Panhandle Piecemakers Festival of Quilts - Part II

I most commonly view a quilt show with a slow wander, taking in the quilt as a whole, then leaning in to scrutinize details and the quilting itself, then stepping back again and reading any signage. That's what I was doing with this quilt, admiring all those small half-square triangle units while admitting with a sigh to another viewer how I used to really go in for this kind of small intricate piecing but now don't seem to have the patience (or perhaps recognize as I age that I'm running out of time!), then leaning in and noticing the quilting. Look! It's my swirls from Sea and Sand, only I bet this quilter didn't have to mark hers.

And then I looked at the signage and saw a familiar name - Renee who follows my blog and who I was hoping to meet that day (which I did). It was such a pleasure to be admiring a quilt and discover it was by someone I knew (or sort of know - I'm sure we'll get to know each other better now that we've met). She has a mid-arm machine on a frame, I believe she said, that she used to quilt this and admitted to the same occasional veering off track I experienced even with my marking. You'd never know it.

Here's another one of Renee's that I was drawn to before realizing it was hers. That woman got lots of ribbons that weekend.

The Modern Quilt movement has not bypassed our area.

Many "modern" quilts are quilted with parallel vertical or horizontal lines. This quilter took advantage of those odd negative shapes to quilt hers a bit differently, which I liked.

This one struck me as influenced by the modern quilt movement too, even though it uses a very traditional block. Maybe it's that intense solid turquoise background (a color I really love - I might not have kept coming back to this quilt had the background been a different one). Wouldn't it look great in a home in the Southwest?

It was so intensely quilted but in a way sympathetic to the pieced design.

One corner of the exhibit was devoted to their featured quilter, Carol Beber. If you click on the picture, you can read the article.

I spent some time talking with her about this quilt which she made for her husband per his request, her technique for joining the tumbling blocks, the search for an elusive color for one of the diagonals (haven't we all been through this?) and of course, those mariner compass blocks in the corners. Like me, she too follows Judy Mathieson's methods for making these.

Finally, I leave you with this quilt (not shown in its entirety), simply because it amused me so, thinking of my experiences with raccoons in Wisconsin and at the first place I rented when I moved back to Idaho. 

Another thing I'm a bit out of the loop on is the many commercial prints on the market. Back in the 90's when I made my first pilgrimage to Paducah, KY for the American Quilt Society Show, I had the chance to shop at Hancock's of Paducah (no affiliation with Hancock Fabrics which has recently gone out of business). They had rows and rows and rows and rows of Hoffman prints, and I was told I could probably find anything I was looking for within their massive line. Butterflies, dogs, fruits and vegetables of every kind, ditto for flowers. Well, Hancocks and Hoffman failed me that day, as I was looking for something with horses on it and there was none to be found. Ever since then, though, I've sort of paid attention to the vast array of things that end up on fabric available to quilters. The raccoons I didn't know about and I think they are great.

Whether the quilter found the fabric first, then the intricate paper piecing pattern, or the other way around, I bet she thought she'd hit the jackpot! I'm sure she was excited to have these two come together in her life. I'm guessing her grandson just loves it.

Hope you enjoyed this slice of traditional quilt life in my local area. 

Panhandle Piecemakers Festival of Quilts - Part 1

I promised to share some of my favorites from the recent local quilt show put on by the Panhandle Piecemakers, and here they are. Please click on any photo for a larger view to fully enjoy the details in these quilts. Let me first say that it has been too long since I've attended a judged quilt show, so was immediately struck by all the ribbons! At the exhibits I'm involved in, no ribbons are given, the "red dot" indicating a sale our near equivalent perhaps.

This first quilt caught my eye because of those lovely quilted feathers. It took me awhile to realize that the quilts in this section were part of a guild challenge, one where the color palette and featured block would be determined by the quilter's initials. What a clever idea! What would your quilt look like if you took this challenge?

This is another one from the challenge. Several things about this appealed, from the central portion of the quilt being surrounded by an unusually large expanse of light solid fabric, to the colors in the blocks, to the way an oh so familiar traditional block was transformed into something quite modern in feel by the placement of those colors.

It shouldn't be a surprise that I liked this quilt. Mariner Compass quilts have always been a favorite and I've made my share of them. Love the colors and the pairing with the flying geese blocks. Many of the quilts in this show did use commercial patterns as their jumping off point, and there's no shame in that. I used to be quite familiar with what was out there and so could recognize how closely a quilter had adhered to the design and its suggested colors but I am no longer in that loop. So I can't tell who to credit for the palettes in many of these quilts, the maker or the designer. Regardless, one can see the work and expertise of the quilter in these, and this along with others brought a smile to my face. That's the important part in a show like this.

