okan arts

now: okanarts.com

2010-11-26T07:17:00.001-08:00

Please visit okanarts.com to learn about my artisan quilts and yukata cottons.

free fabric giveaway

2010-11-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

Win eight yards of vintage Japanese yukata cottons [value $120].

To celebrate the launch of my new website, visit okanarts.com to participate in a Free Fabric Giveaway.

a new home for okan arts

2010-10-21T22:59:00.000-07:00

Instead of quilting, for the last two weeks I’ve been learning how to use WordPress and making a website for Okan Arts. Please visit my new online home: okanarts.com where I will be writing all future posts.

empire quilters, nyc

2010-10-09T18:46:00.000-07:00

We’re identical twins! (Just not with each other.) Me with Barbara Feinstein.

I visited the Empire Quilters guild meeting today and saw an inspirational presentation by contemporary art quilter Pat Pauly.

Using Maurine Noble’s name as a conversation starter, I had a fun time talking with Barbara Feinstein. Barbara and I are both identical twins and Japanophiles—so we had lots in common!

The guild boasts a whopping 375 members. The meeting room at the Fashion Institute of Technology was packed with 185 mesmerized quilters. Raffle tickets, show n’ tell, stash giveaways, and a member vendor made for a busy event.

little sister quilt

2010-10-03T13:31:00.001-07:00

Doodle Baby, 2010, 35" x 45"
GIFTED TO NORA DUNHAM

For Liz Holland’s Baby Girl No. 1, I overly hand stitched her baby quilt for five months. For Baby Girl Number 2, I hand stitched this whole cloth quilt with hot pink and orange threads over a four-month period. Then I doodled, with SetaSkrib dye pens, on the black and white top fabric for almost six hours.

Both the top and backing fabric are vintage African fabrics that Maureen Noble picked up in South Africa 20 years ago.

a huge success

2010-09-27T00:29:00.000-07:00

Ellen Hough of Bremerton at the Trunk Show.

TRUNK SHOW STATS
Number of shoppers: 51 shoppers purchased fabrics
Shopper profile: passionate fabric lover
Average purchase per customer: 6 yards
Favorite fabrics: bold colorful ones with interesting repeats

setting up my first trunk show

2010-09-24T20:43:00.000-07:00

Top left: Stacie Baumeister, store owner, and Chardel Blaine, store manager.

Unpacking bolt after bolt of yukata cotton at QuiltWorks NW tonight caught the attention of the store staff. They bought over ten yards before the show starts tomorrow!

I thought I’d need six tables to set out all my merchandise but there was only room for three. Remarkably, the set up worked just fine.

mom’s latests

2010-09-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

My mom credits me with inspiring her to make her asymmetric black and white quilt. At 83, she admits that she has a hard time “coloring outside the lines.” Good work, Jane.

that’s not a quilt!

2010-08-18T21:48:00.000-07:00

Girl-sized 7, this dress features vintage yukata fabrics that I imported from Japan. I bought the Asian-inspired pattern, by modkid, at Fabric Crush in Wallingford Center.

The dress is made with four different fabrics—two indigo ones that match perfectly for the body, a third one for the obi, and a fourth for the homemade double-fold bias tape used to bind the edges.

In the coming week, the dress and mannequin are heading for QuiltWorks NW to promote my trunk show in late September.

every quilter needs a covered bridge

2010-07-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

For my birthday, Michael made me a sign for our almost-finished covered bridge. I was a little taken aback at the name he choose: Pretty Patty Bridge.

Covered bridges typically have cute names, he told me. There’s Blind Suzie Bridge, Blow Me Down Bridge, and Turkey Jim’s Bridge, to name a few.

Our 24-foot king truss bridge, at our cabin in Wauconda, is made from timbers salvaged from all over Washington and Oregon. The recycled wood make it a “green” project. All the same, we’ll need to buy new roofing material.

Currently there are five authentic wooden covered bridges in Washington state. Upon completion, ours will be No. Six.

yukata quilt no. 1

2010-07-04T18:32:00.000-07:00

Metro Baby, 2010, 37" x 41"

Finally I’ve made something with some of my Japanese yukata cottons. This baby quilt, made with five differently patterned indigo and white fabrics, is scissor-cut and pieced by machine. The backing is plush white corduroy.

For finishing, the machine quilting follows the valley of the corduroy wales in nine straight lines. The binding is the predominant striped fabric, on the bias.

communicating through quilts

2010-06-30T22:12:00.001-07:00

Top left: Mariko Kanazawa, top right: Noriko Koyama, bottom right: Kumiko Nakamura

Today I met some of the charming and talented Japanese quilters at the La Conner show. Mariko pointed out her first machine-stitched project. Noriko shared the fairy tale behind her fabulous free-motion quilt. And Kumiko proudly showed me her fastidiously appliqued quilt. All the work is world-class and inspired.

japanese quilt show : la conner

2010-06-30T21:48:00.001-07:00

Today the biennial Japanese show opened at the La Conner Quilt Museum. Fourteen ladies, a floor of incredible quilts, and coffee service with yummy treats welcomed the media and public. I will be back later this summer to spend more time at the show!

quilt encyclopedia

2010-06-27T23:06:00.000-07:00

The Quilters Ultimate Visual Guide, From A to Z—Hundreds of Tip and Techniques for Successful Quiltmaking

Never a kid who wanted to read encyclopedias, I’m proud to say that I finished this 275-page volume on just about everything about quiltmaking.

This book is like a ten-year subscription to good magazine filled with great how-to articles. All in one place, I like knowing I can easily find the information again.

I highly recommend this book for a beginning or intermediate quilter. With short articles by many experts and over 700 helpful illustrations, it’s a great resource.

walleyed dachshund

2010-06-14T23:28:00.001-07:00

At Spring Market I saw fun little stuffed chicks by Joel Dewberry and a cute puppy by Bari J. They made me want to try a 3D project.

This full-sized dachshund is made with an online pattern designed by Japanese dollmaker, Runo. Although Runo’s pattern didn’t include full instructions, her pictures made the pup straightforward to make.

Using cotton that I “dab dyed” in Goldendale last Fall, I produced a double dapple dachshund. I finished the doll with mismatched buttons. Once I find two dark buttons, I’ll perform eye surgery.

nirvana?

2010-06-11T23:15:00.001-07:00

“Quilts” beside “Japan.” Finding my two favorite interests side-by-side makes Anacortes my kind of town!

wiley’s quilt

2010-06-06T21:57:00.001-07:00

Passport, 2010, 52" x 88"
GIFTED TO WILEY WILKINS

Today Plymouth Church recognized its high school graduates in the late morning service. Five of the eight seniors showed up and were wrapped in quilts produced by Plymouth Piece Makers. My quilt was given to Wiley Wilkins, a free-thinking and creative young man.

Best wishes, Wiley.

day 4—spring quilt market

2010-05-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

Can fairy tales come true for grown-ups? My trip to Minneapolis was definitely a whirlwind of wonder.

Another remarkable group of folks I met is in the publishing industry. This framed photo of me was taken by my new friends at Martingale—a book publishing company. I also met an Editor-in Chief and an Editorial Director of two major media groups. And lots of authors. And bloggers.

