A Good Quilt - That "Finished!" feeling...



"Log Cabin for a Friend"

 One of the best days a quilter has is always the day the quilt is finally finished. It's a day for pictures (for posterity mainly, but also to jog the aging memory down the road!), and also for reflection.

To that end, I'll post several pictures, and share a bit of my thought and work process on this quilt. It started as a means of using up some scraps, and a bit of a guilty feeling that I have not used some new tools bought at last year's Quilt Festival.  I also wanted to make a longtime personal and family friend, who's visited with us in the fall.

I've always wanted to do a log cabin based quilt, and My new year's resolution this year was to hone some skills and try to make a dent in the huge collection of scraps from years gone by and that regretful purchase some years back of a defunct long arm business' scraps (what  a mess - and another story).

A friend staying with us began the genesis of the desire to make a quilt for a gentleman... and so it began. He was allowed color choices, and he favors blue and tan/browns. And, since I like Reds, the red in the cabin centers and borders were a must. Let the quilt begin!

I used Marti Michell's Log Cabin Ruler and highly recommend it. Her book, Log Cabin ABC's was my source for technique. The "logs" are 1" which required 1-1/2 inch strips. Cut lengthwise, and cut to fit. This meticulous method really results in a flat, straight quilt. This sort of thing appeals to my occasional need for precision and control...something which I'm sure I must have inherited from my father - a meticulous Sign Painter. You haven't see precision until you've watch someone hand paint and gold leaf a name on a door... that today would rival something laser cut! I also think I was looking for a bit of control during a time of a bit of personal chaos... a quilt with lots of small pieces, requiring precision seemed just the Rx for the times.



The Quilting Begins



The piecing, 48 squares, with 15 strips each resulted in 720 pieces. Starting before Christmas, it took almost a month of evenings to piece, I originally was working towards at least 64 (8x8) blocks, but the routine nature of the project wore me out... and I decided on a timeless quilter's solution  - the replacement of  another round of blocks with a nice large border - the better to frame those lovely blocks - right!?



Several AAQG Workshops in this spring inspired my finishing: A Day long workshop with  Sharon Schamber got me thinking about how to add quilted feathers to the quilting design. I went into her workshop thinking to do a feathered border, and simply walking foot the blocks. Surprisingly, I came out of the workshop inspired to do something completely different: The blocks are quilted in free motion feathers, with the border done in an all over grid. Only the spines of the feathers were marked, with the feathers themselves entirely freehanded. The strips are used as a guide for each. It went fairly quickly. The grid posed other problems though. I decided to bury threads, and spent almost as much time hiding those ends as it took to do all the quilting! Next time I will do as Sharon advised, and just get it over during the quilting rather than waiting til the end.

Corner Detail

I was very happy with how easy the quilting went though, and how great it turned out. My Viking MegaQuilter performed perfectly.  I am soo happy with this machine as my go to quilter. Yes, I miss "red" my 1929's Singer 31-15, but she was just too temperamental to continue using. What is sad is that Viking had discontinued production of this model. I hope they aren't deserting the quilting machine market. Perhaps they'll just replace it with something better!



Finishing the Binding off with Piping and Blanket Stitch!



A workshop with Susan Cleveland on her great finishing techniques resulted in a tiny blue piped edge and a really, REALLY nice binding. I also used one of Sharon Schambers tricks: the use of  Elmer's WASHABLE School Glue to temporarily hold the binding in place on the back while I used a decorative blanket stitch on the front using my Designer Diamond. Using a tiny bead of glue and ironing the binding to the back provides  much better hold than using pins. It's virtually impossible to keep thing straight. Every time you pull a pin out, you get a tiny wobble... The "edge joining foot" kept everything in the right place as I sewed a blanket stitch from the front.  How's it look?

I decided to back the quilt with some appropriate odds and ends from my stash, with the musical fabric by Alexander Henry and the cherry prints "Life's a Bowl...." a nice bit of symbolism for my friend who loves music and life! My longtime friend, Russ Barnes will get his quilt AFTER I do the July AAQG July Show and Tell!

Back side of "Log Cabin for a Friend"

Label - A spare block, Machine Embroidered.

Feather Quilting Detail: Back

There must be a joke for quilter's about

 the "Two Best Days"... and one of them certainly is the day you finish a quilt... I'll think the other day is the day you see it hangin' in Houston. I'm happy to know both those feelings!   - Karen

Learning a "New" Thing or Two: Cotton Theory and a Good Teacher

I had the great pleasure to attend Austin Area Quilt Guild's "Gift of Quilting" workshops on Friday evening. Unfortunately, I only was able to extricate myself from a single day's work to attend. This wonderful two day event is put on every other year - in between "Show" years. The idea is to provide member-taught workshops, as a reward to volunteers (and members) who work so hard to make the biennial Quilt Show happen.

