Quilts Under Construction - 2Q 2015

Time for the quarterly reality check. Let's look at the Quilts Under Construction list. Things have moved around a bit, although there weren't many quilt finishes.

I've decided to make one fundamental change to this list. If blocks are being used for class samples they are no longer counted. I will make and remake blocks many times in the course of teaching. As they are for demo purposes and not necessarily intended to be a finished quilt, I don't think it is right to include them in this particular list. Of course, that only took 2 things off the list... Hmm. I wonder if I wasn't counting them all before and I just cleaned that up? Oh well.

There was steady work on a number of quilts while others just sat and sat there. I think it might be time to make a booking on a long arm to get a few of those tops done. Or teach my kids to baste because that is the part I hate the most.

Quilt Tops Ready for Quilting

1. Cosmos Blocks
2. Improv Sampler
3. Checkerboard from Sunday Morning Quilts
4. Slaveship Quilt 
5. The Evil Genius' Triangle Quilt
7. Giant Hexagons
8. Lilac Lovely - hanging at My Sewing Room as a sample for my Improv Curves class.
9. Cirrus Solids Pinwheel top
10. Solid Sunday Morning
11. Oh Canada Quilt in Red

Quilts Being Quilted

12. Low Volume Circles - Ugh, hand quilting holding me up.
13. Antonio's Quilt - So close, yet I don't finish it.
14. Smooch -

Waiting for Binding

Nothing in this pile except for a few Just One Slab quilts for final donation.

Blocks and Process

15. Mid Mod Bee - Wishing for a single day or two this summer to get it done. I know what I want to do...
16. Hand Pieced Diamonds - Is it crazy that I feel the whole top needs to be hand pieced together?
17. More Cosmic Burst blocks
18. Name quilt for my daughter - I think this become a backing more than anything...
19. Chandelier quilt - requires some unsewing and I'm just not motivated to do this.
20. Liberty Circles
21. Respite - a project started in a Bill Kerr design workshop
22. Pieced Stars - in recent weeks I've made a few more stars. Crazy precision piecing kick I've been on.
23. The Water Quilt
24. Low Volume Shoeman's Puzzle/Slab blocks - This one has been on my mind lately. Made more low volume slabs while teaching and they could be added. Just need to make more templates.
25. A values quilt in neutrals - I know I said I wasn't counting class blocks, but I now have enough blocks to turn this into a quilt. Maybe very soon.
26. Green/Yellow/Orange Improv blocks  - Part of these are being kept as class samples, but a big chunk of them are now turning into a quilt for my son.
27. Edges/Studio Stash Play
28. Beach Grass Take 2
29. Y2K quilt - Up to 16 rows now. Out of 50.
30. Another leaders and enders project, intended to be like Up, Up, and Away from Sunday Morning Quilts
31. Round and Round blocks - Up to 16 of these now.
32. Snippets on Dates - These are coming together. When I am in the mood for the mess again I will finish it. So, so close.
33. Circle Lattice - Finished three blocks now, and started the fourth.
34. Leftovers from Modern Paris - These may come into play soon as the couple I made the quilt for are now expecting a baby.
35. Gee's Bend inspired blocks after my trip to Alabama - I made up the small blocks into 1 large block, but now I think it needs more.
36. Paperless paper piecing block from my class with Cristy Flincher. I think it needs to be the start of a medallion quilt.
37. The girls' clothes turned into a quilt with the Gee's Bend quilters.
38. Improv work with Cotton and Steel Fabrics that I started for my CreativeLive Improv Quilting Basics class.
39. Blue Improv - pulled out some class sample I've used over the years and played with them for CreativeLive Improv Quilting Basics. Now I think I have a plan for them.
40. The X-Plus blocks I used in the Creative Live Quilting with Low Volume Fabrics class.
41. A whole bunch of pinwheels that I'm playing with. Started as prep for my CreativeLive Pinwheel Play class.

Finished

Precious - an all voile quilt
A Vintage Spin quilt that hasn't been gifted yet, so I can't share it.

Two magazine projects are now published, but I've only shared one so far.
Argyle (Version I and II)
Watch for the other one to be posted in the next week or two. Both are in the latest issue of Modern Patchwork.

Plus, I made some clothes. A dress, 3 Lindens, 2 skirts for my girls.

2015 Goals - 2Q Check-In

Time to stop, look, and listen. Summer vacation started for the kids. I'm trying to more or less take July off to be with the family and rest a little myself (it isn't working, I feel antsy). I do like this quarterly check-in though, keeps me on track. See my 1Q check-in here.

1. Start, and possibly complete, the next two quilts in my Alberta series.

I actually had the opportunity to test a concept for my first one planned. Working with a local shop, My Sewing Room, I designed the background for their Row by Row Experience. We went with a Prairie sky/landscape and this is exactly what I want to do for my next quilt in this series. 

2. Record at least 1 new online class or set of classes.

Finished this last quarter! My CreativeLive classes are available and so much fun. 
Improv Quilting Basics
Quilting With Low-Volume Fabrics
Translating Inspiration in Quilting
Playing With Pinwheels in Quilting

Oh, and how convenient. I see that they are on sale right now. Each class is only $20!

3. Launch 2 more print patterns.

The final design for the Sewing Machine Quilt is being finished. I'm so close with this one. And then my designer got married. I use a graphic designer for the layout and her wedding took precedence. Hopefully soon...

