What would you call it?

Here's my second journal quilt for the Quilt University class I am taking. This week's lesson was all about exploring possibilities. This little quilt is 12 x 16 inches. 

I played around with lines inside a rectangle which could be a border on a quilt. I made the curved line at the top left and then added another line in each box. I worked on variations and when I was done I chose one of these to work with. I chose the far right box in the second row. 

I decided to quickly applique these shapes onto a strip of fabric rather than make individual blocks and then sew those together. I used a zig zag stitch and machine quilted within that shape. As I was working with this little open circle I thought: Pac Man! Oh, no, there really isn't anything new under the sun, is there? Well, I just looked at Pac Man and he's not split right across to the other side like mine, whew, wouldn't want any copyright issues!

I traced some smaller versions and then painted them with acrylic paint. Now they look like fortune cookies! Wait, hasn't that been used by someone, too? Well, the fabric fortune cookie's I found were actual objects, not a quilt pattern, so I guess I am still safe. They also look kind of like lily pads, too, don't you think? Hmm, this could be a whole series of little quilts!

p.s. Do you like the plaid fabric? I love it and wish I had about 5 more yards of it!

Summer and Winter

I'm taking a Quilt University class again. This is my fourth class and this one is called Journal Quilts. The first lesson taught us how to do mind mapping, a technique that starts with one word and that word leads to another word and then another word until you feel you have come to an end of that line of thought or associations. After that exercise is done you reflect a bit and come up with a phrase or poetry or an image in your mind. My mind map started with smart and it led to some very interesting places! Two branches or roads perhaps since this is a map led a loop de loop to the word life, which I liked. Another road led to the word deadening, which was interesting. Upon reflecting on the words in my mind map the phrase "Summer and Winter season our lives" came to me. I then added "1) Adjust to taste", like a recipe. What fun!

Meow

Here's a little wall hanging I just finished. It is a Patch Ability design called Sassy Cat. I used a piece of batik fabric that I have had forever in my stash. I love it for the background for my sassy cat.

Have you ever made something from Patch Ability patterns? I'd love to see yours, too. I've made the Fall Country Flowers pattern; that's the one with sunflowers in the mason jar. I also have the pattern called Pond Critters. I'd like to make the purple coneflowers in the old boot, too. My brother works for LLBean making boots and I thought that would be nice for him. :-)

These are quick and easy patterns. The hardest part is finding just the right fabrics. The directions are pretty skimpy, but if you have ever done fusible applique it won't be hard.

First quilt meeting of the season is Monday night! Can't wait to see everyone!

Enjoy!

Art Quilts Maine

Congratulations to all the members who have their work on display at the Portland Library! This is a travelling exhibit so be on the lookout for it over the coming months.

September already?

You may recognize this wall hanging from Edyta Sitar's book Friendship Strips and Scraps. I made this for a friend who got married this summer. I love the imagery for newlyweds. A warm home, the sheltering foliage protecting their new home and marriage, the heart for their love, and the blue bird for happiness. In the red border I quilted two lines similar to marriage lines in Aran knitting. It was fun to make but I would piece the border differently another time. The directions call for cutting triangles then piecing together the small print triangles with a white triangle, then joining two of these units to make the square. Lots of very small pieces that I think could have been more accurately pieced and more quickly pieced using another technique. Well, there weren't too many to make, so I just kept going. 

A happy little blue bird. 

I had fun with the machine quilting. Lots of hearts and a musical note by the bird as Mariah is very musical! I embroidered the Est. 2012 in chain stitch using a variegated thread. 

My dear daughter stayed with us for a week in August. She lives in North Carolina now where it has been very hot all summer. She didn't get much relief from the heat on the day we went to the Maine Botanical garden in Boothbay. It was sweltering! 

 We really enjoyed our visit to the garden just the same. This algae filled pond was a cool green oasis.

I've been catching up on some of the Take a Stitch Tuesday embroidery stitches. The green arch and stitches below that are Sheaf Stitch. The little yellow flowers are done in Cast On Stitch. 

The pale yellow sprays are made with Palestrina Stitch. 

The "candy cane" is done in Pekingese Stitch. Below that are some leaves and a flower made with Oyster Stitch using wool yarn.

Here is Up and Down Buttonhole Stitch. The bottom row has red Lazy Daisy Stitch flowers and Oyster Stitch carrots. 

As with every other summer, when September comes we say where did the summer go? I feel like that, too, but there is plenty of beautiful weather yet to come. Yesterday I spent the day with a dear friend at Popham Beach and my husband and I have been enjoying taking our canoe out this summer. I love being outdoors but look forward to many creative days indoors when the weather changes.

Enjoy your last days of summer!