tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10560061438863678512024-03-13T14:39:12.216-04:00CrossRhoadsSallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-36565729588043085032015-05-17T19:47:00.002-04:002015-05-17T19:47:15.124-04:00Feeling GuiltyFor approximately the past 12 months I have not really been enthused about any of my current works in progress, nor have I mustered up any enthusiasm for starting a new project. Yes, I see many quilts that I admire and would like to do something similar but somehow the energy is not there. I'm still waiting...<br />
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In the meantime I've decided to finish many of the unfinished projects I have on my shelves. Some just need to be quilted. Others need a border and then quilting can begin. Some are orphan blocks that will become--who knows what. But I have pattern by Claudia Clark Myers in the book Colorful Quilts and the title of the quilt is Moonshine. I admire every quilt she and her sometimes collaborator, Marilyn Badger, do together and here was a pattern I liked immensely. However, it is paper pieced, definitely not one of my favorite methods of construction. I do have a photo of the quilt from the magazine but don't feel comfortable posting it here. I have many.many more blocks done, currently enough for 8 rows down. This is a shot of some of them put together. There is a big and small side to each block. Sometime soon I'll audition them in various positions and see if I can find something pleasing. I spent a lot of time going through my fabrics to find combinations that matched hers so I'd like there to be some movement to the piece. Hers has blocks with lighter values going from the lower left to the upper right. In order to finish I would say I would at least have to make at least another 32 blocks. Remember each block has two parts. Can you see why I'm stalled doing a process I don't like, although I'm happy with the results. <br />
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Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-64134508279544213592014-08-08T19:14:00.005-04:002014-08-09T15:11:06.079-04:00Six sides from a squareThis quilt has been done for many weeks but in the original rectangular shape I'd used for its construction. I delayed finishing it because I was uncertain whether or not to square it off and put a border, bind it with the uneven edges, or what…Then a good quilting friend suggested I make the final shape a hexagon and I immediately liked the idea. However, it was a rectangle and how to measure to make it six sides. A youtube video to the rescue. Here is is all cut. I'm standing at the side trying to avoid sun on the lens so it doesn't look quite even, but it really is. May not be a perfect hexagon I'm happy with it. I tried several orientations but I think I like this one with the yellows on the left the best. I love making quilts in which the colors move around kind of like a color wheel (though this one does not reflect the true placement of various colors.<br />
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Now to decide on a quilting motif. Decisions, decisions.</div>
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Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-44878815812128916692014-07-12T17:05:00.002-04:002014-07-12T17:05:45.454-04:00<br />
Well, finally I have some news to report. I've actually finished, well, almost, finished two quilts. <br />
I have been somewhat distracted with knitting projects. But anyway, I my interest in quilting has finally returned. I finished quilting the fractured quilt I started last July at Quilting by the Lake with Kathy Doughty. It's quilted but the binding is not on yet (my least favorite part of the process). And I've finished assembling a quilted started back in December in a class started with Victoria Findlay Wolfe. Both Victoria and Kathy are superb teachers. I loved both of these classes and the process for both. I love trying to play around with colors moving around the piece. Actually the Fractured Quilt is upside down. The purple/pink should be in the upper left corner but I was trying to take the photo before an upcoming storm. In any case I hope you enjoy the quilts. I sure did enjoy the process. The hexagon quilt could have been improved with a different lay out, but at some point I've found I just have to say, finish it and move on...<br />
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Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-40972197422830264282014-02-12T08:51:00.001-05:002014-02-12T08:51:29.633-05:00Some progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although it doesn't seem as if I've accomplished much on my hexagon project there has been lots of behind the scenes work. For one thing I threw all my scraps on the floor and sorted them by color. No small task and my back ached for days afterward. I've found that the best way for storing them is in the large laundry type baskets with oval holes in the sides. The holes enable you to easily spy that certain fabric you're looking for. Not really but you can get a good glimpse of what's in the basket.<br />
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In addition I've been auditioning settings for the hexagons. I've kind of decided on orange for the fill-in hexagons and not sure what for the centers yet. Maybe a Kaffe polkadot in various colors. That's yet to be decided. But I have settled on this arrangement, though am still rearranging the "flowers" and I have lots more to make. I enjoy making them actually and am thinking that my newly arranged scrap baskets will help speed up the process.<br />
