On Handwork

Why do we do what we do? Here's one beautifully stated example. Handwork "brings healing to our world".   ~Renate Hiller  http://youtu.be/bfoByYLSBY8 And here's a link to the article:  http://www.onbeing.org/blog/world-through-hands/3931

FooTStePS to Successful Paper Piecing

Pictoral Tutorial all about Paper-Piecing HERE.  

Featuring Avignon by Emily Taylor for Riley Blake Designs

I love this terrific "piece-by-number" method of quilting to get precision shapes in quilt blocks.  

Check out my daughter's prize-winning paper-pieced Unicorn quilt that she recently entered in the State Fair!  So cool - especially considering that they only award one blue ribbon per category.  In her category of Wall Hangings, "Sparky" won first place!  Awesome, Chelsea!!   



If you have never tried paper-piecing before, here's a FREE PATTERN for the Hot Air Balloon to try it out!  As a BONUS, here are some additional ideas and helpful hints!!

PAPERLESS Paper-Piecing??
What if you didn't actually STITCH on the line?  Instead of stitching through the paper, keep the paper FOLDED and STITCH NEXT to the line?   See my Tutorial then continue the steps as usual, using a dab of glue stick to lightly adhere the fabric to the paper after pressing each segment.  When you're done, just peel off the paper, no stitches to worry about. Glue stick will wash out of the fabric. No paper to pick out of the stitches, no mess, no fuss, still accurate, and a whole sight simpler... I've also tried this method tracing the pattern on freezer paper.  Trace on the paper side, then iron the waxy side to the fabric.  Works great!


Enlarging and Reducing...
Here's the formula if you have a pattern and you need it larger or smaller than what is printed. I keep this and other quilter's math formulas in my little purse-size Quilter's Bible. 

Formula for enlarging and reducing quilting patterns to fit:

FS ÷ OS = %

Desired or FINISHED SIZE divided by actual or ORIGINAL SIZE = PERCENTAGE for change.

Percentage answer larger than 1.0 means ENLARGEMENT, so program a 3-digit number into the enlargement program for photocopier. Percentage smaller than 1.0 means REDUCTION, so program a 2-digit number into the reduction program for photocopier.

Example: a 4" quilt block pattern (measured from side to side at widest dimensions of design) needs to be expanded to a 7" pattern. Using the formula: 7" divided by 4" = 1.75, therefore program 175% into the photocopier program.

Example: a 12" quilt block pattern needs to be scaled to a 10" block size. Using formula, 10" divided by 12" = .83333 or .84 rounded. Therefore, program 84% into the photocopier program.

  

WHEW!!  I hope you have found something fun, interesting or useful today. 

It's been a fantastic, maybe too-busy weekend that began by hanging out in the Riley Blake studio with Cindy continuing our videos for the "How to Quilt" Series, getting Make & Take projects ready for Market (see you there?), organizing some projects to make at Sewing Summit coming up, (yeah!!) and topped off with a fun visit with none other than Eleanor Burns, at the RBD warehouse!  Got her autograph on one of my favorite tools; her Triangle Square-Up ruler. :)

Then I sang my little heart out at church conference all weekend, listening to encouraging, profound and inspirational talks and messages that have buoyed up my spirit and made my soul sing.  A reminder that life "isn't a race, it's a journey"!  So now, I'm off to relax and enjoy some moments with my family.  Quilting can wait for a bit.

Star-Spangled!

It was a "Star-Spangled" amazing, blissful week at the Home Machine Quilting Show!

*On the HMQS board, I was privileged to assisted the NQA Certified judges Barbara Broshaus and Elizabeth Spannring for two days as they judged and placed 320 quilts and quilted garments submitted to the show from quilters around the globe.

  

I got a tickle out of Barbara's little flashlight...

Every item was examined carefully for design and workmanship.

  

*Set up the quilted garment display with Renae Haddadin's quilted wedding dress as its crown jewel.  It also received the Viewer's Choice award, but I did not get a great picture.  I am amazed at people's creativity and skill.  Beautiful!

*Sang an a'cappella duet of the national anthem as Airmen posted the colors prior to the "fabric" cutting to open the show. 

Did all right until the moment of silence afterward, then my eyes seemed to be leaking.  Had several of those moments during the week...

