Lap or Baby Quilt Class

New Class!  Tuesdays July 11-25, 2017. Students will cut and sew their own 40" x 40" Lap/Baby Quilt. They will learn a very easy method to make a quilt entirely on a sewing machine.

Materials: Sewing machine and fabric. Detailed materials list will be sent to enrollees (approx $30).

Ages: Late teens - adults

Location:

Arts and Spirituality Center at Emmanuel Church

Bryan Education Center, 2nd fl.

1214 Wilmer Ave.

Richmond, VA 23227

Enroll Here

An Interesting Recycled Quilt

When I was in North Carolina in June, there was this great mall art exhibit of recycled materials.  This quilt was in the exhibit and I'm sorry I don't have the artist's name.  I think it is a really interesting use of reused fabric, especially jeans details.

It made me want to start saving old jeans to cut up, but then I realized I save too much stuff and really shouldn't add any more clutter.  Maybe I could save one or two pairs of jeans...

Flip Quilt- Easy, Easy, Easy

I had lots of similar floral upholstery scraps so I decided just to use them all together in a super easy Flip Quilt.  Here is the quilt before binding.

All finished, on my sofa.

Binding close-up.  I used fabric I already had.

Back of the quilt.  Did I say this is really quick and easy to sew?  Perfect for people who say they don't do quilts!

Easy Table Runner

Using this super easy flip quilt pattern, I sewed this graphic table runner in black and white with pops of hot pink and touches of periwinkle and green.  The runner is longer than the above photo.

Here is a close up of the binding and corners.  This pattern is perfect for non-quilters and

un-perfectionists!  A great way to use up scraps too.

Feline Friday- Fabric Collage

Last weekend I attended a wonderfully inspiring workshop by Rosemary Eichorn.  She taught us how to do fabric collage and now my mind is humming with the possibilites!

Here is my finished collage- I call it "Bird's Daydream (or Cat's Nightmare)".

It is all free motion stitched, raw edged.  It is roughly 21"x22". 

The name comes from the bird eyeing the much smaller cat.

Here is a close up.



Art Exhibit- Scraple Hill

My aunt recently visited Chapel Hill, NC and saw an art exhibit called Scrapel Hill.

It contains works involving cast off materials.  I'm sorry I don't have the artists' names for you. 

The above quilt is comprised of plastic bag yo-yos.

This quilt is all socks.  A great idea for all those lonesome socks missing a partner! 

I bet it would be warm too.

If you are in the area, I believe it goes until July 22, 2012.



Feline Friday- Patchwork Applique Cat

This week I made a patchwork applique cat.  A friend gave me a bunch of pre-cut squares (not all the same size- roughly 3"x3") that I used for this project.  I decided it didn't matter if any corners matched up (I knew they wouldn't)- it just adds to the charm!  I sewed a bunch of beige and tan together for the background and some blue ones together for the cat.

To make the applique, I cut a solid piece of fabric and placed it right sides together with the patchwork.  I sketched my cat and then sewed around the design.

Trim seams, clip curves and here it is ready to be turned right side out.  This method is much easier than trying to turn down all the edges.

Here is the finished applique.  I machine stitched around the edges.  I really like the effect of patchwork on patchwork. 

Here is a close up of the stitching.  I'm not sure what this will ultimately become- a pillow? a wall hanging? part of a larger quilt?  the front of a tote bag?  What do you think?

Free Motion Quilting

Here is my February free motion quilting exercise.  The guest expert was Diane Gawdynski.  (See my side bar for the challenge info).  I had a tough time with this.  I still need more practice to smooth out my curves.  After I did the feathers, they reminded me of ferns so I added a few woodland mushrooms!

Feline Friday- Patchwork Cat

This is a first for me.  I designed a quilt picture using graph paper.  A friend had given me a whole bunch of 3" fabric squares.  Some cottons, some upholstery fabrics.  It was fun laying them out and getting it all just right.  So here she is: "Calico and Blue Sky". 

I would say it is Alice, but then Emma would get jealous (and vice versa!).  I am quite pleased, but now what do I do with it?  Wall hanging?  Pillow?  What? 

Joann's Quilt Your Colors Contest

Here are the winners from 2010 .  I think the Taxi and the Rooster are my favorites, but they are all quite good.  I don't know if I'll get a chance to enter, but here are the details .  Great prizes too!

Harriet Hargrave

I went to an excellent talk by Harriet Hargrave sponsored by my local American Sewing Guild.  It was a 2 day workshop but I was only able to attend the first day.  I learned so much though!  Harriet has written many books about heirloom machine quilting.  One thing she stresses (and I agree) is to always make a sample block first.  Try out your thread, needle and pattern etc. first, then only when you have all the elements right, start the project.  It saves so much time and fabric later.  She covered setting up your sewing table (correct height etc.), correct thread, getting tension adjusted etc.  It was interesting to hear her take on quilters as opposed to piecers.  Quilters plan the design of a quilt with an eye for where the quilting will be shown to its best advantage.  People who prefer piecing- the quilting design takes a backseat.  Heirloom quilting is all about texture.  Harriet stressed the idea that "the more mediocre quilting you do, the better your quilt looks.  The less mediocre quilting you do, the more mediocre your quilt looks."  So if you don't think you are great at it (and who is starting out anyway?), then cover all the space with quilting and your mistakes won't be as noticeable!  She had examples illustrating this too.  Wonderful speaker to listen to, if you get the chance, see Harriet Hargrave in person. 

