GRAFFITI -- QUILTER STYLE

One of my favorite designs to explore in quiltmaking is 'strip piecing'.  It can be something that doesn't include a lot of thought using small pieces of many different colors and motifs from the scrap bins.   In the past, I've made several quilts with different arrangements of strip sets; some with printed words; and some with added machine embroidery.  I have some newer scraps to now experiment with and I enjoy the strip piecing process  --- so here we go --- another quilt for a 'quilter's graffiti' experience!

THE STATS:  GRAFFITI, 2026, 30" X 30", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Machine Appliqued, Machine Embroidered, Machine Quilted.

I have a love/hate relationship with graffiti/murals.  I appreciate the creativity and artistry in the development of them.  However, it really upsets me when a mural is painted externally on an architectural-significant building.  Has the orginal architect given approval of this? Is it part of the orginal design? To me, this is when a mural turns into graffiti.  Just my opinion, folks!

PREP SCHOOL PLAID

 A very generous friend found a bundle of 14 fat quarters called "Prep School Plaids by Moda" at an estate sale.  She knew I would love them, and sent them to me.  I haven't been able to find the date that this collection was released by Moda.  Does anyone have an idea of when?

THE STATS:  "Prep School Plaid", 2026, 31" x 31", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted.

I don't know if I went to a so-called Prep School, but I did spend two years in high school at a boarding school for girls.  I was an only child, so all of a sudden I had all of these sisters living together.  I loved it!  I had three roommates that were considered to be the "popular girls"; I was their token nerd!  It was good as we all became close friends over the two years.  

We didn't have plaid uniforms during the week; just navy wool scratchy ones.  But, our weekend wardrobes were anchored by plaid skirts and cashmere sweaters, etc.

TOKEN NERD -- CENTER LEFT

 Since I had previous experience in my hometown junior high band, I was one of the students allowed to participate in a combined band with the close-by boy's school.  Every Tuesday night, the nuns would load us muscians into the station wagon to go across town to band practice.  I was a lousy clarinet player, but I had another secret mission.  Remember this was way before internet dating, and there was a secret network of passing notes.  I was a courier bringing notes from the girls to the nerdy boys at band practice.  They, in turn would pass them on to the "popular boys"; then the process would be reversed.  Many teenage romances blossomed.  My roomates always repayed me by finding some equally nerdy boy to take me to prom!

A shout out to the nerds of the world.  Nerdiness kept me from participating in several rules-breaking (expulsion) experiences.  Trust me, I have stories to tell from being on the sidelines!!

Thanks, Tam, for the fabrics. They reminded me of many pleasant and fun boarding school memories!

OVER THE MOON

After the success of NASA's Artemis II recent trip, I made this quilt to mark the occasion.

THE STATS:  "Over the Moon", 2026, 26" x 25", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Hand Appliqued, Machine Quilted.  

Not a student of mythology, I had to look up the meaning of the name, Artemis.  The Goddess Artemis symbolizes independence; her thirst for exploration not bound by norms; and her connection to the natural world including the moon.  She is the protector of nature and young women.  One of the mission goals of Artemis I, II, III, etc. is to eventually land the first women and the first man of color on the moon.

Not the best picture, but it gives an indication of just how big this rocket is in our local Veteran's Park.  This shows about half of the height of the rocket.

 Since this is the 150th anniversary of my home state, Colorado becoming the 38th state; my thoughts rambled into the contribution that our state has made in the growth of space exploration.  There have been astronauts from Colorado; the hub for the U.S. Space Force with three distinct Space Force installations is here; and several industries that manufacture rocket components are located here.  There has been a consortium of our colleges doing research on the space projects.  Back in the early 1990s, our son researched and wrote his Chemical Engineering master's thesis under a grant from NASA concerning the possible trip to Mars and converting nitrates into fertilizer for the possibility of growing food on board.  

