Sunday, June 30, 2013

Do You Save Your Selvages?

 Do you save your selvages?
 You know, those little sides that run along the edge of your fabric?
They tell you a lot about the fabric you are using:
 designer's name
manufacturer
color codes
 I began saving my selvages several years ago 
when I started following Karen Griska's
It's called the place for 
EXTREME SCRAP QUILTERS
(after all, who but the extreme would save those selvages?)
She gives daily ideas for uses of selvages 
from quilts to dresses....
 ...and even furniture.
I thought it would be so fun to recover a chair
for my sewing room.
So I began saving and saving and saving with each project.
And the pile grew and grew.
Looking at them brings fond memories
of some of my favorite fabrics.
Have I made anything with those selvages over the years?
Nada
 I do use the color codes quite often 
when planning a quilt.
Sometimes I will even take a selvage with me to a 
quilt store when
 selecting and matching fabrics.
But, as my pile grew, I began to feel a little guilty.
They need a good home
where they would be appreciated,
loved and paid attention to.
Someone who would take good care of them
and help them reach their true potential.
Happily they have been adopted
by my friend Cynthia ( Dream, Quilt, Create)
A large box has been sent off to California.
Will I keep collecting selvages from my fabrics
in the future?
You betcha :)

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Serpentine 30's Fan Quilt

 I love Fan Quilts,
and have always been
intrigued by the many layout options.
i
 Serpentine 30's Fan
Made and Quilted by Kathleen Bond
Shown at the
Prescott Loves Quilting Show
 Kathleen wrote:
"The fan blocks were purchased from a 
Quilt Guild Rummage Sale.
No one wanted the blocks, probably because the 
fabric combinations 
were a little odd.
After I sewed them all together, the 
graphic appeal is wonderful."
 Another example of how a quilter can look at a simple block 
and see it's true potential.
Fabrics that sat dormant for 80 years 
can now be appreciated again!
The red really makes this quilt come alive!
Fan Quilts are a great way to use up left over
bits of fabric from here and there.
And Kathleen's layout is perfect.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Quilter's Vignette Booths

 One of the impressive parts of the
Prescott Loves Quilting show
was viewing the  7
Vignette Booths
featuring member's quilts.
I don't recall ever seeing this specialty in a quilt show before, 
and I really liked it.
 Kay Wentworth chose the theme
Life Is A Series Of...
Reproduction Paintings
Dresses
Trees
 Carolyn Edwards
Threads of Time
 An overview of quilts she has completed
since 2001 to present day.
To see an entire booth dedicated
to one quilter represented a wonderful
perspective of what that quilter is all about.
And it gives a prominent member
of a guild a moment to shine.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

From Scratch Fabric Treats

 I have learned that you should 
never attend a quilt show
when you are hungry.
 That was especially true during the
Prescott Loves Quilting Show.
From Scratch
by Cheryl Bouquet
was a deliciously compiled display
of fabric pastries that
looked good enough to eat.
 Cheryl wrote:
"What do you do when cutting back on sweets?
Indulge in fabric, buttons and ribbon
to create non-edible sweets."
 "Would you like a mini vanilla bean layered cake 
with strawberry butter cream frosting?
Or how about a Whoopie Pie?
O calories!"
I realize Cheryl's intent was to prevent us from
adding on extra pounds, but after viewing her
scrumptious delicacies
I experienced somewhat the opposite effect.
After moving on to look at other quilt displays
this little voice in the back of my head
kept asking
I wonder if Prescott has
 a good pastry shop nearby?

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Pirates Treasure Quilt

AAWRGH!
From sword wielding crabs
to an eye patched Octopus
to a sunken Chest of Gold
filled with 3-D coins
this delightful quilt will make you exclaim
Shiver Me Timbers!
 From the Prescott Loves Quilting Show
Pirates Treasure
Designed and Quilted by Cindy Phare
 Cindy made this Themed Quilt
for Machine Quilters Showcase May 2012
 She wrote
"I love watching people discover all of the
fun things that I put in it."
 I would be one of those people.
I stood by this quilt for quite a while
letting each little section
sink in.
In fact, after a few minutes I found
myself "talking pirate"
 Yo Ho Ho!
 Avast Me Proud Beauty!
Scupper that
 Ahoy Matie
 Aye
 Blimey
Cindy really hit the
Mother Lode
with this one!

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Low Volume Log Cabin Quilt

 As I have viewed quilt shows and
followed trends in the industry
I've noticed that Low Volume quilts have increased
quite a bit in popularity.
Sometimes it's nice just to
let the eye rest.
 From Prescott Loves Quilting Show
I thought
Jane's Quilt
by Iris Lacey
Quilted by Anne Spiotta
was a nice representation of a Low Volume Quilt.
 White and Off White cotton Sateen
Foundation Pieced uneven Log Cabin
 Can you see the Log Cabin block?
Notice how the taupe colored side is cut with small strips
and the white uses larger strips?
This gives a nice effect when 4 blocks are
placed together. 
The soft contrast makes me want to pull out my
neutral fabrics and play.
 
I've always wanted to make a Log Cabin quilt.
This one calls to me.
And it even has stars in the sashings :)

Monday, June 24, 2013

Kathy Beeson Quilts

 One of the things I really liked about the
Prescott Loves Quilting show
were the 7 Vignette booths
featuring Member Quilts.
This is a feature I have not previously seen at a quilt show,
and I thought it was a great idea.
The booth was set up like a mini trunk show
showcasing the work of one artist.
 Of course, my eye went to
Kathy Beeson's booth.
 Placette
Made from Kaffe Fassett fabrics
 Love those Kaffes
 The Girls
Kathy made the girls in a class she took from
Kay Wentworth.
The appliqued border is an original design.
Each vignette booth
came with a list of the quilts
and their stories.
An informative read
and a nice way to get to know
the artist.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Red and Black Pineapple Quilt

 While viewing over 300 quilts at the
Prescott Loves Quilting Show
my eye kept going back to quilts made by
Kathy Beeson
I love her use of color.
 Red and Black Pineapple
Made and Quilted by Kathy Beeson
 Kathy wrote:
"One of my friendship groups did a 
pineapple challenge
using a particular tool that everyone purchased.
I had seen a picture of a quilt similar 
to this one that I loved,
so I simplified the block and created this one."
 "Every block in the quilt is the same pattern.
It is the color placement that gives it the design."
Pineapple Steps from About.com
The Pineapple block has been in existence since the 1870's
and is a complicated version of the Log Cabin block.
Radiating from the center, it is both 
horizontally and vertically symmetrical.
 The Pineapple is a traditional symbol of hospitality.
As women migrated with their families out West
 after the Civil War,
this quilt block was made as a reminder of genteel values
they left back East.
 I'm not sure if they could have envisioned the 
bright and bold colors now
used with our Modern quilts?
I personally love it!
Very nice job, Kathy

Friday, June 21, 2013

Blue Yonder Quilt

 I went with some friends
to see the
"Prescott Loves Quilting" show
presented by the
Thumb Butte Quilters Guild
A lovely day,
where we were happy to get out of the heat
and enjoyed viewing over 300 quilts.
 Blue Yonder
Made and Quilted by
Kathy Beeson
 Kathy wrote that she started this quilt in 2004
"It was such a huge project that it sat
for a few years until I finally got inspired by
a beautiful New York Beauty quilt that I saw
and I realized I had already started one 
and just had to finish it."
 If I were to take a poll of quilters,
I wonder what percentage of us could make a 
very similar statement?
(I'm afraid my name would have to go to the top of the list :)
Soothing color combinations.
I'm glad Kathy worked hard and 
had a finish on this beautiful quilt!