Ocean Blues

Ocean Blues

74" x 74"

I have finally finished my two sided pixel ocean quilt! It was delayed during quilting by my broken sewing machine. And it was such a wonderful feeling to have it finished at last! It is one of my favorites and is happily hanging on my wall now.

My intent was to create a wall of blue, evocative of the ocean. I began by selecting a color palette. Since it is impossible to pick accurate colors from a monitor, I have been collecting sample packets of solid colors from different manufactures.  

Here are three of them.  Moda Bella is on the table, along with a page of RJR Cotton Supremes.  I just got the Kona card standing up in the back. PS. These samples are a little expensive, and not available year round, which can be frustrating. Also, you may notice that some of the fabric swatches have been ripped off the cards. That is because colors are very fickle, they can look different in different surroundings. I pull off a little swatch, and then attach a sticker on the back with the name of the color.  Then, if I want to get some, I still know what it is.  The Kona is permanently welded to the page.  I have no idea how to separate those colors from each other, perhaps an exacto knife?

Moda Bella samples, with labels added

Next I kind of swoosh them around to see how they look next to each other. Once I am satisfied, I try to find these exact colors from quilt stores.  That is not an easy task!  For this project I think I shopped at 6 different stores to find my fabrics, and was unable to find 2 of them.  Some stores require a minimum purchase of a yard of fabric, which is more than I need.  So, it is inherently inefficient, and especially so when adding up all the shipping costs.  However, no one carries all the colors. What is up with that??? Ha!

Here is a stack of some of the new fabrics mixed in with the ones I already had.

Once I had my fabrics, I wasn't sure which idea I wanted to pursue on a large scale, so I made some little sample quilts first.  Perhaps you remember them from earlier posts in April and May of this year?

These are all so lovely, and I had other ideas I hadn't tried yet, but I knew I wanted to try the pixel one in a large quilt.  The stripey one I tried in two other slightly larger versions here and here. 

Let the rotary cutting begin! This part can be a bit tedious and led to repetitive use injuries.  I try to do it slowly with stretching in between.  It is FUN to see the different colors stacking up and ready for placement!

After I had a LOT of squares cut, I started putting them up on my design wall. I thought it would be fun and easy. And, it was fun, but it was not easy.  My original idea had more brown and greens and less blue. Like this:

It would seem that too much thinking sometimes gets in the way of making art. So, I took a lot of this down and rearranged it more than once, and kept trying.  I knew I was getting close when I had mostly blue. 

Next week I will post about the back of this quilt, because this is another one that has turned into a two-sided quilt! 

Charmed, part 2

Charmed, part 2

project 80" x 80"

Here are 4 blocks! The whole quilt top will have 16 blocks. And, I am currently in the process of replacing one of the blocks that I did not think played well with the others.  A photo of the entire quilt top will be coming soon!  Meanwhile, I like the way the alternating values of the quilt add movement and kind of make it sparkle.  The bright colors make me think of the fruit flavored chewy candy known as Starbursts. 

From the perspective of the whole quilt on a computer screen, you can not see all the lovely details of the fabrics this quilt is celebrating.  So I will include some closeups of the individual blocks, and the some of the fabrics. A few more:

And some closeups of the cute fabrics!

Love these cute tulips and the hedgehogs!

The lovely pink llama fabric!

Great little owl!

Capybaras!!

I love this bold graphic!

And, there is always room for some Yaks!!

Pop up polar bear! He looks so friendly, as if he is saying "hello there!"

Climbing trees!

Charmed - project

Charmed

project 80" x 80"

This one started as a challenge to myself.  It is named after a charm pack swap I purchased from Bunny's Designs, and I was wondering what to do with the unusual assortment of little 5" squares of very interesting fabrics!

I decided to try some monochromatic blocks and I was drawn to my comfort zone, the log cabin block.  I decided to alternate rows of solid colors with rows of prints to build my blocks.  Each block would be BIG, 20" square.  To select the solid colors, I opted for a gradient.  Here are a few combinations that are auditioning for a spot.

After cutting the strips the right sizes, which I am embarrassed to tell you that I did wrong on a number of occasions, I started selecting which prints to use.

I have been collecting fabric for many years and I have a lot to choose from.  Ultimately, the ones that worked were the ones that had a bit of value difference compared to the solids that surrounded them. 

