
I started with Annemarie’s after I finished the Cutting Corners donation top. I decided to add the other corner to the top left. My corner has the same look at the corner on the right side. I wanted the elements to be related, but not to be derivative. I wanted to use more of the Alison Glass fabric, but there wasn’t any left in the packet.
I looked at it after I had finished the squares. They looked too square. I had to make up some space (see the bottom strips where the blueberry fabric is?), so I added some strips and kept adding until my addition was large enough to fill the space. The strips look more improv than the squares. I can’t blame my hand for the cutting as it is much better. Habit, I guess.
Michelle-Nicholle’s Improv piece -before
Michelle-Nicholle’s was harder, mostly because it had the structure of a very traditional round robin. All the pieces in the round robin are getting quite large and Michelle-Nicholle’s is no exception. It is also, I think, the largest piece on which I have worked. There were also only a few motifs I could use as inspiration, none of which were very exciting to me. More applique’ would have been logical, but I just wasn’t in the mood. It was very difficult to think of an addition. I reached back to my early days of quiltmaking when I learned to do improv curved piecing. I added some of that. It is a simple addition, but effective, I think. I may add something else as my addition does seem like much, nor does it help the next person as a jumping off point.
Michelle-Nicholle’s IRR after -detailMichelle-Nicholle’s IRR after
My friend, Kathleen, is organizing a great event in beautiful Reno: Make it Modern.
What: Fun and fabulous days of creating, led by modern quilters Christina Cameli and Libs Elliott. Additional help, discussions, and general shenanigans each evening at the sewing salon, and a trunk show on Sunday morning.
Where: Peppermill Resort, Reno, Nevada
When: June 9-12, 2016
Who: Christina Cameli and Libs Elliot will be teaching
Why: Because it is fun to meet up with other like minded quiltmakers and have some fun sewing
I talked about some donation blocks I made last week. As I worked on the Cutting Corners Donation Top, I made more of the postage stamp/16 patch blocks using leaders and enders. I love how much I get done when I use that technique!
Charity blocks – April 2016
I now have 12 blocks on the wall. I have a few more to make, but I think that I might as well sew them together to make another top for the Charity Girls.
We had the CQFA meeting on Saturday. Of course there was an ATC swap. Not participated in the swap this time, but I received two lovely cards and got to keep one of my own.
As usual I intended to make them well in advance. Friday morning (day before the meeting!!) became unusually busy and I still hadn’t made any. Eventually I tore myself away from all the other things demanding my attention. I went for a walk determined to decide on a design. As I walked it occurred to me that I wanted to do something very simple and I came up with a design comprising an orange circle on a blue background. I was imagining the colors I used in the Wonky 9 Patch quilt. That particular blue and orange glow when put together.
I also remembered Ms. Lottie’s directions for finishing the edges and decided I would try the technique. I would have done a better job if I had actually read the directions again, but I did what I thought I remembered the directions saying. I had some trouble with the corners. They don’t look very tidy and I realized why after I read the directions when I finished. Such a great plan (<–irony). I’ll give it another try next time.
I like to put stiffener in my ATCs so they are more like cards. This meant that the fusible on the inside of the backing was adhering to loose Pellon interfacing. It didn’t secure the three layers together at all. I liked the technique and the little frame it makes. I’ll just have to make the technique my own for next time.Reading the directions might help. 😉
April 2016 ATCs in progress
By the time I arrived home I had an idea. It didn’t quite work out the way I imagined, but turned out satisfactorily. I didn’t have the exact colors I saw in my minds eye, but I did have colors that worked well together.
When I put the initial pieces together, they looked unfinished. I always like to do handwork and haven’t had many bindings to hand sew recently, so I sat on Friday night and stitched some Perl cotton on to these ATC pieces to add interest and finish them. I seem to often do embroidery or beading on these pieces. I wonder if it is a signature?
Bron & Jaye’s ATCsVirginia’s ATCs
Bron and Virginia also participated. We each got one of our own and gave Rhonda the extras to bring to Angela.
Wash fabric AKA The Great Unwashed-I washed a few more loads in the past month. I found the March-a-Long a good excuse to press and cut newly washed fabrics.
Cut out 3 notepad covers for gifts
Finish cutting out Day in the Park backpack variation
Finish sewing Anna Maria Horner Multi-tasker tote -this was a gift I intended to give during Holiday 2013- sigh. Missed 2014 Holiday deadline as well. I made it for birthday 2016 and it was a successful gift.
I know I keep saying that this project is nearing the end of the cutting, but it really is.
I like this batch. There are some really great fabrics in this batch. I cut them during Darla’s March-a-long on a few afternoons when I only had a few minutes.
