The Traveling Quilts

I'm participating with a bunch of great quilters in a bee/round robin type event called The Traveling Quilts. We started this month. It works like this. 11 quilters, 11 journals, 12 months, and what comes back to me is a finished quilt with my start, the additions of 10 friends and one friend who quilts and binds my quilt before it comes back to me. How great is that!

Monica, aka Happy Zombie, made us each our own personalized button for the group.

This is part of the start for my quilt that I sent to Faith.  I didn't get pictures of the final set!  Dang camera batteries! The only caveat for my quilt is color...I want all the colors of the rainbow in this quilt.  We only get to see sneak peaks along the way, so it'll be a year before I get to see what happens to these pieces and read the journal that documents the journey of this quilt.

Block Party Blog Tour

It's time for the Block Party blog tour! I'm thrilled to be a part of the tour for this special book. I remember when Alissa and Kristen asked me to be a part of the Block Party virtual quilting bee. I'm so proud of how these two woman and Stash Books have translated that original bee into this extraordinary book. The book, in its unique way, captures the power of quilters working together, the internet, and the creative process. The book supports both beginners who would like to learn to quilt and more experienced quilters who want interesting quilt ideas. This is my quilt in the book, Profit Margins!
I think you'll love the quilts in the book. I know there are several that I want to make for myself! You can see a quick glimpse of all the quilts in this great video!

Block Party: The Modern Quilting Bee book promo from Alissa Haight Carlton on Vimeo.

If you'd like to have a copy of the book for yourself, check out Amazon or your local quilt shop. If you're feeling lucky, I'm giving away another copy to one of my readers. Simply leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite quilt in the book or why you'd like a copy for yourself. (Watch the video to see all the quilts!) Comments will close midnight on Sunday. (central time). I'll announce the winner on Monday. Good luck everyone!
Be sure to continue on the tour with all these crafty folks:

June 24 Oh Fransson

June 25 Ali Buttoned Up

June 26 West Coast Crafty

June 27 Connecting Threads

June 28 Crafty Girls Workshop

June 29 Whip Up

June 30 Pink Chalk

July 1 True Up

July 5 Block Party Blog

July 6 Anna Maria Horner

July 7 Craftzine

Block a palooza!

Catchin up on some bee blocks!
For Blair whose inspiration was mid century modern fireplaces.
For Rebekah...another mid century inspiration.
For Debbie...a linear architectural inspiration.
For Robin...if Mondrian loosened up a bit.

I'm Making Blocks...I Really Am!

Three more to go and then I'm caught up. I think I've said that before. Will I ever catch up? My bee friends have been so patient. I keep expecting that angry email saying, "so...are you making my block, or what?" It hasn't come yet, but I deserve it!
Here are the latest that are in the mail.
Nettie's is an free pieced chevron. Her inspiration photo was the cutest baby in this little striped outfit with a strip of ROYGBIV fabric. This is my interpretation. It's going to be one cute quilt!
Heather wanted mini improv blocks. Love her fabrics. These are teeny tiny blocks!
Finally for Cheryl...geese, geese and more geese. Don't you love all the configurations you can make with flying geese!

I can't celebrate too much, have to stay motivated to finish those last three!

Have a happy Friday! See you when I get back from LA!

Top Done!

The top of my selvage spools is done! I changed it a bit...there was too much space in it...I squished the spools together more. Makes it more colorful and fun. I overestimated the wall space available to hang it, so it had to get a little smaller. The good news is that I have 5 spools left over. Maybe a little gift for someone?
I had to post all three pictures just to show how nutty I am to get a picture of a quilt. Neither wind nor snow can stop me!
Isn't it cute blowing in the wind? Wouldn't a bunch of quilts brighten up the woods at this time of year? I digress.
One more bee block complete. This one is for Cheryl. I adore this block. Cheryl wanted curved shaped blocks. So mid-century modern. I think I hit her inspiration target, at least I hope so. For those of you who are asking how I made this. The orange and brown curved sections are pieced into the background. The philco tv shape is fused and attached with raw edge applique. Then I cut the final curved shape of the block.

Three Down...Three to Go!

