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Monday, March 31, 2014

Quilt for Oso: Layers of Hope 9/11

I've spent the last 5 days making a bed quilt to be donated to someone needing comfort and support--and warmth--in the community hit by the mudslide in Northern Washington state.  I'm just calling it the Oso quilt.

It went together very quickly...it helps when you've got a stash of vintage blocks to put to work.  Another speedy technique is to quilt it right onto polar fleece...you get a cozy quilt, and it is much simpler when there are not those two layers to keep from wrinkling as you sew.  There is much less basting involved.
I got my fleece at my local discount store for ten dollars: a good price for what is essentially both backing and batting.

The blocks are to the right; the fabrics I pulled are to the left.  This quilt came entirely from my stash.

The first thing I did was lay the blocks out on the fleece, up on the design wall.  The small blocks are the "Crown and Thorns" pattern.

To cut my long sashing strips, I used my new Quilt Cut 2, by Alto's.

It's a very neat system.

It holds the fabric layers securely and you can set the ruler to any angle.  (This is 90 degrees.)  I went through design school using a T square, so this comes very naturally to me and it was fun, too.

I hung my strips between the rows of blocks.  I liked the look, so sewed them up and then made the sashing strips between the small blocks.

Do you notice that small strip of white along the bottom of the right hand block?  I had to do a little fudging to get them to fit...

As always, quilting was a dream on my HandiQuilter Sweet 16.  And see the trim I had appliqued onto the big blocks in the center row?  That was fun...

I reused the binding that was on the fleece blanket to make my smaller quilt binding.

And here it is finished, 76" X 76".
I am sending it off tomorrow to the lady who has initiated this quilt drive.

This is her blog entry that tells all about it:
http://layersofhopequilting911.blogspot.com/2014/03/washington-state-landslide-families-and.html?spref=fb
I hope you will consider making a quilt too.









Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Layers of Hope Quilting 9/11...time to get to work!




In response to the terrible mudslide tragedy in my home state of Washington, I'll be making a quilt for someone who needs it, via this wonderful effort by QuiltingGranny.

The information on her blog is here:  http://layersofhopequilting911.blogspot.com/2014/03/washington-state-landslide-families-and.html?spref=fb

I'll blog about it too.  Going to get to work on it today!

Saturday, March 8, 2014

QNNtv....and me!

I well remember, when I was asked as a girl what I wanted to be when I grew up, what my answer was:  "Something where working and playing are the same thing..."

My time filming 3-D Flower Embellishments with host Jodie Davis on QNNtv sure fit that criteria.  What a blast!  And we were so productive!
The first of three episodes has just gone live; you can view the free preview here.

QNNtv has a very reasonable subscription price to give you access to so many great TV shows.  My co-author Val Bothell has a 3 segment episode too, and the timely project is a crazy quilted Easter Egg.  Her preview is here, and her blogpost about it is here.  It is awesome.

Anyways!
Here are a few photos from my play/work on the show last summer.

This painted lace bouquet quilt was my teaching sample for one of the techniques I demonstrated, putting color onto lace and then making 3 D flowers out of it.

Here are Jodie and I on set.  The crew was great, and Jodie is the ultimate hostess...she made me feel so comfortable and at home.

Of course, while  I was in Denver I had to make a couple of field trips...one to a very cool craft and sewing store named the Fancy Tiger


Also, I went to nearby Golden to finally visit the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, something I've long wanted to do.

There was a great exhibit of quilts by Pat Holly, whose work I admire so much. (Click here to see a few more of her small quilts.)

This is Flight of Fancy, 20" X 24", 2001.

Jodie and I are great friends and you can tell when you watch our show.  Thanks, Jodie, so much!