Going to the Show!

Where the Walls Have Eyes is going to Quilt National 25! And I couldn't be happier!!

It is difficult to photograph a 3D art project.  I guess I did okay with these because the jurors liked them! A big thanks to Martha Sielman, Luke Haynes, and Ellen Blalock for their efforts in putting this exhibit together and including me in their decisions!

I have only been in Quilt National once before.  It was '09. That was quite the emotional experience for me. It validated my new identity as an artist. This time around was very different. It was also very emotional but for a different reason. My mother is no longer here to share the good news with, and it was the first thing I wanted to do, call her. 

Quilt National 25 opens in May of next year, but they need the works a long time before that. This is because they need to see the quilts up close and personal to award prizes. And normally for an exhibit, this is done after the exhibit is hung. However, Quilt National publishes a very nice hardback book of the exhibit, and they need the extra time to put the book together (with the prize winners), and you know, actually publish the book and print the copies. So shipping is very early. 

I did not waste any time! I knew it would be easy to get a box, because I have a fantastic box store near me with boxes in every size. The limiting problem was going to be the plastic bag. Quilts need to be shipped in plastic in case the box gets wet. And this cube was too large to fit in any plastic bags I could find, including XXL garbage bags. I could find big enough bags if I was willing to buy 100 of them (which I was not). So, I opted to build my own plastic covering.

I bought plastic sheeting from a local home improvement store. Cut it into pieces, and taped the pieces together into a tube.  Then I put my lovely cubic work inside, and basically wrapped it like a present! I taped the top and bottom ends, and it fit perfectly inside the box.  

The last piece was to "protect" the box with my hand drawn talisman. Voila! Done! And very happy that it has safely arrived at the Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, OH.

Helping out a friend

Helping out a friend.

I was ready to return to my work when I saw a request for help from a friend on Facebook.  I do not have any tight deadlines right now so I decided to volunteer my help.  She is having health problems and was unable to finish this quilt.  And, it had already been sold in a fundraiser many months ago.  I can't help Mary Ann's health, but I can quilt. 

Here is the completed quilt by Mary Ann Vaca-Lambert called Roadside Bluebonnets.  It is about 70" by 47".

I love the blue, it is intense! And the little pops of yellow are wonderful!  I also like that it is a log cabin.  My very first quilt was a log cabin, and I just finished piecing the top of another log cabin.  I think it's my favorite block!

When I received the project, it still needed quite a few things done for completion. The quilting motif was a meandering stippling pattern inside the blue and straight lines on the pale background.  I found this difficult because I don't ever do stippling patterns.  They require a kind of improvisational and yet a bit of planning with your brain that I find really difficult.  I wanted my quilting to look like Mary Ann's, but I am not inside her brain.  I decided to study the pattern and try drawing it on paper a few times to see if I could understand how the pattern flowed.  I did manage to get there eventually.  My pattern is much more symmetrical than Mary Ann's but it kind of looks like hers.  She has a much more intuitive approach.  Here is a photo of that quilting from the back of the quilt.  I definitely had a learning curve!

When the quilting was finished, all the threads needed to be buried inside the quilt.  This took a while, but I find it a relaxing chore.  The next step involves blocking the quilt because it did not lie flat (it rarely does).

This is the part where I move the furniture to make space on the floor.  Then I pull out these big foam floor tiles that piece together like puzzle pieces.  It is perfect for blocking.  I flattened the quilt on the floor, then sprayed some water on it to get it slightly wet.  Very gently, I try to further flatten any parts of the quilt that are being troublesome and quickly pin it to the yellow floor tiles.  Then I turn on the fan, and let it dry completely, usually overnight. 

The next day after unpinning, I trimmed the quilt to remove excess batting and backing.  Then it was ready to bind.  I cut the binding strips, sewing them together, and then sewed them to the front side of the quilt.  The next step is to fold the binding and wrap it around the cut edges of the quilt, and then secure it to the back with hand stitching.  

