Quilting the quilt

I have been working on a huge service quilt. Huge for two reasons (a) I have been told my lap quilts are too small and (b) last fall after renovation I moved things around and now have a larger design wall. Larger space = larger work. Or so it would seem!

I though I would share some of what I have been doing in the quilting arena.

I created a stencil with my domestic machine.

There is no thread in the machine and an old needle is being used to perforate a piece of tracing paper. The paper has been cut the size of an area that I want to repeat the same quilting in several areas. Just a simple design that outlines some areas for circles and another for cross hatching.

Tracing paper is good if you want to see what is under the stencil. Newsprint also works - cheap, but no seeing through it.

This is after laying the paper down and using a pounce pad to mark. The chalk goes through the holes in the paper leaving a line of dots to follow.

The finished area.

Here is another area. It was my intention to do less quilting on this project. I didn't like the results so I did more.

Better!

If you would like to take a class from a great quilter I have news for you! My friend Sanrda Ciolino, who is an awesome quilter is teaching a class at the barn. If you are not familiar with The Crow Barn it is a beautiful facility to take a class at. Relaxing and invigorating! Sandra's quilting designs are simple and effective and her calm manner makes her a great teacher. (I know as she has explained several things to me in classes we have taken together when I was a little slow on the uptake...) Best it is a three day class so there is plenty of time to understand the ideas and try them out! Also this is contemporary quilting design. Check it out!

http://www.nancycrow.com/HTML/barnciolino.html

Happy quilting!

Size Matters?

Once the corners and boarders were applied to the half square medallion quilt top the next issue was what to put on the back!

At 92 inches square I had not many options. I don't have many wide fabrics and those I have are not right for this piece. I don't love piecing a back as a vertical seam builds up on the take up bars of the long arm.

What to do?

Another option for piecing occurred to me. What about taking a foundation piecing approach to the back and follow the edges of the center? This is what I did.

I began by putting the top backwards on the design wall (seams facing out). I did this almost as if I were blocking to make sure it was square.

Next I sprayed adhesive (505 by ODIF) on the top and applied a layer of batting.

Then the center got sprayed down. The first corner was pinned to the sandwich and flipped, stitching in the ditch to secure. I pressed it open and basted the edges. On to another corner.
Like an over scale square in a square - only on the back!

Now on to quilting... do I hear some bobbin work calling to add to the interest of the back? Perhaps...

Half Square Medallion

Yesterday's work began with only a dozen seams to sew to complete a project. Then I noticed an area where two little blocks were oriented incorrectly. fixing that required ripping open five seams and restitching them all with the blocks oriented properly.

At the end of the day there were still four seams to complete - each at this point being eighty plus inches long, so no small task. I did think ahead to block the top (make sure it was square) while it still fits on the design wall...

Today I look and there is an area that is rippled and needs attention. It is not horrid, but if I ignore it and put the final borders on it will not be better. Perhaps it can be quilted out, but why go through that when I can spend another day ripping things out and fiddling? YEAH!

So begins the task for today... fixing one tiny area in hopes it is all worth it in the end.

Just some background. This piece was started at UnCommon Threads Quilt Guild retreat in November on 2009. I wanted to add borders, but kept trying things -- nothing seemed to suit. Until recently I turned the whole thing on an angle (making the center diamond) and it works! I thought sewing the corners and subsequent borders would take a day. Three later I hope to finish today.

Then on to the task of quilting...

Thought I would share some fabrics I have dyed in the past year or so and the ways that I have used them!

Create your own free photo slideshow

I have also just finished a whole cloth piece that I died a while ago.

Rorschack Mountain

There is loads of machine quilting as well as a little hand quilting.

Optical Quilt Finished - almost!

Last fall at the UnCommon Threads Guild Retreat I took a class from Vanessa McCallum on her optic quilt, a circular checkerboard pattern. Vanessa sews two sets of strips, one light and one dark and cuts them using a 10 degree ruler for wedge shaped pieces that are then put together.

The piecing went together easily. I was finished a couple hours after class ended.

At home I decided it needed corners. And I discovered I did not have enough fabric. So I ordered some from http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/ and waited...

And after the fabric came and was laundered it took weeks to get inspired to put the corners on... then took a while to begin quilting it. But I finally began last week.

THEN I had issues with my machine. I was trying to place long curvy lines, but could not get them smooth. Partly it was not having enough dexterity and there are two places on my quilting frame where there are bloop zones - the machine suddenly goes contrary to my movements...

After ripping out for an hour I returned to my Bernina and quilted some.

Then inspiration hit - I have a sit down table for my Handi Quilter! I drug it out of the attic and took the machine off the frame and am newly in love!

Since finishing the quilting portion I have started the painting portion. It will be a lengthy process as I can only stand the tedium for an hour or so at a time and can not do it for the entire day. It will be a great time to work on other things as well -- as if I were ever too focused for too long!

I will post some detail shot of the painting soon...

Here is the address for the creator of the 10 degree ruler.

http://phillipsfiberart.danemcoweb.com/

There are two great artists, Linda and Laura Kemshall. They have regular shows on different things relating to fiber and art. Linda did a series on Altered Books. I have been working on one for weeks now - a slow process, allowing for each layer to dry on each two page spread.

Here is what I have done so far. Most of the spreads (46) have not even gotten a coat of gesso. Only 9 have had something done to them and of those I think only a couple are 'finished'.

A free digital slideshow by Smilebox

I hope you enjoy looking - I have really enjoyed the process!

Here is a link to the Kemshalls

http://www.lindakemshall.com/DesignMattersTV.html

These are some images of things I have been working on...

Apart from everything else; the reno, lecture at IQF show in Cincinnati... There are no images of 'Because' until after the Knoxville show... then I will share it all!