A Little Sprucing Up

I decided to use my new Jessica Jones fabric to spruce up the studio a bit. A cheery place to work does wonders for the attitude!
I made a new sewing machine cover, new curtains and recovered my sewing stool.
For the sewing machine cover I made up a pattern. I need a cover that only has one side on it because I don't like to mess up the threading of my machine with a cover and I like to cover it all the time it's not in use. This one slips off and on in a snap!
For the curtains I used my own "Uncurtain" tutorial, but this time I made two larger panels instead of four smaller ones. I also pieced a simple log cabin block so I could make the best use of the fabric I had left over.
I'm going to clean today too. Then back to work!

A Daisy Janie Day

One of the ways I figured out to break out of my funk was to work with something I love and that happened to be Daisy Janie's Shades of Grey. So I made this. It's one panel of a much larger quilt, though this is pretty big all on its own. (36" x 42") It's going to be the Jacks quilt. Did you ever play jacks? It was a daily playground activity for me and brings back great memories. It's perfect with the greys and the light blue background. Even though it's dreary and raining again, I'm feeling a bit sunnier inside.

I worked on something else with the greys too, but I'm still playing with it. Still pushing through the doubts.

It was fun sewing free yesterday. Back to the list today. Have a happy Monday!

A Bottomless Pit

I had coffee with an artist friend yesterday and we talked about a little bit of everything; about inspiration and creative surges, those exhilarating times when the juices are flowing and everything is clicking, as well as those creative bottomless pits where everything seems dark and hopeless. Your head tells you that you have no ideas and your work confirms it. I'm in that pit right now. It happens to everyone I'm sure, but it doesn't feel good. It can be confidence busting.

Her advice to me was to step away. Do something totally different. Though it's been cold and wet and the garden and yard hasn't been calling me, when I get home I'm going to spend the weekend away from the studio and work outside. Or maybe I'll paint a room. Just thinking about it is making me feel more positive. I'm putting the list of have to's aside for the weekend.
It hasn't been all doom and gloom this week. I spent a couple of days down in Wichita teaching a workshop to members of the Prairie Quilt Guild. We had a ball. They were fabulous. I was so impressed by the creativity and openness of the group. I can't wait to see all the quilts they make. It was the highlight of my week.

I'm going to look on the sunny side and spend some time doing nothing on my list. Have a great weekend!

Home Dec?

I picked up these three Jessica Jones prints at my local quilt shop this weekend (Sarah's Fabrics in Lawrence). I've loved Jessica's fabric forever and when I stumbled on to these locally I had to have them. My only issue with them is that they are home dec. I'd love to recover my couch and a few chairs in them, but a quilt? I use home dec in my quilts, but it's not my preference.

What do you think of home dec in quilts? If you like the print, do you buy it anyway and use it?

Robert Kaufman No Prints Allowed Challenge

Finished this just under the wire for the KC MQG challenge. I chose the charm square set in the pastel palette. I knew that would be a challenge for me because I don't really love pastels. As you can tell it was difficult for me to stay with pastels only. The challenge rules allowed us to add as many solid fabrics as we desired, so I did.
I'm happy with how it turned out though there are loads of things I would change if I tackled it again. I'm not going to list the faults or the imperfections because I'm trying to get away from always talking about my quilts by what I'm not happy with. I do love the composition and I think I did a pretty good job with the colors. All in all it was a fun challenge.
I'm pretty happy with the quilting too.
The challenge was to use every color in the pack...this bit of green on the binding simply didn't fit in the piece, so this is where it ended up.
Kona solids are an amazing set of fabrics to work with. I've grown to love them and I'd love to have every color. My friend Tammy at Marmalade Fabrics has that same goal. She's hit a milestone this week with over 100 of the Kona colors. She's having a little celebration and is giving away a dozen fat quarters on her blog. Pop over to the store and start or add to your collection of Kona colors and then head over to the blog and enter the giveaway.
Happy Friday everyone!

Procrastination

Since I was in LA for the March meeting, I didn't push to finish my Kaufman solids challenge quilt. Thursday is the April meeting of the KC MQG and now I have 48 hours and counting to get this done.
Of course some of the quilting was in the wrong position when I looked at it again. I wanted it changed just a bit, so out came the seam ripper. I know, 48 hours and counting. Anyone up for some late night quilting?

A Working Sunday

Sunday was another example of how the KC MQG has changed my life. Three of my new guild friends, Camille, Darcy, and Melissa, gave up their Sunday afternoon to come all the way out to my house (not a small task in itself) to help me prepare the kits for the fetal demise pouches that our guild is making as our service project. We cut a LOT of fabric and ribbon!We have kits to distribute at Thursday's meeting and soon these will be finished pouches to deliver to the hospital.It's great to have more than just me working in the studio. I had to clean before they came. In that process I was looking at a stack of quilts folded in the corner. I asked myself why I was holding onto them when they could be being used by someone who needed them. So I packed the whole stack in a box to send to Victoria's project. I've sent quilts before and it seemed a much better place for these quilts to be than gathering dust in my studio. I can't say I won't miss them just a bit.
If you happen to have a quilt or two that you're not using, there are some needy families that could use them. Check out Victoria's project, Bumble Beans Basics.

Give Peace a Chance...Redux

It's nice to have second chances and to have friends who don't mind when you mess up.
I redesigned the pattern and remade the "Give Peace a Chance" quilt. This time it really is a peace sign. It all started with a Peace quilt that my friend Whitney showed at the KC MQG. I fell in love with her quilt and I asked her if she would mind if I designed one of my own. She said sure and so I did.
Sort of feeds my hippie wanna be, child of the 60's side. I love the back as much as the front.
I quilted it with straight lines 1/2" apart and then I crosshatched the 4 corners to emphasize the shape of the peace sign. I love that little detail.
I made the pattern to share so it's available as a free download here. This quilt is perfect for a beginner, lots of squares and a few half square triangles. Tammy of Marmalade Fabrics has put together bundles to make the whole quilt or fat quarter packs of the prints needed for the quilt. Check out the Marmalade Mix, it's fab!

I'm proud of this quilt. It's cute and kind of a cool way to spread a message.

I was going to keep this one and give away the first one that ended up being the Mercedes Benz quilt. I may have to keep them both.

Lines, Lines and More Lines!

I chose to quilt the new Peace quilt with straight lines, but this time vertical lines 1/2" apart. That, is a whole bunch of straight lines. I find it a challenge to keep them vertical and straight. Time consuming, but worth it. Such a clean, modern look. There are a few boo boos in there. I call them "Bruno curves". Those are the wacky curves that happen when Bruno, my loving black lab, comes to my sewing table, puts his nose under my arm and flips my elbow to say "enough already!" I'm so busy concentrating on the quilting, that it surprises me every time and I lose control of the quilt, and hence, a Bruno curve. He's a pretty sweet guy to make sure I get a break every couple of hours.

While the machine was set up for quilting, I quilted my chevron block to make it into a potholder. I experimented with extending the angles in the chevron with quilting lines. It's fun to have small things to play with.
On to binding! Should be able to show you the new "Give Peace a Chance" quilt (that really is a peace sign) tomorrow!

Free Pieced Chevron...A Tutorial

I received a bunch of requests for how to make this chevron block, so to start the week a quick tutorial. This is a great block to use up scraps, so grab a bunch and let's get started.Start with a square. Mine is about 4" x 4". The size of your starting square will establish the approximate width of your chevron. The chevron in the block above is 3 1/2" wide unfinished.
The remainder of your scraps should be rectangular (sort of) strips about 4" long...a little shorter or longer works too. Your strips can be the same or different widths. They should have one straight side so you can sew a nice straight seam. If your starting square is larger, your strips will need to be longer as well.
Place the first strip as shown below to create the initial angle. The strip should extend to about the halfway point of the bottom edge of the square.
Sew along the strip using a 1/4" seam. Trim the excess of the square maintaining your 1/4" seam.
Flip the strip and press.
Audition the next strip to create the next angle. Again sew, trim, flip and press.
Can you see the chevron shape starting to appear?
Continue adding strips in this manner alternating right and left side.
You can vary the angles of the strips from gentle to severe. As you get to the length you want your chevron to be you might want to lessen the angle, but you don't have to.
When your chevron is the desired length, trim to a rectangle.
I added some solid fabric to each side of the chevron to bring the block to size.

I see so much potential for these blocks...different shapes, sizes, positioning, fabric combinations. Have fun making chevrons! I'd love to see them if you do!

Response to the "Dumbing Down" of Quilting Conversation

"Dumbing down is a pejorative term for a perceived over-simplification of education, news and television (among other things), or as a statement of truth about real cultural trends in education and culture. According to John Algeo, former editor of American Speech, the neologism dumb down "revise so as to appeal to those of little education or intelligence" was first recorded in 1933 as movie slang, and dumb up in 1928.[1]
The concept "dumbing down" can point to a variety of different things but the concept always involves a claim about the simplification of culture, education and thought, a decline in creativity and innovation, a degradation of artistic, cultural and intellectual standards, or the undermining of the very idea of a standard, and the trivialisation of cultural, artistic and academic creations."

A friend told me today about the conversation that seems to be sweeping the net about the "dumbing down" of quilting. My internet is so slow I can't get on blogs very easily, but I took the time and read the original post and the comments. At first, I wasn't going to engage and then I read one of the comments that I'm pretty sure referred to one of my quilts that was in my first gallery show a few years ago. It may not have been, but the description was pretty right on. The implication was that the quilt didn't deserve a spot on a gallery wall. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and can exercise their right not to attend my shows. It's hard not to take those kinds of things personally, but I stand by my work and can take criticism. The sad part about a post like this is that it seems to encourage this attitude of "I know what's best for you and everyone."

There's some talk in the post about lack of technique, seeing the same things over and over again, what is beginner, intermediate or advanced quilting. Is a half square triangle and a pinwheel block challenging? There is talk about bloggers wanting their egos stroked, doing a disservice to quilting by offering simple quilts or making "simple blocks" seem complicated. She encourages us to make quilts that require "focus, concentration, accuracy." Despite the repetition of the idea that she makes and loves simple quilts, the implication seems to be that if quilts aren't complex or technique laden that they in some way "dumb down" the art of quilting. She doesn't seem to like that some bloggers make simple quilts and are praised for them. Why not? If people like a quilt, they can say so.

None of what she is encouraging quilters to do is bad...but attaching it to the term dumbing down gives it a negative connotation.

I guess my response is I make what I love. Challenge yourself if you desire. I am a quilter and I choose what I want to make. I challenge myself because I want to, not because someone thinks I should or it's the right thing to do. I share my work with the quilting community simply because I want to share. If they like it, call it inspirational, or liken it to Picasso, so be it. If they don't like it, so be it.

It's a quilt, some fabric, some thread, and batting and may keep someone warm. What's the controversy in that? Calling it art?