If The World Stood Still

Do you wish sometimes that you could make the rest of the world stand still and you'd busily catch up with all the things on your list? Jodie posted about her list in only the way Jodie can. I'm a list maker too and sometimes I feel just like her, that my head is going to explode with all the things running around in there trying to get out, trying to prioritize themselves, trying desperately to get done. I make lists so that things don't get lost in there. Sometimes it even works.

I've been a busy bee so far this week. Hubby is in Chicago all week. I miss him terribly, but his absence does give me a bit more time to sew. I've been working on a couple of secret projects. Sorry I can only give a sneak peak. This first one will have a pattern and tutorial later in the spring. I made one for myself as a trial run. I'm loving it. This one is for someone special.
Again, apologies, another secret project....this one is turning out too. The quilting fairy seems to be smiling on me this week.
The heart blocks are coming along. The red ones are ready to become hearts. The pink ones are just about there too. I thought at first this would be one quilt...now I think it might be two. I'm still playing with ideas for these.
Ever seen a hundred hearts? I'm still cutting....oh dear...these are a secret too.
Lastly, I'm caught up on my virtual quilting bee commitments. Fabric sets were piling up...I was getting a bit stressed; I hate when things are late, so I did a quilt block marathon. The top two are Alissa's blocks for January, bottom left is Jenny's for January, and I even did Stefanie's for February. When an idea hits, you just need to go for it! Don't these ladies know how to pick fabric! They are all so different, but all gorgeous!
My mom's machine is in the shop, so I'm back to my trusty Singer. That means no quilting this week. That means my goal for finishing 2008 tops has to be put on hold. I have been quilting away...three are basted and in progress. So many more to go. I've been trying to hold back with starting new projects...now I have an excuse....I'm off to sew.

PS...blog friends...I'm working my way through reading my blog list....I haven't been able to get the list under 500 posts. Could you hold up on posting while I catch up? I know...you have lots to say and share, and I hate to miss out. A little patience, please?

Oh, and I have 3 awards to acknowledge and pass on...I'm working on it...it's harder when you actually try to pass them on. If only the world stood still...

Monday Miscellany

Project Improv Update:
My goal is to post once a week to give everyone an update on the project and let folks know about the status of their blocks. I know it's stressful to put your work in the mail and not know if it's floating in limbo or has made it safely to its destination. These are the blocks that have arrived as of this morning:
Carol E. 5 blocks
Robin L. 3 blocks
Alissa 3 blocks
Fulvia 1 block
Jackie K. 4 blocks
Frogdancer 1 block
Laura J 1 block
Cheri 1 block
Patricia 1 block
I want to tell you all that the pictures don't show these blocks in their full glory. They are beautiful. These ladies used quality fabrics and took great care in their construction. I so appreciate that you labeled the blocks with your name and location. Some folks used sticky address labels, some used business cards and others pinned on their name and location. Great ideas! This makes so much less work for me to keep everything organized. Thank you so much.

Each of your notes has meant so much to me and made the work involved seem a little less and so rewarding. Fulvia, thank so so much for your beautiful postcard. I'm going to post it in the flickr group so everyone can see it. Amber, thank you so much for your card and the fabric you sent. I'm overwhelmed and touched. You made my day!

I also wanted to let everyone know that we now have 167 participants in the project. How's that for a movement! I'm slowly organizing all the offers to help with making tops/binding/quilting and donations of fabric for backings and bindings.

