Artquiltmaker Blog – Page 21 – Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity

New: Paint Tube Day Trip

I started another Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet almost immediately.

This one, as you can clearly see, is for my mom. I want her to be able to carry her cell phone while leaving her one free hand. Now that she is moving around more and using her cane more, she might need a free hand to hold a banister. I tried something new with the strap, which I’ll talk about later and am in the process of working through the first steps.

The one thing I am trying on this one is to cut the foam a little smaller in order to reduce the bulk in the seams.

Finished: Hindsight Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet

I am so excited about finishing this bag! I am not sure that is the right way to say it, but it has been a long time in coming. As mentioned, I bought Minikins Season 2 for the express reason of making this bag. Then, I was intimidated and didn’t feel up to making it.

A few years have gone by, and I have made several bags. This bag seemed right for a gift. I guess I was ready.

The bag was a challenge, but only because of the many layers, not because of the directions. The process is actually very easy. With the pattern and the video, it wasn’t hard.

Finished: Day Trip Wallet - interior — Finished: Day Trip Wallet – interior

This bag is, basically, a small wallet that fits your cell phone. You could put this into a larger bag, but then take it out when you don’t need the whole bag.

This would be great for doing that since the strap is detachable. You could store the strap elsewhere or in one of the inside zipper pockets and take it out as needed.

Finished: Day Trip Wallet - exterior pocket — Finished: Day Trip Wallet – exterior pocket

This is the first one that I have made, but I hope to make more. I wonder about the size of the flap for the cell phone pocket. I wonder why it is so small. It might interfere with stitching the zipper. I have asked in the Sew Sweetness group to see what others say.

I was a little worried that the pattern was designed when cell phones were smaller and a modern phone wouldn’t fit. I tried my large-ish Samsung phone in the pocket and it fits just fine. Whew! This is good as the bag is not that large and I wouldn’t want it to be enlarged so much that it wouldn’t fit in the larger bag mentioned above.

Finished: Day Trip Wallet - interior detail — Finished: Day Trip Wallet – interior detail

The inside has two sides, both with a zipper pocket and several card slots. Behind the top card slot could be a spot for cash.

I added the optional D-ring on the spine so there would be a place to clip keys.

I also used two different colors of zippers in order to give the recipient a visual cue as to where she stashed something.

I think I could probably have put another cell phone pocket on the other side of the bag exterior. I am not sure how useful that would be, though more pockets are always better.

I am pleased with how this came out and am cutting out a second one. This one will be for my mom who needs something for her phone so her hands are free to maneuver her walker.

A Million HSTs

I sewed the first few seams of the million HSTs I need for Old Town a few weeks ago. I used the tutorial for making 8-at-a-time, thus the added cuts, and then the stack languished.

Finally, the other night I used scissors to cut the 8 HSTs apart. I wasn’t sure it would work, but it did. I cut the original squares generously, so I have enough wiggle room to trim to the exact size. I have a small, 2.5 inch ruler** tucked into my handwork bag that is kept in the living room. It worked really well for confirming that I had enough extra to ensure the HSTs were the right size. I haven’t really used that ruler much. It came with a set and I find it too small to use with a rotary cutter. For measuring, however, it worked really well!

It sounds stupid, but it was great to realize I could cut these with scissors! I made sure I used my sharpest pair of scissors, the ones I bought this summer with the titanium (or something) blades. I, also, was really careful to cut straight.

Now I have to press and trim all of those HSTs, but I am a bit closer to putting the blocks together.

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Design Class: Color

This article is a set of notes from the color module of my design for quiltmakers class.

Your first design choice is to choose your own colors. If you buy a pattern and use the fabrics you enjoy (not the fabrics in the pattern) you have made the first step in designing your own quilts.

Words you Might Encounter

hue
value
intensity
chroma
tint
shade
saturation

Color Systems

Munsell color system: An artist and an educator, Munsell developed his color theory to bring clarity to color communication by establishing an orderly system for accurately identifying every color that exists. Munsell based his system on what he defined as “perceived equidistance” — the human visual system’s perception of color. (Munsell color, http://munsell.com/about-munsell-color/)
- “Professor Albert H. Munsell, an artist and art teacher, developed the basic principles of his color order system mainly for the purpose of bringing order to the study of color. Munsell wanted the study of color to be similar to the study of music, which had order so that one could “hear” how a composition would sound by reading the notes. Likewise, Munsell wanted one to “see” color based on its three-dimensional attributes of hue, value and chroma.” (Development of the Munsell Color order System http://munsell.com/about-munsell-color/development-of-the-munsell-color-order-system/)
- Munsell color order system is based on a three-dimensional model depicted in the Munsell color tree. Each color has three qualities or attributes:
1. 1. Hue – color such as red, orange, yellow, etc.
  2. Value – the lightness or darkness of a color
  3. Chroma – the saturation or brilliance of a color
  4. Hue, value and chroma are also referred to as (HVC)
  5. Munsell Color Theory is based on a three-dimensional model in which each color is comprised of three attributes of hue (color itself), value (lightness/darkness) and chroma (color saturation or brilliance)
  6. The Munsell Color system is set up as a numerical scale with visually uniform steps for each of the three color attributes—in Munsell color notation, each color has a logical and visual relationship to all other colors. (How color notation works http://munsell.com/about-munsell-color/how-color-notation-works/)
- “The Munsell color-order system has gained international acceptance. It is described in unabridged dictionaries and encyclopedias as well as in specialized publications on art, design, color photography, television, printing, paint, textiles and plastics. It is recognized as a standard system of color specification in standard Z138.2 of the American National Standards Institute, Japanese Industrial Standard for Color JIS Z 8721, the German Standard Color System, DIN 6164 and several British national standards.” (Development of Munsell Color Order System http://munsell.com/about-munsell-color/development-of-the-munsell-color-order-system/)
Ives
Pantone
RGB

