Arts 'n Quilts

Charity Quilts

2017-09-07T07:30:00.000-04:00

Here are two quilts that I've made to give to the charity that every year makes about 30 children very happy by donating them quilts during the holidays. These are mostly 2nd graders that attend a special school in Asheville for children under special circumstances.

This proves once again that the "art" of quilting is an artform that is shared merrily and boldly with no other incentive than to bring some joy to the recipient(s). For a quilter to see the happy face of the recipient of one of her quilts, that is the best payment.

Quilt #1

Quilt #2

This is why we make quilts. Sure, some make quilts to earn a living, some make quilts to compete in shows, some make quilts for display in art galleries. Others still make quilts for the original purpose for which they were created: to keep warm in the winter, and yet others make quilts to give away, whether for gifts or for charity. Myself, I make quilts because I love the process, and also for the satisfaction of seeing someone really happy to receive one. True, I have made some quilts that others have commissioned and therefore for remuneration, but those are generally the ones I cannot say too much about, other than each commission that I have undertaken has been a learning experience for me, and thus very rewarding, regardless of the difficulty.

So, keep 'em comin'!

String Pieced Quilt

2017-08-31T16:14:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favorite techniques for piecing a quilt. I love it because it requires working with mostly scraps, of which I always have a large supply. I've probably said this before, but I'll say it again: I HATE TO THROW AWAY FABRIC! So I save every little piece of scrap I have left from any project, large and small.

Not only is scrap piecing a money saver--no need to buy fabric to make a quilt--but it usually results in some very creative and beautiful designs. It is also a very versatile technique, as it allows for very simple or quite elaborate piecing. So it is a friendly sort of way to piece a quilt, in that it is equally attractive for beginners as well as advanced quilters.

Here is one of my string quilts. However, I haven't made nearly as many as I would like, so my pile of scraps keeps getting bigger.

One of my favorite quilters, Bonnie Hunter, is also a "scrap addict" (her words, not mine); I love her designs and the artistry with which she makes something out of practically nothing. Her designs are full of color and variety, as well as minuscule pieces of fabric artistically joined together in several different ways. I also appreciate the fact that she is willing to share her "quilting wisdom" through a regular online live show, called "quiltcam," an informal chat where she takes her audience on a ride of sorts while she works on one of her projects.

I hope you learn to enjoy working with scraps as much as I do. Happy scrap-busting!

Son's Citizenship Quilt

2017-08-23T10:52:00.000-04:00

Stars and Stripes Forever!

I made this quilt to commemorate my son finally becoming a US Citizen. His ceremony is on August 25th, 2017, and I will be fortunate to attend.

I wanted to obviously keep the theme of the American flag going, without being too literal in its execution, so I used a half-square-triangle block pattern to keep the red and white stripes idea, as well as the white starts on blue idea. I also quilted using crosshatching in the blue/white field to indicate the stars, and horizontal lines on the red/white section to echo the stripes idea. I used the fabric that I had around, so the bits of Dr. Seuss "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" that show through are merely coincidental. No hidden messages here.

In spite of troubling recent events in this country, I am very grateful that this country has provided shelter and opportunity for me and my children. When I married my wonderful American husband over 25 years ago, I had no plans to leave my home back in South America; my kids and I were happily living our lives over there. But somehow fate had other plans.

http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/counties/morgan

Being in the U.S. afforded me the possibility of getting a college education, which as a single mother in Chile was only a pipe dream; I also managed to get a Master's Degree in a field that I truly care about: Historic Preservation. This is the gift that keeps on giving. It has helped me get involved in government work, and seeing first-hand how governance takes place; it has provided the opportunity to spend time in some very interesting and quaint little towns such as Madison GA, where I worked as a County employee right up to retirement, and it has prepared me to continue "life after retirement" in various volunteering and advocacy positions, such as volunteering at the local Swannanoa Valley History Museum, and being part of my town of Black Mountain, NC Historic Preservation Commission.

None of these things would have been possible had life not intervened and brought me to these shores, which is one of the reasons why I opted to become a citizen almost 10 years ago; my other very important reason was so that I could VOTE. Becoming a US Citizen is not an easy task, however, the more merit for someone to actually "take the plunge." For all those who don't know it, the expense is quite considerable, not to mention the fact that one has to be willing to give up one's affiliation to one's homeland; quite easy for some, but very painful for others.

My son has definitely carved out a good life for himself in this country, so it makes perfect sense for him to pursue citizenship. His wife and children are US Citizens, so it stood to reason that he would also go down this path.

It will certainly be emotional for me to witness this event. And as with all important things in a quilter's life, what better way to celebrate the occasion than with a quilt? I can see no other.

Seattle Seahawks Quilt

2017-07-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since my last post, for which I apologize.

I've been busy these past few months, traveling, sewing, recovering from knee surgery, and trying to decide what to do about my "quilting palace," since I found out that I cannot keep it in its current location and it must be moved. This threw me for a loop, and for a while I was at a loss, having suddenly lost my sewing space, as well as my will to continue sewing. Luckily, that mindset didn't last long. So presently, I'm back in the house in temporary sewing quarters.

Here is my latest project which I just finished:

It is a Seattle Seahawks quilt I made for my brother-in-law, who is a fan. During my last visit to my husband's family in Tacoma, WA, he asked me several times if I would make him a Seahawks quilt. I blew him off every time. But I knew even then that I'd make him that quilt. So the next time my husband went to Seattle, I had him get me some themed fabric.

The quilt, I am happy to say, came out very sporty-looking. The color scheme helped, as did the pattern I chose. The logo itself is a very attractive, stylized form. It mirrors the aesthetic sensibility and style of the Snohomish tribes' drawings of orca whales and other animals. This one evidently represents the sea hawk, a type of bird of prey found in that area of the world.

Well, the quilt has now been delivered, and received with much elation, emotion, gratitude, etc. It's always very gratifying to see how much joy one can bring to someone by doing something that is so enjoyable to make!

Slow Stitching During Recovery

2017-04-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

After knee surgery a few weeks ago, I thought the perfect project for me to tackle would be
hand project that I could work on while recovering, since I would not able to sit at sewing machine for a while.

