Quilting Class again!

So, it's getting on to time for another quilting class...  Time to start thinking of the next thing to teach our lovely group of ladies who are of all different levels.  (I love it).   Fortunately, the thinking is the easy part.  The planning of the rest of it - not so much.  (The when, the fabric, the writing out of instructions for those who prefer to have written cheat sheets, the step-by-step versions to put on the design board....)

This time, we're going to cover quilt as you go projects.  Starting with a nice basic one.  Table runner/bed runner...

Here's a little sample I whipped up tonight: the semi-kinda-patriotic-colored thingamajig!

It's dirt simple and not bad looking for something I didn't spend too too much time on.  An hour, maybe?  And a little time for the back binding by hand?  The ones we will make in class will be bigger, but the technique will be the same.  An easy-peasy project!

Obviously I spent time in the quilt forge tonight.  It felt good!  And in addition to this little sample, I worked on Molten Glass.  I've got half the rows pieced together.  Just need to finish the other four rows and then add the sashing between the rows, and I will have the top done.

Which I guess means I REALLY need to finish Boston Molasses, so I can bind it and then get Molten Glass on the rack.  *sigh*  And so on.  (I need to quilt faster, or piece slower).

Here's the first four rows (well, some of each row, anyway).  There will be horizontal sashing in black as well, to separate out the red blocks a little bit more.  When done, it will be just over 10' square.  So far I am greatly liking it... and hope that the trend continues!

While stitching, I have been watching/listening to/laughing at Japanese giant monster movies.  Right now I am working my way through a three-disc set of Gamera movies.  Giant flying turtle, anyone?  (Which is great fun... although makes me want to make a hexie quilt of Gamera, complete with jets coming out his legs).  It certainly passes the time well, and keeps my brain occupied on several levels.

Now I curious, though, and will have to check: did Gamera ever fight Godzilla?  Seems like they should have... I will poke around and see, and post later.

Here's Molten Glass lines from the side.  It shows a bit more of the size, if nothing else.  It's only 64 blocks, but with the sashing, it's big. As mentioned before. 

 At any rate... wanted to give first looks at Molten Glass.  I like it.  And ultimately, since it's for me, that's the main thing.  I get to make it to MY desires, and I like the flame and heat and warmth of it.  The black in no way diminishes it - just breaks up that large chunk of red. 

I look forward to seeing this one done.

Guess I better get busy, then!

See you later, superfriends!

S

Thursday outside the forge

We looked outside the other day, and lo and behold, Texas has had fall.  Overnight, our lawn went from green green green to covered in the neighbor's leaves! 

In a way, it's nice.  Cooler temps are good, even if it meant moving the miniature tree orchard inside for a while!  And that's all right with the cats - means they get to explore new things and curl up in giant pots.  They seem moderately okay with that. 

We had class last weekend - unfortunately, a lot of people had to bail at the last minute, but that's okay.  We'll do it again, probably next month!  I can't wait to see how people's quilts turn out! I'll post pictures as soon as I dig the camera out of the pile of fabric it dived into.  Really.

This weekend will be hectic.  Not only is there quilting and piecing to be done, but Thanksgiving prep, and even working my day job on Sunday.  That part doesn't thrill me, but we're in a short business month because of holidays, and there's so much still to be done!  But... at home and in the forge, there are too too many projects happening!  I did manage to get enough pieces and bits to finsh up Crazy Diamonds - now I just have to do it.  And.... I pieced together blocks for the class, step by step to show how the block goes together.  And decided I really liked the color combo.  So.... need to get more material this weekend and work on that.  A lot more.  King-sized, even.

And mail my blocks to my partner in the block swap.  And then and only then (after Thanksgiving, probably) post pictures!  And finish my second AAQI quilt.  I'm working on the hand quilting now, and moderately pleased with it.  Moreso than the last one!

And I have projects to finish for other people before Thanksgiving rolls around (ack!  A week from TODAY!).  Wednesday will be work and then immediately hit the road and drive - leaving town to go see my parents and sister on the other side of the state.  Fortunately, D will be at the forge to keep the fires going!

Tonight... tonight... I will work on a runner for work - I almost have all the pieces cut out.  Once they're cut out... well, obviously I start putting them back together again!  And I'll post pics as I finish blocks.  Right now it's planned as 15 blocks.  We shall see!  One of these days I am going to post nothing but pictures!

Quick update

Life.  Sometimes it gets in the way.  Mostly it's work right now, in all honesty.  It's hectic.  Testing, end of year, beginning of year, short months because of holidays....  And long days at work.

