Galaxy

Galaxy

60'' x 60''

Improv isn't just for wonky cuts and pulling fabric out of a bag. You can start with a shape, precise cuts, and a playful spirit. That's exactly what I did when I started this quilt, oh... almost 3 years ago.

I did have a plan, but when that didn't work I had to figure out something else that would still make a beautiful quilt. There was no way this beautiful fabric was going to waste. It is made from the Cloud 9 Cirrus Solids, their first colour release. It is extremely soft and oh so delicious. Bonus, it is certified organic cotton. So when my initial intention did not work out, I came up with an alternative quilt top.

This is what playing with improv teaches you to do - figure out a solution no matter what. Whether it is running out of background fabric or making a mistake in piecing, whether you simply don't like the way it turned out or you suddenly want to make the quilt bigger, having the spirit of improv means you can come up with a low stress solution. It is about tapping into that ability to embrace the unknown and find a path forward. 

So back to the quilt.

When I took my mostly random half square triangles and settled on a layout - after a lot of design wall play - the top got pieced and added to the pile of tops in the closet. Periodically I would pet it (that fabric is seriously soft) but that's about it. Fast forward to last month when friends of ours asked if just maybe I had a quilt to donate to a charity event they were hosting. I think my husband answered for me, with the strongest yes ever. Rather than take a finished, and therefore used, quilt from the racks I decided to finish one fresh for them.

I've also learned that for charity donations like this people seem to like quite traditional or quite bold quilts. This one is definitely bold! The other thing I've learned is that while I am generous, I can't be ridiculous with my time. I do have that family/work thing to do. So I went with straight line quilting that actually added some movement plus a cool secondary pattern of an Ohio Star where the lines intersected. I picked a turquoise Aurifil because when any colour will work that is always an excellent choice! It also looked great on the back, one of the first Prints from Rashida Coleman-Hale with Cotton and Steel, Moonlit.

Binding choice was probably the most difficult. Again, any solid colour would likely do. I was leaning towards hot pink or carrying the turquoise out. Then I spied the perfect fabric peeking out of my stash - a ruled sheet of paper inspired print from Paper Obsessed by Heather Givans (of Crimson Tate fame). It's already on the bias, and the touch of blue and pink is just enough to make it so much more than a solid binding. And thankfully it looked great on the back.

The quilt has already been auctioned off. I'm always a little bit sad that they don't fetch more, but happy that the quilt is going to a loving home. And I met the winning bidder so I know it will be well taken care of. I may however, need to restash some of those Cirrus Solids now.

Lilla Pattern Launch

Lilla

90'' x 90''

Lilla is a collaboration between myself and Lotta Jansdotter. It is also a pattern available from C&T, launched this week.

Last year C&T approached me with the idea of working with Lotta on a pattern. I hesitated for a split second then agreed. Hesitated only because of timing, but I didn't want to turn down the opportunity to work with an artist and person I truly admire. So Lotta and I started emailing.

While it would have been fantastic to visit her in her Brooklyn studio or have her come out for some Prairie and Mountain air, we had to settle for the back and forth of online collaboration. She chose the fabrics we would work with - a selection from her soon to arrive collection, Lilla. We discussed style of quilt - medallion versus block based, improv versus precision, pieced versus applique, scale of piecing, and so much more. Lotta sent me some inspiration images, I made sketches. My job was ultimately to translate her ideas into workable quilt patterns. It was up to me to interpret her inspiration for the home quilter.

One of my favourite moments was when I opened up my email with this image in it. Lotta made some paper cut shapes. Up until this point we'd been going back and forth with little progress on something feasible for a quilt or a quilt that she liked. But these images! I went straight to my sewing machine to play, instead of sketching. Soon after we had a workable design. 

I really tried to take the organic nature of Lotta's work and translate it to the need for blocks to lay flat. Her shapes lent themselves well to some basic improv techniques, thankfully. Combining those with some precision piecing creates a challenging and graphic quilt.

The pattern itself lays out the techniques as a whole and then instructions for 25 different blocks. Yes, 25 blocks. As presented the quilt is queen size, but the pattern includes a baby size option. Make 1 of the blocks many times over or make all 25 four times over or make each one only once. It's entirely up to you, but the pattern includes it all. It also includes specific fabric notes to make it with Lotta's Lilla fabric as we designed it, but feel free to go on your own.  

