Yes, It Can!

I can rise to a challenge, particularly and most especially when I am told that it can't be done. When visiting a precious vendor booth at MidAtlantic Quilt Festival I saw a small wall hanging displayed, it was called "Courtyard Garden" and the star units were made up from diamond and kite shaped pieces. I fell in love with it at first sight and inquired about the pattern. I was told that it was pieced by hand, the English paper piecing method and that they sold the papers to make it in the booth. I wasn't interested in EPP, but I did want to make one! They girls who worked in the booth were super sweet and explained that it couldn't be pieced any other way. Really? I had other ideas.

After I returned home this little quilt was on my mind. I drafted the pattern and made templates which I drew around, marking my seam line and adding seam allowances and, s-l-o-w-l-y started stitching them together by machine, dropping the needle and pivoting where necessary to set in each shape. I pressed the seams open and... voila! My idea was to combine strawberry fabrics (!) to make a small table topper for the kitchen. I did buy some items at the booth, a yard of luxuriously soft double gauze fabric (shown below) for the back of this table topper, and a few other pieces. I really did enjoy visiting with the booth owner, I loved her quilts, she had a knack for combining vintage-style fabrics into beautiful finished pieces! But I know there's more than one way to tackle things. I admire all those EPP hexie quilts as much as anyone, but I know myself and I am NOT going to wrestle with all those little papers!!

I am thankful that when I learned to quilt, back in 1983, I had a teacher who taught every aspect of quilt construction. As a result of that instruction I understand the relationship between a seam and the necessary allowance, I can draft a block and I am unafraid to try even if I make mistakes along the way. But, one of the most important things that I ever learned from my dear friend, Ann, is that there's MORE THAN ONE WAY to do almost everything! I have always appreciated teachers along the way who say: "this is the way that I do it" or, "this is what works for me", understanding that we all find our own way to get the job done. 

After I got four stars together I didn't like the setting fabric at all: the gray grunge shown at the top of this post. As one sews, so shall she rip! I removed the gray and settled on a piece of Essex linen blend fabric in a color called "Limestone" from a Kaufman color chart that I have; I believe it will be neutral enough to fade away in the background where it should be, but in a soft shade that ties everything together nicely, we'll see. Wish me luck, I'm restarting. Just don't tell me that it can't be done! 😉 

Life is Good!

Pulling It Together

Pattern is from the book "S is for Stitch"  ~ 34.5" X 39"

Last week I found the perfect border piece for this embroidered "quiltlet", I believe this color helps to pull it together. I also found, what I consider to be, the most ideal backing piece as well, a precious floral that picks up the colors from the front (left, photos below). I need for scrappy, multi-fabric pieces to be controlled and cohesive. This one is pulling together beautifully, at least it is to my eye. Yesterday afternoon I took  stole a bit of time and added the border, pressed the piece and hung it on a hanger, where it now has taken its rightful spot in the "to be quilted" queue. That brings up even more to think about. However will I quilt this one? I honestly don't know.

I don't believe that I want to quilt through the hand embroidered blocks at all. 

What would you do when faced with this quilting challenge? I am wide open to suggestions. I have a LOT of time to decide, I am counting on this little flimsy to wait patiently for its turn, there are a myriad of other tasks that require pulling together in the meantime. Stolen moments to stitch, however, provides much needed energy to this quiltophile!

Life is Good!

Running In Circles

Years ago I had a friend who would say she was running so fast she had to run in circles to keep from taking off. That's the way I have felt lately, simply trying to stay abreast of my day-to-day activities as well as catch up with all of those back-burnered projects from last year. The Quilty 365 is one of those, being sufficiently inspired to join the group, albeit late, it's one more commitment that I will honor for 2017; even if I have to swim hard, upstream, to get there. Finishing December's circles is a big hurdle along the way. I am hand appliquéing mine, I love the process. I did have an inquiry as to the method of preparation that I use to accomplish these. This post will attempt to explain; I am sure everyone has their own preferred method, this just happens to be mine. I have cut my background squares 4.5". I am using a 3.25" diameter circle from Karen Kay Buckley's Bigger Perfect Circles pack. These are heat-resistant mylar and, as the product name implies, PERFECT every. single. time. My preparation method is adapted from the instructions that come with the packaging of this product.

The first step is drawing around the circle onto the back of my chosen piece of fabric for that day.

I then cut out around the drawn outline, leaving approximately a 3/8" seam allowance.

From there I place, by hand, a loose running stitch inside that seam allowance using a doubled thread.

Centering the mylar circle back inside the fabric, lining the edges with the drawn outline inside, I draw up the threads tightly against the edge of the Perfect Circle and knot the gathering threads. 