*Taught 50 quilters in my piecing classes some of my favorite tips, tricks and tools to make some fun, fabulous quilts.  (Click to see slideshows→) Star Medallion Tree Skirt, Carpenter's Star and A Soldier's Star  (whew-finished in time for class!!)

*The "Midnight Quilters" group won an Honorable Mention for our Riley Blake Design Challenge quilt, "Tag, You're It!"  

Demonstrated how to download the free app (http://gettag.mobi/) and scan the quilt: 

Quilts in this design challenge were sold at auction to raise over $7,000 for this year's charity, Quilts of Valor.  Riley Blake Designs purchased ours, and we changed the five tags to go to five of their websites, including their main Website, Blog, Cutting Corners College, YouTube Tutorials, and their Facebook page.  Right now, the quilt is hanging in their booth at International Quilt Market in Kansas City.  Woo hoo!

*Sang "God Bless America" as part of a Quilts of Valor ceremony.  Forced to retire from the military when diagnosed with MS, Diane Jaeger has made around 300 quilts herself, and has quilted over 500 quilts to donate to soldiers who have been "touched by war".  In this ceremony, the founders of QOV were on hand to present Diane with a quilt of her own. 

*Shopped the vendor mall, and bumped into Mary Ann Fons, who is now the liaison between the quilting world and the Quilts of Valor Foundation.  She was stitching up some quick pillowcases for QOV.

And finally, I was astounded by the beauty of the quilts in the show, but especially the message of this year's Best of Show, "America, Let it Shine" made by Sherry Reynolds of Laramie, Wyoming. 

Sherry drafted her design on graph paper, then made and quilted it on her home Bernina 1001 sewing machine.  Her quilt is a masterpiece.  Plus, she's adorable.  Here's a YouTube interview from a previous quilt show:

 
If you want to see some great close-up pictures of the front and back quilting details, check out this link:  America Let It Shine.

Whew, what a tremendous, wonderful week!  I'm so inspired by quiltmakers from around the world and their stunning quilts; beautiful designs, pristine workmanship, and overwhelming creativity.

Now, it's a week later, and while recording a new album with the Tabernacle Choir, they've invited us each to bring a blanket, which of course I interpret to mean "quilt".  We spread them on the empty benches to buffer the sound during recording sessions.   Last week was quilting bliss with a little singing, and this week it's singing bliss with a little quilting.  I love it when both worlds overlap!  PICTURE VIDEO

Wishing you some blissful quilting (or singing),

So happy together...

I ♥ The Piano Guys!!  Such passion, such exhuberance!

Sometimes I feel this way about my quilts too...

Daughter so happy, binding her quilt. :)

The Reason for the Season

I love this little reminder.  The greatest gift.





It's never too late to start quilting...

My little friend, Kaye, is in her 70's.  This is her first quilt.  It's 108" x 108" 

We called it her "Church Ladies" quilt, as it was a group of friends from church that did it as a block of the month.  They used a free online pattern from http://www.blockcentral.com/ (Patchwork Panache).  She also told me that she has never really sewn much.  (?!?)  What a great way to learn to quilt ~ with sampler blocks and friends!

I freemotion-quilted some feathered vines and wreaths, roses, grids and curlicues. My girls added the binding for her, then little Mrs. Kaye took it home last night to sleep under her beautiful creation!

 



Here's the same quilt made by my friend Rachel that I quilted a couple of years ago.  She won a Sweepstakes prize at the county fair! 

 

 

Aren't these beautiful?  They'll be family treasures for years to come. 

Is this a QUILT?

What is the definition of a quilt?

Wikipedia:
Noun: A warm bed covering made of padding enclosed between layers of fabric and kept in place by lines of stitching.

FreeDictionary.com:
quilt (kwilt) n.
1. A coverlet or blanket made of two layers of fabric with a layer of cotton, wool, feathers, or down in between, all stitched firmly together, usually in a decorative crisscross design.
2. A thick protective cover similar to or suggestive of a quilt.

Miriam-Webster:
quilt noun \ˈkwilt\
1: a bed coverlet of two layers of cloth filled with padding (as down or batting) held in place by ties or stitched designs.
2: something that is quilted or resembles a quilt.

And we won't even get in to "quilt" as a verb...

