I have two tasks that I know I will have to do while at HandiQuilter. One is to have a "bio" or "My quilting story" taped for their website. It will be done in front of a quilt that I made. I am using this one, finished recently. I'm not really sure what my story will be, but that part I can wing I think. The other thing that they will be doing which I know of for certain is taping each of us giving our "quilting tips". This one haunts me. I do what works for me, and seriously, not much of it seems all that original. But becuase I really love to custom quilt much (MUCH) more than I like to do edge-to-edge patterns, I think I may use the following as my tip to newer quilters. I'd suggest to them to draw and doodle constantly. I have a notebook in the car. I doodle quilting designs when my kids are at appointments. I look for usable patterns most anywhere. People that don't know what to quilt, haven't opened their eyes fully. Just last night I was sitting where Sophie takes dance. There is this chair, covered with what is probably a sheet from 1975. It is a hideous paisley print. At least to some, it is hideous. To me it was magical. It had so many great quilting swirls and feathers. I stared at it for 45 minutes (yes, the one time I had a needle and thread in my possession, but not a pen and paper!). After the kiddos went to be, I tried to recreate it. I drew this to the half-way point and then manipulated it within software. I don't know that I'd quilt every detail, but it's the type inspiration I love.
As promised, here's a couple quilts finished recently. This is a client's quilt, done in really pretty fallish colors. She wanted a light-custom. The border has a faked-out double feather/leaf pattern. If it were not for the darn Rainbow's thread I used, this entire quilt would have been very fast to do. I had to sew at a snail's pace because the thread kept wanting to shread, and I couldn't figure out why! Super slow, all was mostly fine.
I did a continuous leaf & swirl pattern in the tan part of the logs and a modified feather circle in the colored part. The threads, 2 different ones, were both Rainbows.
The one for the colored blocks is one I use on batiks often, as it has many deep jewel tones. It was perfect here.
Back in early August, my aunt from CT brought me several of her quilts for quilting. I'm onto #2 (#3 is loaded up next). She's a prolific quilter, but this top is one she found at a garage sale! It has pretty soft pink and mauve tones. I couldn't quite "whisper" a good custom out of the heavily printed, geometric top, so I did the Splash panto. I like this one, despite it being rather time consuming. It's dense and has many, many scrolls! It makes a supple, soft quilt though!
I'm not sure if I will get to posting again before I go, but I want to leave you with one last bit of info. If you like to machine quilt, either by longarm or domestic, and you'd like more training on quilt design, then this is for you. I'm talking about the Quilt Whispering class that Carla Barrett teaches. I took this class in January of this year on MQResource.com. Carla has separated from that site now and has her own entity. It runs for 3 weeks, with lessons daily. About 1/4 of the lessons are on machine. Most of them are conceptual, and done on paper. It was a fantastic class. She helps decode the best designs for a unique quilt. Remember this quilt?...She assisted with the design of it, and it later went on to win Rookie of the Year at MQX. You'll love the class. So, go check it out... www.quiltwhisper.com. Her website is here too... http://featheredfibers.wordpress.com/
Whatcha waiting for?? Go check it out!
Hi! Just wanted to let you know that the web address is wrong for the quilting class. If you go to the one you had down, it takes you to a site under construction. It is quiltwhisper.com not quiltwhisperer.
ReplyDeleteLove your website! Discovered it only a week ago and have been studying all your beautiful classes ever since!
It's funny you should mention it. When you talked about the class in your blog earlier this year, I made a note of it, found Carla's site and asked to be put on the notification list for the next one. I signed up this week to take it (it starts the Monday after next) and really look forward to it.
ReplyDeleteHaving followed your blog and progress in your quilting business, I've always admired your stitch choices even before you took her class and figured if you thought she had something to teach you that was a class I had to try.
Great quilting design! I like your doodling 'angle' - I doodle endlessly, too, and it has helped tremendously. I actually achieve something in boring meetings now!
ReplyDeleteHow much time did you have to commit to the quilt whisperer class? I'd love to do it, but don't want to go into it half-heartedly, and wonder if it might be best to wait until (ha!) I have more time to focus on it.