Tim Holtz Creative Journey

I am pleased to know that my entry in the Tim Holtz Creative Journey block challenge has been selected as one of the 24 winners.  Here is my block:

I started this block by fussy cutting letters from the Eclectic Elements Stamp fabric and piecing them together.  Then I drafted a paper-piecing pattern for the balloon to fit the width of the letters.  I machine stitched the "ropes" holding the gondola, and appliqued a couple of smaller balloons.  The patterns for the smaller balloons were copied from a photograph.  I added the hills using improv curve piecing.

I really like Tim Holtz's fabric, and was excited to enter this challenge.  I used scraps from two quilts -- "Ode to Joy," and my broken star quilt (which is still a WIP).  I even borrowed the idea for the lettering from the Ode to Joy quilt.

When I chose a hot air balloon for this block, I was not intentionally thinking of the "Creative Journey" name of the challenge, but it fits.

My block will be sewn into a quilt with all the other winners, to be shown at the Spring International Quilt Market in Salt Lake City in May 2016.  If you are there, be sure to check it out.  (And I'd love to have photos!)

Double G Picnic

About the time I started my table runner project featuring Melody Miller's Picnic fabrics, we visited some friends for an Independence Day celebration.  Their red, white, and blue gingham place mats inspired a larger quilt featuring the Picnic apple prints:

The quilt construction is very simple, and it came together quickly using strip piecing, with little waste. (UPDATE: I have a tutorial for this quilt here.)

Since the quilt is so simple, I chose a simple quilting scheme as well.  I quilted straight lines a quarter inch on either side of all the seams, and added crossing diagonal lines through the center of the squares.  I marked the diagonal lines with a hera marker.

I considered using only prints from the Picnic line, without seeking too much of a transparency effect, but after playing around with some options in Photoshop, I decided to add in a few different Cotton+Steel prints.  I didn't particularly want to invite the bees to the picnic, but the color seemed just right (even if the highlights are orange and pink instead of red).

For the backing, I used the picnic basket print in blue, with some extra squares from the front.  As you can see, I did not have enough extra squares to get the width I needed, so I had to add on some scraps from another project.

The binding is Picnic Blanket in red:

We took the photos the day after Christmas at my Dad's place.  Here's an outtake:

I'll be linking up with crazy mom quilts for Finish It Up Friday. 

Masquerade and Quiltcon 2016

Earlier this year, I discovered a blog post by Marji Roy at Ashbee Design featuring a canvas art design created using masking tape.  The design is quite striking, and I thought it would make a great quilt block.  I translated the design to fabric, repeated the block in a 3x3 layout, and came up with this quilt:

The quilt came together quickly and easily using strip piecing methods.  The solids are Michael Miller Cotton Couture in Limeade and Malibu.  I had used these solids together in another project to coordinate with some prints, and thought they would work together well on their own.  I didn't realize until after starting the quilt that I had chosen a blue which is the color of painters' tape, so it ties in nicely with the inspiration source -- hence the name "Masquerade."

For quilting, I started with straight lines stitched with a walking foot.  The parallel lines in the outer triangles were done by using the edge of the foot as a guide, and the remaining straight lines were marked with a hera marker.

I then added dense FMQ to fill in the open areas and accentuate the diamond shapes.

I used leftovers to increase the width of my backing fabric:

Now I just need to add a hanging sleeve, so the quilt can hang at Quiltcon 2016 in Pasadena (!!!!!).  I am thrilled that it was accepted.  I've seen some stunning quilts which did not make it into the show, so it is a surprise and an honor to have a quilt there.

(I did submit a couple of quilts which did not make it into the show -- "Ode to Joy" and "Ombre Hombre."  These two were also turned down for Quiltcon 2015, so it was not a big surprise to receive the "Thank you for entering..." emails once again.)

I finished "Masquerade" back in October.  It was fun to photograph with the autumn foliage.

I'm linking up with crazy mom quilts for Finish It Up Friday. 

Fresh Cuts

I've been busy cutting fabrics for several new projects.  The fabrics in the below image are primarily from Sarah Watts' Honeymoon collection; these will be used with Amy Smart's "Modern Buzz Saw" pattern.

Another new project will also use Cotton + Steel fabrics.  The strips in the bottom of this image are for an original design, one that I hope will come together quickly.

