Journal mini quilts

 

                                                                       "Beach Glass mini"

Journal quilts are those works of art that are made from a sketch or idea.  I like to make minis so I can try out techniques or practice a quilting design or use non cotton fabric.   Many of my sketch books are not yet realized pieces of art, they are just concepts.  Some are still ideas floating in my mind.  

To me, the idea to make a quilt "pop", has to do with texture and illusion just as much as color choices. 

Beach glass mini was one of these techniques that is simple enough, but can look effective by making it look like a mosaic of animals, landscapes, flowers, or whatever you want using a basic sketch and filing in spaces with bits leaving the background exposed.  In the photo below, I used paint sticks to make a watery background and adding the pebbles.  

                                                                     "Velvety Chocolate"

Velvety chocolate was made by taking black velvet and immersing it in bleach.  This process took some time to discharge.  I cut a good hunk from it and ruched it all over leaving some spaces.  It was completely random.  I sewed it onto a foundation cotton and made random seed stitches.  It's not quilted using layers with batting in a traditional sense, but it is fused onto rigid fusible and finished.  

                                                                    "In the Woods"

In the woods is a piece I was experimenting for depth.  I wanted the beautiful fall colors to be evident and the twiggy trees to be forefront.  In the way, so you are wanting to see beyond them.  I cut up little bits of color scrap and sprinkled them in areas on a foundation or background fabric, not really placing them, just letting them land where they may.  I used organza on top and thread painted all around.  The twiggy trees were added last.  My DH loves birds, so I added a few birds by using pigma pen and thread.  Finished as a postcard.  

                                                                     Close-up of the birds 

                                                                  "Dunollie Castle, Scotland"

While on holiday to Scotland, I sketched this castle and later interpreted it into this mini quilt.  I used paint to make shadows in the doorway and windows as well as the Scottish flag.  I had so much fun adding to this mini and finding the right rock-like commercial fabric to use for the wall and castle.  

                                                     "Cape Blanco Lighthouse"  Oregon Coast

This was sketched while on holiday to the Oregon coast.  The tree was bent from the winds.  I took some liberties in interpretation and used pigma pens to make shadows and lines to make it look like a drawing.  I used long seed stitches for the grass and making rouched leaves on the tree.  

                                                                           "Thread Study"

This mini was a study in thread painting.  I drew a simple drawing onto a product that dissolves in water leaving the stitching on the background.  The product was just OK for me.  Easy but messy and if you're going to paint with inks or paintsticks you have to do it after all the dissolveable is removed.  Making it difficult to paint around the stitching.  Maybe I could experiment with it more to find a better process, but really dissolvable is good for embroidery or adding an element after the background is established.  If you've had better success, please comment below as I would love to hear about it.   This was finished as a post card.  

                                                        "Titlow beach"  near Tacoma, WA

My DS and DH scuba dove the Titlow beach area in 1999.  I loved the landscape and sketched out a boat with some broken pylons left abandoned as well as the Cascades in the background.  It's just my interpretation of this area and not exactly depicted.  Again, I used thread painting and tried adding shading lines with the threads.  I also wanted it to look like a painting, not a quilt, so I offset the border and framed it in black to look like a mat and frame.  

                                                                      "Shore Things"

This one is heavily thread painted with some uncommon elements added to give meaning and depth.  The words are cut from a magazine and stitched over to hold in place.  Top left says, "Shore Things" and "In The Hunt".  The bottom left corner is actually stitched through each word which says, "Amazing how many treasures can be held in your hand".  There are beads, canvas, paint and on the right side I have written out the tongue twister, "she sells seashells by the seashore".  

                                                                           "Yours Always"

This one was created as a postcard with a message written with pigma pen over a photo printed on fabric.  I used paint sticks, large seed stitches and finished it without a stiff backing.  

                                                                    "Blue Valentine"

Similar to the previous postcard, Blue Valentine was created using rubber stamp and ink, paintstick, pigma pen, applique and large stitches.  This one was featured in a magazine that had a call out for postcard challenges. 

                                                                       "Stepping Stone"

                                                                          "Underwater"

                                                                        "Holland landscape"

                                                                     "Holland landscape"

                                                                            "Free Spirit"

Art quilting has been my favorite creative way to try out techniques or challenges.  I don't like following a pattern, but I have made some quilts using a pattern from start to finish.  Using a journal or sketchbook can really spark inspiration.  

Stick a Needle in your Eye or Runs with Scissors

 What are these old sayings?  Stick a needle in your eye?  Ooouch!  I take it as your needles need a place to be (and not in the eye).  A needle book.  So, you would think, "Ok, I could use ONE".  How about 8+?  Yes, for me it's 8 and I could make more.

