Something About Nothing

My daughter in law LOVES Hello Kitty and I had hoped to make her a quilt in time for Christmas, but it just didn't happen. Thankfully she didn't mind getting her gift a little late. She had no idea I was making her a quilt and was delighted when she received it. It is always wonderful to know that the receiver appreciates their gift, especially when it takes so much time, money, and especially love to create. Unfortunately I have heard several stories of people who have received quilts with sour comments. It really is unfortunate they cannot appreciate the value of the gift they were given. I feel very fortunate. Washed and ready to deliver! I put a more "grown up" backing on the quilt just in case she ever wanted to have things look a little classier.

After stamping hand dyed fabrics with a few of my hand carved stamps, I felt the need to create something with them. I thought about several patterns but after a friend suggested a log cabin,  I knew that was the right answer.  I love log cabin blocks. After some quick matchstick quilting. . . I had a piece that I really like.   And of course the binding had to be more hand stamped fabric!   This is probably the best binding I have ever made. The best part about creating a quilt from hand dyed and printed fabrics is that it cannot be duplicated!

Last January I took a class at Craft Napa with Victoria Findlay Wolfe and only completed one fourth of the top in class.  I finally pulled the parts and the pattern out to complete the top. And now it's done!  I'm so happy with myself! I've always wanted to make a lone star type quilt and now I've done it and it all lays flat.  

Show and Tell is usually the best part of our quilt guild meetings!  We have so many fantastic quilters and I am always inspired by all they do.  Here are just a few photos from this month's meeting. Ruth Ewers, far right, showing off her beautiful quilt. Marsha Cardwell's Paula Nadlestern quilt. (right) Julia Smith's wedding ring quilt. (right) Julia said she made similar animal throws for her kids and is now making them for her grandchildren. She no longer has a pattern so she has just traced it from the old throws.  I loved this idea! Pat Parkin & Joyce Ekstrand have designed at ruler to create tuffets with. They created this cute quilt and had it on display in their booth in Houston. (Pat is pictured here) Wendy Ingham made this lovely tree skirt without using a pattern. She looks like she is an angel about to take flight! Nan Sturgill always has a fantastic quilt to show. Sorry about the blurry photo but I really liked this quilted...

Last week, while I was in DC, I stopped at Artistic Artifacts .  Artistic Artifacts is a quilt/mixed media shop and it was HEAVENLY!  I got there a little late in the day and really didn't have the time to inspect everything closely.  I know I will be returning when I am in the DC area. Let me give you a little tour of the shop:   ^^^ Panorama shot from the front of the shop.  Beautiful batiks. Gorgeous papers. I'm still kicking myself that I didn't buy some of Seth Apter's stamps. I don't know if the sewing machines are for sale or just for show but I LOVE them! Lots and lots of beautiful paints. I bought a nice selection to try out. ^^^These cigar boxes remind me of my grandfather. Folding yardsticks!  Lovely vintage photos to include in your art work.  LOTS and LOTS of Tjaps for batiking or enjoying. And a great big wall of stencils. And this is just a small part of the shop. ...

It all started with a drawing that was too complex  for the small quilt I wanted to make. . . . . .I simplified. . . And simplified . . .and then created the main house fabric  from a piece that didn't dye as dark as I wanted for another project  (more on that one on Monday).  I stenciled bricks in two colors . . .  . . .And added some sparkly paint too.  Then I Taped off the windows and door. . . . . . And covered them in black. . .  . . .I covered the black with a white pen. The main house is done  but because this quilt is for The House Quilt Project   I still need to figure out where the flag will go. . . . . .hanging from top . . . . . . window. . . . . .flying from top. . . Where do you think the flag should go?

I sun printed a few fabrics in the spring and used them to make a wall hanging that I planned to enter into a show at the Springville Museum of Art . I was pushing the deadline, as usual, but still could make it if I could just get the quilting done. Part way in, the threads started breaking. UGH! I was trying to quilt tight and over a lot of seams. Why do I always make things so difficult for myself?!? I didn't like the stitching and decided the quilt wouldn't be done in time at the rate I was going so I threw it aside. The show has now come and gone but yesterday I thought that perhaps I could finish the piece for another show. I picked up the quilt and decided it just needed easy quilting. Lots of lines. Easy Peasy. I was done quickly! I like this quilting much much better. If only I had done that to begin with! It is hard to tell from this photo but now I have two very different types of quilting on this piece.  I feel that the squ...