Q20 Quilting

Rooting around in a dresser drawer the other day I found several small quilt tops along with their batting and backing that were just waiting to be quilted.  I knew about the 8 or so larger ones calling out to me each time I enter that spare bedroom, the one that is a archaeological dig--these were others I'd long forgotten about.  Can you find the bed?:

Just a few of the quilt tops awaiting some attention.  This is the second spare bedroom and when someone actually needs to sleep here it takes a while to remove the many quilts and tops piled up here.  Unless they want to do the "Princess and the Pea" thing.

My Bernina Q20 needs some attention--she's been ignored too long lately.  I recently set a goal for myself to quilt at least one quilt a month until I'm more or less caught up.  The other day I quilted my Challenge quilt for our guild meeting in two weeks--that really doesn't count as it's a new "add" to the pile.  Here are the first two I am tackling, starting today:

An old pattern from a Possibilities book of baby quilts.  This will be fun and easy to meander all over.  The hearts in the borders are just fused in place so I'll be sure to hit them with some stitches as I quilt.

Then there is this pre-printed panel, commonly called "cheater's cloth".  It will be good practice to follow the quilting lines printed on the fabric.  No seams makes these panels good practice pieces for free motion quilting.

I enjoyed teaching yesterday.  In the morning the Smitten class finished up.  The students returned from a 2 week break with blocks done, a few questions, and were very eager to learn how to assemble the quilt--it's more challenging than the usual quilt settings as all the blocks are hexagons and need to be set-in to the blocks beside each other:

Donna's upper left corner, sewn together

Catherine's large stack of blocks

Celia is hand-piecing her blocks--a great option.

The pattern is Smitten by Jen Carson Kingwell and it uses Template Set H from Perfect Patchwork Templates.  My sample was made with hand and machine pieced blocks--the hand piecing being done on the road.  Such a fun quilt--I really enjoyed working with bright fabrics and black and white prints:

This week I also picked some more blackberries from our vines:

And kept up with The Splendid Sampler:

Block 42  Pencils

Off to quilt a baby quilt--Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Two Tops Done!

I've been hard at it these past few days, working on quilt tops.  Now they are done.  Not the pieced backs, I'll get to those tomorrow, but the tops are finished.

This weekend I worked on a shop sample for a Fall class:

I love making these, they are my go-to quilt for a gift since I can usually make a top in a long weekend.  This one took much longer with that diagonal pieced border but since I think I'm keeping this one, I didn't mind putting in the hours.  The pattern is Southern Star from Calico Carriage Quilting Designs.

At the retreat last week (more on that here) I finished sewing all the rows onto my year-long Tumbler project:

There are 45 rows of 61 tumblers, for a total of 2,745 two-inch finished tumblers and it's about 90" x 100".  This was Bonnie Hunter's 2015 Leader/Ender challenge.  Her 2016 one should be revealed July 1 or thereabouts.  Unless I can't help myself, I don't plan to start that one--I've got several quilts I am determined to finish this year and need NO NEW PROJECTS!  

Saturday I taught two classes.  Here is Smitten. There were only 3 students and they did great:

Their first block--each student did very well and was happy with her block

Donna's second block cut and ready to be pieced

Catherine created a sewn strip before cutting her units 

In the afternoon I had 2 students for Strippy Stars:

Rebecca trimming her units

Hollie and Rebecca's blocks made in class

Summer is a tough time for classes since people are busy.  But I love to teach and having just a few students in a new class is a good way to find out if they can accomplish what I think they can in the time allotted.  Smitten continues in a couple weeks and I'll be eager to see the wonderful blocks the students come back with.

I'm keeping up with The Splendid Sampler:

and Circa 2016:

3" blocks

My husband and I went to see the movie "The Free State of Jones" on Sunday.  We enjoyed the history though it was intense in parts.  It takes place between 1862 and 1876, with a few scenes set in current times.  Our history is ugly at times and some people still have some of those ugly beliefs.  But I try to focus on how far we've come and hope for the future.  Saturday night we saw "Spotlight" on TV and I felt similarly sad and conflicted about that movie too.  

We're indoors because it's been so hot.  Great time for quilting.

