Interesting Meeting

As meetings go, the discussion on "What is modern quilting" went well.  While defining a concept that defies defining seems unnecessary to me, many members appreciated the time for discussing the concept.  My first love and first major in college was history, thus for me,modern can be assigned to any time period.  Having been an accountant for my 25+ career years, I rather enjoy not having rules, which modern anything embraces!  in the end, quilters will create what they like no matter the popular experts decree.

Moving on, enjoy the pictures from the meeting

 Kelly shows us her quilt top done in "circular" fashion.(above)  Many of the fabrics are souvenirs from a recent trip to Hawaii.  Below, our guild's secretary reveals her block exchange.  Her criteria were to incorporate solids in grays and yellows.  Of course everyone but one quilter heard the rules....except for Becky????  The lone ranger block worked great though, it's the upper right with a yellow print.

Ambitious Marcia had her blocks from a previous month's exchange completed.  It looks great!  Notice  how she worked in the leftover HST's in the middle to break the monotony.  Marcia doesn't sit idle for very long, she stitched a binding onto another quilt during our meeting.  I'd enjoy attending the symphony more if I could sew while listening!

 Jan shows us the most exquisite quilts each month.  Needless to say when she showed the completed quilt, below, no controversy arose whether this example was modern.  While circular motifs are integral to the quilting most of her quilting detail was done by walking foot!  Some members commented that only certain types of quilting designs could be considered modern.  The leafy motifs could be considered more traditional.  What do you think?

 Another modern example from Jan.  Color usage entered the "What is Modern" discussion.  Jan showed us this quilt of more traditional colors done modern.....

 The close-up above shows an example of stitches Ginger used on her small wall hanging.  Making use of the decorative stitches sewing machines have, even a basic zig zag, can elevate the quilting to a more interesting view.  Interestingly, Ginger paper pieced the stars for this example using fabrics purchased from Bill Kerr's site....modern fabrics?  Of course, opinions were expressed for both sides of yes and no!

 Kathy showed us her new quilt top.  Kathy really likes doing modern with irregular shapes worked into the top.

 Lindsey showed us her example of modern, too.  She loves to make pillow covers with exposed zippers.  Her pillow covers mimic the Marushka dolls of Russia, take one off and another appears, several times.

 I showed my swirling lone star table cloth.  This project was more involved than I should have committed myself.   A later blog will explain.  I was SO GLAD to move this project off the to-do list.

The fabric is from the Bahamas collected from several trips from many years....over 25!  I needed 8 colors, so I started cutting old dresses and shirts I had made.....

If you're looking for a fun road trip, consider Three Rivers, Michigan!  Why?  The blogger of 13 Spools has some of her quilts on display at the Carnegie Art Museum there.  Enjoy!

Field Trip Cancelled :(

Due to lack of interest in learning new techniques vis a vis the Row By Row of the Attic Window I must cancel our special field trip.  Perhaps another time, as Chris has so much sewing and quilting knowledge to share. 

On another note if you're interested getting 60+ free 12 1/2" blocks start with the Quilting Girl blog.  A four day blog hop is underway, today is day 2.  Each day for four days 15 bloggers will present not only their design but the free instructions for making the block.  Quilt instructions may also be presented.  Paper piecing, appliqué and various cut and sew blocks are offered, some a bit more traditional and many more modern.  Enjoy!

Here are a couple screen shots from yesterday's presenters: 

While waiting for the Doc to come in and inject my knee with chicken cartilage, this magazine photo struct me as very modern and great mix of colors:

Also, while out and about Big Lots had these containers displayed, great way to sort scraps......

Besides the green and blue, white and pink colored baskets were available.  The handles are so convenient for lugging to and fro sewing sessions....

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.