Form, Not Function 2015--Continued

This is my second post about this year's Form, Not Function exhibit. If you haven't (and want to) you can read the first post here. I'd like to say, one more time, that if you can get to this exhibit you DEFINITELY should. It is at the The Carnegie Center for Art & History in New Albany, Indiana. (Pictures just do not do the pieces justice.) Check out details in the menu on the side of this blog post under "Upcoming Quilting/Fiber Arts Events."

"Tracking Passion" (machine quilted) by Elena Stokes has some great texture. I don't know if you can see from the picture, but there are some deep purple strips in the black section--I love the depth it adds. The red focal point draws your eye into the piece.

As many of you know, I'm am really into hexies these days. I think that is why I was drawn to this piece.

Kayla White's "Piecing Together Disaster" (cotton, acrylic ink, hand printed, machine quilted) uses colors I like to work with--red, black, white. The distribution of color across the piece is very successful. I also really enjoyed the different prints on the hexies. Here is a closeup so you can get a better look.

This is another piece that had some great texture. It is Kathleen McCabe's "Moonlight Mania" (fiber, machine quilted). I think it is the "spiky" nature of this piece that draws me. You all know I LOVE spikes!

This piece reminded me of Nancy Martin's "Captain Kimo" from this year's Paducah quilt show.

I'm sure, at first glance, you are wondering why they remind me of each other, but look at this closeup of "Captain Kimo." Do you see a similarity?

Last but not least was my vote for Viewer's Choice. Barbara Schneider's "Reflections: Three Days in Venice Triptych" (machine quilted) was spectacular. The pieces were large and the colorway subtle. There was applique, reverse applique, beautiful quilting, great texture, and more. I even thought the stair-step way the pieces were hung added to their appeal.

Again, if you get a chance to see this exhibit, JUST DO IT!

 

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Weekly Pattern Wednesday--Number One

My blogging friend, Robbie, from Robbie's Paw Prints blog suggested I participate in Weekly Pattern Wednesday posts over at Lynn Krawczyk's blog called Smudged Textiles Studio. I have patterns "dancing" in my head, so I thought it might be a good way to MAKE me get them down in a sketchbook. I have drawn four of them so far, and one of them has some potential to become a piece of fiber art. Here is my first drawing.

It is not my favorite, but it is a start. As you can see, I'm committing to doing a hundred of these little drawings. Hopefully, I can stick with it. Why don't you join us?

 

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Judging a Quilt Show

I'm out of town to judge a quilt show. I haven't judged many quilt shows and none away from home, so this is a new experience for me. The actual judging doesn't happen until tomorrow. This post is about my accommodations for the night. The guild bought my supper (and dessert to take with me) and is paying for the "room" tonight.

I didn't know what to expect, but I SURE didn't expect this...

I have my own two-room suite with a private bath.

My sitting room.

This is where I'm sitting as I write this post...

...looking at this...

I have my own little porch.

Or, I can sit on the big porch.

I'll be eating breakfast here--a frittata, fresh fruit, muffins, and coffee I'm told.

I could sit in the living room.

Or spend time in the parlor. I love the lattice work in the entry way.

I'm told this house was built in 1898. All I can say is WOW! Now, I hope the actual quilt judging goes as well as this first night!

 

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Product Review--The Strip Stick

Okay, I MUST admit that I laughed (and probably rolled my eyes) when someone first told me about The Strip Stick. They said it was to be used to help iron the seams when sewing strip sets together. I have to say, I can't remember really ever having a problem ironing the seams on my strip sets. THEN, I bought a Jaybird Hex N More Ruler and decided to make my daughter a quilt. It required that the seams be pressed open (for the particular pattern I chose.) I REALLY don't like to iron seams open. I'm not sure why, but at some point I had purchased one of The Strip Sticks. I had never opened the package. (I am a gadget girl; I can't resist a new tool or notion--especially if I get it on sale.) SO, I decided to try it for this job. IT WORKED GREAT!

Let me show you what it is and how it works. First, it looks like a half-round moulding (flat on the bottom and round on the top) covered with a bit of batting and muslin.

(I know--a bit hard to see in these pictures.) Here is a closeup. As you can see, the edge is serged.

The way I use it is to place it on my ironing board with the flat side down. Lay the patchwork across the stick with the seam to be opened on top.

I open the seam and flatten it with the end of my fingernail to get it started. Then, I run the iron up the seam, wobbling the iron back and forth to open it. This results in the flattest seam I've ever seen, and it is really EASY to do.

When I started work on a quilt kit I purchased (at a price I couldn't pass up) from Craftsy, I realized there were A LOT of seams in the blocks, and all of the seams needed to be pressed open.

I knew The Strip Stick would help me open the seams, but I hadn't realized how important it would be in making this block. If you take a close look at the back of this block you will see there are a large number of seams, and they are REALLY close together.

As I was sewing the block together, I realized it was important to keep previously pressed seams in tact when I ironed each newly finished seam. The Strip Stick raised the seam up and away from the other seams leaving them undisturbed.

You might be able to see how it raises the seam better in this picture.

I went to a retreat recently and demonstrated how I used The Strip Stick. LOTS of people thought they would use one. They come in 9", 18", 22 1/2", and 45". I initially purchased an 18" stick. This is a great size for most blocks and for taking on retreats. It CAN be used to iron strip sets, but it is kind of a pain. The strip has to continually be moved to iron the complete length of the strip. Now that I realize how much I might use The Strip Stick, I am considering the purchase of a 45" length for use at home. Check your local quilt shop to see if they can order The Strip Stick. If you can't get it from a shop, you can order it HERE.

I do want to make it clear that I am not affiliated with the poeple who make or sell The Strip Stick. It is just a product I really like. Let me know what you think.