I thought this one quite lovely and then noticed where the idea came from - a painting, a postcard of it displayed as well for comparison. I think she did a fine job of rendering it in fabric.

I've not used this particular technique, although I am familiar with it. I think it was a great choice.

I am SO not a cat person, but how could I not be impressed with this beauty?

The hand painting topped off by exquisite quilting brought this cat alive.

And here's one for the dog lovers - another quilt that brought the biggest smile to my face. I know several Corgi owners who are so enthusiastic about the breed even as I sort of scratch my head at the love for these short-legged canines. 

Yet, I felt this quilter really captured that love in a beautiful tribute to her own Corgi.

As a fan of Celtic designs, I was quite taken with those additions to the quilt. And the fairies? Well, I did not know that bit of legend.

Ok then. After you spend time soaking in these quilts, stay tuned for more in the next post.

 

Sea and Sand Complete!

Sea and Sand for Kavi (Tammy Silvers design)

Tuesday afternoon I was back on my deck putting the finishing stitches in Sea and Sand, so snapped this picture out there. More pics inside, some labeling, and one last steam job along with a going over with a lint roller and it's ready to mail off. When I started working on this back in early May, I never dreamed I'd still be working on it mid-August. Too much "life intervenes, life interrupted" has made this one unexpected part of "how I spent my summer."

I mentioned that I cut my binding a bit wider when I plan to totally machine stitch it in place so I thought I'd show you a bit of how that works. Normally if you are going to hand stitch the binding to the back, you want enough width to just overlap the stitching line when you fold the binding to the back. Snug is best so that the binding is full with batting. But if you are stitching that turned binding by machine from the front, you need just a bit more overlap to be able to pin it in place and make sure the edge gets caught by the machine stitching. With the right side facing me, I roll the binding to the back and pin right in the seam line, then check the back to see where the pin has caught, adjusting if necessary. Too close to the edge and it may move enough when the pin is removed to get missed. I've had a few times when I've had to hand stitch small gaps where this has happened. Make sure you are putting the pins in pointing towards the direction the quilt will be moving in the machine. Yes, I've pinned an entire binding on with the pins the wrong way where they'd have to be pulled out long before the needle reaches what they were holding in place.

While perfecting this method and experimenting with different feet, I discovered that my zipper foot made sewing in the ditch along the binding the easiest. It rides along the bulk of the binding and positions the needle right next to it. I still need to keep my eye on the needle and sew slowly to avoid inadvertently stitching up on the binding but so much less so than with a regular foot. Slow is definitely the key here, along with removing the pin at the very last moment. I actually hold the end of the pin once I get close and let the movement of the quilt through the machine slowly remove it.

No doubt about it, corners are a challenge. Well, they are anyway, but if you are hand sewing, you can see what you are doing and manipulate with each stitch to get those miters to match up. One of these is way off but the rest aren't bad considering. They all looked even better after I went back in and closed up the miters with a little hand stitching. You might also notice that the stitching along the edge is not a consistent distance from that edge - it's very difficult if not impossible to achieve that kind of precision. This is why I'd never use this method on a quilt for competition or exhibit/sale or one I considered an heirloom, but it is good enough for quilts I know will be used and washed and even abused; it's a lot quicker than hand stitching and I think sturdier too.

I generally use invisible thread when I sew bindings on this way, so I don't have to worry about matching thread, especially on the back. But I've heard horror stories about invisible thread in baby quilts so used instead the same variegated yellow thread found in the quilting. I think it looks quite nice.

I really hate making and sewing on labels but I'm adamant about the quilt's info being on there somehow. If I can write it directly on the backing, I will. And so I did here, using a blue Pigma pen and going back in with a black one to punch it up a bit.

And just because I am so pleased with the way this turned out, I'm including more shots of the quilting and this full shot which, although the lighting is uneven, I think comes the closest to the true colors in the quilt. After quilting and steaming, this lost nearly 2 inches in length and nearly an inch in width. It is now 40 x 50-1/2 inches.

