Jan-Feb-Mar Review

My 2010 Quilt Challenge for this year is still on track and may just be the most fun resolution I have ever set to follow. To share my progress with you, I thought it would be fun to do a review every three months with some more details. Take a look at the projects done so far as journaled on this blog:

    

--Quilting Books on Review--

My goal is to try new techniques from the quilting books in my own library first and then from ones I buy or borrow from the library. Two other goals are to use fabrics I already own and to first learn these new skills by making smaller projects.

As I believe when trying new techniques the success of completing the project is far greater when the project is small. If one does not prefer the technique, not much time or materials have been invested into a project that will never see the light of day.  All quilts should have an opportunity to shine!!

JANUARY 2010

Simple Stained Glass Quilts
Daphne Grieg and Susan Purney Mark

In The Back Country

 

Book Project                               My Quilt

My first project was really fun to make and there are many more projects in the book that I'd love to try. I usually don't stick with the exact directions on most patterns, so was impressed that I did for this one. I did make some changes to how I used color in the inner border.  I found cutting out the leading fabric with the art knife just like drawing. The  finished design was truly magical. This project is: 19 3/4" x 22 1/2". Mine was very close at: 20" x 22 1/2".

Fantastic Fabric Folding
Rebecca Wat

Kimono Sampler I

 

Book Project                                       My Quilt

My second project was a stretch for me as I am not really into fabric folding, so I did find the technique of folding a real challenge. However, I was really happy to see Rebecca include the kimono samplers, as they are much simpler to make. That made it possible for me to continue and be able to succeed in a finished project.  There are two other projects that I wish to try at a later date because I like the design, however, I would certainly replace the folding flowers with appliqued ones. This project is: 57 1/2" x 57 1/2". Mine was 27 1/2" x 27 1/2".  This smaller size is because I used the cutting instructions from the Kimono Sampler II but used the construction process from the Kimono Sampler I.  That worked really well for me.

FEBRUARY 2010

Quilts from the Selvage Edge
Karen Griska

Glass Tumbling Blocks                        Garden's Edge

 

Book Project                                    My Project

My third project was inspired from the quilt project shown above. My goal was to try making a border using selvages and then do something on the center block. I love applique so created flowers cut from selvage squares. I figured there would be opportunity to create a quilt from this book after I had collected the selvages from all the projects made during my quilt challenge.  However, since I didn't wish to wait until then, I created a design of my own. The project shown is: 48" x 49". Mine was 25" x 25".

Flower Pounding

Ann Frischkorn and Amy Sandrin

Good Chi

 

Book Project                   My Project

My fourth project was interesting to create and noisy too. You can make one of these any time of year, whether you choose flowers from your garden or the local flower shop. I decided to use outdoor plants, but still needed to keep it small because I didn't want to create too much noise. So, I made a smaller vase for the flowers and added butterfly buttons for added interest. I was surprised when a purple bud pounded out green. So there are many more great ideas left to explore in this book. This project is: 15 3/4" x 25". Mine was 15 1/2" x 23".

MARCH 2010

Watercolor Landscape Quilts
Cathy Geier

A Lake Superior Maple (Level 2)

 

Book Project                             My Project

My fifth project was filled with challenge and intrigue. Since this was the only project I wished to try at first, it was what I made. To me, size matters, and many quilt projects are just too large for me to make. I thought perhaps the fabric choices would create a quilt that wouldn't work,  but was rewarded along the way. The fusible grid worked well for me. However, with the more challenging projects this is what Cathy suggested: "If you do decide to do one of the more advanced quilts, there might be more scalene triangles and these aren't as easy to put together on the fusible because of the bias stretch inherent in the product... just be careful! I don't want to see you get frustrated." So, I will try foundation next time, as the grid would be too small for more complex designs. That is why I didn't choose the project "A Room with a View" this time. This project is: 27" x 31". Mine was 22" x 25 3/4".

Thanks for reading...

SIXTH PROJECT - APRIL 2010:

My sixth project will be shared next week...

Easy Does It For Autumn/ Art to Heart
Nancy Halvorsen

ISBN: 632552005211

 
 


Enjoy your quilting adventure for... 2010!!

Fabric Folding

Book:
Fantastic Fabric Folding by Rebecca Wat

I have always loved the bright flowers from the quilt on the cover and so this book is still in my library waiting... until I open it again and try making it. With this personal challenge to discover new techniques it is finally accomplished. However, that is not how things unfolded...