From there I take the circle to a towel-covered (to protect your ironing surface) ironing board. I "paint" a small section of the circle edge with a small brush and spray starch which I have squirted into the cap for this purpose.

I then use my dry iron to apply heat to that section to dry it. From there I work my way, with the iron, around the entire circle. If any "points" occur from pleats, this is the time to correct that; using the tip of the iron against the dampened fabric edge, smooth the fabric back into position using the mylar circle as reinforcement. Hold the iron there a few seconds longer if need be. Once the circle has been starched, pressed and dried I flip it over and give it an additional press on the front before taking it to my work table where I let it "set" for an hour or so. I do each circle the same way. Don't skip the "setting" period. Believe me, that hour or more is a valuable investment in all your preparation time! You don't want a less than dry circle springing out of shape. Ask me how I know. 

After the circles have "set" and are completely and totally dry, I snip the gathering threads on the back and gently slip out the mylar circle. These circles can be used over and over and over again!

The last step of prep before hand appliqué is to center the circle on the background. I measure each and every time. My circles need to sit 5/8" on each side from the cut background edge. I use a very small amount of washable glue from a gluestick to hold the circle in the center and hand baste along the edge into position. From this step I can stack up my blocks and place them next to my chair for the evening, with any matching thread colors that I need, where I will relax with hand work while watching TV. I hope you have found this helpful and will enjoy the process as much as I do. It's a good thing too; I have 314 more to go!

Life is Good!

Challenging Myself... Reaching New Heights!

I spent this past weekend in the mountains of North Carolina with our daughter and approximately 120 other women, sisters in faith. We studied God's word together, prayed together, ate together, played games and explored nature together and, above all, learned to trust in God's promise together, as women have done since Old Testamant times.  The recurring theme of the weekend was trust; how we can apply that trust to our decision making processes, to the risks we face and to the challenges we rise up to meet... our own, personal, leaps of faith! The building where we met is equipped with a climbing wall. We were offered the opportunity on Saturday afternoon to sign up for a climbing session, to challenge ourselves and trust in what was being provided for us. I like a challenge. And yet... I wasn't entirely sure if this was something I could do. I weighed my options, all the while reflecting on what we were learning through the decision making process based on the teaching of St. Ignatius. I identified my fears and opened myself up to what was new, what challenged me as a child of God to look beyond my own personal agenda and desires. I decided to leap... to reach beyond self-imposed limits and open myself up to trust. I said a prayer and donned a climbing helmet.
The climb was hard work, strenuous (for me); it's difficult to know where to step and where to grab for pulling up. I was totally reliant on my belayer below to give me cues: "reach up with your right hand for the yellow", even though I was right there on the wall my focus was fully about holding on! Isn't this how our God operates when we place our trust in Him? He will guide our steps, our every hand-hold, if only we will open our ears to listen for, and have faith in, His word.

Even though I  broke loose from the hand holds and swung free numerous times, I didn't give up; I did come close though. The good news is that I was continually encouraged to keep on... to grab again, to pull up, to "frog up" with my legs, to keep going. Here I am reaching out for the topmost grab on the wall. This was an exhilerating experience! I will think about this challenge for a long time to come. How much easier it would have been to give up and how happy I am that I didn't. God continues to place challenges before me... how much easier is it to stay within my own comfort zone? What do I risk, how much do I miss, by setting limitations? A lot! This climbing wall showed me the way to rethink the choices before me. "Every choice we make, no matter how small, is an opportunity to align ourselves with God's will."  What new heights are awaiting you?

Life is Good!

T.H.I.N.K.

My latest challenge... T.H.I.N.K about it~
Life is Good!

Added Dimension...

"It's The Journey"

Over the past week or so I've been adding dimension, in the form of quilted texture, to "It's The Journey".  You will remember this quilt as a long-running border challenge project, I posted about it here back in July.  Just as in the original challenge, I have been flying by the seat of my pants when it comes to quilting this one, coming up with each element as I go along. I have enjoyed every, single, step of this journey toward completion; the quilting is no exception to that!  Some continuous curves seem to play nicely off the squares-in squares and, of course, there are feathers (my new favorite thing to quilt!) in the more open border areas.

Some feather-like shapes and curly-cues fill in the flying geese areas nicely.

I've added more feathers in the central portion of this quilt in the Winding Ways blocks, and plan to mimic the identical border treatments as I progress outward to the opposite borders. Snowbird and I have become a good team, breathing life into this quilt as we go along, by adding some exciting dimension to an otherwise flat surface... it's all good.

Life is Good!

Hop Around The World...

Last week Quiltdivajulie posted during the "Around The World Blog Hop Tour" and invited me to follow her lead. I was thrilled to be asked! I always enjoy learning more about the people behind the blogs, who they are and what creative process they use that makes them, and their quilts, distinctive and unique.  