I've made another version of the quilt, with totally different fabrics. It changes it up! Watch for that soon. 

In the end I am so glad I didn't let the time factor get in the way of this great experience. Sure, it was a rush as I frantically finished just before I had to leave to Australia. Thank you to Bernadette at Wonderfil for guiding me through the quilting. The experience of collaboration was worth it. It presents a creative challenge, for sure, but that's a good thing. It gets me outside of myself and the insular world of my own creations. On to the next one!

Pattern now available from C&T, or ask for it at you local quilt shop. 

Park Quilt Progress

Here is where I currently stand with my Park Quilt blocks. I have a 16th already on the go. 

If I stopped now the finished quilt would come in at about 70'' x 70'', once I press and square up the blocks. That's a pretty good size quilt. Definitely large enough to snuggle under, even with a guest. But it doesn't fit a bed. And frankly, I have a lot of quilts I can snuggle under. This might yet become a gift and I like the idea of gifting a bed quilt better. 

But that means 9 more blocks. Said that way it doesn't seem like that many. Truth be told, I think it could use a few more pop of orange too. Really, if I were to sit down and make a block from start to finish it takes me a couple of hours. So for maybe 20-25 hours of work I could have all the blocks done. Add another hour or so to get the top together and it doesn't seem like that big of a deal, right?

Right?

Pickets, A Quilt from Uppercase Fabrics

Pickets

Many of you know Uppercase Magazine. If you know the magazine you know by now that Janine Vangool, the editor and publisher has her first line of fabric coming out this spring, with Windham Fabrics. If you don't know Janine, the magazine, or the fabric I strongly suggest you seek them out. Creativity abounds, with no shortage of inspiration!

I am lucky enough that Janine is based here in Calgary. This means I can pop into her office with my son in tow. He can play trains while Janine and I can chat all matters writing, magazines, quilting, fabric, and more. Janine is a beautiful and hardworking woman. She is tremendously inspiring to me. So when Janine asked me to create a quilt with her upcoming fabrics I was thrilled to give back.

While the entire Uppercase line is full of bold colours (and prints pulled from the magazines spine designs) I went with the lighter prints for my quilt. Janine encouraged me to make something that was me, that was my style. So, of course, I was drawn to the more low volume prints and some improv work!

That alphabet print in metallic silver is destined to become an all-time favourite print of mine. And the oranges. Such perfect oranges. So perfect that I had to add them in to the stack for good measure.

Then I did what I generally always do. Hacked apart the fabric and just started sewing. I wasn't sure what it would be and had little intention when I started. The only direction I gave myself was that the pieces of orange would be skinny bits.  That's it. The rest of the fabric was cut into my usual small, medium, and large pieces. Then I put on some good music and got to sewing. Definitely my favourite part.

After awhile I stopped to evaluate where things went. I always do this. Start sewing then stop. Up on the design wall I get an indication of direction - what do the blocks want to be? It was at this point I made the decision to only place the orange strips vertically. First layout decision done, I made more blocks. The next evaluation had me seeing that some blocks had more dark orange than others. Rather than try to balance things out, I decided to concentrate these snippets. That meant now making blocks that had few or none of the orange pieces in them. After that it was a matter of making enough blocks to get to a decent size. Then puzzling the top together. (For an idea on how that process works check out my Creative Live class: Improv Quilting Basics.) 

All over texture was the name of the game when it came to quilting. The most perfect grey thread - Aurifil 2600 - came into action. I chose to do a repeating free motion U motif in a nod to Uppercase itself. It was easy, quick, and effective. 

At this point I was still unsure about including that pink fabric in the quilt. It initially seemed at odds with the silver, turquoise, and orange. But I pushed myself to go beyond that popular combination by adding the pink. It tripped me up a few times in the process, but something in me kept in in there. Once the quilt was finished I was happy I took the risk. Makes it just a bit different and a lot more dynamic.

When I finished the quilt Janine invited me to help her out with her look book photo shoot. Kirstie Tweed from Orange Girl did the photography for her. It was a wildly busy and creative day. Janine did so much work, so much sewing herself, to showcase the potential of the fabric. All day we played and styled and shot. Heck, the shoot was so successful that Kirstie went out and bought a sewing machine within a week and taught herself how to sew! 

That's just how inspiring Janine and Uppercase are - it gets us to action, to creative delight. Check out the website for more on the Uppercase Fabric, to see the look book itself, and go behind the scenes with Janine.