While I was at QuiltCon last February, I had the great opportunity to meet one of my favorite quilt designers, Victoria Findlay Wolfe, who has published several patterns, books, etc. So I decided to buy a set of templates for her "Victory Block," a very fun project that I thought would be perfect for hand piecing.

I've been collecting vintage fabric for while, waiting for just the right project. When I saw these templates, and what one could do with them, I knew I'd found it.

So here I am, relishing the experience of hand piecing, which in a way is the perfect interpretation of Slow Stitching. I believe there is even a "movement" called "the slow stitching movement."

So far I've completed 6 blocks, each block about 9 inches square. I'll probably piece a total of 9 blocks, which will make a nice 9 x 9 square throw quilt. Since this is a hand project, ultimately the quilting will be done by hand too.

I find this method of quilting (and piecing) quite relaxing, just what I need to regain my sanity after the grueling and painful days after surgery.

Recovering

My Newest Challenge - Or, Am I a Sucker for Punishment?

2017-04-13T13:15:00.000-04:00

Another year, another challenge. I received the fabric for the 2017 Riley Blake Challenge a couple of months ago,

Riley Blake fabric

so I got busy with my design. True to the spirit of the challenge, which it's all about improvisation, I did my best to put fabrics together with no preconceived idea of the design, and this is what came out. The circular shapes that float in front of the horizontal motif suggest bubbles of exuberance, and the dynamic diagonal line, of a striking black color, adds movement and somehow connects the circles to the rest of the composition. The mountains in the back suggest a far off landscape that may be a nod to the mountains that surround me.

My 2017 submission

Now all I have to do is WAIT. Yes, wait and see if the Powers that Be deign to accept my submission and grant me the opportunity to actually show the quilt at the next event so that I can stand the chance--albeit small--of being considered for an award.

Do I sound skeptical, even pessimistic? Perhaps. I guess this is what multiple rejections do to a person. Which is what might explain the title of this post. But at the end of the day, am I doing this for my own artistic pursuit, or for a reward? After all, isn't it better to do things because we enjoy the process, instead of for the recognition that takes the form of a somewhat arbitrary reward? I think so.

So stay tuned. All will be revealed soon enough.

Some Amazing Sights from Quilt Con

2017-03-01T12:11:00.000-05:00

This has been a whirlwind of activity!

I have always adored the Modern Quilt Guild, and of course, I have always loved quilting. This makes my current participation in the Quilt Con just such a grand old adventure!

This was a photo of one of the awesome presentations that taught us the value of dissecting pieces so as to come up with more interesting design possibilities. It is true that we tend to accept at face value what is given to us: if we have a bunch of squares, we are likely to use them as squares, as opposed to coming up with other more innovative ways of using them - even if this includes DEsquaring them. As well, there are many ways to cut up squares, such as by imposing lines of fabric through the segnemts of a quilt, as shown here.

The conference center itself is so exciting! Full of big screens, expansive floor space covered with giant, amazing, unusual quilts, each one more exciting than the last. Here is one of the presenters doing a demo, one of many that were given throughout the day, every day. The bonus: they were free! Many celebs in the quilter world gave these, to the delight of us "poor mortals."

Here is Amy Gibson, www.stitcherydickorydock.com one of my faves, talking about paper piecing

And yes, this is a podcast booth. I am not surprised that this event, and the Modern Guild in general, boasts an official podcasting station, since podcasting is very much The New Thing. The medium has been gradually rising in popularity in the past five years. The ubiquity of listening devices and the mobility of contemporary existence makes podcasting an ideal medium for stocking up on ideas of our favorite hobbies and subjects. Kudos to the MQG for staying on the cutting edge of technology!

As you can see, there's a wide expanse of quilts on display, from Modern Quilters all over the country and the world! As I had discussed in a blog post a while ago, the Modern Quilt Guild specializes in liberating the craft of quilting from its traditional patchwork beginnings, with its homespun geometric conventions, and raising it to an artform of simple, experimental shapes and colors, all referencing a midcentury aesthetic. Their mission statement is a bit different from that but reads:

Some of the guild’s aesthetic elements include, but are not limited to: the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, and alternate grid work.

You can see these principles at play in the image above. For example, that one to the center left with the 3 large globules is the epitome of solid color, high contrast, and expansive negative space. The one to the left of that one achieves a great level of high contrast (black and white!), and alternate grid work. In this quilt, it almost seems as if the grid completely disappears. Our granny quilters, whom all quilters owe so much to, would at first faint in surprise, until she recognized the way this genius subverted the paradigm of the logcabin quilt block by seemingly piling what are blocks of an otherwise traditional-looking pattern on top of each other in the middle, then having them break pieces off each other towards the edges. All this framed by a large expanse of whiteness which still manages, thanks to the invisible tactile white, reference the actual block pattern. This is a truly masterful offering and I feel privileged to have been in its presence.

Here I am with my "hero" Jenny Doan from Missouri Star Quilt Company

And of course the city itself is fun! I haven't been to Savannah in years, since I lived in Georgia and would, at one point in time (before we started vacationing in North Carolina very habitually), go there on holidays. The town, though infernally hot for most of the year, is fairly placid at this time of the year - in spite of the fact that this year in particular has been unaccountably hot.

Cozy little used bookstore

"Old Lady Books" store, my kind of place

All in all, I had a fantastic time! I learned a lot during the workshops and lectures, did some (ahem!) judicious shopping, and connected with a lot of new quilters from here and yon. Overall, it was truly a great gift.

Old-timey diner!! Love it

Famed Savannah waterfront, and the ferry that connected us to the "mainland"

I have to again thank my husband and his mother Gail for giving me such a wonderful gift last Christmas. It's truly the gift that keeps on giving.

I'm Going to QuiltCon

2017-02-15T10:20:00.001-05:00

QuiltCon, a yearly event sponsored by the national Modern Quilt Guild, is happening in Savannah this year. Yay! It is close enough for me to attend this year, thanks to a Christmas gift from my husband and mother-in-law.

Rear Window

I was naive enough to pretend that one of my quilts might have a chance at being considered for judging (I made two!), but alas it was not to be.

Michael Miller Challenge

But no matter. I still plan on having a good time at this fun event where there are lots of things to see, workshops to attend, speakers to learn from, and lots and lots of opportunities to shop.

