Stepping Away from the Design Wall

Instead of studying what's on the floor, now I can study what's on the wall. I like what I have so far for this seasonal challenge. But I'm not sure about the size. As this is, this measures 36" across by 31" down. My sense of proportion is telling me to made it wider and more landscape-y and to give the left side more weight. But it's time to leave it alone for a few days...

Back from Paducah

Elements of "Winter"

The National Quilt Museum in Paducah was nice enough. Very traditional in its holdings. What made the museum for me was the exhibit of the work of Emika Toda Loeb - she does amazing things with log cabins and with design and color. The highlight of the drive was access to Hancock's of Paducah, a fabulous fabric warehouse. I've ordered from there for years. So to actually see this plan in operation was fascinating.

Getting ready to scan some AAQI quilts

I did buy fabrics for a quilt for my sister. It's one thing to have a Kona card - it's another thing entirely to see bolts of these fabrics. I stocked up on some wonderful neutrals, found a fabulous green batik renmant as well as some black remnants, purchased some Aurafil thread, and rescued a renmants of an Asian-y panel of fabric goodness.

For my sister's Grandmother's House quilt

Special thanks to CMQG sister Sue R for telling me to allow at least two hours for Hancock's of Paducah. Which I did. Which is more time than we spent at the museum. Go figure. Special thanks to John for staying at the hotel and smoking his cigar. Which I normally don't encourage... But it was perfect for Paducah. Since we came home one day early, I have this bonus free day and am returning to work on "Winter."

It was only $5/yard - each square is 8 x 8. 

Iron Envy?

Before discussing the iron issue, I just must say how much I love my design wall. On the left is what I started in Jacquie Gering's workshop last summer. And on the right are some of the elements of my Winter calendar challenge.Okay, irons. At workshops and retreats, whatever iron I am using is better than mine. Now, is that really true? Holly has the exact same iron as me - a Rowenta Steamium. You know, the one with 400 steam holes. And somehow I am convinced that Holly's iron is better than mine. At QuiltCon, taking the architectural piecing class with Jacquie Gering (just love how she teaches), the classroom was stocked with Oliso irons. Of course I fell in love with them. And I had a chance to buy one - about $140. But then I had to talk with myself about whether I really NEEDED this iron and whether it truly was better than mine. Just prior to QuiltCon I was doing a fair amount of ironing in preparation for the CMQG January meeting about modern piecing. I really overworked some of the soft tissue in my right hand. My Rowenta weighs 4.5 pounds when full of water - that's a hefty amount to lift again and again. Former CMQG president Beth has temporarily loaned me her Oliso so I can decide whether I truly want an Oliso . What makes the Oliso so special is that it automatically lifts up when there is no hand on the handle Right now I'm thinking I need this iron.

  We're off to Paducah for a few days. I've never been to the National Quilt Museum, and John's game for a little road trip, even if it means quilts and fabrics. I haven't told him yet but the hotel he booked us at for a couple of nights is literally right down the road from Hancock's of Paducah, one of my favorite on-line sources. And it gets better. A quilter who has influenced me over the years, Emiko Toda Loeb, is in a featured exhibit at the museum - she was the inspiration for the log cabin quilt (see below) which hangs in my dining room as well as for the wall hanging for my sister Paula's Freeport, IL house. There is another exhibit featured Regina Alexandra, a sparse modern quilter. When we get back, I'll make a decision about irons.  Assuming I didn't spend too much in Paducah...

My Dining Room Long Cabin, 1996

Paula's Freeport Log Cabin - 1990

New Love

I have fallen. And I have fallen hard. His first name is Staple. His last name is Gun. And his middle name is ELECTRIC! He and I spent a peaceful afternoon with each other - and my new design wall. We covered my 3' x 7' homasote boards with Warm and Natural batting. Once these boards are actually mounted on the wall, I will still be able to use this wall to photograph larger quilts.

Neatly covered boards, ready to mount

Drawstring bags, completed

Now I'm ready to start my calendar challenge, Winter. No more excuses!

Taciturn Tuesday...

Design Wall in Process

Every bit iand pile is meaninful

Drawstring bags in process

Fabrics from the Peaceful Heart sale - and Eileen

This week's "work" - and lessons learned

Fabrics for a "Winter Challenge"

Before starting a project I, like so many others, audition fabrics. This current pile is for the "Winter" challenge. My Chicago Modern Quilt Guild is doing a calendar fundraiser and participating members have been assigned a season. I sort of have an idea of what I want to do but am giving myself the final days of May before actually cutting into any of these fabrics.

Mom's Quilt from her daughters' baby clothes

After having lunch with a friend's daughter last week and getting the baby clothes of my friend's granddaughters, I spent part of the weekend deconstructing these clothes. Michele wants a quilt made from the clothes her little girls wore. I'm not sure this quilt will win any design awards, but it will definitely hold a strong emotional appeal. I would like to tell Michele what I am going to do with these clothes, but I'm still not sure. Perhaps 8" and 4" blocks. I thought about setting them on point, but this quilt will not need any drama.

Tote Bag, in proportion

Out of Proportion

Out of a charm pack of Hoffman Batiks, I put together a tote bag, doing the handles the right way and creating great interior pockets. When I was a QuiltCon in Texas in February I bought some special shot cottons. They are beautiful and cost a bit more than I normally pay for for fabrics. But these cottons almost glow. I also bought a new bag pattern, one that uses grommets. But as I began to think about this new pattern and the shot cottons, I got the heebie jeebies and reverted back to my comfort zone of a familiar tote. But in my attempt to get the most of these expensive cottons, I forgot to pay attention to proportion. And what I created out of these shot cottons is the loveliest bag ever - for a giant. The lesson? Pay attention and measure measure measure. The end.