4. Attend 1-2 quilting retreats as a guest and not a teacher.

Had to put aside the one I really wanted to go to. At this point I would settle for a guild sew day.

5. Pick up 3 new freelance clients.

At the last check-in I mentioned that I would be evaluating this. Well, I did. And I've decided not to actively seek out new clients. Part of this was management of my time, especially when it comes to family. Part of it was that we decided to not keep our babysitter, changing the time I did have available. I am still freelancing - check me out in Modern Patchwork and American Quilt Retailer on a regular basis - just not activity pursuing new publications right now.

6. Celebrate the launch of You Inspire Me to Quilt, because I never did that for A Month of Sundays and I missed that.

And I didn't do this. Is it too late? I turned 40 right when the book came out and my husband threw me a big surprise party. It seemed cocky to turn around and have another party right away.

7. Explore print and pattern making through regular sketching, play, and learning design programs.

This is so much fun. I'm sketching and playing all the time. And I've started, just started, some Illustrator classes. Still so much more work to do. But exploring this even more is one of my summer goals.

8. Lose 20 pounds. Actually, closer to 25 if we count the holiday weight. I lost 20 pounds last year and want to continue on the road to health.

So I did an 8 week exercise program on Fitness Blender. Physically, I feel great. I noticed a difference in my flexibility, endurance, and strength. I could see changes in my body shape. But I did not lose a single pound. Muscle weighs more than fat, so there is that. But it also shows me that what I eat matters so much. I wasn't bad in what I eat, but clearly there needs to be bigger changes. The good thing about summer is that it is generally too hot to bake so cookies are out. But then there are s'mores. I also found out recently that I am anemic, it can impact weight, but not really.  My exercise has lagged in the last 2 weeks, so I am trying to get back on that. Thank goodness for lazy mornings by the kids.

9. Find an agent/publisher for the children's books I wrote.

Working on this, actively. But nothing to report yet.

10, Spend at least 1-2 hours a week working on one, any one, of the outstanding Quilts Under Construction. Focused, steady progress should move some of those through the list, even when I'm starting new quilts all the time.

It doesn't happen every week, but it is happening. And I've really only started one quilt this quarter. That being said, I didn't finish many. But the list is shifting and quilts are moving around.

On top of all this I have also submitted the proposal for a new book. Fingers and toes crossed that I will have word so that I can be starting it by the time the girls go back to school. On top of teaching, both locally and booking some travel for the fall, things are not quiet at all. Not to mention the household organization I've undertaking via the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

With the babysitter gone I am back to my early mornings alone. I wake up ready to go, but often paralyzed by all the things I want to do before the kids wake up. I've realized that the exercising can be done when they are awake, so I try to get my writing and pure creative work done while they still sleep. That is, when we are home! There have already been camping trips and visits to help my mom move. But on those regular home days it becomes a flexible combination of creativity, mothering, friendship, and summer fun. Such is my life, and I'm certainly not complaining!

Argyle I and II

Argyle

12'' x 12'' blocks

It isn't often that I make a quilt twice. Beyond pattern testing, I have to really, really like the pattern to make it twice. Good thing this is my own pattern!

Introducing Argyle. Appropriately named, don't you think? I was searching for ideas for a quilt for my nephew (see below). At first I was just searching for string quilts or X quilts or any number of things. Then my Hubby suggested an Argyle quilt. I didn't like any of the patterns I found, none were what I had in mind, so I made up my own.

It is one of those techniques that involves a lot of cutting, sewing, then cutting apart before sewing back together again. Oh wait, isn't that all of quilting?



The original quilt resides with my awesome nephew. The second quilt is now published, with the pattern, in the latest issue of Modern Patchwork. The original is 72'' by 96'', a very generous twin size. The one in Modern Patchwork is 72'' by 72''. (Just make more or less blocks to size up or down.)

Colours vary slightly between the two quilts. The original one is bolder, with a palette of blues, reds, oranges, and yellows chosen by my nephew. Some of the fabrics are from his baby quilt! To achieve the argyle effect you need the strips to be a dark, then you need mediums and lights. So I went to black and white fabrics for the mediums and white or tone on tone for the lights.



In the Modern Patchwork version I started with a bundle of fabric from Windham, the Modern Country line from Elizabeth Kinch. To this I added some stashed fabrics. Of note, there is some Karen Lewis Textiles screen prints, Carolyn Friedlander, Monica Solorio Snow, and Lu Summers. The white in this quilt is an Essex Linen. Overall, this is a softer quilt, more subtle in its design.

Both quilts were quilted with a squared off and overlapping meander. The original was done on a long arm and the second one on my domestic Bernina. Both were quilted with Aurifil 2600.

In addition to this quilt, I have another one plus an article on charity quilts in this issue of Modern Patchwork. With an extra copy of the magazine on my table I'm happy to give one away. On Monday I will pick a winner from the subscribers to my newsletter. Subscribe up top if you haven't already.

A Year of Talking Quilts - First Cuts

There are generally two camps when it comes to cutting fabric - those that are nervous to do it and those that can't wait.

The nervous ones of us are worried about wrecking the fabric. Worse than that, we've put the fabric on such a high pedestal that a rotary cutter is far, far beneath it. In that case, the fabric is so awesome it can't be cut.

We've all been that quilter at least once.