JOYFUL JOURNEY

Making quilts has always been a joyful journey for me over eight decades.  Yes, I have been quilting a long time!   You can't imagine the amount of scraps (or quilts) I have.

What has always made it so enjoyable for me is the challenge of making the project from start to finish.  I usually start from an idea or inspiration and a piece of graph paper; drawing the design out; figuring yardages and patterns; choosing colors/fabrics; then making a test block.  The sewing together, then for me, is the easy part.  Once the top is completed, then I design a simple quilting geometric plan.  In the past, I quilted the top by hand, but my arthritic hands now protest.  I still use the same geometric (point to point, etc.) ideas for quilting on my domestic machine.  My binding process remains the same -- machine sewing the binding to the front; flipping to back sewing it down by hand.  I find so much creative joy in the whole process (good or bad), and am pleased that it is totally my creation. It doesn't have to be innovative; it can just be a traditional unit rearranged in your own way.  Or, excerise creativity, and do something entirely different.  No one else will have a quilt quite like it!

THE STATS:  Joyful Journey, 2026, 27" x 30", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted.

I know that my process is not for everyone, but doing the whole thing from start to finish has been my preferred way.  So, you might give it a try -- grab a piece of graph paper and some colored pencils to start; then put those purchased patterns and pre-cut quilt kits to the side for the time being.  You might be rewarded with additional joy in your journey.

ODE TO BETSEY #1 AND #2

ODE TO BETSEY #1

One of my favorite blocks to work with is a simple, triangular geometric design.  I first discovered this traditional block in Linda Lipsett's book "Remember Me" about a friendship quilt and it's story about the owner, Betsey Wright Lee.  I have adapted it to use in my quilts several times.   I wanted to make a gift for a quilting friend; and since this is the 250th anniversity of the United States, I immeditately thought of Betsey's Block in red, white, and blue.   I decided I also needed one for myself to decorate with during the patriotic celebrations --- thus, #1 and #2! 

This is #2:

THE STATS: "Ode to Betsey" (#1 and #2), 2026, 22"x22", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted.

COLORADO MOUNTAIN MAJESTY #2

In 1987, I made a donation quilt for Colorado Quilting Council to be raffled off  at their 1988 Symposium.  I liked the way it turned out, so I decided to make a small version for myself.  Well, evidently life got in the way and I never finished the small clone.  The center portion of the quilt design is the traditional Centennial block.  Since this is the Centennial state of Colorado's 150th anniversity; I decided it was time to finish it.

THE STATS:  Colorado Mountain Majesty #2, 1987-2026, 33" x 33", Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted.

Does 39 years between start and finish make me a procrastinator?

This is my orginal "Colorado Mountain Majesty" won by Kathy Emmel in 1988.

FOLLOW THE STAR JOURNEY WEST

This quilt was made to honor my family's migration from the East coast to Colorado in 1876.  The story ----

My great-great Uncle Asa Haines, as a young man, was involved in a logging accident in Maine and lost a leg.  He was advised to go west, where he could 'ride a horse'.  The local Masonic Lodge gave him $100, and his journey began first on the train.  Further west, he traveled on a stage coach, then on a train again from Denver going south as far as the train went.  From there, he walked on his peg leg 20 miles back east to a job as a sheep herder; eventually homesteading on the southeast Colorado prairies.  His brother, my great grandfather, soon followed after his young wife died leaving him with two young sons to raise.  Those two young boys grew to marry two sisters whose families had immigrated from Germany in the late 19th century.  My maternal family also came to southeast Colorado in the 19th century to establish a farm and ranching home. 

For the last 150 years, my family has continually lived in southern Colorado.  I'm definitely a proud, native Coloradan.

THE STATS:  Follow the Star Journey West, 2026, 30" x 30", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted

The colors for the quilt were chosen to signify the beauty of the prairies of Southeast Colorado.

