Exciting Reveal, #2 (and giveaway!)

I don't yet have one of these guys in my grubby little hands, but the announcement can now go public...​ At least I got the "official word" of the go-ahead, just haven't seen the fruits yet.

That spring issue of Quilt Magazine's Simple Quilts & Sewing that will be popping up in quilt shops, bookstores and magazine shops officially today, March 19th, will be featuring one of my quilts! ON THE COVER!!

stolen from the quiltmag.com website

This is my first quilt ever to get publication and I am so thrilled!​ And they even catered the title colors to those of the quilt!

The genesis of this little gem is actually quite a simple one. Last spring (2012) I decided to design something from scratch for the juried PMQG exhibition within the annual Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, the largest such show in the country, I believe.​ I have to say that given the amount of talent and drive within our Portland chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild I was honored to have my Lock 'n' Bolt quilt among those chosen to exhibit.

And certainly could never have imagined what would come of it. At the most I thought maybe someone would take note of my name and add me to their blog roll or something. Maybe.​ (this was before I realized that the guild had spelled my name wrong!Ooops.)

But what does a person do with this momentum? Run with it, of course. The question is, how? As those of you who have been following my blog are aware, I am approaching 2013 in a pro-active, positive, get-things-done sort of way, and this is perfect fodder for that fire.​

And in celebration of that energy, I'm offering a little GIVE-AWAY. A copy of the magazine (which always has a whole bunch of fun projects included!), plus a little fabric bundle bonus. Leave a comment letting us all know either what project of your own has been the fire in your belly, or if someone else inspired you, please share your inspiration (and the credit) and perhaps where you hope to go with it. One thing I love about being involved in the quilting world right now is that we are truly a community - both online and in the real world. One that shares its experiences, its loves, its questions and difficulties, its techniques and its inspirations. So please share with me as I am so eager to share with you! A winner of the give-away will be announced one week from the magazine release date (March 19), on Tues. March 26th.

Oh, and if you want to enter the giveaway, please be sure to leave an email address in your comment. International entries welcome.

Perfect is in the eye of the... doer?

One of my running statements when I participate in a VQB (virtual quilting bee) is that I am far from a perfectionist. I certainly do my best to deliver a well-conceived and well-executed block to my other bee mates, but when it comes to the blocks sent my way, if a corner doesn't match or a seam is off by a smidge... enh, I'll work with it. No worries. Nobody's perfect.

​a BOM from a couple of years ago... all pieced by me, block in the upper left has a couple points missing their marks, the one in the lower right is the same, and you might notice the setting block where I had to substitute fabric after miscalculating and not being able to find more. Making due, man!

And then it comes to working on layout for a quilt (whether it's a bee quilt or one I've pieced entirely on my own) and I learn something about myself. I'm not a technical perfectionist, but oh my, overall design will getcha every time!​ And by "getcha" I mean ME.

If you've been checking out my blog (or my flickr or my facebook page)​ lately you have no doubt been seeing my adventure with the Design Camp 2 improv bee blocks which I have been receiving since last August. In fact, two have arrived within the last week or so!

So, I put these guys up on the design wall about 5 weeks ago to begin working on piecing the top. At least some of the blocks have remained up there all of that time, going through any number of reconfigurations, new layouts, edits and so on while I fill in the blanks.​

​2/23/13

​3/1/13

​3/15/13

The first two photos are pretty much just where I left things that day. Many other arrangements occurred in the mean time. I lost count ages ago.​ And after stepping back and taking in what was going on mid-afternoon yesterday (3/15/13 - the photo above on the right) I realized that this got WAY BUSIER than I had ever intended. And also entirely unbalanced. I don't do well with imbalance in my quilts. See, the perfectionist is rearing her ugly head.

Next step... taking almost everything off the design wall!​ Undoing a couple of seams that were already joining large areas of the top and just playing again. And I have to admit, one of the decisions that made this new approach possible is to use several of the pieced blocks on the back. There was just too much crowding of the lower right quadrant and I still hadn't brought in the last block to arrive. I hope no one from the bee feels shirked, as I love all of the blocks I have, and am still being very considered in which ones go together on the other side of this quilt-to-be. 

​3/15/13

​EOD 3/15/13

The changes are definitely subtle, but hopefully still make a difference. ​(oh, and please excuse the angle of that last photo... tripod and wall not quite on the same plane - oops).

I may have said this already in a previous post, because I KNOW I've thought it several times while working on this guy, but here it is again: Improv quilts are really tough to put together!! There's something to be said for having a plan going into the process, even if one allows oneself to adapt the plan mid-stream. I think I will be glad to get back to something easily drafted on my graph paper where the parts fit together in a regular way and I just get to play with the variations in color and value again. But I shall see this to the end before I allow my design wall to move on to the next project!! And with that, I am committed!​

The Parallel Road

So far this year I think I can say I have been keeping up with keeping goals, just not necessarily the specific goals I set out with. And that's OK. ​

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I am quite certain I will not complete my entire list of hopefuls for the 1st Quarter Finish-A-Long, hosted this year by Leanne at She Can Quilt. I HAVE been making better progress than I initially thought, though! Of the original 7 items (including the pattern thing) I have finished 4 so far! Granted, I probably will end up going back in to do more quilting on the Icy-Cool diamond quilt, but technically it's finished and bound! And perhaps by the end of March, this

just basted yesterday!

will be crossed off that list, too!