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I've also been working on machine quilting my Ricky Timms Colorful Rhapsody project started last summer. Hope you can see some of the stippling and blanket stitch outlining the appliquéd piece. Ricky instructions have you use Steam a seam for fusing and then a stabilizer for support when doing the blanket stitch. This stabilizer then has to be removed. Very annoying and time consuming. I tried heavily--and I mean heavily--starching one area before blanket stitching and it worked just fine. Will do that in the future. Also the little pad you see in the photo is what I use to guide the quilt for the machine quilting. This is what Philippa Naylor uses in making her award winning quilts and I'm a dedicated follower of using them. It's really just shelf liner. I use one under my left hand and one under my right hand. I never did like the gloves suggested or any other project promoted for quailing. These work just fine and if you loose one you can just cut another piece off the roll. Voila!<br />
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<br />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-90673049101671269812014-01-20T17:15:00.000-05:002014-01-20T17:15:17.477-05:00Which is better? this or this?Just went for my annual eye exam. And you know that dreaded "which is clearer, this or this?" and basically you can't see a bit of difference? Well, I'm giving you a choice but there more than two options. I've been continuing to make more hexagons, basically six at a time but trying to stick to a color for each set of six. So far I've done four arrangements on my design wall. The circular one is my latest attempt. I like the way the colors flow from lightest in the center to darker on the outside. But I think I'm losing the hexagon effect. Maybe that's not so important but I would like to showcase the idea that they are hexagons. Would I be better off to separate them with little setting triangles? Take a look at the post from a few days ago and compare the photos with this one. I'm giving you something to think about today and hopefully by tomorrow I will have separated them with fabric between each hexagon. That's the plan anyway. By tomorrow you'll be able to consider, which is clearer, number 3 or number 4?<br />
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<br />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-76306572619590158012014-01-20T17:11:00.002-05:002014-01-20T17:11:51.854-05:00Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-50199403500851884102014-01-18T19:01:00.001-05:002014-01-18T19:03:56.534-05:00Moving right along--finally<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Decisions, decisions. I've been adding more hexagons based on the techniques from 15 Minutes of Play workshop that I took back in December before I broke my hand. At first I was going to arrange them by color, graduation from lights on one side to darks on the other. The photos reflect the latest attempts at the top, with the first attempts in the last photo). In the first photo I've mixed the top half trying to mix the values but the bottom half is still a work in progress. This probably makes no sense to you, the reader. This was the result of an idea that popped into my brain and I thought I'd mix the hexagons up and intersperse lights with the darks trying to work with value. The middle and last photos show the hexagons groups be color. Not sure where I'll be going with this. I have been continuing to make groups of pale yellows, yellow, orange, red, blue, purple, dark purple, brown, etc. Any advice? It is fun to go through my scraps (and al the "flowers" are made using only scraps. Nothing is cut from yardage.)<br />
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Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-56427451036694833902013-12-21T11:19:00.002-05:002013-12-21T11:19:51.837-05:00Start but no finish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm operating here at a distinct disadvantage the result of a fall recently that resulted in a broken right hand. So moving things around on the screen is a bit difficult. Thus no narrative until after the photos.</div>
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Anyway my daughter and I recently took a workshop with Victoria Findlay Wolfe called 15 Minutes of play. What fun and very liberating. Basically you construct "made-fabric" and then cut your shapes from your newly constructed fabric. The method allows you to place your template or cut your shape featuring precisely what area you want for the finished sake. The third photo shows the over-sized shape you start with. I chose to do a hexagon shape. Again I'm going to try to move color areas around the piece. However I'm at a stand still because of my hand. My daughter and I were on our way to her evening lecture and trunk show when I fell. A trip to the ER resulted instead of enjoying Victoria's lecture. A real disappointment!</div>
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If you ever get a chance to take her workshop don't hesitate. She's enthusiastic, warm, creative and a great teacher. Very inspiring and encourages you to ask "way if… ?" She is the author of the book <u>15 Minutes of Play"</u> and has a great blog called Bumblebeans where you can follow her creative endeavors. </div>
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Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-41019698086285315002013-12-04T21:28:00.000-05:002013-12-04T21:28:03.292-05:00One less project<br />
I want to thank all who inquired about the Come Fly With Me blocks. A very fortunate buyer has just purchased them and I know she's going to do a great job. Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-25665337226927438332013-12-03T21:00:00.000-05:002013-12-03T21:00:06.775-05:00Overwhelmed with projects...<br />
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I have actually not finished any quilting projects in the recent past. I've been feverishly knitting some gifts for Christmas instead. I have, however, been considering what to do next-finish a UFO or start something new. Yet to be decided.</div>