There are still a few folks who need to contact me with email addresses so I can send them details of the project...Susan and Caron. If you don't see your name in the sidebar, you are not a member of the project. Please contact me and I'll get you taken care of. Thanks!
I did have a chance to sew a bit. I made another improv doll quilt. This one is from the scraps from the "Be Still My Heart Block". I quilted it with another stitch on my mom's machine. I love the simple scallops with the minimalist quilt design.  I'm calling this on 'snippets.'
As with each doll quilt I make, the pillow is my favorite part. Can you see the red/white ticking showing through the muslin? I think the pillow is so sweet!
I also spent a little time turning these....
into these. I'm using my own tutorial and hoping to make some kind of a baby quilt. We'll see what develops!
Please forgive me a "proud mom moment". My youngest son and his team won the Kansas State Regional Debate Tournament last month and qualified for the Kansas State Debate Tournament. It's the first time a 4-speaker team has ever qualified from his school. This is his first year in debate. We were at the tournament all day Friday and Saturday. I can attest that this is a grueling experience for these kids. They debate 7 rounds with each round lasting about 90 minutes. That's a whole lot of thinking on your feet! You can see the stress on his and his partner's faces.
These pictures were taken through a 6 inch window in the door. He didn't want me in the room...nerves, you know! So for two days I stood outside classroom doors with my ear to the door and sneaking pictures through tiny windows.
He's making an argument, and doesn't he look dapper! He and his team were fabulous. It was a pleasure spending time with those kids. They finished 4th in the state with a record of 10 wins 4 losses for the tournament. I couldn't be prouder!

Do Overs

I remember playing kickball on the playground at recess and coming up to the plate with such anticipation, ready to kick that home run ball. The pitch rolled toward me and "whoosh!" my foot hit nothing but air. I shouted, "do over!", and the game was new again. The muffed kick quickly forgotten and I had a fresh chance to make my mark on the game.

I rarely kicked that home run ball, but I do love a 'do over'. I think life should be filled with 'do overs' for kids and adults...imagine looking at your teenager after that inevitable misunderstanding and requesting a do over. It's all about learning from experience and not wanting to repeat something that you're not satisfied with.

This post is in the spirit of 'do overs'. First, Bloom is finished. After ripping out two different tries of free motion quilting I think I've finally found something that works. I tried free motion flowers (too busy, not well done), and I tried echo quilting (I got lost in the echoes and couldn't seem to fill the white space effectively.) With Victoria's encouragement I explored the stitches on my mom's machine and did this. It provides texture for the white space without distracting from the composition. It took practice, and a little more ripping, but it was worth it. Thanks for sharing your idea, Victoria. I can't wait to hang it on the wall.

Here's another 'do over.' I took the quilting out of this little doll quilt. I didn't like the loops or the black thread. This time I did a fractured pattern with white thread. It has a much more edgy feel. I even changed the binding. I like how the black binding completes the shapes instead of cutting them off. I know it's only a doll quilt, but it was worth it to me.
These are my blocks for Tracy. It's her month in the Sew Connected Virtual Quilting Bee. Tracy sent some beautiful fabrics, linen, silks, metallics and beautiful prints and stripes. I'm so glad she sent an abundance of fabrics. I had to 'do over' too many times to mention. I had to add some of my fabrics because I literally used hers up in all of my attempts.These are the two blocks that are the right size and that I'm pleased with. I hope she likes one of them.

Nice to know that even a president and a supreme court justice need a 'do over' every once an awhile. A good model for the country.

My Heart is Filled with Joy

I'm in Chicago with my hubby and both of my boys. It's rare the four of us are together for 3 whole days. Lots of spirited conversation, time together and all four of us just got back from the gym after working out together. My heart is filled with joy. Back home tonight and we'll all go our separate ways. I will hold this feeling until the next opportunity to be together.
Got a lot of requests to explain how I made this block. So, in the spirit of doing things for others today, here is the 'Be still my heart' block tutorial, just in time for some Valentine's Day crafting.

Step 1: Pull a set of fabrics. Small scale prints work great for this block. Don't be afraid to throw in a solid or two. For each block you will need ten 1" x 22" strips. Fat quarters work perfectly for these strips.
Step 2: With right sides together sew strips together using a 1/4" seam allowance.
I like to sew my strips in sets of two or three and then join the smaller sets together. I press after each seam. Make sure that you press your seams in the same direction. You may want to alternate sewing strips from the top and then from the bottom. This will prevent your strip set from getting wavy.
Step 3: Continue joining sets until you have a strip set of 10 one inch strips. The width of my strip set measured 4.75". (this measurement may vary depending on whether you are sewing a scant 1/4" seam or not.) This measurement is important because it will determine the size of the background squares. Measure the width of your strip set and remember that number.
Step 4: Use your rotary cutter and ruler and straighten one edge of the strip set.
Step 5: Now cut four 4.75" squares (or use the width measurement of your strip set) from your strip set.