I blog under the name Mrs. Goodneedle and have done so for the last eight years; I share quilts and other sewing projects as well as my life, family and faith stories on an almost-daily basis.

I have been a quiltmaker since 1983, my first project was a sampler quilt done by the lap-quilting method (made popular by Georgia Bonesteel) it was hand quilted and took two years to complete! I gave that quilt to my then 5 year old son who proclaimed that sleeping under it was "like being covered with love". That was all the encouragement I needed and have never looked back! Quiltmaking is my life; I love every aspect of the process.

I am married to my high school sweetheart, have been for 39+ years; we have two children, an awesome son-in-law and daughter-in-law, and four remarkable grandchildren. Life is good, as I state at the end of every blog post; it really, truly, is!

Now, on to the Q&A format:

"Adding Curves" ~ Setting and blocks-of-the-month currently on the design wall.

What am I currently working on?  I am not any different from most quilters that I know, I'm never only working on one thing at a time! But, the blocks above (and layout diagram) are currently what's on the design wall. I am also working on a few other projects simultaneously as well as quilting yet another small quilt on the longarm at the present time. I enjoy challenges, and the piecing on this one is no exception to that statement. Since the blocks from these recent workshops are totally composed from squares and rectangles I thought that adding curves (hence, the quilt's name) might prove interesting to the overall appearance of the quilt. While designing settings I am also thinking ahead the whole time to how this might be quilted, adding yet another dimension to the whole. I believe the secondary circles that are created by this setting will provide a nice canvas for some pretty quilting to set off those emerging shapes. 

Templates and tools for cutting the alternate Orange Peel blocks for setting "Adding Curves".

I'm not afraid of templates when it comes to piecing; since I've been a quilter for a very long time, this was the foundation that my quilting skills were built upon. I use every tool in the toolbox and sometimes going back to basics is exactly what it takes!

"Adding Angles"  ~ This is the sister quilt to "Adding Curves"; same blocks, different colors and setting.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?  I'm not really sure that it does. I am greatly inspired, and no doubt influenced, by the works of others.  I tend toward details; those little "extras" that add a pop of color or an unexpected touch, to make my work my own.  I will add piping to almost any binding at the drop of a hat! I always joke that I can turn any project into a career move. Since I've already admitted that my first quilt took two years to complete, it's safe to say that I am not a fast quilter by any stretch to the imagination. I work slowly, and listen to my heart; I make quilts to satisfy my own creative desires.

"Swiss Baskets" begun in 1999 and only recently completed. The design, quilting and piping make it one of a kind. The finished quilt can be viewed here.  

Why do I create what I do?  I believe that each and every quilt is a culmination of where I am, and what I've learned, at this point in time.  Could I have completed the quilt above sooner? Of course! Would it look like it does now? Absolutely not! Why not? Because I didn't have the skills in 1999 to see this one through in the manner it is finished today. Does that matter? Probably not; but who's to say?  I love to learn new things.  I have a huge queue of quilt tops waiting to be quilted... as I test my wings and learn techniques to improve my own quilting stitches I am happy to have those tops to practice upon. I create quilts to experiment and try out the latest tricks from the classes that I've taken, or from the books that I've read. If the quilts aren't used or displayed in our home they're given away as gifts, every quilt has a home. 

"Feathered Friends" this small quilt is benefitting from quilted feather techniques learned in a class that I took  this past summer.

Six inch blocks from "The Quilt Block Bible", writing up cutting directions for these is a current obsession.

Recently I was drawn to the 202 blocks, and this book, by Rosemary Youngs.  The book is a lovely composition of photographs and line drawings, there are no instructions for cutting and piecing the blocks. I have enlisted my best friend, and quilting buddy, to help me out. We have divided the book in half and are each writing directions, and piecing blocks, as we go along. I am drawing from a stash of accumulated scraps and going for a very traditional scrappy look; this is also a perfect opportunity to employ all of those specialty rulers that I have purchased over the years, precision piecing is my goal and I won't settle for less than perfect points and corners, this self-imposed challenge is both demanding and satisfying at the same time. 

How does my creative process work?  I jot down ideas as they come to me, sometimes it's a phrase or a quote; sometimes it's a color combination or even a happy memory that bubbles to the surface... I make a lot of notes when I am creating. My go-to design tool is EQ7. I can audition my ideas using that software program and, usually, come up with a neat and tidy design plan that reflects my concept, interpreting my ideas into stitchable units.

"It's The Journey"  a challenge incorporating randomly drawn color and design elements to create a unique quilt.

This 49" X 61" wallhanging was designed entirely in EQ7.  As the design elements were revealed in an organized group challenge, components were changed and tweaked, meeting the new criteria at every step along the way. The path was never a clear one; the quote became as much a definition of the process as the challenge itself. It wasn't until the final border was added that I realized it never had been about the destination after all, it was about the journey all along; the creative process didn't let me down, but rather, documented my routing.

