Tag: Inspiration

Hearst Castle Inspiration pt. 1

Last week was Grand Parlor, which took place in San Luis Obispo. Wednesday of the week was ‘Playday’. I signed up for a tour of Hearst Castle and DH went off to nap, play Pidro and whatever.

Hearst Castle
Hearst Castle

I had been to Hearst Castle before, twice, I think, but it had been many years. I remembered a lot, but I am more into details now.

The place is full of inspiration. Unbelievable art in all forms wherever you look and cannot be escaped. A lot of it is not really my style, but *I* don’t  have to live there. 😉 Regardless, it is amazing collection of art, which is probably the understatement of the century.

Mary with infant Jesus
Mary with infant Jesus

I always thought that William Randolph Hearst went to Europe and just bought up everything in sight. This time, the tour guide said that he bought everything out of art catalogs that were sent to him from New York. Who knows what is true?

One of the oldest pieces at the estate is a statue of Mary and an infant Jesus. It is outside the main front door. There is something about it that I really liked. The Baroque or Gothic look to the overall section is a bit much for me. Still without the trimmings, I like the Mary and Infant Jesus statue.

Balustrade
Balustrade

One of the things I like about architecture is the inspiration it provides to quiltmaking. The balustrade (a railing supported by balusters, especially an ornamental parapet on a balcony, bridge, or terrace) has a complex design, but it can also be used as inspiration for a quilting design. Imagine this – or a version of this – as a quilting design in a large open space.

Cottage Bas Relief
Cottage Bas Relief

I really like the detail of the area below the roofline of the cottage. I know that this is a multi-millionaire’s guest accommodations, but why can’t modern housing and infrastructure type buildings have any detail like this? I think it would make the surroundings in cities much more interesting and easier to live in.

It was a great trip and there is so much more to show you. Better though, would be for you to go and visit the Castle yourself.

Quilt Inspiration (30 Something)

This is like a bonus week. I keep thinking that it should be June already, but Memorial Day weekend was so early and the week preceding Memorial Day was so crazy that normal life barely registered. So BONUS!

American Patchwork & Quilting magazine
American Patchwork & Quilting magazine

I saw this quilt on a magazine I bought (**Disclaimer: yes, I bought this willingly and with my own money, it is not a review copy). It is called 30 Something (Thirty Something???) I LOVE this quilt on the front and have to put it in my queue to make. I like the different shapes and the way the pieces are set and then make the blocks.

I wouldn’t make in those soft 1930s fabrics, but I would make it scrappy. I am still thrilled with the bright scraps and dots I used for Scrapitude. I think I would use my bright scraps again.

It is so odd when a quilt grabs my attention like this one did. I can look at 100 quilts, yawn and move on, but then one grabs me and I can’t get it out of my head. It isn’t even the fabrics that I like. How can I look at this quilt and imagine it in brights and dots? I look at other quilt projects on magazines and can’t imagine them made any other way–with any other fabric. This quilt is different.

The brain is very odd.

What do you think?

thirty Something quilt

Disneyland Inspiration Post

One of the bonuses of living in California is that Disneyland is no more than a day’s drive away. When I was a kid, it was a couple of hours away and I was fortunate enough to have parents who took us there every year.

At some point, I was old enough to refuse to ride the roller coasters and I became okay with visiting the Haunted Mansion. I have been on all of the rides and seen most of the shows. I still enjoy the park and its attractions, but now I look at the details gain inspiration from them.

Seahorse detail
Seahorse detail

I have some bits and pieces that are supposed to be part of a challenge for CQFA. I didn’t know what do with them until I saw the seahorse on top of King Triton’s Carousel. KTC is really in California Adventure (a poor stepsister to Disneyland, but great details as well).

I like the stylized motif. The large nose (bill? beak??) and the very unrealistic outline, which is not cartoonish.

When I saw this, my idea was to applique’ a seahorse to a piece of fabric and then use the fusible pieces as a kind of border – clustered in a corner or something.

It was very high up, so this is the best picture I could get even using my extreme zoom.

Grate
Grate

I thought of Kelly when I saw this grate (yes, I look at everything), because she is an excellent quilter. I posted it on Twitter and asked how people would make it. Predictably I got the gamut of responses. One interesting response, from Dan Rouse, was EPP, which I didn’t think of! I am not sure how that would work, but I am enjoying thinking about it.

I am pretty sure I have seen some fabric with this sort of motif. I may even have some.

Floor detail, Midway Mania
Floor detail, Midway Mania

With the O9P quilt, I am on the octagon/snowball bandwagon. I saw this motif on the floor at Midway Mania (fun attraction, by the way) and am determined to put this on the list of borders to make. Alternatively, it would make a good row quilt using vertical rows.

I would make the pieces inside the octagon larger, perhaps a nine patch so that the portions of patches were not so small. The octagon border would also have bigger pieces OR one piece per side. I would have to see what looked better. Seams, you know.

I would also not break up the corners outside of the octagon (that would make the octagon into a square). It would just be one triangle. It would be an interesting challenge.

