I worked all Sunday and a couple of hours on Monday afternoon on the Stars for San Bruno #3. I am too small, so I asked the Young Man to hold it up to me, which, as you can see, didn’t work out very well.
The way I asked him to hold it is actually sideways. The plan was to make a row quilt with vertical rows of stars. If I would actually measure on occasion, I would have known that it would come out weirdly wide. Looking at it like this gives me a chance to see whether it will look ok with horizontal rows.
It definitely needs some kind of spacer on the [current] sides. I want something to separate the pieced stars from the embroidered stars I plan to use for the border.
During the last Quilting…for the Rest of Us Design podcast and my accompanying post on Line, I suggested some homework exercises. I did the exercises and thought I would share my work with you.
Exercise #1
I said that you would need the following supplies:
piece of blank paper (can be the back of junk mail)
catalog or magazine pictures you are willing to cut up
paper scissors
drawing or writing implement (You can use anything, but one with a smooth line is great!)
glue stick
And I said that you should take the following steps:
Find a picture in your magazine or catalog and cut a 3×3(?) square out of it.
Take a piece of blank paper and lay it on the table in front of you
Glue the 3×3(?) square somewhere towards the middle on the paper. There should be at least 2? of white space around each side of the magazine picture.
Turn the paper upside down so the image is upside down.
Continue the image out from each side of the paper using your pen
“Simplify the design in the square and its drawn continuation.” Use the cut off edges to make a new design.
Perform this exercise over and over on different pieces of paper with different pictures until you are happy with the result.
Use the simplified design as a starting point for a quilt.
(adapted from Fearless Design for Every Quilter by Lorraine Torrence, pg. 63)
Exercise #1 resultsLine: Exercise #1 (2)
What I did: I have a relatively large pad of white paper. For what purpose I originally bought it, I don’t remember, but I find it useful for photographing projects that need a white background and drawing out appropriately sized applique’ patterns. It also came in handy for this design homework.
I pasted the square onto these pages and drew the lines. I think the designs would have been more effective on an 8/5″x11″ piece of paper. The large size of the paper diluted the design, I think. Still, it was fun.
And then, on to:
Exercise #2
You can do exercise #2 with free motion quilting as well using a 3×3? square of fabric on top of a small (11×11? or so) quilt sandwich.
I told you that the supplies you would need were:
a charm pack OR
a group of approximately 50 3-5″ paper squares of all colors and designs (junkmail works well, you could use a scrapbooking paper punch if you have that) OR
cut a group of 3-5″ squares of fabric (approximately 50)
notebook or paper (reusing junk mail is just fine)
pen or other writing implement
Directions:
Line: Exercise 2
Put all the squares on the floor or on a table right next to each other. Do not arrange them yet.
Look at them and see if you see any dominate lines. Make a note of how the lines show up (because of the color? because of the design on the fabric or paper? Other?)
Line: Exercise 2 (2)
If you have a camera, take a photo.
Rearrange the squares in some kind of order.
Look at them and see if you see any dominate lines. Make a note of how the lines show up (because of the color? because of the design on the fabric or paper? Other?)
If you have a camera, take a photo.
Based on what you saw in the squares of your fabric, draw simple lines in your notebook or on paper.
Optional: think about and take note of design ideas that are suggested to you by the images you have created.
What I did: The Young Man took a scrapbook square maker and punched some squares out of some catalogs for me. Above in the first photo, I put all the squares on the white piece of paper in a rectangle. I removed some of the squares that were too obviously faces or letters, but otherwise didn’t rearrange the squares.
In the second photo, I arranged all the squares in color order in lines as much as possible. I didn’t see any designs that intrigued me right at the moment. I did really like the squares in the bottom lines, but I liked them individually not so much together. I liked the curved edges shown on some of the squares. I also liked the arrangement of colors.
Exercise #3
You will need:
notebook or paper (junkmail is fine)
pen or writing implement (colors are fun)
Directions: Draw different kinds of lines:
zig zag
curved
broken
straight (ish!)
continuous
fat
thin
Line: Exercise 3
What I did: I just drew different lines on a page of my journal. I thought this was a really boring exercise, though I can see its usefulness.
