I plan to do more background quilting to make the applique pop up better. For now it can go in the front entry over Steve's beautiful side table.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Morris Garden Quilted and Scallope Border Bound
I have completed the initial quilting of the Morris Garden and decided to use a scalloped border that mirrors the curved lined in the outer border fabric.I don't think that a scalloped border fits all quilts but it looks appropriate on this one.
I plan to do more background quilting to make the applique pop up better. For now it can go in the front entry over Steve's beautiful side table.
I plan to do more background quilting to make the applique pop up better. For now it can go in the front entry over Steve's beautiful side table.
That darn Nathan
A couple of weeks ago at Glad Creations, Nathan showed his progress on DaVinci, a Jinny Beyer pattern with an optical illusion sort of feel. I hadn't thought about it in years, but I had started the same quilt in 2004 when I went to a Jinny Beyer conference. Maybe I could find it and pull the pieces together to take on the trip.
To my surprise I went right to the quilt in all of it's pieces in a bag, in a drawer. All of the pieces were present, all of the cutting was complete (although in 2004 I wasn't quite so particular about my cutting) and some of the piecing was well under way. I pressed all the pieces and organized the whole thing to go along on the trip.
Well, I have to say that my expectations of cutting and piecing have certainly changed in the last 8 years. It took me longer to piece the blocks than what I anticipated, but before I had to box up my little quilting station at the Woodworking school I had my version of DeVinci fully assembled.
I am not sure how I will be quilting this one but I am thinking I might have Page Johnson give me some suggestions.
To my surprise I went right to the quilt in all of it's pieces in a bag, in a drawer. All of the pieces were present, all of the cutting was complete (although in 2004 I wasn't quite so particular about my cutting) and some of the piecing was well under way. I pressed all the pieces and organized the whole thing to go along on the trip.
Well, I have to say that my expectations of cutting and piecing have certainly changed in the last 8 years. It took me longer to piece the blocks than what I anticipated, but before I had to box up my little quilting station at the Woodworking school I had my version of DeVinci fully assembled.
What I did while on the road
While Steve was in his bowl turning class, I setup a sewing station a quietly quilted in the corner for 5 days. I had a space in the back of a large equipment room so I got to visit with some folks but mostly just do my thing....so I got a lot done. You can see that I set up my cutting board on one of the big planers and put my sewing machine next to a huge drill press. The barrel of wood shavings worked well to hold my pressing mat. It was a very workable area in an otherwise large room of big equipment.
I finally got around to sewing the Glad Creations Scrap Tames' Mystery quilt for 2011-2012 that I had cut back in May or June. I think it came out nicely considering that I only bought 1 fabric that was the focus and all others came from my stash. Now I just need to get it backed and quilted
I finally got around to sewing the Glad Creations Scrap Tames' Mystery quilt for 2011-2012 that I had cut back in May or June. I think it came out nicely considering that I only bought 1 fabric that was the focus and all others came from my stash. Now I just need to get it backed and quilted
What we did for summer vacation
On Labor Day we took the camper and headed out for the Upper Peninsula and western Michigan. This was our first long trip with the camper and new truck. Oh my, what a difference the right sized truck makes. We were very lucky on the weather and drive times. We still need to work on how much road time to plan for in a day since we ended up with a number of late arrivals and setups but pretty much kept the road time to about 4 hours a day.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes on Lake Michigan was a bit of a surprise. Somehow I thought that much sand belongs on the sea coast but there it was deep deep sand dunes.
The visit to Shipshewana in Indiana was interesting. For this little town to be so prosperous in such a low tech community compared to other Indiana small towns was quite a commentary. We were surprised by the number of Amish buggies tied up outside the Walmart in Goshen. If you go to the area be sure to visit the Amish-Mennonite museum and stay for the 1 hour tour through the history of the Amish in the area. It was really very well done.
The second week of the vacation Steve was in a bowl turning class at the
Marc Adams School of Woodworking. He really enjoyed his class and made
a number of bowls and platters during the week. They made a huge pile of wood shavings that filled several barrels each day. They also made some really nice little bowls. I am thinking Christmas gifts.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes on Lake Michigan was a bit of a surprise. Somehow I thought that much sand belongs on the sea coast but there it was deep deep sand dunes.