This and That

You have to see these quilts by Luke Haynes.  Wow!  His 3-D illusions are amazing! 

How to upholster dining room chairs over on Craftaholics Anonymous.

An adorable travel sewing kit tutorial by Amy at Lots of Pink Here.  I'd love to get one of these as a gift!

Jessica at How about Orange shares a tutorial about how to wallpaper using fabric .  I love this new way to use fabric!

Watch this video of how Ashley of Lil Blue Boo creates a Frida Kahlo portrait out of buttons.  Fun music too!

Star Fish Wall Hanging

As summer comes to an end, here is a Star Fish Wall Hanging to remind us of the sea.  Beena created the beautiful star fish in the center.  I received the fabric back in May.  The border came completely from my stash!  They are all upholstery fabrics that I think go well with Beena's fabric.  The back and binding is a cotton with gold fish outlines, also from my collection.  It is 24 1/2"x25".  I haven't decided whether I will sell it, keep it or give it as a gift.  For now I am enjoying it on my sewing room wall, where it makes me smile and reminds me of home!

Jerri McKee and Moonlight Design

     This week has been really exciting what with a 5.9 earthquake and now Hurricane Irene headed towards us.  I was really excited to be able to attend a trunk show by Jerri McKee of  Moonlight Design Quilts .  She makes beautiful pieced and quilted jackets on top of sweatshirts.  She sells instructions and kits.  I forgot my checkbook, but picked up lots of inspiration. 

Pets on Quilts Show

Here is Alice, lounging on a quilt  I made from scraps I had in my stash.  She is NOT allowed to lounge on anything for customers!  This quilt is 45"x45".  I started with the middle piece.  I used the colors of the middle square to inspire the rest of it.  Here are the instructions .  Alice is about 4 years old.  I rescued her and her sister from our back alley when they were about 6 weeks old.  They were the only kittens that didn't run from me!

My Mystery Quilt!

This Mystery Quilt is "Guilty as Charged!" by Debbie Caffrey.  For anyone not familiar, when you start a mystery quilt, you have no idea what the finished one will look like (hence, the mystery of it).  I started this back in January.  Each month I got a new set of directions.  Most of the time I was only about a month behind.  I finished it in July and we just had the big reveal party this weekend.  I was really glad I didn't know what this would look like because all the small pieces and the size of the finished quilt probably would have intimidated me.  This was the first of this type of quilt I've made.  Usually I just make them up as I go along!  The border does go all the way around, it just didn't all fit in the picture.  I chose all batiks.  Having monthly deadlines helped keep me on track.  I will hopefully bind it by January.  The last step was the hardest- putting it all together.  I really enjoyed the process and would definitely sign up to do another one!  Check out your local quilt shop to find a mystery quilt offering.  Next up: the other mystery quilts at the party!

Book Review: Fat Quarter Fun by Karen Snyder

 I have not sewn any of the quilts yet, but I really like Karen Snyder's Fat Quarter Fun.  The projects look fairly straight forward with clear instructions.  Each quilt has a  choosing fabric, cutting, piecing, assembling the top, adding borders, backing, and finishing sections.

She shows two versions for each quilt, making it easy to visualize different color schemes and sizes.

A Feel for Color Exhibit by Sally Barker

I recently saw this exhibit at the Children's Museum of  Richmond.  Sally Barker recreated famous paintings as quilts full of texture for the visually impaired.  All of the quilts, roughly 20" (just an estimation!) were hung low because it was a children's museum after all.  I enjoyed the visual impact and then I went around again with my eyes closed so I could appreciate the tactile aspect.  Sally Barker not only used different fabrics, but she also used cardboard or something to make some areas recessed and others more prominent.  It was fun to actually be encouraged to touch the quilts because usually it is hands off!  Here are my favorites:

 A Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh

 Jane Avril by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

 The Fall of Icarus by Henri Matisse

 Woman Seated in a Chair by Pablo Picasso

 The Red Poppy by Georgia O'Keefe

The Scream by Edvard Munch

New Pattern- Cabin Pillow and Quilt

I just finished up a new pattern- Cabin Pillow and Quilt
You get 8 pages of photos and instructions explaining how to make this great pillow and quilt. Instructions are in English and come straight to your e-mail so shipping is free!

I call this a Cabin design because it is based on a log cabin block. Easy to sew. Use up your scraps!

These would be great as a matching set or, like my examples, separates destined for different houses. I actually made a pair of pillows to sell but my family liked them so much I had to keep them!       

Patriotic Quilts

In honor of Armed Forces Day- Patriotic Quilts!  Actually, any quilt in red, white and blue could be considered patriotic.  With that in mind, these reversible drink coasters could be included.  I've been wanting to sew a large wall hanging.  It would be really easy using flip quilt instructions.  Robert Kaufman has some armed forces and flag prints.  A selection of red, white and blue fat quarters could be used in a patriotic quilt.  A quilt made of bandanas in red white and blue would be pretty.  I just bought a very unusual bandana from Walmart for $1.00.  Actually, the more I think about it, the more I might need to go back and buy enough to make a quilt!

Here are some of my favorite patriotic quilts from etsy-
homespun patchwork
mini flag
antique indigo blue red 1890s quilt
flags in stars
tabletopper
liberty
zig-zag quilt

Enjoy and be inspired while we celebrate Armed Forces Day.