Old Fort Johnson

What a lovely day we had at Old Fort Johnson near Amsterdam, NY on Saturday! We started the day with quilt historian Kris Driessen, who brought many antique quilts to illustrate her discussion of dating and appraising quilts. She was very informative, talking about various fabrics a historian looks for to help date a quilt, such as double pink, or turkey red, and sharing some little known facts that we New England quilters take for granted. For example, quilts designed for four poster beds are an east coast phenomenon--western families did not have four poster beds, so that unique shape is unknown to them. Likewise, shirting fabrics were commonly brought home as cut-aways from shirt factories and mills found mostly in New England. The best part? Kris allowed us to pass her quilts and tops around to handle and examine the fabrics, note the stitching, admire the rich colors. After a grand picnic on the lawn (it was a gorgeous day and one of the women brought a to-die-for chocolate cake) we reassembled for my trunk show. I brought a baker's dozen art quilts--including the unfinished Honu. Like Kris, I enjoy letting others handle my quilts and discuss details of technique and style choices. We worked our way from Back Bay Winter, completed in 2006, to the present. I brought some of my Quiltini Pins--you can see my post on them here. Once I got started making them I found it hard to stop--I get more ideas as I work. I think I've made nearly 100 so far. They were a hit at the gift store!

Finito!

Friendship, Maine

Done, with a week to spare! Well, except for the label. I printed it out, so it is drying. Oh, and dotting the i's on the quilted names of places in Friendship. All that will have to wait til after the weekend. But this quilt is going with me to Amsterdam (upstate New York, that is!)

I've been invited to be part of a day-long quilt workshop at Old Fort Johnson, titled "From Antique to Art Quilts: Quilting as Artistic Expression." The Fort has a new exhibit, "Pieced in Time: Antique Quilts from Montgomery County" that I am really looking forward to seeing--if I bring white gloves do you think they will let me handle the quilts?

On Saturday morning, quilt historian Kris Driessen will present an hour and a half lecture on the influence fabric, economics, politics and other factors had on early quilts. I am on after lunch, with a trunk show of about a dozen art quilts. I'll try to tie my discussion in to Kris' a bit, and talk about the tools, fabrics and techniques that influenced the modern quilt revival, and have made art quilts (and a wide variety of other styles) so popular. Should be fun!

Progress?

Friendship, Maine 2013

Deadline looming so I should get going on the major construction bits still to be completed. I think I am finally done fiddling with the photos. Here is the original photo, and the print on fabric, embellished with thread, colored pencil and glitter. For all the time I put into enhancing this photo, I hope the finished piece is dramatic enough without going over the top. I don't think I am in danger of going over the top though--my issue is generally too much attention to details that no one but me ever notices! The flowers are thread-painted. Foliage, chairs, even the water and sky are hand colored with Prismacolor pencils. I added glitter to the water to mimic the effect of sunlight bouncing off the surface--it is blinding in person, standing on the shore squinting at the water--I'd love that effect to come through. If I can get this quilted this weekend, I think I have a shot at finishing the binding, label and hanging sleeve before the June meeting. Onward!

Friendship, Maine photo on fabric

Threadpainting the Day Away

Threadpainted Letters

Memorial Day Weekend was quieter than expected. We cancelled our BBQ because my husband came down with a nasty cold so we were hanging out at home. Which suited me well enough, as it gave me time to make progress on the challenge quilt. Here is a shot of the background.

I probably figured out the most tedious way possible to get words on this background. About half way through I thought, "most people are going to look at this and assume I used an embroidery machine to make the letters." But no. I went super old school. Printed words on tracing paper, cut and arranged them on the background. Held the paper in place with a little spray glue (the same 505 I use to baste my quilts) and outlined each word free motion, then tore away the paper, filled in each letter with variegated thread, then on to the next word. And, because I didn't have enough of the variegated thread I started with, I bought a second, slightly different thread, and randomly changed threads at various points along the way.

My first thought was that I wanted the words to be truly in the background. I layered the quilt with batting and backing before starting the letters. About a third of the way through I decided I'd rather have the letters not sink in so far. So, I separated the batting and backing and pinned it out of the way, pinned a tear away stabilizer behind the quilt top and went back to work, outlining and filing in each word. I would not normally switch techniques like that mid-quilt. I wonder how noticeable it will be in the final analysis? Whether it turns out to be horribly noticeable, neutral, or a brilliant design decision won't matter though. If it is a challenge, I decided I must be unafraid to experiment.

In the spirit of this piece, that started with a title and dimensions and has taken shape as I've gone along, I still have several technical issues to solve before it will be complete. I wish I could say it was going to be magical when it gets done, but this one has its own ideas!

New Work

Friendship, Maine 2013

Life sometimes gets in the way of keeping up with my blog--when time is short, I'd rather be quilting than blogging! Things are hopefully settling down for a bit.

At the Art Quilts Maine meeting in April, I had to submit the title and dimensions of my challenge piece for this year's challenge: "Ocean, Lake, River, a piece inspired by a body of water." We've known what the challenge was since September, but all I knew in April was that my piece would be inspired by this photo. So, I gave it a name and came up with dimensions, and have spent the last month creating the quilt to go with the size and title. Working backwards did add to the challenge! It's not done yet, but it is coming along--hopefully will have it ready to go for the June meeting, when we are to reveal the quilts. Along the way my initial design idea completely morphed, but it is still true to the submitted name. That's what I'm working on. I also think I know how I am going to finally finish Honu--which I will exhibit at Maine Quilts in July, so that's on the back burner.

I've been invited to do a trunk show at Fort Johnson in upstate New York--alongside a display of historic quilts. I am looking forward to that! I plan to bring my quilt pins along in case people want to purchase something that day--I think I'll call them 'Quiltini's'. More classes on the horizon as well, including one in Trenton, about two-an-a-half hours north, but it comes with the offer to stay at the store owner's camp, a little side adventure. I'll send out an announcement as soon as dates are confirmed.

Now back to quilting!

Free Motion Classes

Lynn D's Feather!

Spent another excellent Saturday teaching free motion quilting at Sew Portland. My students in this class are mostly at the beginner stage--if they have completed quilts, they have usually tied them, or maybe stitched in the ditch. With lots of information and encouragement, my goal is to get everyone out of their comfort zone and confident in their ability to go home and quilt as desired! This class has been popular--I think this is the 5th time I have taught this workshop, and it is usually full. The midday break gives us a chance to play with the very cool Pfaff powerquilter. It's great because everyone can quilt on it with no special instruction--it works just like your home sewing machine, but is designed for quilting, with a 30 x 36" table and lots of lighting. Maybe some day.........Back at their own machines, we take time to learn simple feathers. Check out Lynn's first-time feather which she turned into a quick pillow at home! I'll be scheduling another round soon, and am thinking about what else might be fun--another quilt using those adorable charm packs? 

Calico Quilt Show

Fabric pins by Rana O'Connor

I'm a member of a guild chapter, Calico Quilters. The group has a show every other year, exhibiting members' work and raising money for chapter activities. This year's show is on April 26 and 27 at the Rowe School in Yarmouth. In addition to the quilt display--which is in itself worth the drive--there are vendors, a raffle table with handmade table-top items, like place mats and table runners, and a sale table for all things quilt related. Somehow I got the idea to make fabric pins. Like miniature art quilts.

I picked up a book on Inchie Quilts--little, one-inch square bits of fabric, thread, batting and beads. Inspired, I set to work, trying out fabrics. One inch square is pretty small, for a pin. One piece of fabric had motifs I wanted to use. My pins ended up somewhere between 1.5 and 3 inches in size. Quilted, embellished with beads, baubles and paint, edged with a tight zig-zag stitch in various colors. Although I work assembly-line style, it takes roughly 30 minutes per pin. I've got 25 done. Enough to fill a little basket for the sale table. I'm hoping that will do!

Stop by Rowe School and see the quilts--I hope to have two of mine on display, and am volunteering as a white glove lady on the 27th, which will give me a chance to enjoy everyone's work.