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/or your blog.
The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. Are you already a member? I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted. Post yours and get kudos!
TFQ and I spent a fewer days at PIQF this year, because we wanted to sew. I think that was a good choice, though we didn’t really find a quilt we wanted to make together. I enjoy it when we work on blocks together. I always learn a lot and think we do good work together.
Grab Bag by Sandy's Designs
As I mentioned I bought a bag pattern called Grab Bag from Sandy’s Designs. I wasn’t able to find a website, but I found it at the Cranberry Quiltworks booth. When we returned, I worked on this bag and got advice from TFQ while she pressed fabric.
When looking at the bag from this angle, it is a great bag. I thought this pattern was a little bit fiddly. I didn’t really like making the patchwork for it. I think that is just a personal preference and not a problem with the bag pattern. Fortunately the designer gives directions on making the bag with longer strips. I want to try that. If I make these in any large scale way, I wouldn’t make a patchwork inside.
The designer gives options for different sizes and ideas for fabric placement.
The triangles used in the bag are all half square triangles. They are cut in that manner so that the bias is along the hypotenuse. The top of the bag is no exception. I think the pattern would be stronger if the designers suggested that people cut those pieces in the manner of cutting quarter square triangles so that the bias is not along the top of the bag. Granted, the makers sews the top right away.
The bag looks good in the photo, because I stuffed it full of batting to make it look good. I am not sure I like the unstructured nature of the bag as a whole. I am also having a hard time imagining how I would use it. It would be a good gift bag.
I added a little batting to the handles, too, and applied them using the method described in the Chubby Charmer pattern.
Jane Market Tote
I also, finally, tried the Jane Market Tote pattern from Posy Gets Cosy. The pattern is a downloadable PDF, so you can go right now and buy it. I bought the Martha Negley fabric some weeks ago. I had been searching for the violet colorway, which I found. At the same time, the shop also had this black colorway. I couldn’t tell if it was black or a very dark purple before I bought it. When it came, I found the colorway to be a little grim. Still, it is a good fabric for tote bags, especially for boys moving out on their own. I do like the design of the vegetables scattered over the fabric.
Martha Negley Fabric
Anyway, TFQ has made a number of these bags. She uses them as the wrapping for gifts when she gives new parents receiving blankets. She encouraged me to make the bag while she was here, so I could ask her questions. I learn a lot better when someone shows me what to do as opposed to trying to figure things out from reading a pattern.
This is a great pattern. Lots of good instructions, no mistakes or weird things happening with the instructions. There are some nice little touches the designer uses to make the pattern a little more finished.
I do want to use some interfacing in the bottom just to give it a bit more structure. I’ll try it out and see how that works for me.
I think the bag is a little small. It is much smaller than a grocery bag. In a way that it is good, because it means I won’t fill it up completely and not be able to carry it.
I applied the put them on applied the handles using the method described in the Chubby Charmer pattern.
I plan to make a few more of those bags with the black Martha Negley fabric.
I am still overwhelmed with the amount of quilt shopping I did in July, so I went to PIQF with a list and with cash. I came away with everything on my list and pretty much stayed within my budget.
PIQF 2010 Shopping
I was very pleased to find the rulers I think I will need to finish the edges and corners for FOTY 2010.
I have an idea in mind for a certain kind of “review writing bookmark”, which requires that heavy duty wash away stabilizer (interfacing?). Stay tuned for more on that project.
I did try out the Grab Bag pattern and will write a review of the pattern soon.
I have to admit that fabric wasn’t on my list, but I found a few pieces that will fill in holes (the blacks and whites) and a couple of dots that I couldn’t resist (bottom row). The dots were very expensive so I got little pieces and will need to use the judiciously. They were over $11/yard and that is just too much to spend.
PIQF 2010 Fabric
The Floral Burst fabric by Philip Jacobs will be some kind of bag. It was on sale at Always Quilting and I couldn’t resist the pink and yellow combination.The red dots came from TFQ. Thanks!
Bella Bag!
I also, finally, found the Bella Bag Pattern. I bought another bag with a bow, so I probably didn’t need this one, but Joanna Figueroa was so nice, and she had these fabulous chartreuse handles, that I felt like supporting her. Perhaps I will use the Philip Jacobs print to make this bag. A hot pink with white dots bow might be fabulous!
