Shot Cotton Chevrons

Posted on August 22, 2012 by

One of my goals for 2012 was to produce “show quality” work.  I wish I could say that I’m there, but I’m not.  Angela Walters talked about Sue McCarty in one of her posts this week, and mentioned that Sue spent 850 hours on her latest show quilt.  I’ll never be at that level of work. But show quality to me just means that you’re ready for the world to see your work and judge it favorably– I’m not talking about show quality at the winning level.  So, even though I’m not ready, in the past year, I have had a few clients’ quilts in local shows.  Unfortunately, they weren’t quilts that I would have chosen to be the best representation of my work.  Yes, they were beautiful quilts, but, they weren’t quilts that I felt that my quilting brought them to that level where you stood back and really were intrigued by what I did to them.

So I decided that I needed to put a quilt out there that I thought showed what I can do and where I am right now because I’m afraid if I don’t force myself to enter a show, then I’ll sit here forever without putting my work out there.  I started by thinking about the very best quilting I’ve done.  I can feather.  Not elaborate feathers.  Not heirloom feathers.  Not Amish feathers.  Not even feathers with interesting spines.  Just some nice feathers.  So I decided to piece a quilt to show my feathers.  Meet the shot cotton feathered chevrons show quilt.

All the fabrics were shot cottons, my favorite solids right now.  Each chevron was quilted with a different thread color so that the thread didn’t become the focus.  As for the binding, I didn’t want it featured, so I wrapped it behind the quilt so that it wouldn’t show.  I used silk batting since this quilt wouldn’t be washed much and the drape was nice.

quilt binding

And check this out.  I entered it in the local New Braunfels Quilt Show and won second place in the wall quilt category!  I’m so honored because I truly did not think I would win anything.  The show is very traditional.  Most of the quilts have an amazing level of workmanship and this, quite frankly, just wasn’t a technical piece. But they liked it, and most importantly, I’m glad I took a risk and entered it.

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AMH Feathers

Posted on August 20, 2012 by

Anna Maria Horner is my favorite designer (tied with Tula, of course! Can I just say that I love them both equally?)  What I love about Anna Maria Horner is her ability to put a line of fabric together that works together but doesn’t look matchy matchy.  I love her Bohemian style in its entirety.

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My friend Jordan and I were waiting for her FREE feather pattern to become available, and when it did, we jumped on it.  Like pronto, y’all.  Have you seen it?  When I finally noticed it on Pinterest, we set up a sewing date the very next day.  And then I couldn’t stop until this became a quilt.

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This quilt is going to live with my friend Artist Steven Tilotta.  We’ve been friends since 7th grade when I threw frog guts on him in science class.  We became even better friends in 8th grade when he rode his bicycle to my house (crossing Beltway 8 in Houston!) with a Monopoly game strapped to the back of his bike.  And by 9th grade, luckily we were good enough friends for him to tell me I looked like a hot air balloon in my red MCHammer pants.  Thank goodness he told me before I wore them again and ended up in the yearbook. That’s friendship, guys.

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Steven is an artist, and I’m a collector of his work.  My favorite piece that I own is one that I call “Fury of the Catholics.”  (He calls it A Study in Red or something.)  He’s also created collage art for me with student essays, and collage art with some wine labels and classical sheet music (In our urban loft living days, we used to have wine parties and invite our piano playing friend to come play while we sat around pretending to be sophisticated.), and even some pencil drawings of Marilyn Monroe and Madonna (Steven, the early years!).  My favorite though, is a collage he did called Act 2.  (I’ll come back and hyperlink when I can find it!)  So, if you need art created, Steven is a versatile artist, and can do whatever you want– I’m sure of it.  Or if you need help bedazzling a Selena costume, call us.  We’ve done it before.  Like I said, very versatile.

Steven, I hope you love the quilt.  Love you, buddy!

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Summer Vegetables with Sausage Recipe

Posted on August 16, 2012 by

I love to cook.  Really, I love it.

So here’s a recommendation for you while we’re still in summer and squash is aplenty.  Grab your electric skillet, some zucchini, and get cooking.

Find the recipe here and be prepared to want to eat it everyday in the summer. Since I used my electric skillet, my kitchen didn’t heat up, which made this even better.  I used spicy Italian sausage instead of chicken sausage because that’s what I had unhand, but I otherwise followed the recipe.  Everyone in this house liked it, and that’s rare because Nacho Baby is a bit finicky.

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How to woo your longarmer

Posted on August 15, 2012 by

It’s always hard to offer advice to clients about piecing, which is something we see so intimately when quilting their quilts, which is why I keep my mouth shut regarding opportunities for improvement unless someone asks.  I mean, after all, I know what I need to do to improve (practice, practice, practice!), so please don’t think I’m coming from a judging place here.

But friends, if you want to woo your longarmer (and end up with a better result!), measure your borders.  Take a measurement from the center and the edges, and go with the median number.  Cut the borders that size and sew them (using pins).  Don’t just cut a long strip, sew until you get to the end, and then cut off the extra.  OR here’s what can happen…

All that fullness has to go somewhere!