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Progress

The quilting is done on two samples--they will be delivered to the shop this week:

Smitten--simply loopy swirly motifs

Smitten top

Strippy Stars

Very simple straight lines with free-form cables in the border.

I did some of the straight lines with rulers, some free hand.  The lines vary a bit but over-all it's OK.  Someday this may be a baby quilt and it's fine for that.

I'm keeping up with The Splendid Sampler.  Here is Block #13:

This week I'm working on some 4" sampler blocks and preparing for the demos I'll be teaching at Quilt Festival Chicago--have to pack all the supplies I need plus samples and still try to keep myself to one large suitcase.  We'll see how that goes.

I also start a new Quiltmaking 101 class for beginners tomorrow night--I love teaching beginners and am eager to get back in front of them.  Here is the class sample they learn to make in 5 weeks:

Mix N Match Stars by Glad Creations

They make the top, approximately 48" x 60" in the class.  Many of the students choose to have a longarm quilter do the quilting, quite a change from years ago when everyone hand quilted their first quilt.  Some choose to machine quilt their quilt themselves.  I can't remember the last time a student handquilted this project.  I wish more people handquilted but for now, just getting students excited about the process and eager to make another quilt after this one is my goal.  We have fun in class and most of the students are amazed at what they learn to do--especially if this is their "first quilt ever".

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Smitten

This week I've been making a concerted effort to get Smitten put together--I started it some months ago, as a handwork project when on the road and by machine when home.

Here she is stuck on the design wall--the block rows are not sewn together yet.  My first thought is this would be an easy finish, just diagonal rows of blocks, OH, Yes, those are Hexagon blocks and each of those joins is a 60 degree angle--not so fast!  But it's on the design wall so I will push forward and get it done now.

The pattern is Smitten, by Lucy Carson Kingwell, and measures 48" x 61" when done, unless I add another border or two.  I first saw someone doing it on Instagram and I was "smitten".  Lots of people do this by the English Paper Piecing method; I much prefer to do hand or machine piecing.  Perfect Patchwork Template Set H, by Marti Michell, makes cutting the many pieces very easy.   This will be a class this summer and I'll teach EPP and hand and machine piecing, whichever method the student wants to use.

Here is my other ongoing project, The Splendid Sampler for Stella:

Block #2, Wings.  The pattern shows obvious butterflies with embroidered antenna.  I chose to leave those off and altered the color placement.  There are more than 18,000 working on this currently, from all over the world.  It is interesting to see the fabric choices people are making.

As a number person, I am tracking the number of pieces and the number of fabrics, for no good reason other than it's easy to do while under construction--way too much work when it's done.  Here is the spreadsheet I am using:

Someone asked me if I am tracking the fabric designer and manufacturer--no.  For me, it's all about the fabrics I choose to use, not the company or designer who created it.

My photographer/musician son, Joshua Black Wilkins, will be here in town tomorrow night for a show--the first time in many years he has had a gig in Huntsville.  We are looking forward to seeing him play.  And next weekend, Stella, our grand-girl, and her folks will be in town for a couple days--she is crawling now so it will be a busy time for all of us!

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

What's New Pussycat?

Back from Portland and there is a new project:  rearrange the studio to accommodate the Bernina Q20 sit-down longarm that will be arriving soon.  Mostly, I just look around the room and say "oh, my, where do I put this stuff?"  It's time for a major purge again...

Instead I worked on this:

This is a replica of an antique top I bought at Spring Market in Minneapolis, read about it here. I think I will make twenty more blocks and add a border.  Time will tell.  It's going on the back burner for now.  Patches gave it her seal of approval.

And I worked on Smitten:

This is not the final layout, just a grouping of the blocks I have done.  Some are hand-pieced, some machine-pieced. The pattern is by Lucy Carson Kingwell--I first saw it on Instagram.  Most are doing this by English Paper Piecing.  I am using Marti Michell's Perfect Patchwork Template Set H--cutting out for regular piecing, either by hand or machine.  This, too, is now going on the back burner...