I have had some interest in the Zig Zaggy Quilt. I have had a lot of nice comments. While, it is not a completely original design, being related to the Oh Fransson! New Wave pattern and the Happy Zombie variation, I thought you might be interested in my version of how to make this quilt.
First, the differences: Oh Fransson’s pattern using templates. Happy Zombie uses the EZ Quilt wedge ruler. My variation uses the longer Philips Wedge Ruler.
Supplies
Basic Sewing Kit
Sewing machine
thread
2 Jelly Rolls (one Jelly Roll will get you 4 rows and a bit of fabric for the border)
sashing fabric (not sure how much you need for this project. I bought a 5 yard piece of Kona Snow and have been hacking bits off for various projects)
Mary Ellen Best Press
10 degree wedge ruler (www.phillipsfiberart.com)
stilleto
quarter inch foot to fit your sewing machine.
iron & iron board
Directions
First, I cut strips of the Kona Snow, selvedge to selvedge, 1.5″ wide. I probably would cut them 1.75″ or 2″ wide if I were to make this quilt again.
Press strips
One by one, lay out your strips on your ironing board. Spray with Mary Ellen’s Best press and press with a hot iron. Follow the directions on the MEBP.
Place ruler on Jelly Roll Strip to Cut
After pressing the Jelly Roll strips with Mary Ellen’s Best Press, take your strip over to the cutting station and trim off the selvedges. Double the strip. Place the ruler on strip lining up your preferred ruler line with the bottom of the strip. My orange post it was used to remind me where I was cutting each time.
Line up small ruler
Use a small ruler and line it up against the short end of the wedge ruler. Remove the wedge ruler and trim the strips (remember your strip is doubled) to the desired length.
Lay out Wedges
It is important to lay out the pieces, before sewing, so you know which way the wedges are sewn to the sashing strips. I also found this layout helpful in order to keep the colors in the correct order.
Sewing Wedges to Sashing
Carefully line up the wedge skinny end or fat end towards you depending on the orientation of the wedge and sew without pushing or pulling the fabric. Remember you are working with bias.
I sew each of the wedges to one sashing piece in assembly line/ chain piecing fashion. After I sew, I press and then lay the wedges in order by color on the floor. You could also use a design wall. Once that is done, all wedges need to be sewn together.
After stitching, press
After stitching, I lay the two pieces on the ironing board. The piece towards which the seam will be press should be on top. In the photo above, I am pressing towards the color/wedge and NOT towards the sashing. I spray lightly with Mary Ellen’s Best Press and PRESS (not iron) the seam in the correct direction.
Lining up Sashed Pieces
Before trimming, lay the two pieces and eyeball how they would be sewn together.
Trimming Wedges
After eyeballing the sashing, move the pieces aside and trim the sashing so it aligns with the top and bottom of the wedge. This may seem wasteful, but it is a lot easier than trying line up perfectly cut sashing with a diagonal line.
Sewing Wedges Together
After trimming, line up the corner (bottom right in the picture above) on the sashing so that when you put the pieces in the machine there is a little v that is approximately 1/4″ from the edge (bottom in the picture above). You may not be able to see the v as it may be on the bottom.
Trimmed Wedge Group
Above is what the trimmed wedge group will look like.
Line up Wedges after they are Sewn
After trimming the ends off the wedge group, put it back in it’s place in line, so you don’t get confused about where these colors go. You want to ensure that the colors are consistent lengthwise down the quilt.
Keep sewing the groups together until you have a whole row.
Once you have two rows of wedges completed you need to sew the rows together.
Press Consistently
In the above photo, you can see that I carefully pressed the seams in the same direction on all the pieces in this row (towards the sashing). The row on the bottom has the seams carefully pressed in the opposite direction (towards the wedges). In that way, I was able to nest them together before sewing the row. This helped the pieces to line up when I put the rows together.
Sew Slowly
Notice: LOTS of pins!
Lots of Pins, Slow Sewing
When putting the rows together, pinning is very important. Also, using a stilleto and sewing slowly really helped.
Press Row Seams Open
Look! The world didn’t end because I pressed the seam joining the two rows together open. It makes the join of the two rows lay flatter. If you have gotten anything from this post it should be that pressing is really an important aspect of putting this quilt together.
