Victoria's Abstracts in Fabric Show Opens for all too see....

I am so excited, I went to the opening of Victoria's show last night.  Through the storm and all...smiles.  It was truly a wonderful sight to see.  She is very special to me.  In case I have not told the story....my beginning days of quilting began in January 2000 when a work colleague's wife had a dream that she would revolutionize the world with a quilting bee.  (No, seriously in December 1999 she had the dream, and that's really what she said...it went along with empowering women, etc..)  Anyway, in January 2000 about 9 of us met at her house on East 86th Street, NYC armed with a book "Quilting for Dummies", quilting needles, fabric, and thread.  We read through the book, decided on our projects, and agreed to meet monthly to quilt, sew, and talk.

A year later, we had completed some projects, others fell off, and we sort of disbanded, but my desire was stoked.  I went on to find other groups and classes to expand my skills, and then I created Cocktails and Thread after taking a sewing class near the bowery.  The name came up because we always went for drinks  after our class, and by our second series of classes, we began to bring a bottle of wine or a wine cooler, to sip as we stitched...  Now, as life happens, people come and go but I continued to quilt, and sew and teach knitting etc.

In about 2007 I met a fellow quilter through the New York State Bar Association, so then I had a pal to chat with about all things quilting.  Over the years, her and I would meet after our events and go to see all things quilt related, i.e., quilt exhibitis, fabric shops, quilt shops, quilt classes.  This is still ongoing.  However, late last year I realized that I wanted to be in a community of quilters.  The problem was, I was never in a guild, never sought out a guild, because I was not sure I would belong.  I was not a "traditional" quilter, I never took quilting classes, etc. and I simply was not sure.

So with the use of the trusty internet I began googling quilting groups and guilds.  I saw the Empire Quilt Guild (which I am now a happy member, and realize I could have been getting discounts from my favorite Quilt shop all those years...).  I was a bit overwhelmed because they were so large and organized, that I was not sure if that would work for me.

So I searched some more, and then I found a group on ning called the NYC MetroMod Quilters and they also had a blog.  I joined ning...drooled over the blog and decided I wanted to hang with them.  I reached out and met a lovely person named Victoria, also known as BumbleBeans, Inc.   I went to my first meeting in October, armed with my woven strip, and I was excited.  The people were so wonderful, welcoming, exciting, interesting, and just truly amazing.  They are indeed a talented group...And Queen V was especially encouraging and welcoming...so I was hooked...

So, as you see I am soooo thrilled and pleased to attend her show...and am so happy to say that I know the woman that created these lovely works of art.

The Past Redone...

A peek into another road that I am being drawn too.  Revisiting the old, the archaic, the ancient, the seasoned, the true art of quilting.  I have found myself drawn to the patterns and blocks of yore.  Even more strange, I have transitioned from the love of bright and bold..to interestingly muted...much of the color pallette reminiscent of the Civil War Era. 

I know that people change, taste change, the creative eye changes...but I believe it is a deeper pull.  As I continue to grow and explore and challenge myself in this medium of "Quilts".  I realized that I did not have a formal introduction to quilting.  Not to say that there was a requirement, or that many others may not have sort of stumbled into it...but I was called "Encyclopedia" for a reason...I love books and history and seeking answers and information. 

So, now I find myself seeking Information about the Quilt, the Process, the Design, the formation, the structure.  Now of course that is a bit contradictory, since I have followed a pattern ONCE in my life, and almost followed another, and deviated at the last moment.  I have recently overcome the fear of  paper piecing to some extent.  That hurdle was jumped because of the pull to the traditional block.

My quilting group, NYC MetroMod, has a June block challenge to take a traditional block and make it something else...So clearly I am being pulled into the traditional block.

The Past Redone, will be my challenge to myself to do the traditional with an identification and incorporation of My Flavor/Taste...Funny thing about that...is that I don't even know what that Flavor/Taste is.  So off I go exploring...and as my trusty compass...I found the most incredible book... and it came yesterday...I stayed up an extra hour...just to begin reading it....it has over 4,050 pieced blocks for quilters...Let the JOURNEY BEGIN....

