Improv Again

I got two new-to-me round robins last Friday. I didn’t have enough design wall space, so I took them out and looked at them. Different elements caught my attention – the squares in Annemarie’s and the applique’ on Michelle-Nicholle’s.

My addition to Annemarie's piece - detail
My addition to Annemarie’s piece – detail

I started with Annemarie’s after I finished the Cutting Corners donation top. I decided to add  the other corner to the top left. My corner has the same look at the corner on the right side. I wanted the elements to be related, but not to be derivative. I wanted to use more of the Alison Glass fabric, but there wasn’t any left in the packet.

I looked at it after I had finished the squares. They looked too square. I had to make up some space (see the bottom strips where the blueberry fabric is?), so I added some strips and kept adding until my addition was large enough to fill the space. The strips look more improv than the squares. I can’t blame my hand for the cutting as it is much better. Habit, I guess.

Michelle-Nicholle's Improv piece -before
Michelle-Nicholle’s Improv piece -before

Michelle-Nicholle’s was harder, mostly because it had the structure of a very traditional round robin. All the pieces in the round robin are getting quite large and Michelle-Nicholle’s is no exception. It is also, I think, the largest piece on which I have worked. There were also only a few motifs I could use as inspiration, none of which were very exciting to me. More applique’ would have been logical, but I just wasn’t in the mood. It was very difficult to think of an addition. I reached back to my early days of quiltmaking when I learned to do improv curved piecing. I added some of that. It is a simple addition, but effective, I think. I may add something else as my addition does seem like much, nor does it help the next person as a jumping off point.

Michelle-Nicholle's IRR after -detail
Michelle-Nicholle’s IRR after -detail
Michelle-Nicholle's IRR after
Michelle-Nicholle’s IRR after

 

Make it Modern – Reno

Make It Modern
Make It Modern

My friend, Kathleen, is organizing a great event in beautiful Reno: Make it Modern.

What: Fun and fabulous days of creating, led by modern quilters Christina Cameli and Libs Elliott. Additional help, discussions, and general shenanigans each evening at the sewing salon, and a trunk show on Sunday morning.

Where: Peppermill Resort, Reno, Nevada

When: June 9-12, 2016

Who: Christina Cameli and Libs Elliot will be teaching

Why: Because it is fun to meet up with other like minded quiltmakers and have some fun sewing

How: easy access by car and plane

Find out more information and register on the Make It Modern Events website.

More Donation Blocks

I talked about some donation blocks I made last week. As I worked on the Cutting Corners Donation Top, I made more of the postage stamp/16 patch blocks using leaders and enders. I love how much I get done when I use that technique!

Charity blocks - April 2016
Charity blocks – April 2016

I now have 12 blocks on the wall. I have a few more to make, but I think that I might as well sew them together to make another top for the Charity Girls.

April ATCs

April 2016 CQFA ATCs
April 2016 CQFA ATCs

We had the CQFA meeting on Saturday. Of course there was an ATC swap. Not participated in the swap this time, but I received two lovely cards and got to keep one of my own.

As usual I intended to make them well in advance. Friday morning (day before the meeting!!) became unusually busy and I still hadn’t made any. Eventually I tore myself away from all the other things demanding my attention. I went for a walk determined to decide on a design. As I walked it occurred to me that I wanted to do something very simple and I came up with a design comprising an orange circle on a blue background. I was imagining the colors I used in the Wonky 9 Patch quilt. That particular blue and orange glow when put together.

I also remembered Ms. Lottie’s directions for finishing the edges and decided I would try the technique. I would have done a better job if I had actually read the directions again, but I did what I thought I remembered the directions saying. I had some trouble with the corners. They don’t look very tidy and I realized why after I read the directions when I finished. Such a great plan (<–irony). I’ll give it another try next time.