That's it for me. Now I would like to go on to introduce you to Laura, she'll be posting at Tanderwen Quilts next Monday, she's an amazing quilter possessing a very creative spirit; you will be in awe of her talent!  I have not been able to procure more participants for next week, as directed; they've either already been tagged, have already posted via this format or would rather not post at all, I am sorry about that. Laura will more than make up for it though, she is clever enough to be three bloggers in one; you'll see what I mean.

Laura and her incredibly detailed whole cloth quilt, "Atlantis",  juried into the AQS show in Charlotte.

Life is Good!

"It's The Journey"

"It's The Journey" ~ 49" X 61"

After months of deliberation "It's The Journey" has become a full-fledged flimsy; and a life lesson! What started out as the ultimate LQS border challenge has resulted in a well defined wall hanging that has named itself... and taught me a lot along the way. Let me recap the process that brought this quilt top into existence. Back in January I posted here about the project and showed my progress to date. At that time I decided to name this one "The Long and Winding Road"; I was naive enough back then to think I knew, sort of, where this might be headed and that I might have a bit of control!  By the end of January, with the selection of the third border (squares) and color (brown) I was flummoxed and desperate for help; I posted that plea here. By now I was referring to this project as "Destination: Unknown" which it remained until only recently.  By early May I was propelling this along by changing things up, cutting corners, and adding appliqué. Eventually, the outer black seemed necessary to rein it all in and keep the center contained. The final design elements selected, at the end of May, were appliqué and the color(s) red, yellow and/or blue. I machine appliquéd the words, they became the best definition for what this entire challenge represented. Suddenly it all became crystal clear to this quiltmaker: it never had been about the destination at all, but rather, the journey.  Given the chance I'd set out all over again on another one; I'm grateful for the challenge.

Life is Good!

It's the Journey

Yesterday afternoon the "Head For The Border" challenge group met for show and tell and to select the final border elements. Applique and either the color red, yellow or blue were selected. I am going to incorporate all of the above using a quote I found in a "Pillow Sayings" book that describes, perfectly, everything about this journey.  My applique will be letters and done by machine, the color choices will be within the lettering. We'll gather once more, as a group, for the grand finale and a meal together at the end of August. I cannot remember a better challenge or one that's been as much fun. I am grateful for the organizers at my LQS who thought outside the box on this one and worked hard to encourage and support the participants every step along the way. And so... my plan, or roadmap, to get me to the goal:

"It's The Journey" ~ 47.5" X 59.5"

This poster-style quilt will eventually hang between the front windows in the studio
as an everyday reminder that life really is all about the journey, NOT the destination!

Life is Good!

More Challenges!

Just when I felt as though I was finding my way through the "Head For The Border" challenge I am confronted with another set of challenges in these blocks-of-the-month. These "only squares and rectangles" blocks are three quarters of the way complete, nine out of twelve in each of two colorways are pictured here. I have absolutely no idea how I will set them together. I find this side-by-side comparison interesting, the blocks look entirely different. I'll attend the next session at my LQS for block #10 tomorrow; my mind is racing with setting possibilities, it's not to early to start planning. What would you do if these blocks were yours?

Life is Good! 

Border Patrol

My EQ7 design for the center plus border #1

I'm headed for the border, don't try to stop me! There is an exciting new challenge before me; a Border Round Robin group has formed at  my LQS, they began meeting last month.

Piecing layout for Winding Ways block

Rather than this being a Round Robin that is passed from one participant to another, this is one where the quiltmaker works on their own piece the entire time. To begin, a center block was required to be anywhere between twelve and twenty inches square; I decided on a sixteen inch block composed from four, eight inch, Winding Ways blocks with bright, saturated colors (the "cure" for working on low volume quilts lately?) and white. Each month a design element and color choice are drawn randomly and those two components are required to be present in the next round. The first drawing yielded rectangles for the design element and the color black. I added a one one inch black and white border on all four sides. I will build off my saved EQ7 design each month as the new elemental requirements are revealed. Putting together the Winding Ways block proved to be as much of a challenge as anything else! I finally realized that if I put the top and bottom sections together first and then inserted the doggie-bone shaped unit as the final step it worked the best for accuracy.

My actual center block unit with border #1, rectangles and black, added.

As a common point of reference the entire class will be using this book.
We'll be combining our November and December classes to accomodate for the upcoming
 holidays; stay tuned for future installments. This run for the border group will meet 
until May of next year, by then I should reach the destination. Let's hope so. 
After all, I began this trek via the Winding Way; not a detour, just an alternate route!
Life is Good!