The workshop I signed up for was a 3 hour reversible quilted Table Topper, made using the Cotton Theory technique. Offered by veteran sewing and quilting teacher Nancy Voegele, I was hoping to not only pick some new quilting skills, but also to see an expert in action.  I was not dissapointed.
Here's my finished piece:

Table Topper: Dinner "Side"

Table Topper: "Breakfast" Side

The project entailed creating a reversible table quilt, the completed size is 15" x 26.5" wide. The technique is very unusual. The individual patchwork pieces are layered, front to back with quilting in between, then quilted, and combined in a most unusual way. Entire quilts can be constructed in this way, with the quilting done in concert with the piecing - eliminating the need to layer and piece the entire quilt - a difficult prospect for many quilters.

So, if you are having difficulty quilting a large quilt, this may be a great way to complete a quilt with just any resonably good quality Sewing Machine.

Another fun aspect to the technique is that it allows you the fun of using those often ignored decorative stitches to provide further embellishment as part of the assembly technique. I used several of the mock "hand embroidery" stitches in the construction process. I also used some of my new found piping skills (from my workshop in March with Susan Cleveland ) to add a small corded piping edgeing to the binding, To further gild the rose, I embellished the binding with a varigated blanket stitch...

 I am VERY happy with the way "DD" performed in this somewhat tricky maneuver.  I used the "blind hem" foot - which rode smoothly over the uneven piped edge with ease. The piping foot handled that chore wonderfully too!  If you've always wondered what those special feet can do for you, this project provided me with pretty compelling proof that the foot makes the difference in stitch quality. Here's a close up of those embellishments:

Decorative Stitch and Quilting Detail

Piped edge and blanket stitched binding - how about those corners?!

I give a big thumbs up to teacher Nancy Voegele, who really kept the class moving along (inspite of one totally unprepared student!). She handled the situation with grace and actually had at least one finished, ready to bind quilt done by a student. I had to add the final two parts to mine - so felt like I really did well in class.  Nancy teaches at a number of locations around Austin, including that cool new hip sewing lounge, Stitch Lab.

I was REALLY happy to have a completed project today - I am so close on several projects, including one full size quilt - stay tuned for an update as they get finished!

- Keep on Quilting...
- Karen

It's Fashion Week...

http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/

A wonderful Blog... scroll down a bit to see the bit about Bill Cunningham. I've gotta get that documentary!  Fashion - it's something we live with, and see every day.

"We're all blank canvases when we get up in the morning and we paint ourselves."

"Fashion is the armour, to survive the reality of everyday life..."

An interesting view of the world far from the those of us out here in the "hinterlands"...

Winter Day Piecing

It's one of those days. Even in Austin we will see some dreary, cold (er, well cool - in the 50's!), cloudy and wet days - now the third in as many days. And, to really improve upon the mood, a cold - the sort that makes one want to stay in bed, pull the covers up, and hope for a better day tomorrow.

But, I get up anyway, and start the day with a good breakfast, mainly to spend a few civil minutes with my partner - though we quickly part into our own methods of dealing with the depressive weather and lingering congestion and coughs. He to make a pot of some sort of simmering stew, me to work on some mindless piecing.



A few months back I embarked on cutting up the last of several large bags (giant garbage bag size) of scraps into 1-1/2 inch strips. The idea was to make up a nice basket of scraps to use in the creation of truly scrappy versions of "Trash to Treasure Pineapple  Quilt" blocks. This block design, by Gyleen Fitzgerald (Gyleen's Colourful Stitches Web Site) is a great way to use up those pesky 4" of so strips of fabric left over from finished tops. Gyleen designed a great ruler to make the task go fast, and has a nice book that get's right to the point - with clear illustrations and inspiration!

I still had a good quantity of these strips left over from my purchase some years ago of a going-out-of-business long arm quilter's scrap bags and fabrics.  So it was easy to convert it all to 1-1/2 inch strips for pineapple blocks!

So, the day is going well... I'm taking a break to share my method for coping with a dreary winter day off...



The cockpit - stocked for a rainy day sew-in...



Here's the cockpit - (yes, that Is a NEW machine at the dashboard - the Topaz got traded up to a Designer Diamond!), the basket of scraps it at my feet, with a nice cutting area to the left for trims.  While it may look crowded, there's plenty of room for work, with both the table the machine rests on and the table to the right covered with cutting board mats. The serger fits perfectly to my right when I need it, or I can set up an ironing station there temporarily. Today I was to lazy for that, so am using the big board, which is against the window to my back...



"Necessaries" for optimum creative results!



To the right - other necessities! Chocolate, hot tea, and completed blocks for inspiration.  Not pictured: a small space heater to chase away chills... my sewing room faces south, but my windows are the best in the house, and it always seems drafty in the cold weather!

Pile O' Scraps!

Note the basket of scraps...

So, I'm set for a good day of piecing. Hope you get some sewing fun in today!

Keep WARM!

- Karen

One UFO Down! Working the "List"...and those "Resolutions"...

How many of us have a list of Unfinished Quilts (also known as UFO's  unfinished objects)? 
Each year, I find myself reviewing my UFO list, with mixed emotions...

