Jaye – Page 191 – Artquiltmaker Blog

Remembering September 11

Tomorrow is Sept. 11. I was thinking about the event more than usual this year. No sure why. One thing that came to mind after Sept. 11, 2001 was the phrase “what if?” As a result, the desire developed to write about the quilts I made after that notorious day. I thought I would give you a mini tour of two of my older quilts.

What Comes Next is the quilt I really wanted to make for the America From the Heart quilt project, which was put together by Karey Bresenhan for the 2001 International Quilt Festival exhibition. I couldn’t process my thoughts and feelings fast enough, much less construct this quilt, to make the deadline. Once I sent off Fireball I could relax a bit. Not having the pressure of a deadline helped me come up with the design for What Comes Next. I can definitely finish a quilt under pressure, but not design a quilt.

The message I wanted to communicate with the quilt is that people are people and I would like them to treat each other better. I stamped words like consideration, kindness, caring, etc on the quilt. Pretty obvious method rather than being oblique, but I didn’t want there to be any ambiguity with what I wanted to say.

Fireball the quilt that went to Houston and is in the book, is part of a series of woven quilts that I have been making on and off over the years. It was fast to make on short deadline. I chose the colors – they were a fat quarter pack – because they looked like fire, smoked and charred wood. This was one of the first times I used dotted fabrics.

Decorating with Dots

Laume from Beach Treasure Blog bought the orange version of this teapot. I couldn’t pass up showing you the turquoise version. It is fabulous.

clipped from www.amazon.com

Yedi Houseware Classic Coffee and Tea White Dots 20 Ounce Teapot, Turquoise Blue

Bag Book Reviews

After listening to the tote bag episode of the Quilted Cupcake podcast, I went to the Library and checked out a couple of books on tote bags. They didn’t have the Lexie Barnes books, but they had the title below and another, called Bag Bazaar.
Simply Sublime Bags: 30 No-Sew, Low-Sew Projects by Jodi Kahn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really only glanced through this book as it is due at the library, but it was a thorough glance! Sadly, I am not going to have much time to get to know it intimately before I have to bring it back. One of the things I like about it is the tone in which the author writes. Her introduction is really nice in that she tells the story of her sewing life.

As with many project books, there are a few projects that I really like and others that I would never make. Still, Jodi Kahn talks about the project in a conversational way. She tells the reader why he is having them do things and gives tips about the materials. There is an undertone of encouragement in the writing, which I like.

I also like the novel materials that she uses. One thing that I thought was a great idea was the t-shirt bag. She uses Duct tape a interfacing, which I think is ingenious.

Definitely worth a look.

Bag Bazaar: 25 Stylish Bags to Sew in an Afternoon by Megan Avery

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I mentioned the introduction in my review of Simply Sublime Bags 30 No Sew Low Sew Projects as being one of the highlights of that book. In this book, the introduction is perfunctory and fairly generic. However there is a section on basic bag making techniques, which I think I really stellar. I especially like the part on creating zippered pockets and making gussets. These hints are very useful!

My favorite project is the Bailey Baby Tote. I don’t have a baby, but it could be modified very slightly to make the pattern into a nice messenger type bag. I saw a similar bag in Amy Butler‘s Little Stitches, but didn’t want to buy that book for one project. This is a suitable substitute.

I also like the Mooney wine tote. It would be wonderful for gifts of wine. I’ll see about making one of those a well.

There are lovely drawings in this book, but no photographs. One shortcoming, which is common in bag books, is that there are not enough detail shots. I want to see what the inside looks like, what the outside pockets look like, what the back looks like, etc.

Megan Avery has really thought through her projects and I found there to be a lot of useful bag types in this book.

View all my reviews, including non-quilt related reviews

Grab Bag

This was another pattern from All People Quilt called Grab Bag. We were invited to a party on Sunday night. I whipped one up to bring to the guest of honor. I have wanted to test this pattern, so it seemed like a good opportunity.

I struggled a bit with some of the directions, especially the last few dealing with the handle finishing. Eventually I figured out what they were trying to tell me, but not without a fair amount of ripping. It was a good exercise in patience for me. I am sure companies like All People Quilt struggle with making the directions short AND easy to understand. For my part, I am glad for some of these free patterns.