CENTENNIAL STATE

This quilt was designed and made for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Colorado admitted as the 38th state of the United States on August 1, 1876 by President Ulysses S. Grant.  Its entry followed a long, 15-year journey from its creation as a territory in 1861.

 The colors for this quilt were borrowed from the Colorado state flag that was designed by Andrew Carlisle Carson in 1911 and adopted by the General Assembly with revisions in 1928 and 1964.

The blue represent the blue skies of the region; the white symbolizes the snow-capped mountains and the silver mines; the red represents the Spanish meaning of Colorado (red earth); and the gold symbolizes the year-round sunshine and the gold mining industry.

THE STATS:  CENTENNIAL STATE, 2026, 29"X29", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted.  Nerd number report --640 pieces.

PHOBIA

 I've always had a phobia of buying small pre-cut fabrics, because of another phobia.  I'm an old-school diehard when it comes to pre-washing my fabric before construction.  I knew that prewashing 5-inch squares would be time consuming and tedious.  However, I wanted to experiment using some Kaffe Fassett fabrics, but didn't want to buy a variety of fat-quarters or yardage.  So, I bought 5-inch precuts of his fabric.  And, yes, I prewashed all 35 little squares!!!

THE STATS:  Phobia, 2026, 26"x34", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted

This quick project convinced me that I should stay with my usual choice of fabrics.

A STAR IN THE DARKNESS -- MLK DAY

"DEMOCRACY MATTERS" SERIES #1

I started thinking about this quilt on Martin Luther King Day (2026) while listening to Dr. King's final speech.  His famous statement, "Only in the darkness, can you see the stars."  was all I needed for inspiration to continue working on the design. This is the result.

STATS:  A Star in the Darkness, 2026, 29" x 29", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted

The pictures were taken at the stone arch at the base of Skyline Drive in Canon City.  It was constructed in 1932 by inmate labor.  It was built with stones sent by governors from all 48 states at that time in the U. S.  I thought that it would be appropriate for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

CREEKSIDE CABIN

  I made my first strippy quilt called "Tree Everlasting" in 1982, and have loved the format ever since.  I have done several strippies since then, and it was time to do another one.  This one includes some newer fabrics, but also some from that 20th century time period.  They were chosen because they are all muted in their color, and seem to blend together with an occassional accent.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable project!!!!

THE STATS:  Creekside Cabin, 2026, 32" x 35", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted.

The name comes from childhood memories of going from the hot, summer prairies of Colorado to the mountains with my grandmother to cool off for a week, or so.  We always stayed at a cabin that had a creek running right behind it in the small town of Cuchara.  I wasn't the outdoor-adventuring type; but as a child, the whole experience was literally cool!

TARTAN TABLE RUNNER

 A quick project to be donated to the St. Andrew Society of Colorado for their fundraiser Burns dinner event this month.

THE STATS:  Tartan Table Runner, 2026, 13" x 29", Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, 100% wool.  Contains 19 different tartan plaids from my stash.

Our grandson is active in this organization that promotes Scottish culture in Colorado.

WACKADOODLE

 No really apparent reason for the name except that I have always been interested in the word.  Does it mean something positive or negative?  Sometimes a 'fanatic' or 'eccentric' pops up as a meaning.  I became sort of a fanatic trying to finish this quilt during the hectic month of December during the holiday season. It was to be my last quilt for 2025, and I wanted to get it done before the new year.  So, I persevered.  There are 25 5-inch blocks each containing 29 pieces for a total of 725 + 8 border pieces contained in a 29 inch square.  Hope that doesn't mean that I'm overly eccentric!

THE STATS:  Wackadoodle, 2025, 29" x 29", Paper pieced, Machine pieced, Machine quilted.

Now, maybe on to something uncomplicated for the month of January.

CRISS-CROSS APPLESAUCE

A simple quilt to donate when needed for fundraiser events.

THE STATS:  Criss-Cross Applesauce, 2025, 28"x28", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted.