DEAR JEANNE UPDATE #1

I'm still working on the drafting of patterns to use in my Dear Jeanne quilt -- that part is easy.  But, I keep anguishing over a possible color story for the quilt.

Below, are three versions of the 'Sawtooth Star' (or Keepsake Star) that I've tried.  The yukky first one is already in the trash.  The second one is better, but I'm just not feeling the purple.  The third one I like.  Guess I'm just a red person and may break my self-imposed rule of no red in this quilt.  My Grandmother was always right -- she said every quilt needs some red in it.

I made two of the 'Court House Steps' block.  In my eyes, the red one wins (of course).

Here is the 'Calling Card' block in the two colorways.  In the purple version, I used one side of a blue dotty fabric; in the red one, I used the reverse side.

I also intend to include twelve 5" applique blocks.  So I experimented with this one (no red).  I've framed these pictures with a black border to kind of get the effect of the narrow black sashing I'm considering.

That's it for now.  I'm anxious to get going on this quilt.  Don't be surprised to see some more red in the future!

I'm joining the following:
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DEAR JEANNE

On my bucket list of quilts has always been a 'Dear Jane' quilt.  But, I'm going to call mine 'Dear Jeanne'.  In my line of women of my family there are four of us with the middle name of Jeanne; and hopefully, some day (but not too soon) there will be a fifth generation named Jeanne.  She can then have this quilt made by her Great Grandmother, Sally Jeanne.

So, I'm in the planning stages.  It will be in the format of a 'Dear Jane' -- a sampler of small blocks.  The original quilt contains 169 blocks (13 blocks by 13 blocks plus the border); I'll be doing well to make 49 blocks (7x7).  The designs were drafted 4 1/2" in size originally; mine will be 5 inches.  I'm in the design and drafting phase right now using designs of blocks I have used in quilts over the last 30 or so years rather than the designs from the original quilt.

I'm also pulling fabrics from my 30-year scrap stash to establish a color story.  I'm thinking purple, pink, blue, black, gray, and white.

I made a couple of blocks to sample the size and color.

Yuk!  Don't like this one at all.

I'll refine the color choices as I progress.  For instance, I'm throwing out that pink in the corners of the star block above.  Actually, I think I'll throw the whole block away!

So, here is the same block with different fabrics.

I'm liking the idea of the blues with the gray/white/inky black -- the purple not so much. 

 I'm dying to exchange the purple for red; but I promised myself no red or brown this time.  I feel it is so important to get the color story right for a sampler with scraps quilt to control the busyness.
It must be time to step back a couple of days; let the colors percolate; and the quilt might tell me what to do.  Maybe a teal instead of purple; or possibly break my rule of no red this time.

 Currently, I'm hand quilting a couple of tops; so there won't be any finish action on this blog for awhile.  I plan to take it slow on the 'Dear Jeanne' blocks, too -- maybe two or three a week.   You can expect some in-progress reports on those in the future.

I'm joining the following:
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Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday

MORE ABOUT THE QUILT SHOW

I promise this will be the last post about the quilt show of 37 of my quilts.

The opening reception was so much fun for me and my family.  So many of our classmates, old friends, relatives, and acquaintances came to see the show.  It was a wonderful time to share not only the quilts, but the experiences of growing up and attending school in our hometown during the mid-20th century.  In the 1950s, it was the iconic "Happy Days" small town.  We were very fortunate.

Some more pictures of the show:

The show runs until August 29th when we will go back to dismantle.

I'm joining the following:
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Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

BEHIND THE SCENES -- HANGING A QUILT SHOW

Over the years I have curated and/or hung quite a few quilt shows.  This has been the most challenging -- simply because there are no hanging devises in place that are conducive to displaying quilts, plus instructions that I was not to put any holes in the walls.  So, I have planned and planned and hope all goes well.

I was concerned that we would even be able to transport everything in our compact SUV the 100 miles necessary, but we had room to spare.  There are eight large tubs containing 37 quilts, 2 tool totes, hanging sticks and cardboard, etc. etc.

Ready to hit the road, and hope I didn't forget anything!!!

From a previous trip to scope out the venue, I knew this was what to expect (minus the displayed artwork).

