Thursday, December 29, 2011

Scraps, Memories, Inspiration

This Christmas my quilting Mother-in-law gave me the book "Cut the Scraps!" by Joan Ford as well as other great quilting related toys. At the Empire Quilt Festival in October 2011, we heard Joan speak and show all the quilts she made from her scraps. The technique of the book begins with the task of cutting up your stash into the following size squares: 2 inches, 3 1/2 inches and 5 inches respectfully. It also involves throwing away smaller sized pieces.

This would be a challenge for me.

Here is what my scraps looked like this morning.
What a mess!  Unfortunately, I'd love to say that this was the only box of such scraps, but that would be a huge lie.

So, I began and what a fascinating trip. As I ironed, cut and sorted the memories off all those quilted projects flew back into my head. I could see the baby's mother as she opened the baby quilt, share the excitement of the siblings with their new I-Spy quilt, enjoy my quilting student's first attempt at machine quilting, and best of all I could experience that same feeling I get when I give away a quilted project today. It was a lovely morning!

Here is what I was able to cut up:
Did I get to the bottom of the bin? Not exactly, but I am well on my way.

Adding the 2 inch squares to my previous attempt at organizing, I now have this collection organized by "Kids/ Novelty" and "Christmas" prints. What you don't see are all the other non-specific squares and a myriad of floral prints from my "Watercolor" quilting days.


Finally, the big bin also produced some larger pieces and a few random blocks which I'm sure will become future wonders for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (which has ended) or other projects.


Happy New Year and may you consider this wonderful little book as a resource in the name of that "get organized" new year's resolution which we all make...................and I might actually keep this coming year!!


Link to Joan Ford's website:     Scrap Therapy



Friday, December 9, 2011

Christmas Quilting Give-Away

AND THE WINNER IS LISA COX! # 52 
chosen by Random.Org
Who commented, "I've never really done any Christmas quilting until this year."
 I hope this extra bit of fabric helps your future Christmas quilting, Lisa.
Thank you too all who visited my blog and all my new followers.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!




The Quilting Gallery is celebrating it's 4th Birthday with a Blog Hop Party. From today, until December 17th, 2011 please comment below on what your favorite type of "Christmas Quilting" is AND WHY then you will be entered into a random drawing to win 6 fat quarters from my Christmas Stash.  
Blog Hop Party Link

Meanwhile, enjoy the few pieces I picked out to share from my past Christmas quilting endeavors.
 
As a toddler, my daughter carried around one particular doll at all times.
She slept with it, fed it, bathed it, etc. She was quite a good "mother" to this doll.
That Christmas I made all her friends baby doll blankets from the scraps of other Christmas projects.
They were quick and fun as I strip pieced and simply quilted on the diagonals.


"Silent Night," seen above, was made as a thank you for dear friends who watched my daughter at church so that I could lead the children's music.
The "Stars" tree skirt also seen above was made for dear friends who live far away but are always near in our hearts.


Finally, "Santa" was a donation to The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, AAQI.  It was created from a preprinted cotton panel from Diane Knott framed with purple star fabric to bring out the purple tinted snow on the chimney and the twinkle in Santa’s eyes. Free motion quilting added texture and helped me practice this valuable skill. The purchase of "Santa" earned $45 for Alzheimer's research.

So, after much debate, here is a photo of the 6 fat quarters you will receive if you are my lucky winner. They are very, VERY bright Christmas fabrics, except for the green with gold flecks.


Good luck and Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Christmas & AAQI


*Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noel,Vrolijk Kerstfeest, Jwaye Nowel, Mele Kalikimaka, Buone Feste Natalizie, Srozhdestvom Kristovym, Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom

Holiday greetings, however you say it, and may the season be joyous and bright for you and your family.
With all my best, 
This Quilting Mama

If only Christmas were that simple. A nice greeting on a beautiful blog or greeting card, a smile or virtual hug and a wish for the new year ahead.

