Improv Berries - Top finished!

Wide borders have been added, but I'm planning to crop and maybe even keep some of the irregular shape once it is quilted.  For now, the larger borders will be quilting space while deciding what I'd like to do for a finished shape.  The binding will be a traditional one, in the same fabric as the border, so it will disappear when you step back from the quilt.

The quilt is really lighter in color than the picture above, but a  bit darker than the one below - somewhere in between, and definitely on the warmer color side, like above.  Somehow, this little pocket camera does a better job at getting more correct color when the flash goes off, but these were taken in the same room, same daylight florescent lights, and still the camera had a mind of it's own, changing the colors a bit.  Anyways, I stood a bit closer and let the camera crop the borders to give you an idea of how it would look if it is cropped with straight edges - just squaring up the quilt.

Now off to my stash to look for backing fabric.  I should have something that would work, or could be pieced together to work.

Improv Berries - Center Panel

The center panel is now one complete, although ragged piece.  Next, will be adding dark borders so that it can float.  All the uneven edges will make this another challenge, since I don't want to smooth them out any more than I did when piecing the panel.  Not sure if it will be "finished" or not, since I've already begun entertaining the idea of adding some painted things, but will wait until the borders are on to decide.  Besides, there's always the option to add 3D things, even after the binding is on...

Improv Berries -progress

Having decided to just go for it and start cutting my strata into chunks, I'm finally making progress on this quilt and can finally see it coming together, although I'm sure it still needs something.  Will be adding more of the dark blue / leafy fabric as borders, but unsure whether I'll end up with even or uneven edges.  (If I'm not happy with it as a top, I'll just add another layer - maybe paint?)

Improv Berries - a few changes

Took a few things out, moved things around and here's where it is now:

Maybe it's time to start cutting the large striped pieces smaller and use the two dark batiks to frame and separate, or float the pieced blocks.

Improvisational Quilt in Progress

Here's another project I've been working on, a little bit at a time:

The large striped panels will probably end up being cut up, but I'm playing with options while looking in my stash for other fabrics that will play nicely with what I have so far.

Field of Sunflowers

While the paint was still out, I painted the sunflower fat quarter quilt, so now it's also ready for binding and a sleeve! Although the discharge I tried in the background layer didn't seem to work as planned, maybe the paint to discharge paste was wrong, who knows, but it will require more testing to find out.  At least the background still worked for the sunflowers, and I'm happy with the way it came out!

This is the original fabric sandwich that was quilted:

The paint changed it to look like this:

It's fun to experiment with little projects like these, so I'm planning to do more in the future!

Daisies in Vases

Last night I had some fun with paint!  Using my limited palette of Jacquard fabric paints that came in little squeeze bottles, I mixed opaques, pearls and the metallic Lumieres to add more color to my little fat quarter, painted floral quilts.  I think the only thing left to do is bind and add a sleeve, and am considering an invisible binding, like I did on Janet's Influence, so the binding doesn't take away from the daisies and vases.

It started with a fat quarter sized fabric sandwich to be used to demonstrate free motion quilting on during our local shop hop.  As there were long breaks between groups of hoppers, I decided to have some fun and see what could be done with supplies on hand.  I used chalk to trace around my drink bottle, for the outer size for the daisies.  Once those were quilted, I decided they would be in funky vases and sketched funky outlines for the vases, stems and leaves.  All the sketched areas were filled in with free motion quilting and then the background, which ended up looking like this:

Up close, showing the real fabric color:

I wanted more color in the background, so this was painted with Jacquard's Dye-na-flow fabric paints, which flow more like a dye.  Now I liked the background color and it was ready to paint the daisies and vases, and the light was right, so I was able to get a better picture that showed the quilting off .  [I wish I could get the light to be like this for all my pictures:-)]

Quilt, then paint - progress!

My fat quarter quilts now have color added!  Since I'm experimenting, I've treated each a bit differently.  For the sunflowers, I mixed fabric paints with Decolorant and used a sponge roller to work it into the surface, mostly from the top to about 3/ 4 of the way down, blending it out as I went.  I didn't want the  same colors at the bottom, and wasn't sure I liked it, because the bottom was lighter than I wanted it to be.  I mixed and diluted some Dye-na-flow fabric paints and brushed it onto the flowers in vases, leaving some areas a bit lighter, and darkening the mix so that I could make some areas even darker.  Since I liked the color, I decided to go back to the sunflowers and use the Dye-na-Flow to darken the light areas that needed it.  Here's where they stand right now, although I haven't pressed them yet, and when I do, the sunflowers should do some color changing with steam, because the Decolorant will be activated, which will lighten up the fabric color while setting the paint. 