When a gallery is not designed to hang quilts, here are some ideas.

  On the left below are my lifesavers when hanging if the venue has suspended ceilings.  These hooks clip into the cross bars of the ceiling, and quilts can then be hung with fishing line attached to poles through a hanging tube on the quilt.  I don't remember where I secured these clips 25 years ago, but I think they are still available as I'm told teachers use them in their classrooms for display.  Binder clips aren't the most pleasing aesthetically, but useful to attach quilts to the front of ledges.  If you can find bulldog clips thick enough, they look better.  And, finally cardboard cut to size of the small quilts; t-pinned; and then they are able to rest supported on ledges and easels.

The two quilts, left below, are hung from the ceiling.  The picture on the right below show two quilts clipped to the ledges, and a quilt mounted on cardboard suspended between the two ledges.

I had done a lot of preplanning, so the actual installation only took about three hours for 37 quilts in the two rooms of the gallery.

We go back tomorrow night for the opening reception.  I already know of a couple of small changes I'll make before we open.  It's hard for me to ever be satisfied!!!!!  I'm sure you know how it is with color-sensitive quilt people.  For instance, that orange/green quilt above HAS to be moved and exchanged with another quilt.  Oh, well!

I'm joining the following:
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A NEW WEEK, A NEW PROJECT

The urge to start something new did not pass.

Back in THE day when I was very busy writing a couple of books which required lots of designing and making of quilts, I was always pressed for time.  Consequently, I was unable to explore further the possibilities of some of my favorite designs.

This is one of the quilts from my book, "Keepsake Signature Quilts", that I had wanted to try with different colors, fabrics, and without signatures.

KEEPSAKE STAR

Now is the time!!!

I have been wanting to make a small table topper to use for both patriotic and Christmas holidays.  So I went to my stash of scraps.  Pulled out the boxes with blues and teals shaded to green.  I found enough scraps to make each of the 25 stars in a different fabric.

 Added some red and some background beiges.

And got started.

Boy!  Was I in for a surprise?  This quilt looks so different from my original 'Keepsake Star' even though it is the same pattern.  

It's always amazing to me how different a quilt can look by using different fabrics and shifting the lights and darks.

Where have my stars gone?  The emphasis is now on an "X-factor" in the center instead of the stars. 

I was a little disappointed as I do love those stars.  Even after all my years of making quilts, I still can be surprised -- guess that's what keeps me at it.

The top is finished, and now ready for basting and some hand quilting.  It's growing on me even without its galaxy of stars!

I'm joining the following:
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A WEEK OF RANDOMNESS

I've had another week of busyness, but not much accomplished.

1.  I did manage to get my 'bright' quilt basted for quilting.  I worked on it last night for a little while, but couldn't get into a rhythm -- that happens to me sometimes when I haven't hand-quilted for a couple of months.  I'll try again tonight.

It has been suggested that I name this quilt 'Fireworks' or 'Fireworks through a Window'.  I like the idea.

2.  Lists and more lists -- I will hang my quilt show in three weeks.  So there are piles of quilts, etc. all over the house.  I'm NOT a procrastinator, which can be a detriment sometimes.  I'm always ready toooooooo early, so we live with piles and lists!

 3.  I can't help myself -- I'm thinking about a new project.  Starting to pull out fabrics from the scrap stash to determine a color plan.

Hopefully, this urge to start something new will pass.

Is anybody else spinning their wheels, too?

I'm joining the following:

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Quilting Readers Garden for WIPS Be Gone Friday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
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A LOOK INTO THE PAST!

Do you have those weeks when life happens and you just can't get into the sewing room to quilt?  That happened this week, so there is nothing new quilt-wise to report.  When that occurs, I can always pull out a quilt from the closet to show you.

 This is a little wall quilt, called Fandango, that I made in 1992.  It is machine pieced, hand quilted, and is 24" square.

It is made up of three different block patterns to produce secondary designs.

At the time, I was exploring and designing quilts that combined different blocks in one quilt.  This quilt and the pattern is published in the book, "Quilt Blocks X 9" by Bobbie Aug and Sharon Newman.

