Category: 2015

Blue Lemonade Squares

Squares from TFQ
Squares from TFQ

I am a cheap date.

These squares arrived in the mail for me last week and I felt like a kid at Christmas. It was so fun to receive an unexpected batch of fabric. I really had a good time looking through them and imagining their placement in the Blue Lemonade quilt.

I have made good progress lately on Hunting & Gathering. Between these, the ones Mom cut for me and the squares I have cut for myself lately, there is a nice little pile accumulating.

I am still definitely in the Hunting & Gathering stage. I will be until I, at least, figure out how many patches I need. I do think this quilt will definitely happen.

I think I have 3 blue quilts in process and I wonder if I will get sick of them before the last one is finished?

 

Quilts Come Home

Friend Julie and I went to Colleen’s last Friday and picked up quilts.

I picked up 2 quilts, which now need to be bound. Julie picked up her giant Christmas quilt. We went to Dharma, Flourcraft and had lunch at the Miracle Mile Cafe.

Colleen is finally getting back into the swing after her family challenges. She is caught up on quilting quilts and is starting to design patterns again. She is working on a group of patterns with a labyrinth theme. They are gorgeous and the construction uses a technique that keeps them very straight. I will share more information with you when she gets to a point where you can buy them.

Julie picked up her giant Christmas quilt, which she showed at the CQFA Meeting. It is a full on scrap quilt and really epitomizes Julie’s exuberant nature.

I picked up the FOTY 2013 and the Russian Rubix. I didn’t remember FOTY 2013 until the morning of when I was in the shower. I am very pleased to have it home and am in the process of hand sewing the binding. After that I will work on the Russian Rubix. I thought I might get RR done in time to enter into the SCVQA Show, but I don’t think so. It is in two weeks and I have done no paperwork, contacted nobody. I’ll enter it into something else later in the year.

Silk ribbon
Silk ribbon

Julie needed to stock up on dyes and dyeing supplies, so we went to Dharma. I never feel like there is much there for me there, but I bought a couple of bottles of Retayne and some gifts. I always enjoy looking at the yarns. They are such beautiful colors and feel so soft.

Julie and I shared the purchase of on skein of some PFD silk ribbon. I wasn’t even thinking about until she showed it to me and said that we could lay it on other fabric and color it or paint it. Once she said that I was a goner. I couldn’t get the process out of my head, especially with the Tsukineko Ink experience fresh in my mind. She put it back, but I said I would share it with her.

After Dharma, we went to lunch. There is a cafe, which has a lot of gluten free options. I had GF Eggs Benedict. It is so nice to order straight off the menu and not have to go over ingredients with the server. It makes me feel like a real person. We sat for awhile and then headed over to Flourcraft, which is a gluten free bakery. I was full as a goog, but we sat and had coffee and cake anyway. I stuffed a piece of orange bundt cake into my stomach AND bought two scones for later. Again, I can’t tell you who a treat it is to go into some shop and buy whatever I want without worrying about wheat flour. It was nice to sit there and look out the large windows. The clouds were big and fluffy and gorgeous that day, so the sun was, on and off, peeking through to give a blast-like sunbeam. I definitely did not eat pizza for dinner. I just had a salad while the boys ate pizza.

We stopped at a small toy/craft shop called Doodlebug as well. They have a lot of fun toys, but also craft supplies. They also have pottery to paint. Their button selection is almost as good as Britex, but veering towards kids themed.

It was supposed to be a leisurely day, visiting with each other and doing fun stuff. We did fun stuff and we visited, but we also went and went and went and it felt a little like a marathon. A VERY fun marathon. 😉

Creative Prompt #300: Gateway

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. Use the hashtag #CPP

Gateway Arch

Golden Gateway Commons, San Francisco

Gateway Inc., is an American computer hardware company based in Irvine, California, which develops, manufactures, supports, and markets a wide range of personal computers.

medical claims processing & clearinghouse solution

The National Library of Medicine Gateway allows users to search in multiple retrieval systems at the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

A gateway is a network point that acts as an entrance to another network.

An object that encapsulates access to an external system or resource.

Development Gateway empowers international development professionals, governments, and citizens with the knowledge they need to improve lives.

The WWW/Z39.50 gateway to LC server and other servers.

Peninsula Gateway newspaper in Gig Harbor, WA is proud to offer you local news coverage online.