Tote Bag, for a giant

Farewell to two dear quilts

I made this quilt as I was moving into my new studio in 2007, and it's hung here ever since.  It's Jinny Beyer's Around the World design.  I bought three kits and made three quilts - one for the long-arm quilter in Tinley Park in exchange for quilting the one of my bdd, and this one, which I quilted.  Last week we had the furnace/AC man in, and he saw this quilt and fell in love.  He made me an offer, and I immediately took it down.  Part of the deal involves him getting two 4' x 8' sheets of homasote here, so I can have the design wall I've been wanting.  As much as I have loved this quilt and the work I did on it, I'm happy it's going into a new home. 

  Furnace guy Brian is a Western Springs firefighter and is part of a fundraiser for another firefighter who is battling ALS. For their silent auction I am donating this gently-used log cabin quilt that I made years ago for my parents. When they downsized it came back to me. This 74" x 96" Log Cabin beauty needs to be used, and I'm glad it will be a part of this cause.

My Quilting and Sondheim

 In Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George there's a song lyric:  Work is what you do for others; art is what you do for you.  I have always loved that line.  Last week and this week I am working.  I quilted two baby quilts made by my Kennedy teacher friend Jen - one is for her yoga teacher, and the other is for her.  I love how Jen, a beginning quilter, made these simple quilts of horizontal bands of fabrics.  So simple but so nice.  She will now do the binding to finish off the quilts.

 My other work is for a woman who loves to buy and cut fabric.  But she doesn't care for the sewing part.  So she puts together her "kit", and I do nothing but follow her directions and layout.  Here's the first one she designed that I did.  She mentioned she has a couple more grandchildren.  I will happily work for Roberta because I like her projects.

Roberta requested her granddaughter's name on the back of the quilt.  So I put what I learned at the February meeting of the Chicago Modern Quilt Guild to use. 

I have one more commission to work on and then I can focus of my art - a Winter seasonal challenge due in July and something fabulous with three Marcia Derse fabrics...  Art is what I do for me.

Finding My Modern Way

Putting labels on things is so difficult.  And I've tried to avoid this labeling.  However, as the Modern Quilt movement gains momentum and as I've become increasingly involved with the Chicago Modern Quilt Guild, I must declare that I am a modern quilter and am finally able to state why.  Years ago I was attracted to Nancy Crow and her work - I think that's when my path as a modern quilter started.  What has finally made me able to articulate the following was going to QuiltCon in Austin in February 2013, the first Modern Quilt Convention.  Two speakers especially touched me - Heather Grant and Yoshiko Jinzenji.

A modern wonky pillow, thanks to Erika M's label

Heather Grant helped me to understand what can be contradictions in the Modern Quilt world.  She likens the modern quilter to a diner approaching a salad bar.  The Modern Quilter, beginning a project, goes to the salad bar of modern quilting techniques.  These techniques include but are not limited to:

• use of often expensive negative space
• no borders
• minimal or low volume
• graphic color palettes
• improvisational piecing
• grid and alternative grid work (Jacquie Gering is the master of this...)
• asymmetry
• exaggerated scale
• pixelization
• modern traditionalism
• texture

Seriously, low volume vs graphic color?  Sure.  Both of these are aspects of modern quilting.  As a modern quilter I can pick and choose from the above and also go out on my own.  Seeing the quilts at QuiltCon in the above context helped me make sense of this movement.

A bag in process, thanks to SewSweetness's pattern and Emily L for bringing it to my attention

 And there's an attitude involved with Modern Quilting.  This attitude values workmanship and embraces a freedom from rules balanced with freedom in construction and respect for tradition.  Jacquie Gering refers to herself as a "proud maker."  That there are quilters across the nation and world embracing the modern movement is exciting.  Mary Fons At QuiltCon observed that there are young women coming to quilting with no sewing machine experience or knowledge.  And it's these people that modern quilt guilds need to embrace and welcome.

work in process, based on a class by Jacquie Gering at QuiltCon in Architectural Piecing

Modern Quilt guilds, the Chicago group included, are making the decision whether to be a part of the Modern Quilt Guild.  For a group the size of Chicago's modern guild, it's a financial decision that will be about $14 per member.   I'm crazy about so many of the women in this guild.  However, the Chicago girls - including Jacquie Gering and Robbi Eklow and Ebony Love (three with national recognition) - are not enough for me.  I want to be a part of the larger movement and continue to have my passion for quilting in a modern style nourished while - well, let me just use the mission statement of the Modern Quilt Guild:    supporting and encouraging the growth and development of modern quilting through art, education, and community.

Fabrics, waiting for me to channel my inner Yoshiko Jinzenji

 I love that quilting involves finding one's own path.  And I love that my path has intersected with so many quality people.  And while I may go through moments when my sewing or creativity is stuck or blocked, I am excited by the projects in front of me - and by those projects I haven't even dreamed of...

A double-sized hexagonal quilt, in process for six years now, just waiting to be finished...

 

Hi Ho Hi Ho...

It's off delivering lamb cake kits we go...  This tradition of baking lamb cakes and delivering the kits (frosting, green coconut grass, jelly beans) was one that John's mom did years ago.  And I love carrying on this tradition.  We missed Easter this year, and I am trying to make up for it by celebrating Orthodox Easter.

Stay tuned for pix of decorated lambs...