 

Rituals and Traditions

I am having a lovely Sunday, beginning with my traditional practice of fixing a "nice" breakfast worthy of lingering over while I read the Sunday paper. This is a habit my late husband and I got into, he generally doing the cooking of pancakes or waffles, but I too contributed on occasion by whipping up an omelette or baking muffins. It was a real treat for both of us, this time together over a meal that took more time than the usual bowl of cold cereal quickly downed during the week. It's a tradition I maintain as one of many that keeps me close to our life together, even though that ended years ago. This morning was so warm and lovely that I took my second cup of coffee and the few sections of unread paper out on the back deck, something I haven't done much of late. Lovely breeze, birds chittering and fluttering between the lawn and the trees, the spicy scent of carnations, extra moments to enjoy simple things that feed the soul and refresh.

Later it was off to the local quilt guild's annual show. They are quite a respectable group of quilters, and while most of the work falls within the traditional category, there are always a few pushing boundaries. I haven't become involved with them knowing full well how easily I am tempted away from my own work by guild projects and challenges, but I love to check out what they are up to and support them. It's refreshing to look at these traditional and contemporary designs, see how colors are being used and maybe get some ideas for quilting motifs. Beyond that, I was hoping to meet a local gal somewhat new to the area who had started following my blog and purchased a padfolio from me.

Blogging buddies Renee and Sheila meet at last!

Mission accomplished! Here we are after chatting for a bit, so much fun for me to talk in person to one of my blog followers and also to see her work, many with ribbons! I'll be sharing some of these and other quilts that caught my eye in a separate post. We both hope our paths will cross more often now.

POAC's Arts and Crafts Fair was also going on this weekend and I was thinking of skipping it even though I go most years. I wasn't sure about walking around in the heat (one thing enjoying it while sitting on a shaded deck, quite another enduring it while walking where there's not much shade) plus most years I have something in mind I'm looking for but this year I really didn't. Well, I DID think I'd like more of the caramel corn I bought last year. I decided I'd make up  my mind once I'd viewed the quilt show. Stepping out the door, it seemed a bit cooler, and the fair set up at city beach was only a 10 or 15 minute walk away. I couldn't stay away and hoped the popcorn vendor would be in the same spot as last year - right at the entrance to the fair so I could grab my purchase and head right back to the car. But it was not, and so I ventured into the fair, doing a fairly quick walk-through as there was only about an hour left. Did I say I had nothing in mind but the caramel corn (which I got at a bargain because of the lateness of the day)? The truth is, the pottery booths are always a temptation and true to form, I could not resist adding this bowl to my collection. It's a size and shape I don't have and the glazes are the teal greens and browns I lean towards. It will look lovely with my other bowls.

It was this splash of glaze that drew me to it. There were other bowls nearly identical except the added glaze on the bottom was more circular. I'm not sure I've seen glaze worked this way before, almost a feathering of the blue with a hint of plum behind it. The potter shared it was her favorite and seemed very pleased I'd picked it.

Even the side is beautiful with some of that almost lavender glaze showing up like an aurora borealis.

The fair draws vendors from all over the country as well as artists closer to home so I always ask the people I buy from where home is for them. These potters, an older couple, happen to hail from Northern California, and I pressed them further since I have some knowledge it. Humbolt County, they finally shared, and I thought of my friend and fellow blogger Connie Rose who I'm pretty sure lives in Humbolt County. Wonder if she is familiar with North Bay Clayworks.

Happy, hot and tired, I headed home and settled in with a plate of nachos to watch some MotoGP motorcycle races I'd recorded earlier in the day. This is another Sunday tradition my late husband and I adhered to during the racing season - not sure why nachos became the food of choice while rooting for our favorite racers, but we did it often enough that to this day it feels funny not to be eating them while races are on. I also broke into that bag of caramel corn and have been nibbling ever since. After I finish up here, there's one more race to watch, this time while eating vanilla icecream with blueberry sauce. Not part of the tradition, but honestly, I have been looking forward to that for my dinner all day! No doubt more caramel corn will disappear too. 

What a lovely Sunday. Hope yours has been lovely too.

Beet Greens

Today's addition to the comforts sketchbook is beet greens. Thanks to one of my art group member's expansive garden, I scored on some very large beets pulled directly from the ground as I watched, and while I do like beets, I think the greens may be even better. Now if you are like a friend of mine who takes great pleasure in making gagging sounds like a 4 year old at the mere mention of most vegetables, I apologize for bringing this up. But I happen to love many veggies including beet greens which my mother fixed a lot when I was a kid. She'd place them in a big flat pan with a little water, cover with a lid and gently simmer them until the stems were tender and the leaves totally soft. They were always served with a splash of vinegar, just like the canned spinach which she also frequently served. (And yes, I love spinach too.) For me, it's the vinegar that makes it. It's another one of those things that I will occasionally buy at the store if they happen to get some in, although a lot of the time it's just the beets and no greens attached. What a cheat and a waste. So to have these fresh from the garden to binge on this week has been a special treat.

