Quilt Show Featured Speaker

This last weekend I had the pleasure of sharing my quilts and thoughts with our local community at the Pajaro Valley Quilt Association's 46th Annual Quilt Show held at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.

 

As the Featured Speaker, I brought 25 additional quilts for a trunk show on Saturday afternoon and spoke for about an hour to an enthusiastic audience.  Although my expression is serious in this candid, the experience was more fun and lighthearted than it looks.  

Beforehand, volunteers helped with setup of the 14 quilts in my special exhibit and 4 on the stage. I was able to rest up before returning Friday night with hubby for the members only preview party.  This picture taken at sunset really shows the prime location of my display.

Not surprising, my BeeSewcial quilt Eyes caught the attention of many as they entered and it was the perfect chance to chat about the group, credit beemates for the collaboration and my sister for her incredible quilting.   Contraption was runner up on comments made. Many said they were reminded of art deco and Frank Lloyd Wright.  I featured many of my Aurifil Artisan challenges so that attendees could get up close to see how I used various weights in the hand-stitching, domestic machine and longarm.

Another frequent topic was QDAD, Quilt Design a Day and responding to challenges like the three minis for Curated Quilts publication and several for QuiltCon .  There were lots of familiar faces, blasts from the past, members from other guilds who took a road-trip to attend, quilters and non-quilters I hadn't met before. Having my friends and family attend meant the world to me.  

As part of promoting the event, I was interviewed by phone and provided a few pictures so I was glad to have taken some quilts in the wild shots to offer up (partial cut and paste from the online version below).   I hadn't expected to be on the front page as the cover story, so that was a nice surprise. 

The second interview was in person with a reporter and photographer and I was able to invite a couple of friends to share the spotlight which was great. 

 

Digital media is great but there is something nostalgic about an old school newspaper to hold in your hands.  The entire show was wonderful and I feel very fortunate to have been able to help bring attention to it.    

2023 Recap

 Before we head into a new month I want to post a brief year end recap.  Nothing represents my quilting in a nutshell more than Monthly Markers given that I choose one project worked on at that point and time as the graphic. Sometimes it’s a quilt easily recognizable and often it’s a sneak at secret sewing. 

A highlight for my creativity is always the things made and mailed off to my BeeSewcial mates in response to the prompts. You can scan back in my Instagram feed for details and descriptions of each and to see them in proper scale. 

Thankfully I’ve kept up pretty consistently adding images as I finished them to the 2023 Quilts blog page (see tab above ) . While not as prolific as 2022 it’s a nice showing of 16 and combination of quilt alongs, donated and gifted in the bunch. For non quilting items it was mainly bags and blouses. 

My Aurifil Artisan challenges can be found in depth on the blog “older posts “ and my instagram feed. 

The takeover weekend on Aurifil’s IG account was a lot of fun and much less nerve racking having done it previously. The monthly challenges continue to push me. Trying new techniques and threads is a great opportunity and having my work shared to a wider audience on their blog is an honor. 

Among the years highlights there were several shows that I shipped quilts to and a few that I attended in person. Seeing “Connections “ in the AQS printed program was a thrill. I even curated an exhibit of 40+ quilts for my guild PVQA at PIQF for the first time. 

Unlike Houston Festival where 10 members were able to travel and be together for the Quilts of Bee Sewcial, I was happy to represent solo at the Long Beach special exhibit and give a gallery talk about our quilts. 

We adopted Parker in October and although it’s nice to once again have a sewing sidekick he’s still in the puppy phase just turning a year old. Juggling quilting while keeping everything out of reach is a balancing act that we’re improving upon daily.  I’m looking forward to gather inspiration during our walks and quilting in 2024 with him as my helper. 

2019 Recap and My Best Of

It's that time of year again believe it or not.  Pulling together a recap is always a challenge in itself but I am glad to be participating in the BEST OF 2019 linky party with Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs.  