Gateway Healthcare is a non-profit behavioral health care organization that provides a wide array of services to adults, children and families in Rhode Island.

Located on a converted rail-trail, the Gateway State Trail offers 18 miles of paved trail for non-motorized use. The trail begins in the city of St. Paul.

The USPS Business Customer Gateway provides access to the entire suite of tools and services offered to the United States Postal Service’s business customers .

GATEWAY helps you make sense of the various methods for measuring and analysing corruption.

gateway drug

Computing

Companies

Places

Australia

Canada

Hong Kong

India

Singapore

South Africa

United States

Music

Fiction

Other uses

See also

Various & Sundry #3- Early March

It took me over a year to get up to 100 followers on the AQ Facebook page (check the sidebar for a link). In the past few weeks, I have gotten 30+. I guess this is what pundits mean by reaching critical mass. Thanks, everyone!

I received an envelope from my dad the other day with a brochure and a page of photos from the Tillamook County Quilt Trails. I looked on the web and found they have a web page! This trail debuted at the Tillamook County Fair in August 2009 with 13 quilt blocks. There are now 101 blocks included along the trail map. I was thrilled to learn that my dad had chased around the county to see these colorful quilt blocks.  He has started living life out loud a little more, which really makes me happy. Quilts are everywhere!

Projects, Patterns, Tutorials & Classes

Katie of Katie’s Quilting Corner has posted a tutorial for the QuiltSmart Gadget Cushion. I might need one to keep my phone handy when I am trying to participate in a Google Hangout with the other Twilters.

April Rosenthal has a rotary cutting tutorial.

I saw this GREAT free motion quilting project via a tweet from Elly at Aurifil. I love it. It isn’t cutesy and looks small enough to be a good practice piece.

Little Bluebell has put up a tutorial on HRTs. “HRTs?, you say” Half Rectangle Triangles. I don’t know if that is the correct name, but you get the idea. It makes me want to pull out my BiRangle and find the book I bought with it back in the last century and make some rectangle quilts.

Your path to a new bag is here! Sara of Sew Sweetness has a new bag pattern called the Holland Bag. I like that she shows so many fabric options and lots of inside bag photos in her post.

The newest Snapshots block is out and it is a sewing machine! This QAL is a fundraiser for St. Jude’s Research Hospital. The goal of $10,000 was reached in a month, which means that 2000 of you sent in the requested $5!  They have upped the FQS goal to $20,000! The suggestion is that you donate $5 for each block pattern downloaded. Wouldn’t it be great if the total donation was $10,000 per block pattern??

Need some organization? Want to make a matching set? A recent post shows 12 patterns for organizing your workroom.

American Patchwork and Quilting has a four patch quilt-a-long as well. There is a link to a number of designers who are in on the QAL and the hashtag for Twitter and Instagram is #APQquiltalong. I like April Rosenthal’s ‘Buried Treasure.’ I am sure her block has been around, but I didn’t take the time to look it up. Using Corner Store blocks to connect the four patches is a great idea!

Carol, the art quilt queen turned me on to the Rainbow Challenge. This month’s color is yellow. The main challenge page talks a little about the challenge, which has the main point of using up scraps.

Enrollment now open for EQU online classes. the following classes were advertised in the latest EQ newsletter:

Fabric, Tools, Books & Supplies

Gretchen reviews a Double Wedding Ring book.

I saw looking at the AQS catalog. I saw a task lamp called the Stella Task LED Lamp (item #6289). It has a flexible arm and has a special type of bulb to make it convenient to transport, because it won’t break. The ad claims that it still be working after 12 years. This looks great, but I am concerned that the bulbs will not last for 12 years and will be quite expensive.

Katie has a beautiful way of storing scraps. Not only do they look good, but you can enjoy the colors of the scraps as well.

Articles & Information

Someone pointed me in the direction of the American Craft Council article called The Healing Powers of Craft by Monica Moses. It is less an article that a catalog of the health benefits pointing to the beneficial effects while pointing the reader to the articles that discuss the point. I wonder if the converse is true. Will I not be as healthy if I work instead of sew when I am under a deadline? Are people, in general, less healthy if they do not make or repair?

Jennifer Ackermann-Haywood is ending her stint with mlive and focusing on CraftSanity again. Read her last article for mlive.com.

Even quiltmakers ‘get’ rides in police cars sometimes.

Shows, Events & Meetings

SCVQA Show: Saturday, March 14, 2015 from 10am – 5pm and Sunday, March 15, 2015 from 10am – 4pm.