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In the meantime I have been trying to clean up my sewing area. I've come across a BOM project that I purchased from Material Obsession in Australia. I have only opened one of the bags to inspect the contents, except to ooh and ah over the fabric choices through the clear plastic. This was a 10 month program with a once a month shipping. I have come to the conclusion that I will never have time to complete this project. And, despite the fact that I love the fabrics included--Kathy Doughty's ability to combine fabrics is awesome and so unlike what we put together here in the US--I just don't want to dismantle the blocks for the fabrics themselves. So I'm going to offer them for sale. All blocks are complete. Plexi-glass templates are included in the bag if they are required for completion of the block. No additional supplies would be needed (except needle and thread, of course). Original price of each block was $49 and I am going to ask $225 for the complete set of blocks. Anyone interested? The blocks have been stored in a pet free, smoke free area of my home. I will ship internationally. The buyer must pay shipping and insurance, if desired. The entire project will be magnificent!<br />
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Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-73593177819108255862013-10-27T16:54:00.001-04:002013-10-27T16:54:03.927-04:00Moving onI finished my Fractured Quilt at last. Well, the top is done but it's not yet quilted. It's very large so I'm going to take it to a longarm quilter and have her quilt it for me. I do have a sit down Handiquilter but this quilt is just too large for me to tackle, I'm afraid. It didn't end up with the color movement that I'd envisioned but I like it anyway. <br />
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I also finished a Kim McLean Flower Pots quilt that I'd been working on for at least 3 1/2 years. I had completed the center part and only had the circles on the outside to complete so I put my nose to the grindstone and got the top finished. I had it free motion quilted by Roseann Noll of Phoenix Rose Quilts and we decided to quilt the background in a MacTavishing design. The quilt has two layers of batting so the applique would "pop". I'm very pleased with the work she does. I entered it in the Pennsylvania Invitation Quilt Show sponsored by Endless Mountains Quiltworks in Tunkhannock, Pa. for their annual Airing of the Quilts. Awesome work done by many talented quilters. <br />
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I also finished another smaller piece that's been in the works for about four years. I had the center four blocks done (I think it's an Aardvark pattern but am not sure) and for whatever reason lost interest in it. Part of the problem could have been that I'd raided the container with the fabrics I'd selected for this piece and used them in other projects. Rather than discard them I decided to add an outer border using a technique I'd learned in a class with Carol Taylor. I thought the outer blocks framed the center perfectly. I'm going to use it for my Christmas table center piece, even though the reds and greens aren't traditional Christmas red and greens. I like it anyway. I do tend to like "quirky" stuff.<br />
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Well, it's Sunday afternoon and it's wall to wall football so I'm going to sit down, do some knitting and watch the NY Giants beat the Philadelphia Eagles--hopefully. Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-36574272310228790482013-09-10T16:20:00.002-04:002013-09-10T16:22:36.845-04:00In the meantime...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've always wanted to do a Ricky Tims type quilt and back in late Spring he announced a three month QAL featuring one of his original designs, Colorful Rhapsody. So I decided to participate. Instructions were given in three video lessons, one for each month. I actually enjoy working with fused pieces on projects and thought I could learn some tips from the project. I used all my own fabrics, nothing purchased especially for this. I'm in the process of blanket stitching the edges of the motifs right now. I did learn a lot from his instructions on how to handle points and curves using the double blanket stitch. When all are outlined then the sections have to be put together along with the four corners. The whole project, so far, has been less tedious than I thought. The colors in the first photo represent the truer colors. The one below, with all 8 sections, shows a more lemony color which is definitely NOT the case but I thought you might like to see the entire center section. The background for the center is a dotted batik and the four corners which also be constructed using that center background fabric. Sometimes having purchased 3-5 yards of a fabric you've fallen in love with is a good thing!</div>
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Right now I'm quilting the Jane Sassaman version of the Fractured Quilt and that should be ready for final view in a few days. I'm quilting it with circles, free hand, free motion quilting, with nothing marked. Some of my circles are a little oddly shaped but the project is fun. </div>
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Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-39298554853943080112013-08-22T22:10:00.004-04:002013-08-22T22:10:54.550-04:00Plugging along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've added a few more blocks to the Fractured Quilt started from the class with Kathy Doughty at Quilting by the Lake back in late July. I'm truly trying not to purchase more fabric but I may have to end up doing some fabric purchases. The Pennsylvania Quilt show in Oaks, Pa., is coming up in mid-September so I'm hoping to find some "perfect" fabrics there. Meanwhile I need a taller design wall--isn't happening so I have to resort to packaging tape and a step stool to get the top blocks up so I can see them. As I said I'm trying to do some color arrangement of cooler on the left and warmer on the right. There are some blocks that aren't perfect but as the saying goes "it is what it is".<br />