I like to put stiffener in my ATCs so they are more like cards. This meant that the fusible on the inside of the backing was adhering to loose Pellon interfacing. It didn’t secure the three layers together at all. I liked the technique and the little frame it makes. I’ll just have to make the technique my own for next time.Reading the directions might help. 😉

April 2016 ATCs in progress
April 2016 ATCs in progress

By the time I arrived home I had an idea. It didn’t quite work out the way I imagined, but turned out satisfactorily. I didn’t have the exact colors I saw in my minds eye, but I did have colors that worked well together.

When I put the initial pieces together, they looked unfinished. I always like to do handwork and haven’t had many bindings to hand sew recently, so I sat on Friday night and stitched some Perl cotton on to these ATC pieces to add interest and finish them. I seem to often do embroidery or beading on these pieces. I wonder if it is a signature?

Bron & Jaye's ATCs
Bron & Jaye’s ATCs
Virginia's ATCs
Virginia’s ATCs

Bron and Virginia also participated. We each got one of our own and gave Rhonda the extras to bring to Angela.

April 2016 To Do List

2016 To Do List

  • Quilt Christmas table runner
  • Wash fabric AKA The Great Unwashed-I washed a few more loads in the past month. I found the March-a-Long a good excuse to press and cut newly washed fabrics.
  • Cut out 3 notepad covers for gifts
  • Finish cutting out Day in the Park backpack variation
  • Sew 3rd Petrillo Bag
  • Sew Bon Appetit apron
  • Cut out Art supplies pincushion
  • Sew Art supplies pincushion
  • Sew purple pincushion
  • Quilt Thanksgiving tablerunner #2
  • Quilt Thanksgiving tablerunner #3
  • Quilt Thanksgiving table mat
  • Bind Thanksgiving tablerunner #1
  • Make binding for Flowerburst
  • Create Partial Seam tutorial

Finished since December 2015 post

  • Pull fabrics for QuiltCon class
  • Quilt Thanksgiving tablerunner #1
  • Cut out Anna Maria Horner Multi-tasker tote
  • Cut out Art supplies Sew Together Bag
  • Finish cutting out 3rd Petrillo bag
  • Cut out Thanksgiving tablerunner #1
  • Cut out Thanksgiving tablerunner #2
  • Cut out Thanksgiving tablerunner #3
  • Cut out Thanksgiving table mat
  • ATCs for CQFA December meeting
  • Finish sewing Anna Maria Horner Multi-tasker tote -this was a gift I intended to give during Holiday 2013- sigh. Missed 2014 Holiday deadline as well. I made it for birthday 2016 and it was a successful gift.
  • Sew Art supplies Sew Together Bag
  • Cut out Purple Sew Together Bag
  • Sew Purple Sew Together Bag

April 2016: 26 Projects

In my last post on this topic, I felt like all of my sewing work was heavy and unmovable. Fortunately, that feeling has passed. I have made some progress. I am also still thinking about working slower.

Finished 2016 Quilt Projects

Flower Sugar donation quilt (I feel odd putting this finish here as there is so much I didn’t do on this piece – still there isn’t anywhere else to put it)

Finished 2016 non-Quilt Projects

In Process
The  ‘In Process’ is used to denote projects on which I am actively working or pretending to stitch.

  • Carpenter’s Wheel blocks – I finished #9 and #10. This concludes the blocks and I will start laying them out soon.
  • English Paper Piecing Project– half hexies – I am adding another big section, but I have done half and stopped. Slowly but surely wins the race
  • Food Quilt #3 – food patches are cut. I went to start sewing and realized I didn’t have the center squares cut, so I have started to cut those. I am going for darker blues. Not navy, but not turquoise either. Somewhere in between since I want the quilt to feel boyish.
  • Lobster – have more stitching to do and then I need to quilt it.
  • Octagon 9 Patch: ready to put together. Not sure what I am waiting for
  • Peacock Quilt – made a lot of progress sewing pieces and parts
  • Pies and Points from Victoria Findlay Wolfe class. No further progress yet
  • Stepping Stones #2 – I haven’t worked on this in awhile, but I still have one block on the wall for inspiration. I actually thought about working on it as leaders and enders, but defaulted to donation squares. No progress.

