Category Archives: Quilts 2009

Erin’s Quilt

     I made a quilt for my daughter this spring in celebration of her high school graduation. She picked out the fabrics and I made the quilt. The fabrics tended to give me a headache after awhile as it was very busy. But now that I see it on her bed at college, it is absolutely her and she loves to snuggle with it when she studies. So that’s all that counts when you give a quilt as a gift: that it is used and appreciated. I do miss her but know she is enjoying the college life. Except for the work. Isn’t that why they are there?

     I have finished one piece this weekend and am working on another for you tomorrow. I have questions about showing you a piece I may submit to a quilt show so must reconcile that before I post. I am just figuring out what is appropriate to post and not. If anyone has any good references for that , let me know. Also, my class starts tomorrow night for photography. We will have a final project due so am really excited.
Knowing I have an audience is really motivating me to complete my work. Thanks for stopping in. Happy sewing my friends.

Working in a series

     I am now working on two different series. I am lucky enough to have two design walls so that makes it easier. The first is called Connections and it is simply strip sets cut apart and re-structured  into new blocks and strip sets. I absolutely love the new colors, lines and shapes that can be created with this process. The possibilities are endless but I need to learn when to stop-as evidenced by yesterday’s chaotic piece. The other series is called Directions which is shapes with lines inserted into the shapes. It is more labor intensive for my easily distractible brain or maybe it just requires more planning. At first, I didn’t think two series at a time was a great idea but I am easily bored. So I can go back and forth between the two series. I am really feeling that one is adding to the other.

 Here is a little piece I finished last week and it is Directions#1 made from a beautiful piece of African fabric and my hand-dyed fabric. I don’t want to show you just my unfinished pieces so here’s one that’s done. I am finding commercial fabric harder and harder to use. I purchased it at IQF in Chicago with  my ultimate fabric shopping buddy Lynne.

Happy sewing today. (I figured out he header picture now just need to make it fit better!)

Resolved

Bear with me until my college daughter comes home this weekend. I am technologically challenged and would love to post a picture in the right location. And get my background the right color. I am also taking a 7 week photography class at a local art college which starts next week. So, I have high hopes for a beautiful and spectacular header, clear pictures and ,of  course, wonderful work.

Well, I admit that actually telling you that I would resolve a piece made me anxious. I felt a responsibility to all three of you out there who might be reading this. Call it an accountability to finish it . I really wanted to throw this piece in the trash about halfway through my day. Tues is one day I try to set aside to work in my studio. And yesterday , 10 hours later, I still wanted to throw this piece in the trash. So, I backed up and tried to think of the very basic goals I had for this: 1. to use this piece within a quilt 2. to make it acceptable to me 3. to tone it down so it wasn’t so chaotic. After a night’s sleep, I kept at it. I did piece the top. I don’t like it but I did achieve my three goals- it is acceptable but I don’t like it. And , that’s ok. So here is Connections # 8 which is 36×47.

Another day of leftovers…

     I have had a group of fabrics on my design wall for way too long. Just can’t seem to move forward with it no matter which way I position the pieces. Now, it started out as one of those lovely compositions that you make at the end of week with Nancy Crow in Strip Piecing and Re-structuring.  I couldn’t make the design work, didn’t like the colors and was disappointed that I couldn’t make it work.  But I feel obligated to do something with it. One thing I gained from that class is a boldness to try new things. So I cut it up once and tried this….

I sat back to admire my work and none of it was working. Who thought that  triangle was supposed to work? So, what’s a girl supposed to do? I guess I keep boldly cutting up and re-arranging my leftovers. Happy sewing today.

Making the most of leftovers

 I finished a quilt top this week and while I was cleaning up I was still thinking about what I didn’t accomplish: simplicity. So, as I was ready to sweep away the mess, I stopped to admire the “leftovers”. The fabrics were just too beautiful to put away. They didn’t deserve to go in the scrap basket, never to be found again. The fabric pack was from Robin of simplyrobin. She’s lucky enough to be able to dye fabric yet in a much warmer place. My fabric dyeing days seem to be over.

So, with what I had left, became Quiltlet # 1 – A Little Bit of Autumn . This little gem is 10×14 and machine-quilted. I have only machine quilted about a dozen quilts and look forward to improving with this aspect of my quilting. Enjoy a little bit of autumn from Michigan.

 Enjoy your weekend!                                                      

It doesn’t need to be square

     I  purchased a beautiful hand-dyed fabric pack from a blogger (friend -simplyrobinblogspot.com of a friend-gjbquilts.blogspot.com) last week. I have long admired her solids and fell in love with the process she uses at the end of this summer to achieve very solid colors. As I cut into the packet, I dreamed of creating the same type of quilt that she does: clean, simple lines but strong design. But….I just couldn’t achieve the same product.
     I started out with the intention of large solid shapes, minimal lines and, of course, strong design. But , my strip sets kept getting cut into smaller and smaller pieces. And my design was re-arranged many times on my design wall. As my frustration was building , a few words from my daughter :” Mom , you know that a quilt doesn’t always need to be square.” Ahh- the insight of children! Vertical is what it evolved into and she was right.  A quilt doesn’t need to be square. As much as I admire others, I just need to be myself when I design.
CONNECTIONS #7 20X 40
Just the top!

What Inspires You?

     A friend recently asked me what my inspiration was for a new quilt. I pondered that question for a long time before I responded to her question. It wasn’t one thing but a long list of of things: magazines, books, workshops, quilt shows, nature, architecture, a special teacher, or just daily observation which I try to jot down in my journal.

But on a daily basis, I enjoy catching up on blogs where photos are posted regularly and words treasured. Many share informative tutorials that I learn from tweaking information to make it work for me. So many wonderful friends post on a regular basis that I feel connected – as if we are having a cup of coffee together-even though we are miles apart.
  

     So, my friends from near and far, I begin my own blog. To journal my progress, to challenge myself, to share with you and perhaps, someday to inspire another! Over the next few weeks, I will share what I have worked on this past year. Welcome and let me know what inspires you.