Art Quilt discussion: March 19, 7:30 pm Richmond Branch of the San Francisco Public Library

San Francisco Quilter’s Guild Show: March 20-21.

Sonoma Museum of Art: Unconventional and Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar, 1950-2000, February 14-May 17, 2015

Other Artists

I not always a fan of the quilts that look like they were made from the Stack ‘n Whack technique. The name bugs me. Still, this quilt by Hilda is wonderful. I don’t know if it is the red or the gradation.

OMG! Frances did a video of her Mosaic quilt. Amazing!

NQR

In case you want to catch up with Outlander before the new season comes out in April, the Star series version is now on Blu-ray  and DVD.

February ATCs

February 2015 ATCs
February 2015 ATCs

HA! I actually made ATCs early, e.g. I wasn’t working on them the night before or the morning before the meeting.

I didn’t use the backing I prepared, but I had a different idea, as you can see, using the leftover tablecloth plastic I used to make one version of the Eco Market Tote. They came out a little bit curly, but I like that I am able to see through them. I did put a label in between the layers before I sewed the pieces together.

This is the first time I have used the roller foot with the new machine. It worked ok. Not great. Not terrible.

The exchange went pretty well. We had 6 people exchanging which meant I didn’t get one of each. wpid-wp-1425161944553.jpeg wpid-wp-1425161890853.jpeg I missed one of Nancy’s and one of my own. Usually I don’t choose one of my own, because I can make one for myself if I want one. I would have really liked one of Nancy’s. Oh well. There is always next time.

February 2015 ATCs - all choices
February 2015 ATCs – all choices

Julie’s (left hand photo, lower) uses some of the supplies we bought at Dharma last Friday. She rushed right out and used the silk thread/yarn I talked about. It looks cool and I really have to try it.

My chosen ATCs - Feb 2015
My chosen ATCs – Feb 2015

I am happy with the ATCs I picked. Rhonda’s (lower left) really looks different than the others, though isn’t too far off the one in the upper right hand corner by Bron.

The gold one is by Diane and I didn’t hear how she made it, but I think she must have melted something to give it texture.

Finished: Pink T Quilt

Pink T Quilt front
Pink T Quilt front

Yes, shockingly I finished something. It seems like it took forever! I know it didn’t take forever, because we made the top on January 4.

I made the back, as I mentioned, then I sent it off to Gerre with a Frankenbatting and she quilted it. I got it back and put the binding on. It really went very quickly once I sat down and sewed the binding. <It went much better than the quilt in front of it with a batik back AND binding. What was I thinking?>

The back came out pretty well and wasn’t a misery to put together. I am still uncomfortable not putting a label on these donation quilts, but I hope that documenting the quilt here will help historians some day. If the quilt is just loved to death then that will be enough.

Pink T Quilt back
Pink T Quilt back

I was able to use up some pinks and make a fun quilt. I am already thinking about what color to cut next. I am not a big fan of green, but I have a lot of green. If I cut orange to go with it, it would be really different and might appeal to someone who walks to the beat of a different drummer.

March To Do List

I didn’t think I made progress, but I actually did!

To Do List:

  1. Quilt Christmas table runner
  2. Wash fabric AKA The Great Unwashed (I am still pressing and cutting the loads of fabric I did in December. I did do a couple of loads in February since I wanted to use the fabric) ;-)
  3. Make stiff bucket or box for TP in main bath
  4. Make stiff bucket or box for TP in second bath – I am thinking of making this triangular in shape
  5. Anna Maria Horner Multi-tasker tote (gift-due Holiday 2013- sigh. Missed 2015 deadline as well) – found the pattern, which is a good start.
  6. Make 3 notepad covers (gifts)
  7. Day in the Park backpack variation
  8. Sew Bon Appetit apron
  9. ATCs for CQFA January Meeting – meeting was cancelled and I have until February 28? I have found some fabric for the backs and marked it
  10. Make binding for Pink T Quilt
  11. Fix button on DH’s California shirt

To see the 26 Projects Lists, which list quilt WIPS, visit the December Current Projects update. Last month’s to Do List has a couple of changes, which is heartening.

All small items, prior to those completed in December 2014,  have been completed since November 4, 2013. This is a new list for 2015. You can find the list for 2014 and previous on the last post.