Still WIPs
I still have WIPs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled. A nicer way of saying UFO is a WIP. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.

  1. Aqua-Red Sampler – I still have to work on the partial seaming tutorial.
  2. The Tarts Come to Tea: I still haven’t worked on this since April 2011, though, it is in a prominent location so I have easy access. I was thinking about how this was veering in the direction of being one of my ‘masterpieces,’ but now that it has languished for so long it just looks old and dated. :(
  3. Pointillist Palette #4: Fourth is a series of 6 quilts; needs tiny square patches sewn together. I still haven’t worked on this project either, but I do think about it.
  4. Self Portrait: started in 2006 at a class at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, Virginia. My career counselor breathed new life into this project for me. She asked a simple question and the end result was inspiration for this piece, but I kind of lost steam again after printing images on paper to try out different designs. Lately, I have stopped feeling like I need to finish this piece. I am not ready to give up on it yet. I think it really needs major surgery.
  5. Under the Sea: class project; like the design, but not the colors. Still a possibility for abandonment. Just can’t seem to pull the trigger.
  6. City Sampler/ Tale of Two Cities blocks
  7. Serendipity Lady Quilt

Ready for Quilting
Wow! Everything on this list is new, as in it was never on the original 26 Projects list.

  • 2 Thanksgiving tablerunners

In Quilting Process

  • Flowerburst – the quilter
  • Red & Black Improv quilt – at the quilter

Binding

  • I made the binding for one Thanksgiving tablerunner, so I am ready to handstitch it.

Hunting and Gathering

  • Blue Gradation Quilt: cutting 2.5?x 4.5? blue rectangles
  • Blue Lemonade: cutting blue, green, purple 2? squares
  • Food Quilt #3: cutting blue fabrics
  • Pink Gradation Quilt: cutting 2.5?x 4.5? pink rectangles
  • Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered. I probably have enough fabrics and just need to decide to start.
  • Stepping Stones #3 using the Macaron pre-cuts from Hoffman. I have all the fabric in pre-cuts and am just waiting for space in my schedule.
  • Windmill quilt: Still hunting and gathering. I am supposed to be cutting a variety of greys for the background. The problem is that I mislaid the rotary template. Sigh. I may be able to cut the greys on a Sizzix.

What’s on your list?

Creative Prompt #357: Joke

I couldn’t resist. It is a difficult prompt, but it was too perfect a day not to use it.

Definition: “A joke is a display of humour in which words are used within a specific and well-defined narrative structure to make people laugh. It takes the form of a story, usually with dialogue, and ends in a punch line. It is in the punch line that the audience becomes aware that the story contains a second, conflicting meaning. This can be done using a pun or other word play such as irony, a logical incompatibility, nonsense or other means. Linguist Robert Hetzron offers the definition:

“A joke is a short humorous piece of oral literature in which the funniness culminates in the final sentence, called the punchline… In fact, the main condition is that the tension should reach its highest level at the very end. No continuation relieving the tension should be added. As for its being “oral,” it is true that jokes may appear printed, but when further transferred, there is no obligation to reproduce the text verbatim, as in the case of poetry.”[1]

A good joke is succinct, containing no more detail than is needed to set the scene for the punchline at the end. In the case of riddle jokes or one-liners the setting is implicitly understood, leaving only the dialogue and punchline to be verbalized. Identified as one of the simple forms of oral literature by the Dutch linguist André Jolles,[2] jokes are passed along anonymously. They are told in both private and public settings; a single person tells a joke to his friend in the natural flow of conversation, or a set of jokes is told to a group as part of scripted entertainment. Jokes are also passed along in written form or—more recently—through electronic messaging systems. Internet joking has indeed become a major method of transmission. Either as written narratives or graphic cartoons, jokes are sent through email to friends and acquaintances; individuals joking with each other in a physical space have been replaced here by electronic social groups. This correlates with the new understanding of the internet as an “active folkloric space” with evolving social and cultural forces and clearly identifiable performers and audiences.[3] Along with individual transmission of jokes to email contacts, internet services are also available to provide a fresh joke-a-day to your email inbox or archive joke collections on electronic bulletin boards.

