Drama Queen and Recent Musings

Drama Queen with all of the 

bright on black blocks on the design wall.

Drama Queen with ALL of her blocks on the design wall.

I'll let this arrangement sit for a day or so  

as I make sure there aren't any  adjacent blocks 

with the same upper or lower edges touching.

Then it will be time to web the top together.

Since January when Ann issued the

current AHIQ challenge with appliquéd tulips, 

I've been thinking a lot about the fact 

that I have categorically refused to learn

how to properly hand appliqué.

(I do have arthritis in my right thumb joint

but if I'm careful I can manage limited amounts 

of hand work, just not for hours on end)

I'm tired of not having that tool in my skill set

and, in all fairness to myself, I need/want to learn.

Even though I seriously doubt I'll ever adopt

hand appliqué as my method of choice,

at least I won't automatically run for the door

 when hand appliqué is mentioned. 

To that end, I have signed up for Irene Blanck's 

Matilda class during the upcoming

virtual Vermont Quilt Festival.

(that's her Matilda quilt above)

My goal is to complete one flower grouping

before I decide whether or not to make more.

I will also be watching and possibly playing along 

with Jo Avery's upcoming quilt along.

Her Bedding Plants design includes

machine piecing, foundation piecing,

curved piecing, and hand appliqué.

I am not planning to make the whole quilt

but I do want to play with parts of it.

Along this same line of thinking about

major techniques that are missing from my toolbox . . .

I have developed a strong dislike of paper piecing

stemming from one of my earliest LQS classes.

When I took the virtual Ricky Tims Quilt Luminarium,

I learned that he uses a product called Stable Soft.

(the paper part dissolves in water 

and only the very thin webbing remains behind,

leaving the quilt soft and supple

with NO paper tearing/removal issues)

I have a package of Stable Soft now

so I'm going to test it in June during a live online class

with Sarah Bond called Coming Full Circle.

(samples of one block from the class above)

I'll let you know how it goes.

Finally, for those of you who have been 

getting my posts in your email Inboxes,

I'm testing out the new Bloglovin widget 

as a possible alternative for the Feedburner widget 

that is going to cease working soon.

To help me test this new widget

(look at the top of the sidebar)

I hope you'll subscribe AND then

let me know how it works for you.

Thanks!

Quiltdivajulie

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“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.”

Georgia O’Keefe

Update on Challenge Quilt Effort

The 2018 Davies Manor Quilt Challenge 

is called Panelmania.

The challenge is to start with a panel

and make it into a quilt.

Sounds simple -- 

but I'm here to tell you that it has not been simple at all.

Step One for me was to cut the panel apart.

Sheesh - you'd think all the squares would be sized the same.

Nope.

There was as much as .5" difference due to fabric distortion

from being rolled on the bolt.

Step two was to play with all of the extra companion fabrics

to come up with a scrappy backing.

I like it but that center vertical didn't play the way I'd hoped.

This feels better.

In the end, I want this to be a quilt that I LIKE and will USE.

Here is the sketch that I finally came up with for the front.

A few things have already changed,

but that is pretty normal . . .

The challenge  also includes the statement

that borders are supposed to be "pieced and appliquéd."

I don't do much appliqué 

so that took a bit of puzzling and pondering.

I think Gwen's and Freddy's bias strips will do nicely.  

Those gray strips at the top and bottom 

are now out of the running.

I'll use the two-part blue/pink on all four sides.

* * *

My cold morphed into a sinus infection 

so I'm still moving pretty slowly,

but at least I mostly know where I want to go with this.

The turn-in date is October 30-31 so

 there's plenty of time to piece the front and back

and quilt my entry before then.

Quiltdivajulie

The Spotted Winkel - A Finished Quilt

The Spotted Winkel is finished!

Created in response to 

a joint challenge with Lynne

that we each make a quilt inspired 

by our grandchild's Winkel toy

AND

in response to the current 

AHIQ challenge "Playing With Scale."

(you can see Lynne's Sparkling Winkel quilt HERE)

These photos were taken late one afternoon

when the heat index was over 100 degrees.

The bright sun was just too strong (and hot)

so these were taken in the deep shade of our large trees.

Here you can see all three of the background fabrics

along with one of the large liberated string pieced circles.

