WIP

Completed
Zoe---'Summer School' --for a great review and some lessons learned, check out this blogpost.

2012 Finish #7
















Progress

• Skill Builder Sampler Block #6, 7, 21

I've put the first 6 together with the sashing that I have come up with. Carefully fussy cut both the sashing and cornerstones. Hoping for creating the effect of rivets (they are buttons printed on the fabric for the sashing) and a square washer at the cornerstones in red with a grey center.

• McCall's Mystery - Part 2 (both versions), it might be a couple of months before we get instructions for part 3 which should include the final assembly.

• EQ7 BOM layout, today is piecing day! Can't reveal this until March 1

Also awaiting quilting:

• Charmed Network v.2 - Eva
• WWVQG 2006 Basket BOM

'Til Next Time

• Oddie's Wild Nature (O.W.N.)
• Alaska's 2007 Shop Hop (block 1 is done....next up in February)
• Out of the Darkness (block 1 is done...next up in February)
• Rose of Sharon Bird Block (hoping for a finish within February)
• Snowflake/Blizzard Quilt
• Irena Bluhm coloring samples

2012 STATS
Completed: 7
In Progress: 11
To start: 3 (Peace Park, Shop Hop the Blues 2007 & 2009)

Are you going to Ireland in June? New pricing available for the 'tour' only, i.e. do you have miles you can use to get there? Join me!! Pay by check by March 7 and get a 3% discount.

More WIPs at the linkup on Lee's Freshly Pieced blog. Happy WIPping ;-)

{Sew} Modern / Design Wall / BOM's Away Monday

For my {Sew} Modern Monday - Finish, I did another version of 'Zoe' I'm calling 'Summer School'. I wrote a 'Lessons from Zoe' blog post on Friday that I hope you'll check out if you're interested in learning from some of my own experiences. I've included many other versions of mine as well as clients. It is a fun review!

On my Design Wall is the first row in my Skill Builder Sampler quilt-a-long organized by Leila @ Sewn. More blocks will be revealed in Wednesday's WIP blog entry. About three times a month Leila posts a new block. I didn't start this until very late, so it is a weekly installment quilt for me with several blocks to finish in order to catch up, but I am hopeful that I can with my new plan to get the blocks done even with key assembly points along the way. Excited to see the first row with sashings all put together.

For BOM's Away progress....here is version 1 and 2 of Part 2 of the McCalls Mystery.

Also on my Design Wall.....  I can't show you :-) I'm working on the EQ7 2011 BOM Layout contest....reveal to happen by March 2 weekly blogpost.

Some new pricing options have been posted for the trip to Ireland. Check it out!! Got miles you can use...get there on those, but still be on our tour. It is going to be a great experience!





Check out other {Sew} Modern finishes at Canoe Ridge Creations
Design Walls at PatchworkTimes
BOM's Away progress at WhataHootQuilts

Lessons with Zoe

This week I was working on a 'sample' adapted from my 'Zoe' pattern. I used up leftovers from a layer cake with reds and blues and a few black and white fabrics that remained and a bit of additional yardage some purchased from stash for the purpose of making this quilt and other yardage purchased on sale from Sew Lux (online store) before Christmas. All of this fabric is called 'Punctuation by American Jane Patterns Sandy Klop for MODA". Although the contrast levels of the fabric aren't like my original design, the scrappiness of it makes for a happy retro quilt suitable for a boy or a girl. I've decided to call it 'Summer School'.

I learned some lessons that I hope you can learn from me the easy way!

1. I loaded the backing with selvages between the rollers instead of ON the rollers. The stretch left to right was 'ok', but I think I should have done it with the selvage ON the rollers. (see photo in #3 below) Remember, the selvage does not stretch at the same rate that the rest of the fabric stretches. When using it at the roller it seems to be ok, but when stretching it between rollers there is a difference.

2. I contemplated putting it on the long-arm machine horizontally, but wasn't exactly sure how I wanted to quilt it. After getting into the quilting, I wished I HAD loaded it horizontally. I knew what I wanted to do in the border, so got it loaded and started quilting. I ended up quilting it with straight vertical lines, around the circles and then went back and added different punctuation marks, symbols and an 'A' and a 'Z' inside the circles. The vertical lines seemed to keep a retro theme of the fabric style.