Buena Vista Street Vase
Buena Vista Street Vase

This vase was a quick drive by photo. I saw it as we walked by at a leisurely pace and didn’t take a photo. Then we were fighting our way through the parade crowd and I knew I wouldn’t have another chance, so I got ready and took the photo as I was walking by. I slowed down, but didn’t stop lest I be run over.

It is a good outline motif and could be appliqued. I see some piecing opportunities for the vase itself, though I would not want to piece the spiral handles.

I would have to think about the circle. I think it adds a lot to the motif as a whole, but would I want to applique’ it?

Tile Floor
Tile Floor

Finally, I cannot leave you without some tile. This tile motif was a floor, again in CA Adventure and it looks like it would be an interesting and not to difficult baby quilt pattern.

Well, I called this post Disneyland Inspiration when all of the motifs were from California Adventure. I really don’t think of CA as a separate place so I will leave it and you to enjoy the inspiration.

 

 

Tile in Monterey

imagePolitical Wifery is gearing up. Last weekend we went to Monterey to do site visits for DH’s Grand Parlor*. We had to review the various facilities including hotel rooms required for the event. We also talked to hotel event coordinators to give them details about the events.

It was sort of fun even though I didn’t get to visit any quilt shops and my Saturday sewing time was usurped by this task.

I have to say that it was a beautiful day in Monterey and I did enjoy being outside and walking around.

imageOne of the things we did was look at a location for the BBQ. The proposed location is a historical site, which includes the tiled fountain shown here.

The fountain, sadly wasn’t working. Conscientiousness about the drought in California, I imagine. It was still quite beautiful and would be a great inspiration for a border on a quilt.

 

 

 

 

 

*For those of you just joining us, Grand Parlor is the Native Sons** annual conference

**Native Sons of the Golden West is a statewide fraternal organization which brings men together to support the preservation, teaching and education around California history. They also have a strong social aspect and support a charitable foundation that gives money to hospitals to support Cranio-facial Anomalies Teams at UCSF and St. John’s hospitals.

CQFA Workshop Challenge

CQFA Challenge: Spring in Humboldt
CQFA Challenge: Spring in Humboldt

There will be a workshop on Saturday at the CQFA meeting based around this photo, Spring Comes to Humboldt. The name of the workshop is the “Same Design, Make it Mine” challenge.

The guidelines of this workshop are:
1. Look at the photo and recreate the sense of it in your medium of choice.
2. Use your own style
3. Use your own favorite techniques
4. No whining

CQFA Members: bring materials and supplies to the meeting as we will work on our own projects during the meeting.

While this workshop is primarily set up for CQFA and will be held at the meeting, everyone who reads is welcome to play. You can post your efforts to the AQ Flickr Group, or the CQFA Flickr Group, if you are a member. <Nota bene: you can easily be a member for a small payment of dues!> CQFA members should bring their finished or in process works to an upcoming meeting.

Will you play along?

Peacocks and Quilt Projects

I have been thinking about birds on and off for the past couple of weeks. I watch birds out my window when I eat breakfast and there are a few different ones that like to eat the berries on a bush in my yard. I have been drawing wings and little fat birds in my journal. In the past few days I have specifically been thinking of peacocks. I do not actually like peacocks IRL very much. There are peacocks that stroll around our local zoo screeching and making a big mess. I do like to look at them in art, though.

Macaw Feathers by Michael Fitzsimmons
Macaw Feathers by Michael Fitzsimmons

I have been thinking about peacocks because of Pam and the One Block Wonder quilt on which she is working. I saw a panel at Beverly’s of a peacock and really liked it. It made me think of Pam’s quilt, which she made with panels

While the feathers to the left are from a Macaw, the colors remind me of peacock feathers. The photo is a little dark for me, but there is something about it. I also saw the Majestic Beauties fabric by Wilmington Prints at the recent quilt show.

I was thinking that using the peacock panels might be a good way to use peacock fabric. I am hesitating because the colors are beautiful, but the fabric has a lot of beige in it and is not bright and cheerful. Still there are some companion prints that don’t have as much beige that might work. On the other hand the letters on the background of the Majestic Beauties fabric panel might make interesting motifs when put together in the One Block Wonder method.

Peacock Feathers
Peacock Feathers

I really just want to try the technique that Pam used, so perhaps I have enough repeats of a Philip Jacobs fabric to try it out without having to buy new fabric.

I know what you are thinking, because I am also thinking “OMG, Jaye! WTH? Another new project?!?” Yes, I am just starting new projects with wild abandon! 😉

Gift Ideas

I was thinking of the pseudo-set of gifts I made after Christmas. We all have friends who are also makers and we know that they can make their own sewing related items. The reality is that they often don’t.  It is fun to have a coordinating set of things to take along to retreats so others can admire them.

I thought you might find it useful to know the patterns I, either, use or would consider using. The point is not to use the patterns I use, but to make the gifts in whatever pattern YOU like. This is a gift idea.

