Monthly Archives: May 2024

Heart of the Triad Quilt Show

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One of the guilds to which I belong (Heart of the Triad) recently had a quilt show. Most of the members seem to be traditional quilters, but I was impressed with many of the quilts even if they weren’t my style. That said, here are some of my favorites, which may not be typical of the show as a whole!

Best of show was this beautiful, detailed, applique quilt. I can’t imagine how long it took!

Flower Garden, made by Micol Parsons and quilted by Wendy Hughes

There were several graphic designs that caught my eye.

Wonky Squares is an improv quilt made and quilted by Teri Craven

Every Which Way was pieced and quilted by Teri Craven as well–I think I’ve found someone who shares my taste!

Here are a couple of unusual ones that I especially enjoyed.

Got Bored in Physics Class, pieced and quilted by Bette Brownlow, was notable for its unusual techniques and fun title

Periodic Table of Quilting & Embroidery by Lori Peterson included applique, piecing, and machine embroidery. This picture shows only part of it so you can see some detail. It was very impressive.

The guild challenge was to make an original quilt that included at least one heart and some plant(s).

Down at the Barn, by Ellen Hart, won first place in the guild challenge.

Scrappy by Linda Fishel

Big Billz by Sharon Dorminy

Where the Bears Are by Ellen Hart

Elaine’s Quilt, made and quilted by Gerry Lou Wray from a Quiltworx pattern

Of course there were many more wonderful quilts; it was hard to choose which to include in this post. I hope you belong to a guild with equally good quilters!

 

Two Interesting Discoveries

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I just found a couple of interesting things online that I thought I’d pass on.

First, Rebecca Bryan published another blog on how to choose colors for a quilt. Mind you, it’s about only one of many possible color “recipes” but I thought her explanation was unusually well done. I personally choose my colors intuitively, but I know many people agonize over fabric choice, so I thought some of you might want to see her article. The link is here, and she has additional articles on choosing colors if you’re interested.

Rebecca designs wonderful quilts, too. Here’s one I made years ago from her book Modern Triangle Quilts. The color choices are mine, and I added a few blocks that weren’t in the book, but the pattern is basically hers. (Modern Triangle Quilts was published in 2017, so you probably can get it for less now through AbeBooks. And no, this is not an affiliate link.)

“Triangle Variations” did not get to go to a quilt show due to COVID

Back of “Triangle Variations”

The other thing that caught my eye is a class, via Creative Spark, on using African fabrics in “quilts, crafts, and more”. I recently bought some African wax cloth, thinking it would liven up some of the solids I often use, so I’ll probably take this class.

The same ideas probably would apply to use of these aboriginal designs.

The presenters for this class, Carole Lyles Shaw and Lisa Shepard Stewart, discuss the distinction between appreciation and appropriation. (I’ve been interested in THAT topic since a prominent designer was accused of cultural appropriation a few years ago.)

I’ll let you know if I take the class. It will be a minute because I have a couple of other class-related projects to finish at the moment (I’m a sucker for anywhere I might learn something).

Have you used ethnic designs in your work? Any thoughts?

 

Flying Horse Farm Quilts

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Please note if you live in Central North Carolina: One of the guilds I belong to is having a quilt show soon!2024 card.JPEG

One of my other quilt groups makes quilts for Flying Horse Farm, a camp for children with serious illnesses. Here are my contributions for this spring.

This quilt was inspired by Maryline Collioud-Robert’s Carnival Quilt, in which she mixed many striped fabrics with her scraps. I didn’t use her pattern, just her idea of including lots of striped fabric. However, here’s the link to her pattern if you’re interested.

Quilt Stats

Name: Strips with Stripes

Finished size: 60″ x 72″

Designed by: me, with inspiration from Maryline Collioud-Robert

Made by: me

Quilted by: Linda Nichols

 

Here is the second Flying Horse Farm quilt:

This quilt is inspired by the Bento Box pattern I had years ago and made several quilts from. The pattern has been re-issued and I bought it, but I do not like the new instructions at all! Therefore I completely re-designed the construction process and made this my way.

And here’s a peek at the back of the quilt–more scraps used!

Quilt Stats

Name: Bento Box Revised

Finished size: 60″ x 72″

Designed by: me, with inspiration from the original Bento Box pattern

Made by: me

Quilted by: Linda Nichols

These were both fun, easy (as revised by me) quilts. I used the scrappy one at the top as leaders-and-enders and it came together quickly.

 

Finally, here is a scrap quilt called “Blue Sky and Sunshine”–my husband says the name is corny but I like it 😀

Quilt Stats

Name: Blue Sky and Sunshine

Finished size: 61″ x 73″

Designed by: me, using up orphan blocks

Made by: me

Quilted by: Linda Nichols

 

Happy quilting!

Little Pincushions

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A friend and I went to a new class last week to learn to make little pincushions. Of course, I’ve made pincushions before, as I think most quilters have, We went to the class because we are interested in having the presenter come to our guild.

This is the pincushion I made in class

The class was held at Sew Much Fun in Lowell, near Charlotte, NC. My friend had told me it was a wonderful shop, and indeed it was.

Lesley Storts was the teacher. I’ve known of her for some time, but she used to be in Ohio and I only recently learned she had moved to North Carolina.

Lesley Storts

It looks like Lesley’s interest started with vintage glass and then she and her daughter got to making little pincushions in the vessels she collected.

Some of Lesley’s pincushions

Lesley did a great job of teaching to students with variable levels of experience. The class included someone who literally needed assistance threading a needle and others who had been sewing for years. Best of all, Lesley’s pincushion technique is totally different from mine, so I learned a lot!

And Lesley is really into this pincushion thing. In addition to her vintage vessels she has a potter make little bases especially for her pincushions. We enjoyed seeing her collection.

OK, Lesley is REALLY into little pincushions!

You can go to Lesley’s blog and see a number of YouTubes of her techniques. Or, if you live near Charlotte, go take a class with her. My friend and I both enjoyed it!