Here is a close up of the pink block:

I selected squares for the center from larger scale prints.  I LOVE these polar bears!!

It was also fun to include some of my own batiked fabrics in the mix.  These lovely oranges (and one red), helped extend the possibilities for the orange block.  I tried not to use any fabric twice, but in the end, I did, at least a few times. 

It was really fun to revisit my old fabrics and mix them with the new ones.  It brought up so many memories, it was like looking at a scrapbook.  Next week, I will show you more of the fabrics I used and some of the completed blocks!  And, I will likely want to put something interesting on the other side!  At least this kind of sewing has been a really fun way to stay busy while I wait for my sewing machine (that I use for quilting) to be repaired.  

RJR Fabrics and New Solid Sample Cards

RJR Fabrics and New Solid Sample Cards!!!

I got in a new set of sample cards from RJR Fabrics!  I am so excited! It's like having a new box of crayons, or rather, a GIANT new box of crayons!

Here's one of the pages:

My only complaint is that they are are glued to the page.  And, for me, (and maybe everyone else too?), color is relative.  It looks different compared to what you put it next too.  Light is very important but so are the colors that surround it.  So, I am too perplexed by color to be able to order a color from a sample card like this.  Only one thing to do...

Rip them off the page!

This is so much fun! (full disclosure, I did it one by one, and put a sticky label on the back with the name and number of each color).  Anyway, I can move the little patches around and look at how the colors play with each other.  I love the combination above.  Reminds me of a salt marsh, which I must be thinking about after having read Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.

Yes, now, I want to make a quilt with these colors, so I will be needing to order the fabric! And there won't be any surprises about the colors that arrive in the mail. And for someone as picky about color as I am, this is a huge and wonderful event!

The next one I played with I call, colors of kayaks! I can see a quilt here too! This is going to be so much fun! Did I say that already?

LOVE Flowers

LOVE Flowers
18" x 18"

My dear friend, Jamie Fingal, has a new line of fabrics coming out this fall at Quilt Market in Houston.  It is called Heavy on the Metal and it is produced by RJR Fabrics.  It is a labor of love and I expect it will be hugely successful for her!  If you check out her blog, you can see some of the fabulous 'heavy metal' art quilts she has made with zippers and safety pins and measuring tapes.  My favorite quilt is the little red and black quilt of a dress with the skirt made of red measuring tape fabric.  It is wonderful!

Jamie gave me let me choose 10 fabrics with the request to make a small 18" quilt. I selected these, along with a few extra from her lines Hopscotch and Sewing 101 to blend with it.

I 

The motifs are fun!  I especially like the zipper fabrics!  And, they all sparkle, just a little, with the use of metallics on the fabric.  I washed and dried my fabrics, and they held up great! I really enjoyed this small project, made that much easier by using Mistyfuse on the backs, cutting my shapes of flowers, stems and leaves, and then simply pressing them into place with the iron. So fast, so easy!  The quilting went quickly too!  And I added a bit of satin stitch and hand quilting to finish it off. You can see the entire fabric lineup on her blog.  I am wishing her the best of luck with this new line!

Florabunda Baby Quilt

Florabunda Baby Quilt
41" x 41"

I had so much fun making this little baby quilt with Melanie Testa's new fabric line Florabunda!  And, I am delighted to be part of the blog hop (see below) to showcase her new line!

I started making quilts many, many years ago.  My first quilt was a log cabin quilt.  After making a few traditional quilts, I was drawn into the world of art quilting.  The learning curve was quite steep as I had no real art background or training, but I knew that's where I wanted to go!  However, there are also times when my brain needs a rest, and I am drawn back to working with quilting blocks and commercial fabrics.  This was one of those instances, and it didn't disappoint.  I loved touching this fabric.  It was soft and the colors and patterns were so appealing to me.

I had an idea to use some triangles for this quilt, and started coloring on graph paper, and this is what evolved.  When the fabric arrived, I was ready to go!  The entire quilt went together in just a few days.

I added some hand quilting with Superior's heavy weight Sew Sassy thread, which looks perfect with the aesthetics of this quilt.

Here it is, photographed in the wild.  I would have put a baby on it, if I had one!  :)

Now for the blog hop info!