My next post will probably be a report on this event, so stay tuned. I can't wait!

Circling the Wagons

2016-11-04T12:20:00.000-04:00

True friendships are truly tested in times of need. This truth has never proven so real to me than a few weeks ago, when my family experienced an event that could have been catastrophic.

It was a day like any other when I decided to accompany my husband to get a stress test ordered by his doctor during a routine checkup the day before. Little did I know then than I'd spend the following two days at the hospital, where the doctors removed extensive blockage from a major artery and introduced a stent in his heart.

But far from going into all the gory details of this event (about which I wrote in a previous post), I wanted to talk about how fortunate and blessed I feel for having such a wonderful network of friends. Friends who brought food, who sent cards, who started prayer circles, who stood by me and my family every step of the way, friends who put their skills at our disposal when the need arose, etc., etc., etc. This realization is humbling as well as gratifying. It is the best birthday gift I could ever have received (it just so happened that the event took place on the day of my birthday!).

In the words of a wise and saintly woman, St. Mother Theodore Guerin, Foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary of the Woods, I'm convinced that we owe our deliverance to Divine Providence, but I owe my sanity to the kindness of family and friends.

Health Scare and Finished Quilt Studio

2016-11-02T11:11:00.000-04:00

I wanted to show pictures of my lovely Quilt Palace!!!!

Finally, after months of plotting, purchasing, cleaning, fixing, my wonderful palace became reality.

A few weeks ago I finally began moving in my sewing machines, cutting tables, everything that I had been using all along. I finally had a living room back! And of course there's something to be said for having a special place to go off to, so as to focus on the task at hand. Going off to a special corner of the world where only your quilting exists, and nothing more, really helps cut down on the time wasting putter that one is often subject to when seeking to make art.

My newfound enjoyment was soon marred, however, by a worrisome development: after a routine checkup, my husband found out his heart was depleted of oxygen and new blood, thanks to a villainous blockage in his left anterior artery (a.k.a., "the widow maker"). There were no symptoms other than a bit of 'heartburn', and if he had not had the checkup scheduled when he did, he may have suffered an actual heart attack, extended damage, and who knows what else, since he had a 99% blockage.

He had a stent put in, and is now on his way to recovery, thank God!

Hurray!

Brainiac Quilt

2016-10-11T00:07:00.000-04:00

Hello from sunny California!

Just wanted to share some photos from my recent trip to Los Angeles to visit my good friend and former host sister, Brenda. Here we are at the San Juan Bautista Mission, a place with beautiful Spanish architecture and a cool spiritual vibe.

For those who may not know, I spent a wonderful senior year at Bishop Alemany High School in the San Fernando Valley as an exchange student from Santiago, Chile. Even though I only spent one year there, the experience most definitely altered the rest of my life. I doubt I would've ever ended up living in the U.S. had I not had that early formative experience. As well, I have remained good friends with my old host family (particularly Brenda) and of course I am now there for my 50th high school class reunion.

Somewhere along I-5

But on to quilt things:

Brainiac Quilt

I am calling this a 'brainiac quilt' because it has required a lot of interesting calculations in order to bring it about. I was going for a 3D look, so I hope I achieved it.

I used simple graph paper to figure out the pattern. I was trying to come up with an original design, not based on anything I've already seen or tried. My challenge was to actually create something out of nothing. The main motivation for this was to be able to submit it to the upcoming Quiltcon East, where the emphasis is on original work utilizing the modern style of piecing.

I have discussed before, in regards to my Rear Window quilt, my fondness for what could be termed 'modern', or mid-century aesthetics, patterns, or motifs. I have always liked that look, even in furnishings, and I have always enjoyed how this aesthetic transferred to quilting. In my quest to come up with a personal style that transcends the beautiful but traditional quilt patterns and motifs - many of which I have discussed in this blog - I prefer to go after something that has never been seen before.

I draw inspiration from publications, other quilters, and the world around me. The Modern Quilt Guild's website, which I have referred to in the past, provides immense examples of geometric, unusual, and striking designs. They describe the style as follows:

Modern quilts are primarily functional and inspired by modern design. Modern quilters work in different styles and define modern quilting in different ways, but several characteristics often appear which may help identify a modern quilt. These include, but are not limited to: the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, and alternate grid work. "Modern traditionalism" or the updating of classic quilt designs is also often seen in modern quilting.

The finished product

My Quilt Palace - Progress Report

2016-09-26T00:26:00.000-04:00

Trip to Quilt Heaven:

First, I wanted to share a few photos from my wonderful trip to the divine town of Hamilton in Missouri, a place that eats, lives, and breathes quilting. I will write about this trip with more details soon but meanwhile:

Wonderful quilt art outside of Missouri Star Quilt Co.

The main quilting establishment in Hamilton MO

Update on my Quilt Palace:

New Window:

Here where you see the small window, there used to be a vent for an old, non-functioning mini-fridge inside. Now, as can be seen, I now have a lovely window!

Before & after

As can be seen, the original hole was not quite the right size for the window, but it was surprisingly simple to enlarge the hole and insert the window purchased at a local trailer shop. The metal was easy to cut, especially since the new insulation and wall coverings had not been attached yet.

The fridge was removed at the very beginning, during the demo part of the project, when we removed everything and left only the outer shell of the trailer. The fridge was surprisingly difficult to remove, but the area cleared was well worth the effort.

Hubby cutting the space for new window

The Walls

The following photos show the great progress we have made inserting the new wall material, which we purchased at a local building supply company for an unbelievably good price. It's always great fun to support the local economy when working on projects, and even though we purchased a fair number of our materials at Home Depot and such, we also got this great wall material from down the road.

As can be seen, the process is fairly straightforward.

We measured the space inside and then cut the wood pieces accordingly. Particularly challenging was the cutting of rounded corners, but we managed well enough.

Before walls went in, however, we had attached the insulation material, We chose Styrofoam insulation, which was a great deal, in price and ease of installation; also, there was no danger of inhaling that dangerous fiberglass powder that regular insulation has. (Additional photos can be found further down.)

This part of the process alone took a good many days, since we had to measure and cut each piece to fit in between the studs. If I've learned anything through this process, it is PATIENCE. One cannot speed up the process nor use shortcuts, lest we pay the price later. I am grateful for the opportunity to expand my skill set into home construction as well, ha ha ha!

