Feeling Groovy & Giveaway!

Thank you so much for all your thoughts and comments on the current trends in quilt shows and for taking the survey.  It will be open for a while and please vote if you haven't.

Last night, my local guild the Clamshell Quilters had the reveal of this years' challenge.  The theme was "Music of the 60s".  Here is modern style entry:

Feeling Groovy - inspired by the Simon and Garfunkel (aka the 54th Street Bridge Song) from 1966 and using those plastic things for playing 45s on a turntable - Which I got on Ebay :)

A close up of my quilting to look like grooves on a record.  The binding is a groovy print too :)
I had to mark the the space between the spiral stencil that I had.  I used dots as a guide.  There are 2 different spirals to get the effect.

Here is the quilting I did after fusing the "45" area.  This is a batting view on the back.

I did this to prevent the quilting interrupting the lettering, which I fused and quilted after I sandwiched the piece.

As I have suggested in the past, I almost always have a scrap piece to try out my techniques and stitching.

Here is a signature quilt that I made in 1997.  I brought completed civil war blocks to Gwen Marston's  Beaver Island Quilt Retreat.

I free-hand quilted large fans the size of my elbow swipe.

This leads me to announce that I have a new stencil in my Etsy store here.  On the bottom is the new Large Baptist Fan Stencil.

As you can see, I filled in the missing line, which I have done on the machine but this will make it so much more even.

I'm thinking of using it on my Stars in a Time Warp.  It will work well on smaller or finer projects.

On IG I shared this sweet sewing box that I received for Christmas.  It is designed by Cath Kidston.

I finished this simple runner, a workshop sample, of a scrappy log cabin variation.

The Giveaway:
If you attended the 1997 BIQR Retreat and you are on my quilt - you are an automatic winner!  leave me a comment and I'll check the quilt.

For everyone else, leave me a comment here, take the survey, and send a friend to try their luck.

I'll pick a winner on February 2nd - Groundhogs' Day.
I'll pick a winner on February 2nd - Groundhogs' Day.

xo

Putting Yourself Out There

Sharing our work really has it's ups and downs.  When we put ourselves out there it leaves us vulnerable to judgment.

Sometimes that judgment leads to compliments and recognition, but just as often it leads to rejection and criticism.

I have experienced both recently.  In December all three of my QuiltCon entries were rejected.  I wasn't shocked.  I took it in stride.  I don't really know that community and I'm certainly not alone.

On Monday I notified that my Alice Payne quilt was rejected by the AQS Lancaster show.  This was tougher and I was a bit heartbroken.  I wanted to share this quilt with the region where the original was created; Pennsylvania.

I'm hoping this means that hand quilting is making a comeback.  The show will display over 400 quilts but only about a dozen will be hand quilted.

On the upside I had a wonderful surprise last year at the Vermont Quilt Show and was awarded Best Hand Quilting for my Jubilee Quilt.  It was a thrill of my quilting career and I couldn't have been more surprised.

Within this past week I heard from two international blog friends that QuiltMania published a photo of this quilt in the latest edition. What a complete and unexpected surprise!

So I've had a good think about how I feel about rejection and recognition.  

Rejection is Painful
Recognition is Nice

Having said that, I feel strongly that putting our work out there is what really matters.  If I hadn't, I wouldn't have made so many special connections and friends through blogging, lecturing, teaching and also through sharing my work in quilt shows.

I have real problems with how quilt shows are judged and by whom (which I may share one day),  but I am always glad to share my work in the hopes that it might inspire someone.   Maybe sharing my recent rejections will make someone out there feel better about putting themselves out there.

So what is this unusual post all about?  To encourage everyone to share their work on blogs, at guilds, and to enter quilt shows.  You never know what effect you'll have on another quilter.  The Vermont Quilt Festival is not a juried show - it has a time deadline and you are not competing against the other quilts, you are judged on your own work.

Put yourself out there.  You will meet with rejection, but you may also be surprised now and then.

I'm adding a couple of polls to see how you feel.

Let me know what you think.

cut, sew, press, repeat

I've been having lots of fun spending time in the sewing room.  Small projects have jump started my year so far.

What's on my wall~

 I finished this string quilt with a 1 inch hanging diamonds design.  I used olive thread.

I used this Asian print for the backing - still needs a label.

Tip:  after using a seam ripper, use a lint roller to roll away those pesky threads.

 

Tip:  When "fussy sewing" use the fabric to help you sew accurately.  I can easily see where I have to stitch on the wrong side.

On the 4-patch, I machine quilted from the back to create an Apple Core quilting pattern.   I made a dot to guide my serpentine stitching.  I quickly realized I only nee 1line each way to make the design - duh.

I love the way it turned out - a little wonky but fun.

I've joined the sew along with Cecile' of Patchwork Inspirations and Bea' of Needle in a Haystack.  We are to make 2 log cabin blocks a week.  I've started a new modern quilt for my boy, Andrew.  

Yay- we finally got a nice snowstorm last week.   The woods around my home looked magical.  We celebrated with pancakes :)

Sad News in the Quilt World
Sue Garman passed away on January 8th.  I never met Sue but I have admired her for many years and always enjoyed her blog.  She posted on January 1st and sounded so positive.   This is my favorite Sue Garman Pattern; Ladies of the Sea.

Have a great day - I'm going to be back on Friday with the "Ups and Downs" of quilting and putting yourself out there....
xo

2017 Finally!

Hooray 2016 is over and I won't miss it.  Some really great things happened and some really not great things happened.  I'm ready to move on....

I've been making little doll quilts in preparation for a new workshop that I'm rolling out in February.

Here is my first finish of 2017.  Thank you, Annie, for helping me with show and tell.

It's a mystery doll quilt class.  The purpose is to pick a theme out of a hat and go for it.  No patterns.  I will have lots of inspiration on hand and will guide the students.  Here is a log cabin quilt I made last week.

I've made 2 more which I'll share next week.  It's been so fun.

I've decided to use this chart to keep mindful of my UFOs next year.  I'll fill it out and share it next week.

I finished this top January 10 LAST YEAR and didn't have it quilted for this Christmas.  Hopefully the list will help.

Christmas Stuff Round Up:
My sweet coco turned 8 on Christmas Day.  Here is a IG post with her as a 6 week old puppy and on a Christmas Day walk.  We also served her a special dinner and she has new giant hedgehog toy.

Mr. Starbuck got a special stocking, but literally did not care.

Thank you for all the nice comments on my new God Jul quilt.  If I can figure out where to get giant paper, I may be offering it as a pattern.  Here you can tell how big it is.

sorry- it's a cell phone pic in bad light.

Happy New Year!  Looking forward to sharing another year of creative inspirations from my sewing room to yours.

xo