Design Wall Monday

Making progress on my QR code ....all solid color squares that can fit on the insulation board have been placed. Now making the two-tone squares. I'll then test to be sure it is reading properly...add the white squares and press it down. Then get the few columns that are not fitting on the board yet.

 

Bamboo flooring is complete in the new studio. Looks fabulous! Prepped for final coat of painting this morning. Looking forward to posting some exciting photos this week.

Design Wall / BOM's Away Monday

Nice to have something off the quilting table! This was a long-term project last year that is almost finished. The quilting...yes, it is done!

The poster printed on fabric is available from spoonflower.com

I'm also progressing on this 'puzzle'! That is what it feels like when placing these squares. Have you made a QR code quilt?

 

The underlayment is now finished in the new studio and we're progressing on the BAMBOO FLOORING!! So excited...it is looking fantastic.

 

 Enjoy the other Design Walls and BOM's Away Monday progress reports!

WIP

If you saw my Monday Design Wall...then you're back to see what happened!  Thank you to all who gave constructive feedback. I took it all under advisement and did more research as well. Are you familiar with Virginia Greaves work? She has done quite a few portrait type quilts and so I studied them this week and even reached out to her and she was kind enough to provide me with suggestions and advice.



wdyt?

I haven't taken it off the quilting table as of this morning. I was given the suggestion to quilt the shirt a bit more just to keep the density a bit more consistent. So might figure that out later today.























Here is the entire top without any quilting, but wanted you to see it in context. Everything else has been quilted, I am now just trying to finish up the centerpiece. Detailed photos of the block quilting were previously posted.

The poster is available on fabric at spoonflower.com. I've put together a repeating yard that has various sizes of the poster within the single yard. Put any number or type of blocks together with it and you've got a great wall hanging to inspire you or a full quilt. I think instead of a butterfly in the lower right, an 'airplane' block would be fantastic!

I'll be working on putting a starter kit together which would include the poster and a few critical skill building blocks with finishing instructions for several options. Let me know if you'd like to hear about it when it is ready.

Studio update--insulation going in between the new 'level' floor joists!

Design Wall Monday

Here I am again...still stumped with how to finish Rosie..... Here are some of my trials, I welcome all input!

My concerns...

1. the arm doesn't have enough quilting, but how to quilt it and keep it looking nice.

2. the face might be 'ok' but probably should get a bit more (her right cheek is slightly bigger than my fist...so thinking it needs a bit more some how to stabilize it)

Long lines                                                               Lines coming from the sides, but not in the shadow.

Lines coming from the sides in the shadow too.                                   Lines only from the outsides.

 Removed the contour lines in the lower arm

In the face, I'm afraid that stitching it down too much will make her look 'old'....but don't want to create weird shaping either.
This one stitches down around the eyes and a few contour lines between the nose and mouth.
The second one (right) adds more in teh shadowing around her chin.....makes it seem like she has a gotee or something.

 This tries to stitch even more on the shadows, would probably need to do the forehead too and her cheek looks weird with the spiral. And I'm feeling like the bottom is a 'beard'.

 

HELP!!!!!

 

 

Book Review - Build Your Best Log Cabin

I was recently asked by a representative at Fons & Porter to review a new e-book.

"Build Your Best Log Cabin"

Here is my take on it ......Downloading a book makes it easy to get patterns for basic block ideas. Having made the log cabin block a lot, I appreciated learning about the ‘yellow’ center folklore being a ‘window’. I also liked having the level of difficulty noted on each pattern, but missed seeing any pressing instructions for each type of block. The extra tips for finishing are a nice touch.

Get your own free download here.

It reminds me of the many log cabin blocks I've made, specifically within the context of my 'Walla Walla' symbolic designs.

A traditional log cabin and the quarter log cabins.


This was the first design of a 'W W' to make a baby quilt. It might also be called a Zig Zag if turned sideways. I made several of these for babies born to Walla Walla College or University graduates or employees. Then made pot holder or table trivets with a symbolic purple center (grapes), cream colored logs representing wheat fields, green colored logs representing grape leaves, wood grain binding representing grape vines.

I then extended the idea with this W W ...and just used the Log Cabin blocks in the top and bottom row. The single blocks used throughout the rest of the quilt are symbolize elements in our area or within school. This quilt was purchased by an educator who has become a dear friend. She now uses it to tell stories with students.

 
It morphed into this one that uses some quarter-log cabin blocks, some rail fence blocks and the traditional log cabin blocks on the top and bottom.

This was a fun extention. Making just half of a log cabin and then attaching a triangle, creating a log -cabin HST. This is probably the most exciting design for me since the W's seem to be floating and the background seems 'modern'.