Yesterday I started thinking of how I'd capture this and knew the colored pencils would not do - too much variation in the green of the leaves to mess with, even if I used the Derwent Inktense ones that you can activate with a wet brush. No, I'd have to get out my little set of Sennelier watercolors and see what I could do. I haven't played with them much and am still learning how they work. I was particularly worried about matching the stem color by mixing. Maybe I had a gel pen close in color that I could use instead. I also have a pretty full set of Sharpie permanent markers and that is where I found the exact color ready to go.

Gee, looking at this you might think I actually know what I'm doing! But most of what I do in this sketchbook is by trial and error, building on what I learn from each sketch. I did the initial sketch in pencil, this time using a 6H which erases better than the HB I used on the previous sketch. Then I outlined the stems (but not the veins) and the outer edge of the leaves with the Micron Pigma pen .05. I carefully added color to the stems and veins with the Sharpie marker, then filled in the rest with watercolor, mixing sap green and light green on the brush right in the pans rather than off on the palette area. This worked really well in getting the variation I needed and is what I remember doing with watercolors when I was young. Lastly, I added a bit of shadow here and there with the Payne's grey mixed with just a bit of the sap green. Frankly, I hadn't noticed but a bit of shadowing here and there until I was done with everything else. I'd completely missed the shadow that one stem was casting, so intent was my focus on the bigger picture. I still marvel at how the brain can edit like that without you realizing it.  I should mention that this particular sketchbook is a mix media Art Book by Canson, with a 138 lb paper (fine on one side, medium on other) that's suitable for wet and dry mediums and heavy enough that there is very little shadowing, if any, should you choose to use both sides of a page as I do. And I usually spend a couple of hours over these sketches, though I'm certainly not aware of that much time passing while I'm engrossed in the process.

Honestly, I've seen other fiber artist's watercolor renderings of leaves and flowers and have been so envious, thinking I couldn't do it. But I'm learning that watercolors are somewhat forgiving, and I just love how this sketch turned out. I guess it's not that far out of range after all. 

Productive Day

Kinda silly how excited I get about a fairly full day in the studio where I make lots of visible progress, but with all the ups and downs and disruptions I've dealt with for such a long time, days like today make me feel normal again, enthused, and yes - excited! I finished the quilting on Sea and Sand over the weekend, adding the baby's name in the yellow rectangles. Yes, I traced the name onto quilting paper, especially for the longer areas where I'd quilt the name more than once so wanted to get the spacing even. After quilting the name and removing the paper, I went back in with wavy lines on either side, quilted by eye. Yes, that much I can do without marking!

So now this baby is ready for binding. I always give my quilts a good steaming, especially along the outer edge, before adding the binding. The batting will always shrink up a bit and better that it does before sewing on a binding that will not shrink up after the fact. So this was the first order of business today. But of course, once steamed the quilt needs to thoroughly dry before trimming off the excess batting and backing and getting that binding on. Space is limited in the studio, so it got laid out on the floor in the room I use as an office.

With table clear again, I could now get the second baby quilt off the design wall and layered up for quilting. I'm only showing a little bit as I don't want the recipient to see it before it actually arrives and she sometimes checks the blog. I've picked a fairly wild hand-dyed piece by my late friend Judi for the backing - it has a lot of the colors that are in the top and was just, and I do mean just, big enough - and Thinsulate polyester batting. I bought this so long ago that I didn't remember having used it yet, but when I pulled it out of the package, a big chunk was gone. Must have gone into another baby quilt. There was plenty of length but a little shy on width so I spliced a strip on one side using a loose hand stitch similar to a big zigzag. I used safety pins to hold the layers together and also to hold the backing in place where I'd turned it over the excess backing. Often I thread baste that by hand but not today. I did do my usual thread basting by hand along the edge of the quilt top. Neat package ready to go under the needle.

And as long as I was at it, with clear space to work, I decided I may as well cut the binding for both quilts. I generally cut my binding a scant 2-1/8 inches wide so there will be a bit extra when it is turned to the back, making it easier to catch when I machine stitch in the ditch from the front. Feeling on a roll . . .