Saturday, July 15, 2017

Quilting a BIG quilt!

Trying to get two big quilts ready for my guild's September show...
may have taken on a bit much
 as I also have two smaller quilts and a table runner to quilt,
all of them to bind and make 
hanging sleeves and labels!

The show is not for two months ....
that's enough time...
Right???

Things were going along smoothly
quilting up my 2015 BOM "Snapshots" 
from the Fat Quarter shop...

Using utensils and a trusty blue wash out marker
worked on my boarder design using a walking foot.
Lots of stops and starts...
Lots of burying threads!!

But I'm happy with how it came out!
Machine quilting is always a challenge for me...
 my Janome 6600 makes it a bit easier!!


Next challenge is what to do with those
uneven and offset sashing!!
toying with a simple vine and leaf design...

Love and empty spool! 
Means I've been busy!
Even better when I have another one handy!!


Big OOPS!!
Totally forgot about the photo transfer picture on the back of the quilt!

When the blue water soluble marker disappeared and the area dried...
this is what greeted me :(
The photo from the back (which I forgot to treat)
decided to bleed thru to the front!!
YIKES!!!

Will have to come up with a creative fix for this!!!


My second big quilt is an appliqué and sashiko quilt 
from a Sylvia Pippen design

It has been basted (by a longer friend!)
with a double batt (wool on top of Request)
Now the challenge is to quilt out the design in my head!!
Cross your fingers!!

That's what under my needle for the next few weeks!

Till next time!

Have a great Quilty Day and enjoy the process!
            Janet

Sunday, July 9, 2017

trip to the New England Quilt Museum

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of going to the New England Quilt Museum
with a Quilty friend Ronni - she's a retired art teacher
which made this trip extraordinary!

Usually I go look at the quilts
take a few pictures of my favorites
look around...
and I'm out the door...
an hour max...

My trip with Ronni was a bit different....

We started with the "Twisted" exhibit
it is "modern quilts with a Vintage Twist"
selected quilters were given fragments of unfinished vintage quilts -
 their mission was to incorporate the piece into a modern quilt thus
creating "past combined with present"
Each quilt was awe inspiring!

As Ronni and I walked around we stopped and discussed each quilt,
what made each quilt "pop", 
what we like about each quilt,
how the quilter utilized their vintage piece....
and since Ronni is a retired art teacher 
I gained a different perspective on viewing quilts!

Below are a few of my favorites
unfortunately I didn't take shots of the descriptions
so I can not give credit to the very talented quilt makers and quilters.


Just loved the simplicity of this one,
using just a small amount of the vintage quilt,
and the quilting - out of this world!!

This on reminded me of picking daisy's when I was a kid,
and blowing them into the wind!

You have to just love the Rick-Rac on this quilt!!


The quilt maker of this beauty cut up the vintage quilt 
to create the petals of the Dahlia flower and 
then the quilter recreated the Dahlia in thread - 
just outstanding!

This quilt stood out from across the room
with it's vibrant colors and beautiful quilting.
Although I've never been a fan of orange it works beautifully here 
set off against the chocolate background.

Once Ronni and I finished Oogling and the "Twisted" quilts
we ventured into the main exhibit...


"The Quilt Takes A Prize"
Award winning quilts from the National Quilt Museum - Paducah KY.

These 41 of the most exquisite quilts from the past 30 years!

My take away from this exhibit was how far quilting has come,
but yet how much it has stayed the same!
Does that make sense?!

All the quilts were made by master quilters of their time,
but these are just a very few of my favorite quilts for different reasons!


"Air Show"
by Johnathan Shannon - 1992

My absolute favorite! 
Mostly because my son Matthew is a pilot,
he has seen this quilt, and very mush likes it...
and no I will not be attempting anything like this
not even for him!!
I had seen this quilt in the National Museum
when my sister and I visited in 2007 -
I bought Matthew a postcard!
That's as close as he'll come to a quilt like this!!!


"Chasing Bubbles"
by Hiroko and Masanolu Miyama - 2015
The husband and with team that created this outstanding quilt
are just to be marveled at!
Another all time favorite of mine.
Just love the translucency of the bubbles
and the details ...
exquisite!

"The Value of Gears"
by Judith Phelps - 2013
This quilt drew me in, 
not sure if it was the subject matter 
or the intricacy of it... the detail was just incredible.
Love how the gears in the middle block shine - 
it was due to the lighting in the museum,
made a dramatic affect.


"It's Not Summer Yet"
by Inge Mardal - 2001
The beach houses - goodness knows I love the beach
so this beautiful quilt stood out from across the room!

"Mountain Pleasant Miners"
by Nancy Brown - 1993
Now for most people this wouldn't be a favorite,
but since my hubby loves to gold pan - I fell for this quilt!!
The quilt was inspired from an 1870's photograph!


There were so many other beautiful quilts that Ronni and I chatted over,
these are just a few.
We spent two hours in the museum!

After lunch out and a quick stop at
The Quilted Crow in Bolton!

Thank you Ronni for a delightful day
and for my present!!!

We already are planning our next trip up to see
"Threads of Resistance"
and "Summer Celebration of New England Quilts"