Last Years New Jersey Show Entry

Well, here it is. I was going for Frank Stella (really - I know no one believes that, but that was my original objective) but I ended up with Vincent Van Gogh. Garish, bizarre, but very good contrast. My biggest mistake, I think, was not using a deep (instead of a light) purple against the center squares. I think that would have unified the purple a little better, and gave me a better line, or block of color. I love the way a log cabin moves the eye around. It's almost a road map. I wanted to see if I could control what road my eye would travel around the quilt. I think as an artist, you just see your mistakes and the parts you want to improve. There were alot of mistakes, most notably it's wonky on the right side. I wasn't set up for using a darning foot and so I just quilted a zig zag pattern.

The challenge was to use small scraps, and to push the limits of the log cabin design. I think I have alot more to learn here. I am 1/2 way through a pink and yellow log cabin. The trick is to have alot of diversity among your fabrics and I don't really have that with the yellow but yellow takes over, so maybe it doesn't matter. We shall see. Attached is my tower of pink and yellow log cabin blocks. It takes me 3 1/2 hours to finish a side. I have about 250 blocks.

Covered in snow down here I am hoping to shovel my way to the post office. Will return to the IC2.

Not quite coasters

I was thinking about coasters, and thinking about my challenge fabric, but I decided to try something new. I made a pin cushion, a souvenir of my IC projects so far. Incidentally, it matches my new designer scissors! Yeah!
I found a monkey wrench pattern for a ten inch square and I divided the directions by two. (Fractions - my kids say this is useless knowledge but I use them everyday!). I used scraps from my "recent projects" bag and an extra long strip from the IC2. I need to make my rectangles 1/8" longer when I cut, and I need a better plan for sewing the corners (I'm bad at corners). Not bad for a first try.
I am snowed in, so I hope to have IC2 together and finish quilting something I hope to get into the New Jersey show. I haven't given up on coasters. The day is young.

Found It!

Well, it didn't take long. I am surprised. It was a very good karma weekend. First I combed the discount racks at Jomar and Joanne's. Then I searched "yellow Floral fabric" 1400 ebay entries. Nada. Then I found a Cranston website, with a lost fabric message board. Nothing. Then I emailed it to MissingFabrics.com. I got a very nice email response from the administrator explaining how it works, what I should expect, and a copy of my ad. It was Saturday night. My daughter and I went out to see Annie with Wanda Sykes as Miss Hannigan (I was a cynic). She was great! My expectations were low but....when I got home there was a message that someone had it and was willing to part with it. I can't believe it! Yeah! Thank you D in cyberspace! I'm so excited I feel like I got a direct response from fate!

So, very wonderful site all fabriholics should visit often http://www.missingfabrics.com/.

I left it up to fate, and fate responded. I must admit I am as disappointed to give up the challenge of making the quilt work as much as I am excited to create something consistent with my original objective. So I found another challenge. Upon perusing my stash, I found the most bizarre fabric. It's like Paris Hilton. Not necessarily attractive, a total turn-off, but so distinct you can't stop looking, and risky - it just might take-over any quilt. I have about a yard of this. (and there is alot left over at the fabric store if I need more (surprise!).

I find batiks are great for paper piecing because they are double sided and you don't have to be continually flipping the shape in your mind. Which isn't a problem if you paper piece every day, but I don't.

I'm marinating on this one while I get my IC fix. It is a direct match to the teal fabric in IC2. But direct matches are often too "safe". I'll think about it. This fabric is a Worker, but it may have a tendency to Manage, and I need some control over that. Please feel free to make a suggestion.

The quickie project for today is coasters. I dislike coffee stains on my table and desk. I think I might whip up some coasters. Will post a picture tomorrow. Maybe the IC2 will be done construction.

IC 2

These are pictures of projects I'm working on!

I'm in construction for IC2 today I should be ready to sandwich by evening. I may hit the fabric store for a matching backing but that just gets me in trouble!

A quilt for my niece. It was practice. I found a pattern I like - great for baby quilts. I lost some points on the edges. I'm working on that for next time. Really she doesn't notice she just sees the princesses. I held onto this panel for a long time before I finally found a use for it. It's bordered by a great dark pink batik. In person this really makes the body of the quilt Pop! I made the same pattern for my friend Patrick! I will try to post that tomorrow.

I saw this quilt in a window. Someone had tried to make a simple quilt and they didn't do a great job with the points or sewing but the colors and juxtaposition of contrasts was so striking, it didn't matter. I tried to duplicate this. Upon beginning to quilt, I realized there are just way too many colors, and I switched to stipple quilting withh invisible thread. But there was this great gold-chartreuse yellow fabric I found (I used this twice) I practiced quilting little squares to mirror the pattern on the fabric. This used gobs of thread but it's so worth it. I ran out, got more, and hope to complete this over the weekend.

Gram

Gram (my grandmother, 88 years old) thinks I should abandon quilting and concentrate my energy on making sofa tissue box covers. I didn't make this one I bought it at a local shop. I love it, had to have it. It's a great pincushion.

Irish Chain #1

When I began quilting ten years ago, I immediately tried an Irish Chain (IC). It was tough, I didn't get the pinning, it didn't quite work out.

A few months ago, on a stressful week, I cut for this quilt. Alot happened. I got some old fabric on ebay. Not today's quilt shop quality - but after very careful consideration, I decided that's okay. I decided to do an experiment. (I figured turn old into classic). I found instructions to make an Irish Chain quilt. I had alot of fabric maybe I'd "make it" with the main one. So I cut away. And it was very relaxing. I didn't have quite enough of the main fabric, but I wanted to do a project where I could get rid of all of it. I cut, got it to the point where construction could begin, and stopped. Holidays were approaching I was busy.

Last week I decided to put it together, with the goal creating a quilt that defied to the missing fabric problem (that was my original objective.) It came together quickly. Very invigorating, and, to my surprise, the contrast was good and I really liked the line. I loved the line, if only.... I have ideas but its a wip (work in progress). So I'm doing a one-month hunt for the missing fabric, just to see if fate tells me what to do, and then I will return to my original idea of how to cope. What if I made a solid one?

The three fabric theme is very alive. Great opportunity for contrast and union. The line, once I laid out the ICs, was really invigorating. I began to think what could I accomplish without this problem. I have three kids, thus the world often presents itself to me with three perspectives, and this is a comfort to me. So I'm sticking with Irish Chains for a while, because classic lines and simple combos are a good platform/ opportunity for growth.

A word about fabric quaility. I love the decadent feel of quilt store quality fabrics. I do. But they're new. And expensive. I decided with the next one to mix quality. I have three fabrics: one, not the best quality, has a vintage look; the second, good quality and old, kind of busy and boring; the third - next to best quality that came out last year and a total color POP! - the Line Leader! I've decided for the moment to just stick with 100% cottons, no matter what the quality, and see where that leads me. I am a fabric snob but I don't want to get to the point where I miss out on opportunities.

Also, I took a class once and my teacher told me she always buys six yards when she buys fabric. Six. Okay that's alot. Could get expensive. And I didn't quite get it. Why six? Then I read once that if you love it, buy as much as you can afford. Recently I had been asking myself will I be thinking about it when I go home? Just get enough so that I don't second guess myself and run back and get more. This not having enough of something you want is awful. Not something I want to happen often. Get as much as you can afford, and at least six yards of any fabric you love. This is my advice. Note the missing yellow. If you have this, please email.