Insulation was later covered with paper so as to smooth out the surfaces and prepare for installation of the wall covering material.

Math calculations

Some of the cuts required a bit more planning than just straight measuring, and my husband's math skills came to the rescue, as can be seen in the photo.

We found a really great material for the ceiling. It was not your usual ceiling material, but it proved to be the best alternative, since it proved to be quite reasonably priced, as well as pliable enough to accommodate the curves that we had to deal with. It was also light weight, which was also an important requirement.

We attached the wood paneling with simple screws and decorative florets, as can be seen above, with plans to add basic molding over the ugly space between laminate sheets. Since we're doing things as simply, cheaply yet as elegantly as possible, this allows us to build up the inside of the space with the least amount of time, materials, and expenditure. I also want to maintain the character of a vintage trailer as much as possible.

Walls are in

Ceiling is in

construction in progress

fitting material around windows and such

Husband hard at work

cutting wall coverings

more cutting

piecing together

piecing around a crevice

covering unprotected insulation

curves ahead!

insulation is covered

finishing up the insulation job

insulation going up

Solar Lamp

In addition, I wanted to share these images of this groovy solar-paneled nightlight we installed. For a very affordable price, I now have a light which allows me to enter and exit at will, even when the sun is gone.

This great little light is off during the day, but on at night. Not only does it allow me easy access at night, but it can serve as a safety feature as well. It is also rather cute.

SO that's all for now! As can be seen, a lot of work has been completed, but a lot more still to do.

Still, the end result will be more than worth it. And the best part: even if we were to leave this house, we could take the little fellow with us, so all the effort would never have been for naught.

More later! Thanks for following this adventure.

Rear Window

2016-09-02T16:13:00.001-04:00

I've been busy working on a few projects that I'm trying to get submitted into different shows, hence my failure to submit my usual weekly post.

Original poster

One of these projects is a quilt I have wanted to make for a very long time, inspired by a poster that captured my attention for its wonderful composition, color, and also because of the subject it represents. The poster was designed by a British graphic designer by the name of James Joyce (don't know if there is any relation to the famous Irish writer). It depicts one of my most favorite movies of all times, Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window."

I thought this would make a wonderful modern style quilt, so I decided to copy it in fabric.

I am very pleased with the results, particularly since I had to improvise the entire thing, as obviously there was no pattern to follow, only the picture.

My rendition

Presently, I am awaiting authorization from the designer, Mr. Joyce, to exhibit it and perhaps to submit it at the upcoming Modern Quilt Guild show--Quiltcon--in Savannah next February. I'm praying he will respond to my plea.☺

Papyrus instructions and random drawing of us

2016-08-12T10:37:00.000-04:00

Linking to Paint Party Friday!!

Yay! I actually remembered it was Friday today!

I wanted to stick in instruction to papyrus art-making from a friend who made this awesome stuff: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/pet-serrano.html

Pet Serrano 'BEloved Meows' http://fineartamerica.com/featured/beloved-meows-pet-serrano.html

"A light box with a very dark contrast sketch works best if your papyrus is light to medium.

Tape the corners with drafting tape, then tape a precut mat over it.
If you must, use a No. 2 pencil, lightly.
Rub over invisible tape to erase pencil marks, don't use an eraser.
Pampers Sensitive Baby wipes if you need to blot something or to recondition very brittle strips without getting them moldy.
Use all the paints straight from the tube with a dry brush.
Prime each figure with a heavy body unbleached titanium acrylic to smooth things out.
AFTER this if you really want to look authentic, reprime reds with Vermillion or Red Ochre, gods' hair with cobalt turquiose, golds with Vermillion or whatever the modern equivalent of Realgar is (this lights up the gold from behind). Generally, women were painted in unbleached titanium white or yellow ochre and men and children in red ochre to show that women had the privilege of staying in the shade, regardless of skin color. EXCEPT groups alternate color regardless of gender and painting styles changed depending on pigment availability, so you can make a case for realistic skin and no one could argue with you.
Prismacolor brush pens work best for writing, Microns for details."

I found this awesome bc every now and again I see papyrus at the art store but then don't know what to do with it, so now I do!

Also wanted to share this portrait I made of me and my husband for the sake of my father in law on his birthday. It was coloured pencils, gouache, and stuff. I liked the fanciful border:

Also, a random commission opportunity came up! Hope something good happens with that.

Have a great weekend!

My Quilt Palace Progress: New Floor!

2016-08-09T22:14:00.002-04:00

Am still very excited about my new Quilting Palace, which I've blogged about here and here.

The process has involved turning an old, beat-up 70s camper into the sort of place where anybody would be proud to sew and piece and quilt.

It has involved A LOT of work!! And I have to thank my husband for most of it. He has put his heart and soul on this project, and I cannot thank him enough.

The exciting current step has involved putting on flooring:

I had lots of trouble finding the right sort of flooring. In spite of a committment to be as low-maintenance and low-budget as possible, I still got caught up in the intricacies and details of what sort of flooring would be most appropriate for my tastes and need.

I fell in love with one specific shade of light wood paneling, but after calling 3 different Lowes-type establishment, they were all sold out! As I said: low maintenance, low budget, so I went looking for a replacement.

At first I found some vinyl product that promised to be easy to put on, so I bought 4 boxes of it. It came in a very agreeable ash color, which was close to the shade of wood flooring I had originally wanted, and actually cheaper than the wood, so I figured it would be a great replacement. Unfortunately, my husband did not agree that the vinyl was a good choice for such a small and already unstable surface such as is the camper. He realized that the wood paneling would add much needed stability, so we went with that. In the end we used fewer boxes, and so it ended up being cheaper anyway!

Next up: the walls.

I have found some spectacular (and yes, very inexpensive) wood paneling at a local building supply shop! Will be very excited to share details on how that's unfolding in the near future. As well we are adding a window, installing the ceiling and, of course, electricity.

Hope to have a lively finished place by the next time I write!

Repurposing Various Things

2016-07-21T11:31:00.000-04:00

My Quilt Palace

As shown in my previous post, I acquired and am re-purposing a long-neglected camper, to use for my nefarious quilt ambitions.

