Umbrella Prints: Trimmings

My trimmings spoke for themselves...The colors, prints, and scale worked perfectly, so I pretty much just sewed the scrappy pieces together and added some embroidered embellishment.  The resulting object could be a mini pillow, a giant pin cushion, or just a cheerful pop of color.

Thanks to Umbrella Prints for hosting this fun competition! 

THESIS COMPLETED!

Modern Quilting: DIY Discourse is finished!

I've spent the last year and a half researching and writing my thesis on the Modern Quilt Guild!  It has been a really fun experience - I got to meet 26 pretty cool ladies who told me all about their experiences as members of the MQG.  Mega-thanks to everyone who was part of this journey.  From the participants, to my committee, to the dogs, and to those who encouraged me to keep on trucking, it's much appreciated!

Huge thanks extended to the University of Nebraska, who in addition to my degree (fingers crossed, I guess since I haven't technically graduated yet), provided me with this token of their appreciation:

And all sarcasm aside, this thrilled me.  I saw Ms. Madeleine's pin last year and knew that nothing could stop me...It's the simple things in life (two years of work = pin = happy)...


If you are so inclined, feel free to read the beast HERE.

Quilt Retreat

Many thanks to Susan Brown of TQM Products for welcoming me and Madeleine to her quilt retreat in Okoboji, Iowa!  'Boji as it is referred to by those in the know, is a vacation lake spot in Northeast Iowa.  We stayed at the Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp (my first bible camp experience). 

Packing up all my supplies was pretty stressful. Even for a quilter like me who tends to avoid a lot of tools, knick, knacks, etc, but the time you get your machine, cutting supplies, ironing stuff, and fabric together, it's enough to pretty much fill the Prius.  Especially combined with Madeleine's sewing accoutrements. 

ready to sew!

We arrived ready to roll.  After setting up our gear, we went to bed.  Nothing could prepare us for the reality of quilt retreat...

In the zone.

We got right to work on Friday morning.  As our fellow sewists arrived, we remained focused, not yet disrupting the quiet peace.  Slowly, as we became accustomed to our new environment, we let loose and chattered the rest of the weekend.  Surprise, surprise...

Swooning

Little did we know, but at quilt retreats people stay up sewing all night.  Literally all night.  The champion quilter stayed up until 5am and was back at it at 8am.  Whoa.  Madeleine and I created unattainable goals the first night and stayed up until 4am, however we slept in.  The Swoon block above was my goal for the 4am night. 

Also is very helpful

The Six Swoons

 The following day at retreat, I continued to pound out the Swoon blocks.  All the cool kids have been making this quilt for months, so I figured I should too.  I used to be one of those quilters who proudly proclaimed "I do NOT use patterns."  I was a graph paper snob, but realistically my creations for variations on incredibly common pieced quilt patterns.  That said, the lack of patterns in my quilting life was a point of pride (wow, I am so LAME).  Over the last few months, as I continued to perfect my procrastination skills through the thesis writing process, I began to gravitate towards quilt patterns.  It was easier to have mindless sewing while watching trashy TV to distract myself rather than have to pretend to exert creative energy while reinventing the nine patch again and again.  I started with some free patterns on blogs, and luckily I found one that I LOVED which resulted in me mass producing the blocks for it.  Due the the unfinished gift nature of one of these quilts, I cannot reveal the pattern.

Another step in my new found love of patterns was helping Carolyn Friedlander by testing one of her new patterns.  Again, no pictures or identifying information, but it was super fun, and I learned a new skill, paper piecing!   

So, that gets me to Swoon.  In order to become complete social media junkies, Madeleine and I got a Twitter account for The Printed Bolt.  Like quilt patterns, I used to be against Twitter.  Well, I pretty much still am against Twitter, however, I have found both a sociological crater and some quilting inspiration on Twitter.  Although, I do feel like a bit of an outsider looking in to all these weird personal conversations, but in a sort of Nancy Drew/Carmen San Diego investigator sort of way...Anyway, someone had a link to a Swoon quilt with something other than a white background, it was a black newsprint.  Since I don't really understand Twitter and just click around, I have not been able to relocate said image.  I was determined to make the Swoon quilt and not do the whimpy shabby chic color combination in the picture for the pattern.   

I bought the pattern online, and I'm sorry, but even in my limited pattern experience, I was not impressed.  Yes, I did figure it out, and yes it is super EASY, but there were a few fatal flaws that caused me to almost drop F-bombs every ten seconds at Lutheran Bible Camp.  Not a good situation.  For example, there are two square sizes that you need to cut out, however they are both the same size in the drawings, WTF?  Second, there are two colors used in addition to the background.  Color 1 refers to the secondary color with fewer pieces.  That does not make sense.  Color 2 is the main color, but it is second.  There is a giant 1 floating above something that is supposed to go with Color 2, FML.  Let's just say it's a good thing I wasn't using the minimum fabric requirements since I effed up cutting a million times. 