Painted Floral Quilts

These two little quilts were begun when I was at Quiltworks NW, demonstrating the Grip 'n Stitch disks, as I wanted to show the shop hoppers a more interesting quilting than just the little doodling, that just showed how to use the disks.  First I used chalk to draw circles around my drink bottle, scattering them across my sample, fat quarter, quilt sandwiches.  Once the flower centers were filled with quilting, petals were added, and then I chalked the stems and leaf placement.  I didn't stop until the whole quilt sandwich was covered with quilting!

For the second fat quarter quilt, flower heads were quilted in the circles, and then I decided they would be placed in vases, so I added a few more chalk lines.  Switching between chalking a few outlines and quilting, I worked until there was no more room for quilting! 

 Of course, the next step is going to be painting in the quilted designs, although I'm thinking I might like to try a wash of color to make the background more interesting before starting on the flowers.

Madrona

My Madrona quilt is now hanging in the Madrona Digital showroom!

Vivienne Moore's Oasis

This past summer I was able to take Vivienne Moore's Oasis class in Sisters, OR.  While I was cutting the fabric before class, I got carried away and cut more than double the pieces required, but thought I'd make a larger quilt anyways.  Last night I finished quilting it and today I hope to get the binding and sleeve on, because I need to turn it in for a local quilt show, before I leave for market.  

Note to self:  Don't enter anything that isn't already finished in a show, not ever again!

Madrona - Finished quilting

I've managed to finish quilting my Madrona quilt, yipee!! It's washed and has dried while being laid out on the floor (on painter's plastic to protect the carpet), and is waiting to have a facing and sleeve sewn on.

Crazy Log Cabins

 I thought it would be fun to make a small crazy log cabin quilt, so I designed it in EQ to help me decide on the block size, which is 6-1/2" (I'm not trimming to size until I'm ready to put them together, so I can still change my mind).  Starting with leftover strips from cutting out other quilt projects, I began by cutting 1-1/2" squares for the block centers (they're not all the same fabric, but similar enough for this crazy style - they're in the lower right).

I needed more fabric to make that many blocks, so dug through my scraps and small pieces of fabric, as well as others that I had used in crazy log cabin blocks last year and came up with some variety, although I know I need to add more bright prints as I run out of those I have.  The strips are cut in various widths, and I'm using everything from 3/4" wide to 1-1/2" wide, just to have more variety!

Because I like to be frugal with my fabric (what can I say, I was raised to be frugal when cutting out clothing when I learned to sew), I'll sew as many centers as I can to a strip and then do the same with another strip.  Sometimes I'll save some of the smaller strips to use a few rows into the block's construction, especially when I don't have any larger pieces of that fabric left.

After I sew each strip to the growing block, I press the strip away from the center and trim the ends even with the block.  Some of the strips are not even, which makes the block wonky, and sometimes I'll trim a wider strip at an angle to make it wonky on purpose.  It all makes for a more fun block, with no worries, as they will be trimmed into perfect blocks when I'm ready to set them together.

This is where I was when I took the pictures with my phone,

and this is where I am now (I've just puzzled them together for a group photo).  Maybe I should just keep them all different and fit them together like this for the quilt???

Innovations Quilt Show

The Innovations Quilt show had some very amazing quilts this year, as well as some special exhibits! My friend Ellen and I traveled together, and it was a lot more fun than going by myself, and she pointed out many things I would have missed! My camera battery also died before I got to Sharon Schamber's gorgeous quilts, so I don't have any pictures here, although you can visit the gallery on her site to see better pictures than I could have taken. Her site can be found at: http://www.sharonschamber.com/ .

I love this pictorial quilt of Venice, and have been dreaming that someday I will be able to make my own version (maybe someone will let me use their picture:-)). I was hoping that the label would be readable when I got home, but it isn't, so if you know the maker of this quilt, please let me know so that I can update this entry with his / her name!




I love this quilt! It has so many features I love, and is a wholecloth quilt. I don't remember seeing a label on this quilt, so if you know who made it, please let me know and I'll update this post. It was in the area of Irena Bluhm's quilts, so it's possible that it belongs to her, but I don't know.



