Friday Finishes - Borders: A Polished Finish. . .

Long time no post :)  Lots of things going on plus a slow internet system have kept me away.  However, my internet challenges (something you can have when you live rural) appear to be over and my posting should become more regular again.  By the way, I've missed posting.

I've been in the throws of developing my Shapes II abstract quilt to teach.  

While creating a second version of the pattern, I realized, once again, how important each step to the quilting process is to the completed product.  As the quilt stands with the center complete it appears flat and unexciting (exciting is important to me :).

However, as I add the first border and close in the pale background the color picks up, although now overly orange.

Adding the final touch by fusing the dark green to the outer portion of two borders brings all the colors and values into balance.  I am happy with the result, a polished finish.  I generally select my quilt borders once the quilt center is complete.  It takes completing the center for the quilt to talk to me and let me know in what direction to head when selecting the border fabric, both its color and pattern, what statement I want to make.  Next time you begin a quilt, even if you have selected your border fabrics prior to beginning, be open to the idea that your completed quilt will want something other than what you originally selected to complete it.

Happy Friday,

Drunkard's Path Block Used for Background. . .

Here is another quilt I designed a few years ago using the Drunkard's Path block that I pulled down from the shelf to put on my Etsy site.  I was given six fabrics and challenged to make a quilt.  The colors inspired me to think of a sunset, hence the Drunkard's Path blocks. 

Because I wanted the blocks to be asymmetrical, each block is individually drafted.  They provide the "sunset" background for my tree.  This was the first (and only) time I had made a Drunkard's Path block until my current project.

I am especially pleased with the applique stitching.  I satin-stitched around the tree and then highlighted the stitching by quilting with a triple stitch.  


Circular blocks add movement to our otherwise square quilts.  What can your imagination do with a Drunkard's Path block?  


Until next time,

Quilting Arts Challenge Update. . .

The results for the finalists for the Quilting Arts challenge were published yesterday.  Unfortunately, my two very lovely pieces were not accepted. :(  Here's a refresher of the two I submitted for consideration.

Bloom

Solar

While I am disappointed, I do find that I am inspired to continue to design and make quilts for future challenges and maybe even a juried quilt show.  I have not done so in my past, but I did enjoy the feeling of purposefulness and the deadline.  You'll have to keep a watch to see what else I can come up with.


Until next time,

Oh, No, Not Again - Abstract Quilt 3rd Design Version

For my followers out there, I apologize if I'm boring you.  I just have to give my most recent abstract quilt design one more go around.

My original drawing was revamped somewhat,  I added a few echoed shapes and broke the rounded segments into more angular parts.  I then deleted the small circular shapes and added rectangular shapes to my narrow band.

Here is my palette.  This quilt is called "My Red Journey."  Placement of the reds will be random, trying to connect into an "intuitive" sense.  However, because I am not sure how well my "intuitive" sense will work, I drew my design onto freezer paper and cut it apart so I can use the pattern segments to audition my fabric choices.  As I will iron Pellon's Shir-Tailor #950F fusible interfacing to the pieces once final fabric decision is made, I decided freezer paper templates would keep me from having to draw fusible interfacing pieces over and over again as I was auditioning.  The black will be the narrow band and echoed shapes.  The rectangular shapes on the black band will be blue.  I have an interesting idea for using gold metallic thread but I'll wait until I get to that point before I share.


When I create a quilt design, I always know it's right for me when I am anxious to make the design more than once to play with different color palettes.  One lesson I have learned with this design is that it is easier to draw points than it is to sew them with this technique.  Of course, after making three quilts, I may be fairly accomplished at points. :)  


Until next time,

Friday Finishes . . . I'm Finished!!!!

Wow, this week was busy and flew by.  Of course, the items on my mind continually were the Quilting Arts Challenge pieces I was trying to complete so I could submit.  Well, I did it!  They were completed and submitted via email last night.  (One went this a.m. as I forgot to wait for the email to upload before shutting computer down.  Silly me, tired me too.)

Here is "Solar" quilted and bound with cording.

And a close-up.  These were the photos uploaded to Quilting Arts.

And here is "Bloom."

And a close-up.  By the way, I decided to submit both quilts feeling that bettered my chances of having one accepted.  And as long as both were done, why not?  With these done and gone (mentally anyways) I can move on to other projects that need attention this weekend.  May your weekend be one of much destressing time as I hope mine will.


Happy Friday,

Weekend Quilt Project. . .

This is my weekend project, completed except the label (which I'm always bad about).  The quilt is called "Ode to Robin."  The idea came to me as I was taking a walk and came across my first robin spotting for the season.  Spring is on its way!

The design began with my background.

I then tried a new technique of painting on fusible web.  This tree was painted on fusible web with acrylic paint and allowed to completely dry.  I used Wonder-Under fusible web.

Once dry, acrylic paint was watered down and painted over the painted tree.  The paint was allowed to dry completely and then ironed onto the background.  When the fusible web had cooled, the paper backing was pulled off and the quilt was repressed to set the fusible into the fabric. 

The tree lines were quilted over with black thread and the majority of the background was quilted with ecru thread.  It feels good to be inspired with an idea and make it come to life.  I am hoping to do more of these exercises in the future to force me to create intuitively and quickly.


Until next time,

Quilting Arts Challenge Quilt "Bloom" hits a snag. . .

True to my desire, I was able to continue work on my "Bloom" challenge piece.

The applique stitching is complete and I began putting it together.  However, I hit a snag.  Do you see it?

The paisley on this petal is upside down.  Out of frustration I decided to put it aside and fix the issue tomorrow.

I have been working on quilting this in addition to working on my challenge quilts.  I completed the hand quilting.

The seed stitch under the leaves is something I have admired in other quilts for a while.  This is the first time I have used it.  It was done with a variegated Perle cotton thread.  Wool thread was used to outline some of the black background segments.  This is a new era in my quilting of adding handwork prior to machine quilting.  I am enjoying it.

The machine quilting may be well under way but I am now at a standstill.  I am not sure what to do with the lower right green section.  The area hasn't spoken to me yet so it will have to sit until an idea comes.  I should have "Bloom" put together tomorrow although I do not have to rush as originally thought.  The submission date isn't until NEXT Friday, March 16 and not this Friday.  Whew, nice break.


Until next time,

Quilting Arts Challenge Quilts Solar and Bloom on schedule. . .

Solar is together and ready for quilting.

The buttonhole stitch was used to join the rays to the blue background.

The free-motion zig-zag stitch was used to join the pink band to the yellow.  Putting "Solar" aside to be quilted later, I began work on the second version of this design, "Bloom."

This version of the design changes what was the blue background to flower petals which will now be in the forefront.

This is the applique detail of the petals,

and here is a close-up of the stitching detail.  I was enjoying my work on this project but had to quit to go to dinner with friends.  I am anxious to get back to it and hope to have more to show tomorrow or Tuesday.  The deadline to have these quilts done is Friday so I will keep you updated as I race to meet it.


Happy week to you,

Quilting Arts Challenge Quilt Continues. . .

The applique on my first version of the challenge quilt has begun and is beginning to come together.

I used my usual favorite free-motion stitch, the zigzag on the green circles, and

on the orange circles, changing to a free-motion straight stitch for the curliques.

Taking a break and backing off the project for a moment gave me the opportunity to see an additional element I needed.  I will applique the orange rays on next and begin putting it all together.  I believe I will call this quilt "Solar."

Until next time,

New Abstract Art Quilt for Submission to Quilting Arts Magazine. . .

A few months ago I doodled this drawing and felt that it would be a quilt to make at some future date.  Well, "Quilting Arts" magazine put out a reader's challenge "From Sketch to Art Quilt" and the future arrived.  Having never submitted any work to a magazine before, I am excited to venture into this arena and see what happens.

Going to my stash, I selected my color palette.  Once selected, the colors allowed me to see a few different possibilities as to how I could use them.  With that in mind, I decided to make two design variations using the same fabrics but mixing them up.  

The process begins by drawing the design onto paper (the original) with a Sharpie, then turning the original over and tracing the pattern in reverse.  The project base layer is then laid over the original and drawn with pencil.  The quilt will be built on this layer.  In the past I have used Swedish Tracing Paper for this layer.  However, I am trying Pellon's Easy Pattern #830, a lightweight nonwoven interfacing,  for this project.  Keep in mind that I am drawing two of everything because I am making two quilts.  I next trace the pattern in reverse onto Pellon's Shir-Tailor #950F fusible interfacing using a Sharpie.  I know it's a bit hard to see, but if you look at both of these photos you will notice that the segments are numbered differently.  This signifies the order of building the segments.  Because I am going for two entirely different looks, both quilts will be built in different ways.

The interfacing is cut apart and fused to the wrong side of the appropriate fabric leaving a minimum of 1" space between pieces.

Once fused, each piece is stay-stitched approximately 1/8" from the interfacing edge.  This defines the outer border of each piece, necessary to know when embellishing the piece front with applique or decorative stitching, and also when building the quilt.

With stay-stitching complete, cut the pieces out leaving 1/2" seam allowance all around.

Here are the prepared pieces for each of the two quilts.  When I complete the quilts, I will ask for your favorite, so keep watching.

Until next time,