Most of the time, however, we can gleefully cut up our fabric, excited at what is to come. Cutting represents the first real hands-on step of making. Before we cut it's all been scheming and dreaming. Before fabric is cut it only represents quilt potential.

That, by the way, is precisely why we should cut it. Fabric isn't a stock or money in the bank. It's value only comes from being used. Admiring it on the shelf lets you know that there is more pretty in the world, but actually using the fabric for what it was intended for, gives it true value and purpose.



Just like there are two camps when it comes to fabric I find that there are two types of cutters - those who cut every single piece of fabric out before they sew a stitch and those who cut as they go.

The first group are generally following patterns with very specific instructions. Indeed, patterns are almost always written with cutting instructions first. Gets this bit out of the way so you can get to the real business of sewing. But if you make a mistake and don't have extra fabric, then you need to cry or get creative. Or both.

The second group cut as they go. A little bit here, enough for a few blocks there. It is more stop and go, for sure. But it is really just another route to the same finish. If you are improvising, testing a concept, or unsure how many blocks you want to make, this is likely your chosen path. This route can both save and waste more fabric, depending on how much you cut and end up using.

Personally, I don't often cut everything first. When I am designing quilts for publication, this is when I do it. In that case I usually draft the pattern, check my math a million times, then cut everything. This effectively gets me testing my own pattern. If I have to, I will go back and make changes or cut more. But when I do cut first I am always surprised at how quickly it all comes together afterwards!

Because my true love is improv piecing, and often using scraps, it isn't often that I am spending a lot of time cutting and prepping for this kind of sewing. I might grab scraps and start, or cut a bit and play. After stopping and regrouping I will decide what more I need. Or if I even need more.

No matter what kind of quilter you are, there is something so satisfying about the sound the rotary cutter makes. Almost like the scrape of wet sugar on a plate, but uniquely its own. It is always the start of something good.

Since we're talking about cutting, I wanted to give you a few tips on successful cutting:

- Always have a sharp blade in your rotary cutter. If you are getting frustrated with your cutting, change your blade.

- Cut to the lines on your ruler, not your mat. (In fact, I have my mat flipped over so it is a soft grey, not that awful green).

- Before you make your first cut, and periodically as you cut, square up your fabric. Almost everyone tells you to line up your selvages, line up the ruler on the fold, then make a clean cut on the edge. Just make sure that when you line up your selvages the fabric is hanging straight. If it isn't then you need to shift the selvage edges right and left until it does.

- Make sure you close and lock your rotary cutter after every cut. Every. Single. Time. Even if you are the only one in your sewing space, please do it. I've seen too many injuries from open cutters. Better yet, invest in a retractable one.

- If you do not have the luxury of a cutting table, use your kitchen counter. Your back will thank you for the extra height. That is, unless you are short and it is more comfortable on a regular table.

- Never leave your cutting mat in direct sun or in a car. Then warp and will never go back in to shape.

- Replace your mat every few years, more or less depending on how often you are using it. Self healing only goes so far. But if you are cutting based on the lines on the ruler, not the mat, you can rotate and flip it to give it a longer life.

- This should go without saying, but pay attention to what you are doing when you are cutting. Trust me, my missing fingertip can explain to you why.

This is the fourth post in a year long series on all the steps of making a quilt. Musings and thoughts on the process. 

Just One Slab - 2 Years Later

It is the anniversary of the big Alberta Flood. Two years ago the rains came and washed the water from the mountains and it all came downstream, both thundering and seeping. It cleared away and stole people's histories and homes. Quilters around the world rallied and delivered quilts and blocks to provide some comfort to those flooded.

The Just One Slab campaign was launched to allow people to contribute a single block, or more, to relieve efforts. I worked with local volunteers to get the 2300!!! slabs into quilts. Donations came in for batting, backing, and binding. People helped organize and finish quilts. It was incredible. I thought I would get maybe 200 blocks, but I did not expect this response!

The first round of finished quilts went with the Quilts for Calgary door to door donation. Quite a few went out directly from quilters who finished the quilts to neighbours and friends directly affected. More were donated through Quilts for High River. For a few months last fall I sat with over 30 quilts in my dry basement waiting. They were destined for a seniors home in High River, but we were waiting for the facility to reopen. When it did I hand delivered those quilts. Now I have a handful left to deliver, likely, to some long term care residents who never received a quilt and spent much time in distress two years ago. There are also some blocks left and those are going to be sent down to Flood Texas With Love.

On this anniversary I realized I never did share the last round of photos from that donation in the fall. My plan was always to photograph each and every quilt. Some got away from me as quilters finished and donated on their own, so if you missed your block, rest assured that it got used.

Oh Canada Quilt - In Red

This particular quilt was started after the shooting at Parliament Hill in the fall. A strong sense of patriotism came over me, and many others. I took solace from the news and this incomprehensible act in my studio. It was nice to reflect and find comfort in the act of sewing.

This year happens to be the 50th anniversary of our Maple Leaf flag. With Canada Day coming it got me inspired to finish this quilt. Such a fun holiday, everyone is in such a good mood, there are barbecues and fireworks, and we are reminded at what a diverse and great population we have. It all seemed to be good motivation to finish the quilt top.

Not only that, it was nice to finish the quilt with positive feelings, with joy in my heart not pain. Sewing can do that, turn your mood around. But the quilt can also hold your mood. Taking a break helps change that, if you want to do so. That was exactly why I took a break. The imagery of our flag is joyous to to me and while it gave me comfort to make the first few blocks, I wanted the final quilt to be happy.