Step 6: Cut two squares from background fabric the same measurement as your strip set squares. Mine are 4.75" squares. You will also need to cut four two inch squares from the background fabric.
Step 7: Use a quilter's pencil or other marking tool and draw diagonal lines on all of the background squares that you cut in step 6.
Step 8: Arrange your strip set squares like the picture below so that the strips alternate between a vertical and horizontal orientation.
Step 9: Lay the two large squares on the bottom strip set squares so that the diagonal lines you drew form the bottom point of the heart. Pin so that you will be able to sew ON the marked lines.
Step 10: Sew ON the drawn lines. Do this for each of the squares.
Step 11: Press so that the squares look like this. Notice at this point that you have two layers of the background fabric.
Step 12: Take each square and flip back one layer of the white fabric. Line up your quarter inch mark on your ruler on your stitching and trim.
The triangles on the right will go into your scrap box.
Flip down the single layer of background fabric and you will have your completed square.
Two of these form the bottom of the heart. They should look like this.
Step 13: The same process is used to complete the top of the heart. Place the four 2" squares like this. Make sure the drawn lines are in the correct position to form the heart shape.
Step 14: Sew ON the drawn lines just like you did for the bottom squares. Flip and press and trim, again just as you did for the bottom squares.
They should look like this...well, not quite like this. I didn't pin my squares and look what happened. Instead of the strips being rotated horizontal/ vertical...mine ended up like this. I did it again, and guess what? I made the same mistake TWICE.
Third time is the charm! They should look like this.
Step 15: Now it's time to put the block together. Put the bottom squares right sides together , pin, lining up the center edges and sew with a quarter inch seam. Press that seam to the left.
Now you have the bottom section of the heart. Repeat this process with the two top pieces and press that seam to the right. You'll want seams opposite to nest the seams when you sew the final two sections together.
See how the center seams lay in opposite directions.
Step 16: Pin the top and bottom sections together and sew with a 1/4" seam.
Then your heart is complete. I added 2" border strips to all sides of the heart to frame it. Now I have to figure out what I'm going to do with this heart. I think a bunch of these would make a spectacular quilt. One or two might be perfect for a table topper or wall hanging for Valentine's Day. If you make one or more, I'd love to see them.

Be Still My Heart

It's Oiyi's turn in the Common Threads Virtual Quilting Bee. She's making a quilt for her totally cute daughter, Melody, and she requested a heart motif somewhere on or in the block. She wanted rich reds...no pink. Though I loved her idea and was excited about it, I had trouble coming up with an idea I liked. I decided to go with a simple heart block and then tried to come up with an idea to make it special. Oiyi sent lots of small scale fabrics, so I went small and started playing with some one inch strips. This is the final product. A big heart for mom.

Since I did so much experimenting before I actually cut into Oiyi's fabrics, I had lots of strip sets left over. I didn't want them to go to waste so I made a small heart for Melody. Both blocks were a challenge for me. Another kind of improvisation. Take a traditional block and make it your own in some way. Cheryl, of Naptime Quilter has done a post about improvisation called 'Breaking Free.' It's a great read for those of you just starting to step out on your own, actually for all of us. Thanks Cheryl!


Lastly, I'll respond to the emails I've been getting about "what do I have against patterns." As you can see, I don't. I use patterns, I adapt patterns, I make my own patterns, and sometimes I don't use patterns at all. I have a free pattern in my sidebar. I made it because folks asked how to make the teacup quilt. I learned to quilt using patterns. Project improv is not about disparaging the use of patterns. It's about the freedom to exercise your creativity...to play and have fun with your own ideas.

Alissa and Tracy, your blocks are in progress....soon.

The Future of 'Pink/Orange'

'Project Improv' is well on its way. Anina had a little bit of time and put some of the blocks that have been posted in the flickr group into a little "potential quilt" mosaic. It's like seeing into the future. This, is a work of art!

Check out the flickr group to see the folks who made these great blocks and check out all the rest. Isn't it GREAT what we can do together. The quilts we make to donate are going to be spectacular. There are more wonderful blocks to see and some folks have even started their improvisational projects.
Don't forget to check out the discussion section of the group. It's a great place to get questions answered or share information.

You guys are awesome!

