Sewing Room Friday, 4/5/24

Does this apply to any of you?

Last week, Alex Anderson did a recap of the quilters who will have episodes in the upcoming months. She mentioned me in Part 1, as I filmed during the first half of the week. But then I noticed this in the newsletter for Part 2--a photo of my quilt from QuiltCon a few years back. She thought it was ra eally funny story that I liked the back of the quilt better than the front, so I submitted the back. And it was accepted! I've submitted a couple of other quilts to QuiltCon in recent years. None have been accepted. Maybe I should try submitting a quilt back again. Haha.

I'm trying to be open to new experiences, rather than staying at home all the time. And any time it involves any kind of public speaking, it is a very courageous act for me. :) 

Last night, some of my quilts were part of our local Art Hop, a monthly display of art in different venues downtown. My quilts were displayed in a beautiful old home that has been converted to offices.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by. I'm really glad I had this opportunity and hopefully will again in the future. Also there last night was a sourdough baker, @dust_bowl_bread_and_goods. She made sourdough pop tarts--SO good!

In another Art Hop venue, Gabe had some artwork. I really love that the school district encourages art and then offers an opportunity to display them to the public.

This is so true.

For the last month on Instagram, @amyscreativeside has been running something she calls IG Quilt Fest. There is a different prompt each day. I never seem to post for all 31 days, but one prompt toward the end of the month is "must make quilt." Nedra Sorensen made my day when she posted this, so thanks so much Nedra. :)

Also true.

I think we can all agree this is really great quilt inspiration. Makes me wonder who designed the poster.

I have already collected some fabric from my stash.

I'm hoping to do a lot of sewing this weekend. What about you?

Really Random Thursday, 4/4/24

 April already? I know I always seem to say that at the beginning of each month, but time just seems to go by so quickly!

Here are the books I read in March:

Here are the results for the first quarter of my "book madness" bracket.

Winner of the first quarter. While my favorite genre is mystery/suspense, this book completely stole my heart with its beautiful writing and story line. Highly recommend.

Easter Sunday was lovely. There is also a photo op background at church.

Then we handed my phone to our pastor. He took the first photo and then kept coming in closer and closer, so when I looked at the photos later, this is what I had (Jason and Jill had headed home by this point):

Every year we have brunch at our house, and as in past years, it was nice enough to eat outside. Mark always makes a lot of crepes and we supply strawberries, sausage, and deviled eggs. Christa and Jill bring savory fillings like turkey, bacon and avocados. It's all so yummy.

This year, Jill said she and the girls had found a fun interactive game to play for the Easter egg hunt.  It was so much fun! Basically, in addition to the usual candy-filled plastic eggs, there were eggs that had letters in them. On the table were prizes. The kids had to collect letters, put them on the prize they hoped to win, and the person who added the final letter would get that prize. There were enough prizes for two each. I think we should make this a yearly tradition. 

It was a great day. 

Lumos

  Ah, Lumos. I think you are the favorite quilt of all those I have made so far. 

A few years ago I took a scrappy lone star class from one of my favorite teachers, Tara Faughnan. I made this beautiful block. I learned so much about color in that class. I loved these more muted versions of favorite colors.

If nothing else, I learned how to do a great Y seam.

But when the class was done, I had no clue what to do with the block. For awhile it was on my design wall with some other blocks. They looked fine together but it didn't spark any ideas.

At roughly the same time, I began making Double Ruby Ring blocks, designed by Michelle Bartholomew, a designer I greatly admire for her creativity. They were English paper pieced and I used Kaffe Fassett stripes in the center, surrounded entirely by my beloved Oakshott fabrics. 

While I LOVE these blocks, I'm not a huge fan of curved piecing while English paper piecing, as opposing curves are tricky due to the papers. So my plan was to make maybe nine blocks and call it a day. 

However, what to do with blocks that measured 36" x 36" when sewn together? We don't really have any wall hangings around the house. But I kept them on the design wall because I loved looking at them. 

Then by some quirk of fate, I got out the radiant star, trying to decide what to do with it. I started looking back and forth at the star, and the Ruby Ring blocks, and back to the star. And realized they looked fantastic together. 

A plan started to form. Of course that plan meant making even more blocks. But I began to get excited about the possibilities.

I had enough different striped fabrics to make two blocks out of each colorway, so they were similar, yet different.

My favorite.

Time to put them together.

I thought I might do several smaller borders, but after adding the two skinny striped borders with the triangles inbetween, I knew it was finished.

I delivered it to Dawn Haldeman for some beautiful custom quilting, and I also splurged on my favorite echinacea print by Anna Maria Horner for the backing.  I decided on the name Lumos, one of the most popular spells in the Harry Potter series,  used to light up dark spaces.

Oakshott Fabrics liked it enough that they added it to their website.

And I'm so happy that Michelle liked it as well. 

Interestingly, this is the quilt that caught the attention of the production manager of The Quilt Show, so I would say it is responsible for my invitation to film an episode. This photo looks a little yellow, but I know it will be color corrected for addition to the show. 

I firmly believe that quilts "speak" to you. If you listen, they will tell you what needs to be added and what will not work at all. And sometimes they take you on an adventure you never thought possible.

Quilt Name: Lumos

Quilt Pattern: Designed by Cindy Wiens: center radiant star class with Tara Faughnan, Double Ruby Ring blocks by Michelle Bartholomew

Made by: Cindy Wiens

Quilted by: Dawn Haldeman

Completed: 2024

Size: 60" x 60"