I’m Back
Our marathon Alaskan vacation is coming to an end. We are at our last stop of the caravan and actually have fairly fast internet–fast enough that I could get on my website and post without being dropped. As soon as we get to Hannibal I …
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Black Hills Quilt
As we are traveling this summer I was wondering how I would cope with my passion for quilts and the designing of them. No problem in the inspiration department!! We haven’t even gotten to Alaska, our ultimate destination and I am thinking about possibilities that …
Wind Cave Quilt Show
I was surprised to explore the Wind CAve National Park exhibit and find small art quilts representing the National Parks and their 100th anniversary. The quilters are a group from Nebraska that are “friends of the parks” and decided to make the quilts, contacting the park service to see if they were interested in displaying them. Obviously they were and the display will be on the move. At Wind Cave in June, at MtRushmore in July and the ranger didn’t know after that. Perhaps they will be in the parks that are depicted. If you visit any of the national parks this summer or know more about this exhibit look for them. As an art quilter it was delightful to see the various techniques used to depict the scenes. They are very nicely done with that personal memory from the artist and I apologize for not having a name associated with each one. I did know one of the artists, Sheila Green, having met her at the International Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, NE and done some work related to her work with NE elementary students on the role of quilts in the days of the pioneers. I did a similar guide for Iowa quilts. Enjoy the few photos I took.
A Cherrywood Challenge
I have been incubating an idea for the 2016 Cherrywood Challenge and finally started it today. Below are the pics of the dimensional leaves being “veined” and then sewn into the background strips and finally the rough finish. Now to find the right quilting pattern. …
Pandolph Willow
I have taken an interest in hand applique, especially since we are going to be spending a lot of time this summer traveling–good handwork, little space needed. I love using my hand dyed vintage linens as the background for many of my projects and this …
Woven Star
The initial block was made with a border type fabric and then fussy cut and enhanced with woven ribbon strips of color. A brave step to meet the parameters of a challenge was to cut this carefully planned and sewn block to make something new and different. That was hard to think about but , oh well, take the cutter and ruler and divide into four squares. Second cut the four squares in half diagonally. Eight giant half square triangles, now what? A star design perhaps, add some Kaffe Fasset dots and stark white. Voila, a star within a star within a star!
Or is it geese flying to the center? Whatever you see, it was fun to contemplate and to make!
Baby’s Playmat
Errant Ones is the name given this playmat for baby, my original design and unfinished in this photo. The finished quilt was given first place in the crib quilt category at the Hannibal Piecemakers Quilt Show going on April 1 and 2 at the Admiral …
Dimensional Technique
Quilt shows now abound at any time of the year and all across the country, small towns and cities. Before leaving our winter home I attended one last show in south Texas. I always hope to see something unusual and/or creative that I haven’t seen …
Dresden Next
Work is now started on a version of Dresden Plate using home dec fabrics with a formal feel. Silks, satins, linens, cotton damask and more are used to make the blades of the plate. They will be combined with my hand dyed linens in some sort of traditional arrangement with the non-traditional twist of fabrics. More on this as it develops.
Nothing Gold Can Stay
I have always loved the poem by Robert Frost, “Nothing Gold Can Stay”, even before the high school literature teacher wanted us to make deeper meaning from it. I continue to associate it with nature and the beauty of all that we have been privileged …