Cutting and a Cool Trick

These are some scraps from cutting the Flowering Snowball blocks.

The remainders were tulip and leaf shapes.

When I got tired of cutting, I'd slap them on the wall.

Hmm, another project?

Here's the collection of "blades" so far.

I cut a bunch of red centers, then thought to test for color-fastness, 

even though this fabric had been pre-washed.  Yipes!  I chose a different red.

Do you know this cool trick?  

Spray the fabric with water, put a paper towel on top, and iron until it's dry.

If you get color on the paper towel, you know it's going to run.  

I've sewn a dozen blocks so far, with a goal of 100.

It was so beautiful on my walk this morning,  I just had to snap a photo.

Happy Solstice!

Flowering Snowball

I intended to spend the rest of the year quilting flimsies and finishing other projects.  

Then Mary posted this Flowering Snowball Quilt Along, and I just couldn't stop thinking about it.

I thought it'd be a great opportunity to use my retro ditsies that have been on the shelf for years.  

That's finishing something.  Right?

I ordered the templates here.  My blocks are 9" finished.  

So far, I've only cut them, and I'm having a wonderful time.

So there's my summer project.

And here's my summer companion, with her new haircut.  

  

Exciting New Book!

I can hardly wait for this book to be released on September 9!

Unconventional and Unexpected--American Quilts Below the Radar 

features about 150 quirky utilitarian quilts from Roderick Kiracofe's extensive collection

plus other quilts he borrowed for the book.   All were made between 1950 and 2000.

AND

It includes essays on art and quilts by big names in the art and quilt worlds.  

Kaffee Fassett and Denyse Schmidt are just two of the names I remember him mentioning. 

Here's Roderick Kiracofe, the author, and the nicest man you could ever meet. 

I got to have tea and pie with him recently in his home town, San Francisco.  

He's also written major quilt history classics that most of us have in our libraries:  

The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950, 

Cloth & Comfort: Pieces of Women's Lives from Their Quilts and Diaries, 

Going West!: Quilts and Community

Although he encourages us to support our local book sellers, Amazon has the book on pre-order here.  

I've ordered mine.  Like I said, I can't wait!

Freddy Moran Collage!

Back in April, I got to take another workshop with Freddy Moran in Mt Vernon, Washington.

Freddy, showing one of her latest works.  The one behind is also made by her.

Here's Freddy saying something like, "I never know what I'm going to make until I start."  

She demonstrated with the piece behind her, saying, "Just start...glue this flower here (as she plops it on), and this one there...(another plop), then a stem, a leaf, whatever.... Then take a look and see what you want to do next."  

She also said, "If you don't like it, leave it on your wall and keep looking at it.  

Eventually, you'll figure out what you want to do."   

Mary Keasler came all the way from Tennessee and made this beautiful piece.

I spent two days making one big mess, but I had fun and learned a ton!

The last of the tulips were blooming nearby.

And bringing color to the local farmer's market.  

Since then, I went to San Francisco and met a wonderful man who's creating a very exciting book.

Stay tuned!