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In the meantime I started another Fractured Quilt. This time only a lap size quilt. Jane Sassaman was the opening speaker at QBL and I have a collection of some of her fabrics so I decided to use those and try a different arrangement with fabrics framing the center blocks. I haven't sewn much of it together yet but I hope you get the idea in the photo. I'm hoping it appears below:<br />
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Wow, success in actually getting it to appear in the middle of the blog. I'm hoping you can see that I tried to arrange the fabrics so they surrounded the center. Kind of yard to explain my intent but I'm hoping you get the idea.<br />
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Also there is a Fractured QAL that will be beginning in early September. I'm hoping to figure out how to add a button to my blog so those of you doing the blog can post your progress. If you go to <a href="http://imquilternity.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Terri's blog</a> you can see information about the upcoming QAL. I'm hoping that perhaps Kathy may even pop in from time to time. No instruction in the block construction will be given. You need to purchase Kathy's book for that but it will be a place for those doing Fractured to share photos of progress. I'm really loving this block and have ideas for future arrangements. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-78044649786461587682013-08-14T09:42:00.000-04:002013-08-14T09:42:05.474-04:00Progress is being made<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm continuing to work on my Fractured quilt from my QBL class. It's going to be queen size because I think that's the best size for featuring the zig/zaggy effect of the block coloration. I attempt to make two blocks per day. Fabric selection take a bit of time. Then the construction, which is not difficult, but you have to pay attention to what goes where. I've had to remove and re-arrange individual blocks despite my best efforts to get it correct the first time. Seems my brain wants me to do otherwise. And, although I look carefully at block configuration before I put the block on the design wall, I've made some errors. And then I have to rip and make corrections. There is one block that has to be corrected today. I discovered it late last night but was too tired to do it then. <br />
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I'm trying to work on one section at a time now. My idea is to put the cool colors on the left and the warmer on the right, kind of diagonally. A hint from a class I took with Philippa Naylor last year was to "weight" your quilt with the darker colors at the bottom, so I'm trying to do that as well. You can't see them properly but there are fabric combinations on the floor in front of the design wall with pairs I think I'm going to use for that affect. I need a bigger design wall--but that's not happening. I am thinking of adding another section on the left to make it wider. However, how often do I make a queen size quilt? Not very often. <br />
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Right now the search is on through my fabric stash for blues and purples for the left top portion. I'm trying to ignore what's happening on the orange/red side until I get there. I found it too frustration to jump from side to side. <br />
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So that's where this quilt is right now. I'm actually enjoying the entire process even though some blocks don't work where I want and I've made some errors. There will probably be no work on it today because I'm taking my grandson sneaker shopping this afternoon and he has his first football scrimmage this evening and that takes precedence over Fractured. But I'll take my knitting along...Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-62885331305135364602013-08-05T09:40:00.001-04:002013-08-05T09:40:15.545-04:00Exhilerating<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been attending classes at Quilting by the Lake <a href="http://www.quiltingbythelake.com/" target="_blank">http://www.quiltingbythelake.com</a> in upstate NY for more than 15 years (not consecutively). My first class was taken when the program was at its first site in Cazenovia, NY. Since then it has moved to Morrisville, NY and finally to its present location near Syracuse (where thankfully the dorms and classrooms are air conditioned). Not so at the previous locations and sometimes it could be brutally hot.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
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Well, not to blather on...this year I could only attend for two days because of family obligations back home. The class I took was Fractured and the instructor was Kathy Doughty of <a href="http://www.materialobsession.typepad.com/" target="_blank">Material Obsessions</a> in Australia. I've been following her blog and purchasing BOM's from her shop for many years and was overjoyed that she was teaching at QBL this year. Kathy, and her delightful friends/employees had been in the US for about a month during which time she taught at the quilt show in Sisters, Oregon and City Quilter in NYC. QBL was her last stop in her schedule. Lucky us--she had not run out of energy by this time.<br />