I specifically did research so I would know how to draw a scary ghost only to be told my ghost wasn’t scary! I think he is scary and that is all that counts.
You can draw a scary ghost, too. Check out the original prompt and show us your fine work!
I must be in a furniture or house mode right now. Whenever I look at something lately I think of furniture. I would like to buy new furniture, but my checkbook says NO WAY!
If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.
Here is the problem, which I think I have finally discovered since writing part 1 of this post. I move too fast in the quilting/sewing world to have lingering UFOs.
I wrote last time about needing to finish or abandon these projects because I needed the brain space. Also, I need to finish these projects because I am always on to the next idea. Today I was desperately trying NOT to think about the ColorBlock design. My whole afternoon sounded like this in my head:
Voice in my head #1: “hhhmm, what if I were to use a layer cake”
Voice in my head #2: “stop that! No new projects!”
VIMH#1: “I could calculate yardage for using a layer cake OR a jelly roll strip because they have about the same amount of yardage”
VIMH#2: “do you see the work on your desk? Budget? Contract? 12 phone calls needing to be returned?”
And on and on it went all afternoon. Finally, on the train home, I just calculated yardage. VIMH #2 is off for the weekend anyway. But this is how it goes! I have to get busy and do these WIPs. I really can’t imagine not having any WIPs, but it is good to have goals.
Anyway.
Here is the list, in no particular order:
Stars for San Bruno #2: finishing up binding and pleat on the back needs to be fixed. I am thinking of a heart.
Jelly Roll Race: this quilt does not have good design. I am thinking of cutting it into different shapes and using the shapes for something else. I could make a bunch of interesting 9 patches.
Original Bullseye: needs border, backing, quilting and binding.
Corner Store: foundations cut; blocks not made
Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered.
Infinity blocks
A-B-C (A-Z) BAMQG Challenge – I am actually not sure if this should be considered a WIP, because I don’t really have enough blocks with which to make anything yet.
Aqua-Red Sampler – steady progress and isn’t really weighing on my mind, except for the fact that Frances has still not finished her Dresden Plate. What am I going to do with her?
The Tarts Come to Tea: I haven’t quilted on this since April. I need to work on the quilting. I was making good progress and then got sidetracked.
Kissy Fish: nearly finished, but I keep on fiddling with the embroidery and hand stitching.
FOTY 2011: not finished with cutting. Plan to sew at the end of January 2012.
Flowering Snowballs: I think this is a candidate for abandonment. Hand piecing doesn’t do anything for me and I am bad at it. I think I should make an effort to square up the blocks before I completely abandon the project.
Garden
Flower Garden
Moon and Stars: need to finish handquilting. This quilt is not interesting.
Pointillist Palette #4
See: needs satin stitching.
Self Portrait
Spiderweb
Under the Sea: class project; like the design, but not the colors much.
Pineapple: horrible mess. None of the ideas I have to salvage this project make me happy.
Young Man’s t-shirt quilt: have cut up the t-shirts and am in the process of applying fusible.
A lot of this is excerpted from the WIP post I am compiling so I can post at the end of the year or the WIP post I posted at the end of 2010. Do you read these or are they too boring?
Today we are making a Nine Patch. This is usually the first block I teach when I teach beginning quiltmakers in a Sampler Class context. You will need:
Supply list:
rotary cutter
rotary cutting ruler large enough to cut 4.5″ squares
rotary cutting ruler
fabric (2-3 different)
Optional: Mary Ellen’s Best Press (or similar)
Optional: pins
sharp trimmers or scissors
thread for piecing
sewing machine
Iron
ironing surface
Key Block
I have marked the rows and patch with letters and numbers so I can more easily refer to them for you.
Nine Patch: Center
Step 1: Cut fabric. You need 9 squares 4.5″x4.5″ each. I like to use a different fabric in the center of the nine patch block. It adds interest, especially to a 12″ finished size.
Adding RedsAdding Blues
This block is actually the first block I teach in the sampler series. This particular Nine patch will be in the quilt I am making with Frances. You have seen it in different photos on the blog.
