As you may have read elsewhere, I found a mosaic maker from Big Huge Labs. This is my first attempt and I am pleased. It works with Flickr, so I did learn a few things. I need to organize my Flickr files better, especially the Favorites is the major one. In the meantime enjoy this mosaic. The upper lefthand corner quilt is from Jan over at Be*Mused blog.
Bullseye Continues
Julie has posted her bullseyes. The post shows how they look with the ones I sent her. She spray starched hers, which is a great idea. I am not sure why I didn’t think of it! I guess I learn something new every day.
The Purpose of Blog Comments?
I agree with Mimi in that I don’t put my work out there for criticism. I am happy to take comments, but I do my work for me. I love sharing it, but I am my own best critic and don’t need others. I love it that people from all over the world and friends I don’t see very often can see what I am doing and keep up.
I heard a great quote while I was away: Creativity is an Expression of Joy. The world, I think, needs less criticism and more support for creativity.
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Latent Love of Dolls
Deirdre sent me a link to Mimi Kirchner’s blog and it made me start thinking about dolls.
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I have to admit that I have always loved dolls: Barbie and friends, baby dolls that you could dress and feed, soft huggable stuffed dolls.
I loved dressing up dolls. The dolls always looked glamourous and could walk in their tarty shoes, which wasn’t always the case for me! Dolls always provided an opportunity to play house and have things go my way. Dolls are also a great opportunity for creativity. Now I am too old for dolls and they have been replaced by a family of Mr. Potato Heads on my desk. Yes, I dress them up for the entertainment value.
As I have been washing and pressing the fabric from my trip to the East Coast, I have been cutting off schnibbles. I keep thinking to myself what great hair the schnibbles would be, which further makes me think that Art Warrior and Mother Warrior may need a new friend.
Artist Warrior (left). Mother Warrior (right). On display at the last CQFA show.
Mimi’s dolls are really creative and beautiful, and they also have a lot of personality. They are also BIG, and, presumably, huggable.
I am really glad to have the blogosphere accessible to me, because it is just a fountain of creativity that I can dip my toe into whenever I want.
More Mosaic Inspiration
Someone mentioned that I was an idiot, because I was classifying tilework with mosaics and calling it all mosaics. I do know the difference, in case you were worried and I intend to continue on with my practice, because mosaics sound better and is shorter than Mosaics and Tilework. Searching is easier for you, dear readers, also, because all you have to do is type in mosaics and you get everything that has to do with mosaics or tilework. See? I am always thinking of you. 😉
This is from Frederick, Maryland. I was thinking it would be good inspiration for a two block quilt: ninepatch and snowball.
Also from Frederick, MD. I like the interwoveness of this design. I mulled over, quite a bit, how the colors played into into the success of the design.
This is a mosaic from the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congess, though it really mimics tilework.
This is another mosaic from the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congess. I love the leaves.
This is yet another mosaic from the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congess. Can you say Double Wedding Ring?
Cross Block Back From Vacation
While driving around Virginia checking out quilt shops, I worked on some Flowering Snowball blocks in the car. I was amazed at how much I was able to get done. I know two blocks doesn’t seem like a lot, but since these are handpieced, this represents quite a bit of work.
I also began thinking about the border blocks. Nothing definite yet, but I think I am nearing the end of this project. Stay tuned.
What I Made on My Summer Vacation
I bought the fabric for this tote at Capital Quilts in Gaithersburg, MD. The flower fabric appealed to me even though chocolate is a major color in the fabric. In making this bag, I realized that using three fabrics makes the totes much more interesting than just using two fabrics (outside fabrics including straps, pockets and body, which is separate from the inside fabric).
This is a tote that I started, what seems like, months ago. I, finally, was able to finish it in Maryland. I love Love LOVE the turquoise bubble dot fabric. The problem is that the straps and the pocket, which are pictured in the photo above, are camoflaged. I definitely see another tote with this fabric in my future.
This is the inside and I think the turquoise bubble dot fabric looks so much better on the Basix dots.
Normally, I don’t buy Christmas fabric. I certainly don’t regularly buy Christmas fabric at full price. I loved these fabrics so much that I couldn’t wait to see if they went on sale after Christmas. The colors and motifs are really fun and cheerful. I wouldn’t exactly classify the toile as fun or cheerful, completely, which is not to say it is ugly or staid and boring. I do love the idea of repurposing the toile idea into something new. As soon as I got home, I sewed the fabrics into Christmas gift bags and am looking forward to using them during future holiday seasons.
I started a cupcake tote made from the fabric I purchased in May at Clementine’s Dry Goods, but have not gotten very far. Photos to follow.
Mosaic Inspiration from the Thomas Jefferson Building
The Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress is a monument to knowledge. The whole building exudes the value of knowledge. As well, it is a gorgeous building, with every surface covered in some kind of artwork celebrating knowledge, books or libraries. I took dozens of pictures of floors, some of which I may drag out later for your enjoyment. Here are a few to inspired you to greater borders and medallions for your quilts.
