Category: Quilting in Maine

Quilting, mine and others

Turkey Tracks: Mt. Battie Modern April 2018 Meeting

Turkey Tracks:  April 29, 2018

Mt. Battie Modern April 2018 Meeting

This month we shared the March blocks we did for our Jen Kingwell “Long Time Gone” quilt challenge:  tiny churn dash blocks sewn into two different bigger blocks and the crosses/star block.

Tori Manzi’s blocks are on the top; she is using grunge fabrics for the whole quilt.  Vicki Fletcher, the left column, is making her quilt from this suite of fabrics.  My blocks are in the middle column and are all Cotton+Steel.  Becca Babb Brott’s are on the far right and are scrappy.

Here is a line-up of our star and cross blocks:  Vicki, me, Tori, and Becca.  It is always amazing to me how different our work can be for the same block.  Sew fun!

Vicki is making this quilt, and I really love this block and the color palate she is using.  I have never thought about using half-square triangles to make a large diamond block.

Anne Bargetz brought us another of her quilts.  She is a new-ish member, and we are so enjoying getting to know her.  She is—local peeps—also working at Marge Hallowell’s Mainely Sewing in Nobleboro.  So say hello to her when you visit.

Next month:  the traveling quilts come out to play again.  Most of them will only have one more rotation before they go back to their owners to be finished.  Owners will get them back in July.

Turkey Tracks: “Sweet Dreams” Quilt

Turkey Tracks:  April 27, 2018

“Sweet Dreams” Quilt

Today is my youngest grandchild’s third birthday.  “Sweet Dreams” went into the mail to her and has been received.

The blocks are Tula Pink’s 100 Modern Quilt blocks, from her book of the same name.  This quilt was a challenge made to Coastal Quilters (Maine).  We did eight blocks a month until we were done.  Many of us have completed the project and some are almost done.  All of the quilts are gorgeous!

I used the “city scape” setting suggested by Tula Pink and put the lighter blocks on the top of the skyscrapers, per a suggestion by CQ President Sharon Flanagan.

And the blocks, grey sashing, backing, and binding are all Cotton+Steel fabrics.

I really love how my quilting came out.

Look at this fabulous backing fabric.  Could it be more perfect?  No.

Here are some of the blocks.

I love this quilt.  I didn’t really expect to love it as much as I do.  It’s one that caught me by surprise.  I’m really pleased with it.

Turkey Tracks: Amelia Poole: Couture Textile Studio

Turkey Tracks:  April 29, 2018

Amelia Poole:  Ecoture Textile Studio

Fiber artist Amelia Poole came to Coastal Quilters last Saturday.

My what a nice program she gave us.

Amelia works with indigo dye processes AND with dyeing natural fabrics with local flora and fauna.  Amelia made her dress fabric—see below—using this latter process—which does involve treating natural fabrics with heated chemical solutions before attempting to get images from local leaves, ferns, seed pods, and the like.

She treated us to a history of humans using dyes they have made from the indigo plant—which is a complicated process, actually.  Did you know that this human endeavor can be traced back over thousands of years.  She showed us a slide of a 6,000 year old fabric that still held indigo dyes in the fibers.  The indigo plant itself (there are several varieties across the world) just looks…green.  Who knew it would dye things blue??

Every now and then I am so overwhelmed by something I’m observing that I forget to take pictures.  This paralysis happened with Amelia’s indigo dyed samples, which are fascinating and beautiful.  But you can see pictures on her web site:  http://ecouturetextilestudio.com.

 

The Coastal Quilters blog also has a lovely write-up—done by the talented Paula Blanchard—on Amelia’s work:

Coastalquiltersmaine1@wordpress.com.

And here are some pictures I did take of some of her dyed fabrics using local plants.

Amelia sells beautiful silk scarves if you are looking for something really special as a gift.  And she, of course, has indigo pieces to sell.

Turkey Tracks: The Maine Modern Quilt Guild Show

Turkey Tracks:  April 8, 2018

The Maine Modern Quilt Guild Show

Two carloads of our local quilters drove over to New Gloucester, Maine, Saturday, to view The Maine Modern Quilt Guild show.  To the best of my knowledge, this guild and our Mt Battie Modern Quilt Guild are the only modern quilt guilds in the state.

We all had such a good time.  The show was wonderful, and we went home with all kinds of new inspiration bubbling in our heads.  My apologies up front to all quilters whose quilts do not show up here.  I could have taken a picture of every quilt there for sure.  Each quilt was draped over a church pew and had one corner turned so viewers could see the backing fabrics.  And I should have taken a picture of all the church pews with their quilty occupants.

Our local quilt groups (Coastal Quilters and Mt. Battie Modern) challenged ourselves to make Tula Pink’s 100 modern quilt blocks last year.  We have all set our blocks differently, but none of us thought to surround blocks with internal sashing.   I particularly like the use of different sizes of the white sashing in this quilt.  Notice the lower left block.  I had a lot of trouble squaring up these blocks, and this solution would really have helped.  I missed the number on this quilt, but by process of elimination I think it is Sandy Johnson.