We all have ideas and stories to share!

day 3—spring quilt market

2010-05-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

Quilters are very generous and patient people. And, so it seems, are the pros in the industry.

In the last three days I have met CEOs, presidents, VPs, and creative directors of fabric manufacturers who have listened to the Patomi story and looked over our collections. Happily, the overall response has been exciting and encouraging.

day 2—spring quilt market

2010-05-21T23:07:00.000-07:00

Today I collected feedback on Patomi’s three fabric collections. Between informal focus groups at the espresso stand and talking with manufacturers on the show floor, I’ve received honest and thoughtful insights.

Younger retailers, especially online ones, liked the non-matching Origamee Collection. Established store owners preferred the Edo Rising Collection, especially the Sumi colorway in charcoal and citron yellow.

day 1—spring quilt market

2010-05-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

Schoolhouse Series is like speed dating quilting pros. The day-long event had 15 sessions, each with 20 choices of presentations. The following six speakers represent only 2% of this year’s Schoolhouse!
Who can resist a dad with four kids who designs lifestyle fabrics? FreeSpirit veteran Joel Dewberry charmed us with his Modern Meadow fabric collection inspired by his new home in Utah.
Direct from Australia, designer Leesa Chandler showed her business side with great tips for cultural marketing. She knows how to add energy and education to the retail experience.
I was thrilled to see Debra Lunn and Michael Wrowka again. Their video presentation transported us to Java to see the production of the Robert Kaufman batik line.
FreeSpirit designer Verna Mosquera of The Vintage Spool is a genius. The Noel quilt made with her Heavenly Peace line uses her fabrics in remarkably detailed blocks.
Margo Krager of Blue Hill Fabrics showed Little Pink Stars, a quilt featuring 432 star blocks made with fabrics from the 1840s to 1890s. The antique fabrics have been faithfully reproduced in Margo’s newest line of mostly double pinks.
Scatter Joy by Kathy Davis is the culmination of a life of learning and sharing. Kathy endeared us with her story of becoming a recognized painter and lettering artist—first in the greeting card industry and now with fabrics for FreeSpirit.

for a graduating senior

2010-05-19T18:28:00.001-07:00

Passport, 2010, 52" x 88"

This quilt has been patched together over a two-year period. An upcoming deadline finally got it to the finish line.

The recipient will be an innovative young man who always thinks outside the box. The African bug print at the top is a detail he’ll enjoy.

The global fabrics—from Africa, Japan, Southeast Asia and America— are from Maurine Noble’s stash. Nothing new there. Thank you Maurine!

fabric crush

2010-05-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

Now in the Wallingford Center, Fabric Crush is the brightest fabric store I have ever been in. The designer fabrics–the lighting–the white-walled space with big windows–all combine to make a perfect shop for modern quilters.

The owner is Sarah Stine, a member of Plymouth Church and our Piecemakers group. Sarah has taken her vision and brought it to life. Go Girl!

cabin gallery

2010-05-01T13:45:00.001-07:00

At the top of the stairs at our log cabin is a set of pole railings. While I’m here, I hang a series of small quilts over the railings. Then I put the quilts away when I’m gone so they don’t get sun damaged.

This quilt is a gift from Maurine Noble who wrote the book Basic Quiltmaking Techniques for Machine Applique. Maurine made the quaint quilt to use in her applique classes that she taught around the world.

in situ

2010-04-26T22:27:00.000-07:00

Two owners of baby quilts I made are using them in their living rooms as decorator accents—Pam’s is in her mid-century Ballard home and Naomi’s in her eclectic West Seattle. With both houses filled with art, the quilts look wonderful.

desert inspired

2010-04-16T12:40:00.001-07:00

Michael and I are visiting Maurine Noble at her winter home in La Quinta, California. Maurine has a spacious and bright quilting room here. Her newest quilt top is a serene combination of pale batiks in a rotated and repeated pattern.

mina delivered

2010-04-12T21:12:00.001-07:00

Mina to the Rescue, 2010, 43" x 55"
COLLECTION OF LOUISA CRYAN

Louisa is a huge soccer fan and a new convert to anime. I purchased the fabric for the Mina quilt in Tokyo, giving it an authentic Japanese pedigree. The backing fabric is a vivid green — as close to the Sounder’s green as possible.

at home in new zealand

2010-04-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

My sister Janet lives in Wellington NZ. I’ve never visited yet she continually stops by my Northwest home.

This March she acquired African Night and Day, a lap quilt that’s now draped over a pumpkin arm chair in her living room. It looks great in her comfortable home.

pinning the mina quilt

2010-03-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

I worked this afternoon to pin together the Mina quilt sandwich. First I taped the green backing fabric to the berber carpet. Then I taped down the Warm & Natural batting. Next I placed the pieced layer on top.

I pinned the three layers together using a Kwik Klip (pronounced: quick clip), a simple tool that kept my fingers from being torn apart by the small sharp pins. I pushed each pin through the layers and onto the end of the Kwik Klip. Then I pulled up on the Kwik Klip to close the pins.
I started pinning from the middle of the quilt design. As I plan to in-the-ditch stitch, I kept the pins a short distance from all seams.
This is the back of the sandwich with the pins showing through.

the book i didn't write

2010-03-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

Intuitive Color & Design, Jean Wells, 2009, C&T Publishing

This wonderful book, by Jean Wells, talks all about making quilts by taking an adventure. An Oregonian quilt artist, Jean articulates how to make color and design choices in a clear, straightforward way.

Inspired by Nancy Crow and Ruth McDowell, and decades of exploring her artistry, Jean presents a rich portfolio of quilt projects with encouraging commentary.

It’s the book I’d like to write in about ten years. Jean, thanks for beating me to it.

I bought the book at Fabric Crush—Seattle’s newest designer fabric store, now in the Wallingford Center.

my first commission

2010-03-09T21:32:00.000-08:00

Royal Roots, 2010, 46" x 59"
COLLECTION OF BEVERLY ANDERSON

Last night I delivered my first quilt commission. Cindy Anderson, who bought a quilt from me in September, requested one for her mother-in-law’s birthday.

Cindy choose the fabrics out of my stash. The next time she saw the fabrics, they were in a finished quilt. (She mentioned to my sister that the quilt design wasn’t what she expected. That’s to be expected!)

The vintage plum and black fabric, given to me by Maurine Noble, is from South Africa. The central square is a highly detailed Indonesian batik. The gold and red batiks were bought at Lunn Fabrics in Lancaster, Ohio last summer.

The quilt is assembled using the quilt-as-you-go method with the red strips connecting the parts. The center is heavily hand-stitched while the background fabric is free motion machine-stitched.

la conner connection

2010-03-06T20:06:00.000-08:00

Quilts from the 08 Japanese show.

I drove to Skagit Valley today to meet Liz Theaker, the director of the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum in the Gaches Museum. We talked about the upcoming Japanese show that opens the end of June.

In the summer of 08, I happened upon the biennual Japanese show (see photos above). The craftsmanship and design were impeccable. The quilts always come directly from Japan and don’t tour, so the show is exclusive to the Northwest’s only quilt museum.