This version is a bit different too. Instead of making slabs and using those for the reds, I collected a bunch of different red fabrics. From flowers to geometrics to hockey themed fabric, it is all there. And because no two reds are the same, each block still looks distinct. I made it exactly the same size as my original Oh Canada quilt, which is a really good lap size.

Remember, in honour of the Maple Leaf's birthday, the Oh Canada pattern is on sale in my shop. Free shipping for the printed pattern and only US$7 for the PDF version.

Diamonds, not Squares. Plus, a new Improv Log Cabin Class

There has been a jelly roll of Doe fabric and a stack of screen prints patiently waiting their turn to be used. Every time I opened up my stash closet they taunted me, asking to be used. But I needed to clear space - mentally and physically - before I starting something new. I finally felt prepared to do just that this week.

A few hours of play and experimenting with a new shape and I'm very happy.

Diamonds. Not squares turned on their sides like a certain cereal marketing campaign of a few years back. Actual diamonds. It all comes down to the first shape you start with. Just a slight change in the angles on the corners and a whole new world opens up.



Playing with basic techniques in new ways is a wonderful way to explore improv. Log cabins are one of the oldest techniques in the quilting handbook, but that doesn't mean your log cabins quilts have to look old.

I'll be teaching Improv Log Cabin Variations at the Wonderfil Threaducation Centre next week. Come out to play, explore shapes, and dip your toes into the improv pool.

June 24
6:30-9:30 pm
Call 403-250-8262 or register here.

Even the trimmings are pretty. I have a friend who makes mixed media collage and she periodically takes my little trimmings. She's already got her eyes on these.

Lilac Lovely - Improv Curves

Not a spec of white in this quilt top! In fact, quite the opposite of low volume for me. It is so rich and saturated in its colour. I absolutely love it.

As much as I love a perfect circle, I adore improv curves. Then again, improv is my language. There is something absolutely freeing about cutting a random curve and making it work. It requires letting go of sewing expectations. Frankly, that is the best part, in my opinion.

This particular quilt top started with a stack of 20 fat quarters, a rotary cutter, and a large ruler for squaring up. It comes together much faster than you think it does.

If you are interested in learning more about this technique join me at My Sewing Room this summer. I'm scheduled to teach this a few times and would love to have you join me.

July 10 6-9 pm
August 9 1-4 pm

Call 403-252-3711 to register.

Letting Me In - Benefits of Being a Quilt Teacher

We sat laughing and secret sharing around a nondescript table in a junior high Home Ec room. Stories of siblings, child birth, and road trips. After a particularly racy story one of the ladies leaned over to me and whispered, "I hope you won't tell anyone this."

When I am invited to teach to a guild, in particular, there is something very special that happens. These are generally a group of women that know each other well, have spent many a Saturday or evening together sewing and chatting, and likely know a few secrets about each other. At best, they are there for each other when things are bad and celebrating together when things are good. At worst (and it really isn't worst) they know each other's fabric preferences and what kind of sewing will make them jumpy. Then there I am, a stranger thrust into the group.

Yes, I'm invited. Indeed, that is the reason I am there. They want to learn, to glean from the information and inspiration I can share. It is my job to be there and make sure they have a good day, with some challenges and more than a few a ha! moments.

The other people in the room are there because they chose to be there. Maybe they want to learn from me specifically? Or perhaps they sign up for every course the guild offers because they like to take classes? Sometimes they just want the day to sew and a class gets them out of the house (and away from family!)? Either way, they are taking time out of their lives to gather and sew. More than that, They are gathering together in a group that likely knows each other. Some better than others, but in a guild class the students generally know each other and I am the stranger in the room. It is a privileged position.

Conversations happen over the machines that will not happen anywhere else. Sometimes I am included in them, other times I am the observer or even the interloper. It is part of my job to judge when I am welcome in the conversation as much as it is to teach them how to make a perfect circle. And it is definitely part of my job to keep my mouth shut when we leave the room. The classroom is essentially a sacred space. Like an AA meeting, or a stitch and bitch at home, what is said there remains among the people there. As the teacher, I must respect that wholeheartedly.

As the teacher, I also see it as my role to create that special space. In a store or workshop setting where students don't necessarily know each other I like to build an atmosphere where there is chatting, sharing, laughing, and even a few secrets as we sew. If you know me or have ever taken a class with me you know that I am not one for keeping silent. So even if you don't talk, I will! It isn't about filling air time, however, it is about building trust and sharing. I want to invite you into my world so we have a shared story at the end of the day, not just some quilt blocks.

This is one of the reasons I love teaching so much. Of course I love to get people inspired and spread new techniques across the land. But it is the notion that I am invited in to a shared space and there is immediate trust that makes my job special. Knowing that people trust in me and feel so comfortable with me is a mark of success in my eyes. So no, I won't tell anyone what we said, no one at all.

Flood Texas With Love

Well, we know too well the power of water. But thankfully we also know the power of quilters and community.

Texas has been hit hard with flooding recently. I was contacted by Sara and Karri about using the Just One Slab concept for their own efforts to make quilts for people affected by Texas flooding. Of course I said yes! So now they, themselves, are accepting donations of Just One Slab to help Flood Texas With Love.

All the details of the donations are here, on Sara's blog. If you can swing Just One Slab, or a donation to help out then all the details are there.