I finally have a picture I can show you because one of my clients did not piece this.  It’s a rescued quilt top that she had me finish.  There are some cool vintage fabrics in the quilt, and the whole thing is hand pieced.  It’s just such a shame that the borders weren’t measured because that could have greatly reduced this fullness in the quilt.

As a longarmer, I do my best to cover up errors, but not all are able to be covered up.  With this one, I folded the excess, top stitched where the fabric met up again, and then quilted as if it never happened (with the excess hidden away).  My client then has the option of hand stitching where I topstitched and then seam ripping my stitch or she can leave it and just enjoy the quilt, which is probably what she’ll do.

This seems like such a little thing, but really, it makes a huge difference.  I have to work fullness into probably a third of the quilts that land on my frame, but luckily, it’s rarely to this extent.

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Audrey Pillow

Posted on August 14, 2012 by

All girls need a little Audrey in their lives.  And pink.  Yes, we all need pink.  It just makes us feel feminine and precious and lovely.  We also need Liberty of London.  Sometimes, on the best days, these worlds collide.

I fell in love with this pin and just had to make a pillow version to go with my quilt.  Although, in print, I think it works a little better– particularly when I put the fabrics together on the word “pink.”  Oh well.  It’s not like other people hang out in my bedroom reading my pillows.

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SAMQG Retreat Quilt Show

Posted on August 13, 2012 by

Yesterday I talked about my Echino Quilt.  Shortly after finishing my quilt, it was time for our annual spring SAMQG retreat.  We had a quilt show at the retreat.  All ladies decorated their beds (and some even decorated their nightstands– overachievers!!), and we did a walking tour of the quilts.  I highly recommend this as a retreat activity.  We made a rule that the quilts did not have to be made by the quilter herself, but they could be rescues, family quilts, or even store-bought.

I didn’t get pictures of all the quilts, and unfortunately, this was at night, so the lighting is terrible and hard to edit.  But I’ll show you a few.

First up is my quilt.  I put it with a Liberty of London pillow I made (come back tomorrow for detail shot), a Dresden cross-stitch my mom made me when I was in junior high, and the striped vintage sheet from my childhood, circa 1976. I still sleep with this pillow case every night, much to my husband’s dismay.

Next up is Loretta’s quilt.  Here’s how to tell if a quilt belongs to Loretta– if the Virgin Mary is in it and you are dying to take it home, Loretta made it.  I was honored to get to quilt this one, and how fun it was… until it came time to stitch on Baby Jesus’s Mama.  I just couldn’t stitch across her face.  Is this a Catholic thing, or have the rest of you experienced this, too?

Look at Sara with her Parisville quilt and throw pillows.  I was lucky enough to quilt this quilt, too.  I love Anna Maria Horner fabric.  I was inspired by the clamshell fabric, so I quilted freehand (aka “wonky”) clamshells in this.  It’s a super cuddly quilt.

And now for the winner.

This is actually the back of the quilt.  We know how much modern quilters love negative space, and this quilt goes to show it.  The background fabric is a shot cotton that really needs to be seen in person to appreciate the quilt.  I’m not usually into purple, but this quilt and this fabric is stunning.  It looks like organza.

The underside is lovely, too.  The intended top consists of 4 columns of strips of Kaffe Fassett-ish looking fabrics.  Totally delish.  Well done, Erica.

And in case you’re looking for something fun to do at your retreat, ask one of the local quilt store owners to stop by.  Meet Jessica of Remnants: Fiber [Culture] in Austin.

She brought fabric and patterns and all kinds of bundles of lovelies.  Go buy some fabric from her.  Shipping is free.  She’s worthy of your money, and her shop is where Austin Modern Quilt Guild meets.

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Echino Jackpot

Posted on August 12, 2012 by

One of my favorite people (the one I made this quilt for) happened to text me on his way to Japan.  ”I’m headed to Japan.  Do they have fabric there?  Want anything?”  Yes, I’m that lucky. Guess what arrived?

Seven. Meters. Of. Echino.

I about died.

Immediately, I knew I had to sew something, but I was bogged down with longarm deadlines and other obligations.  So I did what I had to do.  I put everything aside and allowed myself one day to play.  One whole glorious day to make stuff that I wasn’t getting paid to make.

Since I don’t spend a lot of time sewing for myself, I knew I had to make great progress so I did something simple.  I grabbed an armful of pink fabrics, pieced them together, and then quilted them infinity style.  And then I topstitched (with the longarm) bunting.

Of course, when I looked at the pictures (taken at the San Antonio Botanic Garden), I realized the rick rack was crooked as hell.  And that’s a darn shame because although I have ripped it out and restitched, it’s too hot to go take pics again.  If you haven’t experienced August in Texas, just don’t.  There’s nothing exciting about it.

I love this quilt.  My pink solid stash is depleted, but it was worth it.  Now I need to find a fun project for the rest of the Echino stash!

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