Sunday, September 28, 2014

Nine Patch Swap

I can't sleep! It is one in the morning!
It has been a long time since I have had difficulty sleeping. Hmmm.. I don't know if this is a good idea to be blogging right now. I better keep my words to minimum.


I made second batch of nine patches from reproduction fabrics and sent them to Barb this past week.

Here is the picture of them with brights I made earlier this summer.


Going to try to sleep now..

Happy Sunday you all!

Friday, September 26, 2014

Quilt on a Clothesline - Christmas Baskets

During early years of my quilting, my work was always influenced by the seasons and surroundings. After finishing the small basket quilt wall hanging, I decided I liked baskets in quilts. Now I wanted to combine the piecing and applique in a quilt and went on searching for a block that would involve both.

It involved very little applique. This is where I learned it was better to first stitch the inside edge of the handle or any curving edges on stems.  


I thought setting squares will give me room to show off my quilting.. well, as you can see, that has not happened yet.


I goofed with the measurements for the setting triangles and corners. I still had the background fabric to cut the right size but went on to fixing my error by adding the design element rather than wasting those triangles.


Don't you love when the back side of a quilt top looks like a mosaic window?


Initially I debated over adding more applique or something to the borders. But I have grown to love the simplicity of this quilt top. I have all the intentions of finishing this top into a quilt even though the fabrics are not of my current taste. I used them because I liked them once. It has my voice to it.

Happy Friday you all!


 

Monday, September 22, 2014

Quilt Show - All About Colors and Textures

Depending on who you ask, you always get a mixed reviews on any show. I almost did not make it to the show this year but glad I went. I came back with something fun and exciting enough to share.. Here are some quilts from the quilt show.

Made by Roy Starke, South Africa


From far this quilt looked like an oil painting...and then I went up close...and it reminded of the festival of colors in India. 
Please click on this Google link. You will know what I mean.


It is celebrated to welcome spring.
Here is another quilt by the same artist.


Does it look like a mixed media art?
That's because it is!



Here is another quilt which had cabin done in cross stitch. 

Sherry Pryor

Another one that caught my attention.

Rahel Elran

Close up shots...

This year for me it was all about colors and textures.



I loved fabrics in this quilt.



What do you look for when you go to the quilt shows.

Kelly's diary quilt was fun to see. It is a colorful, happy quilt. You can't help but smile when you look at it. You all remember when she made one block a week for entire year. It was fun to anticipate for the block   each week.

Kelly Meanix


From the left - Kelly, Christine, me, Barb and Terry on the far right. Hmmm.. I still remember that day like it was yesterday!

Since this post is all about color, I want to share this mug-rug I made for a friend.


I have missed two Fridays. Such a slacker! I will be back this Friday with the quilt on the clothesline.

Hope you all have had a great start to your week.


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Unconventional and Unexpected - American Quilts Below the Radar 1950-2000


http://www.amazon.com/Unconventional-Unexpected-American-Quilts-1950-2000/dp/1617691232/ref=la_B000APF6UY_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410871188&sr=1-1

''Some experiences leave a permanent mark in your brain, they change the way you think and process, they remind you of who you are and supposed to be..Going through the pages of your book has confirmed my values as far as this art is concerned. Thank you for collecting, writing and putting this book together. It will be forever in Shah family collection. Some day my budding artist/writer daughter will inherit it.''

Above was my reaction in an email to Roderick Kiracofe's within first 20 minutes of it's arrival at my doorstep.



I had been anticipating my shipment of ''Unconventional and Unexpected - American Quilts Below the Radar 1950-2000'' for so long, I did a happy dance when I saw the UPS truck stop at the front of my house.


Turning to the first page itself was an emotional experience. I froze for a few minutes and then carried on to the next page. I was trying to hold back the crazy excitement and mad rush of wanting to go through the entire book to see all at once. Every quilt made me think of one or more elements of design.

Importance of contrast
 Does this make you wonder what the back of the quilt looks like?

Mix of hard and soft lines
Can you see the movement?

Texture within texture

How about here?

colors
 Doesn't this make all you wonder about the definition of modern design? The concept of making do was just a way of living.


Why figure 8? Seems like a form of expression but what? Did she leave a label on the back with an explanation?


Am I the only one who sees a nose and an eye of a puppy here?


How about this chest of drawers? Doesn't that remind you of some furniture in some Asian import store?

Totally unexpected, right? 

Every page screams HAPPY. Yes, that's with all caps! It's like one big celebration between cover to cover. it is filled with pictures of the quilts' front and back, essays written by quilt designers, authors and educators in the field.  I could keep posting pictures of the quilts from the book and talk about it for next few posts but there is nothing like actually holding the book in your hands. I had seen many images on various blog posts and fb groups but nothing is as satisfying as having it in my library.

Here is the link to Amazon to purchase the book. Make sure you click on the reviews by customers and read what others are thinking too. I hope you already have the book. If not, it's on its way. If you like unexpected results, thinking outside the box and surprises that come along the way of improvisational quilting, this is the book for you.

Let me know what you think.

 

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Moving along with Painted Zigzag

Last week I pieced the back for my zigzag quilt. Read about it here how it all started. It makes me happy when I piece a back for such a large quilt because that means I have reduced a chunk of my old fabrics.

This quilt was almost entirely made with used clothing from the Goodwill Store. Women's skirts, shirts, children's clothing and aprons, scrubs everything went. I had taken a challenge for myself to make something from recognizable fabrics. The fabric content include all cotton to polyester, rayon and cotton blends.
This is what I came up with. It may not be perfect by today's quilting standard for some but I love it.   

Click on the picture on the side bar and you will find the loosely written instructions for the quilt.


I spent most of my evening wondering whether to machine quilt or by hand but finally resorted to machine quilting. It is going to be another challenge for me. It is a queen size quilt with busy prints.. My eyes are going to pop out by the time I am done with it.


Wish me luck! I am going to need it.

Friday, September 5, 2014

Quilt on a Clothsline - Basket Quilt

We took Kavita to college last Friday. She is settled and ready for her academic year. I could write an entire post about it but I would rather talk about the basket quilt on the clothesline today.


I used to subscribe to Better Homes and Gardens magazine for as long as I remember. I loved the ideas and inspirations for home and garden. I don't quite remember which year it was but it was soon after I had finished my house quilt, I found a basket quilt in the magazine. Black prints of basket blocks sparkled against the background color I thought was orange but later found out was called cheddar.

Once I had changed few details in the house quilt pattern, I thought, I could make this entire quilt without a pattern by just looking at the picture. There was no internet and charts that would tell you how to configure the half square triangles.. But I have a mathematician/engineer husband who helped me with the measurements. I followed the picture and made one just like it.

This quilt still is one of my favorite quilts. I hand quilted with crosshatching 2'' squares. 


Most of the off white fabric was leftover from the previous quilt. I think the navy blues were also leftover fqs from Jo-ann fabric store back when they cost only 69 cents.

Here is the back of the quilt. I may have missed a few spots of quilting.


details...

Isn't it funny how some colors never leave you? This mandevilla has been a non-stop bloomer this summer.  


Basket quilt has been hanging above our piano as long as we have had a piano..which was when our pianist was very tiny and in second grade. This picture was taken the day we took her to college.


Funny how I had not thought of that orange quilt in the magazine for such a long time! Fall is near.. may be I will make an orange quilt.. Who knows, it might be with basket block.




My plans for this weekend include basting a quilt and starting a new one. How about you?


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