Finished in 2015:

  •  Make two bags for gifts
  • Dragon Box (gift)
  • Make back for Pink T Quilt

 

CQFA Meeting – Feb 2015

I finally made it back to a CQFA meeting! September was the last meeting I attended and it feels like an eternity.

We changed locations and the months in which we will meet. The crowd was quite large – about 25 people. Dues were collected. Retreat monies were collected (if you are not a member and would like to attend, the cost is $107 and there are a few spaces left. Leave a comment and I will hook you up). Lots of announcements were made.

I am in charge of the workshop next time. The title is “Same Design, Make it Mine”. I have to post a photo of the image to our private group before the meeting, then everyone will bring their supplies and ideas and work on their pieces during the meeting. We probably won’t finish, but it will be a good way to work together on our own thing. I had an image all picked out and then I got an different idea during the meeting. We’ll see what I choose.

Workshop

Our Critique Pieces
Our Critique Pieces

The first activity we did was to view the SAQA Trunk Show through the lens of a formal critique in order to learn about critiquing art. Maureen secured the SAQA Trunk show and Dolores made up a handout, then presented it, on how to critique a piece of art.

I have never done critiquing and I learned a lot, mostly because there are fact based tasks to perform in a critique before you get to the part where you say whether you like the piece or not.

The moniker we used to remember the steps in critiquing is:

DESCRIBE
E
M

ANALYZE
P
P
L
E
S

INTERPRET
S

JUDGE
U
I
C
Y

The first 3 aspects are essentially fact based: what do you see, what principles and elements of design do you see, what is the work about? The last one starts to get into opinion, but then the last aspect, Judge, is when you get to say whether you like the work and why.

I liked this way of  critiquing, because it forces the viewer to stick to facts until nearly the end. By doing that, I found that my emotions about the piece were less important, because I was spending energy is really looking at the piece. There some things that I noticed:

  • Make an artwork that is appropriate to the size. Some of the pieces had too much going on for the format size (around 8.5″x11″). That is a small piece and you need to focus on using that space well instead of trying to get a complicated message across. We found that the ones that were most successful were the ones that fit the format. There was was one that was interesting, but got lost because of the size. It would have been great in a much larger format.
  • Knowing the basics of design was really helpful. The most successful pieces adhered to some of those principles and elements. Making a piece – the actual technique – is really fun, but in order for a viewer to get something out of a piece, having some structure is helpful.

Dolores did such a great job on the handout. She really should think about teaching art.

Challenges

Rhonda introduced a new challenge, which was inspired by the book Brave New Quilts by Kathreen Ricketson. We are to make a piece of art inspired by a particular art movement or artist. We will be having a challenge review at our December meeting so we are encouraged to bring past challenges as well as this one to that meeting. I am not really inspired, but I have a book called the Daily Book of Art which I will look at before I completely bail.

Some of the challenges we have had in the past are:

  • 2 shapes
  • placemats
  • under the sea
  • fusible flowers
  • monochromatic

I have ideas and/or fabric for some of these. I really have a great idea for the placemat challenge and really want to do it. I just need to start designing the shapes, then cutting.

Show and Tell

Show and Tell is, of course, my favorite. I only brought the Pink T Quilt. I’ll post about the finished piece in a day or two. I brought it with the binding half on to the BAMQG Meeting, but Gerre wasn’t there so she got to see it at CQFA, which was great. It isn’t very arty, but people seemed to like it. They asked about the organizations to which BAMQG donates quilts. I didn’t have a great answer, but Rhonda helped out.

I also talked a little bit about the Tsukineko Inks class I took and showed the class samples. I really want to get back to that and do something. I just don’t know what.

Julie's Christmas Quilt
Julie’s Christmas Quilt

Julie brought her Christmas quilt, the one we picked up the other day from Colleen (post about that soon as well!). Her Christmas quilt uses a lot of different Christmas fabrics. I have to admire her for having the courage to put them all together. If I look at the fabrics separately, I wouldn’t think they would work, but somehow they do. Of course, the Four Patches are wonderful as well.

Diane's Silk Piece
Diane’s Silk Piece

I love Diane’s silk pieces and she is always prolific, so she brings, what seems like, dozens. It is amazing how much work she does. I often think she has to have an assistant. My favorites are Diane’s aerial city images. She doesn’t call them that, but that is what I think they look like.

I love this one, because of the swirly quilting. There is also a kind of submarine shape, though I know it is not a submarine 😉 and for the little flecks of gold.

Of course, I also like the blues and greens.

Ann Brook's workshop piece
Ann Brook’s workshop piece

Ann Brook brought a finished piece that she started in a Sherri Lynn Wood class.

There were was lots of great work and people were talking about interesting things. So much more that my head is spinning. You should come sometime.

 

Creative Prompt #299: Seahorse

I was inspired to post this prompt by the fabric used in the Ocean Going Journal Cover.

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. Use the hashtag #CPP

Definition: “Seahorse is the name given to 54 species of small marine fishes in the genus Hippocampus. “Hippocampus” comes from the Ancient Greek hippos meaning “horse” and kampos meaning “sea monster”.[2] Having a head and neck suggestive of a horse, seahorses also feature segmented bony armour, an upright posture and a curled prehensile tail.

Seahorses are mainly found in shallow tropical and temperate waters throughout the world, and live in sheltered areas such as seagrass beds, estuaries, coral reefs, or mangroves. Four species are found in Pacific waters from North America to South America. In the Atlantic, H. erectus ranges from Nova Scotia to Uruguay. H. zosterae, known as the dwarf seahorse, is found in the Bahamas.

Colonies have been found in European waters such as the Thames Estuary.[3]

Three species live in the Mediterranean Sea: H. guttulatus (the long-snouted seahorse), H. hippocampus (the short-snouted seahorse), and H. fuscus (the sea pony). These species form territories; males stay within 1 m2 (11 sq ft) of habitat, while females range about one hundred times that.” (Wikipedia)

The Seahorse Trust

Magical Seahorse Tour

Seahorse Magazine

Sausalito Seahorse in Marin County, North Bay, California. Italian Seafood Restaurant. Live music nightly.

Seahorse is a new app for documenting life in scenes, together with friends and family.

Mister Seahorse: board book (World of Eric Carle)

Seahorse Lounge is a stunning Las Vegas lounge at Caesars Palace serving specialty martinis and more than 20 champagnes.

Seahorse is a simple solution for filers who need to meet European XBRL and iXBRL mandates.

Seahorse Triathlons and Duathlon (Kalamazoo Counties, Coldbrook County Park)

The Seahorse Inn, is located on Central Florida’s Atlantic coast, 50 miles east of Orlando’s Disney World.

Dr. Seahorse – indie pop music

The lined seahorse is a unique fish with a curled tail and horse-like head. It lives among bay grasses in the shallow waters of the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay.

The Neoprene perimeter O-Ring seal makes Seahorse Cases completely waterproof and airtight.

Symbolic meaning of Seahorse: “The symbolic meaning of seahorse is quite intricate and diverse as this little creature itself is full of surprises.

The seahorse is quite a unique creature, and thought to have mystical significance among the Ancient Greeks, European (alchemists) and Asians.

The Ancient Greeks and Romans believed the seahorse was an attribute of the sea god Neptune/Poseidon and as such, the seahorse was considered a symbol of strength and power.

Further, the ancient Eurpeans believed that the seahorse carried the souls of deceased sailors to the underworld – giving them safe passage and protection until the met their soul’s destination.

Chinese cultures believed that the seahorse was a type of sea dragon, and as such they were revered for their power and thought to be symbols of good luck.

Sailors have long viewed the seahorse as a good luck charm too.

Symbolic meaning of Seahorses carry the following significances…

Symbolic Seahorse Meaning

  • Patience
  • Protection
  • Perspective
  • Inflexibility
  • Persistence
  • Friendliness
  • Contentment
  • High-Perception
  • Generosity/Sharing

A relatively calm, and mild-mannered creature, the seahorse is seemingly content to roam the seas. Their bodies are geared for ambling-type motion – not for speed. Thus, they are symbolic of patience and contentment – they are happy with being where they are, and are in no hurry for advancement.

Further testimony to these attributes is the lack of evolution of the seahorse’s body style. They have remained with this body style without change since their inception. Content to be who they are, and not feeling the need to change – these are a few profound lessons the seahorse provides us.

However, along with a resistence to change, and a carefree approach to progress, the seahorse can be a symbol of inflexibilty or stubborness. To wit, the seahorse wraps its tail around the nearest object in order to anchor itself in turbulent waters. This is a lesson to be persistent in our goals, but be mindful that we are not too inflexible or stubborn in our achieving them.

