I had been looking for this article and came across it today. The Quilting Loft is a new-ish and really cool store in Seattle.
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Author: Jaye
Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.
Fiber Social Networking
Ning, another social networking site, provides the opportunity for like-minded people to create groups. Deirdre turned me on to the Fiber Focus group.
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Painted Floors
Everywhere I go, I see something that reminds me of a quilt or something inspires me to make a quilt or gives me some creative idea and I just have to show you. Towards the end of our trip we went to the National Forest Service Museum (Smokey the Bear land). These were the floors.
It looks like some kind of applique. Can you see the trees and the mountains?
This would be much easier and you could probably piece the whole thing. Yes, even the circle. For those of you are beginning to suspect that I have lost my mind, take a look at Ruth McDowell’s Piecing book. This is a classic quilt book and really should be in everyone’s quilt library. She wrote this before C&T started publishing shorter books. A newer version is Ruth McDowell’s Piecing Workshop.
Fair Photos
This was the last weekend of the county fair, so we took our free tickets and went and indulged in quilts, rides, funnel cakes, lemonade and frozen, chocolate covered bananas.
The cheerful quilts are coming. I saw a definite change in the palette of some of the some of the quilts. There were a few really bright quilts, a number of pastels and fewer in the brown range.
Oak Hall, which normally houses the Home Arts (including the quilts) was closed and they were using a huge tent. Not an ideal situation, but Julie Curry, the Home Arts building director did a great job hanging the quilts. I would have liked to have had more room to take photos and a little more light, but at least the quilts were not 30 feet up on the wall.
I hope to see some of the quilts at PIQF so I can get better photos.
San Mateo County Fair 2008
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artquiltmaker/sets/72157606792927862/
A selection of things from the set
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This quilt was my favorite quilt. I liked the black on white print that the maker used for the background. I liked that s/he used a lot of different prints as well. I also LOVED the blue circle. That detail is genius. I think it makes the pink stand out even more, but takes off the sweetness edge.
S/he did this in hand applique
Nice border as well.
Playing with Fabric
Barsha is an artist I know who is the poster girl for creative play. This stuffed bear is a good example. His story is that Barsha saw the fabric, bought it and just had to make something right away. I think the fabric makes the bear.
We had a long discussion, similar to one that TFQ and I often have, about how people deal with their creativity. We came up with the possibility that people don’t feel free enough in their creativity (pressed for time so everything has to be perfect???) to just play and to make mistakes.
Go forth and play with your fabrics and, yes, make mistakes.
Janome SewingSpy?
Janome is engaging in some viral marketing and I thought I would share the link: http://www.youtube.com/sewingspy.
Bullseye Arrangement
I have a sinking feeling I already posted this picture, but I can’t find it in the blog, so either I am losing my mind or imagining things. Either one could be positive. 😉
This is the first arrangement. It will work, areas I want to stand out stand out. With a few more blocks the self bordering will work as well.
I know I rearranged the pieces after I took this photo, but, once again, my camera is upstairs, so it will have to be a post for tomorrow.
Amy Butler Tote redux
I found the Amy Butler tote on the K&C Company website. It looks really nice and has gotten rave reviews from some people who have emailed and commented. I’ll have to think about it before I buy. I still want the pattern so I can try and make it from my own fabric.
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Admiring Rectangles
Fractions on a Roll is another Jelly Roll pattern that I admired at the APNQ show. In addition to diamonds, I have also been admiring rectangles. I actually started a rectangle quilt to comfort my aunt while she was in the hospital. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish it in time and haven’t had the heart to work on it. This design, however may give me the boost I need to work on it.
The layout of the rectangles is different than my original design and may give a UFO new life.
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Jelly Roll Patterns
I saw this pattern at the APNQ show, which I promise to write about soon. I seem to be attracted to Jelly Rolls and Jelly Roll patterns lately. Not sure what that is about, but am just going to go with the flow.
I have long admired diamond quilts, but aside from a few 8-pointed stars and a Lone Star center, I haven’t ever made a diamond quilt.
It is appealing because of the way larger diamonds are made up of smaller diamonds. Strip ‘n’ Dip is from GE Designs, an Icelandic company.
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APNQ Mariner’s Compass Full
This is the full Mariner's Compass that I spoke about in my post of August
9, 2008.
Jaye
More Complex Bags
I was at Pacific Fabrics yesterday and saw this great bag from K & C Company and Amy Butler. It is called the Creativity Bag and says it was designed for scrapbooking.
TFQ and I liked it because of the interior dividers. I don’t think I would want to carry it around all the time, but it would make a nice travel bag. Frankly, I would just like to try to make one. Either the design or the fabric is licensed, so, after discussing with TFQ, we are skeptical that they are also selling a pattern. It seems like they would just want to sell the complete bag. I’ll have to look carefully, though, on the Web to be sure.
TFQ found a pattern she bought several years ago, which is similar. It has the dividers inside, but doesn’t have a really good variety of photos of different angles.
Thinking about Borders v.APNQ
Quilt shows are a good place to try and work out a quilt puzzle because there are, generally, more quilts at a quilt show than any other place you normally inhabit.
I wasn’t really trying to work out a problem, but the idea of borders was rumbling around in the back of my mind.
I sincerely dislike borders t hat have no good DESIGN reason for being there. I don’t like borders that are just slapped on because the Quilt Police say you need a border or the quilt wasn’t quite large enough. I have engaged in this behavior, much to my chagrin, and endeavor not to do it anymore.
Thus you can imagine my delight when I saw this light and airy border on a Mariner’s Compass quilt. I LOVE the idea of giving the Mariner’s Compass some boundaries without hemming it in with a heavy and long piece of fabric. While it is not as cohesive as the self bordering technique can be to the design, I still find it to be very successful.
Twists of Fabric
I saw this Dior (I believe!) ad at the airport yesterday. I love this dress for the twisty knot of fabric in the front. I like the petal pink also, but I think I understand why women love haute couture when I see this dress. It is the details. Thoughts?
Mixed Media Event in Pleasanton, August 22-24, 2008
<span style=”font-size:100%;”><span style=”font-family: georgia;”>The Convenzione Zne, a mixed media artists convention will be held </span><span style=”font-size: 18px; font-family: georgia;”>August 22 – August 24, 2008 in Pleasanton, apparently at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Why am I telling you this? Because the event will </span><span style=”font-family: georgia;”>host the 1000 Journals Project</span></span>. It looks like the screening will be on August 22, but it is a little unclear to me. Everyone who attends will receive a free journal. Tickets are $25 if purchased before August 13, but check out the website. I don’t know if I will go or not. I have bad feelings about Pleasanton and don’t want to spend a whole weekend out there, even for the 1000 Journals. Let me know how it is!
See the website at: http://www.znecon.com/page/page/5942610.htm
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