It doesn't take long to make a slab. And trust me, they add up! Beautiful quilts, comfort of strangers. It is all worth an hour of your time to make and mail a slab. Each slab should be squared up to 15.5'' x 15.5''.

From Sara's post...

If you can't make a block(s) you can donate through Paypal to sara_stetson@yahoo.com in any amount.  All money will be used for quilt materials (batting/backings/thread/binding), shipping and long arm services. Any excess money collected will be donated to the Red Cross of Central Texas.  (I am happy to provide documentation if requested to show the donations are used correctly!)

Please email me at sara_stetson@yahoo.com or send me a private message on Instagram @supersara20 when you are ready to ship your blocks and I will send you my mailing address.

Honest Craft Room

Lest you think everything is sunshine, rainbows, and all projects put away, let me share my Honest Craft Room photo. Full disclosure though, this was taken a month ago just before the mess really, really got to me and I cleaned up.

In this photo you have:
- A broken ironing board
- A taped together pattern draped on a bag full of charity quilts needing binding
- A roll of batting for the charity quilts that doesn't fit in the closet because my own batting is in there
- Fabric pieces for a dress under construction
- Scraps and books and other ephemera simply shoved on to shelves
- Quilts under construction in block form, in bins, toppled over
- Handmade Christmas decorations from the kids, from Christmas 2013
- Tea mug that was probably from the day before
- Piles of fabric here, there, and everywhere
- A million pieces of paper, holding who knows what secrets

My room is small, but it is dedicated to my work and creativity. The entire family is welcome, but where are they supposed to sit when it looks like this?! It always gets cleaned before guests come over because it is the guest room, but I no longer think that is enough. I am incredibly grateful to have a space of my own, but I am clearly not showing it the respect it deserves.

Today, the room looks marginally better, but not great. I'm in the middle of a purge and organizational kick. My awesome quilt hangers helped, but there is so much more work to do! I'm reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up right now and it is rather inspiring, if not a bit hokey at times. Coming to this room during the process will be tough, but absolutely worth it. One of her first questions is asking you what your goal is for the space.

I want a clear space to let my creativity flow - whether that is for sewing, designing, writing, or sharing.

What about you?

A lot of Snippets on Dates. A lot.

All the little bits. All together and everywhere at the same time.

Ages ago I started sewing snippets together. Just two little bits of fabric sewn together randomly. An evening of pressing and I could sew pairs together. And sew more together. Then I put it all aside so a rainy day. Rather, for the motivation to do more.

Motivation hit me last week. It is all due to Amanda Jean and her decision to plan a Scrap Vortex quilt along. I also needed to come down from Market and sew for the sake of sewing. So one day she and I spent some time sewing and chatting. There was a lot of chain piecing and a lot of pressing involved to get what feels like millions of pieces sewn together.



At the beginning the bits come together quite slowly. It feels like you are sewing forever and getting nowhere. Then suddenly you have these big chunks of fabric that look like something. Crazy, wild somethings filled with tiny pieces of fabric! You also have crazy wild somethings all over your sewing table, design wall, and floor. You are covered in threads, more so than at any other time, but deliriously happy.

Then you are not. Because you are covered in threads and there are bits of fabric everywhere. Everywhere. And the fun chaos that you gave order too only seems like chaos. You can square it up, sew them together and have something that looks like a quilt top. Order out of chaos. But there are still load of snippets (are they multiplying at night?).

After a week of sewing I've got a large baby size quilt top together (44'' x 50''), plus loads of slab sections that could be added, and still half a basket of snippets. Not to mention that every single other time I sew more snippets are added. I love the process, I love where I've gotten to, but I need this to go away for a little while. Sometimes the chaos is just a bit too much.



I adore improv, it is my default quilt language. I will never get tired of scraps. Surprisingly though, this past week has been a roller coaster of emotions with respect to this sewing. I got to the point where the mess drove me cranky, where I talked back to the errant threads, and nearly threw out all the scraps. It was just so messy. I'm okay with not knowing where it will go, but the storm before the calm really got to me.

All that being said, I know that this will get bigger, be more. All in good time.

You Inspire Me To Quilt - Introduction (Part 2)

Welcome to the second look at You Inspire Me To Quilt. Today I want to let you in on the rest of the quilts and contributors. If you missed the first instalment, you can find it here.

Have you ever had someone in your life - not a quilter - who suggests some crazy idea for a quilt to you? An idea that you initially dismiss as ridiculous, difficult, or even impossible to translate into a quilt? Have you struggled to work out a design for an idea you wanted to try, for an inspiration that stopped you in your tracks? Well, you aren't alone. You Inspire Me To Quilt is all about that process - from inspiration to finished quilt, from Spark to Binding.

Each contributor to the book shared their process of design and making. That's on top of the pattern itself. We've also included insight from each quilter on a wide range of topics from teaching quilting, finding time for creativity, inspiration, and family. It was such a privilege for me to work with these amazing women, I am thrilled.

Dino Patch is a fun quilt, perfect for collaboration with the favourite littles in your life. You need to see what Carolyn Friedlander did when working with her nephew. Her process is fun for all parties involved and makes for this great quilt. By breaking out the process you can take it and completely make it your own.

Kisses was a labour of love for me. In response to a need for a large enough quilt for a king size bed - with us in it - I made this. Sometimes the inspiration is more functional than funny, but it is still there.