Three bee blocks that is....still working, but making progress. It's going to feel so good to be caught up.
This is Alissa's block. Her inspiration was a woven wall hanging. I think this block should be a whole quilt. I love it.
Nettie wanted a log cabin house block and sent wonderful prints with a fairytale print as the focus fabric. I made mine with a big picture window so you can see the owl and the pussycat in their living room!
Personally, I love their eclectic decor...a boat sofa and such deep orange shag carpet that the kitty can dip her paw in it!
Lastly, Rita wanted a traditional log cabin. I played with value and did it up with the traditional dark and light sides of the cabin.

Sewing, sewing sewing....yipeee!

Bee - hind!

I pride myself in being a good bee member, but I slipped. Dedicated yesterday to not much more than bee work. I have two more blocks and them I'm caught up. I'll try not to let this happen again.
Square in a square block for Kate in Bee Imaginative.
Improv block for Elizabeth in Bee Imaginative.

Wonky star block for Jessica in Pieced Together.

Jess's block for the MidMod Bee.
Liz's square in a square for One Block Over.
Angie's snowballs for One Block Over.

Red Cross and Fitness Friday

I had two of my virtual quilting bees make cross blocks for me, and then I made some more. I have crosses coming out of my ears, so before they take over the place I thought I'd better get started with them. I started with this amazing embroidery and teeny, tiny cross and made them a focal point for the quilt.I changed the layout loads of times and came up with this. I love the idea of crosses forming crosses.
Pretty fun looking at the differences in the individual crosses...there are some stunners in here. I think I'm going to like it!
And guess what? The American Red Cross featured this quilt on their facebook page. How fun is that!!
FITNESS FRIDAY!
I actually posted on Friday...aren't you impressed! We have some new members to the team this week. Welcome! I'm still working on getting you added in. The winner of the scrap prize is SARA! Sara, send me your address and I'll get it out to you. For the next prize....everyone is in...you just have to move! Sounds like most of you are doing pretty well. I actually made my goal this week....Yeah! Hope your butt is still in motion!
Have a great weekend!

Bee-u-ti-ful

I've been catching up on my virtual quilting bees over the last couple of weeks. These are a couple of my favorites. Rossie's block for the Mid Mod Bee. If you saw this quilt you know I love this shape. I don't always like it, though. So many atomic shaped quilts seem static and boring to me....all the same size all connected the same way. That doesn't appeal to me.
Rossie calls this her "Kelp" quilt. I never thought about the shape resembling kelp plants. You can see her design plan here. I love the innovative use of this shape and her hand dyed fabrics have such depth. They are truly a wonder. I also love that she asked for a 9" x 65" block. Now that's a block size I don't do every day!
This is my final block for round 2 of Common Threads. Sarah asked for a dimensional block. I think this was the most challenging block I've ever had in a bee. When I heard dimensional, I thought of those folding paper fans I used to make as a kid. I'm pretty happy with the shapes in this one.



A quick word to my Common Threads buddies. You all have given me such wonderful bee experiences. Your creativity inspires me and I so appreciate the opportunities you have given me to challenge myself and grow. You're the best!

With the Finish Line in Sight

The Spring to Finish Challenge will start on Monday, so you have the weekend to get prepped, make your list, in my case, lists. I have a 'want to' and a 'have to' list. Count your UFO's (unfinished objects), your WIP's (works in progress) and get ready. Be sure to come back on Monday and comment to get in on the action. I'm working on a blog button for us and maybe even a prize or two.
This is my WIP for the Project Plume Challenge at the KC Modern Quilt Guild. The challenge is over and alas I didn't get mine finished. I do love an integrated whirlygiggle quilt...I used what I had left over from my charm pack to put this together the night before the meeting. I know, I'm a lame President. You should have seen all the great quilts our group created. I hope to have pictures to share soon. I'm thinking this might be one of the prizes (if I get it finished!)
Lots of folks asked to see the quilting of this quilt up close...so here it is. Today is the auction, so keep your fingers crossed that it makes some cash.
I finished Wendy's block for my Common Threads quilting bee. She asked for doll representations of ourselves inspired by a quilt in the Material Obsessions book. This is my mini me. I took a little artistic license and made myself tall and thin. Why not?
I think the log cabined dress makes it very me.
I'm trying to get things basted ready for the Spring to Finish Challenge. I didn't do well at all in the Joy in the New Year Challenge, but it's a new time, a new opportunity. I'm going to bust it out!

starting to arrive

January was my month in the Common Threads virtual quilting bee and trips to the mailbox are yielding lots of quilty goodness. I've made a bunch and I've received a bunch from my bee peeps. The blocks are 6.5" square and I'm starting to get a vision of what this quilt might look like. I need a whole lot more blocks to make it the size I want it to be, so I'm trying to make a couple every day.
It's pretty cool to see what variations can be made from a simple, basic cross block. The creativity of these ladies is inspiring.