I used an old large flower print for the outside and a Marimekko for the lining.

There are two major changes, and one minor change, that I would make on future Grab Bags:

I used regular batting like I use for quilts. I wouldn’t do that again. It makes it puffy, which is sort of cool, but I don’t like the fact that it doesn’t drape very well. I would like to try an interfacing to see how that drapes. I see experimentation with interfacing in my future. My other idea is to only put the batting on the bag part.
I would also make the inside just a bit smaller than the outside. The directions say to use the same pattern piece. It is fine (and much easier to write a pattern, I am guessing), but the bottom of the lining bunches up inside the bag. Not much, but enough to not look very professional.
The pockets are an odd size as well. I would make them a tiny bit larger, heightwise.

Above is a view of the inside. You can see a bit of the pockets and the Marimekko print.

I am pleased to have tried two new bag patterns. I think it has allowed me to feel sufficiently successful and warmed up to try the Anna Maria Horner Multi-tasker tote, I discussed in yesterday’s post.

Whipped Cream

I’d like to baste the Tarts at the next CQFA meeting on Saturday. In order to accomplish that goal, I need to get the whipped cream on the pie. I made the pattern and have been auditioning it in slightly varied locations all over the pie.

The above photo shows the crust stitching (see below), but I still don’t like the placement.

The above shows the whipped cream on the pie from a little further back, so it can be seen in context. It does look better from this distance.

The above location does not work. I am rather proud of that crust and the location of the whipped cream covers up my lovely stitching.

I am thinking that the ultimate problem is that I made the pattern too big and it should be a smaller mound of whipped cream, like on the cupcake. I am also thinking about adding a cherry instead of whipped cream.

Indulgence / Retail Therapy

I spent last week in SoCal doing a little bit of Grama wrangling/triage with my mom. If it isn’t abundantly clear, I was away from my sewing machine. The only fiber work I did was work on a bit of the hand stitching of Beach Town. After thinking about it, I may pull out what I did and redo it. We’ll see.

I was able to visit two quilt shops and a Borders. I don’t usually buy the Where Women Create magazine, but I am a Mary Engelbreit sucker and love her stuff, so I couldn’t resist. The editor’s note in this issue is WONDERFUL! I am going to send a copy to some of my good friends. I think they will appreciate it. I also really liked the quotes included with each artists’ piece.

Usually I prefer to buy magazines at local shops, but Borders really does have the BEST selection I have seen lately. I was able to look through 5-7 quilt magazines there as well as a plethora of other art and craft related magazines. I wasn’t enamored with the current Quilts and More mag, sadly. Very dull colors and uninspiring projects.

I also found that the two quilt shops I visited no longer carried magazines. Both owners said magazines just weren’t selling there. Sad. I would like it if Amazon sold just issues of mags rather than subscriptions. I would buy an issue or two of various mags once in a while if it weren’t such a pain to do so. I am thinking I need a subscription to a house magazine. I really mis House and Garden. House Beautiful seems to have improved somewhat.

One of my favorite shops is called Treasure Hunt in Carpinteria. It is located at 919 Maple Ave in a little house. The decorations are fun, cheerful and adorable. They have fun and cheerful fabric, a nice staff and other craft related items, like Collage Pauge from Traci Bautista. They have a room full of yarn for you knitting types, kid craft items (more Crayola brand stuff than I have ever seen in my life!) and a room of supplies needed to finish your works like frames, etc.

The red dot fabric and the cherry fabric with the yellow background will be an Anna Maria Horner Multi-tasker tote. I plan to do a trial run with some Denyse Schmidt Flea Market Fancy fabric first, though. I want to see how the pattern works before I use my precious combo. If the pattern doesn’t work for me, I will make another one of the Eco Market totes. Stay tuned for that project.

Sorbet Blocks

The above blocks are the blocks I made over the weekend. Except for the one in the lower left hand corner, which I made last week. I put it in to make the photo square and so you wouldn’t see my ugly carpet.