It all started back in 1999 when the quilt guild I was in did a program on needle books.  We made 1 and I filled it imediately. Back then I was still hand quilting and really liked having a place to put these little delicate needles.  I wanted another book to put my embroidery needles in to keep them separate.  Then, tapestry needles needed a place.  My blunt needles for crochet were getting lost in a drawer, so I made a book with a pocket to hold a package of them.  Fast forward a little and now I have made one for my sewing machine needles.  And have accumulated 8 of these little books.  They are all different in size, design, and capacity.  

You would think, "I don't care, I'll just buy another pack if they get lost".  Well, I have to say over the years it may just be a few dollars for a pack of needles, but over time that adds up to a lot.  Like all my tools, I want to take good care of them for as long as I can.  I've had to replace old rusty dull needles, warped cutting mats, broken and chipped rotary cutter rulers, rotary cutters (and of course, blades), embroidery hoops, and scissors.  Yes, scissors!  

Running with Scissors?  Who came up with this one?  I personally have scissors, scissors, and scissors everywhere in my house. Not just in 2 big containers in my sewing room, but a coffee can in the garage, a junk drawer in my kitchen, a drawer in my bathroom, a small bin in my laundry room, a knife drawer in the kitchen, I said kitchen once, but nonetheless, it's two drawers.  Possibly making certain anyone who NEEDS a pair of crappy scissors will find these spread out all over and NOT grab my precious sewing scissors!  THE sacred rule of sewists everywhere, NOT TO BE USED FOR PAPER!   I bought a set (yes, set.  Not one, but two in differing sizes) of expensive scissors and tried getting them professionally sharpened.  The sharnpenig was $8 per pair and thought it would be a good thing to extend their life.  Of course, I was expecting YEARS of extended life!  That didn't happen, and I would say after a few months of use, they are back to being dull.  Not just a little dull, but hard to cut through the thinnest of fabric.  Dare I say this, I tried cutting paper with them.  Shocker, they didn't cut that well. My DH, bless him, says "just buy a new pair, it's OK you will use them".  I laughed, then cried, then got a little angry at the thought about buying MORE scissors!  Really?  I maybe have to realize that scissors today are not going to last decades and decades like Grandmother's scissors.   I am a licensed hairdresser and still have my hair scissors from college (45 years ago) and they are still sharp, very sharp, I've cut myself sharp.  They are "ice tempered" which means they go through a process of sub-zero temperatures to maximize blade hardness, edge retention, and durability.  Maybe I will buy a pair just to use in my sewing room?  Might be worth a try.  I can let you know, or not....could be the best kept secret?  

Challenge = Growth

There's so many challenges in quilting from perfecting techniques, exploring color combinations, learning from mistakes, using materials on hand, percision piecing, adding perspective to designs, and on and on...but, the best take away from challenging myself is learning new things all the time.  

The tools available in today's world are almost endless.  Certainly, you will find a cool tool to do just about anything you can think of.  My favorite tool at the moment is a simple needle minder.  They are magnetic, so all you have to do is attach it to your project and set your needle on it.  Sometimes I attach it like a brooch.  No more poking it into a pincushion or putting an unnecessary hole in my project to hold the needle while I take a coffee break.  I also just installed a high density felted tile design wall.  It is proving to be invaluable.  

Along with these challenges, I love to take on quilt challenges from places like the Virginia Quilt Museum, who announce a theme every year.  The size requirement is always 15" square, so it's enough and not too daunting.  To submit the challenge, you pay $10 and send it to them to display in their museum.   They give you the choice to donate it to them to sell which helps fund their museum or have it sent back to you. Check out their events, shop, and display dates here 

The theme for this year's mini quilt challenge for the Virginia Quilt Museum is "BLUE".  How would you represent the color blue in a mini quilt?  There are unlimited possibilities to design, so I may go in the Improv direction.  My ice dyed fabric bin is full of blues so this would be a good time to use some.  It is due in July, so there's plenty of time to get started on it.  

The Cherrywood challenges for art quilters are a popular choice.  Cherrywood fabrics can be found online and at some quilt shows.  They will be choosing a new theme on June 10th.  The challenge just completed was Storytime theme.  

"Sarah's Garbage" 

Poem read by Shel

This is my interpretation of Shel Silverstein's poem Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout would not take the garbage out!  My son read this on an audio recording when he was 9 years old and sped it up to sound goofy.  I kept it all these years, 31 to be exact.  He took the audio recording and had AI make a storyboard video to go with it.  Well, it was amazing, so I just had to use this as my challenge topic. 

Yesterday I found out that my quilt is one of many many finalists.  It will be on display in the coming months at various shows across the nation in the Cherrywood booth.  The web site lists the shows they will have a booth in and which challenge themes will be on display.  Son's rendition of the story is on this link.   If you participate in this one, you use their fabric selection for the chosen theme and create a quilt that measures 20" square.  If you want to enter it into competition, it's submitted on their web site along with a $30 entry fee with 3 detailed digital images.  It's certainly a rewarding experience just to enter.  

Last year the Cherrywood challenge theme was the Abyss.  I did not qualify to enter due to my embellishments were too jagged and the size was not spot on.  It now hangs in my bathroom.  But, here is a picture of it.  

"Leviathan V"

Both these challenges were fun in every aspect.  I loved adding things to them, building the design and asking myself "what else can I add to it"?   

This year the challenge theme is Jane Goodall.  I don't think I will make one on that theme.  It's too narrow minded for me.  I was hoping it would be Steampunk or maybe an era like Art Deco or Art Nouveau.  Maybe I could create my own challenge theme?   

NQM-BOM all rounds

 So, if you've been following me or have read some of my past posts, you know I've been doing the National Quilt Museum's Block of the Month facebook rounds since it started in 2018.  The first couple I made verbatum.  Didn't change up a thing.  But, I get bored.  I use a variety of fabric colors and textures, sure, but I get bored.  So, by round #3 I started choosing a theme to coincide with the BOM.  Changing just minor things to their monthly sample blocks.  Sometimes not changing the block at all.  It gave me joy to create a block inside my theme but fit their criteria/style/technique.  

NQM-BOM Round #1

NQM-BOM Round #2

NQM-BOM Round #3 -  Theme Japan

NQM-BOM Round #4 - Theme Tesla & Nature's Elements

NQM-BOM Round #5 - Theme Video Games

NQM-BOM Round #6 - Theme Art Deco

If you've never seen the instructions for this Block of the Month project, then let me tell you the instructions are brief.  You are left to make your own choices as to fabrics, placements, borders, etc... You read each instruction from the designer of the block and make it, plain and simple.  

 For round #6, I really felt that it wasn't "finished" with the 8th block, which was meant to be the final one.  I made an extra block as I wanted the 3X3 (9) setting.  These blocks are 14" square.  That's pretty big and I felt it needed some substantial borders to bring it all together.  So, that's how this one grew into a Queen size bed quilt.  Yes, it measures 89"X89" square.   The search for what to do next was easy for me.  Keeping in theme, I knew I wanted some sort of fan shape and a take on 3D so it was just a matter of drawing and sizing the border sections to create two border patterns.  This quilt is my favorite of all the rounds I've done and I can't imagine topping it, so this may be a good place to stop and call it quits on the BOM's.   It's currently in the process of quilting on my B740 Bernina, so it's slow going.  If it gets finished by the time our local quilt show is on, I may enter it.   

It's got to be called a series, in my opinion.  An accomplishment.  Each one different, but also the same.  Looking back, I am glad I started this journey.  I've learned quite a bit from each of the different designers for all these blocks.  Thanks to the National Quilt Museum for offering this free to facebook users BOM group.  Join, learn and create.  Go Here

Retrospective for my 2024 year

 The phrase, "It's a wrap" has become a cliche.  As well as, "It's in the books".  Why do we repeat phrases over and over until they really have no significance or meaning anymore.  How about this one from a few years back, "it is what it is"....what does that really mean?  I would say in contrast, "it isn't what it isn't".  Please stop, take a little extra time to explain whatever you mean.  Afterall, it is true, we've lost the art of conversation.  Literature, poetry, ordinary conversation used to be one of  the arts of romanticism.  In todays times, people are inserting emojis, icons, abreviations, and frankly have lost patience for long winded paragraphs explaining absolutely everything.  

Thankfully, there is still a growing number of people creating and learning the art of stitching whether it's embroidery, tailoring, knitting and crocheting, crafting, or piecing and quilting.  It takes time, you don't want to rush through something just to be done.  Enjoy the process, examine and work through each step.  Technology has made learning anything you can dream of accessible and easy to obtain.   

Do people take time to make New Year's resolution lists?  I admit that I don't anymore.  Every year there are carryover projects or ideas that I never had time for or I get a mental block and want to let it sit in the corner longer.  

Looking back on the year, I am happy with the amount of work I have accommplished.  In retrospect, these projects were...

Mini challenge (Flower Power) for the Virginia Quilt Museum exhibit, was donated to raise funds for the museum.  I titled this one, "Nocturnal Garden Gate".

I taught a class on collage for my guild.  These are small mug mats, so it was a small project they could finish in one day.  

I made 2 Raven mini quilts.  One went to charity and the other went to my DS.  He loves Edgar Allen Poe.  

This is a quilt I call Alice's Fantastical Garden.  It's collaged using Emily Taylor's technique and most patterns from her book.  I added so many butterfly fussy cuts that every time I count them, I come up with a different number.  They're hidden in a lot of places.  

Still a work in progress, 89"X89".  This is the finished top completed by the end of December 2024, but it's been challenging quilting it on my Bernina 740 domestic machine.  The National Quilt Museum facebook group round 6 for 2024 and will probably the last one I take part in.  I've done every year since they began, so I'm pretty tired of making the sampler type quilts.  However, it's been a wonderful journey to be part of this group.  

There are more quilts I haven't mentioned, but these were the important ones that...dare I say....I am proud of.  Acknowleging God's gift and fulfilling my artistic need to create them.  So it continues...