Instead, we are often burdened with obligation at this time of year. These obligations come in many forms and, at times, distract from the true meaning of the season and the celebrations which should be joyful and free from stress. I have very little advice in this area, as I too am in a constant struggle with my children's overzealous toy desires, my worries about appropriate gifts for relatives who have everything, and my genuine desire to "keep everyone happy" in my life.  

So, this year, I've turned to one of my favorite charities for help. The quilts below are among the over 500 quilts available for sale at the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative website (www.alzquilts.org).  All profits from the sale of these little pieces of art go directly to fund Alzheimer's research projects.

Here is the link: AAQI.

The "Quilts for Sale" tab on the left hand column will guide you to lots of beautiful pieces which will not only surprise your loved one, but will add that extra good feeling of having been purchased for a greater cause.

Here is the story behind my last five donations to AAQI:

"Christmas Tree" was created using the  Double Diamond Ruler.
It was very fun to explore the possibilities of this new tool. The possibilities are endless!



"Number 20 for AAQI" was featured in my October 2011 blog post about the 
Empire Quilt Festival and the usage of scraps to make something of value.........
as our quilting ancestors have been doing for generations.





These two stained-glass-inspired creations were featured in my June 2011 post about 
"found fabrics."  They were literally cut from the same cloth.  



Finally, from my October 2011 post, "Hosanna!"  was inspired by another quilt 
and the Squiggles technique of  Kris Gregson Moss.



Overwhelmed with choices?  Consider getting a loved one a gift certificate to AAQI.
Link:  AAQI Gift Certificates
Then they can visit the website and pick a quilt on their own. 

It seems that I've been called to a "shopping with a purpose" Christmas. 
What will you buy that will make a difference in another person's life?

 *****************

Below is more exciting news from Ami Simms and AAQI.

The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative’s Third Annual Celebrity Auction Raises $17,327.26

(Burton, Michigan) -- November 29, 2011: The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative’s (AAQI) third annual celebrity quilt auction raised a record breaking $14,025 for the nonprofit. This year’s theme was the "Stanley Cup Quilt-Off." Twelve quilters in two teams competed for bragging rights, the highest selling quilt earning its maker the MVP award. The Feed Dogs team members were Alex Anderson, Hollis Chatelain, John Flynn, Becky Goldsmith, Renae Haddadin, and Sue Nickels. The Rotary Blades members were Caryl Bryer Fallert, Pat Holly, Libby Lehman, Judy Mathieson, Mary Sorensen, and Ricky Tims.


Hollis Chatelain raised $2,570 with her quilt "Hollow," (shown above) a 16" x 16" thread-painted, machine quilted image of a woman's face which earned her the coveted MVP award. This is the third year in a row her quilt earned top dollar in the charity auction.


A Viewer's Choice component to the "Stanley Cup Quilt-Off" was also offered at International Quilt Festival in Houston and online. Each $1.00 donation was counted as one vote, raising an additional $2,277.26 overall. Profits from sales of earrings made with images of each of the 12 auction quilts brought in $1,025, bringing the total for the event to $17,327.26.


High and low resolution images of the twelve quilts are available at: http://www.alzquilts.org/scphotos.html 
The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative is a national, grassroots organization whose mission is to raise awareness and fund research. "Alzheimer’s Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope" (a nationally touring exhibit of quilts about Alzheimer's) and the Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilt project are two of its efforts. The AAQI has raised more than $679,000 for Alzheimer’s research since January 2006. Ami Simms of Flint, Michigan is the founder and executive director of AAQI, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Her mother had Alzheimer’s.