The visit to Shipshewana in Indiana was interesting. For this little town to be so prosperous in such a low tech community compared to other Indiana small towns was quite a commentary. We were surprised by the number of Amish buggies tied up outside the Walmart in Goshen. If you go to the area be sure to visit the Amish-Mennonite museum and stay for the 1 hour tour through the history of the Amish in the area. It was really very well done.
The second week of the vacation Steve was in a bowl turning class at the
Marc Adams School of Woodworking. He really enjoyed his class and made
a number of bowls and platters during the week. They made a huge pile of wood shavings that filled several barrels each day. They also made some really nice little bowls. I am thinking Christmas gifts.
These are bowls that the instructor made. She is really talented and
likes to add the engraving details that set her work apart. Steve is
working on his technique and getting "the touch" of working the lathe.
I have never been sure how the days of the calendar flips so quickly by. I keep thinking that I will add to the blog and then I realize another week has passed me by. I can promise to be more timely in the future but I have learned that tigers don't change their stripes so don't plan your schedule around a weekly entry by me....
At any rate I have been busy since my last posting. Migration by Night is complete with an added border of flying geese to make it a better fit for a queen size bed. I have taken it to The Quilting Page to have it quilted on the long-arm. I will post a photo when I get it back.
I had taken my big feathered star to Page for show level quilting and got talked into giving her some time putting zippers on quilts, trimming quilts and the like in exchange for her time to quilt this large quilt. One thing has led to another and now I am helping with getting quilts loaded on the machines and learning how to setup the computer patterns for the machines.
Page can see in her mind's eye what will enhance a quilt top and works with the customers to select a complementing design. It is fascinating to watch her take a computerize design and reconfigure it so that it is the right scale for the quilt, or edit the design to better nest together and reduce the ridges that often happen when the designs do not fit together quite right. I have been amazed at how much hands on work there is with the computer guided quilting. The notion of set-it-up and let it run seriously under estimates the time needed to get even a lap size quilt done.
As a spin off to my many questions about the computer side of the machine (I am a geek after all) have led to my working with Page to digitize the designs she has doodled on a gazillion pieces of paper. I have been learning to use the Art and Stitch program to convert from doodles to stitching lines for the Statler Stitcher and other computer long-arm programs. It is fairly simple but very putsy work to get the lines to flow well in the program and then stitch smoothly on the machine. It is going to take time to get this process down to where I don't have to think about each step.
This is a Page turner that Page designed and we have been editing to see how it can be applied to a multitude of different uses from sashing to all over design where the curved curls actually intertwine. It is all a learning process.
At any rate I have been busy since my last posting. Migration by Night is complete with an added border of flying geese to make it a better fit for a queen size bed. I have taken it to The Quilting Page to have it quilted on the long-arm. I will post a photo when I get it back.
I had taken my big feathered star to Page for show level quilting and got talked into giving her some time putting zippers on quilts, trimming quilts and the like in exchange for her time to quilt this large quilt. One thing has led to another and now I am helping with getting quilts loaded on the machines and learning how to setup the computer patterns for the machines.
Page can see in her mind's eye what will enhance a quilt top and works with the customers to select a complementing design. It is fascinating to watch her take a computerize design and reconfigure it so that it is the right scale for the quilt, or edit the design to better nest together and reduce the ridges that often happen when the designs do not fit together quite right. I have been amazed at how much hands on work there is with the computer guided quilting. The notion of set-it-up and let it run seriously under estimates the time needed to get even a lap size quilt done.
As a spin off to my many questions about the computer side of the machine (I am a geek after all) have led to my working with Page to digitize the designs she has doodled on a gazillion pieces of paper. I have been learning to use the Art and Stitch program to convert from doodles to stitching lines for the Statler Stitcher and other computer long-arm programs. It is fairly simple but very putsy work to get the lines to flow well in the program and then stitch smoothly on the machine. It is going to take time to get this process down to where I don't have to think about each step.
This is a Page turner that Page designed and we have been editing to see how it can be applied to a multitude of different uses from sashing to all over design where the curved curls actually intertwine. It is all a learning process.
Monday, August 27, 2012
That darn Georgia
Somehow my "NO" button never works. Like most quilters, beautiful fabric sticks to my thighs when I walk by and I end up with enough fabric to complete a lifetime of quilts but never quite the right mix, so a trip to the shop is always in order. I have to admit that I don't buy very many kits in part because I always want to change them and I don't want what everyone else has already made.
