A Finish and a Start

Finally finished hand quilting "A Bold Expression."  It's been "in the hoop" for over a year.

It didn't take that long to quilt it.  I'd set it aside for several months between start and finish.

I started out with one of those large frames that's the size of a small table.  

I found it hurt my arm and neck to quilt that way.  

So I went back to the hoop, and finished it in a number of weeks.

I love the corduroy binding.  It's fun to rub your fingers on it.  

Next up, "Eyelashes."  

I'm hoping to get it finished for the local show in early March.  

WISHING YOU A FUN, HEALTHY, INSPIRED 2014!

Happy Holidays!

Ho ho ho!

Wishing you many sweet moments with friends and family this season.

Ode to Edrica

"Geraniums" 22" x 28"

Here's my first rendition of a work by the amazing Edrica Huws.

I'm using the technique I learned from Freddy Moran.

You use a glue stick to secure the scraps to a foundation.

Then you sandwich the top, batting and backing, and free-motion around the edges.

I love the look of the raw edges and random strings. 

Edrica made all of hers with hand stitching.

This one is called, "Geraniums by Window," made in 1986.

I feel I have so much to learn from copying Edrica's works.  She really was a master. 

 I'll be making more!

A Couple of Finishes

I've been on a roll with free-motion quilting.  

"Autumn Rose"  70" x 46"

The more I practice, the more I enjoy it.

"Scrappy Coins" 82" x 54"

Using several different designs helps to keep me entertained.

Speaking of entertainment, check out this display of holiday sweaters at the local Value Village!

Happy Thanksgiving!

"October Rain"

Here's my first fabric collage with stitching.  It finished at 21" x 24".

I used my free-motion foot and outlined everything with a neutral thread.

Then I big-stitched the background with perle 8 cotton.  

That's when I realized the name of this piece was "October Rain."

The stitching on the back makes an interesting design too!   

Collage!

Today I went to Buffy's house and tried some Freddy style collage.  

All you need are some scraps, scissors and a glue stick.  

Later I'll sew them down with machine quilting.

What could be more fun than that?

Weekend with Freddy

 Yup, that's Freddy Moran!

She came to the Seattle area and taught a weekend workshop at Aunt Mary's Quilt Shop.

Here she is showing one of her new works inspired by quilts in the book below.

Published by Quiltmania.

She also brought these beautiful collages, inspired by Edrica Huws.  

Stephanie took Freddy's collage class in Sisters, OR, last year.  Here she is with her fabulous creation.

Freddy showed us how she makes her collages, starting with a pieced black and white background.

Starting with a pile of scraps, she cuts and glues on pieces with a washable glue stick.

She made this piece in less than an hour.  

Once she gets everything glued on, she sends it to her long arm quilter for stitching.

I brought my lone star to work on.  

Freddy made some beautiful suggestions for setting fabrics.  

In the end, I decided on this.  Freddy's advice really helped my selection.  

She said, "It's already wild.  Keep it going!  Don't think you need to calm it down."

She also said I should use a different scale print.

Stephanie coordinated the event, and did a lovely job of it.  

She even made these gifts for us, 

all with her collection of out-of-print Freddy fabric!

Thank you, Stephanie!!!

A very colorful day

A great big cloud has been stuck over Seattle the last few days.  

It seems to move only up and down--dense fog or white sky, neither one letting the sun shine through.

But it's a great backdrop for color that comes about through creativity.  

Yesterday, I started the day with my weekly trip to the local farmer's market.  

In my neighborhood, they close a street on Sundays and farmers come to sell their bounty.

So there I am, buying my veggies, and I turn around to see...

This beautiful woman with her hand-embroidered jacket!  She was very gracious as I gushed over her thrift store jacket, which she embellished herself.  Check out the handmade treasures at her etsy shop.

Then I spotted this bunch of kimonos hanging on a fence with a sign, $20 each!

Of course, I just couldn't walk away from the one on the left.  

It's a heavier silk or silk/cotton mix.  LOTS of yardage!

After that,  Em came over and we rode the ferry to Vashon Island to see Freddy Moran's quilts!

The show is up at Island Quilter through October 31.

I'm loving her collage quilts, inspired by Edrica Huws.

I've been told that Freddy uses a glue stick to secure the pieces onto her black and white background.

Em's been using this technique for years.  

Here are a few of my favorite quilts in the show.

How about those buttons and yo-yos?

Notice the 3-D dragonfly on the right side.

Of course, I had to buy some large floral fabrics and come home and cut them out.  

Hmm, maybe I should try them against a white sky.