A unique aspect of the seahorse is that the male is impregnated by the female and carries the offspring to term. This is a message of sharing the load in the home, and gaining perspective of both sides (genders) of an argument or situation.

The seahorse has a boney exoskeleton which is a message of protection. Often when the seahorse comes to us it is a sign that we either need protection from our external circumstances, or we are building walls that aren’t needed. Their armor-bodies are a sign that sometimes we might need to let our guard down – or perhaps we are leaving too open to get hurt.

Lastly among the long list of symbolic meaning of the seahorse and its lessons is the idea of perception. The eyesight of the seahorse is incredibly sharp, and each eye moves independently. We take this as a symbolic message of perception and awareness of those around us and our situations. When we are lost or confused, the seahorse asks us to take a good look around – not just with our physical eyes but with our spiritual eyes in order to get a better persepective of the situations.

Thus concludes this summary on the symbolic meaning of the seahorse. Check out the links at the end of this page for more symbolic meanings for cool creatures. Thanks for reading!” (What’s Your Sign.com)

Black & Grey Finished!

Black & Grey Donation Top Complete
Black & Grey Donation Top Complete

I finally finished the top and back of the Black & Grey Teenaged Boy Donation Quilt. Whew! I am very pleased and while I was anxious to get it done I never got to the point where I disliked the piece. I am glad, because I want all of my donation quilts to have good energy in them not “get this done, stupid quilt!” energy. I don’t know if it makes a difference, but better safe than sorry.

I checked back and the first post about this quilt was back in January of last year. I know I started making it using these colors, because I was grieving for my grandmother. I think I became anxious to get it finished, because the grief, while not gone, is much better. I think she would be pleased to know that I did something good with the grief. Perhaps not as she didn’t think too deeply about feelings, but I like to think it.

The quilt is approximately 65.5″ square.

Black & Grey Donation Back Complete
Black & Grey Donation Back Complete

I also made the back, which I think came out pretty well. Sort of symmetrical, which is different for me. It is a touch small, so I may have to add something to the side, but I am hoping the quilter can deal with it.

I am not sure how I am going to convince someone to quilt it for the guild. I am nervous because there were a lot of quilts waiting to be quilted at the last meeting.

I still have to make the binding, but I picked some fabric to use and will get that done soon.

BAMQG Meeting

It was a good meeting last Saturday. Friend Julie and I had signed up for a design class with Joe Cunningham, but it was cancelled at the last minute. I didn’t really see any advertising for it and I wish they had let me know sooner so I could have rounded up people. The effect of that cancellation was that I got to attend the BAMQG meeting. I was really sad that I was going to miss it and was really wanting to be in 2 places at once.

Mike gave us a tour of one section of the MQG. The goal is to get us more familiar with the benefits of that site since our BAMQG membership includes an MQG membership.

Karen, the 2015 Challenge Coordinator, gave us a small lecture on “What is Modern?”. Stop with the eye rolling! It was interesting and a little off the beaten track. She took some principles of ‘modern quilting’ and showed us these elements in modern quilts as well as ‘non-modern’ quilts, including quilts from the 1980s and 1990s as well as vintage quilts. It was a cool presentation! Some of the elements she included were:

  • Improv
  • Pictorial
  • Graphic
  • Negative Space
  • Bright Colors
  • Alternative Grid (drop an element to mess up symmetry, space elements oddly, irregular spacing between element, etc)
  • I added in Text during the discussion.

The result of this fabulous presentation is a challenge quilt due in July (??) using an alternative grid.

Charity presented two completed quilts and a new charity block. You can download the  Stair step piecing directions (PDF) or go to the guild website and look at the directions.

Hawaiian Donation Quilts
Hawaiian Donation Quilts

Some of the Hawaiian quilts are finished. Angela handed out binding and talked about the quilts. I think she got some other people who couldn’t attend the Sew Day to take some pieces and parts and finish them.

I got a colorful binding, though Gerre tells me the quilting is still in process. No problem. I am still working on the binding for the Pink T quilt, though I am nearly done.

Joy-Lily is the Swaps Coordinator and the first swap will be in April. We are each to bring a quilt book with which we have finished and trade with someone else for one. In the future, there will be a ‘Sew As You Go” bag swap.

Upcoming events:

  • Amish Exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles ends 2/28/2015
  • Manteca Quilt Show, March 7-8, 2015
  • SCVQA Show-March 14-15, 2015
  • Playcrafts has a challenge going using the Pantone Color of the Year, Marsala
Binding Bee
Binding Bee

After the meeting ended, a bunch of us sat around finishing up the binding of the guild’s opportunity quilt. The quilt is a monster, but it is also an amazing monster.