Move Fabrics Around
Step 2 (above): After you cut the squares, move them around to make sure you have the placement of the fabrics in the right place.
Start Sewing
Step 3: Prepare to start sewing.
start, usually in the upper left hand corner 9row 1 patch A and row 2 patch D), everything else being equal. In general, if I don’t start in the upper left hand corner for other blocks, I start by sewing smaller units/patches into larger patches.
Sew patches together in groups of 2
Step 4: Place fabrics right sides together and place into machine. I have my quarter inch foot on my machine and I sew 2 patches together to make a unit that will fit into the upper left hand corner of the block.
Sew patches together in groups of 2 (front view)
The edges of the patches are lines up so that the bottom fabric is not showing when I sew. Fabrics are right sides together.
Patches SewnChain Piecing
You can certainly take the sewn patches out of the machine, but this is a good time to talk about chain piecing. I have other bits and pieces handy so that I can keep sewing, so I will put them through the machine after the patches for the block on which I am working. In the above photo, you can see scrap pieces for a journal cover. I find it is much easier to work on sewing scraps together rather than another block. For my journal covers, I sew pieces together any which way. I don’t have to worry about putting the right patch in the right place or not cutting off triangle corners. This method gives my brain space to concentrate on the block at hand.
Once you have done some blocks and know how you work, you can certainly put the next group of pieces for your current block through the machine after the first set. Also, if you feel confident, then go ahead and put the next set through the machine.
Cut off Chain Piecing
Step 5: After you have put your second group of patches, or your scraps, through the machine, cut off the sewn patches apart from your second group of sewn pieces. I usually just put one set of chain piecing through my machine after my set of patches for my current block, especially if I have a lot of fiddly placement. I would rather unsew one set of patchwork if I make a mistake than many.
Trim threads
Step 6: Trim threads.
I dislike a bunch of long threads hanging off the back of my finished blocks. The best way I have found to deal with that is to trim as I go along. Trimming threads is a personal preference. I find it makes my blocks look a bit better and there is less of a chance of anything getting caught in my machine as I sew further along in the project.
Set Seams
Step 7: Bring your 2 sewn squares over to your ironing board and press the threads on the seam allowance from the back with the patchwork closed. You have not yet opened your piecing to look at it from the front.
I have no idea if this step really sets the seams. Fons & Porter do this and since there doesn’t seem to be any harm in it, I started to do it as well. If you skip this step, your patchwork will not fall apart.
Open Patches
Step 8: Open your patchwork so that the seam allowance is pointing towards the patch that will be in the very upper left hand corner.
Seam Allowance Points Away
Step 9: Point the seam allowance, referenced above, away from you.
You could also point it to the side (either right or left depending on which is comfortable based on the hand with which you press). Above is the way I do it, which probably depends on the size of my ironing board and habit.
Press
Step 10: Swoop your iron carefully from the patch without the seam allowance to the patch which is laying on top of the seam allowance. In my case I am swooping carefully from the red towards the aqua dot.
Place Sewn Patches on Design Wall
Step 11: Place sewn patches on in their spot on the design wall (or design floor or design table).
Place Sewn Patches on Design Wall (detail)
You will notice that they are quite a bit smaller (1/2″ to be exact) than your other cut pieces. No panicking is necessary. The patches are smaller because you have used 1/2″ of fabric for the seam allowance. You are on track, if your block looks like the two pictures above.
Sew Next Patches
Step 12: Take the center patches (from row 1 patch B and row 2 patch E) and sew them together. Again, you will place your right sides together before you sew.
Use Chain Piecing Techniques
Step 13: Follow steps 3-11 for these patches and the right hand patches (row 1 patch C and row 2 patch F).
Press Opposite
Step 14: Above we pressed towards row 1. After sewing row 1&2, patches B&E, you will press the seam allowance towards row 2. Patch E will be on top of your seam allowance.
Used Another 1/2"
Step 15: Place your pressed patch on the Design Wall. You have used up another 1/2″ of fabric.
After you have sewed all the patches for rows 1&2 together, you will need to sew the patches for row 3.
Step 16: Sew row 3 patch G to patch D. Yes, patch D is already sewn to patch A. Don’t press yet.