Jokes are a form of humour, but not all humour is a joke. Some humorous forms which are not jokes are: involuntary humour, situational humour, practical jokes, slapstick, and anecdotes. All of these are humorous, but none of them is a verbal joke. The Shaggy dog story is in a class of its own as an anti-joke; although presenting as a joke, it contains a long drawn-out narrative of time, place and character, rambles through many pointless inclusions and finally fails to deliver a punchline. Also, humour which is generated through performance can be funny but is not considered a joke. For the joke by definition contains the humour in the words (usually the punchline), not in the delivery. Stand-up comics, comedians and slapstick work with comic timing, precision and rhythm in their performance, relying as much on actions as on the verbal punchline to evoke laughter. This distinction has been formulated in the popular saying “A comic says funny things; a comedian says things funny”.[note 1] This article concerns itself only with verbal jokes, leaving performance comedy aside.” (Wikipedia)

Joke of the Day

tell a joke

One Piece: Captain Joke was the captain of a crew that reached the Ocean’s Naval ten years before the current storyline

Joke Jockey: Humor from the 30’s, 40’s 50’s 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, Infinity and Beyond!

Long Jokes

humor

Church Jokes

in-joke

Knock Knock Jokes

one liners

Blonde jokes

joke gifts

adult jokes

Anti Jokes (or Anti Humor) is a type of comedy in which the uses is set up to expect a typical joke setup however the joke ends with such anticlimax that it becomes funny in its own right. The lack of punchline is the punchline.

yo mama jokes

redneck jokes

lawyer jokes

animal jokes

sports jokes

relationship jokes

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 and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP

Cutting Corners Donation Top Finished

I know I promised I wouldn’t post any more donation quilts “for the time being.” The time being is over and I have another top and back finished. Things are kind of coming together with finishes lately, which is nice.

Cutting Corners Donation Top
Cutting Corners Donation Top

I worked on the Cutting Corners Donation top on Saturday. I was able to finish the top, the back and the binding. It occurred to me that I should make a Frankenbatting as well. I haven’t done it yet, but I have time before the meeting.

Cutting Corners Donation Top detal
Cutting Corners Donation Top detal

I know I said I was struggling with the corner pieces last time I talked about this top. I decided to move along by sewing together as much of the top as I could. After putting the entire top together, I found that the corners I had made and discarded actually fit in the corner spot. I was pleased and shocked to see how much the quilt shrunk up when I sewed it together. After all of these years, I shouldn’t be surprised, but I was. It is nice that quiltmaking can still surprise me.

Cutting Corners Donation Back
Cutting Corners Donation Back

I definitely like the way this top came out, but I am on fence about the ruler. I am not sure that using the ruler was the easiest way to get to the finish. I will probably try it again with different fabrics.

Christmas Tablerunner!

Christmas Tablerunner
Christmas Tablerunner

This project has been on my to do list forever. Now it is OFF! It is complete. Finished. Done.

Yay!

So, the deal with this piece is that I got the panel somewhere. I think I may have been collecting opportunities to practice my free motion quilting at the time. (Stop laughing!). It hung around for a few years. At some point, I probably put it on the to do list when I cataloged my UFOs. It was on the to do list for a long time. At some point I decided to get busy and work on these languishing projects.

Back of Christmas Tablerunner
Back of Christmas Tablerunner

The only thing I might do is embroider my name on the back. there is no label on this piece and I don’t want it to be anonymous.

Flower Sugar Donation Quilt

Flower Sugar Donation Quilt front
Flower Sugar Donation Quilt front

Yes, this is donation quilt week. I promise this is the last one I have for the time being.