This quilt is a simple, stunning beauty. Straightforward in its construction, yet full of so much love and detail. Jen Carlton-Bailly did an incredible job capturing the phases of the moon and a mother's love for her daughter in one quilt. (I couldn't help but use two amazing mothers in the photo, from Shop Blest, and my dearest friend. Those are their boys/grandsons in the Dino Patch photo too.)

You never know when the SPARK is going to hit you. In Heather Jones' case it was when she and her husband, Jeffrey Cortland Jones, were leaving a parking lot.  In shooting the book I hemmed and hawed about the best way to shoot this quilt. In the end, a stark moment captured interestingly won out over literal interpretations with other signs.

It is totally appropriate that Blair Stocker made a quilt with her husband's request to tackle ski parkas. They are quilted already, after all! Personally, I think this is a fantastic idea for those of us with a surfeit of kids' parkas left with stains and ripped elbows from an active winter. Not to mention cold rinks to sit in and ski lunches to be had.

This was truly an incredible experience, from start to finish, from spark to binding, from first notes to book in hand.

Pick up You Inspire Me to Quilt on Amazon or request it at your local quilt store.

You Inspire Me To Quilt - Introductions (Part 1)

You Inspire Me to Quilt is out in the world! Such an exciting moment and it never gets old. I can finally tell you all about the book, my amazing contributors, and where to get it.

Have you ever had someone in your life - not a quilter - who suggests some crazy idea for a quilt to you? An idea that you initially dismiss as ridiculous, difficult, or even impossible to translate into a quilt? Have you struggled to work out a design for an idea you wanted to try, for an inspiration that stopped you in your tracks? Well, you aren't alone. You Inspire Me To Quilt is all about that process - from inspiration to finished quilt, from Spark to Binding.

Each contributor to the book shared their process of design and making. That's on top of the pattern itself. We've also included insight from each quilter on a wide range of topics from teaching quilting, finding time for creativity, inspiration, and family. It was such a privilege for me to work with these amazing women, I am thrilled.

Amanda Jean Nyberg's quilt is all about honouring a special date. The inspiration was a clock radio and it took family movie night for her to get the idea from her husband into a way that got her excited. And lucky for readers, you don't have to share her husband's birthdate, she provided the pattern for all the numbers.

This is the quilt that my husband requested - for years. In fact, it was incessant asking for this quilt that inspired the book as a whole.

Never once in a million years could I imagine a quilt inspired by bacon, but here it is. It is so true to the inspiration, yet creates a really cool, modern design. Not to mention that Cynthia Frenette walks you through making a not quite improvised background for this quilt. I've already seen what her pattern tester did by changing up the colours and it makes it completely different.

Like bacon, I never would have gone to role-playing games as a source of inspiration. It isn't my world, but the notion of a story telling map based on hexagons makes perfect sense to a quilter. Rossie Hutchinson designed this quilt for her husband, a man with a passion for role-playing games. I adore the concept of using the quilt to tell a story - perfect for a family history, a wedding present, or bedtime creation. With so much sweet, novelty and graphic fabric available now this would be so much fun to do.

A good Canadian loves hockey. Okay, so that is a stereotype which I know isn't true. Personally, I love hockey. That's what got me so excited for Andrea Harris' quilt. Her husband requested a quilt to transport him back to Saturday night watching the Habs on Hockey Night in Canada. She filled the request with a quilt that mimics the colour and graphics of the hockey ice, but pixelated. In the centre she included a large maple leaf, but you could easily add your own design. I have a few nephews who would love this quilt so much, but I don't think Andrea's husband will give it up! Oh, and you should see the quilting!

Stay tuned for peaks from the other five quilts in the book.

Pick up You Inspire Me to Quilt on Amazon or request it at your local quilt shop.

Quilts in the Wild - Of My Home

While I was cleaning up and sorting quilts to put them on my awesome new racks, I decided to take inventory of the quilts at home. These are the quilts being used, abused, loved, cuddled, and slept with in our home. I did not style any of those photos. Just making that clear.

This guy lives for the kids. Needless to say we can't keep him off either of the girls' beds. All day, all night, when he isn't following them around. We rotate the quilts on the bed a lot.

My other daughter's bed. With two quilts, one ostensibly to keep the dog from dirtying the other one, but I usually find it on the floor.

My son's bed. The neatest of the bunch, but when you only weigh 35 pounds and have a full size bed only a small portion gets messy. This particular quilt is from A Month of Sundays.

Two quilts for two people. I've been quite chilly at night lately, so I have my voile quilt layered on top of my QuiltCon quilt.

And, just for the record, the beds usually get made in this house. One of the morning chores for everyone. But the day I took these pictures it was The Evil Genius' birthday and all rules went out the window. She may have had a bowl of whipped cream for breakfast too.

Books and quilts, a perfect combination. My little guy was snuggling with his gift from Amanda Jean and reading this particular morning, when not running around like a maniac screaming.

On the basement couch. Full on TV watching and family snuggles happen here. A baby quilt gifted when the Monster was born coordinates perfectly with one of the quilts from You Inspire Me To Quilt. Photograph by Christy Swanberg.

And upstairs in the living room. The only somewhat neat spot, but I have a habit of straightening it up after I do the dishes every night. Good old Missing U hanging out there, from Sunday Morning Quilts. Shh, but it is covering up a rip in the upholstery.