The feeling of satisfaction is so very great as I strike a finish project off the list - not only finished, but gifted to the recipient. This time, My oldest niece, Ginger, received her quilt, the first, (I hope) of one for each of my 7 nieces and nephews. I felt like I really needed to make a quilt at least for family members... and so embarked on working on these quilts. She was thrilled, and, I'm sure had forgotten my question to her long ago... "What is your favorite color?".

Lavender Dance - DONE!

The answer, "purple" resulted in "Lavender Dance" a swirl of purple scraps that turned out quite nice, if I do say so myself! I showed it at the Fall 2010 quilt show in Austin, and if sure looked great on the wall... h

However - reviewing that list always causes me to look at all those yet to be finished, and inevitably to add new quilts to the list!

I keep the list handy, in my datebook, which, though in writing, is fairly well hidden at the back of the book... I decided to move it forward, placing it at the front... the better to see it each time i use the date book.
I've found that, since I'm no longer involved in managing a business, with crucial deadlines, I have not been using the book daily - something I resign to get back to this year - so let's see if 2011 can be the year I get more quilts done.

Next up for Hand Quilting: "Kodachrome Dresden"

Here's a peek at a project that is one of my earliest piecing projects - something I've really been wanting to hand quilt - which will mean the big frame will need to find living space in the house... more on that later!  (Sorry about that photo... I'll try to spiff that up... ). Working title is "Kodachrome Dresden", the fabrics are all colorful tiny calicos - those lovely prints from the 80's that are getting pretty hard to find. Each "plate" has colors arranged a la color wheel... I plan to quilt a coordinating "plate" across the 1 inch sashing in between each plate...and, while there was a lot of machine work here, the plates were hand appliqued into place! I remember I was quite proud of myself when I finished the top. It will hand quilt easily with so few seams.

On the machine now, is the blue and tan log cabin- basted and ready for quilting for R. Barnes!

2011 is sure to be a busy quilting year - Here's hoping you too have a "Pieceful" 2011...

- Karen

Small Business Saturday

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2010

I  don't know if you've heard of this yet... but I think it 's a GREAT idea, and today I plan to stop by one of my favorite local quilt shops to do my part...

I believe that if everyone started devoting a larger portion of their normal shop shopping budget away from the big boxes to a local shop, we'd all be soooo much better off! 

See you at The Quilt Store, Honey Bee, or Ginger's Needlework in Austin today - I'm not sure if I'll make them all, but I'll give it a good try! 

For more details:

http://smallbusinesssaturday.com/

Here's the scoop:

The day after Black Friday will now be known as Small Business Saturday, where the focus will be on Christmas shopping at small businesses all over the country. Small businesses, especially in this part of the country are very important to our local economy. In fact, small businesses are the backbone of the entire country’s economy. The mom and pop stores across the nation account for over 70 percent of merchants and retailers. Spread the idea of seeking out and supporting our favorite independent shops this weekend!

Here's What Happens When You Shop Local

You keep dollars in our economy.  (a retail study explained that if even half of the employed population spent a mere $50 a month each, at any 3 independently-owned stores - instead of at the big box/chain stores, this economy would turn around in the blink of an eye!     AND ... You can save a business from closing!  (this same study further explained that if you spend minimum $12.00 a week at each of 3 favorite independently-owned retailers, those 3 businesses would be saved from closing.)

1. You embrace what makes us unique.
2. You create local jobs.
3. You help the environment.  (buying from a local business conserves energy and resources in the form of less fuel for transportation and less packaging)
4. You nurture community.  (studies have shown that local businesses donate to community causes at more than twice the rate of chains)
5. You conserve your tax dollars.  (These taxes go to building our infrastructure, salaries, education and funding police and fire departments.
6. You create more choice. (your local business picks the items we sell based on what we know you like and want.)
7. You take advantage of our expertise. (we're passionate about what we do. Why not take advantage of it?)
8. You invest in entrepreneurship (creativity and entrepreneurship are what the American economy is founded upon)
9. You make a destination. (the more interesting and unique we are as a community, the more we will attract new neighbors, visitors and guests - this benefits everyone)

Another Quilt Festival...2010

Well, I haven't anything to say for myself as a blogger. While I've been busy with many projects (including "quilty" ones), I've definitely NOT been keeping up with my blog - so here goes...

A Baby Quilt EVERY Month...

I continue to work on charity baby quilts for the guild... my ever-favorite pattern for these quilts is still the "Super Sized Nine Patch" pattern by Anita Grossman Soloman... nothing is simpler! Two cuts (and trim) on three yards of fabric results in three lovely 42" baby quilts. Of late, I've taken to putting them together "pillowcase" style - top and backing placed right sides together with the Warm and Natural Batting on the bottom. I trim and sew almost all around the edge, leaving about 6-8 inches open and turn it inside out. The opening is sewn closed with machine stitching. The result is a neat edge that needs no binding! I use my sewing machine's (Husqvarna Viking Topaz 30) decorative stitches to sew a "faux" decorative "binding" around the edge, and quickly quilt with an  all over pattern. These little quilts can be put together in just a couple of hours, and are WONDERFUL PRACTICE for your free motion quilting!

