Tag: Amy Friend’s IMPOV PAPER PIECING.

Turkey Tracks: The Coastal Quilters’ 2018 Mothers’ Day Retreat, Part 4

Turkey Tracks:  May 21, 2018

The Coastal Quilters’ 2018 Mothers’ Day Retreat, Part 4

 

Jan Corson’s “Stained Glass” quilt, which is her own design.  It’s foundation pieced and came out of a workshop with Amy Friend on IMPROV PAPER PIECING, from that book.

Lynn Vermeulen worked on this top, but also on one of the Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild’s traveling quilts, which will have another “reveal” next Thursday.  (We can’t wait.)  And she worked on her Long Time Gone blocks, where she is using solids.

Becca Babb-Brott got this big hexie top together.  She is going to hand quilt it with pearl cotton.

And she played with making some curves.  Wow.  I really like what she is doing here.  She is also working on another spider web/selvage quilt.

Here is Vicki’s newest project, being made for a young family member.  I love this block and its colors.  They shimmer in the light.

Vicki also got borders on her EPP hexie quilt.  How fun to see it finished.

Linda Satkowski and I are both working on Bonnie Hunter’s “Wild and Goosey” blocks.  Linda’s are on the left.  We were sharing a design wall for a bit when this picture was taken. You can see some of mine on the right.  I’ll post more info on what I did at the retreat in a separate post.

 

 

Turkey Tracks: “Winter: Dawn Trees” quilt

Turkey Tracks:  May 8, 2018

“Winter:  Dawn Trees” Quilt

This quilt is my own design, and I really love the way it came out.  I am a bit fixated on winter trees anyway, and, also, on the amazing Maine winter dawn light that coats the earth with a marmalade color that I love.  Winter in Maine is, actually, very colorful.  I chose the purple of the trees based on the purple shadows that appear over the snow in winter.

The quilt started in a workshop with Amy Friend (blog:  during quiet time) that used her newly issued book IMPROV PAPER PIECING.  I drew the three blocks on what was then EQ7.  I have since upgraded to EQ8.  (The other quilt that came out of that workshop was a big star made with Cotton+Steel fabrics–see below and see an earlier blog post).

Right now the quilt is hanging in my quilt room–which is a bit messy as I’m packing for a weekend quilty retreat.

Sarah Fielke’s “The Seasons” in the book she co-authored with  Kathy Doughty:  MATERIAL OBSESSION 2.

I also have a bare trees pattern designed by Carolyn Friedlander which I may start next winter.  I love the pattern.

Here’s the Cotton+Steel Big Star Quilt:

Amy is a marvelous teacher, and the way she teaches her students how to design their own patterns is…wonderful.  And surprisingly easy.

 

Turkey Tracks: April 2018 Quilty Update

Turkey Tracks:  May 2, 2018

April 2018 Quilty Update

“Winter:  Dawn Trees” is now sewn together and is being quilted–with a grid pattern on my domestic Janome 8900.  This quilt is my design, inspired by Amy Friend’s workshop and book, IMPROV PAPER PIECING.  I drew the three different blocks on EQ7 (now EQ8) and had that system print out the patterns.  I started with ALL tree blocks lined up in a traditional pattern of rows and rows–until after the workshop.  Then I put them into a more “modern” arrangement.  I really like the quilt and will post pics when it is totally finished, which won’t be long now.

Thanks Amy!!

Here is an EQ8 picture of what the quilt would have looked like if I had not added the fractured dawn light block and just lined up the trees.  Pretty, but not as interesting I think.

The main part of top of “Valse Brilliant” is done.  I’m now picking out the English Paper Piecing papers–at night while watching tv.  It’s a slow process, of course.  VB, as those of us doing it in Coastal Quilters Maine call it, comes from Willyene Hammerstein’s book MILLIFIORE QUILTS.  (I did not do WH’s border treatment.)  My “rules”–setting rules comes from workshops with Timna Tarr–were simple:  brights and text in every block.