###
Contact:
Ami Simms
Founder and Executive Director
Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative
1200 Creekwood Trail
Burton, MI 48509
(810) 637-5586
www.alzquilts.org

* How Merry Christmas is said

Sunday, November 20, 2011

The 23rd Psalm & Camp Fowler

 

The Dove of Peace, seen above, adorns a stole which three quilting ladies from our church made for our pastor this summer. When asked to share some information about the stole, she wrote the following:


The 23rd Psalm Stole
made by Bobbie N., Lee P. and Lynn Makrin
for Jan Hoffman
for summer camp, Camp Fowler, 2011
Preparation for leading a week at camp, planning for teaching 90 youngsters in Grades 3-12, takes months of work.  About 4-5 weeks before our assigned week, Pastor Jan came up with the idea for a stole to wear each day.  But she didn’t have a stole portraying the 23rd Psalm.  So she asked her quilting friends if they could make a stole for Camp Fowler.  They jumped at the chance and quickly Lee put out a wide variety of beautiful fabrics, many deep green fabrics representing the beloved Adirondack forest, clear blues for sky and deep mountain lake.  Bobbie envisioned embroidery and appliqué.  Lynn asked questions, arranged and rearranged cloth pieces.

A glorious stole was created and ready for Pastor Jan on Sunday, July 31, 2011 for the church’s week of volunteering at camp. 
The 23rd Psalm stole was worn each morning for Morning Watch, outdoor devotions before breakfast.  Pastor Jan taught a part of the 23rd Psalm each morning, using the stole, helping the campers memorize the Psalm.  The stole is a rich visual which helped us learn.
The stole hung in the chapel during the day.  Pastor Jan would wear it at evening chapel or display it prominently on the communion table.


The theme for the summer was “Bring Forth the Kingdom.”  A week of summer camp at Fowler helps us practice Kingdom living.  The 23rd Psalm teaches us what the Kingdom might look like.  Signs throughout the camp pointed to the Green Pastures or Meadows, where we play games; the Still Waters where we swim; the Dangerous Places where we aren’t supposed to climb on the rocks on the shore.
The 23rd Psalm is regularly recited at funerals and during Sunday morning liturgy.  Pastor Jan wears the stole at her discretion.


Thank you for those lovely words, Pastor Jan.

Now to the quilting. As you recite the Psalm (seen below if you've forgotten it) you can look at the stole from the left side (Pastor's right) and "read" it down beginning with "The Lord is my shepherd" and then "read" up right side beginning with "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death" in the dark black section and ending at the top  "and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."  The techniques used were mainly fusible applique with free-motion quilting on top.

Bobbie's notes on stole and embroidery designs are here:
 "First the photo, which is of the chapel at Camp Fowler, which Lee had in her camera. We copied it to my computer. From there I reduced the size to fit the place on the stole. I then printed it onto special fabric made for photo copying. There was backing on the fabric & I left it on to give it more body before I appliqued it in place with a blind stitch on my machine & invisible thread.

The other designs were bought from various sites. Some, like the chalice & loaf , and the feet were excellent. Others were just OK so I digitized them again on my machine.
I have a Bernina 730 machine and use the version 6 Bernina software."


Finally, just like the experience of being at camp as a child with your friends for one very special week within the middle of the summer, this collaboration was similar. We were working together for a specific goal with a definite deadline. It was very fun, easy and a learning experience for me.

I hope the "Quilting Ladies" at church will have the chance to work together again!
Much gratitude goes out to Pastor Jan for the request, and to Bobbie and Lee for
working with me and around my children!



Psalm 23
The LORD Is My Shepherd
A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
        
he leadeth me beside the still waters. Rev. 7.17
3 He restoreth my soul:
        
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
        
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
        
thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
        
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Published by The American Bible Society
The Holy Bible: King James Version. 2000.
http://www.bartleby.com/108/19/23.html

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

November Gratitude & Roxbury Farm

Our modern lives are so full with obligations including those of family, work, home, career, friends, etc. We often forget to take the time to show gratitude. The way of thank you notes and simple "thinking of you" phone calls seems to have fallen aside in our modern, busy lives.

     Two years ago, a friend on Facebook suggested a simple "I am thankful for........." statement to become each person's daily "status update" for the month of November. I participated and can say now that it effected me. To have to set aside time for gratitude in my daily life and then to write about it was not only a good exercise, but did change the way I look at my life and all its "obligations."