Look:

If I had loaded it horizontally, I could have stitched each line across the quilt without stopping!

3. I used my new side clamps. Normally the batting would be part of what is clamped, but I was using some 80/20 scraps for this sample and it just wasn't wide enough for that. Given the close quilting that I was doing at the edge of the quilt, these clamps worked really nice to keep me from hitting the clap with the bottom of the sewing machine. These clamps are sold by Renae Haddadin. They are a separate purchase from  her Red Snappers which you can also see in this photo being used to attach the backing.

4. The border quilting I would typically SID (stitch in the ditch) w/ my channel lock on, but I did the fill at the same time. Just take it slow and it works out pretty good.

5. To do the binding, I wanted it to be exactly at the edge of the ticket on the fabric, so chose to sew it on the front first. Using a 2.25" strip folded in half lengthwise and knowing how far between the raw edge and the edge of the ticket, I could stitch the binding down with confidence. I had trimmed from the inner edge of the border consistently all the way around. Folding the binding around to the back, I then SID from the front. I wanted to use these new clips 'Wonder Clips' from Clover for holding the binding down. Generally this worked pretty well. I learned that you really need to push the clips in snuggly around the binding so that it stays tight. There were a few spots I had to re-do because the stitching didn't quite catch the binding on the back side of the quilt. But, for a completely machine sewn binding--I'm happy!

Here are other versions that have been made of this pattern. The original one (below left) made for our friend's daughter 'Zoe'. I put minkee on the back. I was really pleased with how it turned out. The second (below right) was made mostly with the fabrics used when designing it in EQ and as a store sample that has now been returned to me. This is headed to a baby born a month ago and they named her Zoe, so I just think it is the perfect way to now put this quilt to use. Most of the fabrics are 'Giselle'.

These are made with a pre-cut layer cake (10" squares) and some yardage from the fabric line 'Punctuation by American Jane Patterns Sandy Klop for MODA'. I split up the layercake by colors with the green and orange and accents of yellow in the first, then the reds and blues in the second. Black and white fabrics are used throughout as the highlight fabrics. The sizing in these are a bit different because of using a layer cake which also makes it scrappy. The retro effect of the fabrics prompted me to do the quilting in a more simplistic traditional style. Left has a cross-hatch in the background and curved cross-hatching in the circles. Right has vertical lines in the background and punctuation symbols and letters in the circles.

Client versions that I got to quilt include these from Crysta:

 

And this version from another client, Hildred. This was her first quilting project with an assist from me ;-). A beautiful light green minkee with alphabet letters is on the back. Made for her first grandchild. On the day it was finished my peonies were blooming beautifully in the yard, so had to include them with this photograph.

 

Have you made a 'Zoe' quilt? Send me a photo! I'd love to add them to the collection of how people interpret the design.

The red/blue sample finished this week is now on display @ Stash in Walla Walla, WA.

I'll be teaching two classes there in the upcoming months -- Charmed Network in Feb/Mar and Elephant's Play in May. Contact them directly for details on the class.

If you're considering Ireland--it is time to make a decision! 3% discount if paid in full by check before March 7. Details for booking on my tour click here. They have recently posted additional fare options, i.e. make your own airfare reservations --got miles? and just book the local part of the trip w/SewManyPlaces.

WIP

Progress
Zoe - another one! (READY FOR QUILTING really hope to have it finished today--we'll see) This is using part of a layer cake and some yardage from the 'punctuation' line of fabric by American Jane for Moda. Using the red/blue blocks and a few black/white blocks and a bit of the multi-print black and red yardage to get the tickets for the border and some circles. I was able to get some yardage on sale from Sew Lux before Christmas which gave me a bit more of the white fabric with the punctuation marks and a backing for the quilt. The layer cake makes it very scrappy. I think I like the orange/green/yellow version that I did better in terms of contrast and values, but this is one I've had sitting around waiting to be done. The original pattern was only from 4 pieces of yardage, so this scrappy effect is quite different but I tried to keep the reds as 1 fabric, the blues as the alternate fabric, and the black as the darkest dark and the 'white' as the large motif (if you're looking at the pattern). I did get to use the compass rotary cutter from Olfa to cut most of the circles--loved it! Some of the circles were leftovers from a prior quilt (cutouts from the back) so were sized a little bit smaller. I machine appliqued with a blanket stitch all of the circles and then cut out the fabric behind them. For locals--Stash one of our LQSs, has a lot of fabrics in this line. This quilt is headed there as a sample. With the red/white/blue theme it almost makes me think of 4th of July fireworks!


Skill Builder Sampler Block #5 - I tried Eleanor Burn's Quilt-in-a-Day method when needing 8 alike HSTs. This meant that the outside edges of each 2.5" unfinished block did NOT have bias edges. Her instruction page that comes with her ruler (which I don't have), help explain the concept and give a math chart for various sizes of finished blocks and what size squares to start with, etc. I've added it to my resources tab on this blog. I'm very happy with the points on this and so quick to stitch the HSTs!









And Skill Builder Sampler Blocks #22-24 --all about curves. I jumped ahead and did these so that I can participate in the giveaway going on this week. I feared these curves. It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, but it still took longer than I prefer ;-) Glad they are done though. I think I have a new strategy so that I can finish when everybody else does too!

Progress now on Oddie's Wild Nature with the addition of an Eagle block.
Just have to show you the latest pattern testing progress -- here is test #2 on the MiAmore quilt--no applique applied and different border treatment, but a fun interpretation to see! The tester made this for her husband. I especially like the use of the stripe in the border and binding. I've got one more test coming in.

EQ7 BOM layout, fabrics have been assembled and a strategy identified to create the background fabric, my binding(s) will be decided after the center is complete-- Can't reveal this until March 1.

Also awaiting quilting:

• Charmed Network v.2 - Eva
• WWVQG 2006 Basket BOM

'Til Next Time

• McCall's Mystery - ready for Step 2
• Alaska's 2007 Shop Hop (block 1 is done....next up in February)
• Out of the Darkness (block 1 is done...next up in February)
• Rose of Sharon Bird Block
• Snowflake/Blizzard Quilt

2012 STATS
Completed: 6
In Progress: 11, do I add what I started in a class last week (see below)?
To start: 3 (Peace Park, Shop Hop the Blues 2007 & 2009)

If you have a minute- go to my 'older post' from Sat. night and read about what I did in a class last week!

Are you going to Ireland in June? Join me!!

More WIPs at the linkup on Lee's Freshly Pieced blog. Happy WIPping ;-)

Design Wall / BOM's Away Monday

My newest version of Zoe in red/blue black/white colors of the Punctuation line....it's now ready to quilt! I was excited to use my new circle cutting tool from Olfa, received as a result of making it into Round 1 of the McCall's Quilt Design Star 2011 contest last year. This would be a great tool to make all kinds of circles. Accommodating for seam allowances as appropriate by placing the pivot point accordingly, it worked well to cut circles, half circles and quarter circles for my Zoe pattern. This pattern is purchasable at Craftsy.











Added another block --the eagle block to my 'Oddie's Wild Nature' quilt.

Check out my post on what I learned from Irena Bluhm last week! Here is what I'm working on with colored pencils.

More Design Walls linked up at Patchwork Times.
More BOM's Away Monday's linked up at Whatahoot Quilts.

Learning from Irena Bluhm

The Washington State Quilter's Spokane Quilt Guild hosted Irena Bluhm on Thursday with a 2 hour lecture as part of their guild meeting. I was excited to take advantage of this opportunity to hear from Irena in person, even if it took an almost 3 hour drive to get there--a lot less expense to travel that distance than across the country. I've watched some of her videos online and have been inspired by her work for a while. She is originally from Poland and lived in Germany for a few years before immigrating to the United States in the 90's. She got her long-arm in 2004 without ever having used one when her husband retired and she decided she wanted to make a bit of her own money. She is quite entertaining and is a very common sense thinking person.

Here are some of my notes from the lecture and a few pictures.

The quilt immediately to her right has won a lot of ribbons and was made within about 5 months of getting her long-arm machine. I believe this is the one she first showed with only the center medallion colored and realized that it needed more color to have that visual impact--the second of three critical elements to winning in the shows, the other two critical elements: (1) good design and (3)workmanship. She then colored the rest of it as seen in the photo.

As an illustration of an issue with a lack of repetition and balance, this quilt has a different border on the ends and she thinks this is a mistake.

With this quilt she made the point that the blue was the wrong color to use and the asymmetry of the quilt was also not well balanced.

She loves hummingbirds! Look at the background fills on this. A bit of bling added as well.

You know I love hearts, so had to share this one with you too.

Friday was a 5 hour class about her coloring techniques. These are samples that she brought for us to be inspired by. You can purchase these 'quilted panels' on her website and then color them in yourself! Or experiment by quilting a design on your own machine, then color them in! If marking before quilting, she uses Mark-B-Gone to identify registration elements used in doing the quilting. She doesn't typically draw the entire design, just the registration marks. Often creating an entire grid with Mark-B-Gone on the fabric to help with laying out the entire design. Using just about any pigment medium you can come up with (soft lead, rich in color are factors to consider--also cheapo pencils have more wax in them, expensive pencils have less wax --the less wax the more pigment), the key is to 'fix it' with textile medium. She recommends to NOT use liquid based textile medium--minimize the water as much as possible to prevent running of colors. Occassionally a color will change after the textile medium is applied so always test it. Delta Perma coat was the textile medium provided in the class. Once it has 'cured' for 7 days, put it in the bathtub for 30 minutes or so, then on the spin cycle in your washing machine, then hang it to dry. Once dry, steam the quilt flat. The samples are on a white muslin and have one layer of poly batt. For show quilts, she recommends white 100% cotton sateen (smooth fabric), a layer of cotton/poly or wool batting--something with loft, and then a second layer of batting that is 100% cotton --very flat and hangs well to help in the draping. All should be BLEACHED when using white so that seeds can't be seen. Use a contrasting thread when quilting to help color within the lines. Deciding on the color to use for shading and filling in may be the hardest part of the process. Consider shading techniques from general art concepts when coloring. She also demonstrated marbling techniques for backgrounds and suggested items to put under the fabric to create a texture while color treating the fabric i.e. sandpaper under the fabric, then use your colored pencil to rub over the top. I'm thinking a rubbing plate or your own stencil using tulip paint or something like that could also work and create interesting effects.

Here is the coloring that I did. I want to do some marbling in the center and add fill quilting on the outer edges then probably do some additional marbling. The color pencils are set with textile medium. I've got a couple of other designs on order and am excited to do a few more samples in the future. The fill quilting will be done with a thin non-contrasting thread unless a color is desired.

Other's work included:

During the class I had opportunity to show Irena a photo of my 'Supernova-Blackhole' quilt that I quilted with inspiration from her formal feathers. I also got some advice on my McCall's quilts that need more quilting in order to really become 'show quilts' that can compete. She was very helpful.

 

The photos above are of a purse that my mom made me with special fabrics selected based on my own personal favorite colors and styles. My dad makes the wooden part at the top which acts as an automatic closer of the purse when grabbing the handles in either a long strap or grabbing both sides for short straps. It is quite clever with lots of pockets inside and out, so everything stays very organized. While discussing some of the homemade purses that happened to be sitting on our desks while packing up at the end of the class, Irena was interested in having some of her old samples made into purses or totes in the way my mom had made mine. Kinda cool...will be interesting to see what comes of that. Maybe a new product will be available soon from Irena with some assistance going to the Adobe School Project. My mom and other women at her church makes these and sell them as a fundraiser for their local school. If you're interested in having a purse like this made, contact bettybaerg at cox dot net for details or via Facebook--in the next week she will post information in her 'notes' on her FB page for details. All proceeds go to a great cause. Patchwork ones are available from them directly from donated decorator samples, or you can send the fabrics you'd like to have it made with and they will make it for you. They can give you fabric requirements, etc.

While in Spokane I was able to find a few more batiks to use in my EQ7 2011 BOM layout! Still need a background fabric that I have selected--still trying to confirm the one I selected out of EQ7 is the one I want and can source it.

Have a great week!