Colors

Red
Orange
- Orangeade
Yellow
- Windsor Newton History of Ochre
Green
- Thr3fold Journal issue #5 article “Being Green”, pg.48.
Blue
Indigo
Violet

See the monochromatic quilts I have made using scraps.

Notes:

“Up until the mid-19th century, bright colors were the preserve of the wealthy, the only people who could afford them. Yet the dyes used in even the most expensive items were so unstable that they often faded or discolored. The development of chemical dyes, like Perkin’s, enabled more shades to be created in brighter, longer lasting hues. People responded by choosing the vivid colors that had until then been denied them when clothing themselves and furnishing their homes, prompting the upper classes to choose subtler shades as a form of snobbish protest. ” (New York Times, 50 Shades of Color: How the Evolution of Palettes Changed the World, By ALICE RAWSTHORN, Published: September 23, 2012 http://nyti.ms/RZj53N)
In the TQS episode 313 with Jinny Beyer, she talks about her color system, which is way of picking colors different than the systems we have talked about above. Her idea is to shade from one set of colors to another in order to keep the transitions smooth. She uses her Portable Palette tool, which uses Beyer’s fabrics. This is a good system, but you might be unduly influenced by Beyer’s color palette, which has, in my opinion, an East Coast look to it. Try to create your own portable palette with colors you have in your stash.
“By the 1910s, the scientific approach to management advocated by theoreticians like Frederick Winslow Taylor was becoming increasingly popular, and color was identified as a problematic area, because of its unpredictability. If a manufacturer of furniture or dresses ordered fabric and trimmings, which were both described as “scarlet,” they often turned out to be different hues. The problem worsened with the development of new types of paints and dyes after World War I, and the U.S. government encouraged various industries to standardize colors in an attempt to reduce wastage.” (New York Times, 50 Shades of Color: How the Evolution of Palettes Changed the World, By ALICE RAWSTHORN, Published: September 23, 2012 http://nyti.ms/RZj53N)
Most of us love precuts, because, well, they are PRE cut, e.g. you don’t have to cut them. Keep in mind when you actually want to use them in a quilt, as opposed to using them for decoration, that pre-cuts (Jelly Rolls, Layer cakes, honey buns, etc., as well as Fat Quarter packs) are marketing tools. Pre-cuts are marketing tools. They are small, fun, look great on your shelves and are easy to purchase. They are all-in-one and don’t need much thinking when buying them.
- When you are using these for a quilt you need to look at the colors/fabrics included in the selection. IF you need the contrast as part of the design of your quilt, make sure you have enough contrast. Many of the pre-cuts are heavy on medium colors, which we all love to buy, but can create a mushy looking quilt when you don’t want it to be mushy. Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts has (or had) a publication called Fresh Vintage and in many of her issues, she says to take 20% of the pre selected pre-cuts out and replaces them with something else. Not only with this give you more control over your light and dark, but it will also make your quilt your own. You can see a good variety of sizes of prints in the 2025 video introducing the new Tula Pink True Colors.
A profile of Alicia Merret in Quilting Arts includes “Her appreciation for color theory greatly informs her work. ‘I have found that it is incredibly important to understand how colors interact with each, and how one color can look quite different depending on the colors that are next to it.’ ” (Quilting Arts Magazine, April/May 2012, Artist Profile: Alicia Merrett, pg. 33)
One way to figure out your own palette is to look at the world around you. Remember the glossy expensive fashion magazines we discussed before? Ms. Brackett, in Scrap Basket Sensations, writes “Be alert for color combinations that catch your eye in clothing, magazines, nature, and the quilts of others (pg.10).” This is a great way to learn about color. I keep an idea book where bits and pieces are pasted. Some are shapes I want to remember and others are color combinations that would make great quilts. Once you identify color groups you like, check the color wheel and try to identify the type of color scheme it is (primary, secondary, split complimentary, monochromatic, etc). This exercise will help you to become familiar with the different ways to use the color wheel to make successful quilts.

Homework:

Exercise #1: Create a palette

1. Choose a favorite photo.

2. Look carefully at the photo to try to identify the unique colors. You don’t need to isolate periwinkle, violet and lavender. Unless you are making a purple family quilt, just pick one from the purple family. Be sure to look at the very thin lines, if any, and include those colors.