Twelve artists have joined with RJR Fabrics, Quilty Box and Melanie Testa to host an Instagram Florabunda introduction and fabric GIVEAWAY!  You are invited to join the Blog Hop each day, June 7 through June 16.  Please, visit and like all Florabunda Blog Hoppers on Instagram, including @RJRFabrics, @QuiltyBox,  and @MellyTesta to increase your chances to win! RJR Fabrics will post chances to win Florabunda Swag daily (June 11 through 16). Don't forget to check out Melanie Testa’s blog each day too. You will get highlights and interesting info about each participant!

Tiffany Hayes http://needleinahayesstack.blogspot.com June 7

Deborah Boschert http://deborahsjournal.blogspot.com/ June 8

Sara Mika http://www.mockpiestudio.blogspot.com/ June 9

Lyric Kinard http://lyrickinard.com/lyric-kinard-blog/  June 10

Kathy York http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.com   June 11

Teri Lucas https://terificreations.com June 11
Susan Brusker Knapp http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com June 12

Leslie Tucker Jenison http://leslietuckerjenison.com              June 12

Tiffany Hayes http://needleinahayesstack.blogspot.com June 13
Jamie Fingal http://jamiefingaldesigns.blogspot.com/            June 13

Debby Brown https://www.debbybrownquilts.com                June 14

Heidi Kelly http://www.hkellydesigns.com June 14
David Gilleland  https://www.facebook.com/VectorQuilts/                June 15

Melanie Testa http://www.melanietesta.com June 15

One Earth

One Earth
47" x 47"

and other stuff going on....

Confluence.  I just love that word.  This quilt was the confluence of multiple things going on in my life and in the world.  Part 1: One odd piece was related to the terrorist attacks on Paris.  I had the television on, which is unusual for me because I don't have cable.  I was watching the news in horror as the situation unfolded.  That was the first I heard of the Climate Talks that were about to happen in Paris.  And the last thing I would want is for terrorists to prevent that from happening.  But I also had the fear, the unavoidable and understandable fear.  I was worried that it would be a set-up for another attack.

Part 2: And, I have been shopping for a new car.  The criteria was NEW, ah yes!, and it had to have better gas mileage than my old minivan.  You may be wondering, but this is how the second part of the story is related to the first part.  I want to do my part to help the global climate, as small and insignificant as it feels, it all adds up.  I went searching for hybrid or electric car.  I am so disappointed to tell you that it is just not working out for us.  My son is too tall.  He keeps hitting his head on all the smaller and more fuel efficient cars.  It doesn't help that he is so inflexible and refuses to sit in the front seat, that's the Aspergers...and it is something I can work on, but it will take time.  And I will have to temporarily give up another goal if this one becomes a priority.  NUTS!!  That left me shopping for a big car with bad gas mileage, and despite the fact that the price of gas is dropping, it just hits me the wrong way to buy a bigger and badder car.  And, it requires trying out more car models than I have the patience for.  I am the odd bird, I do not like to shop.  So for now, we are still driving the old car, and will continue to do so...

Part 3:  While at Quilt Market, I was given a giant stack of fat quarters of Me+You from Hoffman Fabrics.  They were very nice to touch so the first thing I did when I got home was to wash them and iron them dry.  It was a lot.  And since I like to sew, this was a gift I can totally appreciate!  Unfortunately, many of the colors are just not colors that I want to look at, much less sew with.  So, I took out the pretty and bright and pure colors and set them in their own stack.

That left the darker earth tones and the lighter pastels, each got their own stack.  They sat that way for a week, and one morning I woke up with this image in my head.  And, I knew that the earth tones would actually be for the earth image.  And, I LOVE the way bright colors pop with neutrals, so they would be the "i" figures.

It nagged me for 2 full days.  I think sometimes we call this the MUSE.   One week later the quilt was born, with slight modifications of the design, fully quilted, and ready to go.  I entered it into QuiltCon2016 on the last day of registration.  Keeping my fingers crossed that it will get in!

For me this quilt is about the expression: we have more things in common than the things that separate us.  We all have family,  and community, and we all live on one earth.  We have to take care of that earth for our survival.  The climate talks are a crucial part of that, but only one part.

Next week I will show you how I made it.  My studio assistant, aka, my daughter, helped me film a few very short videos with some techniques I used.  Stay tuned!