Here's a link to download this little pattern... it deserves to be in every quiltmaker's  quick quilt projects "bag of tricks"!

http://www.quiltmaker.com/patterns/details.html?idx=184

Another QUILT FESTIVAL - Houston 2010

Yes, another fall means it's time to soak up the biggest quilt show in the world - or at least in the US... The International Quilt Festival occurs at the end of each October - this week for the first time AFTER Halloween, so no quilters were dressed in Halloween finery - which, in past years adds to the creative interest. As always, there is so very much creative energy, so much to look at, so many colors, one almost get's "overdosed" with it all. With over a thousand quilts to see... it results in a rewarding but tiring day. This year I was accompanied by my good friend Writer Russ Barnes, who is exploring Quilting from his perspective as an active board member of the American Creativity Association. Look for more info with links to his work on this subject in the future.

This time, just a day trip, so my pictures of the event were limited, but, I was lucky enough to see Sharon Schamber standing in front of her unprecedented THIRD "Best in Show" winning quilt. Titled "Mystique"... the stunning work, while quilted on a long arm machine, exhibited a stunning amount of hand work, with tiny bias cording tubes arranged lace like to hold the sectioned, medallioned quilt together. The applique work was soooo fine! visit the http://www.quilts.com/ web site to see the professional pictures.

Here's my favorite of Sharon turning the quilt back forward for us to take a peek - of course the back was almost as exciting as the front!

Here's Russ in front of what was a pieced and appliqued work.

And my personal favorite, a work of whimsy (and PERFECT appliqued circles) by Becky Goldsmith. It won a Judges Choice award!

Again - visit the Quilts Inc website: http://www.quilts.com/ for really great pictres of the winners!

- Until next time  - Karen Alexander, Austin, Tx

Sewing the Dog Days Away...

I thought I'd write eloquently about the difficulty of getting through those last hot days of the summer..but someone else has beaten me to it quite well. Almost no one (IMHO) writes of American life these days as well as Garrison Keillor. heres a GREAT Link for you: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2010/08/12.shtml

I love that beginning - "the heat rising up like a wild creature"... it does almost seem alive, and it certainly gets your attention. Causes me to step faster getting through a hot parking lot to the workplace. Makes me turn on the fan in the sewing room - even though I'm in the relative cool of the air conditioning. Don't know what's worse, trying to stay cool enough, but not so cool as to feel the angst generated by worry about that every higher electric bill that comes at the end of August!

Unlike Garrison's thunderstorms in Minnesota, we are past the unusually wet and somewhat milder weather we enjoyed in June and early July and are into the throws of  the great Texas summer "bake off". Unrelenting sun and heat - 100 degrees or highter with no relief in sight. An afternoon shower is now pretty rare - generally the result of some tropical activity at the Gulf shore that really never quite get's to us. And any rain just magnifies the oppression with stifling humidity. Thought processes slow. Cooking no longer has any appeal. Clothing is indeed pretty optional... the less the better!

Like Garrison, we await with impatience that first hint that a break in the heat will arrive... At least we do have the benefit of air conditioning!
I really have machines to work on, and a quilt to finish up in time for the Austin Show... but staying on target is just so difficult. I've cut back on my hours at work by stepping out of the Manager position to try to refocus on my quilting and vintage machine work... but focus seems illusive at this time of year.

I think just getting in front of the machine and doing ANYTHING is a creative and productive strategy that I'll try to stick with.

On a lighter and more quilty note... I am still continuing my first time ever membership in a Block of the Month activity... Gyleen Fitzgerald's "Canal Street Tiles" group project. I finished blocks three and four this week:

I think they came out nicely, and will continue with these, although 5 and 6 won't get tackled until my Show quilt is finished... I have one month to finish it up! Come on cool weather!

- Karen

A New Life for an Old Girl...

My latest fun project has been the restoration of a Singer model 15 Treadle Sewing Machine. With Tiffany Decals, this old girl has some real class. Her commission date gives her a "birthday" of February 13, 1914. So, she is just a few years shy of 100.

She has a lovely new home in my 4 drawer Victorian Singer Cabinet. I bought the cabinet many years ago (at least 25), and it became something of an inspiration. I acquired it initially strictly because of it's looks, restored it to learn something about preserving these lovely old oak pieces, and eventually started learning about these old machines. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was dragging home other old Singer machines and restoring them to working condition. The cabinet originally came with a terribly hard worn "Sphinx" Decaled Model 27. I looked  high and low for suitable replacement, but never really found one that I liked. Early on, I knew I wanted to return the treadle to working condition - with a period machine. The find of the Tiffany was fortuitous, as a collector show. It had grubby plates, and was a bit dirty, but seemed to show good potential, with a good bit of it's decals still extant, and wear not beyond the realm of further use. It did not have suitable plates for the rear and side, so after further search last year, a good set in a period design were found.

Last week I finally got the restored head up and running. With a new belt, she purrs along, and I pulled out the purple "Texas Two Step" quilt I've been working on to give it a go. It will take some use and practice to get smooth at using the treadle... it takes some getting used to! A bit like patting your head and rubbing your stomach in terms of the coordination needed to pedal with your feet and guide with your hands. The right hand has to stand at the ready to help stop the machine, I never did get the hang of that manuever.

The purple top is one I've been working on off and on now for two years. I've only worked on it at Mom's house, using her mother's model 66 treadle, which I also returned to good working order. I want to at least have a top that I can say I produced by "foot power". I'm thinking it would be fun to demonstrate the treadle at some fairs or such.... hmmm?  Enjoy the photos.

Waiting for Snow...

The forecast today calls for a 60% chance of Snow... indeed a true "chance" occurence here where snow is a true novelty.  The clouds of the morning however seem to be lifting a bit, and we have reports of snow SOUTH of us... so, we may miss it. Here's a nice picture of the fall leaves from the studio a few days ago... The leaves have all but fallen now, but the light was gorgeous that day, shining through the brilliant remains of fall. It is an Eastern Gum, and despite the terrible heat and drought of summer did put on a nice "show"...

But with the morning off, it was time to start on cutting those charms for an upcomind workshop with Gyleen Fitzgerald. Called Humble Tumbler, we'll learn to make a simple, small charm quilt, choosing two expanded "colorways". What else could I have picked but red and green! My collection of Christmas fabrics (and red and green in general) will more than fill the bill.

I'm hoping to learn a lot from Gyleen, I'm especially interested in her color theory, but even more so on her self-published works. She has some lovely books for children, and a book of quilts and poetry that looks like a great addition to the library - maybe even a nice gift for someone special!
Here's a link to her website ...  http://www.colourfulstitches.com/
She also has a book on "finishing" something I've been struggling with of late. More on that subject soon.

Here's a look at the worktable today: a typical spread of tools. The reds, the greens and those that might go both ways.

We are supposed to think about "expanding" the color way to include adjacent colors on the color wheel, but I think it may go to far beyond my Christmas theme.. will see where it goes tomorrow.

I'm trying the ergonomic rotary cutter of late  (upper left of the pic) to try to reduce pressure on those joints that are NOT likeing the advent of winter!

Well, as my hubby says, it's off to "sewing machine world for an evening of work...still NO SNOW :-(

Making it to "The Show"... a Quilt at IQA Festival

What a whirlwind! It's taken a few weeks for me to finally calm down enough to try to write about my feelings and the incredible events.

The  that I made for Mom and Dad was accepted at a special exhibit at this year's Houston International Quilt Festival.

I entered the quilt into the exhibit sometime in June. A friend in the quilt guild passed along to me the call for submissions. Festival was looking for quilts to show at an exhibition of "Traditional" quilts. When I first looked at the requirements, I was pretty surprised to find that indeed my quilt might qualify. Even better, the exhibition was not judged, simply a "special exhibit", and best of all, NO entry fee was required! The only requirement was that the quilt be one that had won an award at a Texas Quilt Guild in the last few years. 

A few clicks, an attachment of a picture of the quilt, and the submission was made. I soon forgot about the entry. Imagine my shock at getting a phone call one Saturday afternoon in late September, from an IQA staffer. She asked a few questions, (What award had the quilt won? ) and informed me that my quilt had been accepted for the special exhibit, and advised me that I'd receive an acceptance letter with instructions for shipping the quilt to the show in a week. I was stunned. I told no one, I almost thought it was some sort of a fluke...surely someone would sort out the error. The letter from IQA (International Quilt Association - the organization behind the annual International Quilt Festival) arrived as indicated. A never spoken dream of showing a quilt at Festival was simply made, with an email, a letter and a phone call. One sticky detail was yet to be ironed out. I would have to "borrow" the quilt back from Mom in order to ship it to Houston....

Would Mom allow me the use of the quilt? What kind of condition would it be in? Could I make time to make the trek to Dallas to retrieve it in time to make the show deadline?

The pieces fell into place much more easily than I originally guessed. Mom simply required that it be "back by Christmas"...I was a bit surprised that she let go of the quilt so easily...

I found it in lovely shape, though I just had to wash it once more to try to remove those stubborn marks that gained a minor critique at the Austin Area Guild Quilt Show where it won an Honorable Mention in 2008. Some of the marks stayed - they will probably always be there, though they are now faint. Packaging the quilt and shipping it was done with only a brief amount of concern... I somehow felt comfortable that it would make it to back to it's place of creation (Houston) without problems...

I put together a trip to Houston with my friend Cindy, who had never attended Quilt Festival (I can't remember how many years I'd been going... at least 10 or 12. I had not attended last year, and will never miss it again. The rejuvenation of the creative spirit that results from viewing the great works of so many quilters keeps one's spirit and mind working through even the toughest of years.

Cindy and I planned a two day visit - one day to view the vendor booths, and a second to take in all the quilt exhibits. We decided to check out the commercial goods the first day, and to take notes and decide upon purchases to be made after viewing exhibits the second day.

We arrived without incident, leaving early on a Thursday morning, arriving in Houston just in time for the opening of the doors. Entering nearest the vendor end of the building, We stuck to our guns, working the vendor booths with all the diligence of women at the grocery. No booth was left unseen. No tool, fabric, pattern or new gew-gaw was not paid due attention. I took notes on what booths would be revisited on Friday afternoon for those all important purchases. But as we worked our way through 20 aisles of the huge convention center steadily towards the exhibit area, my own level of tension mounted.

Houston Skyline - from the Convention Center

I was pretty convinced, based on some pre-show buzz that the show was continuing it recent track of becoming a venue for "contemporary" quilting. Machine quilting, "Art" quilts, and very untraditional works were fast becoming the majority of works presented in both the judged show, as well as the special exhibits. To try to keep hand pieced and hand quilted works in the mix, the show had fairly recently added a "Handmade" category, specifically to try to keep somewhat traditional quilt entries in the show, even if only in a more and more limited way. I was sure that this special exhibit had been added (late to the show, and not detailed in the program at all!) to try to add at least some traditional, although, contemporary works. The show has always had some exhibition of vintage or historical quilts. I was sure that this exhibition would be probably be stuck somewhere at the back of the floor... a quiet respite from the "buzz" of the modern works.

After all, the exhibit, entitled "Texas Guilds' Awarding Winning Traditional Quilts" must surely be a sleeper of "Sunbonnet Sues" and Dresden Plates sleepily dozing amidst a world of modern quilt chaos...

Imagine my surprise, when I purchased a program which indicated that the exhibit was near the front of the show floor. At around 4 o'clock, we had worked our way through the entire floor, and decided it was time to spend time "looking" for my quilt. At the show, the vendor area is divided by a wall from the exhibit area.

As we rounded the "wall", and I almost died from shock. There was my quilt... paired with a lovely Pieced colorwheel quilt - literally the first quilt you saw as you rounded the corner from the vendor exhibit hall.

"50 Years of Love for Nancy and Harold" (left) at the entrance to the special exhibit: Texas Guilds: Award Winning Traditional Quilts"

My quilt (and it's neighbor) served as the introductory quilts at the entry to the special exhibit! "50 Years of Love for Harold and Nancy" - MY QUILT, (myhusband reminds me is it now "Mom's Quilt"), was literally only yards away from the Best in Show Quilt... not to be missed by any one of the 50,000 plus quilters who would enter the exhibit hall to view the top winners at the show over the entire week of Festival.

I had to sit down. A convenient bench allowed Cindy and I to sit just a few yards in front of the quilt and watch admiring quilters. I can't tell you how hard it was to keep from just pulling out the hankie and losing it in front of them all! Cindy, her first time at quilt festival must have been impressed at my ability to stay upright! I had to resist the urge to yell out "THAT'S MY QUILTS"... to the meandering crowd...

The following day, we spent the day looking at the "real" show entries... the money winners, (Did I mention that my quilt was literally only a few yards away from the "Best In Show" winner!?), the incredible, emotionally stunning beauty, the great political statements, the humorous experiments, the quilts that make you cry.... all of them, showing themselves to us in all their glory... along with my best work to date...perhaps the best quilt I will ever make. And quite possibly the only quilt I may ever see shown at such a prestigious event....

We ran into guild members, friends, many who gave me congratulations, and said they were so happy to see my quilt there... what a great, affirming day for any artist.

The quilt arrived back in Austin this past week. More carefully packaged than I was able to do. None the worse for wear, but ready to resume it's gentle life on Mom and Dad's bed, where it will be by Christmas time.

I thought you'd like to see once more their photos... One taken just prior to their wedding in 1953, and another, at their 50th wedding anniversary. What more could I ever need to inspire the creation of a great quilt?

A Beautiful Day for Poetry and Sewing!

I hope all of you had the opportunity to hear the Inaugural Poem offered by Elizabeth Alexander (no relation that I am aware - unfortunately!).

Here's a link to a transcript at the NYTimes:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-poem.html?_r=1&ref=books

The lovely reference to sewing, as a means of renewal, and repair:

"Someone is stitching up a hem,
darninga hole in a uniform, patching a tire,
repairing the things in need of repair."

These words brought the great significance of the day to heart for me, with sewing and quilting taking such a big role in my life these days.

Since I began working full time for Husqvarna Viking, running their little shop here, I've had a wonderful time meeting so many people, making new friends, and yes, helping with a lot of "renewal and repair". It's great to see so many people turning to sewing (or turning back to it after many years) - not just for liesure or retirement activitiy, but to be a bit more frugal - looking at making things last, or even making things rather than buying them! Many more young women are buying machines, inspired a bit by the creative, DIY type shows on fashion, but also by the idea that they can indulge their creative interests by making something they can actually wear or use daily....

I have kept to my quilting (somewhat) making my monthly charity baby quilt, and actually put the big project up at the Fall Quilt Show (I promise to write that up eventually). However, my time left for posting, internet communication, and other more pedestrian pursuits has slowed a good bit. One of my New Years resolutions has been to get back to my boards and blog... thus this post!