But how did all of these other UFOs and new, exciting things creep in as well??

Not to mention bee blocks! ​Oh the fun I've been having!

And the best part... I've been reacquainting myself with my stash. Do any of you other quilters out there ever have that issue? I feel as though I got so caught up in either projects that I HAD to work on, or new inspirations which relied on particular prints in the world and was out seeking bits and pieces to finish things up...​ and neglected my stash. But I'm trying to be better. There are some great prints I have languishing on those shelves! 

​Erin McMorris for Free Spirit

​Kitty Yoshida's "Brooklyn Heights" for Benartex

​Those good ol' Dogwood Blooms from Joel Dewberry for Free Spirit

​A classic Amy Butler print from her "Belle" collection for Rowan.

Just to highlight a few.

One of the reasons I rarely take part in fabric swaps - not because I'm stingy but because I can't think of anything I am ISO (in search of) that I couldn't find a suitable mate or substitute on my own shelves. Hilarious, I know. 

So UFOs, WIPs, unrealized sketches, I'm callin' on you now! Finished quilt tops waiting to be quilted, well, y'all might have to continue to wait, but I'll get there eventually too. And in the mean time, you're getting new friends and neighbors every day this week.​

Exciting reveal, #1

March. ​A.K.A March Madness here in the PDX eastside fabric shops. Bolt Fabric Boutique and Cool Cottons have teamed up for a little customer appreciation and crossover fun. Gina and Marie have been looking for a way to honor the other's amazing store and our combined fabulous customers, and this month they are doing it big. Spend just $25 at either of these great shops and receive a coupon for 15% off your next purchase at the other one. All Month.

And lucky me, I get to have my work featured in the prime ​"over the mantle" real estate at Cool Cottons this month!

I've been leaving hints and teasers for well over a month about a "super-secret" wall hanging project. Well, here it is! Marie first approached me just before the start of the new year with an idea to feature some of the less-exposed, abundant talent of our local patrons and kindly asked if I'd make something for one of the months. I got out my sketchbook before the conversation was even over!​

Now, of course part of the goal is to showcase some of her awesome fabric used in a new project. This gave me a great excuse to design something around a print I have been incredibly drawn to but had not yet found its way into my stash. The Jay McCarroll  "Midtown" from his Center City collection - Denver. 

This guy has a truly unique style and always comes up with vibrant, dynamic designs. I love it!

So the next step was to find a few more prints to really highlight this treasure...​

​From left to right: Kaffe Fassett shot cotton in Scarlet, FolkHeart by Sara Trail for Fabri-Quilt, Lucky Penny by Alison Glass for Andover, Center City by Jay McCarroll for Free Spirit, Field Study-Mind's Eye by Anna Maria Horner for Free Spirit and Soul Blossom by Amy Butler for Rowan. Oh, and the background is Kona Bay Black.

I am currently working on drafting an actual pattern for this puppy, but my technical writing skills could use a lot of work, not to mention my complete lack of InDesign skills. But I'm trying and will hopefully have something available either in print form or PDF soon.​ But in the mean time, here are a couple of close-ups of this little guy.

​Have I mentioned how much I LOVE how the Shot Cottons show off quilting??

Now, the choice to have my quilt hanging in March is related to another big reveal that I can't quite announce just yet, but hope to be able to spill the beans very very soon. I can say that it has something to do with my Lock 'n' Bolt quilt that I made last summer for the PMQG exhibit at Sisters, which did a little traveling during the fall before coming back to me to now hang in my studio. Please stay tuned...

When is Enough Enough, or Not Enough?

I just finished binding a quilt that I am super excited to have finished!​

​The top is actually hanging over the fence - must be longer than 6'.

​full length exposed

This is a quilt top that I began more than 2 years ago, but because it had no specific destination or due date I put off the finishing. But I was excited to try another quilt with the serrated edges, like my teal monochromatic one. However, this time I took a short cut that may or may not prove problematic... I did NOT cut my binding on the bias. 

Now, for those of you less familiar with sewing and quilting, one of the main advantages (or disadvantages, in many cases) of cutting on the bias, meaning at a 45° angle to the weave of the fabric, is that the fabric gives much more, enabling one to work it into curves. Or perhaps concave corners.​ However, because of the print I chose for my binding added to the fact that I really really really do not like cutting and piecing bias binding, I skipped that very wise step and worked with a straight-grain binding on those pesky edges and corners. 

