Spring 2015 Quilt Market
- At May 21, 2015
- By Kelly
- In Fabrics, Quilts
- 0
There is so much to take in at Quilt Market that I’m never sure where to start in trying to share it all. Part of the problem is that it is completely impossible to share everything! There are hundreds of exhibitors at Market. Of course there are all the wonderful quilt fabrics one would expect, but there is so much more – needle crafts, new rulers and gadgets, books, notions, machines, supplies for many textile arts, patterns… I don’t even think I saw everything when I was there, and by the end of each day I felt like I had walked for miles.
There seemed to be more clothing shown at this Market than there was at last spring’s market. And there are more fabric companies expanding their knit lines as well. Alison Glass has a new knit line coming out with Andover. Birch Fabrics showed off some of their organic knit collections in an adorable display of baby bodysuits.
Birch was also showing their organic double gauze, which is OH SO NICE.
The International Quilt Association had a special exhibit featuring some of the winners from their annual judged show in various categories. The styles ranged from traditional quilts to more contemporary designs. Some were hand quilted, others machine quilted. The work is amazing.
This quilt is called One Fine Day and it was created by Laurie Britt Piper of Bakersfield, California. The quilt uses raw-edge applique and is fused and painted. It won first place in the Art – Painted Surface category. It is even more stunning in person.
This wedding dress by Yujo Murakami took third place in the Wearable Art category. It was hand appliqued and free-motion machine quilted.
Here’s a closer look at the bottom portion:
So, next up, more from Birch! (Tomorrow.)
Happy Sewing!
Kelly
Quilts Do Not Finish Themselves!
- At September 03, 2014
- By Kelly
- In Quilts, Sewing For The Kids
- 4
Some time back, I posted about Jack’s (unfinished) quilt.
This project has been hanging over my head for years. It’s beyond ridiculous. I need it out of my sewing space and out of the space it has been occupying on my mental to-do list.
A week or so ago, I cut and pieced the back, which we have now decided is the front.
After all, no self-respecting third grade boy wants an i-spy quilt. (Actually, they do, they just do not want everyone else to know that they do. So, the i-spy side will hide on the back where only the 8 year old owner can see it and secretly spy matching squares.)
The steps are 6″x12″ finished size. I cut them using the 6.5″ strip cutter on my Accuquilt Studio and then just cut apart 12.5″ rectangles from the strip. Very efficient.
I used chalk to mark the lines for quilting.
Fortunately(?), I spent about 11 hours in the car when we went to my parents’ house for my dad’s birthday. This was plenty of time to hand sew the binding to finish it up. I am sooooo happy to be done with this one! Jack’s pretty happy, too.
And, in the spirit of embracing imperfection, I am even going to let you see the quilting up close. And then I will tell you what I learned.
This was quilted on my home sewing machine. It is a Bernina Virtuosa 155. In doing this, I pretty much quilted it in the worst possible direction. First, I quilted the straight line across the middle.
That would have been fine, except that I then stitched the one to the left.
And then I continued to the left until that whole side was done.
This meant when I got to that far left side, I had the whole quilt bunched up in the throat of my machine. Now, you may be thinking this does not matter, because after all, at some point I would have had it all bunched up there, right? But if I had been smarter and instead moved to the right first, when I did the left side and it was all bunched up, it also would have already been quilted, which would have made it much more stable and compressed over there. (ie, less bunchy and loose and more cooperative!)
So, it would have been better if I had done the right side first.
Lesson learned – think ahead about where the quilt will be with respect to the machine when quilting!
I also learned that it is much harder to keep my stitch length consistent on a big quilt than on a mini quilt. Guess I need more practice! I am okay with that.
Here it is hanging from his top bunk. Quilts are for fort making, you know. :)
All in all, I am happy with the result, and Jack is happy to have his own mom made quilt.
Happy Quilting!
Kelly
Quilt Market Spring 2014: Clothworks
- At June 13, 2014
- By Kelly
- In Fabrics, Quilts
- 0
First up is this cute quilt from the Sew Fun collection by Beach Garden Quilts & Studio
A closer look at a couple of the blocks:
This one is from the Fresh Batiks line.
This is the Vintage Sunshine line by Ellen Crimi-Trent.
This quilt used fabrics from the American Made Brand and LB Basics.
The American Made Brand is a new venture from Clothworks. It is a pretty exciting idea. The goal of this brand was to produce fabrics made completely in the USA, from sourcing the cotton to milling and dyeing. The results are a collection of gorgeous solids.
If you are a quilter, check out the Farm to Fabric Challenge. It is a juried exhibition of quilts made exclusively with American Made Brand solids and will premiere at Fall Quilt Market. Registration opens June 15th, so check it out!
Kelly
Quilt Market Spring 2014: Modern Quilt Studio
- At June 10, 2014
- By Kelly
- In Quilts
- 0
A couple quick pics for you today!
Here is a little peek at the Modern Quilt Studio booth at Spring Quilt Market.
This quilt is called Jewel Box. I love how the color changes make it look like a ray of light is hitting the center of the quilt.
Kelly
Spring Quilt Market 2014: Frond
- At June 04, 2014
- By Kelly
- In Fabrics, Quilts
- 1
The Frond booth at Quilt Market was a color explosion. So many deep, vibrant colors!
I took this picture for my album loving husband, whose LP collection is growing at an alarming rate…
Hope you’re enjoying these!
Kelly