Since images are more eloquent than words, I just thought I'd share a few images of what the process of preparing it has entailed.

First, it has entailed stripping the bad boy down to the shell:

a lot of trash was produced

all the old fixtures had to go

we chose to break everything down, including the insulation, to put new insulation in. This was both because the old insulation was worn out, possibly buggy, and because it was of mediocre quality.

Another view of the carnage

The next step is picking out the right insulation, wall and ceiling material, and flooring. Though I am sorry to not leave more camper-like features in it (i.e., the kitchenette, furnishings, and bathroom) the fact is I need all the room I can get for my quilting needs. I am leaving the wheels on it though, so I can always take it out on the road if I want to, rigging up some sort of bed inside, and using outside bathroom facilities where available and eating out. One makes do.

Repurposing A Quilt Top

My contact in Madison County and I recently met at the wonderful Well - Bred Bakery in Weaverville to discuss a new project, and also to receive from her a massive supply of discarded fabric, half-finished projects, and all the ephemera of decades of quilting projects that her mother had at one point undertaken.

She has been a wonderful resource, as her mom was an avid sewer (sewist?) and thus had started or collected several quilt tops that unfortunately never got finished.

This is where I come in. As is my wont, I used my quilting talents to fix a random top that she found in the attic of the home she is repurposing (do we sense a theme here?). She did not remember where the quilt had come from, but we suspect it couldn't have been one her mom had made, because this particular 70s vintage cotton quilt top had some serious structural issues.

Sample of block after top was taken apart and re-pieced

The blocks were constructed using a foundation piecing technique, but they were put together haphazardly, so none of the points matched, and there were no straight edges. At the end of the day I opted to tear the whole thing apart.

I had to square the blocks because they were not matching, then I joined them again.

Finished blocks joined prior to attaching border and quilting

After that I reattached the original prairie points border, but in a more harmonious way.

Finished top with border prior to quilting

And here are additional images of this quilt! I think it came out really nice. We were both quite happy with the results.

Finished and quilted!

Here I am with my new "rescue"

New and Cute Mobile Quilt Shop!!!!

2016-06-30T17:30:00.000-04:00

In the wee, hidden town of Spindale, NC, inside Rutherford County, my mobile quilt castle awaited.

Long had I searched to manifest this wonderful thing into my life - my very own cocoon of quilty goodness, my mobile palace of sewing, cutting, matting, what have you - and long had it eluded me.

I had almost given up the search when I came across the following ad on Iwanna, the local buy-and-sell rag:

"1972 Adco Trailer; $1,600 FIRM, CALL TO INQUIRE"
So off we went to the charming hamlet of Spindale to check out the goods.

The goods were quite good! Tires needed a bit of sprucing up, the outside needed a bit of cleaning, but aside from that, it was in great shape.

Now we have brought it home, where it awaits its new permanent home, somewhere near the bottom of the yard.

I am so excited!! It will take me a while to get it ready, but once I do, my very own quilt dominion will serve me so well.

It will give me back my living room, my guest room, and allow me to keep everything in one place.

Currently, my quilting empire stretches from the guest bedroom, where all the fabric is kept, to the living room, where i actually have the cutting boards and sewing machine installed.

It will take a while to set it up, but once we do, we will go on many fun rides together, my quilt blocks, patterns, and I.

Figuratively, of course.

One more thing....

Exciting doodling pages project!

My genius daughter, who sometimes helps me with this blog, has just launched an exciting art venture with her internet marketing whiz friend.

She has been, since last October, creating these marvelous colouring pages, and now they are ready to show these beauties to the world, via this page.

You can also follow them on facebook here, in fact, if you're reading this blog, how about sending them some facebook love? The page is still quite new

some examples are:

Postage Stamp Quilt

2016-06-18T10:47:00.000-04:00

As many folks who follow this blog know, I am known in my quilting circles as the one who fixes, refurbishes, or otherwise gives old, tattered quilts that have lost hope, a new beginning. I cannot resist a challenge, and I find that hopeless quilts pose interesting challenges. An added bonus is that I usually end up learning something in the process of "rescuing" a quilt, and that makes it all worthwhile. (I think from now on I'll call myself "The Quilt Whisperer.")

Such was the case for this old postage stamp quilt top that one of my quilting buddies' relatives unearthed from some dark, musty, and forgotten corner of her life. The fabric was so old that in parts it was threadbare, frayed, thin in places, and full of holes.

Part of the project then, not only involved quilting it, but also finding a way to patch up the holey parts while managing to maintain the historical integrity of the quilt.

I ended up quilting it by hand, partly because I was not sure the fabric would hold up to the machine, but mainly because it just CALLED for hand quilting--the historical weight of the fabric, as well as the pattern just would not look right with machine quilting. It would just not work.

As can be expected, the hand quilting element made it take longer than a regular machine quilted one would, but it also gave me the opportunity to sit down and "slow stitch," which I always find enjoyable and soothing. In fact, I've been checking out the Slow Stitching Movement that is becoming so popular in some circles, and I think it's great.

The folks who commissioned the fix were very happy with the result. In fact, I am told they couldn't stop looking and admiring it. The best part of it all: they didn't even notice nor object to the patched sections!

Finished quilt

For all those interested in the process of how to create a postage stamp quilt, this link shows a great tutorial:

Although you can sew your quilt however you like, the traditional postage stamp quilt is sewn from 1.5″ square pieces, which are sewn with 1/4″ seams, so that the result is a finished quilt consisting entirely of 1″ squares. The finished quilt is astounding, but, of course, starting with 3″ squares will get you done in half the time, so there you go.

Quilt Themed Parties & Ideas!

2016-06-09T19:09:00.000-04:00

Wow, I haven't posted in such a long time! I've had a busy time with various projects. But thanks to all the lovely people who ask me to update now and again, I feel I must post another update.

To start off, I wanted to talk about quilt-themed parties, because I was looking on Pinterest at some fun quilt-themed party images.

For instance, in thinking about celebrating birthdays of quilters, I thought it would be interesting to see what sorts of quilt-themed foods and party favours existed out there: https://www.pinterest.com/twistedthreaduk/quilt-guild-party-ideas/

Here are some cute, most likely fondant-based mini cupcakes:

from Kara's Party Ideas

Here, from the same site, some cute party favors:

What's always fun, of course, is to see what crazy food-themed food is out there, and Pinterest does not dissappoint.

