Quilt show challenge

Saturday we announced my guild's 2015 Quilt show challenge.  I've been working on this committee with my friend Paula and I think we came up with a fun challenge.

A quilt from the meeting's show and tell...traditional...

It is called "how do you take your quilt?  Traditional, modern or art?

An example of a "modern" quilt...made by me.  Improvisational piecing with channel quilting done on a home machine.

An example of an "art" quilt..."Hoedown" by PJ Howard.  In my collection

The guild member gets to choose the style of quilt he/she would like to represent in the show display that hopefully, will teach folks about these three styles/categories of quilting.

The finished quilt can be no larger than 120 inches around and must include these three colors (with the option of adding two more.)  There can be multiple fabrics in each colorway.

We did a test run to some local shops and to Mary Jo's to make sure these colors were available.  I was surprised how easy it was!  The only fabric style I couldn't find them in was 1930's...there are loads of batiks, reproduction, solids, and even reproduction available.

And for those who like to find a feature fabric and work out from there these were available too.  (Even a few Kaffe worked!)

To help the guild members get their heads around this we had a stack of fabrics in these colorways for them to study...  We also did a short program on characteristics of the different styles.  I'm really excited to see what these quilters come up with!  (and yes, I'm supposed to be moving everything out of my sewing studio to get ready for the expansion but instead I started my challenge quilt!)

A few finishes...

I haven't been as good sticking to my list of projects this year and I'm not gong to let it bother me!

"Cherry Churndash" - finally cut into some of my Cherrywood fabrics

MS is nicknamed the "snowflake disease" because it has so many symptoms and those symptoms can vary so much from patient to patient...or even during the course of a patient's disease...or how about for one patient in the time from breakfast to lunch.   It sort of reminds me of New England weather...

Last week's snow on our Nandia bushes

So it is difficult picking projects to work on...yesterday my hand was too clumsy to applique so I played with fabric; the day before my arms were too weak to handle the quilt that needed to be quilted so I cut strips from my scrap pile; today my eye is to wonky to handle a rotary cutter or thread a needle but I think I can run some squares through the sewing machine....

Not being able to quilt or sew is dangerous for me...

I go on ebay...(this Egyptian applique was listed as a "vintage Scandinavian textile?"  )

or I bake...these brownies did not last long....

BTW...did anyone else notice they changes the size of the Baker's Chocolate squares!  Now it takes and entire package to make a pan of brownies where it used to take half a package.  The package is the same size only thinner!  They need bigger notices on the box.  I've made these so often I don't even read the recipe...I just tossed half a box into the double boiler with the butter.  Luckily it didn't look right when it was all melted together and I check the box! (ok..not about quilts but I consider anything about chocolate a public service announcement....)

Did any of you work on the waverunner project with Victoria Finley...must have been about 4 years ago!  Anyway, I dug out mine and gave it a good press.  Think I'll machine quilt it later this month!  Already have a plan and for me that is half the battle with machine quilting!

Finally, with the recent cold weather we have had some really interesting birds at the feeders.

I put a suet feeder out when we had the ice storm and was really happy to see the woodpecker that I hear all the time but rarely see, come to the feeder!  I looked him up online to see what kind and borrowed the photo as he is very camera-shy and very fast!  The wings are really beautiful!

A little bit of machine quilting

I took a look at my pile of UFO's and decided that unless I either won the lottery and quilted them "by check" or re-learned to machine quilt they would never be finished.

Since the first is highly unlikely I sat myself down this week and started my lessons all over again...

I think the new table is helping a lot.  My arms and shoulders were not nearly as tired after an hour of "play" than they have been in the past.  I am taking it slow...just one new stitch a day for 15 or 20 minutes.  First I did some plain cross hatching then I tried the wavy channel stitch on some "left-over" table-runners and small quilts. (by left-over I mean I sewed together what was left-over on my cutting mat after I finished a quilt...the purple batiks was a Quilt of Valor for a sailor and the blues was from the Bermuda Seaglass quilt.)

I still love the look of hand-quilting but not all (or even most!) quilts need or deserve to be hand quilted.  So just maybe a few minutes at the machine each day will make a dent in my pile (50 +) of tops hidden in the back of my closet!

Also find machine quilting a great way to hide in the sewing room while the rug cleaners work in the other rooms!  Love when the rugs are clean but hate the process of having them cleaned...sigh.  All the furniture is moved in to the rooms with the hardwood floor which means everything is what they call down-here-in-the- south "cattywompus."  It will be weeks before everything is where I can find it again!

AAQI quilt!

My second quilt from the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative arrived last week.  I twas made by Paula Dennee of Colorado.  I've followed her blog for a few years and when she posted this scottie quilt I knew I was interested!    If you haven't checked out the AAQI website lately go on over...lots of great little quilts and all the money goes to help fund Alzheimer research.

I've been meaning to send them a small quilt but every time the quilt ends up too large!  Of course I could just cut one down...need to work on that!

I have a large collection of antique and vintage quilts but I also collect some smaller contemporary pieces as well.  This display is in my hallway and includes pieces by Tonya Rucucci, Margaret Hunt, and Rachel Thomas.  I rotate the small quilts in this hallway every few months.  They are so much easier to handle and store than the full size antique ones!

Organization in the sewing  studio continues....hope to have enough out to clean the carpet tomorrow then we can move the furniture around.  I looked at lighting options again and think I have it worked out.  Who knew there was so much to choose from!  I also bought some new stools...one for the kitchen and another for my cutting table. The ones with the wheels are just too unstable for me (don't ask how I know....) and the adjustable metal one that I had my heart set on ended up being very uncomfortable.  This red one is just right.  (and no I didn't buy it just because it is red and matches my new scottie wallhanging!  They do look really nice together though!)

Personally I 'm really proud I've stayed at it so long...tough work and so many possible distractions with long lost UFO's and the finding of books or patterns I really love but had forgotten about...any one of these could spin me off over the cutting table and away from cleaning.  Grrrr...must resist!  Amazing the stuff you find though...I mean how many easy angles does one quilter need?  I wonder if I could date them by the different graphics on each...maybe I have the history of easy angle right here!  Sad when I realize it was easier for me to go buy a new one rather than dig through my stuff and find one...I also admit to having 6 6-1/2 inch square templates.  Maybe I need to include a pegboard in my reorganization plans....

Paducah vendors....

There are four reasons I travel to shows: to see the quilts, meet friends, take classes, and vendors.  That last on is important!  We quilters do love to shop.  I try and support the LQS but they do not carry a lot of the fabrics that I love.  Perhaps I'm out of step?  Could be but I know "my" fabrics are still out there so I am not alone...I just have to travel far to find quilters of like-minds.

There were a lot of the "regulars" at the show.  Laura Wasilowski pf Artfabrik was there with her patterns and beautifully dyed perle cottons.  My friend Paula bought a dozen...  Auntie Ju was there with her woolens.  And Lisa B. of Primitive Gatherings was at her booth in the Finkle Building (shown above with her husband...who also works hard in the booth.)  I'm always amazed at how many new designs she adds to her booth...and how organized! If you go to Paducah be sure to check out the buildings downtown...some great vendors like Lisa are there.

Also found a new favorite....Button Tree Farm from Waterfod Ireland.  They really need to get an natural light lamp at their booth.  When I was buying the wool I really liked the textures however when I got outside in natural light I fell in love with the colors!  I am in the process of converting my batik cabinet to a wool cabinet...guess I am hooked!

Mac update:  he is doing so much better this morning!  The stomach swelling is down.  He was able to go up and down the stairs by himself and even played with the cats for awhile.  He also seems much more comfortable sleeping which I'm sure makes him happy.  Today the carpet cleaners come which will make me happy...nuff said!

Wasilowski Workshop

 The past two days my local guild had workshops led by Laura Wasilowski of Artfabrik.  Now I am generally a pretty traditional quilter but even I had a great time fusing and finished a small "art-quilt!"

In addition she is a really fun instructor.  We had sold out workshops both days! The first day they worked on the Tiny houses which involved lots of collage making.  Today's class worked on Garden of Eden which involved lots of bias strips and composing of flowers.   Amazing how different all the pieces came out!

I think I next show will need a corner with a big "Chicago School of Fusing" sign over it.