It's fun to look back and see all of the wonderful fabrics that were just exploding on the quilt scene at the time.  Among my favorites were all of the Jinny Beyer border prints.  To this day, they are still wonderful to use to frame a quilt.

Thanks for taking a look into my quilting past!

I'm joining the following:
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WEEK'S PROGRESS

 The top of my "bright" quilt is finished.  I must think of another name for it -- "bright" is certainly descriptive, but not very original!!

I hope to get it basted and ready to hand quilt in the next day or so.

My grandson commented that those were some 'weird' fabrics.  My family is used to my very traditional, muted quilts.  Guess this one shocked him.  My granddaughter, who has Bohemian tastes, liked it and is laying claim to it!

(I took these photos outside, and the colors are much truer than the pictures I took for the post a couple of weeks ago -- they were horrible!)

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
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Quilter In The Closet for TGIF Friday

QUILT? WORK?? THIS WEEK

I wasn't able to get much piecing done this week on my 'bright' quilt, as I needed to attend to quilt business.  I'm basically retired from the business side of quilting, but occasionally I get a request I feel a need to fill.  

A little back story -- we grew up in the 1950s in a small farming community in SE Colorado.  At the time it was a thriving community of 5000 people with lots going for it.  But, alas, over the years the economy has deteriorated to the point that it is sad for us to return and see how the town has gone down hill.  However, there are a dedicated bunch of inhabitants working hard to reverse the trend.  One of the things they are working on is to promote the arts.  They have taken an old building on Main Street, and with grant money have restored it to usefulness turning it into offices for start-up businesses, a meeting place, and an art gallery.  They asked me a year ago if I would consider mounting a one-woman quilt show for them.  I finally said yes as we received such a wonderful education and had such joyous growing-up years in that small town.  I hope my quilt show will help in some very small way. The date was set for the month of August 2015.  Over the years, I have curated and worked on many quilt shows.  I've always tried to elevate the quilts to an art form in the execution of the display.  This one is going to be a challenge, as they haven't had enough money to install a proper hanging apparatus.  They prefer that I don't put any nail holes in the walls either.  As you can see in the two photos below there are ledges to hold framed art work, but are not very conducive to hanging quilts especially large ones.

 I have some ideas -- hope they work!  More on that in a future post.  For this week, I've been working on layout thinking about sizes, colors, etc.  I made drawings to scale of the eight walls I will be hanging quilts on.  Then I did scale drawings with pictures of 39 quilts of mine that I intend to hang in the show.  This way I can move the little quilts around on paper to get a pleasing arrangement.  I seem to still have to drag out quilts to check colors with their neighbors.

My dining room is a mess, but things are looking up.  I'm about ready to make lists of boards and hanging rods we will need to supply.

I'm going to get back to my patchwork project, and let the quilt show ideas simmer in my brain for awhile.
When attending a quilt show, what do you enjoy besides looking at quilts?  Do you like info on the inspiration for the quilt?  How about statistics such as techniques, number of pieces, hours spent in making, etc.?  Do tell!!

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
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ON MY WALL - NEW QUILT IN PROGRESS

I made some progress on my new adventure into brighter colors this week.  See previous post for details.  I finished three rows and am starting on the fourth.

 I don't know about it -- the verdict is still out.  But, I will finish five rows, put a couple of borders on it, and see if it warrants hand quilting.

Maybe it will just end up in the box marked "quilt tops"!!!

I'll let you know next week.

I'm joining the following:
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Sew Can She for Show Off Saturday

OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE!

I'm going to start a new project today.  Actually, it is a take on an old project.  Back in 2005, I made this quilt for inclusion in my book, "Traditional Two Block Quilts" published by AQS.  Because of the time crunch for publication it was necessary to send this top out for machine quilting.  I've always regretted that even though it was expertly machine quilted by Judy Case.  I'm a hand quilter - to me one of the best parts of quilting.  So, I've always wanted to remake the quilt in different fabrics, and hand quilt it.

"Retro Rockets", 2005, 46"x 46" 

 I'm going to start on it today which necessitated a trip to the quilt store over the weekend.  I've always favored the reproduction fabrics, plus those with a more muted, grayed look.  Well, it's time to step into the 2015s, and try some of the brighter fabrics by designers such as Kaffe Fassett, etc.