Fits and Starts

I finally had some time to sew this weekend. I didn't have loads of success. I started playing with a black and white improvised quilt. I wanted to work with shapes, so I cut a bunch of black and white strips and started playing. I'll spare you the picture of my trash can.

I quilted the 'Bloom' quilt. I'm ripping that out now. Not a good idea either. You don't really want to see that, do you?

I was able to actually accomplish one thing. Are you rooting for me yet?
I finished a little doll quilt. Thanks Amandajean. I used her pillow and pillowcase instructions and found out what size a doll quilt should be from her. I've been playing with this shape for awhile now. My connections quilt is based on this shape, though I've been struggling with that one since last spring. I love mid-century modern and these retro shapes. This has lots of possibilities and options. I'm pretty sure I can do more with it. Again, probably not the best quilting choice. Straight lines probably would have been better. I do struggle with how to quilt a top. Do you think a little girl would want to play with this quilt?
I haven't figured out my project for project improv. My plan right now is to make a series of doll quilts to test some ideas. And who could resist making those cute little pillows and pillowcases.

Lastly, I was playing around on New Year's eve with a logo for tallgrass prairie studio. I'm not sure this is it. I do like the movement and simplicity of it.

Starting Project Improv has put me in the weeds a bit....I'm behind on everything. I'm running as fast as I can.
A few of you have asked to join in on Project Improv, but you have not left an email address for me to contact you. You can find my email address in my profile in the sidebar. Drop me a line and we'll talk!
Susan
Britt
Heather - thanks!
Quinta da quilter - thanks!
Tammy - thanks!
Brita - thanks!
If you don't see your name in the sidebar, you haven't been added to the project. I don't want to leave you out, so get in touch!

Bloom

Free piecing is one way to improvise. I am currently participating in Tonya's House, Home and Pantry Quilt Together and this is my piece, 'Bloom'. I started with a picture in my head of a vase with flowers. I did some rough sketches (i'd show you, but long ago they were trashed), and then I started playing with scraps...sewing and cutting.
I got stuck on piecing the log cabin flowers (those are improvised too) and Tonya made this great drawing to help me think it through and I came up with this.
After I had the vase and flowers done it needed something else, and Tonya also does these great pieces with free pieced letters, so I had a go at it. I did all of them on my own until I got to the m. I needed help and Tonya had just that. She has tutorials to help you figure out letters...not patterns, just ideas to help and the techniques she uses.

I'm in love with this piece. My only disappointment is that I used flimsy muslin as the background fabric...it did start out as an experiment. I wasn't expecting to be successful. I need to work on that!
Tonya has a great blog and is a great resource for free piecing. You might want to check it out.

Project Improv is in full swing. If you are participating your name should be on my sidebar, you should have received a pdf file with details of the project and an invitation to the flickr group. If you haven't, drop me an email and I'll get you fixed up. Folks are already posting pictures of their work. Amazing!

Tammy in Texas, I need your email address when you have a minute.

There are many people to thank who have supported me in getting this going. Amandajean and Stephanie helped me clarify my idea for the project. Thanks ladies. Alissa started the flickr group and helped me learn to be an administrator. Way to go Alissa! Peg helped me think through so many things I hadn't even considered like batting and backing and donations etc. etc. Thanks for putting on your thinking cap, Peg! Michele for proofreading for me when my brain was fuzzy from entering a hundred emails and Kate for making me laugh. I hope I didn't forget anyone. Thanks!

Jackie of Canton Village Quilt Works and her friend Pam have volunteered to quilt our charity quilts on their longarms for FREE. Is that not the most generous offer of help and Jackie is also helping get batting for our quilts at a great price. Thanks ladies. I'm so excited for the quilts to come together.

Lastly, guess what? I received an email from Denyse Schmidt. Yup, that's right. Should I bronze it? Seriously, she's following our project and hopefully will be checking in once and awhile. Thanks for the support, Denyse!

Now, off the computer and on to sewing!

Project Improv - Here We Go!