3. Select fabrics (or paper or another craft supply) that match the colors you have selected.

4. Create a palette of 5-9 fabrics and take a photo. Share the photo.

5. Optional: make a quilt from your palette and give the group your thoughts.

–> I was inspired to create the above exercise by the Palette Chasing feature in Modern Quilts Illustrated.

Exercise #2

Please note that this not a weekend project and it will be easier the more fabrics you have to work with.

1. Cut a 2.5″ square from every fabric you have.

2. When you have a good number of squares sort them into color families, e.g. heap all blues together, all reds together.

3. Once you have the colors in color families, place them on the design wall in color order from dark (upper left hand corner) to light (lower right hand corner.

4. Work on rearranging the squares until there is a smooth transition between the color families.

Questions to answer:

What do you notice about prints and colors?
How does the ratio of one color to another in a print affect how the color ‘reads’?
What colors are most prevalent in your stash? What do you think about that? What did you expect the answer to be?

Resources:

Color in Quilts by Janet Twinn

The Color Revolution, by Regina lee Blaszcyk http://amzn.to/S8oIqP

Janet Lynn Ford’s Color Worqx includes some photos of the Johannes Itten Color Star as well as a color theory overview.

Elizabeth Hartman’s The Practical Guide to Patchwork, pg.21-24, includes some color wheel concepts with lovely photos of fabric.

Exploring Visual Design: The Elements and Principles, Joseph Gatto, Albert Porter, Jack Selleck. Davis Publications. 2000.

Joen Wolfrom’s ColorPlay

Joen Wolfrom’s 3-in-1 Color tool

Joen Wolfrom’s book “The Visual Dance: Creating Spectacular Quilts” (C&T, 1995)

Mary’s Art Musings blog posts on the Munsell Color System: http://marysartmusings.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Munsell%20System%20of%20color%20theory

Munsell System Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munsell_color_system#Bibliography

Psychology of Color: http://diferent-photos.blogspot.com/2013/06/what-your-favorite-colors-say-about-you.html

Quilting Arts Magazine, April/May 2012, Artist Profile: Alicia Merrett, pg.32-36

Quilting for the Rest of Us, episode 11 and episode 12 – Sandy has listed a number of resources on both of these episodes.

Quiltmaker’s Color Workshop: the FunQuilts guide to understanding color and choosing fabrics by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr, 2006 (Quarry Books)

Studio Color Wheel by Joen Wolfrom (C&T Publishing)

Thr3fold Journal: www.thr3foldjournal.com

The Quilt Show: Jinny Beyer 2008 Quilt Legend episode #313: http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/shows.php/episode/313 (may require a subscription)

Tiger Color: http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-harmonies.htm

Transparency Quilts by Weeks Ringle & Bill Kerr, 2011 (C&T Publishing)

Using a Color Wheel to Select Quilting Fabrics website: http://www.homeandcareers.com/using-colorwheel%20for-quilting.htm

Day Trip Continues

I am pleased to say that the Day Trip is progressing much better than I expected.

As mentioned, I was anxious about the difficulty of this project. I am carefully following all the directions and watching the video accompaniment when I have even a sliver of doubt. I am not having any problems! I am so excited.

In some ways, this is a meditative process for me. There are a reasonable number of pieces and I was able to cut them out relatively quickly. I decided that I wasn’t going to skip steps to get to the sewing faster. That attitude made the sewing, once I finished all the prep, go much faster.

It has been awhile since I installed magnet closure. I added some Decovil Heavy scraps behind both pieces to reinforce the snaps. I hope they will hold.

Sara has a really good tip in this pattern about using the round template/reinforcement thingy that comes with the magnet closure for placement. It is so obvious yet I never thought of it.

The cell phone pocket (above) is complete. I am working on installing the zipper that closes the whole bag. I had to cut the zipper to the right size. I really need to make some of those Center Street Quilts heart pouches in order to use up some of my leftover zipper pieces. This is a difficult part as the zipper really doesn’t like going around corners, but I went slowly and persevered. It’s the same challenge all the time. Am I getting better? Maybe. I should be after all those Hackney pouches.

I am really jealous of that skinny quarter inch foot Sara uses. I think it would make going around those corners easier.

At Bag Club on Saturday we talked about installing an interior zipper pocket. I did sort of a theoretical tutorial using the Sotak Handmade Purse Organizer as an example. Since it was already made, there was a lot of imagination required.

Funnily enough, I had to make two of these types of pockets on Sunday! They are a little fiddly, but really easy. I use Sara’s zipper pocket ruler for the measuring and drawing the box. She is not restocking her acrylic templates, so get them while they are still available. I checked other places and can’t find one like Sara’s. I found one from Arc Expressions (no affiliation) that I think would work, though you would have to use another ruler to measure pockets on larger bags.

Anyway, talking through the pocket installation on Saturday was really helpful on Sunday when I went to make the pockets. I had an idea in my mind about what I was doing. I made one (or more??) on the most recent Superbloom, so I was in good shape. I like having the process firmly in my mind.

One of the best things about these pockets is you can pull the bag right side out through this pocket. I love it when designers use that technique. You can add these pockets to almost any bag with a lining.