Ruth designed it and it is a very unique design that will be appealing to modern quilters, at the very least. Marci Gore designed the quilting and stitched it out on her computerized longarm.

There was some discussion about what the guild would do if we were asked for a pattern. There is a lot of creativity in the guild so I suggested created a pattern and posting it on Craftsy. There are a lot of steps before we can do that, not the least of which is get our nonprofit status finalized, but it is in the idea hopper.

2014 BAMQG Opportunity Quilt
2014 BAMQG Opportunity Quilt

The first opportunity to buy raffle tickets will be at the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association Show. It was fun. People would walk up and comment that it was just like an old fashioned quilting bee.

The next Sew Day will be at The Intrepid Thread, which will be dangerous. 😉

Ocean Going Journal Cover

By The Sea by Michael Miller
By The Sea by Michael Miller

I bought this fabric at the BAMQG Retreat last year. I really bought it off Amazon, but Cheryl and I were comparing notes on the Michael Miller Portfolio series. When I saw this fabric, I needed it. It is By The Sea by Gillian Fullard/ London Portfolio Series by Michael Miller. I have a number of these fabrics and something about them is very appealing.

The colors are mine that motifs are such that I won’t get bored carrying the journal around for a long time. They key was to fussy cut some of the cool motifs without taking a big hole out of the middle of the fabric.

Front cover
Front cover

I decided to make a fast journal cover this time. I started some mosaic piecing, but remembered how unhappy I was with the Mermaid Tail Journal Cover and decided to use one piece of this fabric, which was washed, but had been sitting around for awhile.

One end had a good piece with some interesting motifs. I thought I would make it so the school of fish was on the front cover.

Inside front cover
Inside front cover

Sadly, that did not work out that well. The fish ended up on the inside of the journal. 🙁

I forgot about the cover pocket. I forgot that the something had to hold on to the journal’s covers to keep the cover on. It is not a disaster, but it doesn’t make the cover very interesting.

Now I have to decide what to do. I could just live with it like it is, but the front cover is boring.

I could remake the cover so that motifs were where I wanted them. Not gonna happen.

Lobster (??) back
Lobster (??) back

I am seriously thinking about turning the cover around putting the lobster (??- is that a lobster??) on the front cover. That means he would have his head at the bottom. Can I stand his beady little eyes watching me all the time?

The shell would be upside down, the school of fish would be upside down and the blue crab would be on the inside front cover.

Regardless, I like the fabric and am glad to already have a journal cover ready to go. There is potential for a couple more journal covers out of the same fabric, but with different motifs highlighted.

Blue Crab - inside back cover
Blue Crab – inside back cover

Black & Grey Continues

Black & Grey Progresses
Black & Grey Progresses

I realized when I looked back at the various posts related to this project that I have been working on it since January of 2014. That is a long time.

I have made progress since last week. The sashing and cornerstones are sewn to all of the blocks and I have started to put the blocks together. Yes, I am definitely using chunking, though it is a little challenging since I used part of the quilt for the chunking tutorial. An hour here and 15 minutes there really make a difference. I can’t believe how much it has shrunk since the I first put all the blocks on the design wall.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Blue Lemonade Gathering

Some time ago I wrote about TFQ’s cool quilt, Pink Lemonade.

I have washed a lot of blues lately, so my version (future) has been on my mind. Mom came over the other day and on a whim I asked her if she would use my Accuquilt to cut blue squares for me from my scrap basket. The scrap basket over floweth, as they say.

Blue Lemonade Hunting & Gathering
Blue Lemonade Hunting & Gathering

She said yes, which netted me a bunch of blue squares. I am much farther along that I was, though I still have a long way to go.

As I was organizing them, I wondered about just sewing them randomly or trying to organize them like I do with the the Fabric of the Year quilts. I have to admit that it doesn’t sound very appealing. It sounds like a boring slog.

In TFQ’s version, it looks like she sewed the fabrics together sort of randomly, though I am sure there was a method to the madness. I definitely do not see a gradation.

Process

I have thought long and hard to try and describe what quiltmaking means to me. Quiltmaking, for me, is more than a hobby, but not a career. Vocation might be the right word. I am not sure.  It smacks of the cloister for me and the online definition leans heavily towards trade or occupation.