I’m going to put some wide charcoal Essex Linen (blend) borders.  Right now, this quilt is not big enough, really, to be lap size.  The border fabric is washed, but NOT ironed yet.

Here are my monthly blocks for our Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild challenge to make Jen Kingwell’s “Long Time Gone” quilt.  It’s an improv type quilt.  I am using all Cotton+Steel.  Roxanne Wells gave me the idea of using the more formal quarter log cabin style to get stripes, and I like how that came out.  The courthouse step blocks started out being blue, green, and pink/red done in ombre, light to dark.  Then I decided I liked them mixed up better, so put all the darks together, all the mediums, and all the lights.

Here are my May blocks.  Yes!!  I am ahead now and have all of May to catch up with other projects.

Here’s what all my blocks look like now.  I’m really liking how they are going together.

And here is a reminder of what Long Time Gone looks like:

Turkey Tracks: “Big Star: Cotton+Steel” Quilt

Turkey Tracks:  February 8, 2018

 

“Big Star:  Cotton+Steel” Quilt

It’s finished!

I designed the big funky star in an Amy Friend workshop last spring–using her improv paper piecing design process.  The book is IMPROV PAPER PIECING.  I used all Cotton+Steel for the big stars.  And I manipulated color in the center of the stars to get the internal star shape at the center.  The block is 16 inches with four quadrants of 8 inches that come together.

There are lots of “big star” forms out in the quilty world, but mine are “funky.”

I used this very fun aqua print for the back.  And I like the light binding a lot.  I like the dark grey background, too.  It feels very rich and warm.

The design throws a lot of patterns.  Here is an octagon.

Here is a big fan with a funky center.

And when seen in other ways, the diamonds form lines up and down the quilt.

I wanted quilting that did not in any way distract from the pattern, so I used a medium grey thread and just made a grid of wavy lines.  It worked beautifully as where they c tossed made odd-shaped funky diamond forms.

 

Turkey Tracks: January Thaw 2018 and Update

Turkey Tracks:  January 14, 2018

January Thaw 2018 and Update

Hi folks!

This post will be a mish-mash of updates.

First, we had a brief but very welcome thaw.  At one point over the past two days we had temps in the low 50s, with a lot of rain accompanying the warmer temps.  Most of the snow has melted away, so we are ready for more snow to make everything look clean and white again.  The temps have dipped again, so we are back to winter.

Penny dog began begging for a walk as soon as the rain stopped.  She would not leave me alone until I dragged on boots and got out our coats.  The walking produced a “walking haiku.”

18.

January 13, 2018

That dog loves her walks
A January thaw called
Her joy filled my heart

Coastal Quilters had their monthly Sit and Sew at the Lion’s Club on Wednesday.  Becca Babb-Brott brought her spider web quilt and worked on the binding.  The spider webs are made with selvages:

I love this quilt.  (Becca’s Etsy store “Sew Me A Song” carries some really interesting Japanese fabrics that are hard to get here in the USA.)

She quilted it with diagonal lines that vary in width.

I finished all the blocks for the “Big Star” quilt, started in an Amy Friend workshop last year about improv paper piecing, the subject of her new book:  IMPROV PAPER PIECING.  The fabrics are Cotton+Steel, except for the charcoal solid.  Who knew I could make my own design?  I didn’t, but I really like it–though I recognize that it did not create any new territory.  I am sewing it together now.

I am on my THIRD Brother inexpensive serger.  I’ve sent two back as they had serious problems.  I am going to try out the one that came this week later this afternoon.  There is not doubt that a working serger makes sewing clothes really fast–especially with knits.  If this one doesn’t work, I’m giving up and will look for a more expensive serger.