Wow folks, I'm stunned at the response to project improv. We have 72 participants as of this morning. We've got quilters from all over the United States and lots of international folks too. That means we can make about 6 quilts for charity if we put 12 blocks in each. We may decide to do some smaller and some larger, but that is a LOT of quilt blocks. Thanks so much. A special thanks to all of you who have volunteered to help put the quilts together, quilt them, sew on binding and even donate batting and backing. I'm sure we'll need more help so if you're interested, let me know. We'll probably be putting them together during the summer if that helps. I'm excited to get going. I'm busy getting it all organized. A couple of things you can do to help get this started.

I need an email address from Tammy. I have to be able to contact you for you to participate. Please send me your email as soon as you have a minute.

Check the list of participants in the sidebar and make sure that you are listed and that your link works and goes to the right place. Drop me an email if you are missing or if something isn't right.

Did you choose a color for your charity block? If you didn't or I haven't contacted you, drop me an email or leave a comment with your choice. We're pretty even right now, amazingly enough, so whatever you decide will probably be fine.

Look for a couple of emails in the next couple of days. One will be with details, my address, your choice of color etc. and one will be an invitation to join the flickr group where we can post our blocks, our progress, our finished projects and share ideas about improvisational quilting.

One more thing, check out Victoria's post that she did today on improvisation. She was one of those experts I talked about in the intro to the project. She's sharing some really good info!

Onward!

EDITED TO ADD: We're up to 83 quilters. I think I'm going to stop at 100. I've got to stop somewhere!

EDITED TO ADD: We're over 100. What can I say, I'm a softie. I wanted everyone who wanted to participate to have the chance. Thanks so much for the great response!

Project Improv - Won't You Join Me?

It's not to late to join...read on!
I began quilting again after I saw the Gee's Bend exhibit. I felt joy being surrounded by quilts that expressed freedom in design, whimsy, unpredictability and at the same time utility. I love quilts that are offbeat, free-form, note-bending. At about the same time I saw the Gee's Bend quilts, I discovered the quilts of Denyse Schmidt and excitedly bought her book in my desire to make improvised log cabin blocks and to my surprise finding only patterns rather than a path to improvisation.

A few weeks ago I was reading Kim's post in the archives of her blog Dioramarama about the disconnect between Denyse Schmidt's improvisational style and the patterns in her book and even the incongruity of a coordinated fabric line and Denyse's varied and unconventional combinations of fabric choices in her quilts. Like Kim I was inspired to do "grand improvisational things" but was also "overwhelmed, paralyzed by options" and I was definitely lacking the skills, but more importantly the confidence to put ideas into action.

I struggled on my own and figured out my own way to do a wonky log cabin. Denyse's book put me on the road to striking out on my own. I'm indebted to her and the other improvisational quilters who have shared their work, their processes, their inspirations and their stories. They have helped me build my confidence to try.

Kim's words and her post echo my feelings, my desire to improvise and quilt with abandon, yet the frustration I feel not being able to take a class from the masters of improvisation Denyse Schmidt, Nancy Crow or Gwen Marston, or visit with the quilters of Gee's Bend or have the confidence to step out on my own. I've heard the words echo in my head, "I'm not an artist." But, you know what, I am. I have ideas. I can make them happen, and so can you.

There are a few avenues of support online such as Tonya, at Lazy Gal Quilting. Tonya and her friend Bonnie have supported liberated quilting with their online classes and quilt togethers. I appreciate what they are both doing and I will continue to participate and learn from them. Many of my online quilting friends do improvisational pieces and post about them. I have learned much from them as well.

Many of the quilters who visit my blog ask me questions about improvising. I'm not an expert, but I am a learner. I want to continue to support and become a part of the network that is building around improvisational quilting. That is the purpose of 'project improv', to support each other in our goal to quilt improvisationally, to quilt outside the lines and to find our own voice as quilters.

So, are you with me? I hope so. Here's what I'd like to do.
(photo used by permission of Denyse Schmidt)

"Student in Denyse's Schmidt's Improvisational Patchwork workshop."

This is a picture from a workshop at Denyse Schmidt's studio. Someday, I'll be there too. Until then, this is the kind of quilt I would like to tackle, an improvised log "cabinish" quilt. I have done several log cabin quilts, most of them improvisationally, but I have barely scratched the surface of all the possibilites for improvisation of this traditional block. These are some of the things that we could explore: variations of the construction of the block itself, the fabrics we use, how we cut our fabric (rotary, scissors, tearing), color/pattern combinations, wonkiness (of course), sizes of the logs. What other ideas do you have? If you've never pieced improvisationally I'll be here to support you and hopefully more experienced folks will join in and help too.