    So this year, I'm expanding my gratitude to include people, organizations or things for which I am thankful.
   
   Here is today's:

I am grateful for Jean Paul and his team of farmers at Roxbury Farm in Kinderhook, NY (http://roxburyfarm.com/). These veggies were the last in my CSA Farm Share for this season. Participation in the CSA, for the first time this year, has TOTALLY transformed my relationship with food, my thinking about meal planning and our family's health, I'm sure!

The Farmers wrote in their last newsletter, "We lost 50,000-60,000 lbs of produce due to the flooding and excessive rain.  We thank you for your support during this difficult and season and we are looking forward to an abundant harvest in 2012."

At the much needed, Roxbury Farm Festival in September 2011, I made a small quilt of gratitude, seen below,  for the Farmers to hang in their barn, office or home.

 


 The brown paths were, in my mind, the ways to access the fields. I did simple stitch-in-the-ditch quilting and then some free motion work in the brown outer border.

Two photos of Roxbury Farm on that beautiful September day.
Please see their website for more photos and information about 
Community Supported Agriculture: Roxbury Farm

Also, check out my friend's blog for ways to use and to store all these awesome veggies:


Tuesday, October 18, 2011

"Little Hospitality" and the Empire Quilt Fest 2011



This past weekend, my "Little Hospitality," seen above, was proudly included in the Empire Quilt Fest, a multi-guild show in upstate New York. She earned "Second Place" in the Miniatures Category. She is a paper-pieced 14 3/4 inch square traditional pineapple block work which uses warm floral prints. The design was adapted from a pattern by MH Designs. Each block has over 25 pieces of fabric and there are over 400 pieces in the entire quilt. Created as a challenge to myself for this particular show, "Little Hospitality" now warmly greets visitors to our home from her place in our foyer.
To the right are all the quilts in the Miniature Category.
They included the following other quilts:
First Place: Martha Flanagan's "Spiraling Out of the Box"  (top left of photo)
Honorable Mention: Bonnie Maclean's "Mini Mariner's Compass" (Purple and white in the middle)
Bonnie Maclean's "Mini New York Beauty" (top right) &
Marcia Hajeck's "Pieces of Old" (bottom left)


This gorgeous quilt is called "Spiraling Out of the Box" by quilter Martha D. Flanagan. It earned the "First Place" ribbon in the Miniature category.
Mrs. Flanagan wrote "This quilt was designed and created while working with Ranae Merrill as she wrote her book "Magnificent Spiral Mandala Quilts." This quilt is shown in the book." It is machine quilted and I assume, paper pieced.

Look at this detail shot! Amazing! 
It is quite an honor to have my quilt by these other amazing works of art!


The Empire Quilt Fest Theme for 2011 was "When Life Hand You Scraps." I, naturally, answered the call with this little piece to be donated to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative: www.alzquilts.org
Called "Number 20 for AAQI" it will be the 20th donation quilt toward my $1000 Promise. So far, with 13 of the 20 sold, I've raised $530 for Alzheimer's Research as supported by the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.
Very exciting stuff!


Finally, my friend and new owner of "Blumen"-Maggie, graciously let me borrow her for this show. Please see my May 2011 post for the artistry behind this little piece of abstract art.


I'm already thinking and looking ahead to the Empire Quilt Fest 2013!! 
It's never too early to plan!!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Inspired by "Seven"




Remember "Seven"?
It was posted in July in my piece called "Seven and Friends." Since then, "Seven" has been donated to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative and has earned $50 for Alzheimer's Research (www.alzquilts.org).
Amazing for such a little piece of art!

This "Squiggles" technique, learned from Kris Gregson Moss (http://www.krisgregsonmoss.com)
and used with her permission for the Q.U.I.L.T.S. AAQI Challenge, reveals a new and exciting result each time.

The original layers of fabric, seen on the left here, are sewn with a free-hand drawn design and then cut away to reveal the gorgeous colors below. No one color touches itself in the work. The piece is completed with appliqué fibers sewn to cover the seams and free-motion quilting to accent the other design elements. 

