Quilt National 2017 & Athens Dairy Barn Workshops

Days pass by, and I think to myself, "I should be writing a blog post instead of ____. I'm AWOL. It's been x days since the last one." And another little voice says, "You have nothing significant to say. Be still." So I keep working in silence. My reward is time to tackle those projects that need undivided attention. Something was a sticking point with each one. The studio is feeling lighter, but the mess is growing as I dig through stacks. Thankfully, I work best in chaos.

"A Walk In the Woods" Two Baby Quilts Done

Finished, Bound, Mailed & Delivered

Actually, the quilts are just on their way, but the babies themselves have arrived. I was told by another blogger that having the quilts there within the first year was a reasonable goal, but hitting the first week was remarkable. I was hoping for sooner, but later worked, too, since the twins' arrival was a bit early.

Twin Baby Girl Quilts

Twice as Nice

Oh, no, not twins for the same person, but my chance to do a second set of twin girl quilts this year! The first set was for 4 year olds, but this set is meant for soon-to-be's. While the first set was made-to-order and needed to be very close to identical, this set was a gift from Auntie Julie, and I could do whatever I wanted. I wanted them to be similar, but distinctly different.

Dangerous Roads Quilting

"Dangerous Roads"

First things first, folks. I've been on 'blogcation', meaning I took a break from blogging. Unplanned, but it happened naturally. The rhythm of summer took over with holidays, friends, home projects, and keeping up with acres and acres of mowing. The heat and rain just keep coming here in the Midwest, with no end in sight. My current projects have been full marathons as opposed to when I could say, "Look at the pot holder I whipped up!" 

Moda Modern Building Blocks Quilt Porn

"Moda Modern in Print"

The Moda Modern Building Blocks came off the frame nearly 2 weeks ago. I needed to assess and mark the areas requiring more quilting, turn it 90 degrees, and put it back on. While it seemed simple, I was researching behind the scenes. I'd run out of my standard blue fabric markers, and was fairly uncertain I wanted more. I'd had a run in with one that refused to come out in this Costa Maya project, and wondered if there was anything new on the market.

Inspirational Design for the Quilter

Wynn Las Vegas

There is no greater place under one roof than Wynn Las Vegas if you are a quilter looking for design inspiration. Of course, this is my humble opinion, but allow me to show you just one small part. 

The arrangement above was in the middle of a long promenade. Notice how it was tilted slightly off center. I thought to myself, 'It eliminated that centering issue we often have with a motif, and the eye naturally adjust to saying it's skewed on purpose rather than off. I can use that.'

Another quick lesson in breaking up negative space is the ceiling: outlining, cutaways, use of color to recede and pop alternating sections, layering, and lastly illumination. All are things we think about in quilt design. 

Freefall Fix Up

Freefall à la Art Gallery

My plate has been rather full lately. I have been working with blinders on to finish pieces intended for exhibits or show deadlines. I also knew I had one quick trip planned for last weekend, and by Thursday morning was was right on schedule. My good friend, Sandra from mmm! quilts, texted early that day to remind me to link up to the finish linky for Freefall. The button is on my sidebar if you want the pattern. I had pattern tested for her ahead of time so my blocks were all done by the time the actual QAL had started. Obviously, she assumed I had finished the whole assembly, but...

Moda Modern Building Blocks Off the Frame

First Round Done

Yesterday was a challenge to get through the last pass on this Moda Modern Building Blocks. I was pretty excited to finally unpin, and evaluate its progress.

Summer Besides Quilting

Feels Like a Summer Quilt to Me

Summer is full-blown here in Ohio, and it's hard to believe how fast the year is flying. People are moving in every direction along with in and out of the house, and I feel like a flight director. A friend asked me about making plans for a September retreat, and when I glared at her incredulously she reminded me it was a few months away. No! I just started cleaning up the gardens! I need more summer, but how?

Pick Your One Favorite Quilt, Art Quilt, Piece of Art...

"If asked to pick your one 
favorite piece from everything you've 
ever done, what would it be, and why?"

I asked myself this question. I've been asking lots of tough questions in my quest for balance, but this one was easy. Hands down, the piece above was my all time favorite. 

This all came about as I debated about entering a show in which I would have to offer the piece for sale. A few days of careful thinking, and I decided it was one piece I would not part with. And that led me to consider some new ideas.