Sue Duval’s quilt–more internal sashing:

Jane Hann Morey’s quilt:

Solids, made stripes, funky in places–this form is showing up a lot these days, and I love it.  The go-to designer is Maria Shell, from Alaska, and she has a new book out:  IMPROV QUILTING, which teaches how to make your own stripes and shapes and then how to use them.

Ann-Marie Schechtman:

Ellie Fellers:

Ellie Fellers, I think:

Betsy Cannan:  from a pattern by Amy Garro.  Amy Friend’s work is also similar to this quilt.

Carmen Dickinson:  inspired by Jacquie Gering and Katie Pedersen

Clam shells:  Sharon Provost and Rose Oleksaiak (no. 12).  All three inspired by Latifah Saafir:

Carmen Dickinson, inspired by Elizabeth Hartman.  Look at the machine quilting by Betsy Cannan in this quilt.  Lovely.

Evelyn Landry:  inspired by Mary Thomas.  Love the modern colors in this quilt.  Each block uses solids and ONE patterned fabric.

Innovative courthouse block form here.  And I can’t read the name…  Sorry…

Ann-Marie Schechtman:  inspired by Stephanie Dicola:

This quilt was hanging in an adjoining room and had no attribution.

Demonstrations included foundation paper piecing and working with pearl cotton.  Isn’t this piece lovely?

And this one too.

Karen Martin bought this little zippered bag/pouch.  We loved the way the wedges were cut for the front.  Clever use of scraps.

Yes, we had a nice time.

 

Turkey Tracks: A New Stash Management Plan

Turkey Tracks:  April 5, 2018

A New Stash Management Plan

Tori Manzi asked if any of the Mt. Battie Modern quilters would like to pull some fabrics from their stash as she was going to send fabrics to a group of young quilters (teenagers, I think) in California whose quilts were on display at QuiltCon this year.  I pulled some, yes.  And I assume she’s mailed what we collected.

But that pulling for her started a hurricane of stash pulling.  There are just so many fabrics that I am not using.  They’re beautiful fabrics, but my tastes have radically changed.  I’m working with lighter, brighter fabrics these days.   And I’m a bit tired of guilting myself about not using…this:

 

I bundled what I pulled into color bundles.  And I am playing these bundles forward.  Two people who are just getting—or getting back—into quilting have raided these bundles.  And that makes me happy.  I’ll take some to Mt. Battie and will put some in the Coastal Quilters auction this fall—assuming there are any left at that point.  What will be, will be.

Cotton+Steel also makes me happy too.  Here are my March blocks for our Mt. Battie Modern “Long Time Gone” challenge.  Those little churn dash blocks will finish at 3 inches, and THEY ROCK!  They are fun to make and are so darn cute.

I’m not as fond of the crosses/star block.  But it is DONE.  On to the next.

Turkey Tracks: Mt. Battie Modern March Show and Tell

Turkey Tracks:  April 3, 2018

Mt. Battie Modern March Show and Tell

New member Anne Bargetz shared some more of her work.

Here she used Tula Pink blocks to make this small wall hanging.

Becca is now working on a neutral and grey spider web using selvages.

I showed my finished Tula Pink 100 Modern Blocks quilt—which was a challenge out of both Mt. Battie Modern and Coastal Quilters.  I will show pictures when my granddaughter has it in hand.

Here are our February “Long Time Gone” challenge blocks—A Jen Kingwell design.

We had such a fun meeting—it was so filled with creativity and color!

Turkey Tracks: My Traveling Quilt

Turkey Tracks:  March 26, 2018

My Traveling Quilt

There’s Tori Manzi pointing to the awesome tattoo block she made for my quilt.  It’s by Berene Campbell, Happy Sew Lucky.  Here’s a really good example of the things you can learn when you associate with other quilters.  Campbell has a whole set of tattoo motifs on her blog and store, and she has finished a quilt made with her tattoo blocks.  They are exciting!  I hope you go on a little visit to her web sites soon–and she is also on Instagram:  HappySewLucky.wordpress.com and http://www.HappySewLucky.com.

Thank you Tori!  And I also love the moon in the blue night sky.  Tori started us making these round log cabin blocks, and I’m so happy she put one in my quilt.

She also did this long border on the right.  She learned this technique, I think, at the Pink Castle (great fabric web site) GlamStitchALot (or something like that).  I admired it about two years ago–and she remembered.

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There is just so much love and thoughtfulness in this quilt.  So many wonderful friends have made me something really special.  I will treasure it forever!!!

 

Turkey Tracks: Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild Traveling Quilts in March

Turkey Tracks:  March 26, 2018

Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild Traveling Quilts in March

The Traveling quilts are totally amazing us.  Projected finish for this rotation is July.  It’s a good thing because they are getting BIG.  Of course, quilt tops often look bigger than they eventually turn out to be.