What I have to do right now: 
       1.  prepare a Power Point Presentation I am giving in early September--I'll be much more relaxed when that is in the can

      2.  Figure out the 3 garments I have to make for Houston now that the fabrics and patterns have arrived

 

 

Great manufacturers donate fabrics each year for the Education Team to make garments--we wear specific garments on specific days.  This helps make us visible as Staff, people able to help and answer questions from the many hundreds of folks we see each day, and makes it easier for us to plan our wardrobes for 1-2 weeks living out of a suitcase.  This year we have Vintage Made Modern by Amy Barickman for RJR, Zen Chic from Moda, and Shimmer by Jennifer Sampou for Robert Kaufman Fabrics.  In addition, Indygo Junction has graciously allowed us to select patterns to make our garments.  Part challenge, part wardrobe manufacture, it's fun but time-consuming.

      3. As co-chair for our guild quilt show October 9-11. 2015, there is much work to do in the next 6 weeks.  Five of us met for 6.5 hours yesterday planning the quilt layout for 201 quilts, an exhibit of Inspired By Gee's Bend quilts that are for sale, and a big Silent Auction.  I've been heavily involved in most of our 14 shows, in charge of 3 of them.  This will be the last I plan to be in charge of.  If you're involved in a volunteer organization, you cannot thank the people who make things happen enough--most members simply have no idea what it takes to pull off an event like this.  By the way, our show will be FABULOUS--it's a not to be missed event in the Southeastern US. Information on our website:   Heritage Quilters of Huntsville.  Here is the raffle quilt--you are not too  late to get tickets:

Celtic Solstice Fanfare  94" x 94" pattern by Bonnie K Hunter, used with permisson

Time to get to that Power Point--let's quilt!

Barbara

Off to Portland

I'm headed to Portland, OR this week to work at the Quilt!Knit!Stitch! show--the summer International Quilt Festival event.  As usual, the days before one of these trips is filled with laundry, lists and making sure I have everything ready to pack.  And checking the weather:  Portland, 80's and dry, home 90's and humid.  Nice time to go to the Pacific Northwest.  If you are in the area, don't miss this show!

Here are the Smitten blocks I have done--I've prepped/packed several of these to hand piece on the plane, if I have enough room to do that.  This pattern is by Lucy Carson Kingwell and I found out about it on an Instagram post of someone doing the Smitten Quilt-Along, #smittenqal

Many people are doing these blocks by English paper piecing: wrapping the fabric around paper pieces and whip-stitching them.  These I've hand and machine pieced, much faster and more accurate for me.

A friend whose blog I follow, Lori of Humble Quilts, is going on a mission trip to Bolivia this fall.  She recently asked her blog followers if they might be willing to make little sundresses/pillowcase dresses she can take with her.  The response was overwhelming:  read her post here.  She gives links to several patterns.  I made these two this week, very fast and easy.  I will be MEETING HER for the first time in Portland--I'm very excited about that, we've been following each other for quite some time now.  She lives in that area so I can put the dresses directly into her hands:

While I was making these dresses, from yardage, not pillowcases, I learned we are doing a similar service project in Houston this Fall.  So I'll make several more when I get home.  It's a great way to use up yardage I am ready to part with. 

I also got my Stars in a Time Warp blocks done for this past week.  We are working with Floral Trails-type prints.  As I was making the small dress above I realized that fabric was a floral trails reproduction so it became the background of one of my blocks:

In Portland I'll be working at our Open Studio demo area on the show floor, demonstrating String/Crumb piecing.  Here are a few samples:

I wrote about the String Swap Block Challenge in this post.  The 8 pointed star is 12" finished and I really like it so I'll be making several of those during the demos.  I also suggest lots of other ways you can use leftover pieces to make great string blocks.  This is a free event, four different sessions are going at the same time, for two hour sessions and people come and go as they please.

In addition, I'll be teaching two sessions at Make It University, again on the show floor.  This is a one hour class that costs $10--for that, the student gets a kit with everything they need to make the project being taught.  Here are my offerings:

Hand Piece the 8 Pointed Star, this is 6" square

Hexie Stars:  English Paper Piece OR Hand Piece, students choose which they want to do

 These events are in addition to my other duties in the Education Office--it's a fun and busy time.  It's also great to reconnect with my Education Team friends who come to help run the show.  Good times!

I may not have time to post this week but I'll take lots of photos for the next time.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara