It's Not Water Yet!

I am at an impasse with my honu quilt. The turtle is great. I covered it with tulle so it can be lifted up as a separate element and put to the side, which is also good. The background, though. The water. It has stymied me for months! I've bought lots of blues/greens. Pulled out every blue in my stash and scraps. Cut strips, irregular shapes, small bits. Ever get to a place where you can't seem to make progress? My next thought is to pull the piece off the design wall and try working on it, section by section, on a table. At least that would alleviate the fatigue of having my arms up all the time, placing and rearranging fabrics. And I want to try using very small bits of fabric--it feels too jumpy with the wide strips and large shapes. I know I will resolve this--I always figure a way out of my self-made dilemmas. On the bright side, Linda M and I will be teaching a new class, starting May 31 at Sew Portland! It's our class on color and design--I totally love the variety of designs that flow from a stack of half square triangles.

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: Rana's Quilts

Deconstruction

Round Robin with all its borders

You may remember I participated in a Round Robin Border Exchange at my guild chapter this year. It was fun, receiving quilts and improvising a new border for each one. We each submitted a center block. The quilts were passed four times, so each returned with four borders. The reveal was in April and they were quite stunning! Many oohs and aahs as each quilt was displayed and participants discussed their additions. Well, I am in a second guild chapter, Art Quilts Maine, and we also have a challenge. The challenge title is "By These Words." We are to be inspired by a quote, poem, idiom, etc. I had hoped when I got the Round Robin back, I could finish and submit it for "By These Words". Except for one small detail. "By These Words" has a size restriction of exactly 100" in perimeter. When I got my piece back, it had fabulous borders, contributed by Ronnie Eaton--a wood-grained frame for the forest-like center; Heather Lahti--who painted her pale green batik fabric with metallic swirls before appliqueing symbols; Lise Wilson, free form curves enhanced with thread paint; and Sandy Dione who created twisted pleats with great texture on a dark blue frame. I loved it! Then I measured it. About 150"! So, determined to use it for the Art Quilts challenge, I set about deconstructing it--taking borders off, moving them around, shrinking the piece until is measured 23" x 27", a perfect 100" in perimeter. Whew! Now to quilt and finish in time for the June reveal. For those of you who worry the Round Robin participants will be upset to see their borders altered--I shared my plan and was encouraged to experiment! Wondering what 'words' have been running around my head these many months? It's a Langston Hughes poem. All will be revealed in June, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, here is the deconstruction in progress!

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: Rana's quilt photos.

Published!

Here's a fun piece I made for a friend who loves fairies. It was published in Quilter's Digest, a newsletter you can find, free, at your local quilt store! I'll be teaching another class with Linda Morrisette at Sew Portland May 31, June 7 and June 14. The class, "In Living Color" demonstrates a fun way to choose colors for your quilt projects, then design a small wall hanging using half-square triangles. Very easy piecing, beginner friendly. Find something with colors you love and bring it to the first class. It could be an art object, a photograph, maybe a page from a magazine. As long as you  love the colors it will work. Will schedule an optional free motion quilting class for those who want assistance finishing the wall hanging. Click here to register!

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at:Photos

Stephannie's Monkeys

Stephannie finished her quilt! She took the Stacked Coins class but missed part of it, so she caught up with Linda and me to complete her adorable Monkey baby quilt. It is a present for a nephew, and I think it came out great! Especially love the red and white striped binding, which she completed entirely by machine. Check out the straight rows of quilting in the solid cocoa brown, too. Nice work, Stephannie! Anyone else from the class want to send a photo to post?

I expect to teach another class later this spring. I hope to have the posting up on the Sew Portland site soon.

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at:Photos

Honu in process





Honu in process

Worked on Honu today, adding much of the shell. Not sure it is done yet--but getting close. Loved the technique of spraying temporary glue on the background and layering on the fabrics--the only glue option I have felt OK using so far. Once I am settled with the shell, I plan to move on to free-form ocean for the background, in shades of aqua, blue and bits of bright colors. I am wondering if I should layer tulle over the turtle before jumping into the background as a way to protect all the little bits while I work around it. I think I need to head to a fabric store with some of the fabrics in hand to audition various tulles sooner rather than later, as once the tulle is in place, I am committed to the fabric choices beneath it. Does honu look ready to swim?
Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: Rana's quilt photos.

Honu with re-worked shell

Stacked Coins and Class Announcement

Liz' Kidz

I start with have high hopes that all the students in my classes will leave with a totally finished product. I am finally realizing that it isn't about taking that last stitch--it's about what you learn along the way. The Stacked Coins class learned color and fabric selection, cutting techniques, tips to improve design and layout, setting up their machines to sew scant 1/4" seams, string piecing, spray basting, straight and free motion quilting, a little quilt-as-you-go, binding and labels. Most are also done or very nearly done with their quilts, so, mission accomplished! Whew!


Monkeys! by Stephannie

Ready for more? Linda and I will be teaching "In Living Color" as our next adventure. Linda is only able to join us for the first session, Friday, March 29 at 3:00. This will be a test to see how I manage without my trusty co-pilot. The class continues on April 5 and 12, with a goal of completing Just the Top! This class starts with an image or object you bring whose colors inspire you, and translates that inspiration into the the colors of your quilt. Trust me!

Grandmother's China by Rana

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: Photo Album

Book Review Monday

Once again I received a book to review for you! This e-book, titled Modern Quilt Patterns, couldn’t have found its way to me at a better time. Having just shoveled out of a record-breaking snowfall, seeing the cover of Modern Quilt Patterns with its light, bright, sherbet colored quilts just made me want to run out and buy some spring-colored fabrics and start sewing! I was also intrigued because a Modern Quilt Guild chapter has recently sprung up in Maine. While I haven’t made it to a meeting yet, there has been plenty of discussion about just what IS a modern quilt anyway? In the introduction to this e-book Beth Hayes, Editor-in-chief for McCall’s Quilting,  defines Modern Quilts as “notable for their minimalist aesthetic, use of bright, bold colors with large doses of white and other neutral solids, asymmetrical designs, and free-form piecing.” The book goes on to showcase three happy quilts, one of which, Lemon Squeezy, uses a strip-quilt-as-you-go technique. This is a technique I have been exploring for my class (see tutorial) so I was very interested to read how this particular quilt was constructed. Download this book. You may be sorely tempted, as I am, to pull out strips and scraps and begin quilting-as-you-go. Or perhaps the design possibilitres of half-square triangles will excite you, as in Rainbow Rhythm. Although the directions are based on fat quarters, the units begin with 5” squares, which got me thinking, what if you started with 4 or 5 charm packs? Finally, there’s Baubles and Beads, which relies on more traditional block piecing and white sashing. Pictured in spring greens, pinks and yellows, it would be perfect for a girl’s room. If it’s winter where you are, download this book and breathe in a little breath of spring!

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: Photos