Hey! Remember me?

Between traveling for work and being in a bit of a funk, the old blog had to take a rest.

But I have done a bit of sewing.

Inspired by my guild-mate May Chappell's 12 weeks of Christmas series, I decided to sew small and make up some table runners to have as gifts.

So, I have completed 6 to date.

I dug into Christmas Charms, and scraps from friends.

I quilted each differently, some stipples, some swirls.

No deadlines, just for fun! And so now, 6 gifts are complete.

October Free-Motion Challenge

Teri Lucas is the October expert for sewcalgal's 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge and her work is right up my alley!

I love her decorative, stream-of-consciousness stitching, it makes me smile! As I study her work, the way her stitching changes is like a treasure hunt! And all these stitches produce such a wonderful texture. I also love how her stitching is so contemporary, yet her quilts always seem to pay homage to historical quilt designs.

I did deviate from her instructions, I do not have any silk to stitch on, but I did switch from 50wt cotton, to 40 wt, polyester and too 100wt silk threads. I used bamboo/cotton blend batting.

I stitched my name as in her example, but then I went out on my own, with stitches.

So much fun!

This monthly challenge has really helped me improve my FMQ. To have a new lesson each month, has exposed me to teachers and ideas I would have otherwise not known. And having taken the pledge, I have been disciplined about the practice and completing each lesson. If you did not take the challenge, you can still go back and do each lesson. You will learn new methods and great ideas from marvelous teachers!

not quilt related....

but a ton of cute!

total tedium is DONE

Another UFO is done! Ahhhhh, the feeling of accomplishment!
This one started out nice, I saw the pattern and thought this would be different from anything I have done. I bought a gorgeous bunch of Free Spirit solids in a cool color family.
I thought this would be a fun quilt to piece. Cutting out all the pieces. Chain piecing the small squares. So many small squares. That are then sewn together with other squares into seeming random blocks.

The bloom was off this rose very early. The small pieces were fun at first, then they just seemed to go on forever. And piecing the blocks from the random squares was not as easy as I had hoped. What began ans tiny details, became totally tedious.

I started this in March and finally finished it this week. For months, the stacks of squares laid on a shelf under my cutting table, mocking me as I cut other projects. I had to quiet their voices.

Total Tedium 54" square

But I realize this is part of the creative process and part of my quilting journey. I am not going to love every pattern I try, but hopefully I will learn something or improve my technique along the way.

The finished quilt is quite striking. I FMQ-ed it in an interlocking squares stipple. It seems to complement the quilt. And while I did not enjoy the process I am pleased with the quilt. And the Tula Pink Parisville I used on the back is sublimely gorgeous!

quilts every where

September and October ha.ve been a whirlwind of activity. My job has (thankfully) become busier, resulting in a busy travel schedule.

And I have quilts hanging in my first solo show!

My show, "Fabric Explorations" is hanging in the Apple Gallery in Danbury, NC through October. The opening reception was September 28 and was a lot of fun. Here is the show:

 The gallery began its life as a bank, yes, that is the safe behind my quilt "Phases!

In addition, I was invited to hang quilts at a local blue grass festival.

 

This is the old grist mill where the festival was held, Jessup Mill.

 My quilts were displayed throughout the mill and served as backdrops for the stage.

The quilts looked great in this setting!

I also got my gang together for a shot at my reception.

I love this picture!