This next one belongs to Irena Bluhm. I have her book and have to say it is beautiful! She is such a nice lady to chat with, and I purchased a couple books from her, but don't have them yet, as she is shipping them to me. Her website is: http://site.irenabluhmscreations.com/index.html .

This quilt is similar, but has been made by Pat Noonan, one of her students!

Judy Irish is so much fun to talk with, and when she's not longarming quilts for authors and others, she finds time to make a few fun quilts herself. This one has so much texture when you see it in person, I'm sure the picture can't do it justice! I don't know if she has a website, but does have a blog at: http://wildirishrowsquilting.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default .

Kathleen Craig made this beautiful moonscape, and I'm reminded of a wholecloth that I need to get back to. Isn't it beautiful!

Finally, I was able to see one of Ferret's quilts in person, and I must say it's awesome!!! I"m amazed how she was able to convey such a realistic image with such few pieces of applique! Her blog can be found at: http://ferfab.blogspot.com/ .

It's here!!!

OMG, it's amazing to finally be able to touch, hold and flip through my book, so I'm floating on air!!! Flowers also arrived today from my publisher, That Patchwork Place / Martingale & Co. - THANK YOU! Here's the book and flowers pictured on one of the table runners that is in the book:

However, I must get to work, finishing preparations for my demo at the local Stray Threads Quilt Guild tonight, and yes, I'll be bringing my book to share, although it won't be available to others until October.

Duvall Art Walk Tonight

The art walk is from 5-9pm tonight in Duvall, WA. Diane, at The Quilter's Garden, invited me to take part with some of my quilts, so I'm bringing Janet's Influence, Water, and a few quits from my new book "Flower Show Quilts", which is coming out in October (just a little preview - I will have flyers for it).

This will be my first time at the event, so it is a new adventure! If you're in the area, be sure to come by and say hi, I'd love to meet you!


My book:




Janet's Influence:




Water:

Hand Stamped mini-quilts

Before quilting the Madrona quilt, I needed to spend some time warming up on a few smaller quilts. These had been waiting for me, and now they're quilted! All of them have been stamped with Lumiere fabric paint, using stamps that I carved. As you can see I got a little carried away on the first, starting to machine embroider to add color. The next stop for these quilts is to be embellished with hand quilting, beads, sequins, hand embroidery, more paint..... and then they will have their edges finished and a sleeve added. (I'm trying the "save for web" choice in Photoshop, so I can see what, if any change it makes in the pictures on my blog.)

Madrona - ready to quilt!

The madrona collage is finished, glue-basted, layers pin-basted, and now it's ready for me to start quilting. The quilt is really a bit larger than what you can see in this picture, but this was the best I cound do at taking pictures blindly, while standing on the coffee table and holding the camer above my head to try and get it's picture:-)

Since it's been a while since I quilted, I'll warm up on a practice sandwich, and then a bit of the old UFO - which is a Little Quilts design, before starting on it. I also have a quilt to quilt that belongs to my friend Becky, but I want to quilt on my own first, so that I'm back in sync with my machine before I touch hers, as I've never quilted any quilts but my own, and want to make sure to do a good job on it.

Madrona progress, giveaway reminder

After lots of glue basting, pinning, peeling up previously glue basted pieces, unpinning, more collage, re-shaping some of the pieces..... I think I'm almost happy with the quilt. The peninsula in the lower left still needs some work, and then back to pinning lots of pinning, so I can pick it up off the floor and begin quilting. (Of course, I'll need to warm up on something else first.)

Don't forget about the giveaway! I'll be drawing a winner next week.

Madrona progress

Although there were lots of interruptions yesterday, I worked late to make up for it. The background is now approximately the size it needs to be, the trees are not only back in place, but they have been layered to show more of the color and texture of the bark. Because of the changes to my original background, I've had to resort to plan B for assembly techniques. Plan B has more collage in the background (instead of just free hand cutting and piecing) as well as the foreground, so I'm now busy with a washable glue stick, basting all the pieces together. This needs to be done before I can add any more pieces, because it's getting difficult to work with so many that are loose. Once the glue basting is finished, I may to some stitching, to hold the pieces, or may finish the collage first. If the whole collage will hold together with the basting, I'll be able to layer it and do all the stitching with the quilting. The only thing that would be added afterward might be 3-D leaves, but I'll just have to keep working and see how it goes...