Making Lemonade

Making Lemonade

I intentionally cut these blocks too large because I didn't know how much the edges would unravel during the process of itajame. They didn't actually unravel much at all, so I had to trim each block. I thought I wasted a lot of fabric doing this, but as it turned out, I made lemonade from my lemons!

Blocks before trimming

Bucket of trimmings from the scraps

I pieced the scraps together.  (Yes, labor intensive!)

Added the pieced section to fabric to create a pillowcase to go with her quilt!

Repeating the process.  These are the trimmings from the pieced section of the pillowcase.  I have fused the back side of this odd assemblage, and will trim off the excess fusible with an exacto knife and scissors.

Making a small art quilt, to go with the pillowcase, to go with the quilt for her lovely walls.  All that's left to do is the quilting, that, and adding the flying cats across the top!  Stay tuned!

Artists' Garden

Artists' Garden
52" x 52"

Today's post is to announce that our group quilt, Artist's Garden, has been accepted into Quilts: A World of Beauty, IQA, Houston!  We are all so thrilled to have our work going to Houston!  It is such an honor to be juried into this prestigious show.  And we are also very proud of this quilt.   It is an uplifting experience to be a part of a collaborative project that comes together to produce something beautiful!

Connie Hudson dreamed up this project last fall. She took photos of flowers from a trip to Longwood Gardens in Philadelphia and sent them to each of the artists to interpret in their own way. The individual flower blocks come together to make a beautiful garden and the black garden trellis represents the way our group supports each other.  But what is most interesting is how uncanny it felt to be asked to participate in this group quilt and then receive the photo of the flower that Connie picked individually for each of us.  It was as if she saw our souls in that garden and knew the perfect flower for each of us.  


After making my block, which you may remember from my earlier post, here, I was thrilled to see the other wonderful blocks made by each artist, a number of which are in 3D!  Clockwise from upper left: Connie Hudson, Cindy Potter Henneke, Annie Smith, Sherri McCauley, Suzan Engler, Barb Forrister, Kathy York, Frances Holliday Alford; center: Leslie Jenison

High Rise

High Rise
50" x 33"

Oh, just so HAPPY to announce that my quilt, High Rise, has been accepted to IQA in Houston this fall!!

This quilt was a bit of a challenge for me, and no, not because of my bike wreck. It was mostly completed before that. It was a challenge because I tried some new techniques and because I did not plan the layout of the blocks. I tried to loosen up a bit and just try a random pulling of the blocks and laying them in order. I think I only rearranged about 4 blocks which is an amazing feat for me! Wow, I think I got really lucky because it just looks so great to me! I have had this up on my studio wall since last summer and have just enjoyed having it around so much. It is bright, and pretty, and peppy. I loved all the hand stitching too, it gives it such a great texture and warmth.
And a detail shot for you!

And for my followers you may remember my little tease, a photo of the back of this quilt, here?

And, I just got an email this morning that Interweave is offering a free downloadable book called Essential Embroidery Stitches which is featuring an article I wrote for Quilting Arts about satin stitch along with a number of other quilt artists and their stitching techniques. So, if you want to read more about it, you can follow the link, here!

Popular Quilt Published Again

Popular Quilt Published Again
So exciting! Or should I say Sew exciting!! My quilt, Little Cities, was selected as the Last Stitch for Quilt. I am delighted! It was a bit of a nice surprise because this quilt was made in 2003.  It is nice to know that it is still generating some interest.  I will be announcing another publication for Little Cities in the months to come as it will be included in a wonderful new book by Karey Bresenhan (I am waiting for the cover image).