September

Bee Sewcial blocks- September: "Some things are better left unsaid".  The design parameters and a shout out to all quilters here.   If you want to see the design work of the other quilters sewing along please visit Instagram and look for the hashtag, #inspiredbybeesewcial.

"Embrace"- more expansive than a hug and open-ended to be all inclusive. Embrace Life, love, friends and sometimes even enemies….. embrace it all and never, ever let go!  "Ascend"- no baby steps here. If the stakes are high enough and you ARE determined; succeed or fail, you WILL take that leap of faith because out's really your only option. Oh, and that last step, let's just agree it's a doozy.

Embrace and Ascend

tiny bit of nano particle fabric right after that last step

Pieced partial spiral. It's harder to do than it looks, especially those "curves" at the tips.
This block is only 10" square

Haven do. good stitches- scrappy UFO/ Orphan blocks - the blocks finish at 12.5"

Some silly sewing for the Varsity girls Field Hockey Team at East High School. They got new uniforms this year. The bags are done in school colors (a great stash buster) can be used to keep uniforms from cleats, or vise versa. They are big enough to be used later on for shoe bags when they all head off to college in the fall.

a little chalk board fabric helped keep everyones uniforms organized

Read Between the Lines received a 1st place ribbon at the AQS show in Grand Rapids, MI.  Latifah was at the show and was kind to send this photo. I don't keep many of my quilts, but with 2 ribbons in its pedigree, this one is a keeper.

Seattle Pacific Art Center Submissions- more to come on October 3rd, but for now a sneak peek won't hurt.

TulaYAH swap- with all the projects that need finishing I had to get this done and off my to-do list. It don't mail until November 1st, but it feels good to be done. PLUS, Tula Pink was in Denver at Fancy Tiger Crafts in September and so it began.

"Mug Rug" front
Dense matchstick quilting really makes Tula fabric yummy
A little improve on the right to use up those precious scraps

Yes, dear partner, Tula herself signed your Mug Rug

Fun backing fabric too

Thought you might like your "extra" to be make with her new "Eden" line

Needle book inside

Oh, yes, there are a few other surprises…... think Vintage Tula and a YAH mug, I didn't forget. And because I couldn't have done this with out you, a signed piece of vintage Hushabye for a most generous Kathryn.

I'm pretty sure there are a few other sewing projects mixed in there, like the ones for a class I'm teaching at Fabricate Boulder, but a girl has got to have a few secrets, no?

Keeping it real, part the last

It started here
and this chapter now ends right here. I do want to say, for all you quilters out there,  you (yes, YOU),  have quilts hidden in your scraps. Beautiful quilts waiting to me made, and shared and loved. I wish I could continue to challenge each of you to make at least one quilt from your scraps on hand. I guarantee you will be happy that you did. This  finish is my second larger quilt from scraps.

Front

Title: "Divisible by None"
Original design, improv pieced with mostly precut scraps.
Size: 76" x 60"
Materials: scraps only (top) all 100% quilting cottons in black, grays, whites, and yellow many by Kona, RJR,  and others (cut me some slack here with the specific names, they are scraps after all but if you are sleuthy, you can read back through all the quilts I made in 2013/2014 and cobble a workable list). I also believe the yellows to be part of trimmings from Bee Sewcial blocks from Hillary.

Back: Black and white prints from stash. All 100% cotton.

Batting: black, 100% poly from Quilters Dream. The black was chosen purposely to highlight the seaming of all the scraps, especially in the light fabrics.

black batting top left, seaming is highlighted.

 A technique I played with to excess here. The original idea for the black batting, compliments of Christine Perrigo. The only thing I didn't like about this batting is that it does pill while quilting, and all this black batting bits on the light top drove me crazy. They came off easily with a lint roller, but it was messy. I guess if it was on a long arm it wouldn't have been noticeable.  But when your quilting away on a domestic machine, the quilt sandwich gets manhandled.

Threads: Marathon 100% cotton, 40 weight in black and light silver gray. Aurifil 50 weight, 100% cotton in dark gray.

Quilting: Dark areas (center) straight line quilting at angles; (peripheral): FMQ boxes. Light areas: FMQ pebbles.

Binding: 100% scraps in various white, off-white, light, medium and dark grays. Cut 2" SOG at what ever length was left over from previous quilt bindings. I had just enough so it was meant to be.

Labeling: Versitranz "Spontaneous Threads".