Balance

Balance
24" x 60"

Opening tomorrow at the International Quilt Show in Long Beach, my quilt, Balance, which was juried into the Dinner@8 exhibit, An Exquisite Moment.  I wish I was there!  Thank you so much Jamie Fingal and Leslie Jenison for curating this exhibit.  AND special thanks to Moore's Sewing Centers for their sponsorship!

It seems like balance is much easier to maintain when things are going right in my life!  However, I find that I appreciate it so much more during the other times, when life is chaotic and full of stress.  That ephemeral moment of balance gives me hope and grounds me.

This quilt is made from some new batik designs I have been playing with this spring.  It was such a joy to put them to use in this quilt.  The pieces were individually cut and fused into place with Mistyfuse.  Then I used black thread to go around the entire figure; this mostly shows only on the white side of the quilt. Then I quilted in simple arching lines with grey thread.  Sweet simplicity!

And as is usual for our Dinner@8 exhibits, a Blurb Book by Lois Bogue is available of the exhibit if you are interested!  I LOVE the cover by Cheryl Sleboda!!

Blue Circles

Blue Circles
I was just playing with different tools to easily stamp out big circles in batik.  This is one piece that I did as an experiment, and I was looking for something to practice quilting to get back into the swing of things.  I had already done this one.  And since I showed the beginning of this project on this post, I thought I would update it's progress. The first was completed so quickly that I thought it would be fun to do another one (and it was!).  So many of my projects are rather big and intricate.  Sometimes, it is nice to do something quick and simple.
Here is the initial layout of fabrics:  I like the way it looks so natural with several of my Urban Landscapes fabrics!

 And then I layered it, and machine quilted.  Then added some hand stitching.

Not today, and probably not tomorrow, but some day I will either put a binding on it, or make it into a nice big pillow.  I just can't decide!  I do love the texture of the hand quilting with embroidery floss though!

Good bye Clothworks

Good bye Clothworks

It is with great sadness that I tell you that I will no longer be designing fabrics for Clothworks.  It has been a fabulous experience for me and I love dearly all the people at Clothworks!  Like two friends who's paths diverge, and so it is with us.  I like to think that there will be new opportunities for me.  I have been creating lots of new designs, but I am not ready to market them yet.  And I don't know why.  I mention this now because Quilt Market in Houston is coming up soon, and I will not be going for the first time in a long time.  I will miss the excitement and the friends I always see there. 

Meanwhile, my kids are both in school now, and as I say goodbye to homeschooling, I say hello to time in my studio.  I have been richly rewarded.  My enthusiasm for creating my art quilts is in full swing.  I wake up each day excited about what I will work on for the day.  Yesterday, it was dyeing....as in, see my blue arms where the gloves leaked?? Today it was a fun filled morning with our art quilt bee, catching up and dreaming of new projects.

And a little tribute to my long ago launched fabric collection, Urban Landscapes.....here are some new pincushions (see above), designed and built just like the buildings on my 3D quilts like Central Park, and Little Fish in a Big City.  I will be showing how to make these at Quilting Arts Open Studios at the International Quilt Festival in Houston.

And...who can forget this image?  It was the number one all time occurring hit on my blog.  Thanks for stopping by!

Cute Purse!

Cute Purse!

My friend Susan Tennison just made this fabulous purse and posted on Facebook.  I asked her if she minded if I put it on my blog to share with you.  She was delighted!  It is made from a purse pattern in M'liss Rae Hawley's book 101 Fabulous Fat-Quarter Bags.  I just love the way Susan used my Urban Landscapes fabrics to make this.  I am told there are interesting Urban Landscapes fabrics on the inside too, so I might sneak down to the Quilt Store to see it.  It is on display there.  You can see more of Urban Landscapes here.

Now for the rest of you....if anyone else has an image to share featuring my fabrics....I would love to post it!

It's Not too Late

It's Not too Late

To start making gifts for the holiday season.  These were made by a friend of mine.  She used the pattern from my article on drawstring bags (or cleaning up cable clutter) in Quilting Arts Gifts magazine.  And she used my fabric, Urban Landscapes, as she is proud of my accomplishments and is obviously super supportive!  THANK YOU!!!  I borrowed them to take a photo on my back deck.  Yes, my picnic table is really aqua blue!  I just think they look so cute with the ribbons.  I hadn't thought of ribbons for the drawstring, but I love the look.  Very cute!