I'm choosing these Best Five for 2019  EYES, Portraits, Temperature Quilt, Capitola Coral  and Dedicated to Design    Here's my blog post from last years linky party  Top Five 2018 .

Finished quilts

With lightning speed another twelve months has flown by and since a new decade is upon us it feels even more notable.  The finished mosaic above features   1. QuiltCon Mini swap which I'm assuming was my first of the year made in January and swapped in Nashville in person 2. Surface Stripes, this one I love, love, love and will lead to more exploration for sure.  It is among the many wonderful quilts that are (affectionately) hash tagged #QuiltConRejects  3. "Abstract Whimsy" was beautifully quilted by my sister and unfortunately won't be showing at QuiltCon either.  4.  "Solo Choke" 20x20 challenge mini won a ribbon at local(ish) Artichoke Festival 5. "Eyes" BeeSewcial was juried into the QuiltCon Group/Bee category and will be seen in Austin in February 6. Wedding quilt, started in a workshop with Sujata Shaw and happily finished and gifted. 7. Baby quilt, started in a workshop with Kathy Doughty and happily finished and gifted 8. "Nat's cousin Mini" Curated Quilts applique portrait challenge will be published in their mini gallery - it is a nod to my bee block from earlier and my final finish of the year. 9. " Oppostripes" also juried in to QuiltCon, the challenge category - you guessed it - Stripes!

Finishes (other than quilts)

There was some sewing done that did not involve quilts as shown in the mosaic above.  The eight bags were made for our first ever BeeSewcial Retreat in June and it was fun to make the same thing but different for each person.  I also received a bunch of great handmade gifts.  The skirts were an impromptu make collaborated with my granddaughter who had a sleepover and wanted something new to wear.  She picked all of the fabrics and helped sew.  You can see her here with the pillow case she made for a friend's birthday party.  Lastly, the machine cover/sewing pad that I created for our guilds secret partner swap.

New and Progress made WIPS

Last year I had a ton of new WIPS and I'm happy to say that isn't the case for 2019.  1. The Temperature Quilt is obviously not done and shouldn't be because the year still has a few days left to go!  I am happy to say that I am totally caught up to date and have very high expectations to finish it in 2020.  2. "Pantone color of the year Living Coral" was entered into the Top Only category of the challenge.  It's a favorite make, both the process/experience and the end result.  3.  "Maximalist, BeeSewcial prompt 2018" this one was on my WIPS list from last year but I made enough progress puzzling it all - and leaving it in my sister's capable hands that I anticipate it becoming a 2020 finish.

2019 BeeSewcial Prompt "Triptych" 

As usual, much of what I create has to do with BeeSewcial and that's okay with me.  We are heading into our sixth year and I am still pushing myself creatively as well as technique.  My Triptych blocks are not quite together but the vision is close.

made by me Bee Blocks 2019 

With a little luck, I'll get to blogging about the blocks even if it's after the fact as they should get the attention (and explanation) they deserve.  I would also like to make a post about 2019 Highlights because there truly were many to share.


Check out the other bloggers at the linky party:

Wishing you all a Happy New Year,  Karen

Dedicated to Design - 2019 FAL Q3 Goals

I've linked up from instagram my 2019 FAL Q3 Goals but I do like to have a reference here on the blog for posterity so this post is two fold.   I realized that the four tops that I chose to (hopefully) finish are All About Design in their own way. There can be many levels of "design" and I think it's important to value them all.

The theme for the month of July #sbbsewfor15 with hostess Isabelle @southbaybella is Quilt Design so I thought I'd take this time to write a post about the topic near and dear to my creative heart.  I'll also link to previous #qdad2reality projects mentioned so you can learn more if you like.

Shown in the mosaic below:
1. Glamp Stitchalot  2015 Medallion - six instructors shared their own original block design and encouraged attendees to combine them into a unique layout.
2. Merge v3, my third color variation of the pattern that I wrote for MQG QOM
3. Nosey Kitten - from Jen Carlton-Bailey's Secondary Design workshop that I took at QuiltCon
4. Pantone Living Coral, an original design influenced by the wedge workshop with Kathy Doughty.

Because I enjoy hearing about the design and construction process from other makers, I've made a point of sharing my own on the blog.  I also find it helpful to read old posts with a new perspective on things.

Whatever method you use to track or document your creative journey (for me it's my blog, instagram posts and random disorganized sketchbooks)  think about revisiting earlier ideas because if you're anything like me, there's a goldmine of unexplored concepts waiting to be made - and remade.

Digital Mock Up Color Variations 

First up is MERGE - mostly because I haven't written a post about it yet and it's sew sew special!  This is an original design that was chosen by the Modern Quilt Guild as a Quilt of the Month.  The pattern is available for free to members.  It is graphic with oversized parts and gentle curves.  Pushing my "Improv Abstraction" into yet another direction was really rewarding.

Merge MQG QOM

This was the first collaboration with my sister who custom quilted it beautifully.   There were two other tops that I made during the pattern testing phase as a way to check my math, instructions and also to play with color placement. Isn't it fun how different the three are?

I straight line stitched and finished the one above FAL Q1 and have included the one below as a Q3 goal.  You can see the slight change in colors used when comparing the digital mock up but I stayed in the same general palette so they read pretty true. 

The vector design program that I use is called InkScape.  It is free and on my apple mini.  I discovered it through the Facebook group Quilt Design A Day (QDAD) and although I've learned just enough of the basics to get by - for the most part it does what I need.  I also do some of the editing in photoshop for publishing.  The mono option when viewing the image on my iPhone is an easy way to check value on a prospective fabric pull.

A post about Merge would not be complete without a picture of my sis and I posing with it at QuiltCon in Nashville and a shout out to Curated Quilts where it was featured in the Gallery of "Curves" issue 7.

Next up is the QuiltCon Swap mini that I made using a pencil/pen and graph paper to design with the intention of letting the final composition evolve during the make.  The sketches are simply a jumping off point, a general concept for a place to start.  Then it's Design As You Go. 

One of the really entertaining things that can happen with this approach is the unintended "object" that sometimes appears - in this case it was a thumb and I didn't see it until after I'd nailed the small inset circle-ish had been sewn in beautifully.  (technique tutorial here)

Laughing at myself, I had to capture a picture before cutting it out and moving on. Here's the finished mini at the swap exchange - my partner Jera gave it the thumbs up!

QuiltCon Mini Swap Exchanged

Another example of translating the "spirit of" a design rather than literally is this inkscape mock up for Marci in May 2015 of Tiny Little Houses for her BeeSewcial neighborhood prompt.  Rather than freeform improv she specifically requested that we sketch an idea, a step that she includes in her process. 

Inkscape mock up

one of several blocks

I found that I spent as much time on the digital design as I did sewing it but that including this step in my process was a stretch - which is a big part of the bee.  Once I let go and embraced the idea that I did not need to replicate it I was fine.

There are other times when the personal challenge for myself is to bring the digital version to life in fabric.  Here are several examples with links to the original posts where I describe in more detail the design process:

RESONATE: An Art Gallery Heartland Fabric Blog Hop

Original Coloring and Revised 

TILT SHIFT: 

GET A GRIP: Shown here with the spark image and palette, digital mock up and finished quilt. 

BEND, DON'T BREAK:  QDAD Special Exhibit - This was a big deal for me :)

Parts On the Design Wall

QuiltCon

Original QDAD

Some of the QDADers at QuiltCon Special Exhibit

SURF CRUSADE: Gloaming Fabric Blog Hop

Digital mock up

Finished Quilt

FREE-RANGE: Fabric Challenge

I hope that you'll give designing a try at whatever level you feel comfortable with - and then push a little further.  Happy Stitching, Karen