 

Signed-up to design the Walla Walla Valley Quilt Guild's raffle quilt and wanted to include the symbolism, but get as many to participate as possible from the guild. These log cabin blocks were paper pieced with small logs. Adding the black silhouettes (contributed by Eddie Walker) made this large quilt very symbolic of our area. The setting was unique to set the WW in the middle off. While on display in the Member's Exhibits at the Pacific West Quilt Show, I heard a lot of comments about what a great 'guy' quilt this design would make.





The possibilities are endless with the log cabin block. So much fun to be had. Enjoy the free-download if you're curious about getting started with a log cabin block and find a few fun ways they have described to put it together.

If interested in any of these WW patterns, contact me to purchase.

WIP

Completed
2013-#2 Irena Bluhm Class Sample (blogged here).


Progress
Alaska block #11 (blogged here)








QR Code cutting and layout has started. Thinking I need to start-over and actually draw the grid size I'm using for the piece rather than continuing to re-count and figure the actual spot based on a 1" grid or 2" grid (scraps of gridded interfacing that I had). rrrrr. Has anyone ever cut long strips and still done the grid sewing? Was it ok? or did the 'fold' of the fabric cause issues in those spots, when the rest are all individual squares? Wondering if I really HAVE to cut each individual square to make it work best.













Started
A Valentine Postcard (blogged here)

















2013 Stats:
Completed: 2
In Progress: 10

Second Finish of 2013

After taking a class in early 2012 from Irena Bluhm at a workshop sponsored by WSQ-Spokane, I learned about using colored pencils and textile medium to set the pigment into a stitched out (quilted) design....here is my finish.

I added the elements (green thread and yellow thread) outside the main four feather sets in the center and added additional fill (with white thread) in the very center of the tendrils.

As far as my coloring goes, I think I like the variegated hearts in the corners the best.

Definitely a great way of embellishing a whole cloth. I did purchase a few other stitched out designs.....those will sit in my stash until I get motivated again to color. I know Irena has been experimenting with inks...so I might have to try something new.

Design Wall / BOM's Away Monday

A day to play! well kind of....wanting to get a few quilty things done and needing my husband at this stage of the renovation (level floor joists) for anything we're doing...during the day I get to work on some personal goals.

I find meeting fellow quilters generally very easy and a receptive process. However, I'm moving to a new community (Grand Coulee, WA) and I'd love to make new friends. This coincides with a new book being released. I hope you'll consider purchasing it on Tues. Feb. 5 (and if you're reading this subsequent to that date, just buy it now!). Author Shasta Nelson, writes how we must intentionally find those friends in "Friendships Don't Just Happen". I happen to know the author and am excited to help her promote the book. I encourage you to purchase this, maybe buy a couple and share one with a friend, or get your fellow quilters to buy it and then discuss it at the end of the month.

I'm going to!


View Larger Map

So, on my design wall is an almost finished postcard....one for a special friend for Valentine's Day. I've used two different fabrics on the front. A fussy cut rose w/leaf and the 'Love' background fabric printed from designs used by the PostOffice years ago. The Pellon 'stiff, double faced' product works great. I used steam-a-seam lite (2) to affix the rose, then iron it and the background fabric onto the postcard all at the same time (no muslin on the back though). Then stitch it down. Special stitches from my sewing machine were used to do the leaf and squigly. Now add muslin on the back (iron it on) and stitch the outer edges. Choosing thread in my bobbin to match the muslin and top thread to work with the fabrics used on top. Personalize the muslin to make it look like a real postcard. I still need to use my .01 or .05 micron pen to finish writing on the postcard. The .08 that I have used so far is too fat to write super small. Up the center I'll put my 'Designed by...." information and then will write on the card to the recipient, along with their address, etc. Add a stamp and it will go in the mail.

And progress on my BOM's is another Alaska Block! This one is called "Spinning Star" and was issued in Eagle River, AK at Dina's Cozy Cabin Quilts.


Come back tomorrow to see my 2nd finish of the year.

February Goals

I'm participating in the 2013 Finishes goal setting linkup.....

With the studio renovation underway and the plan to open in just a week or two, my goals seem simply to get the studio up and running! :-)

But, alas, I want to get something quilty finished (besides client work), so my goal will be to get the binding on this Irena Bluhm Class Project from almost a year ago.










I also will get the next 3 blocks written for the Rosie's BOMb project being tested by a LQS. You can purchase the Rosie the Riveter poster on fabric through my Spoonflower Design Shop.



There may be other things, but these for sure I want to get done!