In 2008, 14 quilters came to open the exhibit and teach classes. Liz doesn’t know yet how many quilters will be coming this year. No matter, they’ll be a big hit.

my mangle—an extinct beast

2010-02-22T00:29:00.000-08:00

I bought my mangle, a.k.a. Kenmore automatic ironer, at an estate sale this winter for $12.50. I discovered it in a dank basement, probably left over from the early 50s.

Although it came with no instructions, the operation of my mangle is self-evident. Turn on to start heat. Push kneee pedal to make the roll go around. Push other knee pedal to engage the curved heated plate.

Recently I pre-washed some fabric for a lap-sized quilt project. When I pulled the damp fabric out of the washer, I pressed it all in the mangle in five minutes. Typically the same amount of fabric would take 1.5 hours to iron by hand. I'm thrilled with my “new” household appliance.

mother/daughter quilt: delivered

2010-02-13T06:53:00.000-08:00

Maple Stars, 2010, 53" x 43"
COLLECTION OF JANE BELYEA

Today my mother turned 83 and I turned up in Victoria with our finished mother/daughter quilt. During production, Mom admitted she wasn't too sure about the composition. Now she is very pleased with the results—so much so that the lap quilt’s new home is her living room.

amuse museum, tokyo

2010-01-20T02:47:00.000-08:00

Just two months ago, Amuse Museum opened in the Asakusa neighborhood. The museum is the brainchild of Amuse Inc., a leading Japanese entertainment company.

Fresh and bold, the first-floor Boro exhibit allows visitors to touch the raggedy clothes. The collection of Mr. Chuzaburo Tanaka includes uber-padded and stitched robes that peasants would wrap themselves inside to sleep—like wearable patched futons.

What were once considered of no value, Boro articles are now cherished as national treasures.

tokyo quilt festival : part three

2010-01-19T11:30:00.001-08:00

Besides a plethora of booths selling fabrics and quilted handbags, the Quilt Festival developed some outstanding presentations.

Getting to see the actual process steps of indigo dyeing was wonderful. I’ve just bought Jenny Balfour-Paul’s book, Indigo, which will be helpful to extend my understanding—as all the explanations at the show were in Japanese.

Ten diverse quilters each decorated a space with their quilts, furniture and props in a section called “Welcome To My Room.” These were definitely the most compelling exhibits, especially when the artists were present.

Allentown Art Museum from Pennsylvania hung a traditional selection of historic quilts. And Hae-Ja, Kim, a leading nubi artisan from South Korea, stitched on site with a special showing of her sublime quilted clothes.

tokyo quilt festival : part two

2010-01-19T11:09:00.000-08:00

The theme for the 2010 Festival is The Tree of Life.

I learned from May Okamoto at the Clover booth about the multitude of tree quilts on bright blue walls. The squares for the 94 quilts were sent in by viewers of a Japanese TV show on quilting.

The network had a team of professionals, under the direction of Yoko Ueda, assemble more than eleven thousand pieces into cohesive and wonderful quilts. Well labeled, each participant could come to the show and see how her piece fits into a “community” quilt. What a great way to encourage quilters to attend the festival!

tokyo quilt festival : part one

2010-01-19T10:56:00.000-08:00

I made it—5000 miles from Seattle to the TOKYO International Great Quilt Festival! Under the air-filled Tokyo Dome were quilts of all ilks for a nine-day show.

Quilting lends itself to a huge range of expression, as shown by these detail shots. I bought the show catalog so I can remember all the remarkable professional quilts presented.

all things blue and white, tokyo

2010-01-18T00:31:00.000-08:00

Not only did I visit the legendary Blue & White shop in the Asabu Juban district, I was welcomed by its generous owner, Amy Katoh. What a spirited and inspired woman! Amy seems to be non-stop in her endeavors of all things authentically crafted in Japan—in blue and white.

I purchased the shop’s 2010 calendar with bold prints on the top half of each month. My intention is to mount the prints and hang them in my dyeing studio—as they are printed on wonderful paper.

At the front of the store was a small exhibition of Boro work. It’s like shibori—covered with stitching—but much more folksy and textural. I bought Amy's book on Boro and now know more about the remarkable yet practical artwork originally made by poor farmers’ and fishermens’ wives out of neccesity.

Blue & White is two blocks from the Azabu Juban JR train stop, at 2-9-2 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo.

a mini scrap quilt

2010-01-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

A Dog’s Life, 2010, 27" X 32"
COLLECTION OF NICKI STONE

My mini dachshund loves all the big quilts in our home so I decided to make her a little one. This scrap quilt is made from the scraps of a full-size scrap quilt (see Aug 2008 post).

mother/daughter quilt: day four

2010-01-03T09:53:00.001-08:00

With three days in Victoria after Christmas, Mom and I moved our lap quilt project forward. But the top was not complete by my departure time.

I bundled everything up and kept working on the piecing in Seattle over the holiday week. One whole section was jettisoned and I added some new fabric to brighten the composition.

Mom’s 83rd birthday is in February. I will return to Victoria then with a finished quilt filled with our shared energies.

quilt for no. 1

2009-12-25T21:50:00.000-08:00

A School For My Mermaid, 2009, 45" x 69"
COLLECTION OF ELIZABETH STONE

For Christmas, Liz received an oversized lap quilt from me. The fish fabric is vintage, probably from Scandanavia. The modern polka dots are from Maurine Noble. Connecting the two is a wavy strip of hand-dyed fabric, made with three 70" pattern pieces—one for the red stripe and ones for either sides.

Hand stitching encircles each fish while the side border is machine stiched-in-the-ditch. Cozy navy flannel backs the quilt.

quilt for no. 2

2009-12-25T21:07:00.000-08:00

Woodstock, 2009, 44" x 46"
COLLECTION OF VICTORIA STONE

All tie-dyed, the blue fabric is from Goodwill while the pieces on the back are from Maurine Noble. The fabulous French fabric used for the 1" binding is also from Maurine.

Wildly erratic, the quilting is free-motion machine stitching. The Bernina was set at 1/2 speed and then I floored the speed pedal for attaining the most control. Good thing I am a beginner, so I can forgive myself for the lack of perfection.

(Yardage in thrift stores is beside the tablecloths and draperies. Sometimes batting can be found with mattress covers, near blankets.)

master of mitered corners

2009-12-08T19:40:00.000-08:00

For a woman who won’t make precision quilts, I have outdone myself making twenty napkins with mitered corners. That might not sound impressive but it means 160 roll-pressed edges, 80 mitered corners, and 80 stitched edges. I am thrilled to complete a project I started 12 months ago.

These napkins will ship to New Jersey to join up with a table topper I gave to Grace Lynch during a visit last August (see entry: April 23).

mother/daughter quilt: day one

2009-11-21T07:13:00.001-08:00

In Victoria last weekend, Mom and I began work on a lap quilt together—making it “my way.” We chose some fabrics and made our first “building blocks” although there was no plan for the overall design.

Nothing was measured. The fabric was sliced up randomly with a rotary cutter. I cut. Mom sewed. I ironed.

After a few hours in the sewing room, Mom begged me to stop. “You have exhausted me, Young Lady, with your counter-intuitive approach. Let’s tidy up and go out to lunch.” That sounded good to me.

I’ll be back to Victoria a few more times this winter to continue on our quilt.

new designer fabric store

2009-11-08T18:06:00.001-08:00

Sarah Stine with sample dress made with designer cottons.