Step 17: Follow the directions in Step 16 for patch H and patch I. Wait to press.
Step 18: Press patch G towards patch G.
Step 19: Press H towards patch E
Step 20: Press patch I towards patch I
Nesting Rows
Step 21: Lay the column with patches B, E and H on top of the column with A, D, and G. Make sure that your seams look like the photo above – nested into each other, not resting on top of each other.
The reason to pay attention to pressing is that you can ‘nest’ the seams when you go to start sewing the rows. Nesting seams is when the seam allowances are pressed in opposite directions so that they rest against each other.
Sew Left Column to Middle Column
Step 22: With the column with patches B, E and H on the bottom, sew the column with A, D, and G to the column with patches B, E and H on the right side.
I did use some pins at the seam allowances.
Step 23: Set seam between the left and middle columns.
Step 24: Press seam allowance between the left and middle columns in whatever direction suits you.
Lay Left Column on Middle Column
Step 25: Lay left column (with patches C, F and I) on top of the middle column.
It looks like the top row, but really is the right column. I just have it turned so the right column is on top.
Step 26: Pin at seam allowances, if desired.
Step 27: Sew left column (with patches C, F and I) to the middle column.
Step 28: Set seam between right and middle column.
Step 29: Press seam between right and middle column.
Finished: Nine Patch
Step 30: Congratulate yourself! You have successfully completed your Nine Patch!!!
Nota bene: I may update this tutorial or make clarifications, changes as necessary
Yes, I am still responding. I think I might be back in the groove. I am not promising a drawing from the old series every time, but I couldn’t get this image out of my head. The History Chicks must be inspiring me also.
Definition: Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added. Candies come in numerous colors and varieties and have a long history in popular culture.
The Middle English word “candy” began to be used in the late 13th century, coming into English from the Old Frenchçucre candi, derived in turn from PersianQand (=???) and Qandi (=????), “cane sugar”.[1] In North America, candy is a broad category that includes candy bars, chocolates, licorice, sour candies, salty candies, tart candies, hard candies, taffies, gumdrops, marshmallows, and more.[citation needed] Vegetables, fruit, or nuts which have been glazed and coated with sugar are said to be candied. (Wikipedia)
Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and/or your blog, and how your work relates to the other responses.
The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. Are you already a member? I created that spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted.
Media Swatch and Stitch is a blog and the posts recently have been very colorful.
Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr, formerly of FunQuilts and now of Modern Quilt Studio, have a new magazine. It is called Modern Quilts Illustrated and you can see a preview on Craft Nectar from October 25, 2011. Each issue will be $14 and a subscription for 3 issues will be $30. Call (708) 445-1817 to get an issue or a subscription. (No affiliation).
I get the Fig Tree Quilts pamphlet periodically. It is called Fresh Vintage. When I receive the newsletter/pamphlet, I usually think I should cancel, because it is very thin and I usually just skim it and put it down to read more thoroughly later. This time, I actually did read it more thoroughly and realized that there is always a very useful tidbit or review in it. This time there was a blurb about using a fabric line. Joanna gave a rule that makes a lot of sense: use 80% of the fabric line and 20% of other fabric in your quilt. Isn’t that great? Doesn’t it make sense? I think it is a great way to make the quilt in which you have used one line of fabric, your own.
Deirdre’s QR Quilt is finished! More info at http://www.deirdreabbotts.com/2011/10/21/qr-code-quilt/ If you can get the code to work on a Blackberry, contact her.
I got on the phone with Mark Lipinski yesterday and talked to him about some crocheted flowers I saw on the blog/website of one of his guests, Margaret Hubert. They struck me, because one of my great grandmothers (my grandmother’s father’s 4th wife, I think) made me a red had that snapped under the chin covered in these flowers in multi-colored yarns. My head looked like a garden. She didn’t like the thank you note I sent her so she never made me anything again. If I can find the hat, I’ll post a photo. It is so funny that those flowers are back!
Speaking of Mark, did you see the video he and Jodi Davis did?