I also though you might enjoy this post on Garrison Kiellor's Daily Writer's Almanac the day of the Inauguation... another poem by Elizabeth Alexander. I am soo happy to share at least her surname!
Here's a link:
http://www.elabs7.com/functions/message_view.html?mid=630942&mlid=499&siteid=20130&uid=b800efa02a

This is one of my favorite internet newsletters. Most NPR stations broadcast Garrison reading the Almanac daily... this is an important daily routine for me. If I can't hear it on the radio, I always check my email to catch it... Can't recommend it enough - a great way to keep learning a bit about the language, and get some poetry into you day, every day!

See you at the sewing machine!
- Karen

C'est Finis... Musing about Finishing a Quilt... and Winning!

I realize that I have indeed been away from my blog for some time, and for that gentle reader, I do apologize! I have no good reason other than a busy life, and, making a living - among other incredibly time consuming pursuits!

I AM happy to report the completion of a major work in 2008. The draft of this post has been languishing in my "draft box" for some time...so I felt it had "ripened" enough for a post.

I finished (at long last!) a great quilt work that had been underway now for 5 long years. That seems like such a long time. How many times in one's life does one work on a project that will take 5 years to complete?

(Mom & Dad at their 50th Anniversary)

(Mom and Dad at their engagement - has he got a hold on her or what?!)

The "great quilt" is a quilt started in early 2003. My mother and father's 50th wedding anniversary scheduled in August of that year inspired me to begin a quilt I thought I would fininsh in 6 months! I considered that it should have to fit on my parents queen sized bed, and, that it MUST be hand quilted. How little did I know when I began the project how long it would actually take. Shortly after completing the top (in a wedding ring design of course!), I realized that my hand quilting skills were inadequate to the task. I began signing up for various workshops that year, and shortly decided to put away the quilt and put a "learning" quilt on the frame to hone my skills. The "Learning" quilt took a year itself - it was a vintage top that I sandwiched and hand quilted.

(Here's the Learning Quilt: )

The great 50th wedding anniversary event took place as planned and was a great success... with the quilt top shown and a great quilt promised. My mother, who followed somewhat the progress of the work finally tired of asking about the quilt, and began to foist vain threats on me... "you'll have to wrap me in my coffin in it if you don't finish it soon...".... that sort of thing!

But, as I soon learned, a great project, and a great quilt can NOT be hurried.

Through good times and bad, a son's graduations, a downsizing and move, the emptying of the nest... through all, there was always the quilt.

(- The Quilt underway in the frame... Little "Tadpole" a brief visitor to our household, he loved to "help" me quilt. An unknown illness took him away from us too soon.)

The steady, soothing work, the quiet progress. Some trama resulted when I no longer was able to continue using the family frame (too large to set up in the smaller digs!)... but I adapted to a lap frame and continued... the quilt none the worse for wear...

Finally, the quilt was ready to bind, a month's chore, and then... the final wash! I decided not to agonize over the removal of the marking - I knew they might not entirely come out after having been on the quilt for so long, but decided to enter the quilt in the guild show in September before taking it to Mom at Thanksgiving, and a cleaning would be necessary to get it show-worthy.

(Detail of quilting and the Binding being attached! ALMOST DONE! )

It was with great trepidation that I left the quilt at the Show site... it's first time away from me for more than a day or so!

But the joy of seeing it hanging in the gallery, with admiring people walking by... the excitement of people discovering the hand work (wow!) was only matched by my amazement at winning a ribbon! Honorable Mention in the Large Piecing category!

Most gratifying, were the kind words of the judge, who praised the "lavish" hand quilting... and provided gentle critical remarks... not at all what I expected - having heard stories of the dangers of the judges critique!

(Adoring husband took this picture of the proud quiltmaker at the show:)

Here's a link to the guild site where you'll see many more lovely quilts...

http://www.aaqg.org/

Hmmm.... what's next?!

My UFO list has 14 pieces (I wasn't JUST working on that big quilt all those years after all!), I think the next one will be for ME! Here's a lovely dresden plate top I finished some years ago (before the wedding ring) that has been patiently awaiting a quilting. It will HAVe to be done by hand!

(A Dresden Plate Top at a workshop - hmmmm, what pattern to quilt?)

A Night to Shine - COMPLETE!

After some minor delays, and a few late, late hours, I was able to turn this little lap quilt over to Joe to take to Trinity. This quilt is part of their annual fundraiser - my contribution... I named it after the event. For more details, or to bid yourself... visit http://www.trinitykids.com/.

I had great fun making it. I used the great new pieced border technique I learned from Sally Schneider, and used up a lot of really glitzy, sparkly fabrics - I'll never know what possessed me to buy such garish stuff... but it's perfect for the theme of Star shine! This one was machine pieced on the 15-91...

Here's some pictures...

Shameless Commerce & Camera Breakdown!

More about the Shameless Commerce at the end of my post today.

I was amazed to see how long it's been since I've posted. A lot going on at the old house. I just got back from two weeks in Cleveland... at a Manager Training Program for Husqvarna Viking (the sewing machines, not the Chainsaws!).