Low-rise Magnolia Village, surrounded by residences in all directions, almost feels like a resort town. This weekend I stopped by the neighborhood to check out Sarah Stine’s dream project — a pristine store filled with sewing delights. Her bright and airy shop abounds with boldly patterned fabrics, well-chosen books, modern patterns and my fav, Mettler threads in every color of the rainbow.

Sarah, a member of Plymouth Piece Makers, loves gorgeous fabrics. Her passion shows with her selection of goods and the name of her enterprise — Fabric Crush.

Located at 2313 Viewmont Way West, the shop is open Tuesday through Friday 10 to 5, Saturday 11 to 5 and Sunday 1 to 5. Closed on Mondays. 206.465.6193

creating a goddess

2009-10-23T23:03:00.000-07:00

Fertility Goddess, 2009, 12" long

“Goddess” is this month’s Art Chix assignment. Stuffed with brown mustard seeds, this little rag doll will sprout if moistened—a real source of life. The body fabric is hand dyed and cut with a custom pattern.

Body details include free motion stitching for the face and metal snaps painted with nail polish for the nipples.

fiber art extraordinaire

2009-10-10T21:39:00.000-07:00

Elin Noble at show opening, Penn Cove Pottery, Coupeville WA

When I saw Elin Noble’s whole cloth quilts today, a chill ran up my back. I was astonished by the simplicity, power and beauty of her work.

The show opening in Coupeville included quilts by Elin and quilts made by other women using her dyed cloth. The setting, a charming pottery gallery on Penn Cove, complimented the fiber art perfectly.

a rose is a rose is a rose

2009-10-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

Tokyo Rose, 2009, in progress

Here is something new for me—very precise piecing with curves. It’s possible by following the step-by-step instructions in Ruth McDowell’s book entitled Piecing Workshop.

Done with a freezer paper pattern for each piece, success is all about the prep. Once the pieces are ready, it’s really exciting to see them go together. I can see many possibilities with this technique!

colorful goldendale

2009-10-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I stayed with Pat Brim-Williams at her Goldendale home. The location was sublime—smack dab in the middle of a ponderosa pine forest.

On Friday we drove to our destination—a trip that took us down the south side of the spectacular Columbia River Gorge. Late that afternoon we cut and prepped fabric for dyeing.

Saturday started rainy but by noon was perfectly sunny. With our dye concentrates and soda ash solution ready, we headed outside to begin low-immersion dyeing. It was tremendous fun as we dipped, squirted and dabbed dyes on our PFD Kona cotton.

After rinsing and setting the dyes, it was time to iron the fabric. As I had dyed 15 yards, it took over three hours to press all the pieces. Thank heavens for movies on DVD!

We drove home on Sunday on the north side of the river—another memorable drive. The three-day trip was a non-stop pleasure. Just thinking about it makes me smile.

tea party & quilt show

2009-09-27T20:37:00.000-07:00

What a delightful tea party on a beautiful September Sunday.

Janet Saulsbury prepared four kinds of tea sandwiches, two flourless chocolate cakes, shortbread cookies and fresh fruit plates—served with hot and iced tea. Trophy cupcakes and more goodies brought by friends kept us all well fed.

Fourteen quilts, made over the previous 12 months, were displayed. All but one went home with happy owners!

It was Hannah Mae’s fourth birthday. She was the star of the party—lovely, well-behaved and fun to talk with.

baby quilt series: no. 6

2009-09-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

Marble Mania, 2009, 32" x 42"
COLLECTION OF MAURINE NOBLE

The cottons in this baby quilt were marbled by Elin and Maurine Noble at an all-afternoon demonstration.

The center area has a haphazard pattern of fabric strips while the border has precisely lined-up strips. The stitching parallels the piecing—both random and perpendicular.

baby quilt series: no. 5

2009-09-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

Dungaree Baby, 2009, 34" x 42"
COLLECTION OF PAMELA BELYEA

This is a true scrap quilt made with Maurine Noble castaways. The composition is a response to fabric at hand. The top includes pieces of hand-dyeds, an African printed cotton and a green pseudo-camouflage fabric.

Scissor-cut. Random pieced. Machine stitched-in-the-ditch.

lap quilt series: no. 8

2009-08-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Rubino, 2009, 44" x 66"
COLLECTION OF HEIDI OB’BAYI

Bold in color, this red and yellow quilt is made with scissor-cut designs that are then precision-cut into 11" squares. The fabrics are an assortment of handprinted, hand-dyed, global and recycled cottons.

baby quilt series: no. 4

2009-08-19T23:26:00.000-07:00

Goldilocks Baby, 2009, 34" x 43"
COLLECTION OF MEGUMI KANZAKI

This baby quilt is made with three different hand-dyed fabrics and a vintage print of the three bears in their woodland home. Scissor-cut, the pastel marbling is stitched-in-the-ditch.

The story square is hand-stitched all over—with the handiwork completed on airplanes to and from Ohio.

the hocking hills of ohio

2009-08-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

Dairy Barn, Athens OH

Maurine Noble and I jetted to Ohio on Friday for a weekend of quilting adventures. We stayed in Connie Davidson’s new remodeled B& B in Millfield, filled with charming quilts.

On Saturday we toured the 2009 Quilt National show at the Dairy Barn. After reviewing half of the 87 winners in two hours, we took a cafe break, and went back to check out the rest. I bought the show book to remember all the incredible compositions.

Monday was another day of treats. At Lunn Fabrics Studio in Lancaster, I met Debra Lunn and Michael Mrowka. These hippy artisans, with long careers in fabric design, are leading the batik division of Kaufman. Maurine and I were able to buy some of their prototypes from Java by the pound.

Another stop was at Nancy Crow’s farm outside Baltimore. John Stitzlein, Nancy’s husband, took us on a tour of the teaching barn as well as a peek into the family home—with its global art collections. Great trip!

lap quilt series: no. 7

2009-07-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

Calico Comfort, 2009, 43" x 63"
COLLECTION OF SARAH FAIGIN

Almost all the fabrics in this lap quilt are vintage calicos. Two exceptions are the pink stripes and the botanical print—both on white. These fabrics create contrast in the expanse of small prints.

Although the geometric design looks precise, the pieces are scissor-cut and unmeasured. Extra strips of fabric have been inserted into the design to make the rows of framed squares the same length.

insect pin cushion

2009-07-13T23:19:00.000-07:00

Insecta porcupina, 2009, 8.5" x 6"
COLLECTION OF HANNAH MAE COX

This month’s Art Chix theme was “Insects As Weapons.” I was inspired by Shannon in my quilting group who made two pin cushions in the last month—an apple and a pear. I decided to make an insect pin cushion for the assignment.

Everything about making this mini-beast was new. I tried different leg designs and after three hours settled on little stuffed appendages. I made the antennae twice, finding the first set was too heavy.

Bamboo batting was my choice for filling. It was incredibly satisfying to stuff the fabric form. At that moment, the character sprang to life.

Art Chix enthusiastically embraced this little guy. To see the rest of our group’s projects visit: 8artchix.blogspot.com.

lap quilt series: no. 4, entry 2

2009-07-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

River of Life, 2009, 42" x 62"
PURCHASED BY MARY GOLDERSON FOR HER NIECE

After many months of hand quilting, this project is complete. There is hand stitching around the fish and throughout the broad bands of solid color. There is machine stitching-in-the-ditch around the Chinese Coins and between the fabric bands. The pieces are all scissor cut with no measuring to create a more naive look. The finishing details include an organic beige cotton for the backing and a 1" binding.

The inspiration for the quilt came from the fish fabric that Maurine Noble brought back from South Africa two decades ago. I just couldn’t cut up the gorgeous pattern, so I used it in very large pieces.

jane’s modern quilt

2009-06-21T08:24:00.000-07:00

Lap Quilt by Jane Belyea, 2009

When I visited my 82-year old mom in Victoria in May, we treasured hunted at local thrift stores for quilting fabrics. We used the “crease test” to check the cotton content—if we pinch pressed a fabric and it held a crisp crease, it was cotton.

For $4.00 CDN Mum picked up some boldly printed cotton with pink, teal, yellow and blue throughout. Here is the mid-sized quilt that she made with her bargain fabric. My dad likes the quilt so much that he made her agree to not give it away (which she does with all her wonderful quilts!).

lap quilt series: no. 6

2009-06-15T23:12:00.000-07:00

Elusive Wisdom, 2009, 43" x 62"
COLLECTION OF SHUNA & GEORGE CERRATO

Here is my hand-dyed fabric in action. Creating the mottled fabric, curved piecing, stenciled oil stick artwork and overly wavy edges were all new for me. There is a sense of risk in trying different techniques. No peril of course, but it is engaging and exciting.

The lap quilt debuted at this month’s Art Chix gathering. Presented for the theme, Dirty Laundry, the imperfectly dyed fabric reminds me of soiled and stained cloth.

the send-off quilt

2009-06-07T15:31:00.000-07:00

Crow Barn Quilt, 2009, 70" x 44"
COLLECTION OF MIKE GORE

Heading off to college evokes feelings of high hopes and adventuresome expectations. To remind Plymouth’s high school seniors of their spiritual home, our church sends them off with a comfort quilt made by the Piece Makers.

For the 15 graduating seniors, our busy quilting group produced 18 quilts this year. The three extra quilts were given to the Plymouth Healing Communities ministry.

My quilt is actually the work of three Plymouth women. Maurine Noble made the central black and white sections at a week-long Nancy Crow workshop. I designed the quilt top with scrap fabrics and did all the finishing. And Susan Jones did the bulk of the hand stitching.

The recipient, Michael Gore, is the son of a leading Plymouth family. Mike’s a bright young man with leadership abilities, public speaking ease and a witty sense of humor who loves to race bicycles.

baby quilt series: no. 3

2009-05-11T22:16:00.000-07:00

Hello Bunnies, 2009, 34" x 40"
COLLECTION OF JANET SAULSBURY

Made with 15" wide cotton that I bought in Tokyo at New Year’s, this baby quilt is scissor-cut and machine quilted. The top is made with big pattern blocks while the back has solo bunnies, fancy-cut, in a central sashed composition.

In retrospect, I should have made the back the top, and vice versa. The delight of the little bunnies and the bright pink with the mottled gray on the back is the more exciting side.

lap quilt series: no. 5

2009-05-06T23:02:00.000-07:00

African Night & Day, 2009, 42" x 60"
COLLECTION OF JANET LANE

High contrast: black top on white back. The front is made with Dutch wax-resist fabrics from Vlisco and Woodin. The back is a silk-screened tablecloth from South Africa. The hand of all the fabrics is crisp and cool.

Although I scissor-cut the pieces, the final look is quite precise. This is because I could cut along the graphic patterns of the fabrics with the black backgrounds. The quilting includes mostly stitch-in-the-ditch with some hand stitching.

The fabrics were brought back from Africa by Maurine Noble when she taught quilting classes there.

in search of imperfection

2009-05-04T09:05:00.000-07:00

Connie Colton is the force behind the Quilt Qua website.

This article by me was posted on QuiltQua.com today under: Articles.

In the Fall of 2007 I saw two quilts shows in Tacoma. I drove down I-5 from Seattle to view the internationally acclaimed Gee’s Bend quilts at TAM (Tacoma Art Museum). Then I walked a block to the Washington State History Museum to see a show of contemporary quilt art.

At TAM, I paid my money and went straight upstairs to the Gee’s Bend exhibit. The show spanned early quilts to ones that had been made in the last decade. The most graphic of the quilts were my favorites. I was surprised that the craftsmanship of the quilts hadn't improved much over the years. Some of the newest ones were just as slipshod as the vintage examples— with sloppy stitching and bulky seams.

Down at the History Museum, I was wowed. The contemporary quilts were exceptional in all ways. I liked the innovative use of colors, shapes and finishes. In fact, I was so inspired that I went home and immediately mimicked one of the patterns for a pillow top.

Not being impressed by the Gee’s Bend show troubled me. If everyone else was gaga about the work, I needed to give it more consideration. I decided that the exhibit had given me a gift—permission to be as messy as I wanted with my quilts.

I’ve taken this signal to heart personally. In the last year I have abandoned my rotary cutter. Instead I cut my fabric with scissors, sometimes merrily whacking away. I piece randomly. I want to sew fabric together until I know I am done—like Jackson Pollock who threw paint on his canvas.

There is real excitement in approaching a quilt project with a vision instead of a pattern. I often think for a long time about the fabric before I make my first cut. Other times I get experimental and just want to see what will happen when I start piecing willy nilly.

The acceptance of imperfection pleases me. It allows me to appreciate anything that I create. “Keep moving forward” I say to myself instead of being overly critical of my work. I am not perfect and neither are my quilts these days.

chard, kale and mustard leaves

2009-04-23T19:04:00.000-07:00

Vegetable Leaf Table Topper, 2009, 13" x 36"
COLLECTION OF GRACE LYNCH

This lap project has accompanied me on many excursions since the holidays. Last weekend I finished up the hand stitching on the Clipper, coming home from a weekend in Victoria with my parents.

All the piecing is scissor-cut. I like the organic look that comes from the non-precise shapes.

To finish this project, I need to hem 20 dinner-sized napkins that are in the turquoise- and wine-colored vegetable leaf fabrics. Then I will ship the runner and napkin set to Grace Lynch in New Jersey—the guardian angel of my daughter, Victoria, at CIA . Grace has a humongous collection of Portuguese cabbage leaf china that she uses at family gatherings.

The ceramic dachshund was made for me by my daughter Vik in a high school art class.

the stash

2009-04-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

In D. Lisa West’s basement, we rinsed our dyed squares in her laundry sink and fixed the colors in two plastic bins. Then we ran all the fabric through the washer for a final rinse and the dryer for a light fluff. Two and a half hours later all the swatches were ironed.

Somehow we did not create any chocolate brown cloth. I thought that when we experimented with three or more dyes, we would make mud. Generally our fabric is bright, mottled and very appealing.

baby quilt series: no. 2

2009-04-03T23:22:00.000-07:00

New Day, 2009, 39" x 44" front+back
COLLECTION OF LESLIE ROSS

For Art Chix this week, I debuted my latest baby quilt. The theme for the meeting was “Illumination.” With a pink sun and an early morning song bird, my piece expresses the joy of each new day.

The fresh blue and white fabrics are interspersed with unusual choices such a painterly pattern, and marbled and hand-dyed fabrics. Scissor-cut and randomly pieced, the quilt is machine stitched-in-the-ditch.

dyeing workshop

2009-03-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

I spent today at Karen Williams and Leah Kaufman’s art studio, dyeing 30 fat quarters of cotton. We started by creating a series of tints and shades. Then we mixed secondary colors with two dyes. Our final lesson was creating complimentary color mixes.

Was it easy? Yes, because Karen had everything set up and showed us exactly how to get known results. She is like a scientist who has tried and recorded every color combination.

The day ended with experimental dyeing. In 24 hours I will see what I have created. That’s when I’ll rinse out my wads of damp fabric, set the colors, and iron my dyed cotton squares.

Karen Williams is a mixed media artist whose work revolves around fabrics, beads and thread. You can learn more about Karen and her art at skunkhillstudio.com.

march piece makers

2009-03-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

African Night & Day, 2009, in progress

Ten ladies came to this month’s Plymouth Piece Makers meeting! That is pretty remarkable because when I first joined, three to six would gather for a “show and tell.” One time there were only two of us.

Our group is finishing up our annual assignment of making quilts for graduating high school seniors heading off to college and such. This year there are 16 students—five girls, ten boys and one transgendered youth.

At the meeting, three more quilts were added to our Youth Forum stash. We’ll make the goal handsomely with all the talent and energy of our burgeoning group.

youth reigns supreme

2009-03-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

Prince William’s Kichaka, 2009, in process

My 18-year old daughter, Vik, has trumped me in the quilting arena. That is, with two artist friends Max Woodring and Ana Kochetova—who created the black and white animal squares.

The recipient of the quilt will be the new baby son of Olivia Britt, an art administrator at Gage Academy of Art. Olivia leads the teen art programs at Gage—where Max, Anna and Vik have all been Teacher Assistants.

Vik plans to hand stitch the quilt with orange thread to match the orange flannel backing, except around the animals—where she’ll use black thread just inside the edge of each shape.

oil sticks and freezer paper!

2009-03-01T21:41:00.000-08:00

Owlet Artwork and Textured Surface

I headed to SODO today to check out the new studio space of Leah Kaufman and Karen Williams. The Studio Warming event was very different than I expected.

Instead of showing off their artwork, Leah and Karen invited me to use some of their tools and supplies—to learn something new. Karen creates advanced fiber art. I was intrigued by her colorful stencil work.

Next thing I knew, I was cutting out a freezer paper stencil and ironing it to a piece of black cotton. Then I used yellow and orange oil sticks to apply color over a piece of textured string fabric.

The whole exercise was mind-blowing. I can imagine all the ways I can add oil stick artwork to fabric for my own quilt projects!

lap quilt series: no. 4

2009-02-21T20:37:00.000-08:00

River of Life, 2009, in process

The theme for this month’s Art Chix was “Women’s Work.” I chose to show a lap quilt that I hadn’t quite completed to demonstrate that “a woman’s work is never done.”

African fish swim across the main fabric, with coordinating solids on either side. Because I chose to hand-stitch around each fish, I do not see an end in sight anytime soon. There is additional wavy hand stitching in the wide fabrics on either end.

baby quilt series: no. 1

2009-02-09T21:48:00.000-08:00

In The Beginning, 2009, 35" x 46"
COLLECTION OF ROSANNE OLSON

Made with Marcus Brothers designer fabric, this baby quilt is scissor-cut and machine stitched. Although any color goes well with black and white, butter yellow seemed like a perfect compliment.

The backing, more of the same swirly fabric, gains an additional pattern with graphic in-the-ditch stitching. In total, just under 4 yards of the main fabric were used to complete the quilt.

adopt-a-project

2009-01-24T13:00:00.001-08:00

Ragamuffin, 2009, 33" x 39"
GIFTED TO MICHELLE FARRIS

Pat Brim-Williams abandoned a series of 4" squares—checkered fabrics in bright red, green, purple and gold—that she had sewn together in long strips. Being allergic to 4" squares, I snipped the strips apart. Without a straight edge or measurements, I cut the fabric into smaller pieces and stitched everything together in a folksy, asymetric pattern.

The baby boy blanket is finished with hand stitching and backed by a red organic cotton. The 1/4" binding is mostly a purple check with insets of contrast fabric.

celebration of creativity

2009-01-14T20:59:00.000-08:00

Harriet Naf—our sign maker, me and Priscilla Orr

Last Sunday morning, the Piecemakers brought quilts and racks to Plymouth Church to share our artistic endeavors. The Lounge was also filled with paintings and drawings, photography, sculptures, even a floral display—to celebrate the creativity of our congregation. And during the service, there was a remarkable performance of the one-act opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors.”

I must say that our colorful and crafted quilts, over 25 in all, made quite a splash for everyone to enjoy.

finally finished

2009-01-04T17:46:00.000-08:00

Folk Baby, 2008, 38" x 33"
GIFTED TO OLIVIA DUNHAM

The top of this quilt is made with just seven strips of fabric. The piecing took about twenty minutes to cut and sew, and the hand stitching about 55 hours—over a five-month period.

Minimal piecing, maximum stitching. I chose this approach because the boxy patterns of the central fabrics, including one by Nancy Crow, already looked like little quilts.

The recipient of this quilt is Liz Holland, the soon-to-be mother of a little baby girl.

okadaya, tokyo

2008-12-31T05:49:00.000-08:00

Japanese Narrow Goods

Yesterday I made it to Okadaya, a five-storey fabric store across from the East exit of the Shinjuku train station. I had a 35-minute window of time before I needed to regroup with my family and head back to our apartment in Nakano.

I walked up the stairs to check out the merchandise on each floor. If I had known in advance that all the quilting (pronounced "kilting" in Japan) fabrics were on the first floor, I could have saved ten precious minutes. There were elaborate Liberty of London cottons, Michael Miller and other American designer fabrics, and cutesy Japanese novelty prints galore.

My big find was a collection of narrow cottons (approximately 15 inches wide) that are hand-printed in only one or two colors. They took my fancy because their simple motifs looked genuinely Japanese. I bought 8 meters for 8,000 Yen each (approx. $9 US), plus a couple of remnants at a good discount. The cutter was very generous as he added about 3 inches to each meter, something that is never done at my local Seattle stores.

FYI: Be advised that there are two Okadaya stores within a half block of one another. The one for quilters has bins of fabric outside it.

quilting in japan

2008-12-26T13:31:00.000-08:00

Details of a Japanese quilt in “Path to Edo” at La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, Summer 2008

I am off to Tokyo for seven days to noodle around the big city and look for signs of Japanese quilts and their makers. I found another blog (goatinacoat@blogspot.com) that talked about different stores in the city to buy fabric, so that will help me out.

The Japanese, with their built-in meticulousness, are fabulous quilters. Although quilting may be considered an original American art form, the art/craft form translates well to the sensibilities and fabrics of the Japanese.

With my eyes open to all things quilted, this should be an exciting trip. Sayonara.

quilting weather

2008-12-21T13:04:00.001-08:00

Backyard, The Longest Night, 2008.

With two major snowstorms in four days and a third storm just beginning, Seattle is homebound. This is a great time to start a quilting project. Especially since I want a lap quilt to stitch during my upcoming one-week vacation.

I have pulled out some fabric to begin a runner for an East Coast friend, Grace Lynch. A key part of the piecing will be Martha Negley’s Vegetable Leaves fabric. I bought three yards of two color lines (with turquoise and cranberry backgrounds) to make 20 dinner napkins for Grace. Now with the scraps, I want to make an additional gift.

Grace has a remarkable collection of Majolican cabbage leaf china. She has upteen plates and bowls, and at least five big fat teapots with little rabbits peeking out from under the green leaves. The napkins and quilted table runner will hopefully be used when she hosts her big family gatherings.

an expectant great grandmother

2008-12-15T20:41:00.000-08:00

Cats for Liz’s Firstborn, 32 x 40 inches; Fish for Vik’s Firstborn, 33 x 41 inches

This past weekend I visited my mother and father in Victoria, BC. It was a fun weekend, made memorable by a blizzard that dropped five inches of snow in a city devoid of plows.

My mother, Jane, is a happy quilter. Her joy is making baby quilts with bright colors and novelty fabrics. Only one of her grandchildren has produced offspring, but that doesn’t stop Jane from believing there are many more to come.

She sent me home with a wonderful quilt for each of my daughters’ firstborns, even though my girls are just single college students right now.

the loaner

2008-12-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

Before Maurine Noble migrated to the sunny climes of California for the winter, she lent me her second Bernina. It’s a 20-year old baby that her guests from afar use when they visit her home. What a thoughtful hostess!

The afternoon of the hand-off, Maurine took time to show me all the features that make a Bernina the perfect machine for quilters. With the two-task foot pedal, knee bar and stitch memory, I had a brain-opening lesson.

This weekend I have used it for the first time to piece a baby quilt for a special newborn boy. The machine just purred as it stitched together the woven plaids and checks.

After story: At the end of the winter I bought the machine from Maurine. I couldn’t live without it.

lap quilt series: no. 3

2008-12-03T20:26:00.000-08:00

A Blanket for Babar, 2008, 44" x 59"
PURCHASED BY ANNA RHODES FOR HER GRAND NIECE

“An elephant in the room” is a problem that everyone knows well but no one talks about because it is taboo or embarrassing. That is the theme of this month’s Art Chix challenge.

What does a quilter do with such a project directive? My idea was to make a cover-up for the elephant so the difficult subject could be ignored a little longer.

This quilt is made with Indian batiks that I bought at Winmill Fabrics in Boston last spring. I scissor-cut the fabric without measuring so the design lines are softly irregular.

The center square of fabric is hand stitched around the flower pattern while the surrounding bands of fabric are machine stitched in-the-ditch. The binding is made up of leftover bits of fabric from the quilt top.

baby ezra's quilt

2008-11-25T18:28:00.000-08:00

Little Men, 2008, 38" x 42"
GIFTED TO EZRA COX

I finished Ezra’s quilt in the wee hours this morning. It is a design-as-you-go production which I started a few months ago with some scraps of Kaffe Fassett fabric.

Just before noon today I visited the new baby with his mom, Naomi Cox. Although Ezra slept through our sweet tea party, it was obvious he is a contented new being.

lap quilt series: no. 2

2008-11-23T00:05:00.001-08:00

Italian Rainbow, 2008, 45" x 53"
COLLECTION OF CHRISTINE CARLSON

The luscious multi-colored sateen fabric from Italy shouted to be noticed. "Use me, use me."

This quilt is loosely styled after a Gee’s Bend one, with scissor-cut top pieces and uneven sides.

my quilting rules

2008-11-15T16:39:00.000-08:00

Marbled Mania, in progress

I have only been quilting for 15 months but I have some rules I like to follow:

1. asymmetry I don't like making quilts with a repeated pattern, especially a symmetric one—as the eye only looks at one part of the design and then mentally finishes it.

2. express the fabric Instead of using published patterns, I like to have the fabric inspire the design of a quilt.

3. an unexpected element The addition of a non-matching fabric or an unusual detail adds delight to a quilt. Sometimes a fabric that would be considered “ugly” is the perfect touch.

for hannah mae

2008-11-09T09:13:00.000-08:00

Little Dutch Girl, 2008, 25" square
COLLECTION OF HANNAH MAE COX

For Naomi Cox’s daughter Hannah Mae, I whipped up this doll quilt. The self-imposed exercise was to make a quilted piece with only two fabrics. The pieces were all cut with scissors—purposely a little uneven in shape.

I wanted to create a completely naive feel—with the simplicity of the fabrics and the messy quality of the piecing design. I even trimmed the outside edge with scissors so the quilt is not quite square.

The final touch is a 1" wide binding. The fabric for this was cut 6" wide, on the bias. What a lot of fabric it takes to make a wide binding!

lap quilt series: no. 1

2008-11-03T08:15:00.000-08:00

Dreaming in Russet, 2008, 60" x 42"
COLLECTION OF CINDY ANDERSON

I have just finished no. 1 of 10 in a series of lap quilts. My intent is to try different piecing and color combinations, essentially to sketch with fabric.

This quilt has wedge-shaped blocks in long strips with machine quilting in-the-ditch along each seam line. The printed fabrics are global, from Maurine Noble’s stash and scraps.

In the spring I plan to have an Open House to sell the collection, with the proceeds going to a worthy cause. If you read this blog and would like an invitation to the event, just let me know.

ruby’s daughter

2008-10-27T22:13:00.000-07:00

Our Piece Makers’ meeting this month was at Sarah Stine’s home. A stay-at-home mom, Sarah has an online fabric/pattern/accessory store in her basement for quilters. The bulk of her business is from eBay where her handle is Ruby’s Daughter.

After Story 1: Sarah has abandoned eBay and now sells her fabric and merchandise on Etsy under rubysdaughter.
After Story 2: Sarah opened a store in Magnolia named Fabric Crush.
After Story 3: Sarah secured space in the Wallingford Center and is moving her fabric store there in March 2010.

sans studio

2008-10-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

I don't have a quilting studio or special room for my obsession. Instead the borrowed Pfaff sewing machine sits at one end of my dining room table and my cutting surface at the other.

Being in the middle of everything suits me. My family is usually up to something in the adjacent living room and I am only steps away from the kitchen — which is handy for making tea or a meal.

Right now I am working for on a lap quilt with lots of browns and rusts. The whole composition looked lifeless until I added a bright color — a little accent of turquoise.

The pieces of fabric are lying across the floor between the dining and living rooms so I can get a sense of the color combinations. At times like this a studio with a design wall would be a lot more convenient!

dachshund circus quilt

2008-10-19T22:10:00.001-07:00

Dachshund Circus Quilt, 2008, 52" x 42"
GIFTED TO MADDY JOHNSON

The inspiration for the Dachshund Circus Quilt came from vintage fabric I bought in Astoria last January. With a turquoise background, the pattern includes a big top, freak show, balloon man and Ferris wheel.

The whole cloth quilt has an appliqued dachshund and big ball. I pieced the appliques with fun, bright fabrics. Maurine Noble helped me by satin stitching a pale yellow thread around the two shapes with her fancy Bernina sewing machine.