The pieces in the center of the photo are the background pieces for the Honeymoon quilt.  The top pieces are for a mini quilt using Amy Barickman's Vintage Made Modern.  I was given a small charm pack of this fabric (22 pieces).  This mini will be a leaders and enders project -- which is why I wanted to cut several projects at a time.

You may have noticed that these projects all have one fabric in common -- Dotties Cousin in natural by Rashida Coleman Hale.  I guess I am on a Cotton + Steel kick.

I'm linking up with Lee for WIP Wednesday.

A Picnic table runner

I made an online purchase of a few small cuts of Melody Miller's Picnic from Cotton + Steel, with a general idea for a table runner and some place mats.   When it arrived, the scale of the prints was not what I anticipated (although I knew to expect surprises).  As a result, I came up with a different plan, featuring the red apples and some fussy-cut picnic baskets.  I paper-pieced strips of 1x2 flying geese to use as sashing.

I quilted straight lines in the setting triangles using a ruler and a new Westalee ruler foot.

For the apples, I used free-motion to outline the design.  I filled in around the flying geese with tight back-and-forth stitching, hoping to avoid ditch stitching around all those little geese.  But I felt it still needed the stitching around them.  I went back and added it with FMQ and red thread (no ruler).

Instead of my usual label, I used the selvages to create a label:

I still want to make some coordinating place mats, but I don't have a design in mind yet.  In the meantime, I've purchased even more of these fabrics with definite plans for a twin-size quilt.

I'm linking up with crazy mom quilts for Finish It Up Friday. 

Fanfare

Our local guild, the Heritage Quilters of Huntsville, held its biennial Fanfare Quilt Show this past weekend.  Here is the view as you enter the hall:

Yes, that is my "Ode to Joy" quilt, front and center! ***Best of Show!!!***

This was quite a surprise!  There was a lot of talent represented in this great show.

I was happy to learn that the judge recognized some of the musical references in the quilt.  I heard that she even sang the tune represented by the music notes for some guild members in a walk-through Thursday night.

I had four quilts in the show, and received a couple of honorable mentions in addition to the award above.

My "New Star Rising" quilt was entered in the "First HQH Fanfare Quilt" category:

"Peach Kaleidoscope" was entered in the "one maker, extra large, pieced" category:

And "Pickled Leftovers" was entered in the "small, pieced" category:

I wish I had a photo of all the folks taking my photo when we arrived Saturday morning.

This was a great experience, and I appreciate all the hard work by our guild members in putting together this show.

Some gifts

Just before heading off for her freshman year of college in August, my daughter asked me to make her a pillowcase.  Of course I agreed, and figured it would be pretty simple -- but it soon became clear that what she wanted was a pillow sham instead of a pillowcase.

I had used this tutorial before, so it seemed a good choice this time.  I made a couple of modifications, re-sizing it to fit a standard pillow, and quilting the front panel.  Using a quilted front makes a few of the steps trickier, but otherwise it worked out OK.

I quilted the front by following the printed design, then filling in the background with pebbles.

The quilting doesn't show very well in the front photo, so here's a shot from the back (inside?):

And here is the actual back of the sham:

Getting good miters was difficult with the thickness of the batting getting in the way.  The corners are not perfect, but they are not bad either:

Her roommate had bought matching bedspreads for their dorm; the only color reference I had was an online photo from the store.  When I delivered the sham, I could see that the colors in these Amy Butler 'Bright Heart' fabrics are actually pretty close to the bedspread in hue, but noticeably brighter.  Still, it looks good in her room.

I made her a regular pillowcase too, using Dotties Cousin from Cotton+Steel and a Medium Pearlized Spot from Robert Kaufma, along with a bit of Bright Heart trim.

I enjoyed working with the bright Amy Butler fabrics.  I think someone should try out a mash-up of Bright Heart with Anna Maria Horner's Loominous, and maybe even throw in a few fabrics from Jennifer Paganelli's Caravelle Arcade (but not me -- I've got enough projects in the queue!).

I also completed another wall hanging based on our church logo.  This time I used prints, and quilted with straight lines, which gives it quite a different look:

Both gifts have been delivered to their recipients.  Yay!

I'm linking up with crazy mom quilts for Finish It Up Friday.