martha Sielmans New Book, People & Portraits, A Review

Recently I got People & Portraits by Martha Sielman. This gorgeous book is a mouth watering collection of art quilts by various quilt artists, ( these people can't just be called quilters). There are 21 featured artists, each with information about their process, inspirations, and much more. The book also includes 7 galleries of more gorgeous quilts in 7 categories. The book is loaded with colorful eye candy in all styles from the quilt artists. It'd be a great addition to any quilters or anyone who enjoys quilts, collection. Just flip through the pages and let your mouth water.

New York. Beauty Table Topper

Here's the New York Beauty table topper, still to be quilted, but it's done, the whole thing is made from scraps. I'd hoped to reduce my scrap bag with this project, however, the scrap bag just got bigger instead of getting smaller. Oh well. I used the sheer, non fusible interfacing for the foundation on this instead of paper or muslin. I ll like it because it can be left in the piece ( you have to take out paper) without adding extra weight of muslin. It nearly too pretty to be on my kitchen table but that's its intended home.
Never one to be idle for very long, I'm planning a one patch project that goes from darks to light then back to dark. Have to wait to see how, or if, it turns out like I think it will. Often, what I see in my mind and what the actual project turns out to be is completely different. Stay tuned on that one,

Possible future quilt project

This 12" sample is a for a background made from a single clam shell shape done In colors from dark to light. If I make a larger project I'll used a bigger template. These are from a 1.5" calm shell template. There are over 100 pieces in the sample. At this point the pieces are just glued on. Had to take a break, my neck began to hurt. I'll probably sew the pieces down at some point. Thought you might like to see what I do on a cold, snowy day at the end of March when it's supposed to be 60 degrees & sunny outside. Instead we have 35 degrees & snow flurries-- for days now.
Enjoy.

Crayon Show Quilt Finished

Tis show quilt is finally done. It contains t
4 shapes, heart shaped leaves, triangle shaped bird beaks, squares & rectangles in the quilting. Techniques used therein include machine appliqué, fusing, colored pencils, thread sketching, glitter and machine quilting. It measures 29" by 27". I'm entering it in a traveling show of the Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society's Presidents Challenge 2013. I hope it gets in. It will be the first time I've entered a piece in that venue.

Update on Show quilt

I have quilted the challenge quilt, did it in a pattern of intertwining squares & rectangles. I'm impressed how well it turned out, will bind in black to finish it. It's encouraging to have a project turn out well.

Challenge Quilt

This is my second attempt at a challenge using colors of a basic crayon box and three shapes, any shapes. It contains painted elements with watercolor pencils & fabric medium, & appliqué . I still have to quilt it yet. That will add more shapes to the project. I plan to bind it in black to complete the crayon colors requirement. If its chosen for the show, it will travel with the show for a year. That would be a first for me, to have one of my works in a traveling show. Wish me luck

Quilting Top

To practice free motion auditing designs before you commit needle to fabric, draw them out. I use an Idraw app on my IPad. I can easily erase it once I'm done or keep it for reference. You can ALS use pen & paper for practice. Practice like this gets your hand /eye coordination going thereby making the free motion quilting easier to do. good luck.

Another New Project

Here are the first 4 blocks of a 16 block project intended to be a traveling show quilt. A challenge from Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society for 2013. The challenge is to use only the 8 colors in a box of crayons in the quilt, max size is 30". The completed quilt will be 16 blocks big with either 1 or 2 borders to make the size. Wish me luck. I love a good challenge.

Foundation pieced Clam Shell completed

I attempted this Karen K stone inspired piece thinking I couldn't do it, but to my pleasant surprise, it worked out. I used the same technique as described in the previous post to do it, haven't decided if I'll do more, this one was a test piece.

Foundation Piecing without the paper

I've found a way to paper piece/foundation piece without the paper or muslin. I use a sheer weight, non fusible/ sew in interfacing. It's thin enough not to change the hand of the fabric, yet it can be drawn on with a felt tip pen for the pattern and it doesn't have to be taken out like paper does. The only draw back I found is that it will not go through the printer, but I have a fix for that too. I print out one copy of the pattern & trace the pattern from the paper onto the sheer interfacing. Place the interfacing over the paper pattern & trace with a marker. I use a permanent marker so it won't bleed onto the fabric. I really like the fact that the interfacing doesn't have to be removed from the finished piece, nor does it add extra weight like a muslin foundation would,
Try it & see what you think. Here's a couple of photos of what I'm talking about.

One thing to remember is to use Non Fusible interfacing. Tat way you can press seams without sticking down the piece of fabric you're sewing & not being able to fold it back to trim it to size. I finger press individual seams, once I complete the section I then press with a dry iron ( you can use steam if you want) to make the section lay flat.

New projects in Progress

Here are two quilted projects in progress. The table topper made from New York Beauty blocks will be 5 x 7 blocks at 8" finished. The other block is still in the idea stage. It's 4 clam shells made from strips sewn together then cut into the clam shell shape. I put them on a dark blue piece of fabric. I'd thought about making the stripes on the clam shells with points similar to those on the new York beauty blocks, but I haven't got that brave yet. The inspiration for both pieces are quilts by Karen K Stone. I have her book, hence the cover photo is the inspiration for the table topper, another quilt she made called Clam Session is the inspiration for the other block. I'm still working on that idea. Once these pieces are done I'll post photos of them here.
The ideas are flowing now. So who know what else I'll come up with.
Stay tunes

Art Quilt Finished

Another art quilt done. This one is 6 foot square with mariners compasses, flying geese and other stars. It's machine quilted with silver metallic thread. I tried using holographic thread but had absolutely no luck with it. It broke every few stitches if it'd catch & stitch at all. Therefore I wasted $20 on 2 spools. I may try it on another small project, if I can get it to sew at all. I tried it on a sample to find out it would not stitch even though I followed the directions exactly. Live and learn I guess. This quilt has yet to be named.
I haven't yet figured out why I'm attracted to these complicated quilts. I guess its the challenge of doing the more complicated blocks and having them turn out right.
I'm currently working on a new York Beauty quilt that will be a table topper for my kitchen table, it will be similar - I hope- to the one on Karen K Stone's book. I'm using scraps on this project so there is no particular color scheme.
Stay tuned, more projects to come.

Shopping Injury & Quilt Rulers

Went to local fabric shop to get new quilt rulers today. Was trying to get the one I wanted off the rack when I bumped the edge of the ruler. I felt a tiny pain but didn't pay much attention to it till I saw a lot of blood on both hands. After retrieving a tissue from my purse to wipe away the blood, I discovered I'd cut not one but 2 fingers in the nail beds, the cuticle to be specific. I fished out a couple of band aids & applied them to the cuts, then mentioned the incident to the clerk, who also brought out band aids. I told here I was okay but to be careful when moving the rulers around. The blood soaked both bandaids so I had to put new ones on once I got in the car. In the end, I'm fine, just will have sore fingers for a couple of days. Geez, I knew rotary cutters were dangerous but who would have thought the rulers were too. Live & learn!!