Thanks for all the quilt love for my selvage quilt and for Angela. To answer a few questions:
No, I won't sell the quilt.
Yes, I'm making another one of these.
No, I don't sleep with it, but I thought about it.
There are about 1600 selvage pieces in the quilt.
Yes, Angela is available to quilt for you.
Yes, it took a LOT of time to make.
No, it's not my favorite quilt that I've made.

Have a wonderful weekend. It's cold and rainy here, but the grass is turning green, the fields have been fertilized, so spring is around the corner.

I Couldn't Think of A Title

I couldn't think of a catchy title for this post. I simply have a few things I want to share. This is my 'urban garden' quilt.
It started as a personal scrap challenge, a handful each of orange, green and brown scraps and a commitment to make something from them. I started with the idea of fields viewed from a plane and it evolved into more of a community garden, you know those communal gardens where a bunch of folks share a plot of land to plant gardens. There are those well-tended plots and those more hap-hazard ones and plenty of land left to plant. The quilting reminds me of furrowed land. I'm pretty happy with it.
I've also made a few quilting bee blocks..this is underwater sister's portrait gallery for Valerie of the Pieced Together bee.
A close up of the portraits.
A block for Nadia of Common Threads. This is 'the fractured forest' for her brand new baby Gus!
Lastly, this is a picture from the second meeting of the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild. 69...count 'em...69 folks showed up and we had a ball squishing into the room, enduring the heat and getting to know each other. If you'd like to be a part of the group, head to our ning site, or join or start a group in your neck of the woods.

peace and comfort

Happy Friday! Thanks so much for all the kind comments on my selvage quilt top. Now that the top is finished, it's on to thinking about the quilting. I always have to THINK alot about how to quilt something.

blocks made by Rossie

I'm going to switch to something a bit simpler, but just as beautiful. It's my month in the Common Threads quilt bee. I was inspired by a few things to start this quilt. During the rush to help Haiti, I saw a 'red cross' quilt that was donated to Craft Hope by Susie Swan that sold in seconds...I wanted that quilt. Then I stumbled on this quilt on flickr. Stunning.

I did a little research on red cross quilts and they have an interesting history, so I decided I wanted to make one of my own and decided to involve my bee buddies.

I sent a couple of different background fabrics, a bunch of red, and a few black scraps. The blocks will be 6.5" and the instructions were pretty open...as long as it reads like a cross. Even with such a simple shape, there are lots of possibilities. I love Rossie's blocks that are pictured above. You can see more of the blocks that have been made here. Until I get my machine back, I'm limited to piecing, so I thought this would be a good project for me.

Inspiration to Exhilaration

The inspiration...a drawing done by my youngest son when he was in 6th grade. (it hangs in my living room)

The process...the inspiration was given to my sew connected buddies and they made the blocks for me. Aren't they fabulous!! The process was excruciating, crazy, frustrating and believe it or not, fun. I've never made a quilt this difficult...many, many set in seams. All of the blocks were different sizes (which is what I asked for!) I pressed/starched these blocks within an inch of their lives. It was more like sewing with blocks of wood than fabric, but they stayed straight. Thank goodness, because the seam ripper got LOTS of use in this one. You'll notice that the layout is different in the final top. My design wall was my saving grace for this quilt. I can't even tell you how many layouts I went through to achieve this. This is what a virtual quilting bee is all about for me...pushing me farther than I would go on my own. I can't thank my bee peeps enough. I learned so much.

Exhilaration...I'm so proud of this, I can't even tell you. It almost makes me cry and I only made one of the blocks. I LOVE the negative space that is created by the blocks. The chocolate brown and aqua is my favorite color combination (I've been using so much brown lately). I love that Jon's drawing was the inspiration.

I have one more block that will be the centerpiece of the back...the back is going to be soo cool...if I can pull it off. (Audrey, that's your block).
I will tell you that I almost wimped out, sashed all the blocks the same size so I could easily put them together. I'm so glad, I struggled with this to make it like I had envisioned it. I'm wondering now how quilting will transform it.

Remember, the neighborhood quilt auction for Haiti ends at 8 am tomorrow. Last chance to get your bid in...