No, I'm not abandoning my affinity for all sewing things vintage.... I'm just falling in love with some new machines. I'm going to be managing a new H-V Gallery Store in the N. Austin Joann!
Yep... shiny, new plastic wonders - some computerized - that will do almost everything except heat you coffee. I have to admit that after spending 10 days playing around with them that I was getting awfully used to the ability to do need up and down, and did not miss the lifter at all! They really do sew by themselves.

I wish I'd taking the camera - though actually, IT's not broken down, but my floppy drive took a dump, and I'll have to go to the "old computer stuff" store to get a "new-old" replacement. My Sony Mavica, once the premier (and first) digital camera still works wonderfully, but I do go through floppy drives - as the camera puts it's pictures to floppy disk - yes, those little 3.5" plastic guys! Amazing isn't it. How the floppy drive in the camera has lasted through (conservativly) 25-30,000 pictures for my eBay biz over 7 or 8 years, while a floppy drive unit for a computer is lucky to last a year or so...? So, I KNOW they CAN be made to last, they just aren't! I wonder how many things we buy today are made to fall apart or stop working on a schedule... what a waste of resources eh?

Yes, it IS my Shameless Commerce Division! And it's spring sweep time, so I must point out that EVERYTHING in my Ebay store is 30% OFF through SUnday, April 27th... so click on the link to the left, and PLEASE take some of this fabric off my hands!!

Pictures of the Star Quilt next week, final quilting is underway this weekend!

Karen

Keep on Working...

Just a minute to post the now finished top for the "auction" quilt... I think it turned out quite nice.

All sparkly in various Hoffman Fairy Frost and other prints from the stash. The theme of the event it "A Night to Shine" and it's done in school colors (blue and grey). I added the bits of turquoise to spice it up a bit. Now... how to quilt it? I'm thinking about "McTavishing" it... but then again, some more traditional feathers round the border? We'll see.

I REALLY enjoyed the pieced border technique, the pattern is by Sally Schneider (http://www.sallyschneider.com/). Called Laurel Wreath. She has one done in jewel tones, with the "beads" around the border all done in different colors. The entire quilt is actually just made of 12 in. blocks, all pieced on the diagonal. The colors make the pieced border look like something really difficult to manage. If you look closely, you'll see the diagonal seams in the border. After it's quilted, they will be even less apparent... making the quilter look like a real genius! My favorite kind of quilt pattern. One that looks fancy, but has an "easy" secret!

Imagine how wonderful it would look done up in Christmas Colors. Sally was at our guild last month, but I was unable to make it to her workshop, but I'm glad I bought the pattern and one of her books, and was able to put it to such good use so quickly... Here's a close up.

I cut the backing last night. My piece was too short to cut in half, so I did a diagonal back...

If your backing piece is at least 1-1/2 times longer than the top, you simply cut it in half diagonally. Then slide the pieces off set until you have a piece wide enough for the quilt width! Sew them together on the diagonal seam and voila! you have a back with a piece of fabric only 1-1/2 times the length of your top! And the nice thing about a diagonal seam is it's easier to quilt over, and doesn't show through as easily as a single center seam. It's really nice for hand quilting. I picked up this idea from John Flynn's website... http://www.flynnquilt.com/ It's under the free lesson menu. There's actually a mathematical forumula for the brave at heart (or of mind?) to help in calculating the needed length of fabric to make a diagonal seamed back. It is very cost efficient, as you don't end up with a big hunk of fabric, just two small triangle scraps (and who can't use scraps!).

Now, I have to spend the day pin basting (ugh), but, while I baste, I can think about how I want to quilt it....!

The quilt (a lap quilt size 54" x 70") will be auctioned off at the Trinity Episcopal School fund raiser April 5th in Westlake Hills in Austin!

FYI... the backing is an older blue sparkly Christmas fabric. Kind of a toile design, blue with grey scenes of angels... it's not obviously a Christmas theme - but definitely religious... will work wonderully for this donation quilt made for an Episcopal school don't you think!

Blue and Grey

What have I gotten myself into?

Dear Husband has been working at a local private school for several months, and recently commented that the school's big fund raising event is coming up in April. He slyly mentioned that there would be a silent auction, and, that it would be awfully nice if he had something to donate for the auction.

Silence.

Of course, he could donate one of his hand made knives, but a quilt done in school colors might go over better right?

More Silence.

I finally have to reply - you know I'm trying to finish up mom's big quilt - right? And I've volunteered to take on the publicity for the guild's quilt show (an unbelievably large task)... right?

Even More Silence.

But how can I refuse... of course I'll just whip something together. So inspired by this month's guild speaker, Sally Schneider, I decide to use the pattern that I bought at the meeting to make a fast, quilt.

The event's theme is "A Night to Shine" so, stars it is. And I'm using a pattern that includes a pieced border... that is incorporated into the block piecing. When finished, it will look incredibly complex, when in fact, it is just diagonally set blocks, with a build in border...

Here's a picture of the work in progress:

Two strips are done, and are being pinned together for sewing...

It did go together fairly quickly - probably have about 12 hours total into it... I'll give you an update next week... due date: April 1!