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This class was great! And Kathy is such a great teacher. Even more than working on the project and enjoying everyone else's projects, I came away with a new found desire to do my own work, listen to my own inner voice. She is an inspirational teacher! And she has a great sense of humor. This class was a joy. Don't ever miss taking a class with her.<br />
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Back to my work. In following Kathy's blog and seeing photos of the quilts she makes, I was determined to try to mix contemporary fabrics with more traditional ones. The above photo is my quilt in progress. I chose to work with Kaffe Fassett fabrics for the more prominent pieces. Originally I wanted to use all Kaffe but struggled with finding combinations I found successful. I may have to resort to my stash for non-Kaffe. My idea is to have more predominantly blues diagonally on the left side running to reds and oranges on the right side. <br />
Trying to get a gradual change is tough. I may have to go and buy more fabric (what a shame!). I still don't think I've captured the ability to combine traditional with more contemporary in a more consistent manner, but if I'm following Kathy's advice I am listening to my own voice and doing what pleases me. I will continue to attempt to do that but for this quilt it's a struggle for me. Originally I thought I could finish it more quickly but I see that is not to be the case. So it's going to be on my design wall while I search for better transition fabrics. I live in an area where traditional quilting fabrics are more the norm so I'll be internet searching or hopefully find some that will work at the Pennsylvania Extravaganza near Philly in Sept.<br />
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Please be sure to check out Kathy's blog and her website. Her block of the month programs are designed by Kathy and other Australian well-known quilts and are spectacular. And get yourself a copy of her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Making-Quilts-Doughty-Material-Obsession/dp/1607058227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375709725&sr=8-1&keywords=making+quilts" target="_blank">Making Quilts</a> which has been newly published by C&T and is available now in an all English version. <br />
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Sorry this has been such a long post. I hope you get a chance to visit her blog. Her latest entry shows photos of our class and other students' work. You'll see how different--and great--everyone's is.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-86760759668399174602013-07-24T17:35:00.001-04:002013-07-24T17:35:21.774-04:00Paper painting with Elizabeth St. Hilaire-NelsonBack in early June my daughter treated me to a three day class with an artist whose work I've been admiring and following for some time--<a href="http://elizabethsthilairenelson.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth St. Hilaire-Nelson</a>. You can follow her blog here--you'll be amazed by her creativity. And did I say she competed in a triatholon the day before our class? Amazing energy.<br />
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Anyway, my daughter drove from Connecticut and I drove up from Pennsylvania and we met in Penn Yan, NY where the class was held. It was sponsored by the Art Center of Yates County. We had to come with a painting of an apple or a pear that we had prepared before class. Then we began painting any and all kinds of papers. Some of the students had been to the class the previous year and they brought along many different kinds of papers that they had collected during the year, some already painted and some which they painted during the class. Each was to bring a sketch of the subject they wanted to work on. I chose one of my favorite subjects--the chameleon. You might remember that I did a chameleon in a workshop with Susan Carlson about two years ago. Seems I have a reptile thing going. Anyway, here are my two completed projects.<br />
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Fortunately one of the students had the perfect paper for the head of the chameleon which she generously shared. If you ever have a chance to take a class with Elizabeth, don't hesitate. She recently shared a photo on her blog of part of an old fence that she'd done some paper painting on. Since then I've been searching flea markets and yard sales for some old fence but have not met with any success yet. Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-28108939476422038422013-06-17T14:26:00.001-04:002013-06-17T14:26:23.423-04:00Clean up going on<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been working at cleaning up my sewing area and weeding unwanted, unfinished items that I know I'll never complete, in preparation of our quilt guild's first flea market/yard sale. I came across the four blocks in the center of the above photo. They were from Aardvarks patterns and though I really liked the larger wall hanging/quilt I had sort of lost interest in it. Somehow a light bulb went off and I decided to just put the four together and frame it with some irregular squares/ ala Carol Taylor. I'm thinking it looks kind of nice. Still have to finish the borders. I have the squares done, just need to add them together and then add to the inside piece. So, another UFO almost done. I'm also submitting some other UFOs for sale at the yard sale. We'll see if any members are willing to take up the challenge and finish them.<br />
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Next up is my huge Kim McLean Flower Basket quilt. The center part is almost done--only a few motifs to applique down and I may just fuse them down and then to do the circles around the entire quilt. That will take a while...but I'm on a roll.<br />