Last week I made two blocks for the Sorbet quilt (left). They sat on my design wall all week and as I looked at them a new idea formed in my head: a baby.

When I made these, I just wanted to make some of the quickest blocks to cut and sew. I wanted to get some endorphins going and some quick satisfaction.

What I didn’t realize was that these two could be merged to make yet another block. I didn’t need to make a pattern, which is part of the fun and joy of this quilt.

I can’t shake the idea that these two blocks got together and had a baby!

Silly, I know, but it is what it is.

The others I made were from the patterns I already designed in EQ6. I think this quilt will be one that I can longarm myself.

Not really sure why the above block is called Four Patch Corner. I didn’t make up the name, it was in EQ6.

Regular old 9 Patch fits the size and shape requirements. Easy to make and I think it looks great.

Sorbet Color

In a recent post, I posted a partially colored view of the patterns I had created in EQ6 for the Quilt Sorbet Quilt (not sure whether I will call it Sorbet or Quilt Sorbet or something else). Here is a fully colored rendering.

Some of the blocks are pretty obvious, but others kind of blend together.

My other thought was to create an EQ6 rendering where I color the blocks as I sew them. That might make my life too complicated, but we will see. It might, on the other hand, make it easy for me to keep track of blocks I have made.

Inspiration Tuesday

There were two estate sales in our neighborhood over the weekend so we went and took a look. I think estate sales are incredibly sad. These were especially so. We saw piles of photographs of the people living their lives. There was a pile of scrapbook pages. One of the pages held a portrait of a handsome young man with the handwritten caption “almost married him.” What a story that must be! Yet there they were in boxes being sold for whatever the family could get. Very sad.

I really like the shapes and the stylized indentations.

I was pleased to see, and buy, these ornaments, though. My grandmother had a tree full of them when I was a kid and I loved them. She also had strings of metallic beads she used as garland. She got rid of them all in a frenzy of cleaning because they were too old. It made me sad. I have been collecting old fashioned looking ornaments, like the Christopher Radko type ornaments. These are the first I have of this type.

Return of Flea Market Fancy?

Not sure how I found this blog.

It is interesting to see how one person can generate interest in an effort to get a fabric or fabric group reprinted. Perhaps I should do that with the turquoise (Botanical Pop from Baum Textile Mills/Windham Fabrics) fabric I need. There are a lot of steps to join this project, so I haven’t done it yet. It would be nice to get some more that blue!I have enough now, thanks to Julie, but you never know!

clipped from sewtakeahike.typepad.com

Calling all Flea Market Fancy lovers

I love it, you love it, we ALL love it! Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt seems to be one of the most sought after fabrics out there. And it’s oh so hard to find!

These dire circumstances have inspired me to start this blog as a sort of petition to see if we can raise an eyebrow (or two!) at Free Spirit Fabric to do another run of Flea Market Fancy (FMF).

K. S. Perino Pencil Roll

K. S. Perino is one of the participants in the CPP, so I peruse her blog periodically to check out her prompt responses. As I was doing that this morning, I saw hat she had made a pencil roll. I have seen the pattern for pencil rolls on the Pink Chalk Studio website and Julie over at High Fiber Content even made me one for my birthday last year. I really like the pencil rolls and have been contemplating expanding/adjusting the pattern a little to accommodate knitting needles.

This pencil roll is one of the best that I have seen. First, it is gorgeous. Next it is even more useful because of the little zippered pouch that the artist added (note to self: learn to put in zippers!). Finally, the little details such as the fabulous machine quilting and the little charms on the ends of the ties really make the piece.

I am thinking that one of these would be great to replace the ziploc bag in which I carry my PITT pens around.

clipped from finishinglinesbyksperino.blogspot.com

Quilt Sorbet Colors

I haven’t had a chance to make anymore blocks since I first introduced this project last week. Some block making is on my agenda this weekend, but in the meantime, I have been looking at fabrics and adding them to the mix. The biggest addition is the purple batik (upper right hand corner). I also added a couple of medium-large scale flower prints to see how they work in the mix.

I noticed that there is a lot of pink in the fabric mix. I hope it won’t be too pink, but I am enjoying the pink.

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	31

Author: Jaye