Between the quilts on the racks, this collection, and various quilts hanging in stores as class samples and promotions, as well as those out for publication, I have 51 quilts in my possession. Woah.

Quilt Storage Solution

Forgive me for being cocky, but I have too many quilts. My husband has been saying that for years, but I'm finally cluing in. There are only so many beds in the house, so many forts to be built, so many little legs to cover. I do give away quite a few quilts too, but the supply at home continues to grow. There is just no stopping the compulsion to create.

Over the winter the spot to store the quilts became the table in the family room. It is supposed to be a table for playing games, doing puzzles, and gathering around as an alternative to the TV. We've used it as a fort or secret TV watching space as well. In truth, it's main function was to hold the precarious stack of quilts.



Nothing was functional - including the quilts themselves.

Then I discovered these racks. Long story short, I found myself with unexpected free time and a case of the grumps. So I went to Home Sense, which is a discount home wares store along the lines of TJ Maxx or Marshalls for my US readers. I went in hoping to find a little table for my son's room, but found these racks instead. I picked up the two they had to test out at home.

(See, I thought I had a genius idea for quilt racks that my husband could make, but I also wanted the quilts off the table before 2017. His business builds cabinets so he has all the tools, but not the time. We are the cobbler's kids with no shoes.)

The racks are PERFECT. Each one easily holds 10-15 quilts. I was so pleased with them that I drove across the city (something I hate doing) to another HomeSense, fingers crossed, to get another one. I'm a firm believer that instead of getting more and more storage one should have less stuff, so three will be my maximum.

As for the brand, to direct you to get your own, if so inclined, I can be of no help. They simply have 'Organise' on the label. I've done a quick search on line and can find nothing. Maybe you will have better luck. For reference, they seem to be a painted or powder coated lightweight steel.



There are currently 32 quilts on these racks.

I should address the sheer volume of quilts. As soon as your write books, have trunk shows, and teach, the quilts pile up. And you can't give them away because you need them. Not always, but enough to need them readily accessible. There will come a time when I don't need to pull out every single quilt from Sunday Morning Quilts, but for now I still need all that scrappy goodness around.

Not to mention that I'm still making, still trying new things. And we won't mention what would happen if I actually finished the quilts on my Quilts Under Construction list!

The Linden - With a V-Neck and in Double Gauze

To be clear, I've now declared that I will happily sew clothes and it is all the Linden's fault.

Here are two more iterations of this Grainline Studio pattern. I've also made one for a friend, ordered fabric to teach 6 members of my family how to make one (so I don't have to do it for them), and have one more version I want to try on deck.  But this pattern also has me feeling confident enough to make more, sew more clothes. Without the success of the first one and the realization that this is a welcome break from life and work as a quilter I wouldn't be so far gone. 

There is now a v-neck version. In my regular clothing I love a v-neck. Always have, always will. So of course, I had to try one. No mind that I've never sewn a v-neck and could not find a version of the Linden online in a v-neck. I also made a rookie mistake that could have been fatal - playing with an expensive fabric. Thank goodness it worked out. 

To get through the process I relied on this tutorial from Seamwork.

The neckline isn't perfect. I could have cut the neckband a few inches smaller, it gapes on my shoulders. And my middle seam doesn't lay perfectly flat. But I don't care because I made this and most people can't tell. And those that know, think it is cool. And I have a loose, light sweatshirt/t-shirt that I love.

Another change on this version was to add length. I wanted it to be like a big slouchy t-shirt. So I added 4'' to the length. And I split the cuff. The first crack at the split cuff was good, but I didn't do a top stitch and so pulled the seams when I wore it and stretched it out. I fixed the ripped seams, but unless I gathered it, I couldn't fix the gap. I'm okay with that. More room over my hips.

The fabric is an US organic jersey, designed by Josi Severson. I splurged on it, for sure. But it is worth it for so many reasons. Down the line I might make a more fitted shirt from another fabric from her. Fabric available on Honey Be Good.

The other version I made was one from Nani Iro double gauze. It fact, it was this fabric that got me on to the pattern. I'd seen it online, but when I held it in my hands in the merchant mall at QuiltCon I knew I needed to have it. On a whim, and a distant thought I might make a shirt from it, I picked up 3 yards. Over drinks one night I was telling a friend about it and she told me about someone she saw that day wearing a Linden made from double gauze. As my friend was wearing a Linden at that moment the stars collided and lit the way forward.

This version is the exact same as my first. The only change is that I made it maybe 2'' longer. The first fits well, but I wanted more length. I also wanted, even though I was using the double gauze, to have this still be a sweatshirt. So I hit the local chain fabric store and picked up some pale pink jersey to use for my cuffs and neckband. That was a pain to work with, I picked a super thin one. It all came together for this breezy version.

This is a very good addiction.

Some Crazy Vintage Quilt Top

Have you ever purchased a vintage quilt or quilt top? Generally I can admire them but walk by. I might be sorely tempted, but the reality of the number of quilts in my house keeps me from getting them. Then this one came along.

It is just a quilt top. Machine but foundation pieced. A mess of fabrics from different eras and many different substrates. It sat with the other blankets and quilts at one of the local antique malls. I saw it once, then twice. Quite easily I walked away.

Then, after months of not going in the antique mall I took the girls there on an outing our craft supplies. And the top was still there. For $40 I decided it finally needed to come home with me. Frankly, I may have overpaid. The edges are all uneven  - the blocks are various sizes - and there are quite a few loose threads and repairs needed.

