QuiltCon Workshop with Krista Withers

Some of you know that I LOVE free-motion quilting. I am primarily self/internet taught. I have taken a few classes, but none have been as good as the QuiltCon workshop with Krista Withers. As a matter of fact, her quilting won best machine quilting at QuiltCon.

I love that it is a mix of straight lines in multiple directions and some free-motion swirls mixed in with "ghost" shapes.

 Krista was down to earth and gave us practical strategies to layout out quilting designs.

 She showed how you can make a "path" for fills and complete the rest with various straight line designs.

She also taught us to use mylar or clear plexiglass to "test" are ideas before putting thread to quilt.

Another example of Krista's work at QuiltCon

Still planning new master pieces after seeing sew much inspiration.

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

QuiltCon

There are no words for the overwhelming feeling I had at seeing the quilts at QuiltCon. Pictures can not come close to showing the beauty that each quilt exhibits in person. I have been to other quilt shows, but none come close to the energy that this show has. WELL DONE MQG!

Here are some random photos from around the show.

These quilts are part of the bias tape challenge. AMAZING!

Quilts from Gee's Bend

Quilts from the 1970's

Quilts from the 1970's

The vendors had a distinctive flare also!

This was at one of the vendor booths

I have many more photos, so I may share so more later. I will go again, probably to Savannah in 2017, because QuiltCon Rocks!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Austin, Texas - Here I come (and not a moment too soon)

I'm going to QuiltCon this week in Austin, TX. I can only be there Friday and Saturday, but it's supposed to be in the 70's both days. It was -9 degrees F this morning on my way to work. Even the local visitor's center is saying UNCLE!

It's supposed to warm up to 9 degrees F on Thursday when I leave. What coat am I supposed to wear?

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Another Challenge

I must like challenge, because I signed myself up for another one. Yesterday I received my QuiltCon Michael Miller Challenge fabric. Ugh, pastels! Wasn't the last one pastels too???!!!  Not my thing, but I guess that's what makes it a challenge.

The Rules!

• *UPDATED* Only Cotton Couture fabrics are permitted. (The back and binding may include Michael Miller prints.)
• You don't have to get the free fabric to be involved - all you have to do is use the Michael Miller Spring Cotton Couture line in your quilt!  Below are the colors of the fabrics that will be sent.
  • OPAL
  • BREEZE
  • BLOSSOM
  • SPA
  • SPRING
  • CANDLELIGHT
  • CREAMSICLE
  • SOFTWHITE
• Quilts must be entered here to be considered for the challenge at QuiltCon.
• Quilts will need to follow the general rules of the QuiltCon Quilt Show found here.

Since I don't know of a local quilt shop that sells Michael Miller Cotton Couture, I ordered some additional colors from Hawthorne Threads (well at least they're in Albany, NY).

I picked out Lime


and Marine


You know, the usual suspects! ;)  I needed some contrast!

I have a design in mind, but not sure how I'm going to actually piece it. 

Anyhow, I'm linking up with Free Motion by the River for Linky Tuesday and A Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday.

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

ARGH! The Case of the Missing Foot Petal!

When I inherited my mom's sewing/quilting stuff, I brought numerous TRUCK loads of stuff to my house. It has taken over the upstairs of my house and it has taking many months, but I have gone through all of it. I have duplicates of many things, but what I don't have is two foot control petals (you know the petal that runs your machine). Both Babylocks will run with the same foot control petal and my mom only used the Ellegante for embroidery (you don't use a foot petal to embroider). So I'm sure she packed the additional petal into a box and put it in the barn at my brother's house. ARGH!!!! Normally this is not a problem, but I had to send the foot petal into the repair shop with my Ellegante. Do you know how hard it is to sew with just the start/stop button??!!

Sewing with the start/stop button!

lots of little pieces

Second row completed!

 Well, I was able to get my second row of my Urban Nine Patch completed (after a bit of cursing). Would it be rude to call the repair shop and ask how/when my machine will be done??!! I want Miss Ellie back!

I did receive something fun in the mail....

...another pack of QuiltCon fat quarters to play with from the Fat Quarter Shop. I feel another challenge block coming on!

Today I'm linking up with A Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday!



Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped Tutorial

Okay, raise your hand if you struggle with letting go of your ruler and control to go wonky?? I know that there are a few of you. I love wonky/improvisational blocks, but I struggle doing it. I mean, in my day job, I'm a Quality Engineer! So I guess, wonky should be my therapy - let go, be free! Most people who do wonky, just tell you to do it, but don't usually show you their process. Well, right or wrong, here's how I made my block "Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped"!

Scraps from my Rose Window block

I just started sewing them together

I trimmed them up as I went, so that I could add more scraps

I tried to visually keep in balanced, but not necessarily symmetrical

I used my Quick Curve Ruler to cut out the curves

I made to half "egg-shapes"

I cut the reverse out of the grey

To sew the curves, put the convex piece on top. No pins needed.

Because this block is for QuiltCon and needed to be 12.5" in one direction, I added the strips of white, green and light grey. I don't know if I would have done that without the measurement requirement, but I like the affect.

Sew there you have my version of Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped!

Today I'm linking up with the fabulous Melissa at Happy Quilting for TNT Thursday!

 

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

All WIPped Up!

If you're looking for my Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway, click here! You can still enter daily through Friday (May 25th)!

WOW! What a whirlwind week!  TGIFF, Bloggers' Quilt Festival and Sew, Mama, Sew's giveaway day - CRAZY!

Sew what did I work on....

I finished my Storybook Quilt - Yippee Skippee! I entered it in the Spring 2012 Bloggers' Quilt Festival - its number 263.

Storybook Quilt  - # 263 at the Bloggers' Quilt Festival

There's a whole lot of nominating and voting going on over at the quilt festival. I would like to ask that you consider nominating and voting for my quilt for favorite bed quilt. Here is the nomination form, you will need to enter my quilt number 263. 

Look through all of the quilts they are pretty amazing.  As a matter of fact you should consider my friend (and FLMQG member) Julie's quilt (number 449) for favorite applique quilt. The quilt has quite an amazing story, check out her blog - Julie's Quilts!

I also created another block for QuiltCon - Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped!

I'm really working on wonky! I love the look of wonky/improvisational block, but struggle letting go of my ruler. So the only ruler I used on this block was my Quick Curve Ruler (LOVE that ruler)!

So does two finishes make up for not working on a lot of projects??? I hope so!

Stats for the week:
In-process: (8)
FLMQG solids challenge crib quilt (2 out of 9 Urban Nine Patch blocks done)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (basted, now to be quilted)
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL quilt (All 30 blocks are quilted, need to join and bind)
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
Sew Cal Gal's March FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.
Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow.
 
New projects: (0)

Finished (2)
Storybook quilt # 1 -   DONE!!!!!
QuiltCon Challenge block # 2 - Done
 
I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

TGIFF - Thank Goodness It's Finish Friday!!!

Woohoo, I'm hosting TGIFF this week! How cool is that??!! And I even have some finishes - I love it when I plan comes together.




Sometimes I pick projects that push me out of my comfort zone and this one has me "goin' fribbon egg-shaped". I loved that saying. A gentleman I worked with years ago, used to use that phrase when his machine was running a little wonky (I was the quality manager and he didn't like to swear). Sew when I made up this block for the QuiltCon block challenge, I thought Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped was the perfect name. What do you think?

Goin' Fribbon Egg-Shaped block

Most of the block was done improv style, but I did use my Quick Curve Ruler for the "egg-shapes". Is it too much grey? Does it need something more?


I also got my storybook quilt finished, ready for Spring 2012 Blogger's Quilt Festival. Want to see a sneak peak?

This quilt is Librarian approved!

Sew, what have you finished this week???? Inquiring minds want to see! Let's get this party started by linking up. I know I can't wait to see what you have all been up to! Link up, tour, comment and enjoy! Please remember to link back to this TGIFF post, so your readers can see some other great finishes.




Color Me Quilty!

Pat

WIPping Along!

If you are looking for my hand-dyed fabric giveaway, click here (enter daily until Sunday, May 13th)!

Giving away three 1/2 yard pieces of hand-dyed fabric

I finished FMQ the last four blocks on Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL, YAHOO!

Except for the Corgi (in honor of my dog Humphrey), all of the other FMQ designs are from Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting Project.


I also finished FMQ the border on my Storybook Quilt! I'm hoping to have that done in time for the Spring 2012 Quilt Bloggers Festival.

Not like I don't have enough projects started, I decided I really want to create 3 blocks for the Modern Quilt Guild's QuiltCon block challenge.  Part of the challenge is to use a specific set of colors.

Fat Quarters from Che' FAB - a division of Cherrywood Fabrics.

So this is my first block, I'm calling it Rose Window.

Rose Window, a variation on my Gothic Window block. The block was created with 3.5" strips - 12.5" x 12.5" block

I plan I sharing a tutorial on how to make this block, tomorrow on TNT Thursday.

Other exciting news, I have Jenny Pedigo from Sew Kind of Wonderful (and Jenny's Doodling Needle) as my guest blogger for Quilty Embellishment Day (QED on the 15th)! Jenny is incredibly talented long arm quilter and quilt designer. She is the one that invented the quick curve ruler!

Photo from Sew Kind of Wonderful

My stats this week are:
In-process: (9)
FLMQG solids challenge crib quilt (2 out of 9 Urban Nine Patch blocks done)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (basted, now to be quilted)
Storybook quilt # 1 -   border quilted, now on to bind it
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL quilt (All 30 blocks are quilted, need to join and bind)
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
Sew Cal Gal's March FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.
Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow.
 
New projects: (1)
QuiltCon Challenge block - Tutorial for TNT Thursday.

Finished (0)

 
I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat