Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Many Minis and a Milestone

As some of you may have noticed, I spend a lot more time on Instagram than here on Blogger these days.   When I realize that I've neglected to share what's been going on here on my blog in a timely manner I'm tempted to just let it pass because it feels like "old news".  But I've come to accept that tardy is better than absent and there is value in documenting even if it is stale dated or out of sequence - so here you go:

Mini Winner

3K follower winner mini (top)
I remember when the follower count on my IG first hit 1K - it totally blindsided me.  For my 2K followers mark, I did a shopping spree gift certificate.  This time I saw it coming and really thought about what I wanted to do to commemorate the next big digit.


Making a mini for the winner in their favorite palette sounded more personal and fun so that's what I asked for in the comments to enter.  I'm defiantly going to keep in mind the color combos mentioned for future ideas because there were some good ones.  In the end, the winner Jana said she'd prefer something in my own colors and style - reflecting the maker which is such a great idea.  I opted to go to my creative roots with scrappy maximalism with an improv twist. 

More Minis

Just For Fun Mini
Part of my focus lately has been on "playing with parts".  The mini shown above came about with the extra bits from making the one shown below.  Even though it was not at all on my list of things to do - I had a lot of fun and am so pleased with how it turned out. A pleasant interruption. 


For our MQG local chapter challenge this year we were given traditional blocks to choose from and make modern, with no palette restrictions (like previous years).  I picked the churn-dash and the use of very subtle color changes - there are two reds and the light blue/green read almost same.

Churn Dash made modern
While at retreat, I didn't have the exact color of eggplant for the setting triangles but you can see where I'm headed with this shot of it on the design wall in the photo above.

Curated Quilts Challenge Minis


Now for the mini back story.  There's a new publication called Curated Quilts.  Back in March, I had read about the call out for submissions but did not get my act together to finish this top I made for it.   

I almost missed again for the Log Cabin challenge but thanks to the encouragement on IG, I pushed through a marathon sewing session right down to the wire making not one but three.  My first attempt (above) to combine slight curves didn't read true enough for what I'd envisioned. 
Working from my stash I went back at it again but this time I was deliberately exploring the "Improv Abstraction" element as a mashup. 

Finished in time and face bound, I'm absolutely in love with the way it turned out - except for the quilting.  My go-to doodle that has been sort of a signature style just didn't work with the high contrast thread.   Here's some fun process shots:






 I found it distracting and although it's still a great mini IMO, with hours left before the deadline to enter I thought I'd try again.   Because of the improvisational nature I knew it wouldn't replicate exactly - and that was fine.  They are similar but unique and that's even better. I shared them all and my crazy story at guild.

The carefully chosen thread color was combined with the purposeful treatment of heavily quilted contrasting with lightly outlined to accentuate the two portions.  I also loosened the repeat regiment to make it feel more me.
The Linear mini that started this all has not been forgotten.  You can spot it on the right-hand center row of my Q4 FAL goal mosaic.   


So far the only thing done on the list is my BeeSewcial swap quilt (upper right corner). It hangs in my bedroom and is so worth the finish.



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Sunday, October 15, 2017

2017 FAL Meet the Host: Felicity

My guest blogger today is fellow BeeSewcial mate Felicity.  We were able to meet in person at QuiltCon and I adore her creations and gorgeous photos all year long thanks to social media.  I'm sure you will to so - read on! Karen 

Helloooo!

I'm Felicity

and this is my family - Husband of 17 years K and our nearly-10-year-old daughter G:

being silly, something we do very well

I am lucky enough to live in Naramata, British Columbia. It's a village of fewer than 2,000 people nestled on the Naramata Bench in one of Canada's fruit- and wine-producing regions, the Okanagan Valley.



As you can see, we're on the side of a lake, and it's a big tourist destination because our summer weather is hot and dry.


We moved to Naramata from Vancouver just over a year ago. After living for nearly 25 years in Vancouver, we grew tired of the traffic and the astronomical cost of living and decided to take a different approach to life. We couldn't be happier.

I quit my job in the financial services industry and now I work part time in a local quilt shop as a designer, teacher and retail associate. I also work from home as a training and development consultant. My husband was a stay at home dad in Vancouver and he also works part time here in the area.

I began quilting in 2000, shortly after I got married. My husband is the one who encouraged me to look for a beginner's class because I spent a lot of time looking at and admiring quilts in museums and at shows but I was too intimidated to try it myself. But boy am I glad I did. I knew from the first minute of that first class that this was going to be my thing.

This is my first quilt - the classic beginner's sampler with one large scale fabric plus some blenders.


I even free motion quilted it all by myself on my tiny Bernina 145.



Yikes, amirite? But you know what? That was the start of something, and you gotta start somewhere.

Baby quilts for nieces and nephews happened in due course, as did a quilt for my husband's 40th birthday (2 years late).


I subscribed to quilting magazines, I read books about quilting, I could spend a whole weekend at a quilt retreat and come home and sew some more. It consumed all of my free time! Eventually, though, I got to the point where I was reading about quilting but becoming overwhelmed by all the projects I wanted to do so I didn't start anything.

Thankfully, I was able to give myself a good talking to, and came to my senses. Every quilt is just a whole bunch of seams that are sewn one at a time, right? Well, I said to myself, just commit to 20 minutes a day of sewing something. Anything. But sew. Eventually you'll get something done.

One of my first modern quilts

I was right! I did get lots done, aided as well by the explosion of the online world of modern quilting. I found Flickr and the myriad active quilt groups it hosted (RIP, old Flickr). I also found quilt blogs and started my own as a way to keep myself accountable by journalling my progress.


It's not an exaggeration to say that blogging and sharing online changed my life! I found Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild online and attended the first meeting in mid-2010. I met dear friends in person and via blogging (and blogging friends became in-person friends too). I participated in Flickr quilt swaps, virtual bees and met many of my online friends at the inaugural QuiltCon in Austin.



These two quilts won honourable mention at QuiltCon 2013.

Though  I don't do many swaps anymore and online bees have fallen a little out of fashion, I still belong to a virtual quilt bee with 9 other incredible quilters, called Bee Sewcial. We work in solids only and we piece improvisationally based on that month's prompt and colour story.

Winter is my first quilt finished with Bee Sewcial blocks. The prompt was "abstract minimalist winter landscapes in shades of grey." Did my bee mates deliver or what? I love this quilt, and I will be submitting it to QuiltCon 2018 show.

Winter, a Bee Sewcial Collaboration

I like to have lots of projects on the go, in varying degrees of complexity because I never know what I want to work on at any given time.

Here's a sampling of some of my favourite quilts from over the years:

In a (Solid) Pickle, 2011 (swap quilt)

Burst of Colour, 2013

Helen Keller Wisdom, 2011
Selfie, 2015
Naramata Summer, 2014 (made after a visit and before we knew we'd be moving here!)
Modern Stripes, 2016 (accepted to QuiltCon 2017)

I'm extremely fortunate to be able to have a completely separate studio to work in - we finished the 450 square foot space over our detached 2-car garage just for my quilting. (Truth be told that space was what sold us on this house. Good thing we like the rest of it!)

 
Before

After

I love participating in the Finish A Long, and I'm so happy to be a host as well. We motivate each other to get our beautiful projects finished so we can move along to the next thing that makes us happy, yes? Yes.

Thanks for visiting with me!
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Saturday, October 7, 2017

Q4 FAL 2017 My Goals

The Q4 2017 FAL Goals linky closes in a few hours (nudge nudge) If you're visiting the blog to link up, go to the post just before this one and check the countdown clock at the bottom to see if there's still time. 

Here's my Q4 FAL goals and where they stand: 

 1. QCon Fabric  /  SBAMQG Make it Modern challenge (fabric pulled, plan hatched)
2. Improv Abstraction in blue (workshop demo parts)
3. BeeSewcial swap (great Q3 progress, now it just needs binding, a sleeve and label)
4. Lotto blocks top (it's a flimsy)
5. BeeSewcial Eyes (they are eye-catching blocks that need puzzled together and so on)
6. Linear mini (it's a flimsy)
7. Sujata workshop blocks (some blocks made, some parts cut, a long way to go)
8. BeeSewcial Stretch aka Jeans (same status as item 5)
9. King Clam (the list would not be the same without a repeat rollover listing of this flimsy)

 A couple of new ones and some mighty old ones too.  I can hardly believe that we are at the tail end of the year.   Be sure to check back on October 15th for the next guest blogger post of 2017 FAL Meet the Host.  I'd better start writing mine since It'll be my turn to be in the spotlight soon. 

 I have plans to attend PIQF in a week and will share on Instagram some of the quilts made by friends.  My goal for 2018 is to submit to the show.  I'm going to enter a few to QuiltCon 2018 and I know the odds aren't great but it's worth a shot.  

Our local MQG chapter has been hard at work making an awesome 2018 Charity quilt that will be shown.  Plus, I mailed a block to Michael Miller with fabric from QConEast to be in the commemorative quilt  so no matter what at least little pieces of me will have contributed.

Happy Stitching, Karen
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Sunday, October 1, 2017

Finish-A-Long Quarter 4 Goals Link Up OPEN


It's time to link up your list of unfinished projects that you propose to finish in Q4 of the FAL. We are hoping that the FAL community will be finishing a lot of projects as we move into the last quarter of the year.

The FAL is hosted by a community of bloggers across the world. Our hosts are:
  • Sarah - Sew me - Northern Ireland

For those of you who are new to the FAL, it is a place to find motivation and encouragement to complete those unfinished projects that are hanging about becoming UFOs. Every quarter you post a list of projects you hope to finish in the next three months, and then at the end of the quarter, you post a link from your blog, Flickr or Instagram of each successful finish from your original list.

Each finish is an entry for wonderful prizes from our sponsors. There is no penalty for not finishing a listed project, so feel free to make your list long or short, as you wish. The 2017 Schedule and Rules for the FAL are on my permanent FAL page, let me know if you have any questions.

Here are the fantastic and generous sponsors for Q4 of the FAL - you can see each of their prizes listed under their logo (think about visiting them and saying thank you):



It's time to round up those projects you want to finish over the next three months, take a photo of each one and make your list. Please ensure that you have at least started your projects - pulled fabric with a pattern is considered a UFO, and remember it is only finished projects that will get you an entry toward the above listed prizes. So while we love to see your bee blocks, the "finish" is when they are a completed, usable project.

It is very helpful if you tag your list as #2017FALQ4yourname when posting on social media: Flickr, Facebook & Instagram. Using the same hashtag over the quarter when sharing progress or finishes before the link, helps the hosts find your original list quickly - especially when this is done over a 3 month period. IMPORTANT: Don't forget to link your finishes up when the quarter closes.

The 2017 Q4 link for your list of proposed finishes is now open below on my blog and on each of the hosting blogs. You need only link your list once, on one blog - and that link will show up on all of the blogs. If you are using Facebook, Flickr or Instagram, link a mosaic and put your list in the description. Katy of The Littlest Thistle has a great tutorial on how to link-up if you need it.

We also ask that you become part of the FAL community. Please check out the links of others - visit and comment on their lists. We all need encouragement to get those finishes done, so please share some of your own too. When creating your list there is one thing to remember....No deductions for not completing something so ..... Aim High! Nothing to lose!!! Well Now..... Get those lists together and get linked up. 

 The Q4 proposed finish linky party will stay open until 11 pm EST, October 7, 2017- as we are global, you might want to check your time zone to determine your last possible time to link. Remember: you only need to link up on ONE hosting blog and it will automatically show up on all hosting blogs. 


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