I am sure that someone, somewhere put some good love and energy into this. Maybe they are clothing scraps? Family memories tied up in this quilt? Or maybe someone inherited a bunch of fabric and threw it together. There is some thought to design in the placement of the blocks. They are laid out in what I've seen called a Fields and Furrows setting.

All that being said, I think I might use this quilt top to experiment with indigo overdying.

I know. Feel free to comment.

Every since I saw these quilts I've wanted to experiment with this technique. But, I must admit, I'm afraid to do it with one of my own quilts. I've also wanted to play with indigo, period, so that I would try both fabric dying and quilt overdying. With so many different fabrics in this quilt I predict they will take the dye differently. And I wonder if the value work will still be obvious?

The days are definitely getting warmer and I can look forward to a messy few days of experimenting in the backyard.

Tips for Cutting and Sewing Voile

After posting my Precious - all voile quilt I've had quite a few emails and some comments about the quilt's construction and working with voile.

Voile, while a woven cotton, is not exactly the same as the quilting cotton most of us are used to sewing. It is thinner and silkier. That means it requires some special handling. Nothing fancy, just a bit of care.

Tips for Cutting and Sewing Voile

1. Pre-washing does not make a difference to the feel of the fabric - so go with what you generally do when it comes to pre-washing.

2. Starch or not? I can't say here as I am not a starch user and did not experiment. Again, I think going with what you are comfortable with is going to work for you. But because you pick voile, in part, for its softness, you will definitely want to wash the finished project before using.

3. The ruler will want to slide while you are cutting. Keep your pinky finger of the hand stabilizing the ruler off the edge of the ruler, right next to it. This helps hold it in place.

4. You can cut more than one layer at a time. Voile is much thinner, so I cut with my fabric doubled up.

5. Make sure your rotary cutter blade is sharp. Of course this should always be the case, but the voile seems to snag a bit more.



6. Be careful to keep it right sides up. It can be hard to determine right versus wrong on some voiles, so stack and keep organized accordingly.

7. Use your walking foot for sewing. Or a dual/even feed if your machine has it. This is an absolute necessity. (At one point my dual feed was turned off and I wrecked fabric trying to sew. It took me a lot of swearing to figure out the simple fix.)

8. If pinning, use thin and sharp pins to make smaller holes and not have snags.

9. If you don't already piece with a 75/11 or 80/12 needle do so for this. Personally, I'm a fan of the Microtex Sharps for piecing.

10. You can absolutely mix voiles with regular cottons. They sew together nicely. Use these same tips, even when combining the fabrics.



As for how I put together this particular quilt, it was totally random patchwork. I collected the fabric, cut out a bunch of random triangles, and sewed them together.

Fabrics were gathered from all over. Mostly on-line sources. The selection of voile continues to grow and there are more and more geometric rather than floral options. That gets me very excited and makes me want to make another all voile quilt.



To cut my triangles I used the 60 degree ruler from Marti Michell. You could easily create your own template too. I liked this ruler because while it did give the options to cut different sized triangles it was a larger triangle when used as a template. Frankly, it was the size of the ruler that dictated my own triangle size. Cutting was made a lot easier that way!

Two other things I liked about this particular ruler. One, the little notches on the corners are great. It is so much easier to cut those triangles off before you sew, rather than after. And you do need to cut them off to reduce the bulk in the corners. And two, the guidelines in the centre help you cut the half triangles for the edges of each row, with the correct seam allowance.

Once I had a pile of triangles cut I sat down and sewed. Working on two rows at a time, I sewed one triangle to the next. For the first rows I kept sewing until I thought I was long enough to cover my bed, checked and rechecked that measurement, then finished each row with a half triangle. Once I had enough rows together I used my bed as design wall. Because it was inevitable to have some triangles line up from row to row I embraced that and moved things around for intentional diamonds.

Thank you so much for all the questions and compliments.

Now, as for those giant pencil crayons in the first photo on the post, wouldn't that be cool? Alas, they are just old posts of some sort.

Playing With Circles in Quilting - For the Love of the Half Circle

This design has been stuck in my head for months and months. I had grand plans of making this quilt for Valentine's Day - for obvious reasons - but work deadlines got in the way of quilting for fun. I found myself with few immediate deadlines this week and a free morning. Et voila!

Beyond the design itself, I also wanted to make this quilt for another reason. I wanted to showcase some half circles in a design. So often I see two quarter circles used when the quilter could have easily made a single block. The construction is exactly the same, so why shy away from half circles? Is it fear? The unknown? Pure comfort with a quarter circle? I know that the final result is the same, but if you can avoid a seam, why wouldn't you?

There were some insanely gorgeous and creative quilts at QuiltCon, for example, that used quarter circles when half circles could have been used easily.  It might just be me, because of my circular predilection, but I think we need to bring the half circle the attention it deserves.

That focus is going to start with a pair of lips. Or hearts, depending on your viewing angle. That was kind of the point with this design. One big smackaroonie. And all the love for a half circle block too.

This quilt is scheduled to be in a quilt show in a month so I better get it off the rocks and under my machine. I see some free motion text in my future.

If you want more details on making a half circle block you can check out my Craftsy class on Inset and Applique Circles by Machine or pick up Lucky Spool's Essential Guide to Modern Quiltmaking.