Below is the final result for this new piece. Although quite abstract, I think it looks like a child waving palms on Palm Sunday.  What do you see it in?



Here is the next set of fabrics to be "Squiggled"!
Wait and see what beautiful piece of art they will become!








Kris Gregson Moss Website:    http://www.krisgregsonmoss.com
Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative:   http://www.alzquilts.org/
Quilters United in Learning Together Schenectady:    http://quiltschenectady.org/

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Christmas Stripes


'Twas a few months before Christmas,
and with nothing to do
I sat in my quilt room-
seemingly blue.

The UFO's rested untouched on the shelf
and none of the BOM's seemed to 
bother myself.

Then in the corner a package 
caught my eye,
some new Christmas striped fabric, 
I just HAD to buy.

Full Striped Fabric
 Armed with a triangle template* and a sharp rotary knife,
I thought to myself, "Now this is the life!"

Just a few simple cuts and some seams 
sewn together--
I instantly had table runners for the 
snowier weather.
   




Layer two identical stripes, cut like this.




Poinsettias, reindeer and snowmen with S'mores--
What more could I make behind these closed doors?

A head start on Christmas 2052--
Because that's how long it takes me to finish things---
How about you?

    
 
  




Sew together end triangles first and then center seam.
Finished detail.   

*For the 60 degree triangle template I used in this piece:

http://www.online-quilting.com/

"'Twas the Night Before Christmas"

By Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;


The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,


When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.


The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,


With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;


"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONDER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"


As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.


And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.


He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.


His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;


The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.


He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;


He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;


He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT! 

Classic Poem from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/christmas/resource/4051.html

Friday, September 9, 2011

Peach Cobbler

The Purple Cook's Website Link

Hi Quilting Friends,
Here is my latest post through a girl friend's fantastic website!
Check out The Purple Cook!

She regularly comments on our CSA vegetables and fruits and how to use them on your family's table. She also has ideas about freezing, meal planning, etc.

I love her work and am thrilled to participate with one of the two desserts I made this summer. Frankly, I'd rather be quilting than cooking, but baking I can handle!

Enjoy!!!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

For the Love of Autumn


"Autumn is the eternal corrective. It is ripeness and color and a time of maturity;
but it is also breadth, and depth, and distance.  What man can stand with autumn
on a hilltop and fail to see the span of his world and the meaning of the rolling
hills that reach to the far horizon?
-   Hal Borland*

"The winds will blow their own freshness into you,
and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop away from you
like the leaves of Autumn."
-   John Muir*

  
I love autumn! The season brings with it change. 
Change in our schedule as we return to school, new activities and our non-summer/ more "normal" life. This also means new adventures, new friends, a new quilt guild year, new projects, new classes, the resurrection of deeply loved old projects yearning to be finished and, of course, apple and pumpkin picking and my personal favorite-- hot cider and doughnuts!

One of the first events in the Fall is our church's Dutch Fair and silent auction. This year the chair of the silent auction is my mother, so I've donated this table runner/ wall hanging.
From Pieced Tree Patterns (Forest City, Iowa), "Falling Leaves" features four easy Maple Leaf blocks which not only allow one to practice their perfect, or not-so-perfect, point making techniques as well as time playing with these rich and lovely Fall florals. The pattern is designed to create a wall hanging banner with three sections. My piece is a modification from the center section.


In order for the piece to be more versatile, I've added "Fast Finish Triangles". They are squares folded in half and sewn into the binding of the corners. This way small pieces can be hung with a simple piece of wood underneath the corner trianges (seen below). I learned this technique from my work with the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (www.alzquilts.org). Here is the link to the "Fast Finish Triangles" tutorial: http://www.alzquilts.org/paqdisplay.html
Other hanging techniques are also available on that page which include hanging sleeves and the use of the multi-purpose soda can tab!



* Quotes from http://www.egreenway.com/months/autumn.htm#Autumn