You want success? Press. Carefully.
Finished Top
I left two edges wiggly. I didn’t feel like squaring them up.
Definition: something such as an object, picture, written word, sound, or particular mark that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention. (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/or your blog.
The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. Are you already a member? I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted. Post yours and get kudos!
Names symbolize a person
Numbers represent an amount
A smell might remind you of a person, place or thing.
I got a bug in my ear a week or so ago to quilt the Tarts. They weren’t hanging in the closet quilting themselves and the label does say 2010. I hauled them out, set up the table and quilted away. I did mostly straight line quilting the background of the 3 cups blocks. I also quilted (mostly) the to go cup. I need a differented colored thread to finish that one.
FMQ Fail
Then I got cocky, practiced my free motion skills and did one small strip in free motion circles. Big time fail. I couldn’t get the tension quite right. Yes, I was using the same thread in both the bobbin and the top (different colors, but same thread. Yes, I matched my speed of moving the quilt with the speed of the machine. Fail. The bobbin thread ceased to show through the front, because all of the top thread went through to the back. The yellow you can sort of see in the photo is the top thread. Unsewing is required.
The good part is that I am back in the saddle on this project and there is hope that I will get it done in 2010.
I saw this floor while I was at a Fourth of July parade, of course, in July. I haven’t had a chance to post them. I love seeing typical quilt blocks used in tile and mosaics.
San Mateo County Floor detail
The detail shows a possible different way a block could be pieced.
Center Mosaic
This is the center of a different, but related floor. Has anyone made a Grandmother Flower Garden with this arrangement of hexagons?
This group definitely looks Fallish, but BRIGHT Fallish, don’t you think? There are a lot of the fabrics from the Birch Fabric Bundles. I am putting them back into groups as I have one idea for two quilts that will come out of two of the bundles.
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/or your blog.
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.
Rice Freeman-Zachery’s book Creative Time and Space (look for a review soon!) says “I think artists need to see the work of other artists, writers-see movies, go to museums, go to a play on occasion. Nothing makes a person feel more alive than experiencing something excellently done. ” (pg.97)
So, I went down to PIQF in Santa Clara and had a look at some quilts and booths and vendors.
I am worried that PIQF is becoming an old person’s show. I didn’t see many, if any, Fresh Modern quilts.
People seem to be still working in a lot of brown, but the quilts didn’t feel as grim as in previous years. When I say brown, I don’t mean rich chocolate brown. I mean the kind of browns used for Civil War type quilts.
In this show I saw a lot of realism again, much less geometry. The geometric and blocks quilts I did see had a lot of really nice grid quilting.
The judges seemed to be looking for quilts with “more is more” and rewarding those quilts/makers with prizes. I wasn’t completely enamored with the judge’s choices, but I am sure they had their reasons.
There seemed to be a lot more quilts this year in general. I was glad to see the compention quilts, which was missing from the Long Beach show.
Joanna Figueroa in Fig Tree Booth
My best vendor experience was at the Fig Tree & Co. booth. Her staff is really friendly. Ms. Figueroa was there and nice and engaged with customers. I asked whether her bag handles (red dots!) would be on her website. She explained that they had bought out the distributor and were unsure of whether they could get anymore.They wanted a steady supply line before offering them. Good business sense! I also liked her honesty. I won’t be disappointed if I don’t see them there. The booth had a nice feel to it, a lot of energy. I hope she does well at this show. I found the Bella bag pattern there!
Elsewhere, in the vendor area, I was very sorry to see Custom Woodworks by Jeff going out of business for health reasons. I have long admired his cutting tables and sewing cabinets. I have never had the money to buy one, but it has always been on my list. I wish Jeff and his family well.
I noticed a lot of new styles of rulers and especially some extolling the virtues of no math. I am not sure how I would know where I was when putting together a block if I used one of these rulers, but I am sure they will be a big help to some people.
While a number of vendors were sitting morosely in their booths, there seemed to be a lot of demos going on. Sew Little Time Quilting had Nick Cowan there demonstrating a tool that takes the color out of fabric in a certain place so you can put other color back in. It is called deColourant from Harbor Sales.
I also thought the aisles were wider this year and Colleen at Sew Little Time Quilting confirmed that the booths were a bit narrower this year.