Many of the ladies questioned my color scheme for the Swoon, but as I had already named it the Greatest Color Combination in All of Quilt History, there was no turning back.  And I am glad I didn't!  I LOVE IT! 

Many thanks to the sewing crew around me for literally swooning over the quilt, motivating me to stay up too late, and keep going.  We met a fellow quilt blogger, Tasha from Ric Rac and Ribbons, who kept us laughing all weekend.  She's going to start her own Swoon soon, so I am anxious to see another interpretation!  While the quilt was originally going to just be four blocks, I increased it to six, and then after careful consultation with Rita, she convinced me to go for it and make three more blocks to balance out the colors. 

Really bad picture of the fabric that will help me make three more Swoons.

Momma Rushman was in town the last few day with her dog Lola.  Fortunately Maybe and Also were good hosts in the sense that they didn't eat Lola.  Maybe almost accidentally ate Also though...I think she mistook her for a bunny, but she definitely scared Also.  Maybe *might* be showing some signs of aging...

Happenings...

The submission deadline for REPEAT has come and gone...The TOP TEN designers will be revealed throughout the day on Saturday March 10th!

On Friday I presented my thesis project to the Lincoln Quilters Guild who generously provided me with a scholarship that literally made the whole project possible...THANK YOU!  There were a several modern quilts on display at my presentation made by Marny and Jill from Modern Quilt Relish.  Sheila Green, organizer extraordinaire, was kind enough to coordinate the quilts coming to Nebraska!

You can see Modern Quilt Relish's quilts on display at the IQSC from March 17 to April 1st!  Admission to the museum is free on Saturday March 17th in observance of St. Patrick's Day...just kidding, its National Quilting Day.  No green beer, but lots of free, fun activities...

THE PRINTED BOLT!!!

For the last few months, my friend Madeleine and I have been working on a super awesome secret project!

We've launched a small company, The Printed Bolt, and we are hosting a fabric design competition.  The competition will be held entirely online with monthly challenges from March to August of this year!

Check it out here!

The Binding Tool

I am not a tool user.  I am not very good with hardware tools.  Drills confuse me.  I own one quilting tool called the "Cut Around," and we do not have a successful relationship.

However, I think I found a tool for me.  "The Binding Tool" joins the two binding ends PERFECTLY.  By the time I am binding a quilt, perfection is out the window.  My joining point is usually a bumpy mess.  But whatever, the quilt is done?  That's what I try to convince myself.  Now I don't have to play games with myself to legitimize my imprecise quiltmaking.  I can be perfect too (at least my bindings can be...)

Check out Susan's website that includes links to tutorials.  Not only is the Binding Tool great, but so is Susan!

Here's Susan Brown demoing the Binding Tool. 

Quilt Fesitval: All the days we were there...

After a two day break in Austin, I returned to Houston thinking I was ready to tackle Festival.  Boy, was I wrong.  Market had taken a toll on my lazy student body and soul.  Within minutes of entering the George R. Brown Convention Center, I was overwhelmed.  Half vendors, half quilts, and people everywhere.  In the vendor area, you basically joined the sea of people moving as a unit throughout the aisles of goodies.  If one stopped, you all had to.  In the quilt area, it was slightly more sane.  The crowds congregated around the winners, and my taste led me to the quilts with less of a following.  Here are the highpoints:

View from above.  This was on Saturday afternoon, a somewhat slower day, so you can't quite sense the degree of craziness on Thursday afternoon...

The back of the vendor area had rows of chairs set up for tired quilters.  There were motorized scooters everywhere...and I was tempted to get one by the end despite the $70 rental fee.

Great quilt by Timna Tarr.

Another awesome quilt by Timna Tarr.  I saw this at the Vermont Quilt Festival last summer and it won second place in the Art Quilt-Large category at Houston.

Bottle cap art is one of my favorite things.  This quilt by Deborah Herring and Judy Kreihn was appealing, however the beer brands they used were not.

Pictorial quilts aren't usually my thing, but something about this bicycle is just perfect. Additionally, the maker Pamela Druhen is from Northfield, Vermont, a short distance from the little town I grew up in.

Hexagons are the focus on an exhibit at the International Quilt Study Center and Museum where I am a student...Cathy Miller's piece is worthy of a place in the show.

This is another quilt I saw at the Vermont Quilt Festival last summer.  I totally love it.  And this lady, Patricia Delaney made it!  Note the white gloves, she must be a history buff. 

Are these dinosaurs trying to kill each other or hug each other?  This was the most sparkliest quilt I saw at Festival...made by Ellen Anne Eddy, thread painter extraordinaire.