This is what I came home with --- some fat quarters and a little yardage.  I'm going to use the blue for the background print to help ease my transition into the "bright life".

To give you an example how muted my quilt life has been -- I have 49 assorted plastic boxes of fabric scraps organized according to color.  And, only one small shoe box is marked BRIGHTS with all of the colors combined.

I'll be using these scraps to fill in with my new purchases.

I'm off to begin my new adventure "out of my comfort zone"!!

I'll be joining:
love, laugh, quilt
cooking up quilts

AFTER TEN YEARS, IT'S FINISHED

This quilt was started in 2005, but then life happened -- our daughter had a very serious health issue.  A lot of my time was spent helping with the care of our grandchilren, who were four and nine at the time.  The quilt, "Merry-go-round", was pushed to the back of the priority list.  I decided at the first of 2015 that this was the year to finish it.

The top was rotary cut and fussy cut by hand, machine pieced, paper pieced using hand piecing techniques, hand appliqued, and hand quilted every half inch.

I loved every step of the way -- from fussy cutting the motifs to produce secondary designs down to the last hand-quilting stitch.

 The statistics:

The quilt is 67"x 67" square and has 40 whole blocks, 16 half blocks, and 4 quarter blocks.

100 sashing strips with 61 corner squares

Contains 1675 pieces

250+ different fabrics

Way over 1000 total hours spent over a period of ten years

Innumerable lessons of patience and perseverance

The most fun ever playing with fabric!!

Since I finished the quilt a couple of weeks ago, I have spent some time revamping this blog.  I have added tabs below the header to make it easy to find pictures, information, etc. about my quilting life. I have been quilting for 65 years, and it was time to get organized!

Hope you enjoy this revamped blog; and I would love to have you visit my lifestyle blog, Salmagundi (click here).

I will be joining Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it Friday

CHANGES

THIS BLOG IS CURRENTLY UNDER RECONSTRUCTION.  CHECK BACK SOON FOR CHANGES.

FLIGHT #2

I haven't quilted much in the last five years due to the expense, plus the inability of my arthritic fingers to function well.  My favorite part of quilting was always the hand-quilting part, and that has become quite a chore to accomplish. 

The daughter of close friends is getting married in Peru, and since I have a new machine; I decided to make her a small quilt as a wedding present.  This was my very first machine-quilting effort.

Years ago, I made a quilt like this with the 'flying geese' on the diagonal.  This is a smaller version at 28" x 28" named Flight #2.

 In the old days, I think I could have hand quilted this in the same time it took me to machine quilt this one.

Time will tell if I attempt another machine quilted piece - it wasn't near as fun as hand quilting!

FIVE QUILTS FROM "TRADITIONAL TWO BLOCK QUILTS"

I'm doing a post today over on my lifestyle blog that includes in one of the pictures the following five quilts.  The patterns for these five quilts are included in my book, "Traditional Two Block Quilts".

AROUND THE BLOCK, 46"X60"

COUNTRY ROAD, 47"X47"

PERSIAN PUZZLE, 38"X38"

STARSTRUCK, 64"X64"

TEMPO, 36"X36"

I machine pieced and hand quilted the above quilts with the exception of 'Tempo' which was machine pieced by me; but  was machine quilted by Judy Case of Florence, Colorado.

A BIT OF SPRING

All of the talk these days is about Spring; so I thought I would show you a 'springy' quilt called Xanadu, which means an idyllic or luxurious place.  I must admit that I'm really a 'winter' person, so I don't dream of warm, sunny spaces.  But if I did, I suppose that it would look like this quilt.

The quilt is 31" square; and the pattern is included in my book, "Traditional Two Block Quilts".

Holiday Q-Bits

Three new Q-bits to celebrate the season!

Four different papers combined into a traditional medallion quilt set.

A star pattern combined with some gilt and a sticker of the Holy Family 

A Santa sticker with plaid paper and another medallion quilt set.

All Q-bits are 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" in size.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

HOLIDAY Q-BIT

A Thanksgiving Q-bit for a reminder to always give thanks to the Lord for his enduring love.

The Q-bit measures 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" and is based on a traditional medallion quilt set.