Big Ones, in Process

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This week many of my Chicago Modern Quilt Guild are in Phoenix at QuiltCon.  Last year's event was virtual.  Two years ago, right before the pandemic, I shattered my wrist and missed out on the event.  While I'm sad to not be there, I'm thankful for Quilty buddies who do the best job of photographing the quilts.  There is a guild meeting tomorrow for those of us not in Phoenix, and that will have to do.  This quilt, Downstream by Yvonne Fuchs, hung at QuiltCon 2020.  I bought the pattern and have shamelessly made it in almost the same color way.  I'm busy hand quilting it, starting with the white and grey areas.   

The backing in an Art Gallery fabric.  The batting is wool.  I've been working on this for just two weeks but its coming along nicely.  and I love how the pattern is emerging on the back.  

A few posts back I was working on a big woven quilt that will match my current bed quilt.  And now I'm making the backing for this huge - 96" x 116" quilt.  Above are three Art Gallery fabrics along with the black from the quilt.  Somehow, these will be turned into the backing.  I'm thinking I will hand quilt this beast, and its what is next in my queue.  For any hand quilting I find that the Art Gallery fabrics are ones I like to hold for the 8 - 12 weeks that I'll be working on this.  I used to ask my mom to do all my handwork because I just hated working with needle and thread by hand, How things have changed!   

Purses, because…

 

1.  These purses let me use my talent.

2.  I like designing and making them.

3.  I believe in Sew Powerful’s mission.

4.  Sew Powerful is changing the lives of poor communities in Zambia.through education, nutrition, and supporting the goals established by local people.

5.  The on-line community of purse makers is warm and affirming and a place to escape from politics.

6. I have enough fabric to keep me in production forever.

Isn’t making a difference a goal all of us want?  With each purse I wonder what little girl will choose it and whether she will feel all the empowering love that went into it?  

I’m still struggling with the notecards though.  Odd,  guess some things will always be a challenge.  

SewPowerful.org

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Still in Process

 

It just needs squaring off, basting, quilting, and binding!  Dilemma: slowly hand quilt or send to a long armer. It’s big…94” x 108” , something like that.  

Loving what I’m working on: a process post

When something starts to come together and you’re pleased, it’s worth sharing.  Although I’m following a pattern, there were no directions about using fabrics and arrangement.  So I’ve just been winging it.  And I’m liking what I’m seeing.  I need to get all these bits together so that I can regain my second sewing surface.  

 

A Beautiful Finish and a Lovely Beginning

This low-volume quilt was started at the beginning of 2020.  Just some simple retreat sewing with some precuts.  And honestly, I have considered this quilt just a little throw-a-way.  But I needed something to hand quilt and it is winter, after all.  As I worked on this quilt - 57" x 70"- I slowly fell in love with it.  It is seriously bereft of color and the design in minimal.  So, what's to love?  It is all in the Texture!

Just as I started quilting this, I accidentally spilled some of my Crystal Lite cherry drink on it.  After finishing the quilting and binding, I used some dish detergent on the stains, washed it, and the stains came out.  Phew.  

Meanwhile, I’ve started a new bed quilt from a group of fabrics that I’ve been saving for just this purpose.  This pattern has a neat woven effect, and I’m eager to see how this will come together.  All the background pieces need to be cut, and then?  Assembly! 

 

 

An Annual Ritual

  

Every year in early January I print out my blog.  While it's nice to know it's in the cloud, it's also satisfying to have these hard copies.  The 2021 book will go on the shelf right next to the others, starting with 2009.  These books are poorly indexed, and it's often hard to find what I want.  But I do have great fun trying to find certain things.  The index that appears on the laptop or iPad, never on my phone, is pretty useful. I've noticed that I'm not blogging as much but sewing the same amount.  This is fine.  Just to have any record of the work I do satisfies me.  The quilt on the front cover is temporarily hanging in my dining room. The quilt on the back, The Piano Tuner's Daughter, is in good hands living in Beth K's house in Arlington Heights.  Notice these share shelf space with the CMQG 10-year Anniversary book and Carolyn Mazloomi's book, Journey of Hope: Quilts Inspired by Barack Obama.

A Third Baby Quilt for a Benton Avenue Connection

I’ve known my friend Cristina for almost 20 years, since she was 12.  And this also means I’ve know her older brother Alejandro for the same amount of time.  When we popped the top of our house, I used the Second floor of their garage as my studio space for almost six months. This space was also Alejandro’s bedroom, but he was away at college.  He was more than a good sport about sharing his space with me.  Fast Forward: Ale is married, a college professor, and will soon have his third child.  Helios has his quilt and Neoma has hers. These quilts are yellow and black and green and oranges.  This quilt for #3 is from the leftovers of the fabrics from the two quilts.

Google herringbone quilts for directions.  Perfect for 2.5” strips! 

 

A Hand-Quilted Trip around the World

 

This pretty little Trip Around the World (gratitude to Eleanor Burns and her directions for this favorite pattern) was made from fabrics that play together nicely texturally.  I love the jewel tones, too.  I had to make the pattern smaller because I was working with leftovers and fat quarters.  This is 57” x 72” and a great size for napping.  Batted with wool, it was a pretty fast project to needle, about a month.

 
                          It’s a nice addition to my quilt ladder which doesn’t have much color. 

My Best Christmas Present

 

Faced with what seems to be a never-ending supply of quilts and even at various attempts to destash, there are always piles of quilts.  In the fall I had the idea of getting a quilt or "blanket ladder."  It was 5 feet tall and 17 inches wide.  Not bad but getting big quilts on it was pretty tricky.  So I asked Santa for a bigger blanket ladder.  Below is Santa,  and his present was was pretty easy to assemble.  (search for blanket ladder at Amazon - all sorts of options come up.) This new ladder is 7 feet tall and 24" wide.  Much better.    The smaller ladder works great for wall hangings and napping quilt.  During this new year's winter interlude (we aren't snowed in - I've just been pretending for a couple of days) I started the quilt at the bottom of this entry.  Today I'm about to sew the vertical rows together.  And then I think I'll pet some fabric and see which ones I want to play with next!

Downstream, pattern by Yvonne Fuchs, available at quiltpatternmart.com

The Calm Start of 2022

Our first holiday in the condo has been wonderful.  Every room has a lovely view.  We had a nice flurry of entertaining, both small and large groups.  One of the benefits of working on a big batch of purses is that I feel I can reward myself with starting a new project, something big.  Downstream by Yvonne Fuchs has been on my radar for over a year, and I'm making the large napping size.  I don't always follow patterns, and it's nice to know exactly what to cut and how much fabric is needed.  Since John is so totally engrossed with all things football and since we are snowed in (not really but it's just nice to imagine...one of my winter fantasies), my productivity is off the charts!  Working in the studio, alternating listening to books (just finished Lilac Girls, an atypical WWII read, very good) and music - it's my vision of heaven.  Here's to 2022 - its off to a great start!