On my machine (a 20-year old borrowed Pfaff), I free-style stitched around all the circus elements in the background. It took almost 40 hours! Just trimming all the threads took another three hours.

My big learning with this project had to do with contrast. Due to its patterning, the dachshund applique did not show up well. I added an eye with a highlight and little black nose to make the colorful blob look more like a jumping dog!

The quilt now belongs to baby Maddy, the daughter of a designer at my workplace.

artist inspired

2008-10-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

Crow Barn Quilt, 75" x 52"

This month’s Art Chix theme was “Artist Inspired.” Our assignment was to create an art piece inspired by a well-known artist.

I chose quilting superstar Nancy Crow. Nancy has transformed quilting into a modern artform with her work exhibiting in high profile museums.

Partially finished with some hand stitching, my project was a twin-sized quilt. The three dramatic areas of black and white piecing in the center were created by Maurine Noble at a one-week workshop led by Nancy Crow. Maurine had tossed the class samples in her scrap bag and forgotten all about them.

I don't expect to finish this quilt until Spring. It will be given to a high school graduate at Plymouth Church. There are a lot of young men in this year’s senior class, so I assume this will be a big boy quilt.

imported from africa

2008-10-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

Out of Africa, 2007, 72" x 48"

I made this twin-bed quilt from fabrics that Maurine Noble bought home from a teaching gig in South Africa.

The top is very colorful with quilt-as-you-go horizontal strips. The back has a black-on-beige pattern in the center area and a beige/rust-on-black pattern on the sides. Lime green sashing connects the sandwiched and machine-quilted fabric.

Note how the 1/4 inch binding changes where the background fabrics meet.

little men

2008-09-26T20:15:00.001-07:00

(From top left, clock-wise) Hippy Man in a tie-dye shirt, Metronatural Man in a graphic shirt, Enviro Man all in green and Messy Man in work clothes.

I made Little Men for the baby boy quilt I am completing. The quilt is a design-as-I-go project and I wanted something simple for the four corners as the rest of the quilt is visually busy.

Each Little Man is made with 22 pieces! I had to count them to believe it.

The design is modified from a magazine photo of a folksy quilt. The historic-style quilt top was laden with little men, little women, a barn, some roosters and sheaths of wheat.

I like the idea of the baby boy one day realizing that his quilt has little men on it. And when that happens, he will be a little man himself!

chinese coins

2008-09-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

Batik Baby, 2007, 42" x 26"
GIFTED TO MIA AGUILAR

This is Quilt No. 3 for me. A sampler really, as it isn’t very big. The fabrics are from Maurine Noble’s bags of scraps. The inspiration was a set of pre-made squares I found in the collection of castaways—mauve triangles with coral heart-design batik triangles. I added some sashings of hand-dyed fabrics and a wrap-around border of random-width Chinese Coins to finish the quilt top.

I can’t find the origin of the name, Chinese Coins, anywhere. Instead I have found that there are other quilt patterns with similar names, such as Roman Coins and African Coins.

The quilt was machine-stitched “in the ditch” to make the triangles and Chinese Coins puff up. It was the first time I used Dorrit’s Pfaff with a running foot to stitch a quilt together with the batting.

Baby Aquilar is the recipient of this stroller-sized quilt. Her mother, Laura, worked at Belyea before getting pregnant, selling her condo and moving to Arizona. With only two week’s notice before her departure, the baby-to-be received an existing quilt instead of a new one made specially for her.

the careless quilter

2008-09-12T21:01:00.000-07:00

The idea of careless quilting is to “design as you go.” No pattern, no plan. It turns out that it is not as easy as it sounds.

In my piles, I had some Kaffe Fassett fabrics that intrigued me. Then I found some colorful bits that looked good with them and starting stitching pieces together. Pretty soon, everything was out of control.

I realized that I wasn’t going to be happy if I kept proceeding helter skelter. So I ripped my seams apart, gave some thought to what I wanted to accomplish and proceeded again.

You can see in the picture above that I made some notes to myself with a sketch. So far I have pieced together a 16-inch square. It will be the jewel-like center of a baby boy quilt.

I intend to make four more 16-inch squares that will become the corners. Then I will fill in the rest of the quilt top with Chinese Coins—strips of different fabrics in a random pattern.

Although I now have a concept, there are many decisions left—such as working out the fabric and color combination of the final parts. It is this type of challenge that confirms to me that quilt making is truly a creative activity.

baby ob’bayi’s quilt

2008-09-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

Indigo Baby, 2008, 42" square
GIFTED TO CHLOE OB’BAYI

In Africa, clothes dyed with indigo are a symbol of wealth. In Japan, indigo is the color of summer and is used to dye cotton cloth for lightweight kimonos known as yukatas.

In making a baby quilt for Heidi Ob’bayi, I chose a selection of indigo fabrics from around the world. The Japanese fabric honors the two years Heidi spent in Japan with the JET Program while the elephant fabric represents Kevin’s Kenyan heritage.

Today I gave Heidi her quilt at a lovely baby shower. Almost 50 guests attended the catered event at the PEMCO Home Office where the pile of presents was remarkable!

The quilt is hand-stitched vertically “in the ditch” with a little extra stitching around the elephants. The indigo blue and white fabrics are framed with a mustard and navy batik used for the binding.

marbled fabrics

2008-09-07T00:46:00.000-07:00

At The Beach, 2008, 37" x 13"

Through Piece Makers I took home a thick stack of marbled fabrics. Most of the pieces are a foot square and while many have matching dye colors, no two are alike.

Maurine Noble is the person who marbled the fabrics. When I asked her how many months it took her to dye them all, she said “One afternoon.”

The fabrics are truly inspirational. I used some of them in a table topper for an Art Chix project entitled “At the Beach.” I liked how the swirls in the marbled patterns reminded me of waves in the ocean. I made the edge of the runner wavy and cut the binding on the bias so it would stretch around the curved edges.

art chix

2008-08-26T22:58:00.000-07:00

Visionary Landscape, 2008, 40" x 14"

“Visionary Landscape” was the theme for last night’s Art Chix meeting. From our group of eight women, projects ranged from a 3-D photo with homemade 3-D glasses to monoprints to paintings to color photos to an unfinished quilted table topper by me.

Presenting a fabric piece was a bit of a stretch for the theme. I was working hard to complete the table topper and ran out of time to do something different. The whole-cloth runner is hand-stitched with a metallic thread and skinny hand-dyed silk ribbon.

One of my early ideas was to color and collage on top of a landscape blueprint. When I called my inside connection at an architectural/ environmental firm, I couldn’t get a drawing. That squashed that concept instantly.

I had a few other ideas but none of them inspired me much. Just maybe my desire to spend my free time quilting overcame all other creative urges. And can’t an intriguing runner transform the landscape of a mere table?

piece makers

2008-08-19T22:34:00.001-07:00

The Plymouth Piece Makers met at my home tonight. The ministry team, founded by Maurine Noble, is nine years old. Our small group makes quilts for babies being born into the church, youth who are graduating from high school and companions for Plymouth Healing Communities. This evening seven of us gathered to chat about our favorite activity and show our recent projects.