“The definition of a quilt is constantly expanding.  The only real requirement is that it must have three layers of material.” ~Sandra Henrich, former executive director, Museum of the American Quilter’s Society (MAQS) in Paducah, KY 3/16/2003

But quilts are not just bed coverings anymore!  What about Art quilts?  Painted quilts?  Are they still quilts?  Seems to me, as long as it is fabric-based and has those three layers joined together with stitching of some kind, then it is a quilt.

So here's my latest "quilt" ... has three layers (backing/flannel filler/patchwork top) which I quilted together when I pulled the backing around to the front and stitched it down to bind the edges.  It's a 1-1/4" x 38" quilt.  And I worked just as hard at the piecing as I do on any of my quilts.  I guess I could stitch around each tiny 1/8" block... oh, never mind, guess not!

My true definition of a quilt should also include something about "stitched with love" or "A quilt is a warm hug from Grandma..."  and there has to be some definition of a quilt that includes blood, sweat and tears, don't you think?

OK, what started this conversation is something that was said at a recent quilt show:

A Cathedral Window quilt is NOT a quilt. 

(hunh??) 

It's a coverlet.

(whaa??)

It has no batting.

(are you kidding??) 

It may have taken her TEN YEARS to make, HAND-STITCHING each little section one little window at a time, but according someone who heard that someone said that The American Quilter's Society had established this fact, a Cathedral Window quilt is NOT a quilt, it's a coverlet. 

(b-b-but!!)

So, what about all those inner layers created by some tricky origami folding then re-folding then stitching back the curve... that's got to be at least four layers, right there... and what happened to all those 47 YARDS of fabric used to create this masterpiece of a....thing??  I don't know about this.  I'll have to research a bit.  A Cathedral Window (quilt) is one of the things on my WHIMM (works hidden in my mind) list that I plan to make, someday.  And even if someone who knows someone who said such-and-such said it isn't a quilt.  

Is it, or isn't it?  You tell me.  I'm anxious to know!

Put a bird on it?

It usually takes me twenty minutes to get the joke. 

No, I'm not blonde.

Some of my best friends are blondes.  I think being blonde is a state of mind, no matter your hair color.  But there's blonde, and then there's BLONDE.

"Deonn & the Blondes" circa 1995

Back during my "Deonn & the Blondes" days, I loved it when people would come up after a show and ask, "Which one of you is Deonn?"  I'd say, with a straight face, "Um, that would be me."  (Hilarious! Could you be more blonde?) 

 Part of our routine would be to tell a bunch of blonde jokes.  Here's my fave:

Gail (a "natural" blonde):  I'm so tired of people picking on me.  I'm just as smart as anyone, and I'll prove it!  I can name the capital of any state in the USA.  Try me.
Me:  OK, Gail, but we don't want you to hurt yourself!  How about... Wyoming?
Gail:  Hmmm, ...uhm..., Oh, I know!  "W"!
Then we'd all *palm/forehead* during the laughter.  Then she'd say,
Gail:  I'll bet you thought I was going to say "Y"!  And she'd burst out laughing. 
Get it?  Y-oming?

OK, I'm wiping my tears from laughter. 

Now to the point.  My "blondeness" is such that it takes me a while to catch on.  But I still get it, maybe five minutes later, maybe the next day, maybe the next decade.

One thing I am catching on to is the use of BIRDS in quilts.  A hundred years ago, birds were popular in quilts.  Just ask Sandra Starley, quilt appraisor extraordinaire!

from an 1850 "Rose of Sharon" quilt

Ten years ago, chickens were everywhere.   I love chickens.  Every year, my seven sisters and I have a Hen Party.  Here are some of my chicken quilts:

Hen Party Chicks in the Coop

Hen Party Chicks in the Barnyard

Hen Party Chick

Hen Party Chicklets... For patterns click → HERE ←

A few years back, owls started to make an appearance.  So, true to form, I may be a few years late, but I'm working on my appreciation for owls right now.  

 

Hoo-Ville Chick

"Hooterville" quilted for a client.  More pics HERE

Such a cute pincushion, hate to stick him with a pin!

Owlet coin purse, 3" x 3-1/2"



Won some Yummy fabric from Shari at Doohikey Designs!!  

Look,"Hoos" in the Forest!! 

Lately, "PUT A BIRD ON IT" is a catch phrase.

So maybe next year, after the trend is over, I'll figure out what "PUT A BIRD ON IT" actually means, then I'll start working on more quilts with birds on them...


Isn't that "tweet"?

What is your favorite feathered fowl - and where do you put them??

~Deonn