I am well on my way. Get this pattern and make one!

New Pillowcase Fabrics

Boersma's travel fabric for pillowcases — Boersma’s travel fabric for pillowcases

I selected some new fabrics for the rest of the pillowcases. I bought more than I normally would have. There was such a great selection that I couldn’t decide.

I went looking first at Boersma’s, because they sent me a coupon. I bought some of the fabrics from them, though I couldn’t use the coupon. All the fabrics I selected were on sale.

US Fabric Shop travel fabric for pillowcases

I knew that US Fabric, the shop I mentioned recently, had a passport themed fabric I couldn’t resist. I went there and bought a few also.

I am not sure Africa is on Nephew #13’s list, but that blue was such a great color. I needed some relief from all the brown.

His brother loves my pillowcases, so I may have to make a few more to make up for not making him as many. We’ll see.

Finally! Day Trip Wallet!

I bought Minikins Season 2 specifically for this pattern in March of 2020. At that time, I was a little scared of this pattern. Recently, I realized I wanted to make one as a gift. Since I had the recipient in mind, I dove in to make it. This will match the Superbloom tote I finished a few weeks ago.

I was still anxious that I wasn’t up to the task, so I carefully worked my way through the cutting and interfacing. I only forgot one piece! I am about to start working on the pockets, straps and tabs.

I am pretty excited that I am getting going on this project after almost 5 years!

Colors of the Year

I was scrolling IG the other evening and found yet another Color of the Year announced.

Pantone Color of the Year 2025: Mocha Mousse

We have Mocha Mousse from Pantone and Nocturne from Kona, both of which I talked about the other week. Could these two colors be more different?

KitchenAid Color of the Year 2025 - Butter — KitchenAid Color of the Year 2025 – Butter

Now, we have KitchenAid’s Color of the Year, Butter, joining the party.

If you are thinking, enough is enough, wait there are more! Better Homes and Gardens has a whole article about Colors of the Year as does House Beautiful. A lot of these companies are paint companies. Sherwin-Williams was not satisfied with one color, but chose nine, yes NINE, in their “first ever color capsules of the year.” Most of the colors are brown and purple tones.

N.B. Kona and KitchenAid were not included in the article, which was written in December.

Separately, Diamond Vogel, a paint company I have never heard of, announced their color of the year: Rediscover 0408. It could be just 0408. It is a green color.

I think a lot of these colors are depressing and dark. Perhaps it reflects the times?

Young House Love provides a recap of all the paint colors of the year for 2025. This is a nice post, even without Kona and KitchenAid, as it provides the new CotY next to the previous several years for each company. You could use these for quilt color palettes assuming you like darker colors.

What is your color of the year? I am struggling to choose between turquoise and pink.

Design Class: Size/Scale Update

These are the notes for one of the modules in my quilt and design classes. They are posted on the blog so my students have easy access. You will get something out of them, but you would get more by taking one of my classes. Check the link for more information.

Size and Scale are an element of design

Size and Scale are related terms

Definitions:

-> N.B. Definitions overlap. I have tried to organize them, so keep an open mind.

Size

“Size and scale are words used to describe the physical size that a shape or form has in comparison other shapes or lines within the design field.” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide, pg.98)
- see Sizzling Circles by Ruth Chandler at http://www.textileevolution.com/index.php?view=detail&id=38&option=com_joomgallery&Itemid=53 (circles gradate in size- as seen in A Fiber Artist’s Guide, pg.98)
“The size of a work in relation to humans; the size of the elements within the work in relation to each other.” (Art+Quilt, pg.64)
Noun: The relative extent of something; how big something is. (Merriam-Webster online dictionary)
Verb: Alter or sort in terms of size or according to size: “some drills are sized in millimeters” (Merriam-Webster online dictionary).
Adjective: Having a specified size; sized: “marble-size chunks of hail” (Merriam-Webster online dictionary).
Size (Dictionary.com): the spatial dimensions, proportions, magnitude, or bulk of anything.
Synonyms: magnitude – extent – dimension – measure – bulk

Proportion

“Proportion relates to how shapes interact with each other within a design.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 74)
“Proportion refers to relative size, size measure against other elements or against some mental norm or standard.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
the comparative relation between things or magnitudes; a proper or significant relation between things or parts; relative size or extent (Random House College Dictionary).
Proportion (Random House College Dictionary): the comparative relation between things or magnitudes; a proper or significant relation between things or parts; relative size or extent
Example: “Proportion refers to relative size, size measure against other elements or against some mental norm or standard.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)

Scale

“‘Scale and ‘proportion’ are related terms that both basically refer to size. Scale is essentially another word for size.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
- - - - “Big is meaningless unless we have some standard of reference. A big dog means nothing if we do not know the size of most dogs. This is what separates the two terms,” size and scale. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
    - “…the scale of the pattern, that is, its size in relationship to the size of the pieces that are cut, will determine the impact of the pattern on the overall design of the quilt.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 80)”‘Large scale’ is a way of saying big and ‘small scale’ means small.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
- a succession or progression of steps or degrees; a graduated series; an arrangement of things in order of importance (Random House College Dictionary).
- Scale (Random House College Dictionary): a succession or progression of steps or degrees; a graduated series; an arrangement of things in order of importance
Ratio
the relation between two similar magnitudes in respect to the number of times the first contains the second (Random House College Dictionary).