Tori Manzi worked on two quilts this month.  Below is JoAnn Moore’s quilt.  Tori made the long border, using Victoria Findlay Wolfe’s herringbone braid method–found in her new book MODERN QUILT MAGIC.

Gorgeous, yes.  Note that the method is different than the kind of braid we’ve seen before this “magic” one.

Tori also worked on MY QUILT–which I think is now the coolest one.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  (We each claim our quilt is THE BEST.)  I’ll do a separate post on my quilt as there are a lot of pictures this post.

Lynn Vermeulen added this quote to Tori’s quilt:

Becca added “It takes a village to raise a child” to Margaret-Elaine Jinno’s quilt and linked up some of the blocks around the village green that Vicki Fletcher made.

There are other blocks in this quilt, but I accidentally erased them.  Next time.  I have this quilt now and am looking forward to working on it.

Vicki Fletcher’s quilt is BIG now.  I’m having a hard time getting a picture that covers everything.  I’m bringing a ladder next meeting!!!

Margaret Elaine added two moons white igloos surrounded by Northern Lights.  Vicki and Mike homesteaded in Alaska for many years before returning to Maine.

And this little block with the saxophone–Mike Fletcher plays.  Nancy Wright did the flower block.

Linda Satkowski made the yellow strip with black/white hexes for Lynn Vermeulen’s quilt.  AND added the selvage border around the block that, I think, Joann Moore did.  Lynn originally said she wanted a wall hanging, but when she saw how the quilt was developing she changed her mind.  She started with the “Quilt” saying at the top.

I worked on Nancy Wright’s quilt–which is all about stars.  There are a lot of big star blocks, and I thought the quilt needed some little stars.  The long blocks are Jen Kingwell’s “glitter” block.  Three of them together look something like the three wisemen stars.  I drew the spinning stars on EQ8–they look better on point.  The “constellation” block is Pleiades, or the Seven Sisters, which is really only a star cluster.  Only 8 people will have worked on this quilt, so I stole a star from nearby Taurus.  It’s now “Eight Sisters.”

Here’s a pic taken from a ladder!!

I made no attempt to link up any of these stars as I think Nancy will want to do so.

We are having so much fun!

 

Turkey Tracks: A Sunday Morning Treat: Chawne Kimber’s Quilts

Turkey Tracks:  March 25, 2018

A Sunday Morning Treat:  Chawne Kimber’s Quilts

Oh my.

My heart is still singing.

 

I’m sure these are not ALL of Chawne  Kimber’s quilts, but…

…you can enjoy a bit of an art show when you read this post.

 

Her blog is Cauchy Complete.  She’s a math college professor, and “Cauchy” is the last name of a mathematician she admires.

https://cauchycomplete.wordpress.com/quilt-gallery/

ENJOY!

Turkey Tracks: More Snow on Way

Turkey Tracks:  March 2, 2018

More Snow on Way

What a gorgeous day today is.  Bright, sunny, warmer.  You would never know that we are meant to get another big snow storm starting tonight.

No No Penny and I went up to Belfast to the Coop to stock up on food supplies AND to walk the river/harbor walk.  This walk winds through the ship yard, and I’m always intrigued by the HUGE boats up on their stilts, ready for whatever work they need.  I love seeing what lies beneath the water that we don’t normally see.  Here’s what I saw today:

What a sleek boat  But what intrigues me in addition to the sleekness is the depth of the rudder (?) at the back of the boat.  I suppose it balances the boat???

I came home with two heavy sacks of groceries and fixed this lunch of veggies and ricotta cheese, which I seem to tolerate ok:

Time to cook more beets…

…which I forgot to buy today.

Lunch yesterday was pretty nice too:

I love, LOVE drumsticks.  I cook a big family size pack of them and freeze them.  It’s easy to grab out two for lunch.  They defrost in an hour on the cast iron griddle I bought years ago from William Sonoma, and they reheat in about 15 minutes in my oven.

Betsy Maislen is addicted to the Long Time Gone blocks.  This one, due in April, arrived in my messages last night.

And Margaret Elaine Jinno is now caught up with the group here in Camden.  Here are all her blocks.  She says she’s redoing the two Bow Tie blocks now that she is rolling.  Love her Star in Star block.  Love all her blocks for that matter.  M-E is the best seamstress I know.

Margaret Elaine has inspired me with her crosses block.  I have not liked the addition of the star, but I like what she has done to make it pop.  Maybe I’ll do that too.

I finished what work I have been doing for some days now on the Traveling Quilt I have.  Pics will follow after our next meeting.

The binding is on Tula Pink’s 100 Modern Quilts.  I will start sewing it down tonight while watching tv.  It was fun to quilt it on the long arm.

Two more rows are on Valse Brilliante, the EPP project.

I’M CATCHING UP with the UFOs.