Technology
Many of you have seen or created or used QR Codes. They are the black and white squares that are popping up all over marketing materials. My friend, Deirdre, also the web/tech guru of this blog, has made a QR Code quilt. It is wonderful – soft on the inside and techy on the outside. You will need a QR Code reader on your smartphone to read the code and be taken to the website to which the quilt leads. Awesome!
Web in General
Why are you here?
Why are you reading this blog? Do you have certain expectations of what you will read? Am I meeting your expectations?
Why am I asking you this? (So many questions!)
There was a post on Camille Roskelly’s blog recently. She highlighted a comment from someone who was irritated that Camille was posting pictures of her kids. The commenter insisted that Simplify was a business blog and that Camille should stop posting about her kids.
Camille seems to get a large number of mean comments. Perhaps it is because she gets so many comments?. Perhaps it is a numbers game? I like her blog. I like seeing her kids (those kids have gorgeous skin! It has to be Photoshop, right?); I like the creativity of her photos.
I feel bad for her. I feel bad for anyone who puts their thoughts out there and gets mean comments. I don’t mean constructive criticism. I am talking about mean. I once got a comment where the poster said “…too bad your color choices are so hideous.” I didn’t think she was correct, but I still remember that comment. I am sorry she thought my color choices were hideous, but I would like to know why she felt the need to tell me in such a brutal manner. I am under no illusions that I get it right all the time, but hideous seems a little harsh. It was probably someone I work with getting back at me for making them to their job.
I can also appreciate that people have different expectations for a designer’s blog. I also feel that people are entitled to express their opinions and/or to click away from the offending post or blog.
I am here because I enjoy writing. I have a separate non-quilt project going and I need practice writing. This blog is my practice. It is an added bonus that I get to write about fabric and quilts and creativity. It is even more of an added bonus that you, dear reader, read and comment once in a while. Thank you!
I don’t post much about The Young Man for other reasons, but I do reserve the right to post about him and other stuff, if I feel like it.
I feel like I am ranting a bit lately. I’ll try not to do it too often. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming….
If you haven’t seen SammyK’s Spoonflower site, you have to go an look. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Back? Good. Doesn’t s/he have awesome stuff? My favorite is the Chefalopod. I have to find a reason to buy that panel. It is so hilarious.
Patterns
I have talked on and off about the Disappearing 9 Patch. I used it for the Food Quilt. Mrs. K asked me about the Disappearing 4 Patch, which I remembered vaguely from my mom talking to me about it. She found it and sent me a link. It doesn’t demand my attention, but I like the pattern more than I did the last time I saw it.
OMG! Camille Roskelly posted pictures of her individual Farmer’s Wife blocks. They are gorgeous! I want them. I’ll have to do something similar when I get enough of the A-B-C challenge blocks.
Color
I hope I can find enough content to fill up a color section. I saw this wonderful slideshow on color from someone on Twitter. I don’t remember who that smart, sharing someone was and I apologize, Smart Sharing Someone. I’ll try to do better.
Promising myself NO MORE FABRIC is a bad idea. Well, it is a good idea in theory, but, frankly, doesn’t work in practical terms. I do things like buy fewer fabrics in larger pieces. Well, that doesn’t help the closet situation.
It also doesn’t help that I continue to surf the web, especially following links from blogs like Camille Roskelly’s. I love her colors and her friends’ colors are the same. Today I followed a link to Pretty By Hand. Dead. I am dead. I saw that Lecien has a follow-up line to Flower Sugar. The Pretty by Hand writer (no idea what her name is…sorry) wrote about it. Mostly the same type of colors, better patterns. I am dead. Dead, I tell you. I need to sew faster and NOT look at any links sent out from Quilt Market. No matter what.
Other
I went to New Pieces to pick up the Zig Zaggy quilt. I took the opportunity to talk to them about quilting the Food Quilt. I was really impressed with their business-like attitude. The people who do the actual longarming weren’t there, but the two ladies who were there gave me a lot of good information. They told me, generally, what they do and what they don’t do. I really appreciate how upfront they were about it. They hauled out a laundry basket of quilted samples of their design. I thought that was a great idea! It gave me a good idea of stitch quality and variety of design.