Ratio (Random House College Dictionary): the relation between two similar magnitudes in respect to the number of times the first contains the second
- Example: “…the scale of the pattern, that is, its size in relationship to the size of the pieces that are cut, will determine the impact of the pattern on the overall design of the quilt.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 80)

Using these Tools:

- Using Size:
  - “The principle of scale in a work of art is all about the volume of the message you wish to send to your viewer.” (Art+Quilt, pg.64)
  - “The scale of a work of art in relation to the viewer, its human scale, is often” one of the first considerations an artist makes.” (Art+Quilt, pg.64)
    - where will it be displayed? the atrium of a large office building or the foyer of a private home? (Art+Quilt, pg.64)
  - Elements in a design that are larger seem close. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.176)
  - Elements of a design that are smaller seem farther away. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.176)
  - Elements of a design that are larger seem more important, conversely elements of a design that are smaller seem less important. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.176)
    - I don’t want you to get the idea that small is unimportant. A small amount of yellow in a purple quilt can make all the difference to the overall design.
  - “Scale and proportion are closely tied to emphasis and focal point. Large scale, especially large scale in proportion to other elements makes for an obvious visual emphasis.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
  - “Unusual or unexpected scale is arresting and attention getting. Sheer size does impress us.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.61) Magnifying something that is usually quite small can capture your attention through sheer surprise. A butterfly wing that fills the entire frame gains significance as you see extraordinary details seldom noticed in everyday life.” (Art+Quilt, pg.65)
    - Georgia O’Keefe is an example of an artist that uses this technique. (Art+Quilt, pg.65)
  - “An unnatural contrast of scale in your quilts can also be used to achieve interesting effects. Surrealists such as Salvador Dali used wildly confused internal proportions to intentionally create uneasiness in the viewer. One element that is purposefully out of scale with other elements within the quilt will attract the viewer’s attention and become a focal point.” (Art+Quilt, pg.65)
    - if you want to exaggerate a shape, “have some visual continuity between the shapes.”(Adventures in Design, pg. 75)
  - Think about the relative sizes of pieces in a quilt. It is important to vary sizes to add interest. (Fearless Design, pg. 32)
    - think about piecing the same blocks in different sizes in order to add interest to your quilt.

Using Ratio

Using ratios really has to do with proportion. The Fibonacci sequence has to do with ratios of objects to one another on the design field. “One powerful way to help your design evolve to its highest potential is to select the width and height dimensions that promote the natural movement of your design….select your dimensions based on a ratio that best suits your design. Observing your design’s directional flow and focus gives you a starting point to sort through your options.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 77)

- - “1:1 ratio is a perfect ratio for designs that radiate symmetrically from a center point….if your design is 24″ high in this ratio, it will also be 24″ wide.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 77)
  - “A 1:2 ratio provides added width to a horizontal design or it extends height to a vertical design. In this ratio, the longer dimension is twice as long as the shorter dimension. If you want one dimension to be 24″ wide, the other dimension would be double that – 48″ high.” An example of this ratio is Poulnabrone Dolmen (Adventures in Design, pg. 77)
  - The 1:3 ratio provides more lengthwise extension than 1:2 ratio. “In this ratio, one dimension is three times greater than the other dimension. This gives more room for the design to expand in one direction. Thus if you want one dimension of your design to be 24″, the other dimension would be 72″.” An example is a quilt called Acid Rain by Gloria Loughman. This ratio has allowed a “dynamic sky to evolve in her quilt.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 77)
  - “A 1:4 ratio greatly exaggerates the length of a design. One dimension is four times greater than the other dimension. If you want your 24″ high design to have an extreme horizontal extension, the 1:4 ratio would give you a width of 96″.” An example is Rhododendrons over Water by Amanda Richardson of Cornwall England (Adventures in Design, pg. 77)
  - ” The 3:4 ratio is best used when a design has only slightly more movement in one direction than the other. In a 3:4 ratio, a design that is 24″ in one direction would be 32″ high in the other direction”…. Joen Wolfrom says that “the 3:4 ratio should be saved for such occasions when your design does not need much expansion in one direction or the other.” Example is Ticondrroga Star by Larisa Key, Willimatic, CT. (Adventures in Design, pg. 77) I use this ratio quite a bit, especially for block quilts, because I think it adds interest to the layout.
  - “A 2:3 ratio allows for more extended directional movement than a 3:4 ratio does. It doesn’t exaggerate the length as much as the 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4 ratios do. ” (Adventures in Design, pg. 77) If you have 24″ high quilt, your quilt’s width would be 36″. (Adventures in Design, pg. 78) Example is Fishermen’s Widows by Anna Faustino
  - The Golden Mean or 8:13 ratio is considered to be “the most beautiful, pleasing dimension for art and architecture…It provides beautifully balanced dimensions”, because of the subtle dimensional change. “The Golden Mean is a component of the Fibonacci sequence.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 81) If you have 24″ high quilt, your quilt’s width using the 8:13 ratio would be 39″. (Adventures in Design, pg. 78) You can find a calculator for Golden Mean ratios at: http://goldenratiocalculator.com/ and there is a chart in Adventures in Design pg.81. An example of a quilt using the Golden Mean Ratio is Pamela Mostek’s Five Apples.

Notes:

- - - A designer can use relative sizes to give a feeling of space or depth. Artists have taken this basic idea and exaggerated it by increasing the size differences. It is very common to many periods and styles of art to use different scales. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.176)
    - “In past centuries visual scale was often related to thematic importance. The size of the figures was based on their symbolic importance in the subject being presented… This is called hieratic scaling.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
    - “Private spaces are perfect for small, intricately stitched works and allow for a more intimate experience with the art.” (Art+Quilt, pg.64)
    - “When your entire field of vision is occupied by a work of art you can’t help but pay attention to it. ” (Art+Quilt, pg.64) [ Georges-Pierre Seurat’s Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte]
    - “The most renowned proportional number sequence is the Fibonacci sequence“…”The Fibonacci sequence begins as 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, and so on. Each successive number in this sequence is the sum of the previous two numbers. You can use small or large sections of this sequence to determine the dimensions of elements within a design.”… “The Fibonacci sequence highlights the strong relationship between mathematics, nature and art. (Adventures in Design, pg. 76)
      - Caryl Bryer Fallert’s Fibonacci Garden is an example
      Fibonacci sequence from WolfieWolfgang.com

The images denoting the Fibonacci sequence are fairly common. I imagine you will say “oh, of course! I have seen this!” when you see the spiral. Nautilus shells are also used as examples of the Fibonacci sequence. As we mentioned in the podcast, nature uses the Fibonacci sequence in its design field frequently. By doing a search on the term and looking at images, you will be amazed at the trees, flowers and other natural phenomena that include the Fibonacci sequence.

Resources:

Art + Quilt: Design Principles and Creativity Exercises by Lyric Kinard**.

Design Basics**, 5th, c.1999, David A. Lauer, Stephen Pentak

Golden Ratio Calculator: http://goldenratiocalculator.com/

Painting by Numbers: the Fibonacci sequence in art by Curtis Belmonte and Conor Pappas

In this case, some of the books I use are out of print, so visit your local independent used book store for copies.

Revisiting Gifts for Julie

I decided to revisit other gifts I have made. This time it is Friend Julie’s turn.

Julie's Birthday Gifts — Julie’s Birthday Gifts

Julie's Journal Cover - front — Julie’s Journal Cover – front

Julie's Purple Pincushion Gift — Julie’s Purple Pincushion Gift

Purple Chair Sew Together for Julie Bag - open — Purple Chair Sew Together Bag for Julie – open

Julie's Pencil Roll — Julie’s Pencil Roll

Purple Chair Bag - closed — Purple Chair Bag – closed

Julie's Mini Maker Case — Julie’s Mini Maker Case

Julie's Project Bag — Julie’s Project Bag

Julie's Take a Stand Bag — Julie’s Take a Stand Bag

Lavender Dot Bluestem - top — Lavender Dot Bluestem – top

I am pleased to see these bags and accessories show up when Julie and I meet to sew. I am still so glad that she is using them. She liked the Bluestem pouch I gave her for Christmas.

I am not sure what patterns are on my to make list for this year’s gifts. I’ll have to see!

Art and Censorship

As a librarian, I am completely against censorship. Even as a special librarian and knowledge manager rather than a public librarian, I think people should make their own decisions about what they read. Of course, parents have a responsibility to guide their own children’s reading habits. My mom told me not to read Wifey** by Judy Blume when it came out. Since I loved Judy Blume’s novels, her frank way of talking about topics nobody discussed with me and I had a library card, I read it anyway. Later, my mom told me she was concerned I wouldn’t understand the sex parts. I didn’t, but I also just skipped over them. I do that now when the sex scenes are too graphic. Talking to me about the sex parts didn’t seem to be an option.

As an artist, I also am against censorship. Even though I make a lot of pillowcases and non-controversial items, I do consider myself to be an artist. I have made my fair share of art quilts. In that group is a subgroup of political quilts. When a quilt is pulled from a show, as my quilt Blood & Oil was, it is painful and confusing.

I also don’t really like people telling me, unsolicited, what to do.

I censor myself quite well. I do not watch horror films or anything remotely scary. When the YM is visiting and wants to watch a scary movie with DH, I go sew something with the door shut, or they watch it when I am gone. I don’t need any help with censorship, no matter how good your intentions.

There are three points here.

First, mind your own business. If you can’t mind your own business then compromise. Fighting doesn’t accomplish anything and calmly stating your point of view AND listening to your opponent’s point of view might create some change.

Second, if you don’t want your kid to read something, or look at some art, explain why. Don’t just say ‘it’s filth’. That may be true, but it is a non-answer. Let your emotions simmer down and explain your thoughts in a reasonable way. When the YM was in high school, the Archbishop of San Francisco wanted teachers to sign a morality code. This morality code was a huge problem for my son. We live in an area where all different kinds of lifestyles are tolerated. We talked about each of the points on the way to school each morning. Did I want to talk to my son about sex? No. Not a comfortable topic to talk about with a boy. As a parent, I felt it was my duty to tell him what I thought, explain to him what I thought the Archbishop was trying to achieve, and give him a chance to voice his views.

You’ll get better results from your kids, and compliance, if you explain your views clearly and are not hysterical while you are explaining. Is this easy? No. Communication is difficult. It takes practice and provokes a feeling of fear. Parenting isn’t easy, so don’t have a kid if you don’t want to do the hard things. Kids are not accessories.

Third, keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself when they might adversely impact others. I am not saying don’t discuss controversial issues, I am saying, if you don’t want to read a book, don’t read it, but let others decide for themselves. You are perfectly entitled to think the way you do. However, you are not entitled to tell others what to do. Let other people raise their children and manage their viewing or reading habits in a way that works for them.

I am talking about censorship of art because it happened recently at an AQS show in Daytona Beach. AQS decided that two quilts, “Origin” by Yvonne Iten-Scott and “Your Mother. Your Daughter. Your Sister. Your Grandmother. You” by Laura Shaw Feit would be removed from the exhibit. The exhibit is SAQA’s Color in Context: Red. I did not hear the reason.

This is not the first time AQS has acted in this manner. I remember them refusing to hang Amigos Muertos by Jonathan Shannon. Amigos Muertos was not good enough to be hung the year after Jonathan won Best of Show for another quilt at AQS the year before.

I thought then that it wasn’t possible that in the modern US, an organization would think that AIDs and death too awful of a subject for grownups to contemplate. An article in the Seattle Times at the time describes the various points of view.” In Jonathan’s case, Meredith Schroeder, AQS president, to one of Shannon’s backers dismissed charges of censorship [in a letter] and stressed that his was one of the 587 quilts that weren’t good enough for the 400 piece-quilt show. “Jonathan’s credibility is in question, he has misrepresented the truth to his friends to get them to act on his behalf to pressure AQS to reconsider his quilt and accept it into the show,” Schroeder wrote to the East Bay Heritage Quilters.” I remember the quilt hanging at the EBHQ show that year and signing the petition to get AQS to reconsider.

Hollis Chatelain’s quilt Burkinabe Mother was censored from the AQS magazine in 2005. It shows a woman feeding her child.

More recently, in 2016, Kathy Nida’s quilts were censored. The quilt that was excluded was “ ‘I Was Not Wearing a Life Jacket,’ a piece Nida made to help process a recurring nightmare in which she was losing things in a stream and nobody was coming to her aid.” Kathy wrote about it on her blog. One of part of her post says “So some person objected to my quilt and couldn’t just walk by, moving on to the next quilt (which is what I do when another Sunbonnet Sue shows its ugly head…I don’t call Fox News…I don’t pitch a fit and refuse to ever come back to another show.)…they had to demand it get pulled from the show.”

That is my point exactly. If you don’t like a piece of art, move along and look at something else.

Abby Glassenberg describes two AQS censorship incidents in her Craft Alliance article from 2016. This article also discusses how differently the Mancusos handled a complaint about content, including what they did when Fox News showed up to do a story about one of the quilts. I am sure she will write about this recent incident soon.

There is a lot of noise around this issue.

Kathy Nida is still blogging: YAY! and she writes about the most recent bout of censorship. See the quilts (I don’t have permission to post them) and hear her point of view on a recent post.

Io the Alien also writes about the current controversy in her blog, which I found from a post by Laura Shaw Feit on BlueSky. One thing she says is “Quilts have a long tradition as protest art. From the well-known works of contemporary artists like Bisa Butler and Faith Ringgold, to countless unnamed artists working from their homes over the centuries, quilts have been used to create political messages, both subtle and overt. I daresay quilting and protest go hand-in-hand.”

Bisa Butler and Faith Ringgold have certainly been drawn into controversy, but using quilts as a protest media has a long history. Temperance Union. Gee’s Bend. Quilts to raise money for both sides of the Civil War. Red Cross quilts. The NAMES project. How about my own political quilts, the most outrageous and vocal of them is Down the Drain? What would AQS say about my quilt? Io the Alien writes more about AQS censorship on her blog.

SAQA pulled the whole show, which I am sure was a difficult decision. In my opinion it was the right thing to do. People will not get to see any of the quilts in the show, which is really sad, but censorship is also not right. If you are able to see these quilts, tell any AQS people you see that you are glad you were able to see the show.

Keep in mind that AQS is a private organization. In its history section, you can see that the Schroeders underwrote the entire enterprise. The US Congress gave it National Quilt Museum designation in 2008, but that museum is private. It is not a 501c3, at least I was not able to find a record for it in Guidestar. If it is not a 501c3, that means it is for profit. They are making money off of the quilts and shows and books and patterns.