Most quilters either love or hate putting the binding on.  For me, I find it kind of exciting to get so close to the finish line! And, I would say that I was nearly finished but there is more to do!

The label needs to be made, this one is according to Mary Ann's wishes.  And then sewn to the back of the quilt.  I think it is really important to put labels on quilts, so I include them on all my quilts. 

More still!  One of the last steps is to photograph the quilt.  And, since this quilt fit perfectly on my design wall, I was able to get that done fairly quickly. 

Next is to tape roll all the extra threads off both sides and then it is ready for shipping.  I folded it to fit inside the shipping box with tissue paper in all the folds. And, I always wrap it in plastic to make sure it won't get damaged in water in some unlikely delivery mishap.  Address the label, buy the postage, and drop it off.  I am hoping the new owner will be happy with her quilt.  It was a label of love by both of us.  Here's to you Mary Ann!!

Preparing a Quilt for Shipping

Preparing a Quilt for Shipping

Since it is almost time to ship quilts to California for QuiltCon2018, I thought I would write a post today about how to prepare a quilt for shipping.  It is important to follow the instructions sent from the organization.  This will generally include things like a hanging sleeve and a label.  It may also tell you to cover your label for judging, so that the judges only see your entry number and not your name. Next comes the part about actually putting your quilt in a box.  The quilt shown here is my i Quilt.  It is not going to QuiltCon, because, well, it has already been (in 2015).  But it was happy to volunteer for the purpose of this demonstration!  :)

Step one, find a clean place to lay out your quilt.  Put the back side up.

The next step is very important.  Get a tape roller and carefully look over the back.  Remove any stray threads or pet hair.

To minimize wrinkles in your quilt, scrunch up a bunch of long tissue paper into rolls.  Use one of these tissue rolls each time you fold your quilt.  It does not matter HOW you fold it.  You can fold it in half and in half again, or in thirds, but each time you fold it, support the fold line with a roll of tissue paper.

This is the first fold.

Bigger quilts require more folds.  Use your long arms to smooth the scrunch tissue paper as close to the inside of the fold as you can.  Now you can see half of the front side of your quilt.  Get the tape roller out, and check for loose thread again!

This is the second fold.

Each time I fold the quilt, and more of the front shows, I use the tape roller to clean it.

This is the third fold.

Check again for loose threads. Notice above, the tissue roll does not go all the way across the fold.  That is because there is already tissue rolls near the edges from the previous folds.  This is the first crosswise fold, and I use a smaller chunk of scrunched tissue. Be sure to rotate and flip and carefully check to make sure that any loose threads are removed.

The last fold.

Now, the quilt is folded to it's final shipping size. Place it in a plastic bag, along with any required forms.  Always include the shipping address and a return address inside the bag.

I always like to use a clear plastic bag, so that my quilt will not be accidentally mistaken for trash at it's arrival destination.  And, it is a good idea to close the plastic bag with tape, but do not over-tape it.  If you make it super difficult to unwrap, and a volunteer has to use scissors to open it, well, you are asking for trouble! This is a situation that is easy to avoid. 

Find a box for your very precious package.  If it doesn't fit into your box, do not squish and stuff it.  Either, find a bigger box, or refold your quilt. I like to have some room all the way around my folded quilt.  If there is extra room, be sure to stuff the empty space with more tissue paper.  Do not use packing peanuts for quilts.  Ever.  It irritates the stuffing out the receiver! Close up your box and then you can use a LOT of tape. 

Other notes:
*Packages are sometimes damaged in shipping.  Shipping tubes are worse than boxes as a general rule.  Also, don't leave any loose tape or torn edges on your box.  These can easy get caught up in the machinery used to transport packages and rip your package open.  Make sure the outside of your box is clean and smooth! I always cover the shipping address in packing tape.  I don't know if that's necessary or not, but it seems like a good idea. 

*YES, insure the value of your quilt while shipping. And consider requesting a signature for delivery.

*And, it is well advised not to write the word "quilt" on the outside of your box. 

And, may the odds be ever in your favor!