For your viewing pleasure, here's a darling quilt cake. As can be seen, it very successfully uses the churn dash pattern:

from bake bake bake livejournal

Here is an actual pizza! A quilt pizza!

from Catherine McCord

Here are some lovely quilt block cookies:

from Amazing Cakes

The last thing I will share are these awesome sugar cookies, designed so that each one, when placed next to the others, forms a pinwheel quilt:

from Flickr

Maybe next time we have a particularly ambitious quilt guild party, we could adopt some of these ideas! It is generally fun, though, to see the ways that quilt patterns can exist in food.

Riley Blake Challenge

2016-04-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

I just finished this darling black and white quilt with fabric that the Riley Blake Company sent me so as to create a quilt for the Spring 2016 Riley Blake Designs Modern Quilt Guild Fabric Challenge. This particular bit of sashing stash fabric was designed by Eleanor Dugan. Though the winner does get a prize, I am just doing it for the glory.

In any event, here it is:

This very monochromatic quilt uses most of the fabric they sent, which was about one half yard. I will be very interested to find out what sorts of quilts others come up with, for instance, to see how many people chose to stay black and white and how many decided to incorporate color. I certainly do not remember ever making a black and white quilt before!

In any event, if anyone wants to participate, the deadline for submissions is April 30, 2016. More info can be found here: https://themodernquiltguild.wordpress.com/tag/sashing-stash/

Update: I decided to add a bit of color to this quilt after all, so I ordered a bundle of nickels also from Riley Blake, from which I obtained the petals for a flower that I decided to incorporate in the middle. Here is the updated version.

Monochrome Quilts

2016-03-30T15:18:00.000-04:00

As I stated in a previous post, I've not had much of an opportunity to work with quilts in monochrome, i.e., mostly one color, or black and white, etc. I would not say that I go out of my way to have quilts just bursting in neon color or anything, but I definitely have at least the primary and tertiary colors present in most of my quilts. Or shades of pastel. So I wondered what was out there, and went looking.

This page from Craftsy shows some great black and white patterns: http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/03/black-and-white-quilting/

"Black and white quilting is a high-contrast approach to patchwork that lends itself to stunning designs. Simple white fabrics paired with black fabrics can give a bold, dramatic look to your patchwork. Many traditional quilt patterns look beautiful when pieced from black and white quilting fabrics. Some quilt pattern designers have also drafted patterns to be used specifically with high-contrast, neutral fabrics." (Photo via Craftsy member CarolynHughey)

As posted last week, here is a recent high-contrast Black and White quilt I made:

Here's a masterful quilter advocating for going after a neutral approach in choosing colors and patterns, and to use the things learned regarding value as a springboard from which to become an excellent color decider: http://blog.shopmartingale.com/quilting-sewing/neutral-quilt-patterns-from-pat-wys/

“La Belle Fleur” bed runner
ShopMartingale

"Here is my ground-breaking, life-changing, you-better-listen-up statement: If you want to learn about COLOR, make a neutral quilt! What??? Yes, I said that! You’ll learn more about color if you work with a no-color palette for a while. In other words, when you limit your palette to no color, you are FORCED to deal with value and value only. Choosing fabrics and thinking about value is crucial when building a quilt that pleases you. It is often said that color gets the credit but value does all the work. Making an all-neutral quilt is the best lesson for learning how to use value to your advantage."

Red Quilts. And apparently, many red quilts exist.

This Martha Stewart blog discusses an exhibit of three centuries of red and white quilts: http://www.themarthablog.com/2011/03/infinite-variety-three-centuries-of-red-and-white-quilts.html

from Martha's Blog

"Joanna Rose, a New York quilt collector, has a collection of more than 1,300 quilts but she really wanted to put her entire collection of red and white quilts on public display, all 651 of them and no two alike!"

This blog shares some great patterns for only red and white quilts, for those interested:

from Quilt Inspiration

"One of the highlights of the red-and-white quilt show was an art deco Vortex Quilt dated 1910 (we featured it here). To our amazement, quilter Paula Yates not only re-created the original, but shared her instructions and templates in a three-part tutorial. Visit her blog, Quilt Rascal, to see Part One, Part Two and Part Three. "

Blue Quilts. I did not find many discussions on just blue quilts, but I did find this great design by Esther Aliu (her blog is really fun, FYI, because it offers quilt sharing opportunities through link parties): http://estheraliu.blogspot.com/2016/03/wow-its-easter-project-time.html


from Esther Aliu

"WIPs are funny things. You work so hard to get a quilt done and then, for no explicable reason, it just doesn't feel finished. Has that ever happened to you? I felt this way about Oma's Blues -so much so that I broke my own 'rule' and re-released it this year as a free BOM, I normally never do this but I just couldn't finish it and then ignore it after so much hard work."

White Quilts. Now, this seems like the ultimate frontier: a quilt that is all white! However, a long-standing French tradition brings us the Marseilles quilt:

These bedspreads were inspired by the beautiful white needlework for which Marseilles and the surrounding region of Provence in southern France are known. The distinctive style involved creating intricate raised patterns by "stuffing" shapes stitched in between two pieces of cotton. Quilts made like this were expensive, scarce, much-admired imports in the English-speaking world.In the mid-18th century British weavers set to work to reproduce the effect on a loom. Robert Elsden patented his solution in 1763, and is credited with being the inventor of "woven quilting". Different firms developed their own complex layered weaves imitating the textures and patterns of hand sewn Provençal quilting. By the later 19th century, bedspreads like this were widely available at moderate prices. The name morphed, and the bed-covers were also known as Marcella counterpanes or coverlets. from Old and Interesting

These seem so cool that I decided to look for some more images:


By Marie Véronique Soulier - œuvre personnelle d'aprés un modèle de la collection "Boutis Provence" de Francine Born, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2993436

This site shares some wonderful examples of Marseilles quilts. A fellow quilt blogger in England had an incredible opportunity to witness some marvelously rare and old quilts from the Bolton Museum storage facility:

A brief tour of the facility highlighted the amazing variety of the collections, including - from a textile interest - spinning wheels, looms, small and huge, to wonderful textiles, both local and global.