Each of us is at a different place in our level of comfort with improvisation. The task here is to identify your comfort zone and take one step (or more) outside of it. Find that level of challenge that is right for you. You choose your fabrics, your construction technique, size of blocks and final size of your project. Make a mini, a tablerunner, or a quilt from baby to king size. I'm making a bed quilt.

There is one other part to 'project improv'...collaboration. I would like this project to include making pieces for ourselves, but also contributing to others. I am asking each quilter who joins the project to commit to making one 12.5 inch improvised log cabinish block to donate to a charity quilt. There is no deadline for finishing your final piece, though I will be hosting periodic quilt shows to showcase finished quilts. The only deadline will be for the blocks. I'd like them to arrive by April 1st with July 1 being the deadline for finishing up the charity quilts. I will group the charity blocks together and depending on how many folks join in we can make them into quilts. I will make at least one and I hope some of you who join in will want to volunteer to finish some into quilts too.

If you would like to join in here's what you need to do:
*leave a comment on this post saying "I'm in!". Make sure I have your email address so I can contact you. I will post your name on my sidebar as a participant. (help me out folks...I need your EMAIL ADDRESS so I can contact you.) Many of you are no reply bloggers...your email doesn't show up automatically.
*choose a color scheme for your donation block: (the block doesn't have to be exclusively those colors...just include them somewhere in your block so that the donation quilts will feel cohesive.)
red/aqua
blue/green
orange/pink
*let me know if you might want to work on the charity quilts...no commitment, just interest.
*grab the button from my sidebar and link back here if you'd like.
*tell anyone else you think might want to participate.

I'm excited to get started. I hope you'll join me.
We're now at 127 participants. How fun is that!!!

Comments are now closed. You are still welcome to join the flickr group.

Keeping Christmas

My husband commented on Sunday how bare the house looks with the Christmas decorations put away. It is bare, but it's also clean and feels to me like a fresh start. I am keeping a bit of Christmas with these winterberries and my first finish of the new year, these fun pillows made with embroidery panels that Michele, of Calico Daisy sent me.
This loopy quilting is a first for me. I love the look and it wasn't too difficult. Reminded me a bit of those days in school practicing cursive writing and making 100's of little e's.
The pillows (they're euro sham size) will replace these for awhile. My living room is aqua and brown and the pop of red is really refreshing and fun. Look closely at the panels...each is a house with a Christmasy saying...peace on earth and joyeux noel. A nice reminder of that Christmas feeling.
Michele has an embroidery business and will work with you to do just about anything you can imagine. These panels are just my style...simple and whimsical and I loved working with them. I can see them in a Christmas quilt too. Michele, I may want more of these. Contact Michele. She's creative, great to work with and can do not only panels for a quilt, but custom quilt labels or embroidery embellishments for just about anything. Check out Nanette's new header. Michele's embroidery appears there too. So cute! I'm sure Michele and I will be collaborating again soon.
The "Creamsicle Whirlygiggles" quilt is under the needle being quilted. I hope this one turns out. My seam ripper and I are getting a bit too familiar.

A Gift

Things are not what Christmas is all about, but gifts are. On Christmas Eve my 19 year old son told me he had a gift he wanted to give me that night. He proudly handed me one sheet of paper. On that paper was the receipt for the current payment on his credit card bill. He quietly said, "Look at the balance, Mom." Zero. Debt free.

Some of you may remember when we first found out about the financial mess he had created for himself. It was tough for us to know what to do, tougher for him to have to do it. Though we could support him, he had to do it on his own. He did. He gave me a gift, but gave himself the gifts of responsibility, accountability, hard work, persistence, delayed gratification and integrity. That's quite a pile of gifts for a young man. He has much more to learn, but he's well on his way.

He asked me not to bug him about money for a year.
Note to Ben: I'm a mother...this is an impossible request. You are starting to save, right?

Another gift...sunset from the porch of our country place.