I bought this yummy cotton knit fabric to make a sweatshirt on the serger this week–in my Wednesday class with Cheryl Rodriguez, whose studio is located at Waterfall Arts in Belfast.  Cheryl is AWESOME, and has gotten me feeling competent on the serger.  Now if the new one works…

And I finished the corduroy skirt that will go with the fleece top I made earlier:

It’s Simplicity 2058, and it fits after some major measuring and altering of the pattern.  I am back hippy and low waisted in the back, so a skirt without a waist band works best for me.  Thanks Cheryl for helping me figure out how to sew for my body.

I like the flare that develops AFTER my hips are fitted–the flare makes a swirly fullness at the hem.

Friend Gus Bruns dropped by and brought me this cowl that she made for me.  I love it!  She didn’t know that I love snowdrops and that I have them planted all over the yard.  The white on the navy feels like the essence of spring, doesn’t it.  The knit came from Alewives Quilt Shop in Damariscotta, Maine, and it is a sweatshirt knit.  Well!  I’ll have to slow down and go down for a visit as I’m looking for a knit in which to to make the Simplicity skirt, now that I’ve got the pattern “just right.”  The cowl fits “just right” too, and I really like it.

I took this picture Friday at a friend’s because it shows the sailcloth bag the kiddos gave me this summer–bought from a local store that specializes in sailcloth products.  I wanted them to see it gets used all the time.  AND, this picture shows how a mudroom functions in Maine–I love to see all the winter clothes hanging.  that’s my black coat and turquoise scarf just above the bag.

Lunch is ready (a lamb stew) and “that dog” is begging for a walk.  We’ll probably do it, though it is colder.  The bracing air may help clear out my head and chest as I’m fighting a simmering cold.  I haven’t had one in some years now, so it probably is time for my body to cleanse itself immune wise.

Hugs to you all…

Turkey Tracks: Clue 5 and Quilty Play Time

Turkey Tracks:  December 28, 2017

Clue 5 and Quilty Play Time

I finished Clue 5 yesterday.

The pile of units is looking healthily large:

I will be interested to see how my colors will work in this mystery quilt, “On Ringo Lake,” by Bonnie Hunter.

Instead of working on the LAST THREE blocks of the big star quilt…based on my design from Amy Friend’s Improve workshop and her book IMPROV PAPER PIECING…

…I played.

I think it is really important to have play time with sewing.

And, like many quilters, I have the ongoing battle of using scraps so as not to waste too much fabric.  Plus, I like scrappy looks in a quilt.

I pulled out some old blocks–because I wanted to see how the very modern fabric I chose for their sashing would actually work with these blocks.  The blocks are a riff on Bonnie Hunter’s “Nine in the Middle,” from her ADVENTURES WITH LEADERS AND ENDERS.  Instead of the 9-patch middle, I am using “made fabric.”  The sashing fabric came from Rebecca Babb-Brott’s Etsy store, Sew Me A Song.

I like it.  I like, too, the neutral block.  I have A LOT of neutral scraps, so will kind of dot those around this quilt like polka dots.  I will use colored squares on most of the neutral centers.  The all-neutral one is a bit stark.

We learned in one of Bonnie’s mysteries, to use the Companion Angle ruler to cut the big triangle in the outer block.  With a 2-inch strip, one can line up on the 4-inch line so as to get the top of the triangle cropped off.  This technique would combine with the Easy Angle ruler for the outer triangles.  No waste that way.  You could also use the new corner cutting ruler and lay a 2-inch square over a rectangle and cut.  More waste, though.  And, of course, Bonnie always shows how to draw a line on a small square, lay it over the rectangle, and sew a scant seam.  So many ways to make a unit.

Friend Linda Satkowski is making these “made” fabric blocks by using the same colors, like all the reds, all the blues.  I think that’s very interesting too.

Right now I have TWO leader ender projects:  The above and this one:

Garlic Knots, from Bonnie’s QUILTMAKER magazine column:

I THINK Bonnie made this quilt, and I suspect it is in her upcoming new book.  Here’s a picture. If anyone knows where this quilt appeared, let me know so I can credit it??

I think I would NOT do a border…???  I seem to be in a borderless moment.

