Row By Row by Chris B

At our July meeting several members indicated a strong interest in learning the techniques that Chris Brown, the owner of The Attic Window, used in her Row by Row, shown here:

Chris implemented texture in her design.  The texture of the thread spools and her applique technique for the fish bowl are very interesting and a bit tricky.  A special field trip has been arranged for GRMQ members at the Attic Window.

Date:  Thursday, September 3

Place:  Attic Window

5363 Alpine NW (next to the Goodwill Store on the west side of Alpine, just north of 6 Mile)

Time:  7 p.m.

You may bring yours sewing machines if you wish to work on the RBR with Chris' help.  The new location of AW has WONDERFUL classroom space.  Shopping will also be available.  

RSVP:  Cathy Mueller at grlady1950@gmail.com by September 1st. 

Since Chris is keeping her store open for us, we do need to know how many members plan on attending.  If you're not a member and wish to attend email me as well in case the confirmations are close to viable number of quilters attending.

What have you been working on?

Remember these?

 The first two tri's grew to those shown below.  I was lost after the first two, above, but still optimistic.

 All sorts of sizes needed to be made so that a square could be make.....right!  After many hours of struggling with scrappy fabrics and sizes, I concede!  Free equilateral triangles for those who want them.....
For those of you who may wish to tackle this project look up Kitchen Table Quilting for the puzzled triangles tutorial

At Happy Scrappers last week I decided to try some paper piece projects I found browsing blogs.

Batiks were my scraps of choice.  The pattern is called Tequila Sunrise.  Piece One is the circle, sun, and an itty bitty piece.  The piece size gradually and slowly increase in size.  Playing with the sun and its contrast for the sunrise was fun.

The top left "sun" was supposed to be a moonless night!  Top right, a night with a full moon.  The lower left has a red sun with the lower right with an orange sun but not enough contrast perhaps, as in the moonless example.  Oh well, lesson learned for this exercise.  The tutorial for the 6" blocks and quilt is found at Piecebynumber.com

Fresh Lemons has a star paper pieced project entitled Solstice Stars Series.  Star of Mystery is the name of the block shown below.  The floral was my main fabric and added the pink, orange and teal as I went along.  While doing the outer pieces the pattern fell into place for me.  All in all, the choices are growing on me, but would never want too many of these blocks in a quilt. After completion I found I enjoyed the block, following the instructions for the corners for "squaring" will keep you from another seam ripper bonding experience.  This block and the rest of the series can be found at Freshlemons.com and this particular block at this address.

Stitch By Number also has this block.  With this block I neglected to check my printer as to print to scale.  Consequently, the size of this block is odd: 5 3/8!  It will have to be sent to the log cabin workshop to have an unfinished size of 6 1/2.  It's called Big Sister, Little Sister.  Use the same website if interested in this block.

Lastly, I started this project with fervor.  I needed space in my cabinet for the new fabrics purchased at AQS.  

It will measure 34" square when complete.    Both of these fabrics are left overs from other quilts.  Along the way I'll implement the QAYG method I've been using from Quilter's Edge.  Spirled and the accompanying tutorial on big batch HST's is found here.  

AQS Part II

Here are the remaining pictures from the recent show in Grand Rapids.  Enjoy!

 The Chicken, of course, and the quilt on the clothes line as cute detail to this art quilt.

 An example of 3-D quilt....too cute!

 Are you getting tired of the slash and sew quilts, I am a bit.  The dancers add so much dimension and depth to this modern technique.

 The Statue of Liberty, above, and Carmen Miranda are examples of a guild challenge to create recognizable portrait quilts.

 The alligator, above, is the winner of the children's challenge.  Many visitors donated coins....

 For those quilters who LOVE points and New York Beauties.

A fun paper-pieced like quilt.

Little Miss Shabby has a method for making HSTs without having to mark the diagonal with a marker.  Look here and check out here other tutorials.

AQS #4 Part I

Can you believe it!  Of course I wasn't going to go to the Grand Rapids version of AQS.  However, I was still curious what could be new.  Overall it was a good show but not as exciting as the first couple  years.  Of course last year knowing the sister of the featured artist led to an invitation of a most interesting dinner.  Remember the quilt of First Peoples of Canada?  In the conclusion the artist and her assistants determined that Canada has at least one person from each nation in the world.  An artist or special methodology was not highlighted this year.  Even the Egyptian appliqué was shown via DVD.  While the persons I've spoken with agree, it seemed like more vendors were there but fewer quilts overall.

Enjoy the few pictures I took to share with you.

A guild challenge involved copying seed packets.  Gorgeous!

 The Wicked Challenge from a fabric company, explained below, appeared here.  I had originally seen it in the Chicago Quilt show this past spring.  I still absolutely love this challenge....it's so "pop-u-lar", as sung in the musical.

What's a good show with out a bit of Irishness?  Below, a black denim is the background with either crochet or tatted lace on it.  Up close it looks like Irish lace and from a far.  I have several pieces of Carrickmacross lace hand made in Ireland, this quilt, while not as delicate as my lace, but a very good attempt.

Craftsy.com has a demo on less wasteful method of setting a square on point.  Please check it out, so special triangles required.

More members, more Show and Share....

It is so wonderful to see Grand Rapids Modern Quilters grow in membership.  Along with more members, more inspiring ideas are displayed by the members.

 Nancy has not heard of Glamping, but she has made a Glamping pillow.  Glamorous and camping combined make the new word: glamping.  My new favorite magazine, Mary Jane's Farm, has a special section for women that Glamp!  Nancy is on her way!

 Marcia's Vintage Revival quilt is at the long armer's so she showed us the picture.  We definitely want to see the real thing when completed.  I do believe one of the modern bloggers designed the pattern and published a book to this name.  Marcia's colors are so uplifting.

 Adrienne has made her first and last bag!  However, the bag is gorgeous and roomy!  Good job, Ade!

 Jan shows us her Riley Blake challenge quilt.  Apparently, Riley Blake had an on-line challenge.  Sadly, Jan missed the date for submission.  Her quilting is detailed and very appropriate for the quilt.

 The picture does not do justice to the back fabric Jan used.  It's really pretty.

Not only designed the top and the quilting Jan does her own labels.

Holly brought her red work blocks she's embroidering for a quilt.  Great craftswomanship!


Sew Mama Sew has a tutorial on a really nice looking heart block:  Love Wins All!  It's one of the better shaped heart blocks I've seen, it's paper pieced.

Quilting can be a sanctuary for some....

and for the Grand Rapids Modern Quilters we took our meeting to the sanctuary at Kuyper College....no other doors were unlocked.  It was a great meeting as always when wonderful recommendations and ideas pour forth.

 President Ginger refreshes us on what the purpose of this group vis a vis the bylaws.

Interested members listening to Ginger.  Nice to see Michele L., our founder and Stitched Studio owner.

Adrienne gave us a very informative explanation of fabric that "appears" or "reads" solid versus those fabrics that do not.

These blocks were our homework if we wished to participate in the drawing to win them.  All of our blocks that we've made since we started the modern block give away should read solid.  While most of all the blocks have been good looking, not all have "read" solid.

 These two pictures show us Kathy's stack and whack squares.  Bright colors are so cheerful.

Ron showed us her strip baby quilt - those 30's fabrics fit in with any style of quilting! Roni also applied lesson learned at an earlier meeting on faux edging all included in the binding.  

More pictures to come....

While making gak has nothing to do with quilting, it's just fun especially as this summer winds down and school is getting closer......glitter gak recipe