Tag: Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild

Turkey Tracks: Creative Grids Ruler Pineapple Blocks

Turkey Tracks:  August 11, 2018

Creative Grids Ruler Pineapple Blocks

Heidi August taught me how to use the Creative Grids Ruler for Pineapple Blocks at our May 2018 retreat.  We are both working on Jen Kingwell’s “Long Time Gone” quilt—as a Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild (Camden, Maine) challenge that will end in December 2018.  This quilt calls for SIXTEEN pineapple blocks.

One needs the SMALL ruler for this project.  But I loved the ruler and the block so much that I bought the large one as well.  There is a quilt lurking in that large ruler.  Certainly there are blocks for the “parts department” that is getting big enough to try to put together a “improv” quilt.

Here are my finished blocks—with their cute fussy cut centers.

 

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: Some Modern Quilt Guild Swaps

Turkey Tracks:  February 27, 2018

Some Modern Quilt Guild Swaps

Some of our Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild members have participated in mini quilt swaps hosted by The Modern Quilt Guild.

Recently, Linda Satkowski sent off her quilt…

…and received this quilt:

And Tori Manzi sent off this quilt..

…and received this quilt:

Aren’t these quilts delicious?

I may have to think about these swaps…

Turkey Tracks: Quilts By Friends: Betsy Maislen

Turkey Tracks:  February 23, 2018

Quilts By Friends:  Betsy Maislen

Betsy lives in Vermont and comes to MidCoast Maine to sail on the windjammer J&E Riggin, out of Rockland, Maine.  Last summer, after retiring in June, she volunteered to cook with Annie Mahle, co-owner of the Riggin with Jon Finger, for six weeks in September and October.  She stayed with me between trips, which was so much fun.  She also attended the May 2017 Coastal Quilters retreat at the Franciscan Guest House.

Annie and I roped her into making the Bonnie Hunter 2017 mystery quilt with us, and here is her finished top.  I really love the neutral borders she chose.

Next, I suggested she sew along with Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild’s challenge to make Jen Kingwell’s “Long Time Gone” quilt over the next year.

Here are her January and February blocks–and one of the March blocks.

I love her use of color in these blocks.

 

We all did different variations of this “star in star” block.

 

 

 

And, here is the March “crosses” block:

 

Yep!  Making these blocks is addictive.  Go Betsy!

Turkey Tracks: “Long Time Gone” Quilt Blocks

Turkey Tracks:  February 7, 2018

“Long Time Gone” Quilt Blocks

Some members in the Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild and the Coastal Quilters (Maine) are making Jen Kingwell’s “Long Time Gone” quilt this year–a few blocks each month with three months to put the finished blocks into the finished quilt.  The design of this quilt is “improv.”  Kingwell’s blocks are scrappy.  You can google it to see.  This quilt is lap size, so it isn’t a daunting project, but a fun one.  Most of us are finishing up Tula Pink’s 100 Modern quilt blocks now, which was our challenge last year.

Here is a pic of “Long Time Gone,” so you can see where our blocks fit into the whole:

 

Our blocks are as different as we are as quilters—and all of them are gorgeous!

Tori Manzi got us going with her beautiful blocks, made with “grunge” fabrics. As near as I can tell, grunge is a solid with a marbled pattern.  The polka dots are new grunge that just came on the market.  We decided to do these three block forms for January to get a kick start on the project.

Tori manipulated color to get that center star, which also got us to thinking.

Love her all-white centers.  These little 4-inch blocks are so fun to make.

Here are Linda Satkowski’s blocks so far.  Note that Linda chose Kingwell’s pattern version for the star in star block AND that makes the white stars shine out.  But she kept to consistent color arrangements.

Here are Lynn Vermeulen’s blocks==also in solids.

Here are Becca Babb’Brott’s scrappy versions:

Here are mine.  I am using all Cotton+Steel because that bin is overflowing.

These are the February blocks.  I manipulated these Jacob’s Ladder blocks for color.  Kingwell did not.

 

Here is Linda Satkowski’s Jacob’s Ladder block:

 

And here is my Trip Around the World block:

 

Both Linda and Becca are working on their “Trips” now, so I’ll post them as they come in to me.

 

Turkey Tracks: Mt. Battie Modern Traveling Quilts January 2018

Turkey Tracks:  February 4, 2018

Mt. Battie Traveling Quilts January 2018

The traveling quilts are beyond amazing.  Each time we see them, they get larger and more exciting.

Here is Joanne Moore’s quilt, with writing added by Lynn Vermeulen and the f lower block in the upper right corner by Nancy Wright.

 

Here is MY QUILT, and boy do I love it!  Becca added the line of paper-pieced flowers on the left, the fabric squares above them, and the line of trees above the words.  Trees and flowers, what’s not to like?

Becca  ordered the graphic village fabric that is around the flowers after I asked her if she knew who made it.  That was a lovely surprise.

She later told me she had made this strip below because I love her selvage spider webs, but that she could not work it into the quilt.  I took it and will see that it gets worked in along the way because this spider web is something she has been designing for some time now.  More on that in another post.