I noticed a lot of people buying yardage and the booths with kits only were vacant.
TFQ went back today for a couple of hours while I went to take care of some personal business. She said that the show was a lot more crowded and that a couple of the vendors were saying that they hadn’t brought enough stock. Apparently, at shows the last few years people haven’t been attending or buying and they are at this show. Glad to hear that the vendors are doing well!
You can take a look at some of the quilts by looking at my Flickr stream.
I had an hour on Monday and, still in cleaning mode, I needed to get that ‘C’ off of my desk. It was the bottom of the Leaning Tower of Paper Pisa and the Leaning Tower was not getting any more stable. It needed to go. I wanted it on the wall, so I just put it up. I didn’t look for a stud or make perfect other letters. I just did it.
Create Supplies
When I arrived home from work, I immediately went down to the computer with the printer and printed letters that I thought might be big enough to see. The font ended up being 700 pt! I did try 800 pt and 900 pt, but they were too big and I didn’t know how to center one letter on the paper.
Create in process
After printing one letter on each page, I cut the letters out and traced them on scrapbook paper.
This started a long time ago with a photo I saw via another member of the Creative Mom Podcast Circle and a photo that she posted. Then I saw more possibilities in Anna Maria Horner’s Handmade Baby book. I talked about it back in June or so. AMH’s are more fiber related. I haven’t done either, except take this first step. Immerhin.
Other ideas:
I may put some paper behind the letters to make them stand out a bit more at night. During the day I can see them well enough. At night, they kind of blend into the life sucking beige.
One could just print out letters on a sheet of paper and put them up on the wall as a stop gap measure.
One could print out letters on fabric and embellish.
I decided not to kill myself taking photos this year, so I browsed and took a few snaps. If you would like to see a few photos from the show, I have posted them on Flickr. I may post more, so you may want to go back to the set and look next week or this weekend.
The quilt posted is by Jim Haws and is one of the best I saw. Keep in mind I didn’t get to look at all the quilts. I saw a lot of autumn colored quilts, a number of quilts with complicated piecing, lots of special exhibits.
WOW! I have been lackidasical about almost everything lately and was shocked to see how many comments I have and haven’t read! WOW! Thanks everyone! Keep them coming.
Media
Mark Lipinski’s Fabric Trends Magazine: the latest issue has a cool website. I tried to buy the new issue, but only could find the previous edition from before Mark started working on it. I’ll have to go back and look again in the near future.
Mark also has a new radio show on Toginet called Creative Mojo with Mark Lipinski. It is on iTunes. Mark seems to be working hard on getting his name and cute mug out there! Call 877-864-4869 to call into the show. Eric Anderson answers the phone from Dallas.
I listened to the first episode on iTunes and thought the discussion with Tula Pink about her fabric designs being ripped off via Walmart was interesting, because of the social networking aspect.
Mark also talked with Dr. Eric Maisel. I started to read one of his books and just couldn’t get through it. I think he had good things to say, but I couldn’t read them. I think, perhaps, Maisel’s other book, Coaching the Artist Within, might be better. One thing that intrigued me was his mention of a purpose statement. He briefly talked about a multi-step process he coaches artists through to create a purpose statement. Hhhmmm. Remember my Purpose Journal? It is time to get that baby out and a purpose statement might be an interesting reason to really start on it.
I also listened to the second episode. I liked the section with Mary Beth Maziarz, but thought that he went on a bit too long about being a hoarder with his professional organizing guest, Amara Wylie.
I am marginally interested in the Urban Homegoods Swap. Not in actually doing it, but getting ideas from it. A La Mode blog has a post with a number of the projects. They are a great source of inspiration and filled with clever ideas.
From Eye Candy section of the Media Department comes this gorgeous blog post that is a series of wedding photos. Don’t know the bride or the groom; I know the person who made the quilts that covered the hay bales guests sat on during the service. I also like the idea of giving preserves as a wedding favor.
Year of the Quilt!