I love the common designs that mosaic art (and other arts) have in common with quiltmaking.
Rebel Quilter’s Bullseyes
JulieZS, one of my partners in Bullseyes (in case you haven’t been reading) sent me the link (http://rebelquilter.com/latest_news.htm) to these bullseyes by Susan Leslie Lumsden. I can’t really see them up close and personal, but I love the colors and the look of them. I am always interested in seeing other people’s iterations of bullseyes.
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New Fabrics from the East
I returned last night from three weeks away from the computer (mostly) and some serious sightseeing. Much of the sightseeing I did was a at quilt shops, which resulted in a few pieces of new fabric.
Artful Quilter, Centreville, VA
Jinny Beyer Studio, Great Falls, VA
145 Art & Design Studio, Culpeper, VA: I really liked this place. It was on a cute, old-fashioned, walkable and homey little main street. The store had a warm feeling (I think the paint was shades of reds and oranges) with gorgeous huge crown moldings. Lots of interesting fabrics that I hadn’t see before and a wide variety of art supplies including a full complement of Tsukineko inks. Well worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood.
Quilt & Sewing Center, Fredericksburg, VA
Quilting Adventures, Richmond, VA: I have not made a secret of the fact that I am a sucker for this shop. Joyce moved a few months after I was there last and the shop looks great. It is has a cool feeling (blues and greens). I found plenty of pink there, so I don’t think there is a preponderance of blues and greens, but the shop exudes that calm feeling. The fabrics, quilts on display and other things going on (videos playing, samples of boxes, art journals and home dec to view) were really exciting. Joyce had a wonderfully inspiring Christmas tree skirt on display made from the Piece O’Cake book, Welcome to the North Pole. I may just have to make one, especially after I saw the perfect shape (roundish, but not round) at the Renwick.
Capital Quilts, Gaithersburg, MD. (first trip there): the weird brown fabric with the turquoise flowers became a tote bag. Stay tuned for a picture.
Capital Quilts, Gaithersburg, MD. (second trip there)
Pins and Needles, Frederick, MD: only fat quarters, because someone was with me dogging my heels the whole time in the shop. Bleah! Nice shop (what I got to see of it), but unpleasant shopping experience.
Various CT quilt shops
G Street Fabrics, Rockville, MD: they were having a 30% off sale, but their stock was seriously depleted.
More Bag Possibilities
Deirdre sent me a link to this bag pattern. I am not sure I am ready to switch to a new pattern as I have recently really gotten the hang of the Eco Market Tote, but it is always good to k now about other possibilities.
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Soda Bottles Begone
I spent a GREAT hour or so with my SIL at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, VA (www.quiltingadventures.com) on Sunday. Since I was there last time Joyce has moved the shop next door to a much bigger space and it is gorgeous. It has the feel of a cool, calm space.
One thing that is great about QA is that Joyce only sells products that she loves. One of them is a new batting made from soda bottles. It is a light green color from the bottles that are green (like Sprite). It feels soft with just a tiny bit of stiffness. The packaging tells the purchaser how many soda bottles were kept out of landfills per the size of the batting. I'll let you know the name and manufacturer soon.
NEQM
I went to the New England Quilt Museum yesterday. There was an exhibit of antique quilts from the Gerald Roy/Paul Pilgrim collection. Many of the quilts were Amish style-solids in patterns such as Ninepatch, row quilts with elaborate quilting. The quilting was gorgeous. Lots of complicated feathers.
Sadly, there weren't very many quilts shown; 30-40 at the most. The lighting was really low. Too low, actually. We could barely see the quilts to be honest. Very sad. I hope this is a brief lapse.
Blue Alchemy
The current exhibit at the Textile Museum (near DuPont Circle Metro) is called Blue. It is all about indigo. They have a variety of examples, but no quilts so far. The film they are showing as part of the exhibit is fantastic! I especially like the words of the indigo composter. He says he ”is having a conversation” with the compost. He also says that ”something cared for with this much love and affection” should last forever. I think that is a beautiful thing to think about your work. Film is from New Deal Films-www.newdealfilms.com. Perhaps it is posted to YouTube?? Look for it.
More Tote Bags
Margi, over at maverickcrafter.blogspot.com, sent me over to Canton Quiltworks where I saw she had made a tote. You might be thinking that this is no big deal except that I bought this magazine while I was in Seattle and TFQ and I were scrutinizing the pattern. We seem to do that with all the totes we see now. 
I was pleased to see that this pattern actually worked when made up. I am still not a fan of the hard handles, but I do like the look of the bottom of the bag. I especially like the way there seems to be one bag inside another. The colors on this rendition are quite appealing as well.
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