Color in Black and White

I had a great time teaching a fun class yesterday:

Queen Size, using 2.5" strips

The Small version, using 1.5" strips

When I began to cut fabric for my large one, it was a joy to dig through my "deep stash" of fat quarter or less pieces. After cutting for one color family, I put those all away and selected the next family. As I was ready to put the second group away, it dawned on me--pulling the fabric was the most time-consuming part--why not cut two different sizes while I had the fabrics out? So, I cut sets in the 2.5" size from the pattern, and 1.5" sets for a smaller version. The smaller version is one-quarter the size of the bed size and I love them both.

Five students brought their wonderful stashes of fabric and spent the day cutting and sewing. I was thrilled to see they enjoyed swapping strips with each other: "would you like a strip of this?" and "this would be perfect for your neutrals". I state clearly swapping is strictly voluntary, absolutely no pressure to give up any of our beloved fabric, but this group was happy to help each other and it was fun to watch.

A few shots for your enjoyment:

Sonia making selections from her stash

One quadrant small vs. one quadrant large

One Small block on top of one Large block--Evelyn worked small, Sonia worked large

Laura's luscious yellow/gold block, her neutrals were a variety of styles

Sonia and Victoria, aqua and blue

3 different students work--all made great blocks

Sonia had no trouble selecting from her large hot pink stash

Casey, a new quilter, went right home to finish, she sent me this photo, what warm, bright yellows

The pattern is in the book Making Quilts by Kathy Doughty--she calls it "Soul Searching"--more like "stash searching". 

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Lots to Do

In less than 10 days I'll be in Houston, TX for Quilt Market and Festival.  It is the highlight of my year and something I look forward to so much.  But there is a LOT to do before I get on that plane.

Today I've been having fun with my Bernina Q20 sit-down longarm machine, free-motion quilting on a small quilt I am taking for our Education Office display:

Just organic wavy lines about 1/4" apart.  In two hours I got half of it done and will finish the other half tomorrow.  This morning I made the binding and the sleeve so I'm on track to get this done on time.  The pattern is from the book Making Quilts by Kathy Doughty, Her pattern is entitlted "Soul Searching". My quilt is titled "Color in Black and White, 2" as it is the baby verison of a full-size quilt I made last year:

"Color in Black and White": Queen Size version at guild quilt show in 2015

While cutting fabrics for the queen-size version, which used 2.5” strips, I also cut 1.5” strips for this baby version. I delved into my “deep stash” to find all the colors I needed.  The baby size is 48" x 44".  I had the queen-size one long-arm quilted but wanted to do the baby by myself.

The other day I posted a photo of Stella's Splendid Sampler quilt hanging on my design wall.  I usually crop everything else out of the photo but didn't this time and there was a lot of interest in my "Lifetime Quilt" in progress.  Today I finished another large block so here are 4 of those on the wall:

I wrote a step-by-step blog on this one a few months ago:  Lifetime Leader/Ender project.  Shown here are four 20" blocks--there are a total of 2048 triangles, 1.25" finished.  I expect to make at least 16 of those 20" blocks, hence the name, My Lifetime Quilt.  I can't die until it's done so I'm sewing slowly!   These blocks are being made as I am working on other projects and start out as 5" blocks of 1.25" finished half square triangles:

This isn't hard.  I just make four, then join four together for a 10" square, then make four 10" squares and join them together for a 20" block.  That's as big as I'm making them right now.  When I have 16 20" blocks, I'll join those together then decide if I need four more.  Right now I can easily take the 20" blocks off the design wall should I need to.

This past weekend our grand-girl Stella made a quick visit here with her folks, my son and his wife.  We loved having her visit.  She makes funny faces on command.  And she got to see her big-girl bed quilt, "Stella's Splendid Sampler", on the design wall.  It's a great "I Spy" quilt--she found the bunny and the cupcake and the house and the dress and...  She'll be back at Christmas when she'll be almost 19 months old.  She even called me "BB" this trip--I was thrilled!!

Also, this week I have to create Supply Lists and send those and class samples and photos of the samples to my local quilt shop, Patches & Stitches, where I teach.  The Winter 2017 schedule will be coming out soon so this all has to be done before I leave town.  One more sample needs a binding--the binding and sleeve are made, now to get them on the quilt.  It's always something...

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

How Does This Happen?

That I have so many projects to work on at once?  Today I was sewing on 3 different projects, one that just has to get done as a class sample, one I need ready in a month, and one was just a Log Cabin leader/ender project.  Three at once, all on or very near my sewing machine--that's crazy!  And I have a bunch of string blocks to make for a swap, deadline is the end of March.  That's next week's project.

The Simple Whatnots Club #2 met last Friday night and 25 of the 30 folks were there to get their patterns and fabric packets.  Boy, did they shop!  We hold the entire Kim Diehl collection back from the shop floor until March 1 so only club members can buy it right now.  They know much of it will be gone by then so they added to their stash now.  We emptied 4 bolts that night.  Today I finished the top for February's class and later this week I'll start on the March project. 

Hen Pecked, 10.5" x 12.5"--those are 1" half square triangles

 

 

Last week I showed the Barn Stars blocks, with a few size alternative options.  Rather than make all these little quilts this time, my plan is to make several of the  various blocks in the quilts, in various sizes and then create a sampler with them.  Of course, I made the entire Hen Pecked but it is pretty little. 