This large multi-segmented circle was created

using Sujata Shah's Pinwheel Peppermints block

(from her book Cultural Fusion Quilts)

but trimmed into this circle 

using a pizza pan for a template.

This block was pieced using the 

out-of-print Fickle Pickle block

minus the outer "shoulder" sections 

since I wanted a circular shape.

The giant wedge half-circles were created 

using instructions in Christina Cameli's 

recent Wedge Quilt Workshop book.

The large circle in the upper right of this photo

was pieced using another set of Sujata's

Peppermint Pinwheel pieces trimmed round 

using a dinner plate template.

(this photo also shows the three different 

background fabrics from a different angle)

I planned to bind the quilt with a black and white 

multi-sized stripe . . . but since the quilt's central idea

involved circles, that stripe felt all wrong.

Instead I used this orange with blue polka dots.

I fell in love with this backing fabric the moment I saw it.

The black and white dots mixed 

with the plentiful and colorful flowers

were just too good to pass by.

(Brooke from Studio 8 for Quilting Treasures)

I stitched one of my larger printed labels

onto the backing fabric BEFORE 

the layers were pin basted so

it would be quilted right into the quilt.

Quilted using my liberated 

free motion Woodgrain design

in Nickel (Glide) thread. 

And here is the finished quilt resting on the grass.

49" wide by 71" long

Truly a one-of-a-kind fun-filled quilt 

with plenty of personality!

* * *

If you want to read the previous posts for this project

just click on The Spotted Winkel label at the end of this post.

* * *

Sharing this finish on the new AHIQ group blog,

the Cultural Fusion Quilts group blog,

and The String Thing Along group blog.

Quiltdivajulie

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"When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Challenge for the New Year

A week or so ago, one of our town's oldest 

family-owned high-end furniture stores completed their downsizing.

They moved many (!) of their sample books to the new location,

but there was a HUGE pile of trim and fabric sample books destined for the dumpster.

I rescued a car-load and brought them home.

(DH has been such a good sport about all this . . . )

As you can see, DH and I have removed the pieces from their books.

(great project while watching television)

Now ~ for the challenge part.

There are a LOT of inventive, artistic, creative people out there in blogland,

and I would be delighted to share some of this bounty with you.

(feel free to share with your altered-arty and scrap booking friends)

Most of these trims were priced at $15/yard up to $300/yard ~

the threads are silky and lustrous.

(perhaps taken apart and mixed with Angelina fibers?)

And turning this into a swap sounds like fun  ~

I'll mail you a squishie full of trims

 (and fabric - see below)

and you mail me a squishie of batik, Kaffe and/or blender fabrics ~

strings, squares over 2.5", etc.

(no selvages, solids or novelty fabrics, please)

This photo shows the back side of several pieces.

All of the trims had been glued into their books ~ most pulled free with no paper.

(although there are a few like the ones above)

Most of the trims do have some glue residue on the back side ~

but, depending on how you use them, this should not be a problem.

There is also this large batch (maybe 20 or so pages like the ones shown above).

We removed the plastic coverings, but left these trims on their paper backing.

* * * 

Along with the trim sample books,

I rescued 15 or so fabric sample books.

(cottons and silks along with some gorgeous linen/wool/rayon blend pieces)

DH used his band saw and cut the headers/covers off the books,

so the fabrics are now loose and easily accessible.

taken before laundering

I trimmed and stitched this group of Laura Ashley cottons

so I could toss it in the washer/dryer to see how the fabric behaves.

(it did fine, a bit wrinkled but then the quilting is pretty far apart)

* * *

So, if you would like to play along,

please leave me a comment that includes your e-mail address.

Once I see how many are interested, 

I'll figure out how many ways the bounty can be divided 

and still have enough variety to be useful.

* * *

I've made several gift tags already.

I also have some greeting card ideas.

(birthday or anniversary or just because)

For you postcard makers, there are lots of interesting textures . . .

There are also a few Priority Quilt ideas forming.

* * *

What ideas do you see?

Table runners?  Pillows? 

Table toppers?  Mug rugs?

Tote bags?  Purses?  Patchwork vests?

C'mon ~ let's see what we can create!

Note added 12/31/11:

The fabrics and trims have now gone to 

Pennsylvania, Washington (state), Alabama,

California and New Mexico.

THIS CHALLENGE IS NOW CLOSED.

Quiltdivajulie

Monday Musings

This 6-1/2" siggie block is for Victoria (Bumble Beans).

This 9" crazy-patch block is for Nancy (Blogging. Near Philadelphia)

(Cows in the Meadow ~

complete with big cows and little cows,

green grass, blue skies,

and lots of conversations).

Both are headed out in the mail today!

* * * 

I also spent part of Sunday cleaning out my car,

washing the windows inside,

vacuuming away the dirt and debris of the last several months,

and finally washing the car itself.

Unfortunately, I also rolled my ankle and landed, 

most unceremoniously, on the driveway.

My left ankle is very tender, the right elbow is bruised,

 and the left thumb joint is stiff and sore.

It could have been so much worse.

* * * 

After dinner, DH and I drove downtown to

see the historic flooding of the Mississippi River first hand.

As DH drove across the "M" bridge (I-40) to Arkansas

and then back to Memphis via the "old" bridge (I-55),

I had the camera pointed out the open window,

snapping photos as fast as the shutter would respond.

All I can say is photos do NOT capture the scale of the scenes.

The enormous width and vast quantity of swiftly moving water

is breathtaking, amazing, and almost beyond comprehension.

That is until you look at the flood wall, the sand bags,

and the raised road beds installed for evacuation . . .

Once back on the TN side of the river, we drove onto the island where DS and wife live.

Police everywhere making sure the cars kept moving ~

DH let me out of the car to take photos while he continued down a few blocks 

and circled back to get me.

I was standing on the newly-installed  elevated road bed

(a special mixture of clay, sand, crushed rock, and ?)

looking towards the commercial part of Harbor Town.

Standing in the same spot,

facing the river

(that's the new bridge in the background).

The police tape says it all.

Normally this view would include a sidewalk, lots of green grass,

and another sidewalk close to the riverbank.

Now all of that is totally underwater.

I've uploaded the other photos I took to Picasa.

If you want to see more views

(roads that abruptly disappear into the water,

the skyline with the southern part of the island under water,

and others that attempt to show the vastness of the swollen river)

please click here.

The river is expected to crest on Wednesday . . .

Quiltdivajulie

Finally Friday!

The Saffron Tower (near the entrance)

stands 27 feet tall.  

Designed with neon tubing,

we could only imagine how it would look

when lighted during the evening events!

This is a photo of the Fiori

(only the lower portion was shown earlier).

The colors were even more dynamic

with the intense sunshine glistening on the glass.

This view offers some sense of scale ~

taken from the outer edge of the reflecting pool

looking back towards the first pond

with the walla wallas.

To browse the full photo album,

first get your cup of coffee/mug of tea

and click here.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

These are the contents of the box I shared yesterday ~

"The Best of Mary Lou" by Benartex

will be released in 2011 . . .

I've been busily designing and stitching

a sample quilt with these beauties

each evening this week after work.

The goal is to have photos of the finished flimsy

very soon since it has to fly back to Mary Lou asap

for quilting/binding so it can be displayed

at this fall's Houston show.

What fun to play with these colors!!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And look what I got for my birthday

when the kids came to celebrate Sunday evening!

This book has been on my wish list for months

and the timing of its gifting was absolutely perfect

(especially since they didn't know we were

going to Nashville to see his exhibits!)

I'll post again as soon as I have a flimsy to share . . .

Quiltdivajulie

What a Morning It Was

DH's car has gone to the repair shop.

He was supposed to be in the next state over

to lead a two-day training session by 8 am.

When he prepared to back out of our garage at 5:45 a.m.,

his car adamantly refused to shift out of park.

Finally, after a trip to the airport rental car places 

(no cars to be had at 6:45 a.m. ~ "busiest day of the week"),

multiple (!) phone calls 

(it's a company car),

and waiting until the suburban rental places opened at 8 a.m.,

the folks from Enterprise picked him up at our house

in a shiny black PT Cruiser.

He eventually made to the training site

(late morning)

while I waited at home for the tow truck to arrive

(shortly after 10 a.m.)

before heading to work.

While I waited, I cut these segments

(180 squares, 80 lg./160 sm. green rectangles, and 80 cream rectangles)

from my previously cut Summertime strips.

And I decided on my "inspiration" quilts

for the Liberated Amish 2 challenge.

(more on this later)

Thank goodness for cell phones!

Quiltdivajulie