Two Quilts at Oaks

I will have 2 quilts on exhibit at the PA National Quilt Extravaganza XXII at Oaks, September 17 to 20, 2015.  Homage to Vincent has just come home from Houston where it was included in the exhibit, In Full Bloom, at the International Quilt Festival October, 2014.  Homage traveled on to Quilt! Knit! Stitch! in Portland, OR and the International Quilt Festival in Chicago.  Homage  came home from Houston just in time to go to Oaks!  My new quilt, Journey, will also be  at Oaks.  Journey is a tree of life, reflecting the inspiration we seek as life goes on.  If you magnify Journey, you may find the inspirational words hand embroidered throughout.

 

HOMAGE TO VINCENT

 

HOMGE TO VINCENT DETAIL

 

JOURNEY

 

Two New Quilts

I have been exploring getting dimension into my wall hangings.  Both these recently completed works were studies.   I am working on a Tree of Life that is hopefully taking my use of dimension to a higher level in a larger work.

 

Paisley Flower

 

 

 

 

Paisley Flower (detail)

 

 

 

Goose Flying

 

Quilts in Shows

I have been free motion quilting and just finished the background of a large wall hanging, which is why I haven't been posting to my blog.  Free Motion quilting is a little like eating potato chips - you can't stop!  Actually, I find it easier to stop eating potato chips than stopping fmq-ing!  I think it's going to be a great wall hanging.  And, happily, while fmq-ing, I got an idea for a new project - a great motivator to finish the current project.

Meanwhile, I have wall hangings in two upcoming shows:
Purple Flower in Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, Virginia, February 26 through March 1

 

and
Paisley at Quilt Fest of NJ, Somerset, New Jersey, March 5 through 8.

Enjoy!

 

 

Sewing My Head on Straight

There is nothing like a good project to keep your mind and spirit occupied.  I have recently faced a health issue - minor in the scheme of things, but, as someone blessed with extraordinarily good health, I have never learned to cope with these glitches.  I marvel at how so many of my friends cope with much worse troubles than mine.

So, Sew!  I have been working on a wall hanging that I'm not yet ready to reveal.  I think it's a good one.  I have free motion quilted that background using about ten entire bobbins, the large kind from my Bernina 820.  The background is very densely fmq'ed.  I clean and oil my machine at every bobbin change, usually cleaning the lint even more often.  But I had an unbelievable problem.  Once cleared out of the channel on top of the machine leading to the needle, she ran as smoothly as ever.  Here's a picture of the glob I worked out of the channel.

Purple Flower

Continuing my exploration of dementionality (is that a real word?) on the quilt.

Making "Awakening"

Here's the process of making my quilt.  This quilt is basically hand appliqued.  The only embellishment is beading on the orange flowers.  As construction progressed, I noticed that many of the green leaves and the bias tape in a polished cotton mint green appeared to be gray - just an optical illusion.  As I was pleased with the overall look of the quilt, I made the decision to replace the mint green with a more true green cotton fabric.  I have never remade such a large portion of a quilt before, but it was well worth it.  This quilt was included in the exhibit, "In Full Bloom, 2013" at the Houston International Quilt Festival.

Home from Houston !

The International Quilt Festival in Houston TX is ending today.  I arrived  for the Preview on Wednesday, October 29 and flew home on Saturday November 1.  So much to see, learn and shop that there is never enough time - or brain power to retain it all.
My quilt, Homage to Vincent,hangs in the exhibit, "In Full Bloom".  Like all the quilts in the show, mine was hung and lit beautifully.

 I attended five lectures, each wonderful:
So Many Ideas, So Little Time with Melody Crust
341 Third Street with Yvonne Porcella
Fiber Reactive Dyes with Jane Dunnewold
Machine Quilting with Sue Nickels
Creativity Unleashed with Jennifer Rapacki


Quilters from all over the world attend and it is a wonderful opportunity to meet other quilters.  Many new ideas and techniques and innovative uses of modern technology.

More details later!