Finally, I played around with Amanda Jean Nyberg’s idea of making birch tree trunks from scraps.  She made a small block, starting with a 5-inch square and making thin tree trunks–for a pincushion.  I started with a 7 1/2-inch block and used 1-inch trunk columns.  It so does not work:  the block-size math isn’t right, it isn’t square, and I don’t like how the trunks lean.  Will continue to play around with this one though.  Clearly the beginning block size needs to be much bigger.  Meanwhile I’ll throw this block into the Parts Department box and will probably frame it somehow to make the math work with other blocks.

I had a fun afternoon and emerged relaxed and ready to enjoy dinner and, later, to watch tv and sew “Valse Brilliante” English Paper Piecing blocks (Willyene Hammerstein, MILLEFIORE QUILTS).  I have quite a lot of those blocks now, but that is a story for another day.

Turkey Tracks: The Coastal Quilters’ 2017 October Retreat, Part 3

October 24, 2017

The Coastal Quilters’ 2017 October Retreat, Part 3

The Work

Wow!  Look at this fun quilt Deb Hazell is making:

Here the pattern:

Deb H. also worked on this yummy wool blanket that is meant for “ownself.”

The blanket is yummy, but look, too, at the nifty portable sewing table Deb has.  The top has a clear acrylic piece that fits exactly around your machine.  I think the brand is Sew Eaze???  They are not horribly expensive either.  To her right is one of the portable tables that let you put your cutting board or ironing pad and iron right at your fingertips.  I got one at Amazon and can’t imagine what I did before I had it.

Tori Manzi is a master foundation piecer.  She finished the side sections of this quilt on this retreat.  There is a big plain section that goes between the arrow points.  And see below that the arrow head and some of the stock are elaborately foundation paper pieced.

Tori has a lot of the components of this quilt done now.  I think the little stars on the right will go into that middle section.  My goodness!!

I love this quilt Jan Corson is doing.  Blue and neutrals, stars and log cabins, what’s NOT to like??  She got the top done this trip and all the blocks trimmed up so the quilt will lie true.

Next, she made these little pouches for her daughter’s wedding in July–gifts for the bridesmaid’s.  Four done!

The inside of each has a different, charming fabric.  If these pouches run away from home, Jan, you could start looking at my house.

I am living vicariously through Deb Torre, who is just moving into the most beautiful farm house with a BARN and outbuildings.  Animals are coming in the spring.  I voted for chickens.  Hubby has a new tractor.  Deb is making this “star” quilt to go with the new bedroom’s colors.  She made great progress during the retreat.

In addition to her star quilt, Mary Bishop also made this Halloween table runner.

Mac Saulnier worked on these log cabin wreaths.  If I understand her correctly, they will be put together back to back to make a hanging for Thanksgiving and one for Christmas.

Jan Kelsey worked on two Christmas funky block log cabin quilts.

But her big project for several retreats now has been this quilt that uses old postcards saved by her grandparents during their travels.  She copied the cards and printed the copy on to fabric.

Clever!  And, a lovely way to capture family history.

Vicki Fletcher got borders on her “disappearing 9- patch” quilt.  From a distance, this quilt looks so lacy.

I got the last 40 Tula Pink blocks done, from TP’s book 100 MODERN QUILT BLOCKS.  I used all Cotton + Steel fabrics and will set the blocks in this “city” setting.  Mary B. said the blocks remind her of old-fashioned comic book pages, all colorful and each page different.  Yeah!  That’s the look I wanted.  Now I am looking for C+S setting fabric.  The ones I like are virtually sold out.  I really liked the sparkle/Stardust fabric in grey.

I relaxed by making some Wild and Goosey blocks with my teeny scraps–a pattern from Bonnie Hunter.

I’ll set them with black and white strips and will set the blocks with wide sashing grounded by a small-block 9-patch.

I made two of the big star blocks (16 inches) that I designed after taking Amy Friend’s improv workshop.  Her book on this method is IMPROV PAPER PIECING.

It was a productive retreat.