From the City Quilter (NYC) Newsletter comes this excitement: “AMERICAN MUSEUM OF FOLK ART BIG quilting things are in store for us in what the AMFA is calling the “Year of the Quilt”, starting with the opening on October 5th of an exhibition of 35 quilts which will take up 3 floors at the Museum’s main 53rd Street location. This exhibition runs through April 24, after which “Part 2” will open on May 10. SUPER STARS is a parallel exhibit taking place at the Museum’s Lincoln Square branch that explores the role of stars in quilts. This opens Nov. 16 and runs till Sept 25! So mark your calendars, this is the year to see quilts in New York City!”
If you are in or around or near NYC, get thee to the shows, because I want to hear about them!
Learning
Have you heard of Unclasses.org? No? Me neither until a few days ago. It looks like people can create online classes there. There are a number of sewing classes posted.
Apartment Therapy Color Wheel
I saw this color wheel on Apartment Therapy. You know what? I want a large framed version of it to hang in my workroom. I think it is so cool, especially with the colored pencil like texture. I also really like the huge variety of different colors.
Just Do It!
We hear that catch phrase all the time. Nike might have trademarked it, but it is everywhere. I recently read a blog post by Michael Nobbs who draws. He wrote about microworking and I love his theories on how microworking helps our creativity, especially in our busy lives. Michael Nobbs draws and draws my attention to other artists who use drawing as their medium. He put me on to Nina Johanssen from Sweden, who did a great coffee sketch last year that I love. Michael is right. A litte work all the time goes a long way.
Tupperware Freezer Mates
You can also help your creativity by being organized. I saw these great Freezer Mate storage containers from Tupperware when I was cruising their site. They are great for going to class kits and for organizing small things. I can also see them put to use for small projects you are taking to class, squares or other bits of fabric designated for a certain project or a multitude of thread. Perhaps they would be good for beads? I don’t know since I haven’t actually tried one out. I have a pink Tupperware box from the dark ages that I use for my class kit and it is great, because the lid never falls off. You can purchase them and help the preschool of my friend’s children by using this link. It’s 23½-cup capacity and $49.50 price tag are significant.
Tutorials
Have you see this interesting tote bag? It is called a Bagsket and Foofangel has a tutorial for making it. I first saw it on Linda M. Poole’s FB page, but she didnt’ have the link. I poked around and then someone found it, so I took a look. Linda made it with her Seahorse fabric collection and the bag is really cute.
I put up a page of tutorials that I have written. Check out the AQ tutorials page. It is under the AQ Info page.
Supplies
My iron died. I don’t think it is completely dead, but it was dead enough so I couldn’t
Black & Decker Classic Steam Iron
use it, which meant I couldn’t piece. I bought a new iron – a Black & Decker Classic Steam iron. I had been thinking of buying one and this was the perfect opportunity. It was a little over my normal iron budget ($20 or less), but I went for it.
UGH! I sincerely dislike this iron. There are a lot of good things about it. It has great heft. Wonderful steam. The bad part is that the thing does not glide over the fabric. Of course it doesn’t! The sole plate is not Teflon. UGH! I really didn’t like it, but felt like I was stuck with it until it died. I had already opened it and used it.
Machines are not my forte’. I can operate them, but I usually eschew knowing how they work. One day I was driving down the street and heard a clunk. When I stopped, I looked under the car and there was a piece hanging off of the exhaust system. Not in my plans for the day. I drove to my mechanic with my car making such a loud noise that I couldn’t hear the radio and had to endure the local homeless man, who hangs by the Methodist Church, pointing at me as I drove by (turnabout is fair play, I guess). My mechanic couldn’t fix it, but he wired the piece to the car and sent me to his colleague. I went. They said they could fix it and I should come back in half an hour. I was in a neighborhood full of fast food places, a computer repair shop, a notary/check casher/mortgage broker, a bank and a small Walgreen’s. Off I went to Walgreen’s. It doesn’t take a half an hour to peruse Walgreen’s, so I sloooowwwwllly walked up and down each aisle, carefully looking at each item. Finally, I came to a small housewares section.
Living Solutions Iron
Yes, I needed lightbulbs. Yes I needed an 18 foot extension cord in white and WOOHOO they had two irons. I looked at the two carefully and decided on the less featured filled Living Solutions model. I have been using it for a couple of weeks now and like it. It glides over the fabric, was less than $10, has steam and not auto shutoff. The lack of auto shutoff is a double edged sword. I need to make sure I unplug it EVERY time. It isn’t a GREAT iron, but it does the job.