Here is Lynn Vermeulen’s quilt.  Joann Moore added the thread spools and button on the left.  The fabric around that block pulls down a lot of the color going on in the quilt.

 

Vicki Fletcher made these two blocks for Linda Satkowski’s quilt.  She wanted to add an animal and an insect to Linda’s “community.”

Margaret-Elaine Jinno added this coastal block as we live on the coast with mountains that come down to the sea.

The above blocks will go into the blocks below.

Nancy Wright added this flower block to Vicki Fletcher’s quilt.

It will probably go on the right side with the other flowers.

Tori Manzi added the round blocks, the heart, and the rose  to Becca’s quilt, and Margaret Elaine added the colored pencils.

 

Linda Satkowski added the row of mountains to Nancy Wright’s quilt.  Becca’s saying is “never stop looking up.”  Margaret Elaine Jinno added a row of adorable birds for the bottom.   I’ll get that picture next time.

I had Gus Bruns quilt this last time, and I spent a lot of time joining up the parts.  Here is the left side.

I left a big center in the middle to fill.  The right side and bottom are connected.

I added the row of made fabric on the left, the bear on the aqua fabric at the bottom, and loads of connecting strips.  Margaret Elaine Jinno added the fox in the circle in the middle and a poem about the fox below–with an orange moon.

We are all busy now working on the quilts we picked up at the meeting.  We will see them again in February.  And I hope we can devise a way to display them a bit better.

 

 

 

Turkey Tracks: Mt. Battie Modern September Show and Tell

Turkey Tracks:  October 6, 2017

Mt. Battie Modern September Show and Tell

We had fun at our September meeting.

It was fun to see Joann Moore, who worked all summer.  She brought two quilts with her.  She’s a new grandmother, so there is a fun baby quilt.

And her version of a quilt in Amanda Jean Nyberg’s book NO SCRAP LEFT BEHIND called “Happy Rails.”  Love her use of the blue background and the bright fabrics with it.

Vicki Fletcher has been working on this English Paper Piecing large hexagon quilt.  She is enjoying this project and loves the old-fashioned fabrics.  They are special, and so is she.

Tori Manzi showed us a new bag she acquired from an internet “swap” friend.  Wow!  Great bag.  We examined it in detail as we are, most of us, bag crazy.

Paula Blanchard showed us this small quilt from Amy Friend’s Improv workshop with us last spring.  Amy’s blog is “During Quiet Time,” and the method is in her book IMPROV PAPER PIECING.  This is a “wow” quilt, isn’t it?

Karen Martin has her Tula Pink blocks not only done, but put into a top.  Didn’t it come out gorgeous?  These blocks are a challenge for Coastal Quilters, but Karen is the first person among us to finish a quilt top with the blocks.  We finish making the blocks in December.  I have about 40 more to go, but will catch up soon.  The book is 100 MODERN QUILT BLOCKS, and they are all about the fabric.

Love the sashing fabric with the different intensities of black dots.

Here’s Karen:

Mt. Battie had a challenge to make a “minimalist” quilt, from directions and discussion in the MIGHTY LUCKY QUILTING CLUB 2016 WORKBOOK–“Minimalist Improvisation” by Season Evans.

Here’s Becca’s:

Here’s Paula’s:

And here’s mine:

I am enjoying these exercises.  I am making and using bias tape in both quilts and clothing now.  And I’ve found that I’m thinking differently about quilt compositions all at once–along the lines of the creativity that can come with constraint.  It is freeing somehow.

On to the next challenges–which will make the next two months more interesting.

Turkey Tracks: September Mt. Battie Modern Traveling Quilts

Turkey Tracks:  October 1, 2017

September Mt. Battie Modern Traveling Quilts

The “reveal” at our September meeting was so much fun!

The quilts are so full of life and energy.

Here’s what Becca Babb-Brott made for the quilt she was working on.

Here’s Becca’s contribution alongside other blocks in this quilt.  The owner asked that someone start to link up the blocks now.

Vicki Fletcher made a village green for Margaret Elaine Jinno’s quilt.  It shimmers with life, doesn’t it?  This block could become a strong unifier for this quilt.  Good job Vicki!

Nancy Wright made this block for Becca’s quilt.

This block is adding a whole new element to this quilt.  Becca wanted to join all the pieces herself at the end.

Tori Manzi added the lower blocks and the color wheel on the right to Lynn’s quilt.  Wow!  This quilt is going in a very interesting direction with the work of Nancy Wright’s sewing machine and Tori’s blocks.

Lynn Vermeulen these words to Joanne Moore’s quilt.  They are PERFECT!  I like the way Lynn used blocks to separate words.

I worked on Vicki Fletcher’s quilt.  I made her a “tree of life” block, and, as she homesteaded in Alaska, I gave her a forest and a cabin in a clearing in the forest.  Vicki has an abiding Christian faith, so I thought the “tree of life” would be nice for her.  The small trees are from Janeen Van Niekerk’s Craftsy shop, Quilt Art Designs, which features her foundation piecing designs.  Other trees and the cabin came from my EQ7 program.

Here’s the label I made for Vicki.  We are each making a label for whatever quilt we worked on.  AND, we are giving ourselves two months per quilt now.