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Form, Not Function Exhibit 2015

I recently went to the Carnegie in New Albany, Indiana, to view the Form, Not Function Exhibition. (See "Upcoming Quilting/Fiber Arts Event" in the side menu for more information). This is always an impressive exhibit, and this one was no exception. I'm going to show you some of my favorites; but if you live anywhere close, you REALLY must go to see this exhibit in person.

 

This first piece was really fairly small (under twenty inches square). It looks to have been made like a quilt then attached to a gallery-wrapped canvas for presentation. I loved this piece. The bold colors and geometric shapes are right up my alley. "Cirle the Block 1" was made by Deborah Babin. (textiles, cotton fabric, machine quilted)

Other things I REALLY like to see in fiber art pieces are text of some sort and hand stitching. I think that is why I was so drawn to this entry by Judith Plotner. "Bronx Elegy" (fiber, machine/hand quilted) won the Award for Political & Social Commentary presented by Kathleen Loomis.

I am always fascinated with the texture (and how that texture is created) of many of these pieces. Virginia Spiegel's "Shagbark 7" is texture at its best. (fiber, machine/hand quilted)

You can see the texture more clearly in this closeup--amazing.

I did not marvel at how this piece was made (as I do with many of the entries). I marveled at the very successful interplay of the light and dark colors which gives such depth to the piece. The stategic placement of the red accent draws the eye around the piece. "PATHWAYS" was made by Ruby Horansky. (cotton/cotton blends fiber, machine quilted)

Even though the pieces is made of homespuns and muslin, there is an elegant simplicity to the overall design.

Jill Jensen's "Tree Scroll Trio" (woodcut print, paint, stitched, machine quilted) is a wonderful example of a really successful print.

I have seen many quilts with blocks of improvisationally-pieced solid colors. This one stood out to me because of the quilting and the circles incorporated into the piece. Make sure you zoom in on this one to check out the quilting. Karen Schulz machine quilted "Improvisation: Two Circles."

I hope I have given you enough to whet your appetite to see this show in person. I do have a few more pictures from the exhibit that I'll share in a day or two. Come on back.

 

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Gasthof Quilt Retreat 2015--Show & Tell

I just got back from a quilt retreat with a bunch of REALLY fun ladies. We spent three FULL days sewing, sewing, and sewing. I would put the names of the quiltmakers with the quilts I'm showing you, but I don't know everybody's name yet. (If any of you ladies from the retreat know the name of the quiltmakers, leave me a comment telling me which maker made which quilt.) There always seems to be a wide variety of projects at the retreats I attend, and this retreat was no exception.

I went to this retreat with three goals in mind--to make a table runner top, to work on the blocks of my Train Car Quilt kit, and to make a zig-zag donation quilt. I accomplished the first two, but there was a little snafu with the third goal.

Here is my table runner. I used the Fiesta pattern from the "Skinny Quilts" book using a "Tonga Treats" batik pack (from Craftsy) to make this. I love the colors and festive nature of this piece.

Here are the Train Car blocks I finished. These blocks are from a kit I bought (on sale, of course) from Craftsy. Craftsy has different sales all the time. (This particular kit may no longer be on sale or available at all, but you should definitely check out the Craftsy site if you haven't. You can get some GREAT bargains.) Eight more blocks are required to complete this quilt.

As for my third goal, it didn't go so well. I worked on the blocks for this quilt while I was working on my other two projects. I used the blocks as "leaders and enders." By the time I finished the Train Car blocks, I had the blocks for this quilt ready to put together. I think this will be a donation quilt. Can you see the problem I had with this?

All looks well at first glance; but--oops--there is a BIG mistake. SPOILER ALERT---If you haven't found it (and want to), look for the white zig zag that (pretty much) splits the quilt on the diagonal. Now, locate the gray zig zag to the left (above) that. The mistake occurs on the next white zig zag (moving upwards). The mistake is the orange polka-dot and white block on the left-hand side of the quilt. The block should have been placed so that the orange polka-dot (rather than the white piece) is on the top and the white is on the bottom. I'll be doing some ripping...whaaaaaaaah...

I ironed the last seam in this quilt as the timer went off for me to stop sewing and start putting things away at the end of the retreat. I REALLY rushed the construction of this quilt, so I could finish it before I left. Because I rushed and wasn't as careful as I should have been, I'm going to have to do some ripping and resewing to correct the error. The zig zags should be continuous; as you can see, mine are not!

Here is the Show & Tell of some of the other projects completed by retreat participants. Robin showed this bed runner. I'm really loving the modern look of this piece.

Joann finished her Periwinkle Border quilt top from Missour Star. (She is a new friend I made during the retreat. How wonderful it is to meet a "kindred spirit.")

I'm SO terrible with names. I just hate it, but it is a reality. These ladies were SO much fun and SO nice to this retreat newbie. (Again, if some of you retreat attendees check out this page and know the names of the quilt makers, let me know; and I'll add the names to the narrative.)

This quilt is a miniature version of the Periwinkle Border quilt in the picture directly above this one. It is amazing to see the difference the color of the "leading" makes.

How cute is this crayon quilt? I know a few kids (and adults too) that would LOVE this one.

This log cabin layout is gorgeous!

These blocks were made as a gift by one of the retreat attendees.

This would be a great quilt for a guy.

It will be no surprise to those of you who know me that I LOVE the lime green in this quilt!

This quilt is made entirely of batiks. I love the diagonal setting, but I sure hate to set quilts on the diagonal myself.

The minimalist nature of this quilt is SO attractive, and the black sure makes it pop.

They even celebrated a birthday with a special cake. Check this out!

I know my grandson would LOVE this cake!

I had a wonderful time at this retreat. I met A LOT of nice people who all love sewing and quilting as much as I do. It was a real treat to spend time with such amazing people.

 

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