Vocation Definition from Google
Vocation Definition from Google

Quiltmaking has all of the qualities of a good non-work hobby/occupation for me. I can work at it – sewing and piecing. I can study various things about quiltmaking: the history, patterns, techniques. I can meet up with people and talk about quiltmaking as well as engage in group activities around quiltmaking (Sew Days, guild meetings, shows, etc). I can engage one-on-one with people in exchanges, discussions of their projects, or my projects. I can write about quiltmaking, read about it. The list goes on and on providing almost infinite opportunity for occupying my time.

There is so much in quiltmaking on which I can focus that I flit from place to place, trying out different aspects, talking to people, trying out patterns. There is freedom in the art. That has also meant that for some time I was scattered. It resulted in a lot of UFOs and other things. So I started working towards being more mindful about process and tried to lessen the importance of product in my mind and in my quiltmaking. I have been trying to enjoy the journey as well as the finished product. It is always a struggle, because putting that last stitch into a quilt is intensely satisfying. However, it has given me focus. The result of one of those exercises was the abandonment of the PIQF Cross project. The project wasn’t working for me or TFQ and I abandoned it. I just didn’t want to make the blocks. That doesn’t mean I won’t make those blocks in the future, but last Fall was not the time. Process.

Recently, I read a couple of things that really made me think. There were two articles about process by Pat Holly and Sue Nickels. It was interesting read about the process of two artists who work together.

Pat Holly wrote something that really struck me: “I will say, in the end, it is all hand work –  my hands draw the design, cut the fabric, hold it in place, and guide it under the machine. And, whatever size the quilt is, it makes my heart happy.” Pat Holly, Inspire column “My Process,” American Quilter, January 2015, pg.62-63.

Hearing about the process other employ makes me think about my process informed by her words. The thought about my hands as tools made me think about ‘handwork’ in a  fresh way. According to Pat Holly, I don’t have to always do hand piecing or hand quilting in order to make something by hand. Making it from materials using my hands, even to guide the fabric through the machine, is to make by hand. I don’t know why is was a revelation, but it was an AHA moment.

I visit the YMCA to work out. The Wellness Director writes a newsletter every month and this month (February) was about working on New Year’s Resolutions. She quotes from Dr. Christine Carter, a Sociologist and Happiness Expert in her article about New Years Resolutions: “When starting a new habit, it can be frustrating to fail. But failing is also essential to the process of creating a habit that sticks. Unless you are some sort of superhero, you will not be able to get into a new habit perfectly the first time. And then you’ll have the opportunity to learn something from your failure that you probably couldn’t have learned any other way.

In other words, faltering is a normal part of the process. It doesn’t matter if you have a lapse, or even a relapse, but it does matter how you respond. If you’ve had a slip, don’t get too emotional or succumb to self-criticism.

Take Action:  If you’ve started faltering with your resolution, the first thing to do is forgive yourself. Remember: lapses are a part of the process, and feeling guilty or bad about your behavior will not increase your future success. Make a plan for the next time you face a challenge similar to the one that caused your lapse. What will you do differently? What have you learned? What temptation did you face that you can remove? Is there something that you need to tweak? Were you stressed or tired or hungry — and if so, how can you prevent that the next time?” (from a blog post posted Monday January 26, 2015, retrieved 2/19/2015)

Though the post was New Years Resolution focused, a traditional time to start new habits for some, I find it to be relevant in my effort to be healthier. After reading the article, I  tried to take a look at it in relation to my quiltmaking. Do I avoid patterns and techniques, because I am afraid to fail? Do I learn less because of it? What does focusing on process mean in terms of failure?

I am not fearless in my quiltmaking, though working towards fearlessness is part of the process. I still am anxious about ‘wasting’ fabric, though the waste in the sense of trying something that didn’t work is, perhaps, not waste. Also, using scraps to fill Cat Beds or cutting scraps up with Accuquilt really help alleviate the feeling of wasting resources.

My health journey has made me realize that I can do poorly today, but tomorrow is a new day. I don’t have to give up on my entire program just because I ate a Snickers bar. this idea sneaks up on me in quiltmaking. Part of the process may be that if a project is going poorly, walk way and get back on the pony the next day. Or it could mean do a test block or a test of the technique, even after starting. It could mean making an ATC using a technique before commiting to a full quilt.

These are the things my mind ponders when left alone in the wild.