 

Barn Stars 4" and 6" sizes

I'm having fun with Stars in a Time Warp:

 

6" stars--Turkey Red and Prussin Blue

 

I got back to my sample for our guild Quilt-In.  Even though it's in July, the sample has to get done now.   From the first time I saw these blocks on the Internet, in 2011, I've loved them.  The quilt that started this was entered in the 2011 Tokyo Quilt Festival by Setsuko Inawaga.  I have been unable to find a photo of her quilt but the Internet went wild and lots of swap groups popped up.  The block is actually an old Spool Block, Brackman #1970, attributed to Nancy Cabot, 1938.  But done in bright colors, it sure looks Modern!

 

Brights--very fun!

Darks, still fun!

 

 

 



The other day I picked up my quilt, Color in Black and White, from the quilter, Melissa Labella.  She did a great job on it, a real custom job, each color has a different quilting pattern:

 

 

 

Now I have to trim it and add the binding and sleeve.  BUT FIRST, I  have to clean off the cutting table and around my sewing machine--this is a big quilt and it's heavy, there are two layers of batting in it.  And it gets the "Patches" seal of approval, she loves to be in the picture.

 

Time to head out to teach my beginner's class, the second of 3 sessions this winter.  I love teaching beginners and doing my best to get them hooked.  Here is the project they make:

 

Mix N Match Stars, Glad Creations pattern, 48" x 60"

 

 

 It is challenging enough that they really learn something and I am usually successful at my goal of addicting at least one of them totally to quiltmaking.  About half of them do the pieced border and half choose simpler borders.  Whatever they want to do, is fine with me. 

 

Let's quilt!

 

Barbara

 



 

Simple What Nots Club

I am coordinating the Simple What Nots Club at my local quilt shop, Patches & Stitches.  It uses the latest fabric line designed by Kim Diehl for Henry Glass Fabrics.  There are 6 small quilts,  we meet once a month for 6 months and I do lecture/demo explaining tips and tricks for how to make that months' block.  We have a small classroom and it is packed with chairs for the 28 folks who signed up. 

The first quilt is called Laundry Basket and I used my own fabric since the collection had not arrived in time for me to get my first sample done:

Laundry Basket 18" x 18"



The second one I am teaching this week, Sunday Supper.  I added a dark border all the way around as I do not like to have my bindings have to hit perfectly on a sawtooth or pointed border.  It's my quilt, I can do what I want with it:

Sunday Supper 15" x 18"
 

The one I will be teaching in September is my favorite of the group, Idaho Lily.  I hand-appliqued' the stems and leaves but will teach several options for that step.  Those are 1" finished half-square triangles in the borders:


Idaho Lily 27" X 27"

It is always my intention to provide as much helpful information in class as I can so each person feels they are getting their money's worth.  We have a wide range of skill and experience levels in this group and I hope to educate and entertain them all.  I plan to have pictures from our class later this week.

My other fun project is the small version of Color in Black and White, made with 1.5" cut strips:

42" x 36" without borders, which I will probably add

 

I wrote about the BIG version here. At that time I was trying to decide if I'd be adding a border and ultimately, I did.  Here is the finished BIG version, currently hanging at the quilt shop as a class sample:

Color in Black and White, 84" x 88"
 

These are really fun to make and I enjoyed digging through my deep stash to find the best fabrics, saturated colored prints.  And who knew black on white prints could make such a terrific background?

Have a great week and let's quilt!

Barbara

What's New--Class Samples

I'm having fun creating class samples for upcoming quilt classes. 

How about this:

It's called Soul Searching in this book:

by Kathy Doughty of Australia. Her shop is called Material Obsession and she has a fun blog too. 

My title for this quilt is Color in Black and White.  There are 7 more blocks to be made--want to guess the other colors?  It takes time to cut all the fabrics, but the sewing goes fast.   In addition to cutting 2.5" strips for this size, I am cutting 1.5" strips at the same time for a much smaller version.  Digging through boxes of fabrics takes time, might as well make 2 at once.

The other small quilt I made this weekend is this:

Laundry Day Simple What Nots Club #1  20" square

I am doing the Simple What Nots Club by Kim Diehl at our local shop, Patches & Stitches, Huntsville, AL.  The fabric is late in arriving so I finally had to make this sample from my fabrics on hand.  The club will meet one Friday night a month for 6 months, where I will do lecture/demos for each of 6 small quilts.  We have about 20 folks signed up but this will go on display tomorrow so we may get a few more sign-ups.  With such small pieces, it's a great way for both new and experienced quilters to improve their piecing skills.  I will also encourage students to be free in their fabric selections--it is not a club that gives you all the exact fabrics to use, they will get plenty of opportunity to expand their design sense.  It will be fun!

When not sewing this great Fourth of July weekend, my husband and I worked hard in the yard, went out to town to visit some of his family, had great picnic-type food for dinner, including homemade fresh peach ice cream! and enjoyed a lovely weekend all around.  Life is good.

There are several more projects I have to get to but for now I plan to finish the terrific color blocks--this is really an enjoyable project, mainly because I'm revisiting some oldies but goodies in my deep fabric stash!

Linking up with Judy L's Design Wall Monday.

Let's quilt!

Barbara