Rose has kindly given me permission to share some of these quilts on my blog today.

This is a wonderful Marseilles quilt with many complex animal and floral patterns around a central star:

Marseilles quilt. Photo with permission of Bolton Museum and Archives and Rose

and here's another wonderful close-up of bird and flower motifs:

Just amazing to me the amount of labour that has to go into creating such a quilt. I am fascinated by the way this intricate work can compensate for colour in terms of creating a beautiful and interesting quilt. I wonder how long it would take me to create the above quilt, by hand, the way quilters constructed them back in the day? Maybe one day I will try! (not)

Here is another great site discussing traditional French quilting techniques that probably deserves its own post: http://www.historyofquilts.com/french_quilt_history.html

French quilted needleworks are no recent discovery, they have almost always existed. They consist of a layer of cotton, wool or silk batting covered on both sides with layers of plain or printed fabric, held together by a quilting representing specific motifs. Over the centuries, France developed its own textile traditions that can somehow be related to quilting.
In the French southern region called Provence, the first whole-cloth quilts appeared in the middle of the 17th century. This kind of needlework was already known in Sicily in the 13th and 14th centuries. The cottons used to make boutis came from Egypt, China or India. Three techniques followed one another: the " matelassage " (a certain kind of whole-cloth quilt), the " piqûre de Marseilles " and the " boutis ". (from History of Quilts)

Lots more could be done or said about different sorts of quilts, but I think you get the picture. Lots of things can be done with a limited palette and unlimited time and imagination!

Stabilizing tricky fabric

2016-03-04T10:46:00.000-05:00

There are several methods for stabilizing specialty, unwieldy, or particularly thin fabric such as silk, wool, knits, etc., when trying to control it into a quilt block.

While working on my necktie quilt project I've used several of these methods, but there comes a time when one runs out of the needed stabilizer at the worse possible moment. Usually there is no way to go out and fetch some right at that moment, because I usually work well into the night and don't want to stop just then. So, one must improvise.

When faced with such a conundrum, I decided to use the interfacing that comes inside the neckties, and attached pieces of it to the silk fabric I was working with. I used fusible web (Pellon Wonder-Under), a substance that becomes sticky by applying heat to it. It comes in a roll or in sheets, and it has paper backing that is removed once the substance is adhered to the back of the fabric; the fabric then can be attached (glued) onto another piece of fabric by applying heat to it once again (iron).

Here are some pictures of the process in the making. I must say that necessity makes one quite creative!

Biggest quilt in the world!

2016-02-22T21:31:00.000-05:00

As whoever happens to be noticing this blog has noticed, I have been remiss in posting habitually, which is a personal loss since having this record of my quilting life is fun. One reason for that is, I am still working on the same quilt I've been working on since last September!

That's right... the necktie quilt. Which I also wrote about previously.

Then there was an older giant quilt I made for some folks 'down under'.

One reason is that the quilt was quite large, there were lots of moving parts, and in general it has been a monster to produce. In fact, have been meaning to write a post on what it has meant to stabilize the many different sorts of fabric that makes up ties - and how they must be stabilized in order to do well in quilting - but it's too daunting and I still have too much to quilt.

By Flying Puffin CC BY-SA 2.0,

And even before this most recent oversized quilting project, I had spent the previous few months before that finishing the infamous child clothing quilt project, which was huge. Remarkably large for a quilt meant to live in someone's house and not for a village to live underneath it. I mean, it was REALLY mammoth. As in, REALLY mammoth.

As in, no doubt an actual mammoth could've covered himself with this sucker, and there still would've been quilt left over.

It set me to thinking: what is the biggest quilt in the world, anyhow?

The obvious response to this question comes to us via the Guinness Book of World Records, which states that the winner spanned over 5 acres and came our way via Portmroe

The world’s largest patchwork quilt measured 25,100 sq. m (270,174 sq.ft) and is called Manta da Cultura (Patchwork for Culture). The project was carried out by Realizar – Eventos Especiais, Lda of Parque da Cidade, Porto, Portugal and completed on 18 June 2000. It measured 200m by 170 m.

I sadly could not find an image to accompany that frightening-sounding quilt, but I found other contenders for hugeness. Here's one (actually an afghan, from the looks of it) from Japan:

A crochet blanket measuring 464 sq. meters created for victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami at the initiative of a German knitter has been recognized as the world’s largest by Guinness World Records.
In a bid to provide warmth and comfort to people affected by the natural disasters in the Tohoku region, Bernd Kestler asked people over the Internet and by other means in April 2012 to send crochet squares 20 cm in size. Kestler eventually collected more than 11,000 pieces. (Japan Times)

KYODO

I also ran into a brave group from Australia which has been striving to bring the largest hexagon quilt into being since approximately 2009 (as of 2015, they are still at it)

Antler, North Dakota held a record for largest historical quilt in 1988. The poor dear thing apparently has no home. It was unclear to me whether they still hold the record, but I found the photo fetching enough to post it here:

Leona explains that the quilt was stitched together in 1988 as a private project to celebrate North Dakota's 100th anniversary of statehood. We take a walk out to the garage to see it. The randomly-folded, tightly-packed mass fills Leona's extended Econoline van to the roof -- a shapeless, tussocky 800 lb. blob resembling a giant wad of used gum. There is barely enough room inside for a driver and Leona is loath to open the van's rear doors, knowing from experience that she may not be able to close them again. But we offer to help repack the quilt, and thus are allowed to touch North Dakota's best-kept tourism secret. It is a bittersweet victory.

The quilt covers 11,390 square feet, a faithful reproduction of the state of North Dakota with every county a different color. Volunteers from 53 North Dakota counties helped stitch the quilt. It was the largest in the world until the AIDS quilt came along; now it's known as the world's largest historical quilt. But that doesn't detract from its largeness, even in a state where vast expanses are taken for granted. Why then, with so much empty space available, doesn't North Dakota display it?

North Dakota's official position, as told to us by a North Dakota official, is as woodenheaded as it is contrite: "She should've asked us before she made it that big."
- See more at: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2151#sthash.Jmr8wYKA.dpuf

Speaking of the AIDS quilt, a memorial to oversized fabric art would not be complete without a contemplation of the AIDS quilt:

The AIDS Memorial Quilt was the first of its kind as a continually growing monument created piecemeal by thousands of individuals, and today it constitutes the largest piece of community folk art in the world.^[17] It was seemingly inevitable that The Quilt be followed by a variety of memorials and awareness projects, both AIDS-related and otherwise, that have been inspired by and modeled after The AIDS Memorial Quilt and its caretaker The NAMES Project Foundation. (wikipedia)

There was, of course, the 9/11 Quilt. I wrote about how I contributed a block to this giant project that meant to commemorate the lives lost on that terrible day. But here is more about that project:

Traditionally, quilting has often been a communal activity, and America’s 9/11 Memorial Quilts Project is no exception; it represents a joining together of people across America from diverse backgrounds for the common purpose of paying tribute to the victims and heroes of 9/11. On September 9, 2006, the Victims’ Quilt was dedicated to the 9/11 families and accepted on their behalf by Bill Doyle, father of victim Joseph Doyle. In turn, Bill Doyle presented the quilt in the name of all 9/11 families to the Memorial Museum. (911 Memorial.org)

http://www.ntd.tv/en/news/us/20110910/66149-giant-quilt-exhibit-commemorates-victims-of-911.html

And a few years ago, some folks in Switzerland decided to create the biggest picnic blanket in the world:

The blanket is the vision of brothers Frank and Patrik Riklin, who started collecting reclaimed red-and-white textiles like blankets, curtains, and towels in 2012. The fabrics are sewn into 15-by-15-foot modules which are attached to the larger blanket using velcro. Each summer, the blanket is unpacked from storage and assembled with the help of volunteers.

Aerial photos by Helikopter-Service Triet AG

While researching this article, I did come across the fun and fascinating concept of yarn bombing, and do show here a lovely specimen from Helsinki, Finland:

All of this makes me think I have not yet reached the absolute heights I personally could reach, as a quilter, in terms of sheer size. These previous examples give me much to aspire to.

Kidding!

Memories are Made of This

2016-02-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

Yes! This is me at my Senior Prom!

I wanted to take the time to share this very special picture.

One reason I'm excited about sharing this picture is that mainly, from a personal perspective, this picture puts me in proximity to a past I thought was long-gone.

Thanks to getting in touch with my old High School mates from Bishop Alemany High School, Class of '66 on a Facebook group, I was able to get my hands on this, the only visual and tangible reminder I have of my high school days.

Shortly after my graduation, as I settled in my new life in Florida with my first husband, a flood consumed every single high school keepsake I kept in a trunk: yearbooks, letters, photos, mementos, and of course, this prom photo. This was a terrible loss, if nothing else because the year I spent at Alemany was one of the most positive, memorable, and mind-expanding moments of my young life. For the first time I felt, that year, that possibilities existed beyond the somewhat grim, mundane, and limiting circumstances of my earlier school experiences. I also became exposed to a people, a place, and a way of life that would years later, unbeknownst to me, become part of my adult life. The loss therefore, took on a very symbolic meaning, and left a big hole in my life, one that has yet to be filled. Sure, many other meaningful and life-changing events and memories have come to enrich my life since then, and I have he mementos to prove it, but those younger years' memories only exist in my mind.

I feel blessed, then, to have found a group of fellow travelers from 1966 who have kept some of the memorabilia - I recently received some yearbook photos as well! Maybe when I attend my upcoming 50th Class Reunion I might be able to get my hands on some other such mementos.

The tie-in with quilts is rather obvious: memories and artifacts are incredibly important to helping us maintain a tie to our roots, our past, our legacy. Most people who suffer the tragedy of fire and flood can attest to the disorienting sadness that results from losing these things that tie us to others, to our past, and to our own identities. The digital age has allowed us to virtually preserve photos and documents (as long as technology allows us to access those files now or in the future), but nothing beats something tangible.

As a quilter I have of course managed to work on many projects, both personal and for commission, that can attest to this fact.

The most recent one is the one that has consumed me for months, and which I have blogged about already (and about which I'll probably blog again):

commission: quilt made out of client's husband ties

This is another great example of a commemorative quilt that hangs in my bedroom:

photos from my kids' weddings

photos of my kids and husband from the 80s and 90s

several photos from memorable family occasions

This is a photo-transfer quilt, quite large in size, that my son and daughter-in-law put together and presented to me for Christmas one year. My son helped with the photo transfer method, and my daughter-in-law, whom I'd recently taught how to quilt, did the rest. This quilt was such a precious gift, not just because it was so beautiful, but because of the fact that it contains photos of my family life spanning many decades, as well as for the love that was put into its creation.

This quilt is living proof that quilts are wonderful memory preserving objects; not only do quilts carry within the energy and love of the person (or persons) who work on them, but are also tangible representations of the people, places, and moments that are important to us, carefully and lovingly stitched together.

Had I had the foresight and the skill back then to transfer those important moments of my life into a quilt, I might still have those memories available to me in tangible form--a quilt would certainly have survived a flood, albeit with some mold or a few tears, but still salvageable.

As it stands, all I have now of my past high school life is that one photo.

If I ever receive more artifacts from that era, perhaps I might choose to put them all in a quilt, starting with that one photo, of course.

Snowed in!

2016-01-24T10:31:00.000-05:00

I sit at my sewing machine looking out the window where I see snow coming down in earnest, and the blanket of whiteness becomes thicker and thicker, and I think to myself, "great! Now I can stay home without guilt and sew to my heart's content." So this is exactly what I've done for the last three days straight. What bliss! It has definitely been a productive three days. Luckily the power has stayed on--a good thing since I don't own a treadle machine--so all systems are working.

This greeted me Friday morning

I thought it would be a good idea to capture the action, so I shot this video Friday morning:

Snow falling

Here are my chickens in the basement weathering the storm:

Not happy campers!

And here are the blocks I've been working on--adding embroidery to the crazy quilt blocks:

I have 238 blocks to finish by the end of January, and I figured if I do 12 blocks a day from this point on, I'll meet my deadline.

After that come the embellishments, beads, trim, etc., then joining the blocks together. I want to give myself plenty of time, since the deadline for delivering the quilt is April 1st.

So, let it snow!