Last August, I talked about the Flower Sugar Donation top. I made the top out of leftover fabric from the Flower Sugar Hexagon (Attack of the Hexies) quilt. Gerre offered to quilt it. I got the finished piece back from her at the BAM meeting. She hadn’t completely done the binding, but had sewed most of it by machine. I had given her a piece of binding that was a bit too short, so I added to it. Then I sewed it the rest of the way on to the quilted piece then spent the time hand stitching the binding down.

Flower Sugar Donation back
Flower Sugar Donation back

I was feeling like a bit of a slacker, so I was glad to get this piece done. It felt like I had FINALLY finished something.

The fabric I used was, again, called Flower Sugar by Lecien. I still have bunches of it left even though I also used it for the back. I warned Gerre that she might be seeing another one with the same fabric.

I also used some Bonnie and Camille greys/taupes for the background pieces. They are from various lines. Compared to the cool greys I am using for the Flying Geese, these background pieces look really, really brown to me.

So, yay! A finished piece. I am so pleased it is a donation top.

Visiting with Improv

Improv Round Robin - March 2016
Improv Round Robin – March 2016

I got a brief glance at my Improv Round Robin piece before Ruth whisked it away to work on.

More of the Philip Jacobs print is showing up and that is creating some interesting results. I do think the piece needs more space, so I will add more solid or, perhaps, someone working on it will add more solid.

Mystery Donation Top

I came across the mystery quilt I made at the BAMQG retreat a few years ago. When I found it it was in pieces. I decided I would put it together and give it to the Charity Girls. I sewed 2 seams max, put it in my bag for the meeting and handed it in. I love the fabrics, but they didn’t work out very well and I was glad not to have another UFO to clutter up my mind.

BAMQG Mystery Quilt
BAMQG Mystery Quilt

 

This mystery quilt was not successful for me. That statement has to do with me not with the designer of the mystery quilt or the organizer of the BAMQG mystery quilt project. It has to do with the fabrics that I chose. I wanted bold fabrics. I chose bold fabrics, made bold choices. They didn’t work. I’ll try again

Cutting Corners Donation Top

I spent last Sunday finally working on the Cutting Corners donation top. I was fiddling around not knowing what to do. I pulled out a piece of Dear Stella orange dot fabric and was inspired to use it as the sashing. Off I went.

Using Cutting Corners Ruler
Using Cutting Corners Ruler

The Cutting Corners ruler is not an easy ruler to use, especially for someone like me who is pattern reading challenged. I finally got the critical information and worked on the sashing. The picture above shows the first steps of creating the lozenge shape.

I am not sure this is the easiest method to create this type of sashing.

Cutting Corners Donation Quilt
Cutting Corners Donation Quilt
Cutting Corners Donation quilt in process
Cutting Corners Donation quilt in process
Cutting Corners Donation Quilt
Cutting Corners Donation Quilt

I am having problems with the corner triangles. The directions for the side triangles are ok. The corner triangle directions are abysmal. There is one line about how to make the corner triangles. I have been emailing back and forth with Mrs. K, but I think I am going to have to call her and get more info.

I probably would have used a different sashing fabric if I had been thinking more. I went with my intuition, though and I kind of like the effect of the orange.

I hope to be able to finish at least the top soon. Perhaps this weekend.

Creative Prompt #356: Entrance

N-Trance – British rock band

an act of entering, as into a place or upon new duties.

Disneyland Park Entrance

The goal of entrance counseling is to help you understand what it means to take out a federal student loan.

entrance mat

entrance fees

Definition: “the place of entering like a gate or door, or the permission to do so.” (Wikipedia)

Entrance may also refer to:

ENTRANCE is a subtle psychological thriller centered upon Suzy (Suziey Block), a young woman in Los Angeles who can’t get comfortable in her own skin.

Entrance (2012 movie) is about the limits of our perception, how the things lurking on the periphery of our lives can lead to horrific conclusions; about how she fell out of love

entrance exam

EnTranCe is the hotspot of applied sciences for businesses and innovations.

In Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches, an entrance is a procession during which the clergy enter into the sanctuary through the Holy Doors.

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 and Instagram. Use the hashtag #CPP