About 12 years ago, Jenny Beyer came out with MoonGlow. This is a gorgeous quilt that I know many have had difficulty putting together. Well when they brought out the 10 year anniversary kit I broke down and bought it. The color play really is striking and most of it can be completed using paper-piecing. It has been sitting on the shelf for the last 12-18 months...until I get to that stack of the stash.
One night at club Georgia mentioned that she was trying to finish her MoonGlow but thought Susan would personally shoot her if she brought it to another UFO day. I chimed in and said that I would work on my MoonGlow if Georgia wanted to work together on the project. What was I thinking? this was not on my list of projects to work on anytime soon.
I am well on my way to completing the quilt with 6 design blocks done. However, I have been working on a design edit to add a large oval compass in the center as a medallion and adding a number of additional blocks that may be duplicates of the current design or additions from the Judy Mathieson Mariner's Compass. I think I have enough fabric but know that I can buy more through Jenny Beyer's online store.
I am taking my remaining blocks with me on vacation next week. It takes me 2-3 hours to complete one of the blocks and some of the remaining blocks are more complicated than what I have done so far. I may only get a couple of blocks done or I may complete the remaining 7 design blocks. Once I have the core blocks done I will really have to focus on that center design and see if I can pull it off or go with the beautiful quilt as it is currently designed. More to come
About 12 years ago, Jenny Beyer came out with MoonGlow. This is a gorgeous quilt that I know many have had difficulty putting together. Well when they brought out the 10 year anniversary kit I broke down and bought it. The color play really is striking and most of it can be completed using paper-piecing. It has been sitting on the shelf for the last 12-18 months...until I get to that stack of the stash.
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| Photo taken from the web |
One night at club Georgia mentioned that she was trying to finish her MoonGlow but thought Susan would personally shoot her if she brought it to another UFO day. I chimed in and said that I would work on my MoonGlow if Georgia wanted to work together on the project. What was I thinking? this was not on my list of projects to work on anytime soon.
I am well on my way to completing the quilt with 6 design blocks done. However, I have been working on a design edit to add a large oval compass in the center as a medallion and adding a number of additional blocks that may be duplicates of the current design or additions from the Judy Mathieson Mariner's Compass. I think I have enough fabric but know that I can buy more through Jenny Beyer's online store.
I am taking my remaining blocks with me on vacation next week. It takes me 2-3 hours to complete one of the blocks and some of the remaining blocks are more complicated than what I have done so far. I may only get a couple of blocks done or I may complete the remaining 7 design blocks. Once I have the core blocks done I will really have to focus on that center design and see if I can pull it off or go with the beautiful quilt as it is currently designed. More to come
Kathy's beautiful fabric throw
My friend Kathy Watson has moved to Sun City, Arizona. Supposedly she will be back here during the summers when it is brain boil in Arizona. Last fall before she left, Kathy and I were on retreat at Lake Beauty. She had this great fabric she wanted to use for a throw at the end of the bed. Kathy decided to quilt the design motifs with a minke backing. She spent a lot of time getting the whole cloth pinned to the minke (it really stretches a lot so needs mega pinning).
This spring when she was back she passed the partially completed throw to me for finishing. You know it was just following the design on the fabric, nothing real difficult or fussy but OMG there was a lot more than what I gave it credit for. I quilted on this thing for weeks to get it done. If I needed practice with my free-motion technique, I just got it.
The fabric is a great print of medallion circles and curly cue flowers and stems. I was able to just follow the outline of the different motifs with a tan thread on top and a yellow in the bobbin.
With all of the pinning the whole thing was pretty heavy but the mink really need the stabilization or it would have stretched and sagged all over. As it turned out, the minke took on a fabulous texture.
Once she binds this "quilt" (there is no batting) I think Kathy will really like the results.
This spring when she was back she passed the partially completed throw to me for finishing. You know it was just following the design on the fabric, nothing real difficult or fussy but OMG there was a lot more than what I gave it credit for. I quilted on this thing for weeks to get it done. If I needed practice with my free-motion technique, I just got it.
The fabric is a great print of medallion circles and curly cue flowers and stems. I was able to just follow the outline of the different motifs with a tan thread on top and a yellow in the bobbin. 
With all of the pinning the whole thing was pretty heavy but the mink really need the stabilization or it would have stretched and sagged all over. As it turned out, the minke took on a fabulous texture. Once she binds this "quilt" (there is no batting) I think Kathy will really like the results.
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