Book, Fabrics

I went ahead and picked out my fabrics, and cut out all the shapes I needed for the folded flowers and the background. Then I proceeded to go through the instructions and as I needed 16 of these flowers I realized after making only 4 of them, that there was a problem with my ability and determination to continue.

All that ran through my mind was, "How am I going to make a quilt for this book to show on my blog?" So with a bit of time to get my wits back in order, I thumbed through the book to find another project. And even tried another flower, this time only cutting one fabric piece and it flopped too.  Oh dear!!

Had I still lived near my daughter, I could have asked her to make the flowers and then successful went ahead and made this beautiful quilt. Not everyone is so able to work with their hands... I felt like I was all thumbs and didn't know how I was going to proceed without pulling my hair out. As I believe that even though these techniques are new to me, they still need to represent well for the designers.

If you look through this book, you are in awe of the beauty that the author/designer has taken to create all these perfectly folded flowers for these quilts. I don't know the answer to this, but just the other day, when I was thinking about my review, I wondered if she put the project that I did finally choose, there just for me.

Time to reveal my project from the book - I choose to make the quilt - "Kimono Sampler" (page 78)

It was because I felt so determined to succeed, that when this was the only project I felt I could do well, it was perfect for my challenge. My goal was also to create a small quilt of the project and so was able to use the sizes for the kimonos from the Kimono Sampler II and use the design from the Kimono Sampler I.

As I am using fabrics from my supply, I still try and find the best choices and believe they still show well in this design. I want you to see that you do not need to go buy new fabrics to try new techniques. If you find you didn't enjoy the process, you haven't gone out and spent money on something you will not complete.
 

New fabrics shown

There was a lot of cutting for the pieces, but this is the only way to achieve the finished result. I enjoy cutting so this step was fun for me, especially after realizing how I had flopped with the fabric flower folding process. 

Fabrics cut for the kimono and background

The pieces for embellishing the kimonos

I enjoyed the assembly process, as it looked like I had been successful at putting all those pieces in place and they still looked like the book illustrations.

The quilt top

I finished the quilting of the three layers by following the shape of the white blocks and stitched the outer borders with a gold color thread.

The stitching on the outer borders

A close-up of the finished quilt

Would I make another quilt from this book? That may be an easy guess for you, however, there are two other quilts in the book that demand another look.  I love their design layout and may consider them, if I recreate the flowers in applique.

My advice: Try out the different flowers first with paper and scrap fabric pieces to determine what you like or dislike. Then, continue on with your chosen project.

Kimono Sampler

Finished size: 27.5" x 27.5"

Next week...
My next book choice and then a reveal the following week. If you wish to see what books are being featured you can also check out my website for more details.

Happy stitching!!

Quilt Binding Made Easy

For some quilters this last step to completing a quilt is a daunting task... one that may be the least favorite part of quiltmaking. Why? Because.. I was one of them!!  The three parts: the hand-stitching, trying to keep that binding in place, and finishing those two loose ends...

As for the hand-stitching, I even am enjoying that step now, as for many years I tried avoiding it. I also have no problems with the binding as I press it and then use straight pins to hold it all in place, and it goes well.

Quilt Bindings

So from personal experience... wanting to do a good job, I finally decided to take the time to write up instructions in 2009 for myself, with detailed photos, so when this process was next in line, I could actually remind myself if I had forgotten. I do have it posted on my website, but last year I found an even better set of instructions and now always look forward to the binding process.

If you follow the quiltinggallery.com website you may have already benefitted from this video lesson, but if not, I wanted to share this link with you. This is my preferred method and now it is always done correctly and easily.

So, instead of a pdf lesson, even better is a video of the process, and it's like having the teacher right there beside you to show you the way. Enjoy the quilt binding video with Heidi Kaisand as she shows you how to make a continuous binding strip. Visit allpeoplequilt.com for this video.  From the menu on the left side of the screen, choose watch videos, and click on her lesson on this screen.

SECOND PROJECT - JANUARY 2010:

My second project will be shared next week...
Fantastic Fabric Folding/
Rebecca Wat
ISBN: 978-1-57120-085-3 /







Enjoy your quilting adventure for... 2010!!