LInda Satkowski added the row of “x” blocks at the bottom of Tori’s quilt.  And the flower on the right–English Paper Piecing, bias tape, and applique leaves.  Tori’s theme is “color,” so we are having fun with bright colors in this quilt.  It is on my design wall now, and I am thinking about it.  Linda’s additions are going to be a hard act to follow.

So, that’s it for now.  I’ll have a separate post on the Mt. Battie Show and Tell.

Turkey Tracks: Fall Quilty 2017 Update

Turkey Tracks:  September 6, 2017

Fall Quilty 2017 Update

It’s official.

Summer is over.

I confess I love the rotation of the seasons and am looking forward to fall.  Up here in Maine, the trees are beyond gorgeous when they turn, which they are just beginning to do now.

I always think I’ll get some final porch use in September–sitting in the sun and soaking up the last of the late summer sunshine, but the feel of fall is here.  The angle of the sun has changed and the back porch does not get sunshine like it used to.  Time to move some chairs to the upper front deck for that sunshine.  And time to let go of the flower container pots and to start cleaning up flower beds and to winterize.

This hanging pot has been so pretty all summer.  It hangs on the upper front porch, and I can see it from where I sit at the dining alcove table.  This picture is the one I will see in my mind in the dead of winter this year.

The humming birds are still here but will leave any minute now.  They, too, have loved this feeding location and move from the feeder to the actual flowers.  I have two feeders and LOTS of humming birds.  The other feeder is on the back porch, which means these little fast-flying birds are often just skimming any heads whose bodies are sitting on the porch.

Here is the second to last rosette of the Katja Marek millifiore quilt.  I have almost finished the LAST ROSETTE, which will attach to the right side of the one below.  They make up the lower right hand side of the quilt.  I started this project last fall, and it has been a joy.  Up to the point, that is, until I have to figure out how to quilt it.

I slowed down the other day to make this feed bag for a friend:

This time I got the whole thing right side up!

I have almost finished piecing Bonnie Hunter’s mystery quilt “En Provence.”  I’ve had the units completed since last Christmas/New Year’s.  And the pieced blocks and sashes have been on my design wall almost all summer.  One more row of the big blocks and then on to the outer borders.

I find myself really drawn to the outer neutral borders with their hint of the pointy stars.  I find myself wondering what a quilt would look like with these stars (the red ones above) made scrappy and floated on neutrals.

OK, so I know I’m in a “neutral” fabric moment.  I worried about whether or not the stronger neutrals I used would be too much, but they are what are making the neutral areas of this quilt sing.  I really like how they are working in the quilt and will not be afraid to go to a mixing in of stronger neutrals next time.

This quilt, as all Bonnie Hunter quilts do, has a great “skeleton.”  The designs she makes are inventive and wonderful.  But I find that lately I am really drawn to less-busy quilts.  I think that is one reason why I have had such a hard time finishing this quilt.  It will be wonderful when it is done, but it has been a bear to sew.  Very labor intensive.  Very busy.  This year I am going to print out her clues and see the finished quilt before I charge in to making it.  Part of my issue is that I have several projects of my own I am so excited to start this fall.  They are trumping my doing another Bonnie mystery quilt I think.  And it is always ok to give yourself a break for a year.

We were challenged in our new Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild to experiment with making a minimalist little quilt–the second “how to” chapter from the MIGHTY LUCKY QUILTING CLUB 2016 WORKBOOK, “Minimalist Improvisation,” by Season Evans.  The plan of action in this chapter was very clear and very helpful.  Here’s what I devised:

I quilted with the walking foot–which was an experiment for me.  And I used a circle cutting tool that works like a protractor–cutting the fabric circle 1/4-inch wider than the freezer paper circle.  I ironed the paper onto the circle and turned in the edges with an iron.  I should have tried to cut the circle free hand of course–as everything else was cut free hand, per instructions.  I wanted to get a handle on sewing curves, so that added to some “play” time with this project.  So, I cut and sewed curves, experimented with the circle cutter, and quilted with the walking foot.  A good exercise, I think.

I spent a fair amount of time working on Vicki Fletcher’s traveling quilt, but those pictures will have to wait until after our next meeting.

 

Turkey Tracks: Quilts By Friends, July 2017

Turkey Tracks:  August 16, 2017

Quilts By Friends, July 2017

Linda Satkowski is working on Katja Marek’s quilt-let project, from Marek’s web site and from the book THE NEW HEXAGON MILLIFIORE QUILT ALONG.”  She is using this gorgeous, coral color for her background.  I love it and asked her to roughly lay out her mostly finished blocks so we could see them at a recent Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild monthly sew-along meeting–Camden, Maine.

AND, friend Elizabeth (Betsy) Maislen, who is now RETIRED, is working on this quilt–which knocked my socks off.  Go Betsy!!

I will see Betsy soon as she will be in and out of my house (as will husband Bill) while she is on the windjammer J&E Riggin, out of Rockland, Maine.  Betsy volunteers and helps Annie Mahle cook.  The two together produce some awesome meals–all fresh, local produce, seafood, and meats.  This year, Betsy will be volunteering for roughly six weeks in September and October.