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Appliqué Animals

July 2, 2017 74 Comments

Back in June I took a “raw-edge” appliqué workshop with Barbara Beasley. It was organized by my dear friend, Laura, and we had a great time (thanks Laura!)

Barbara is an amazing talent!

And if you’re not familiar with her name, you will probably recognize her by her work. Here are just two of the many pieces she has posted on her website: http://www.barbarayatesbeasley.com/. Many of them are for sale!

Each student was to bring a picture of either flora or fauna, a photo enlargement, fusible web and a lot of fabric. Her technique was very interesting and the results in just our 6 hour workshop were wonderful!

My friend Evelyn (of Quilt Sissies fame 🙂 ), chose to do a special cat. She was amazed at the amount of blue in the picture – for a cat that wasn’t blue.

Laura decided to portray her cat in unexpected fabrics.

I can’t wait to see some of these finished!

I chose to do our grand-dog, Moseley. He’s a very pretty Australian Shepherd (photo courtesy of my daughter-in-law Betsy).

Here’s my “Moseley in progress”

and here’s Moseley!

Next I need to find the right background. I cut him out and placed him on a number of different fabrics and I’d like your opinion on which to use, or suggestions for other options.

Please comment in the box at the bottom of this post to vote for your favorite, or offer other suggestions. If you don’t see a comment box, click on “Appliqué Animals” at the top of this post and scroll back down to the bottom.

I love taking classes and learning new techniques. This was a fun class and a great technique. Here’s a challenge to anyone in that class. If you finish your piece and send me a picture, I’ll be thrilled to post it on my blog!

Goose Oops!

February 19, 2017 10 Comments

When I was quilting my Silly Goose quilt, I really got into the free motion groove.

Then I turned it over to look at the back and, I’m sure you’ve never done this, but… a picture is worth a thousand words.

I’d been meaning to move that scrap pile farther from the machine, but I hadn’t, so that scrap mocked me and crawled under the quilt in a densely quilted area, dead center in the quilt back. There was too much spiraling to want to remove it. Since necessity is the mother of invention – it was time to be inventive.

Are you ready for my solution?

After all, a quilt does need a label 😀 ! And who says it has to be at the bottom?

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And one more related bit: This past week I had the great pleasure of teaching for the Heritage Quilters Guild of Lockport, IL. I presented my Tradition With a Twist lecture and an all day workshop on Architectural Repliqué. Each time I teach this class I make a block along with the group (click here for more on those blocks). I’ve made over 80 blocks while teaching this class, and I’m getting a little whacky in my fabric choices. Usually I grab whatever fabric is still laying around from a recent project. This time I chose the stack leftover from Silly Goose. Here’s the block:

I just had to add a line of geese flying behind the house. Thanks ladies for a wonderful time with your guild!

Friendship Quilts

September 4, 2016 1 Comment

As I said last week, I’m very excited about the new guild lecture I’m putting together. The idea began to form a few weeks ago when I was looking at the quilted tote my grandchildren use to transport library books.

French-Friendship-Tote — France autograph tote – front and back

It’s made from friendship blocks exchanged while on our Sew We Go riverboat cruise through France in 2008. It got me to thinking about all the wonderful friendship/autograph/signature quilts I’ve made or been given over the years. Like this one that was given to me by Common Threads quilt guild in thanks for my years as president (thanks Valeria!)

And then… what about that old top I made after collecting signature blocks at a family reunion in 1993? It was at the bottom of a UFO bin, along with a group picture from the party, already printed on muslin. It only needed a border to complete the top. I added one with Seminole piecing and it’s ready for quilting!

Everyone who attended the reunion (including the kids) signed their block and many also drew or wrote something important to them on it.

This led to pondering about “that” vintage autograph quilt top I purchased a few years back. I pulled it out and enjoyed looking over all the signatures and wondering about it’s history. Who was Grandma Chapman? What’s the name of this lovely pattern?

I looked more closely to find other interesting signatures. Than I did some research to discover the pattern is called “star bouquet”. What fun!

Well, from there it was a short hop to checking out Buckboard Quilt’s website for signature quilts. I wasn’t disappointed! Judy makes every effort to get the story when she acquires a quilt, and she had some great stories!

Like one that has a block signed: mother 82, and the pattern is called Little Britches, or this one in which Judy included a copy of the obituary of the man in who’s estate the quilt was found.

I’m having such a good time gathering the quilts and their stories. It’s requiring some detective work – which I’m enjoying immensely.

In the talk I’ll share old and new quilts, their stories, plus handouts with patterns for great autograph blocks to use in your next friendship quilt.

If you’d like to see more quilts and hear the stories, I’d love to visit your guild and share them all! Please direct the program people in your guild to this blog, and have them contact me! Thanks!!!

Madison Quilt Expo 2015

September 27, 2015 2 Comments

I think this year’s Expo was better than ever! They say attendance was up 4% over last year and everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time. It has really become a national level quilt show.

I headed to Madison the day before the big show began to hang a special exhibit of quilts by the Milwaukee Art Quilters. As I pulled into the parking lot I saw the Ducky car. It’s here every year and lets me know the fun is about to begin!

The Marq exhibit was entitled “Color Wheel Opposites” and the quilts looked great (if I do say so myself 🙂 ).

From there I checked into my hotel room and set up a mini-studio.

I spent the afternoon happily stitching away on my latest challenge quilt. I don’t tend to get much quantity/quality quilting time while watching 2 small children, so this was a treat. My husband is amazing – he had Sommer and Trey all to himself for three days and did a great job – while I ran away to the Quilt Expo. I’m very blessed!

Wendy arrived late in the afternoon and set up her machine. We had a lovely evening of eating, sewing and giggles.

The next day the show began. I presented my Great Finishes lecture each morning of the show and then taught a class I call “Quilt, Slash, Create” in the afternoons. This class is a crazy way of playing with fabric that turns 4 fat quarters of fabric into 2 reversible art quilts! The students were fantastic! Here are a few pictures of the fun:

The quilts in the show were very inspiring, the Fall Challenge quilts were delightful,the vendors were enticing, spending time with friends was the best, and … I can’t wait for next year!

Did you make it to Expo this year? What was your favorite part?