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Meanwhile, waiting for the muse to come and provide some fodder for an original work. Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-68804686750929982022013-05-21T17:18:00.003-04:002013-05-21T17:18:52.530-04:00Third attempt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This will be the third attempt to post this entry on my blog. Frankly, sick of trying so this is the shortened version.<div>
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Finally finished my paper piecing wall hanging. Hate paper piecing. The inner quarter circles were a beast to do and I'm not happy with them. To leave the paper on while joining the inner circle to the next arc? That is the question. Directions say to leave on. I couldn't stand it and removed the paper first, but still not satisfied. As I said I wasn't happy but moved on. </div>
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There should have been a gazillion spikes in the outer boarder. Sick of doing paper piecing so I found some fabric in my stash that I thought worked and in the long run was probably more effective. All the fabrics were from my stash.</div>
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Now on the other UFOs. Like I said, short and sweet. Hope this managed to appear.<br /><br /></div>
Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-87411125321847129962013-03-12T09:19:00.004-04:002013-03-12T09:24:11.262-04:00Using my stashTwo posts in two days...unbelievable!<br />
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Last March I attended the AQS show in Lancaster. I've always loved New York Beauty type blocks and one of the vendors was Deb Karasik. I"d looked at her website before and had seen this wall hanging called Batik Wheels but was not impressed by the colors on the pattern cover. I know one should be able to envision something with different colors, a different setting, etc., etc., etc. but that's not something I'm able to do very well. In any case, as a backdrop for her vending space she had this quilt in a yellow/orange color way. I was smitten. Bought the pattern then and there, came home, selected the fabrics and let it sit in a box ready for starting. All the fabrics are from my stash. I'm embarrassed to say I have a huge stash. Now--this was 11 months ago!<br />
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Encouraged by a friend in Nova Scotia who is working on Karen Stone's Cinco de Mayo I decided to tackle this one. The directions are awesome! It even comes with a little plastic rectangle to use when trimming and comes with all the papers for paper piecing. It's a light weight velum similar to what I've purchased for paper piecing, kind of like what they use as an overlay in wedding invitations. Tears away beautifully. BTW, originally I chose all tonal type batiks but found the look was getting kind of boring so I introduced some batiks with more obvious patterns in them. I think it made it more interesting. You can see another of Deb's creations on the cover of the current Quilter's Newsletter. And I know she's the author of two books on paper piecing. <br />
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So here is the wall hanging in progress. If you zoom in on the photo you can see a copy of the photo which Deb allowed me to take at the quilt show. You can see there a huge number of spikes in the other border. I have not put any of the circles together at this point, waiting to see if anything needs to be repositioned. BTW, orange has become my new"go to" color. Love it!Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-10513871970360548652013-03-11T21:01:00.000-04:002013-03-11T21:08:17.682-04:00Second time's a charm ( I hope)I'm still having a love/hate relationship with this Mac. I've had it over a year now and I'm still not sure it was a wise purchase. It continues to do things without my approval--like losing the entire post I'd just created. So here goes, again...<br />
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Last July I took a five day class with Philippa Naylor at Quilting by the Lake. I finally finished the piece. Philippa's work is perfection itself and I wanted to try to incorporate what I learned in a piece that would be worthy of her instructions. Some parts I feel do that; others do not. I'm not happy with the trapunto on the curlicues. Philippa uses three layers of batting in her trapunto (two in the actual design and one with the regular batting. She has a unique way of ending the piping and also stipples her bindings, both techniques I used in this piece. Also the center petals are kind of free form--done individually and then put together. The first two days of the week were devoted to learning some of her favorite techniques and then the last three days were devoted to designing our own work and incorporating the techniques we felt would be good for the piece. I wanted to get it done because I'm going to be going again this July and there is a quilt show during the two weeks of classes and I needed to get it done. Only took 8 months...<br />
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And--lost the photos again. Somehow one was retrieved. Lost the one showing the stippling on the binding. Bummer.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-41309984482513859132013-02-11T08:48:00.001-05:002013-02-11T08:48:36.132-05:00To Be or Not To Be<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What to do? I fused these designs several months ago and I'm determined to finish some of my UFOs. I'm a follower of Kathy Doughty's blog <a href="http://www.materialobsession.typepad.com/" target="_blank">Material Obsession</a> and am amazed at the creativity she and her students use in composing setting strips. I decided to try some fabric I normally wouldn't use but I don't think it's working.<br />