Pincushion – Fig Tree Quilts Petit Gateau pincushion pattern. I like this pattern, because it makes sense and looks like a pincushion. I have made several and they go together very quickly. I use wool roving I buy at Beverly’s and some of the Beanie Baby plastic pellets to fill it. The pellets give the pincushion some heft. I don’t use walnut shells, because of food allergies. The only issue I ever have with this pattern is to find an appropriate button to put on top and bottom. Often I make these and don’t think ahead and then find myself wanting to finish, but have no appropriate buttons.

Needle case – many people don’t do handwork and so this is an inappropriate gift, but it is so cute! I got the pattern from the Spring 2013 issue of Modern Patchwork. It was designed by Rashida Coleman-Hale of IHeartLinen. I wasn’t able to find a pattern for it on her blog or the web. The pattern is in RCH’s book, Zakka Style, according to Frances Newcombe from Belly Buttons Boutique. You may be able to find I copy of that magazine on Etsy or eBay. I am sure there are other needlecase patterns out there.

Tissue case – This isn’t something that I would really use, though that might change. It is a nice stocking stuffer or small hostess gift. I got the idea to make them from Valerie over at Evening in the Garden blog. I made a few, which you can see in December gift posts. I used the YouTube tutorial that Valerie used.

Lanyard – these are great for guild meetings, but also for hanging scissor sheaths, keys, pens, etc. Think of a chatelaine’s key ring.

Scissor Sheath – as mentioned above, a scissor sheath can be added to the gift pile and adding a ribbon or fabric hanging loop on it enables the owner to hang it from a lanyard.

Project bag – Jeni Baker Drawstring bag (pattern to purchase). The pattern has multiple sizes. This is good to keep project supplies together. She also has a tutorial for one size – Example

Tote bag – There are lots of different tote bags that I have made. I really like the Jane Market Tote (pattern to purchase). I also like the Eco Market Tote from Favorite things (pattern to purchase). I haven’t made that bag in awhile, but I might make one again soon. Including a tote bag in your gift selection is a nice way to package all the gifts. You can choose a pattern that you like.

Journal/Sketchbook Cover – you can adjust the pattern to accommodate a number of sizes of journals. This pattern, as you have seen many times on this blog, is for a 6.5″x8″ Miquelrius journal.

Pencil roll – I love this pattern by Pink Chalk! It is so fun even if you are not pen hog like I am. I have made, perhaps, a dozen of them and I want everyone to love them. I always put a few pens in to give people an idea of what they are for. I reported on one of my pencil roll posts that this project took me about 3 hours to make.

An Alternative to the pencil roll is a tool holder. I haven’t actually made one of these yet, but I do like the pattern.

You could also add a Sidekick from Jinny Beyer’s store. It is good for handwork and I could have used it on my trip this past weekend. I have the pattern, but haven’t made it yet.

You can also think up themes and find patterns that fit the theme. For example:

  • Kitchen: apron, potholders, kitchen towels, casserole carrier
  • Bath: makeup bag (zipper pouch), towels, tissue cover, stiff holder for TP and such

I think this is a fun idea and hope to make at least one set of gifts for Christmas this year. Stay tuned to see if it happens.

Fons & Porter Pillows

While at my SIL’s I looked through some quilt magazines I brought with me for her. We looked through the magazines and discussed the various projects. I had looked through the magazines before, but looking through them with my SIL made me see them differently.

I actually like looking through magazines with almost any other quiltmakers. I get a different perspective on the project as I talk with another person.

Pillows from Magazine
Pillows from Magazine

In the magazine, I caught a glimpse of some pillows. These were projects made from leftover HSTs. One had a very interesting pinwheel pillow.

The thing I like about that design is that it is simple, but interesting. The maker used at least four fabrics. It is hard to see the light blue in the corners so there could be more. The more fabrics keep the design simple, but make it interesting and not boring.

This would be a good follow-up/practice project to the Sampler Class Triangle Project.

Weird Coincidence?

Carpet Inspiration
Carpet Inspiration

During my recent trip to the East Coast, I stayed in a hotel while attending a work meeting. I saw the carpet and thought it would make a great quilt, recolored, of course.

I like the simple design.

There is interest even though the design includes just squares, using different sized squares and subtle changes in “color.”**

I can see this design with a solid background and a variety of bright colored something fabrics for the squares. Prints or solids would both work. I was thinking about it, designing this in my head and then I saw….

Modern Quilts, Winter 2015
Modern Quilts, Winter 2015

almost the exact same design in Modern Quilts, the Winter 2015 issue. I couldn’t believe it.

Back to the drawing board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Nota bene: color in this instance is generous as I consider color to be something I can actually see. 😉

Inspiration Wednesday

Dramatic Clouds
Dramatic Clouds

Aren’t these clouds dramatic? I really like dramatic clouds and can never seem to get a dramatic picture that looks like what I see. This one looks pretty close.

It is a busy day. I made the fillings for the pies yesterday, but need to bake them today. Mom bowed out for Pie Day this year. I am also making a Pineapple Upside Down Cake instead of one pie. I wanted to change it up a little.

For those of you preparing for Thanksgiving, have a good time and enjoy the process.