Color and Design Class - Project 1

    I am going to my Color and Design class tomorrow at Stitching Traditions in Topeka. The first assignment was to do a quilt in neutrals.

    I expect this class will really challenge me as I tend to get stuck in perfectionism - I would never be able to finish a quilt a month if I took my normal view of things. So I have decided not to worry about construction, but to do something simple that embodies the technique we are supposed to learn and to use the completed quilt top as a practice canvas for free motion quilting. I think I did that pretty well on my first project!
    As I was sitting on the plane on my way to Seattle a couple of weeks ago, I spent the time as a captive previewing some options for this first quilt assignment. I tried blacks and whites in a geometric quilt, an abstract something or other, and I finally settled on Morning Java - the name even came to me! Although I don't drink coffee (so it couldn't by MY morning java), I have always found the aroma and the effect of cream first entering the steamy surface appealing. Our teacher Kathy Pflaum said we could use white, grey, and black or ecru, tan and brown to represent neutrals, and as I thought about a graduated series of cream, mocha, and deep rich brown batiks, I knew exactly what I would do. We could also use one accent color - I debated between a red mug and a turquoise mug - well as you see, the turquoise won out.
    I found the cream to dark brown batiks at Over The Rainbow during my visit with Bobbie in Seattle. Over The Rainbow is an internet store that is open to the public on the first Saturday of the month. I got some really good deals on these batiks there - 8.75 per yard!
    So I did a rough sketch on freezer paper, cut the shapes and fused them to a backing of cream muslin. I practiced stippling, cross hatching and other shapes that I don't even know the name of. To make sure viewers knew what it is supposed to represent, I quilted "Morning Java" into the background. I am rather happy with the result! We'll see what feedback I get tomorrow in class.
Always curious,
Denise

Quilting With BFF in Seattle

Hi from Seattle!
I am here visiting my BFF Bobbie. We're going to shop, sew, rest and talk for 9 wonderful days. We try to get together several times a year and really enjoy each others' company. 

    Today we went to one of my favorite quilt shops - Island Quilter on Vashon Island in the Puget Sound. Last year when I was here I started collecting some bold Kaffe Fassett fabric for a quilt pattern called Star Struck by Maggie Ball for Dragonfly Quilts. They had a wonderful sample in the shop, but as usual, I wanted to change colors a bit. So I went with pinks, oranges, purples and teals. Today I completed purchasing the fabric for the quilt top.  I love the bright, bold colors. It's going to zing!

Curious about quilting in Seattle,
Denise

My Quilting Bucket List

I'm always commenting that I should do this or that, learn something, or go somewhere related to my quilting. People have bucket lists for life; why not a Quilting Bucket List? So today I made my QBL:

• Make a self portrait quilt (real and caricature)
• Do a pictorial quilt (my cat Marko in a bowl)
• Go on a quilt cruise
• Make a Kaffe Fassett fabric quilt
• Go to the Houston Quilt Show
• Go to Sisters Oregon outdoor quilt show
• Make a black and white quilt
• Hand quilt a quilt
• Make a Paula Nadelstern Kaleidoscope quilt
• Design and make a Kansas-named-block sampler quilt
• Learn EQ-7
• Make a crazy quilt
• Travel around the country and make travel inspired quilts
• Blog about my quilting experiences

I have tons of other quilts I want to make and workshops to take, but these are the special once (OK maybe twice) in a lifetime events.

Every day is a good day if I'm quilting!

Denise

Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild

    I've been considering checking out the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild for some time and finally decided to take the plunge. I was a bit skeptical because I wasn't sure that I needed another group to belong to.
    Now I'm enchanted! The program was great, the people were friendly, the snacks delish, the quilts incredible and I'm going to join at the next meeting.

    The program featured Jenny Doan from the Missouri Star Quilting Company. Missouri Star specializes in precuts (charm packs, jelly rolls, layer cakes, etc.) and they have great video tutorials with tips for using these precuts in new and unusual ways. One of my favorites is the Summer in the Park that Jenny is talking about in this pic. Check out the video tutorial for making this quilt.
    A whole new world has opened up. Check out Missouri Star Quilting Company and the KC Modern Quilt Guild!
Always Curious,
Denise

Kansas Quilt Blocks

So, I'm curious about quilt blocks that have Kansas in the name. I know it's a bit premature because I shouldn't start any new quilts for a while, but I really want to make a quilt with traditional Kansas blocks.

A quick search (thank you Google!) yielded the following blocks:

• Rocky Road to Kansas
• Kansas Star
• Kansas Dugout
• Kansas Troubles
• Kansas Dust Storm
• Kansas Fortune
• Kansas Twister 
• Kansas Sunflower

Faith in Chicago posted a great tutorial on making the Rocky Road block above on her site Fresh Lemons.
Sooooo, I think I now have 2 new quilts in the design incubator! It's the fun part!
Does anyone know of any other Kansas-named blocks?
Denise

Frustrated - Marking Quilts

I am almost done with my Holly Wreath lap quilt. I just need to quilt the outer border. I have done free motions quilting the the rest of the quilt and am fairly happy with the results given that its my first one - I do need practice.  But in trying to quilt the outer border I have run into trouble - marking so that I can see and follow the marks.
    I have 5 different marking pens or pencils and none of them are working. I can't see the lines very well on dark green and red/gold striped fabric. 
    A quick check on-line for advice about marking quilts yielded some explanations for my frustration - I should have marked the quilt top totally before I started quilting it and  starched the fabric. Some people have had success with different marking methods. The one that looks best to me almost seems to be the most involved - copy your quilting design on paper, stitch on the paper thereby perforating it, use pounce chalk to mark the quilt top and then quilt it. I may try this next time as I have no pounce materials at the moment.
Does anyone have any advice?
Curious about marking,
Denise

Where Does Your Inspiration Come From?

    I am continually amazed by the widespread variety of people, places and things that inspire quilters to create beautiful quilts. Patterns, shop models, a beautiful piece of fabric, nature, experiences, travels, and special people are just a few of the inspirations for quilters. The quick availability of cameras make capturing the inspiration so easy.


    My inspiration mostly comes from patterns or models I have seen. Sometimes I see a fabric that I know someone would love - like this latest quilt I did for my daughter who loves chocolate. The pattern is simple - it's the fabrics that spoke to me.










My friend Bobbie embroidered the chocolate motifs in the cream blocks.

    A totally new (new to me) inspiration came my way the other day. My hubby and I were watching a TV show on Netflix - Damages - a gritty series about a morally challenged lawyer played by Glenn Close. The opening shots are shades of gray-green scenes of New York City. There is one shot in particular that I love. So I paused the show and took a pic with my phone of that scene. I think it would make a dynamite quilt. I'm not sure how I'll do it yet or how I'll get the fabrics - I may have to dye them myself!
Check back to see how I am tackling this design challenge!
Always curious!
Denise