I am on the last section of my current journal and know I will be needing a new journal soon. I have gotten used to using journal covers and thought it was time to make a new one. I have been using the Innocent Crush cover since I made it. Even though I have made others, none of them have felt the way the Innocent Crush journal cover feels.
Finished Fall Journal
Still, I enjoy using journal covers and I want to perfect the process, so I made a new one.
I am pleased with the fabrics I used – all scraps and bits from other projects, though the letters and numbers were a perk from Bear Patch Quilting in Minnesota.
I am glad I was able to use the Belle Fleur fabric, but I am a little annoyed that the piecing all ended up the back. I might switch the cover around so that the piecing is on the front even though that will mean that the letters are upside down. I might not care, but we will see.
Yes, I knew while I was working on this that I should be working on the Stars for San Bruno #3 quilt. I haven’t been in a really great mood, so I haven’t wanted to work on it, since I don’t want to infuse it with bad energy. I may have to eat more chocolate.
Finished Journal
I decided to photograph this end up from above so you could all see the front and back.
I have heard mention of ‘lifestyle’ photographs that seem to be popular on blogs right now. I don’t have a photograph studio, so this was the best option I could think of at the time.
Bear Patch Quilting gave out small pieces of fabric (about 10″x10″), which is where I got the letters and numbers and fabrics. Apparently, they give them out to everyone who purchases something in the store. I think they were called Bear Paws. I was allowed to choose the fabric I wanted from a box they kept under the counter. I asked what kind of fabrics they used and the owner said that they cut from current fabrics.
Using Wonder Clips
One thing that worked out really well was the Wonder Clips. Again, I bought these in Minnesota. I had been wanting to try them for binding. I was tempted to buy the large size package, but decided to try the small one first. Good thing, because they worked fine for binding but not for my process. I already poke myself plenty with the needle and the clips stuck out too much for comfortable stitching.
I had a brain wave, however to use them to sew the journal cover together and that worked great! Using straight pins works ok, but it hard to insert them into the fabric when the cover is on the journal, but not sewn. I need to have the cover around the journal so that I get the fit right. The clips worked really well, because they didn’t interfere with the journal. I loved them for this purpose!
There is a link to the journal cover directions from the tutorials page on the toolbar (just under the AQ banner) above. You will see the submenus if you put your mouse over AQ Info. I welcome your suggestions on making this tutorial better.
I didn’t buy anything when I went on Wednesday night and Thursday, but Sunday I went back to PIQF and bought a few things. I didn’t take a picture of the inks. Didn’t have the wherewithall to do a lifestyle shot of them. I bought several inks. Trust me.
The Perl Cotton (some of which are Valdani) are for Kissy Fish, as is the embroidery book. I felt like I needed a few more colors and a few more stitches. That piece should be done, but it seems to be perpetually “almost finished.”
Soon.
The two magazines are from New Pieces. I went on Friday to pick up the Zig Zaggy quilt and saw them. The Japanese magazine has some great bags and some wonderful Trip Around the World pieces.
I told myself never to buy a Quilt Scene magazine. I think the idea of magazine reporting on the show and showing photos is fabulous. I think the idea of a magazine about a show that couldn’t be published without projects was stupid. As you can see, I bought this one. The photos of the quilts (the few that are shown) are FABULOUS. This magazine also has the most beautiful Baltimore Album quilt I have ever seen. It is truly lush.
I thought that with the last block I should quit, since you all could make a 5×5 quilt and I wouldn’t feel like I was leaving you hanging, but that is an awfully small quilt, so I decided to continue.
This could be made with only 3 fabrics, but it looks really good with 4 fabrics.
If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.
Yes, I should have been working on the Stars for San Bruno #3 quilt, but I didn’t. these bags were cut out and I just wanted to get them out of my hair. I believe that these are the last two Jane Market Totes I need for Christmas. I counted three times as I was rearranging bags to take this photo and came up with the right number. I have to check with DH to make sure I know about everyone who needs one.
If these are the last ones, I would just like to point out that it isn’t even December much less the 24th of December and this part of the gift giving process is done!
I feel like these came out the best of all of the bags. I put some fusible interfacing on the bottom of the bag (after I cut out the corners) and that gave them a little more shape.