While this looks like thread painting, Mary Pal actually uses cheesecloth to create the faces.  WOW!

This was one of my favorite quilts on display.  Maker = Emiko Toda Loeb. 

If I had to guess, I would say that Sheila Frampton-Cooper would be a great detasseler.  This quilt reminded me of the cornfields...

This picture does this quilt no justice, but Mechelle Currie-Walker knows how to create texture.

This is cheater cloth.  The patchwork is printed on the fabric.  Ewwww.

The cheater cloth was set up for people to hand quilt on.  Tacky.  This is a quilt festival, get somebody's UFO...

Quilting is nothing if not totally gendered.  At least somebody has a sense of humor.  The husband's lounge had comfy chairs and a football game on.  If they had beer, I would have joined.

Quilt Market: Day Unknown

Differentiating between days was hard enough while they were happening in Houston, but now looking back from afar, it is simply not possible.  Market seems calm know looking back post-Festival.  Note all the open space that days later was stuffed full of scooters, bags, and frantic energy...

Bandana fabric can only be better with some Husker accessorizing.  This stand also had a quilt made of tractor fabric featuring my favorite McCormick Farmall.  Check it out here.  There is some scary stuff too.  Licensed fabric = scary, but sometimes in a good way (ie. Huskeriffic bandana).

Minke Mary!  Check out minke at Shannon Fabrics.   

I am a yarn snob who became a thread snob.  Aurafil rocks...

Aurafil's thread spread.  On a side note, we stared at this spread for a long time waiting for someone to help us.  At a surprising number of booths, we were able to stand around fondling objects with no one making any attempt to help us let alone sell us on their product.  Granted we wouldn't have bought it anyway, I was expecting some sleazy car salesman types and instead it was closer to work-study students at the UNL gym front desk.

Decorated booth rails at Starr Design Fabrics. All hand dyed, reminds me of Vermont. 

I loved the display at Moda.

At the Clover booth they were demoing a new product used to make flowers.  Fabric flowers are all the rage on all kinds of cutesy handmade things, but sometimes it is a hot mess.  Clover has six different plastic templates that help users make perfect petals in different shapes...

Other than our Halloween costume, this one was pretty good.  Its Brandon Mably with a spider on his head.  Also, Kaffe Fassett was behind him, so I did spot him in Houston!

Madeleine of Papago Studio became overwhelmed with all the opportunities to start her own business.  From this wolf fabric to a mushroom themed fabric store, she was all ideas!

Quilt Market: Halloween

A combination of two of my favorite things: quilts and Halloween.  And an opportunity to combine the two!  Madeleine and I were UFO's (unfinished objects, a prevalent occurrence for any quiltmaker...)  Some seemed to get it, most seemed confused.  Several people told us they like it, thinking it was apparently a new trend to tack two-patches to your outfit. 

I was attempting to show the camera my leg patches.  Instead I look like a Toddler and Tiara model. 

Quilt Market Profile: Modern Quilt Relish

The "modern" aesthetic was a trend sweeping across the floor at Market.  Many booths had an element of the modern trend (ie. a quilt with a gray background), but fewer embodied the look entirely.  One example is Modern Quilt Relish.  Two lovely ladies from Des Moines showcased their modern pattern line.  Their sample quilts were great, and all nice and big.  Quilts = beds.  

Gray and yellow, ohh la la. 

Magic

Quilt Market was enormous.  There were lots of product demos, and in my mind the most impressive was for Bonash Bonding Powder.  The magic white sprinkles can literally fix anything. 

Our friendly demonstrator Beryl snipped a hole in the wool swatch. 

She filled the hole with little snips of wool fibers from the edge. She sprinkled on some magic, added a cotton patch, and ironed...

Yes, all these patches are holes...

WOW...you can't see any of the holes...It was so exciting I almost wanted to snip all my clothes up just to fix them, but then I realized they are all covered in holes anyway...

Try magic at home...Check it out here.

Quilt Market Profile: Retro Clean

I have seen my fair share of dirty old quilts.  Sometimes it is endearing, but sometimes you just want to bleach them until they sparkle.  Sadly within the historic quilt world (world might be an overstatement), it is frowned upon to clean up your old quilts.  But, if you dare to be different, try Retro Clean.

Look!  Dirty quilt on the left and clean quilt on the right. 

Yo Yo blocks on their booth table.

Quilt Market Profile: Carolyn Friedlander

We met Carolyn Friedlander at the Modern Quilt Guild meet up on Saturday night.  We chit chatted all night and then visited her booth the next day.  Carolyn's patterns, stamps, quilts, and overall "look" was a welcome breath of fresh air.  Check her out here in the coming weeks!

Simply lovely.