Peace by Piece II

Most of the time, we would just meet and folks would work on their individual projects. I showed the beginners step by step how to do their individual quilts and/or people would ask questions or brainstorm how to proceed. Mica and Shelby opted to piece their quilts by machine so after cutting their fabric, they didn't do much actual sewing during our meetings.

Towards the end, when I realized that I would be leaving soon and there was a lot left to pass on, I tried to focus on one particular skill during each meeting, focusing on the skills they would need to complete their quilts after I was gone!

At our last meeting, we met at Michelle's house for a special class on binding. Though Shelby had pretty much dropped out of the group by then, due to scheduling conflicts and her new job, she was able to join us at Michelle's. The following pictures are all from that night.
Kirsten, Sara and Marie.
Ela and Shelby.
Only Ela is not in this picture. Shelby, Kirsten, Sara, Mica and Marie.
Ela, Kirsten, Sara and Mica.

Spots Around the World

I collected fabrics with spots or dots for quite a while - just on a whim, really. When at Paducah in 2007, I bought several larger pieces, as I had a lot of smaller ones.

Then, finally, I went to work on the quilt. The center of it is hand pieced, the borders added by machine. I didn't really plan the colors. Just used the smaller pieces for the center rings etc.

It is queen sized and was machine-quilted by Regina Carter.

Quilting with Rosie II

After making my own Quilting with Rosie hanging to cover my fire place, I decided to give Michelle the other half of the panel. Who needs two Rosie hangings anyway? And, instead of just giving it to her, I added the piano key border, using the same fabrics as I used in my own. Michelle had helped picking them out from my stash when I made my own quilt.

I just made this top, it will be up to Michelle to decide how to take it from here.

The Owl

When I started packing to move from Georgia to Kentucky in April of 2008, I needed some hand work so I could stay busy even after I packed most of my sewing room for the move. For some time I have tried to cut up scraps - into various sizes: 2" strips, 3"x6" pieces and 4"x4" squares. By no means do I always get around to this, but it feels as if when I do, there is a greater chance I will actually be able to use the scraps for a quilt some day. I had bought the owl panel a while back, and decided to start piecing some of the 2" strips around it. So I just kept out the strips and some hand sewing materials and packed the rest of the sewing room.

When I started, I think I had imagined it as a throw or something along those lines, but when it was suddenly quite large, I made a queen sized quilt. The top is entirely hand pieced.
For the back I used this old Marimekko fabric which still looks remarkably fresh and which has particular sentimental value for me. For years this was a curtain which hang in front of some storage shelves in the basement of my parents' house where I grew up. I am pretty sure that it was there when I lived there some 30+ years ago so it is indeed old! When my parents left to move to a smaller and newer house in mid-2008, they let me and my siblings have various things they could or would not move. Because of the distance, I obviously could not take much, but did get this fabric.

The quilt was machine quilted by Regina Carter - who did some extra magic with it because the top was very wavy and by no means straight. Apparently I made it grow too much as I worked on it by hand and never measured anything, so it was not at all flat any longer! You wold never know that now by looking at it. She's awesome.

AIQ retreat - April 2009 - part II

Hilary Ford made these cute clothes for her grandchildren.
Ellen Apte's hand work had many admirers, from left Brenda Shelby, Casey Green, and Mary Maynard.
Sheila Blair working determinedly!
Michelle Hiskey somewhat awkwardly cutting her fabric.

Hilary Ford showing off the vest she made.
Brenda Shelby showing a quilt.
Mary Kimberly watches as Radine Robinson sews.
Hilary Ford gives Taffy McLaughlin advice.