Resurrection Sunday.....

The Holy season is upon us again.  As we make our way through Lent, Passover, Consecration Week, Good Friday....and to Sunday, the day he rises....a number of images come to mind...as I think about all things Holy....

These images inspire me to create....perhaps a quilt dedicated to the Kingdom to Come.  I will call this the Kingdom thread...I will label it as such as I think of all of the ways that I can translate my thoughts and beliefs into a quilt.  There are a number of sites that I have found that feature Bible blocks, in addition to a number of books that have faith based symbolism. 

I will continue to look to the many ways people are inspired during the Holy Season.  I wonder if people make Holy themed quilts during the High Holy Seasons....or do they do them year round...smiles...

Have a Blessed Easter, Passover, spirit filled season...

Ah Provence with an Urban Inspiration

I have finished it....

I will take some better pics with my real camera...

Just wanted to note some of the steps that I took to make this quilt, while it is fresh in my mind.

I have named this quilt "Ah Provence with an Urban Inspiration" because I was in Provence many years ago...(Yikes how time flies) and I fell in love with the brightness and the colors of their tablecloths and sunflower, olive patterned fabric.  As I indicated in an earlier post, I was volunteering at the Empire Guilds 2011 Urban Inspirations Quilt show.  So as I was helping to set up, I literally ran into the fabric, and continued to run into it throughout the day.  Result - it came home with me that Friday night...before the show even opened...smiles.  And the name was born.

I actually made the binding, which is something I do not particularly like and/or enjoy.  I fudged by machine stitching it..girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

I also decided to practice tracing leaves before I actually jumped on the machine. I used tissue paper...see how lovely...

And then when I decided that I wanted to show it at the Empire Guild meeting on Saturday...I stopped practicing and did this.

Sooo much easier...but of course by this time, I had developed muscle memory and didn't need to do it...

I stippled the rest and free motioned some traveling leaves in other places.  I stippled the border to practice making the olive's pop...It turned out pretty good...considering I did it in a few hours...wooo hooo.

And there is Ah Provence with an Urban Inspiration...

Ahh the Satisfaction of A Mountain Climbed

What has me so thrilled you ask.  Well, I realize now in this quilting realm...that everything is only as difficult as you  make it.  And for the most part, you have to be okay with horrible results to help you overcome your fears.  So it began with paper pieceing.  I have no idea why I have had a major mental block about this.  And as such a major trepidation at the idea.  Perhaps it was the purchase of a book that promised some nouveau method, i.e, flip flop paper piecing...Oh how much time you will save...yadda yadda yadda...

As a result, I had been paralyzed with fear and belief that it was not something I could/would achieve...crisp points, lovely seams, amazingly intersected pieces...all so wonderfully precise.   I dived in today and got over it real fast.  I must say that being in a quilting community helps you to overcome those oddly misplaced phobias.  It began with the feathers...check...and done..and now I am feeling much better about it.  Then it was this paper piecing...now I must admit...i did that too...and now I feel relieved and totally empowered.   I will do more of this Paper Piecing...I actually like the precision of it.  More importantly...I like that I can create my own images...ooooooo...lovely concept...No more will I fear the Paper...it has become my friend...Thanks Victoria, Andrea and Kim.  Dave...you can do it...smiles.

And There are More.....

Hello everyone,

I have been busy...so take a look..."Knitting and Quilting" Series.  Enjoy.

Here they are by title.

KNITTING Videos

Circular Needle Knitting Instructions

How to Hold Knitting Yarn, Pinky Wrap

How to Knit:  Speed Knitting

Advanced Knitting: Picot Edges

Circular Knitting: Hats with Ear flaps

How to Pick Up Dropped Stitches


QUILTING Videos

Instructions for Cutting Fabric for Quilting

How to Cut Material for Quilting

How to Cut Fabric Strips Evenly for Quilting

How to Choose a Quilting Design for Your Quilt

How to Sew a Rag Quilt