Sew Sunshine

  My local quilt guild took on a group project last year. We wanted to show a T.O.M. = technique of the month, to members and then have them try it. Most of the techniques were improv based giving some the opportunity to try them with no fear. We chose a color and size scheme.  We used coral and cream and we were pretty free about the corals including shades of reds and violets. Same with the creams including some whites. Block options were 12.5, 6.5 squares or 12.5 x 6.5. The result of the blocks turned in at each monthly meeting was wonderful.   We were able to make this Medallion style quilt 84". 84", a row by row style quilt 84" x 90", a lap sized throw 48" x 60" and a wall hanging 24" x 24".  Fabric of said colors were donated to piece together the backing and use any leftover blocks that may be left.  This one was quilted by a former member Sonya Nelsen on her longarm. I love the texture it created in this busy quilt.  The row by row style

Rose Garden  22" x 22" Less Hideous Challenge for OMQG Improv Piecing Organic Hatch quilting One of my local guilds set up a challenge where you pulled fabric out of a big bag of uglies. I picked the two above which I felt were lesser of all the dated fabrics. I kept them laying around until I thought what I wanted to do. It was hard because the bigger print would be hard to put in any kind of quilt block and it would still read traditional.  Then I figured I would have to improv a traditional block, in this case the 9 patch.  Also the colors, which are hard to tell on here, are pinky peachy in the large print and dark deep rosy red in the smaller print. The larger print has a touch of green which is the the complimentary color. If I went there, I would be in holiday territory. I didn't want that. I decided to put only a small amount of green in and pull out the peachy colors in the prints for a more analogous color set up. I chose grunge in both shad

"Mountain High, Valley Low"  48" x 38" improv from scraps line quilting in diamond pattern The improv triangle QAL with Nicholas Ball on IG was so much fun. It was just the most glorious distraction for me. I was able to sit down and make a few blocks at a time and didn't have to worry about measurements and sizes. It was just what I needed during my waiting game with my health issues.  The back piece was something I hand dyed a while back. I think it worked pretty great for this back with a few leftover blocks. I had several versions going and of course didn't think it was going to end up so big but it was just so fun to work on.  Luckily I had just the right aurifil thread. I ended up using most of the lighter ones which were a mix of 50 and 40 weight.  It took a long time to figure out what I wanted to quilt across all those colors. I asked my husband what he saw when he looked at this piece and he said points

"Strength and Beauty" is my MQG remake from the September 2014 "Chess on the Steps" quilt made by Krista Hennebury of  Poppyprints Blog .  50"x 50"  organic crosshatch quilting in capri blue on the front Her version: So as I mentioned in my previous post that I have been having an issue with my eye/brain connection causing me to have vertigo 24/7 some weeks.  So little or nothing in the way of creativity has been happening. When I had a moment that I could stand I wanted to jump into something good. Krista has a fun method for making improv units she calls improv under the influence piecing technique. Her quilt was on my bucket list to make one day and then suddenly the MQG came up with a challenge to remake some of the free quilt patterns they have featured over the years.  Believe it or not but I had most of the colors already in my stash and ready to go. I had to locate two of the blues but the rest were ready to go. I took t

"A kind of hush"  15.5" x 15.5"  Black and white mini challenge Improv pieced Sheer overlay Machine and hand quilted I wanted to participate in  Curated Quilts Mini Black and White Challenge so I started thinking of movement in air in water and in thought. I soon felt stuck and put it aside for a few days.  I was on FB and saw a photograph someone had taken of a really cool zen stack of rocks and the sun peaking through a crack between the stones. The hole was perfect and allowed rays of the sun to explode out through the hole.  I was so inspired by the beauty and calm that I walked into my sewing room last night and jumped back into my movement of air, water and thought.  Out came .... A Kind of Hush.  I played around with the improv shapes but it felt too something? I always like to try new things and thought why not try a sheer overlay to calm it down.  I have a stash of clothing fabrics and found this sheer white orga

"Overlapping Dimensions"  24"x24" Improv pieced, machine free organic plaid quilting My Big Blue inspired challenge piece for an upcoming exhibit. Our LQG used a quilt for inspiration that was made by Ardis James back in 1983. We chose 7 blocks to remake, update, modernize or reinterpret whatever way you say it.  Each block has at least 3 people modernizing it. We ended up with 25 pieces turned in. The proposal for an exhibition has been submitted to the IQSCM for a possible exhibit in the spring. This outdoor photo-shoot was so fun as my friend and fellow quilt buddy Jen was out with me. She has a piece in this challenge too and needed a photo also.  My block was a single wedding ring block. It was pieced and then appliqued onto a background piece. I chose to do an improv interpretation of the block because I feel that if Ardis was alive today she would appreciate the deviation from the rules of traditionally made wedding ring blocks.