Art is meant to provoke thoughts and feelings. You may not have liked the Andres Serrano piece that swept up a bunch of artists including Robert Maplethorpe in a controversy about NEA funding. I do know that when you saw it, or heard about it, it provoked a response. The article describes the feelings of various Corcoran Gallery workers and their reactions. The pieces AQS censored didn’t look offensive to me. I was intrigued by the structure of the 3D piece by Yvonne Iten-Scott and wanted to see how it was made. I was also interested in how much piecing went into the second piece by Laura Shaw Feit. I love lots of piecing, so the second piece looked right up my alley.

These quilts vaguely gave me the impression that they might be about “women’s issues.” So? More than half the population of the world has to deal with “women’s issues,” including birth, breast feeding, menstruation, caregiving, hysterectomies, terminations, miscarriages and many other naturally occuring issues. As a woman, I think some of these normal bodily functions are gross and I don’t want to think about them much less discuss them. That doesn’t mean I don’t think of them or want to see artwork discussing or depicting them. Because topics like this are censored they have become important issues being discussed in public.

Because some people can’t mind their own business, nobody will get to see any of the quilts at a very large show where they might have changed someone’s life.

In light of this controversy, I find the AQS mission statement to be quite funny, in a “liar liar pants on fire” kind of way.

If you want to do something, here is a letter you can write to AQS sponsors. The letter encourages sponsors to think about the organizations to whom they give money. Pulling sponsorship has more of an impact than not renewing your AQS membership.

I am a grownup and can make my own decisions, especially about what I look at and read. I don’t need AQS to decide I am too delicate to handle looking a quilt. I don’t need others to protect me from art.

Digital ID: (intermediary roll film) fsa 8b14065 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8b14065
Reproduction Number: LC-USF34-008655-D (b&w film neg.)
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print

Get over the image of quiltmaking as a bunch of prim older ladies sitting around a quilt frame. An Observer article describes “And so we’re going to have to change that image of quilting we have in our heads, the one where matronly figures with prim buns bend over fabric scraps. “

Do what the article says. Get over it. I am not a prim older lady sitting at a quilt frame.

Quilts are art. Discuss.

UPDATE:

- Hyperallergic published an article about this topic. I didn’t find it until after this post was published.

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

All the Project Bags

Project bags are great for keeping all the pieces, parts and supplies for projects together. I have another jumbo project bag on the list of things I want to make for myself.

In the course of thinking about this bag I realized I have made a lot of project bags. I was initially thinking of the ByAnnie project bags**. I have made quite a few of them despite the need to quilt them. I noticed, as I looked through my photos, how many different types of project bags I have made. I decided to put them all in one post so I could see them in one place. It also gives you an idea of the different types of project bags there are. Keep in mind that this is a small number of the various patterns out there.

Gerre's Project Bag #2 — Gerre’s Project Bag #2

Gerre's project bag #1 — Gerre’s project bag #1

Gerre's Project Bag — Gerre’s Project Bag

The photos above are mostly the ByAnnie project bags**. I added in the Ultimate Project Bag from Crafty Gemini, because it is more like the ByAnnie project bag than not. Also, I have a project in it, so it is a different kind of project bag.

I have also made the Amethyst project bag from Sew Sweetness and the Sunset Project Bag from Crafty Gemini. These are quite different from the ByAnnie bags.

The Amethyst Bag is not flat. It is a box, essentially and is large enough to store blocks. I gave this away soon after I made it so I haven’t used it, but I can see it being a good bag for a large project. The ByAnnie bags are flat, so have limited space.

I like the project bags that have some vinyl so I can see what I have in the bags.

The Sunset Project Bag is more for small yarn projects, like crochet or knitting, in my opinion.

Project bags, regardless of design are useful and I will probably make more.

Drawstring Bag - Project size — Drawstring Bag – Project size

The Lined Drawstring Bag pattern also has a project size. A lot of people use this for knitting projects. I like to give these as gifts and use them as gift bags. They are useful for knitting, but I have one that I use when I have a knitting project and probably won’t make others. The bags made from this pattern also hold collections of things. I made one as a carry-all for a juggling balls set.

I also adjust the sizes and use this pattern to make bags for quilts. The design is useful for quilt storage bags that double as gift wrap.

Of course, I use my fair share of zipper bags and other ‘free’ type of bags. I find they tend to slide off shelves, if I stack too many of them. Using a bag with fabric provides some grip when stacking.

Still, making more and more project bags is not my goal. I want to be able to reuse them not just provide a place to store pieces from UFOs.

Do you use project bags? What is your favorite pattern? What patterns have you tried?

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Sherri D on Progress on LupineFriday, December 19, 2025
I can attest to the specialness of 1954 ;) I don't know if I'll ever be up to doing one…
JayeL on Triumphant StitchingWednesday, December 17, 2025
I am really happy with the progress so far.
JulieZS on Triumphant StitchingWednesday, December 17, 2025
Ooh that's looking so good! Thanks for the in-process long arm pictures, so fun to see the progress.
JayeL on Fabric etc Advent CalendarSunday, December 14, 2025
I was pleased to see a few notions, but surprised as well. I look forward to comparing our fabrics.
JayeL on Fabric etc Advent CalendarSunday, December 14, 2025
Julie is really good at finding such things!