​And I succeeded. At least, it's finished and bound.

But is it fully quilted??​

I went into this with a plan. And I followed that plan, but as I came to the end of my quilting, I was left unsure whether it is quilted enough to keep it together in the long run. I think I managed to get my quilting lines often enough to satisfy the requirements on the batting package, but I don't always take those for their word.​

What do you all think??​

​Would you try and add some echo quilting in there at various places, or perhaps something a little more free-motion and organic going through those open channels? I don't think I've ever considered changing the quilting on something AFTER it's been bound, but this keeps talking to me as though it's just not quite finished. But I'm ready for it to be finished. What voice would you listen to?

Chugging along

Though I have been keeping busy these last few weeks, ​and there are many fun projects that I am eager to update you on, for now I will stick with the quick fix.

​MORE POT HOLDERS!

and there's more...​

This ever-evolving improv quilt. Still on my design wall, and still making progress:​

working on the top left corner the last week in February

​where I left this beauty on Sunday evening

​And after steady attention all of Thursday and Friday, this is where we left each other:

And just to give everyone a sense of scale, note that the layout takes up nearly my entire design wall, which is 8' x 8'. This is going to be one big quilt! Probably too big for my bed, but I'll make it work! It has just taken on a life of its own, and there is no question that the blocks and fabrics are telling me where they need to be and how I should be pulling them together. This has led to moving several things around, and in one case even slicing a block in two and piecing it together in a different arrangement in order to find the right balance.​

Who knew that making an improv quilt would require so much planning and consideration?? Not I, said the fly! It really comes down to the fact that the process is good for me, though it's been dominating my design wall just a wee bit too long.​ Oh, and that I am just no good with large areas of solid fabrics. Just can't get the scrappy-fiend to sit tight and be quiet! Must piece!

A touch of geek in the creative process

Inspiration can be found in all things, right? Just a couple of weeks ago my wheels were set in motion after seeing this blog post by Brooke of the blog Apriltwoeighty about taking up the needle and thread again for a "Fringe"-inspired quilt she's been working on.

I, too, am a fan of the show (though a season behind, I must admit) and I think her quilt idea is inspired!​ It's also unique, and I wouldn't want to do anything to change that. The designer in me wishes to respect other people's great ideas and simply use it as motivation for my own projects. But what a wealth of subject matter it affords!

That said, I happened to read that blog entry while I was coming to the end of re-watching a favorite, though not-so-critically-acclaimed, Joss Whedon show, Dollhouse.​ And all I could think about for days was finding ways of bringing the characters and themes of the show to some quilty fruition.

​A still from one of the episodes, showing most of the core cast.

It's another fun sci-fi show based in our reality, just turned up a notch toward a somewhat darker view of the near future. And for a show about people who are reprogrammed to be whomever the client orders at any given time, the characters are really well fleshed out and fully 3-D.​

Which is part of what makes this eminent project enticing.​

Also, there's an image that may lend itself well to being translated into a quilt block...​

...but not an easy one.​ I even had to go in search of a protractor! When was the last time you sought out a protractor?? 72°, baby! And the sketches commenced.

and of course the fabric selection challenge... just a few for now.

​Alpha, Ballard, Langton, Victor/Anthony, Topher, Adele.

And only tangentially related, as I write this post, while Austin is hosting the first annual QuiltCon, Portland is host to just a plain old regular Comic-Con which MAY have some of the actors, writers and creators of these favorite shows of mine in attendance.  To stalk or not to stalk, that is the question...​

Unsewing

Such a cute term for something that is a complete pain in the neck!

Last fall (or was it last summer?) a good friend of mine asked me to make a tea cozy. Now, for those of you who are at all familiar with my crafting, the most 3-dimensional I tend to get is a tote bag or the occasional A-line skirt and PJ pants, but it's been ages since I've had to draft my own pattern for something that needs to fit a 3-D object. And that showed when I finished their "tea cozy"!

Even finishing the inside seams with bias tape...

When I got it anywhere near an actual tea pot, however, there was nothing "cozy" about this item!! I learned that rounding up the measurements I had taken went a little far and had made something more akin to a toaster cozy, something no one in their right mind would actually use (or I would hope at least would unplug the appliance first). So of course this would not work for the intended recipients.

But I thought I would try anyway and covertly brought it to their house to throw over their tea pot. Sure enough it took up half the counter top instead. Whoops. 

Now all of those lovely finished seams and bias tape have been methodically removed and un-seamed. The unsewing.

I'm still a little gun shy about actually cutting this puppy down. Silly, I know. Especially since this started out as a birthday present request which was graciously adapted to be a Christmas present, and now... well he'll have another birthday this year, so perhaps we're back to the birthday present! Does anyone have any tips on slicing and dicing something that's already quilted in order to make it the right size?? If I figure out a good method that works for this I'll be sure to share. But in the mean time I think I'm going back to working with 2 dimensional pieces - sticking with what I know best!