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Another quilter whose work I admire is Gabrielle Swain and she uses a lot of offset arrangements with a variation of half square triangles as setting strips. Her book is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Applique-Bloom-Gabrielle-Swain/dp/1564770761" target="_blank">Applique in Bloom</a> and if you have a chance to see it you can see her various settings for her quilts. I may try something like that.<br />
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So--do I put them away in the box for a while (week? month? year? eternity?) or gift them to someone else to finish. I'm anxious to work on something that thrills/challenges me and this quilt is not doing it unfortunately. I like the blocks by themselves but... Decisions, decisions. Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-88081671799675171012013-01-06T14:24:00.001-05:002013-01-06T14:47:53.283-05:00Craftsy class work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm a big fan of <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/" target="_blank">on-line classes especially those offered by craftsy</a> and their classes (especially if you wait for half price classes) and one that I took recently is the Log Cabin Art Quilts taught by Judith Trager. You make free form lob cabin blocks and then screen print motifs on the surface. The strips are free form cut with no ruler until the final squareing up. I had never done screen printing and this seemed like a nice chance to investigate the process. What fun! I just did my first screen printing using kite shapes and I'm going to embellish them and then make some funky kind of strings for them so the piece will be three dimensional. These blocks were made with fabrics straight from my scrap bin but I have fabric selected for a more serious type of work like the one that Judith goes on to demonstrate in the class. These classes are well worth the money, imho. <br />
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And then--I came across a blog entry by Terri Stegmiller <a href="http://stegart.blogspot.com/2013/01/insanely-fun.html" target="_blank">Terri's blog entry</a> (think that's the spelling) in which she shows making stencils out of hot glue. Oh! the possibilities are endless...<br />
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BTW, I have not blogged in weeks because at the end of November I slipped on black ice and broke my right wrist. Of course, I'm a "righty" so my quilting and knitting projects came to an abrupt halt for a bit. Fortunately the physical therapist recommended a return to knitting to strengthen the muscles and I was able to do some piecing using my left hand. You know--we never give up. Anyway, I'm full of enthusiasm for new projects now. And I'm awfully careful where I walk when I suspect there is ice anywhere near where I'm walking.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-38482970212913180612012-11-18T16:27:00.000-05:002012-11-18T16:27:11.219-05:00Circles and curvesI've managed to complete two small pieces in the past month. You've seen both as I was working on them but they're complete now. I enjoyed everything about working on these two pieces. I love the fabrics, I'm happy with the composition and I tried difference free motion quilting motifs and am pleased with them. <br />
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Plus I've decided to open an Etsy shop in hopes of selling some of my works. There are only so many walls in my house and so many beds on which to display my quilts, so I'm hoping someone else will like them and find a place for them in their home. In addition it's an impetus to get some of the smaller works I have lurking around that are not completed finished. We shall see. <br />
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To see closer views of the pieces you can click on the items in the shop and get more detailed views. I hope you enjoy them, even if you aren't considering them for purchase. Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-1089416379618785172012-09-18T17:55:00.001-04:002012-09-18T17:55:55.910-04:00Leaf choices<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I don't know what happened to my first post regarding this piece. Gone to neverland, I fear. So this information may appear twice and I apologize if so. Anyway, this is the piece started in the first day of classes with Gloria Loughman. I need your opinion on the leaves. Square as in the left, or free form as in the upper right, or just bare limbs. What do you think? Again all the fabrics are Gloria's hand-dyes. Luscious. Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056006143886367851.post-14264885541620163262012-09-17T20:33:00.001-04:002012-09-17T20:33:18.784-04:00Success!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you remember yesterday's post I stated that I am determined to finish three projects from classes I took at the quilt show in Oaks, Pa. last week before going on to some other project. Yesterday's post pictured the work before the sections were joined together and set in a circle. I'm pleased with it. There are some things I would do differently and I guess that means that I must work in a series. In any case, my daughter came over, looked at it and promptly said it looks like a hamburger. She has no taste! I could have rotated the middle so that it was less hamburger patty looking but I liked the way the colors flowed. So, I'm calling it "A River Runs Through it". Tomorrow I hope to continue with the project from the first day's class. I could have shown you a preview but somehow the photo is in some unknown album. <br />
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Thanks for looking. <br />
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<br />Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585988909972092285noreply@blogger.com2