But.  I am still managing to eke out a little sewing time, and a little time for the other things in my life.  This weekend we're running another class, teaching one of my patterns.  If it goes well, there will be another one!  (and another, and another.....).  Oh, and here's the pattern we'll be doing.  Everyone has their own fabrics, so every quilt will look different!  Hooray!  I have three examples to show them, as well as a step by step breakout of how the blocks go together.  Since it is so simple, I have high hopes!

What I have managed to get done - in addition to prep for the class....

1. finish AAQI quilt #1
2. join Quilt Block Swap
   2a. pull fabrics and make test block for swap, decide I really like it.  pull more fabrics and cut.  (to be sewn tonight).
3. plan AAQI quilt #2
4. finish design for Bat Flight and purchase fabric (to start cutting tonight)
5. work on Crazy Diamonds
6. Clean the studio! (yes, this is technically prep for the class, but sometimes it just needs doing!)

 Here is my first AAQI quilt.  As soon as I have the number for it, I will send it out.  I'm both pleased with it and disappointed in it... it's not EXACTLY what I wanted, but it's not HORRIBLE.  Everyone else seems to really like it.  So it's going.  I wasn't sure, but I'm going to bite the bullet and send it off.  It's called The Fading Forest... there are more trees quilted into it  that didn't show too well in this pic.  Hopefully it will raise at least a little money for Alzheimer's research.

I have more planned, hopefully better.  We shall see... I always seem to have more and better things planned. 

When I am not in the forge working, I work in an office.  I'm not a very good office drone, really, but I am efficient and intelligent (usually) and manage to get my job done.  It's now progressed to the point where other people (who have been here YEARS longer than I have) ask me for assistance and for information.  It's both amusing and annoying.  I'm the new girl on the block - only been here three years....  I have my little cube, usually with small scraps of fabric, thread, and at times needles.  My Thanksgiving decor this year for the office consists of a giant stuffed fabric turkey.  He's cute!  Very low-key, for a giant fabric stuffed turkey. 

Soon will come the flurry of Christmas, and decorating for the season... I am half-tempted to make a quilted runner for my cube - just to post around my wall on the inside.... might have to do some measuring....  Looks like 14" wide, and long enough to run all the way around the inside.  Hmm... and a simple block... Maybe a Christmas-themed wonky star?  Might be workable.... More on that later!

Shay
Wish me luck for the class!!!

Class!

Had our first basic basic quilting class this weekend.  It was small, but fabulous!  Everyone got something out of it - from new skills to inspiration to go back to a quilt with renewed enthusiasm!  Everyone had a highly successful day, and much laughter was had.  Measuring, cutting, and sewing skills were worked out, and quilting and binding!

We started with a simple Nine Patch - since most of the students had never quilted before, we started with the true basics.  Oh, the joys in fabric selection, in making a quilt that was entirely theirs!  And oh the delight in watching them!

As it should be, every single one of them was different - all wonderful, all very much successful!  It made me proud of each one of them, and made each one of them proud of their own skills.  (and afterwards we took one of the students to a local quilt store and taught her about the addictive delights of fabric shopping!)  She'll never be the same!

We're already plotting more classes, and some all-skate come and quilt as you are sessions.

Here are some of the finished samples - a red and Mary Englebrite, a coffee-and-tea (now doing very nice duty as a K-Cup coffee rug!) and the lovely turquoise and black.  Three very pretty successes!  One had a binding method new to the stitcher, one is self-bound, and one is narrow bound.  All three stitched in the ditch, and gorgeous! 

I could not be more proud of our students!

And as an added bonus, I got more energy out of this class than I could ever hope for - I finished a mini quilt project, binding and all, and am half-way through Sugar Skulls (the piecing for it, anyway), AND managed to get the top done on an AAQI quilt.  More days like this and I MIGHT catch up to my quilt list!

Quilting, old style

I have a handful of quilts made by other members of my family.  My sister made me one, my great-aunt made me one, and so forth... Quilting has been a hobby for female family members for generations - and more than a hobby before that. It was  a way of making nice looking, warm bed covers.  These quilts were and are beautiful.  And exceedingly utile.  They had a purpose, and that purpose was to be used.  They were used.  Loved, used, stained, washed, hung up to dry, used in grass as picnic blankets... it in no way denigrates their beauty.

The quilt made by my great-aunt is not made in colors I care for.  But it was made with love, with Gingher scissors and an old sewing machine that was so well-used that it flat out wore out.  It was in a cabinet, but the hinges that held it in place broke.  Instead of getting it fixed, she 'fixed' it herself with two knives wedged into the back to support the machine.  Neither knife is in great shape now, but they still support that old machine!

And the quilt she made for me is still in a place of pride.  It will be shown to the class at the beginning quilter class at the Anvil on Saturday.   It wasn't made with all the fancy tools I have at my disposal.  It was made with an old machine (not even a vintage Singer, oh the horror! [whatever]), with scissors, not a rotary cutter, with any old thread she had lying around.  It was made to be used.

Ultimately, isn't that the origin of quilts?  They are made to be used and loved.  I have no objection to wall quilts, or art quilts, or any of the other kinds of quilts that don't lay on the bed.  But somehow the heart of quilting still beats in those who worked with the simple tools - the things that everyone who sews have: scissors, thread, machine (or their own hands!).  Of the bed quilts I have made, none have used a rotary cutter.  I've never mastered that particular skill.  My machine is newer, but it's still nothing super fancy - I don't need fancy!  And thread.  Fabric from whatever doesn't run away fast enough to escape.  They aren't necessarily traditional quilts, the quilts I make, but neither are they wild and crazy multi-media quilts.  They are just... quilts.   Made to be used, and loved, and dragged around.  Old style, I guess.  Not vintage.  Not antique.  Just old-style.

Shay

Texas Bluejay Summer

Here it is - Texas Bluejay Summer!  The bluejays,. courtesy of D., survived the washing machine well, and  the 'heat wave' quilting came out nicely.  Overall, I am pleased with it - a lot more pleased than I am with the ACTUAL summer here!  Hot hot hot!  But the bluejays are still outside in the trees yelling at us for not putting out more peanuts, and everywhere there is green.  I know Texas isn't really well known for green, but we have our fair share.  Sometimes.  In that vague period we call spring.  I will probably do a spring version of this quilt someday, but I do want to do an autumn version first.  So, it's off to think about what says Texas in autumn to me.   Well, after a few updates on other things!  I am also considering doing a tutorial on my little trees.  They are certainly not difficult, but people seem to like them!  So there's that to consider, as well as what makes a Texas autumn...  I will say that this quilt fought me all the way - it didn't want to be quilted, the marks didn't want to stay, and then they didn't want to go away... and one of the trees tried to escape in the wash.  Overall, I am content, though, now that the battles with it are over!

But no resting on my laurels (or my bluejays!).  We're gearing up for this Saturday's quilting basics class.  I've got syllabus, handouts, and my ever-growing list of things to have prepped.  Two quilts in progress are waiting on me, D. has got two she's working on now, oh, and the little sample I am working on.  I started a miniature Disappearing 9 Patch last night.  The entire thing should measure out to about 6" x 8" and have 12 blocks total.  I should be able to get most of it done tonight - I cut out all the strips and got the layout down like I want it.  More pics on that one tonight, hopefully!

I'm not very good about taking pictures, I know... it's a hurdle I have to overcome.  I don't like taking pictures all that much, and I certainly don't like pictures of me!  So that's my next big non-quilting project - get better at pictures.  Wish me luck!

Wednesday Workings

As promised, I did take pictures!  Here's the best - a picture of the as-yet unfinished top to Blue Jay Summer.  It's very simple, just the way I intended it.  This shot makes it a little hard to see, but some of the pine trees are made from a novelty fabric with a pine needle print.  My favorite tree is the dark one down in the lower right hand corner. 

All this lacks is the blue jays.  They are so small that my applique skills would need a boost to do the way I intended originally.  (That and my glasses prescription, too!)  So I am looking into alternatives - think I've found one, but we shall see.

Blue Jay Summer is a little wrinkled right now because it's on my design board.  I wanted it up where I could see it, vertically, the way it will be displayed.  I can't wait to get back into the studio and finish it up!  I have enough of the background fabric to do the back, and MAYBE enough to do the border.  If not, I may look at the dark green, or one of the other trees.  We'll see.  I am hoping I have enough of the ground.

If I can get my act together and get some restful sleep, I can get out in the studio again and get some things accomplished!  Right now, though, I just want to crawl back into bed.  Not that I didn't GET sleep... apparently I just didn't get enough!  Tonight, painkillers and try again. 

In the meantime, I am planning the details of our first class - it doesn't happen until the 11th of August, but I want to be prepared.  Maybe even over-prepared.  I can always not use something if there's no need or no time, but I can't always make up relevant stuff on the fly.  (Well, I could, but I want this to be useful to all the students).  Maybe a handout...