Lessons Learned: You CAN make a quilt from scraps (not just mini quilts, but a bigger quilt too); especially if you set those parameters (only use scraps/ or adding stash if your scrap collection needs augmentation) and stick to it. Many have taken the "sewing my stash" and "sewing my scraps" challenge for 2015. I know I have, and I meant it to include something significant.

You can also make a back from your stash/ additional scraps. That is my typical modus operandi. But I used my scraps to make the top, so I needed to move on to plan B. Keep in mind, that the back doesn't have to match the front….. You could treat it as 2 fronts if your scrap collection is voluminous enough…… and  since I didn't have any scraps left to cobble a back for this quilt, I opted to use large stash pieces that went together quickly.

back

I know I have said this before. You can push yourself to create from what you have. You can recut scraps to fit a pattern, or dive in and up the ante by using them as is. You can use all scraps, or curate a color palette that appeals to you or the intended recipient.  And in the end the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts.  Scraps in a bin really aren't doing anything except taking up space even IF they are beloved scraps.  But they can give birth to a quilt. Being reborn into something bigger and whole is definitely better and perhaps equally beloved.

This quilt will be a gift to my father who has a birthday and a holiday celebration worthy of gifts and close enough to cover both.

Beyond Reasonable, way, way beyond!

All quilts, no matter how special deserve to be loved………..

My helper, Sand Dune, the dachshund

First, Thank you to Bee Sewcialite Karen (capitolaquilter) for the title of this post, and ultimately the name of the First Bee Sewcial quilt, 2015. Conceived and developed in January then pieced, commented on, decidedly over-grammed and eventually quilted over the following 8 months.

I just loved the lighting in this photo.

This is the longest start-to-finish- quilt project for me, ever! 8 months in the making. The journey was one of self discovery, group cooperation, initial joy, punctuated by 2 episodes of hitting the pause button because I was overwhelmed by the task I set for myself and a niggling doubt- wondering if I didn't perhaps bite off more than I could chew…..

In the end I finished and then resorted to teasing everyone for the last couple weeks with sneak peeks of blocks made by the then 10 members of the Bee Sewcial group. Since January, we've readjusted the ranks a bit and expanded our horizons by miles and all the while it's been quite a ride.

Beyond Reasonable:
Front, faced binding is rather lovely don't you think?

Title: "Beyond Reasonable"
Size: 67 x 60"
Design idea and color palette chosen by me for the January installment of Bee Sewcial. Derived inspiration based on the the Dale Chihuly exhibit at the Denver Botanic Gardens. (Original post here).
Contributors/co-conspirators (a representative block from each contributor):
Leanne (she can quilt)

Felicity (Felicity Quilts)

 Hillary (entropy always wins)

Diane (random thoughts do or di/ylmommy x4)

 Marci (Marci Girl)

 Melissa (we shall sew)

 Kari (quilts for the making)

Debbie (A Quilters Table)

 Latifah (Latifah Saffir Studio)

Materials: Kona solids in a suggested color palette- designer to edit and use as they see fit. Backing in Kona Brick, paprika, turquoise, crimson and Chinese Red.

Backed, simply pieced, because nothing else about this was simple

Threads: assorted Aurifil 50 wt 100% cotton color matched and Superior Threads metallics in Turquoise (top), bobbin color matched to dominant solid.
Batting: Pellon 100% recycled cotton
Binding: faced, 1/2" double folded, color matched to backing

Faced binding/ detail fron back

Faced binding/ back detail

Quilting: FMQ with curated color matched thread. Each area was quilted differently. Bernina 180 (x2).

FMQ/ front detail

FMQ/ back detail (each individual block was quilted differently)

New and different: It bears repeating that I'm not one to be timid with my quilts. I've been known to cut into fully constructed tops and for this quilt I also took a giant leap of faith. The most reasonable thing to do was test the idea I had for my faced binding first on a smaller project. BUT by the time I finished and squared this quilt I was anxious to be done. I couldn't even start other projects because this loomed large on my to do list, so I just went for it. I didn't want a conventional binding. The quilt is really too busy and non-linear. So, I attached a 1.25" straight of grain binding (just over 1/2" when folded/ironed) to the quilt as if I were attaching a conventional binding.

attaching the faced binding (front)

 I then ironed it from the front. Flipped the quilt over and very carefully stitched through the quilt and the binding close to the attached row of stitches. I then repeated the ironing this time from the back folding at the seam line. Using many, many clover clips and tiny hand stitches, I stitched the binding to the quilt back. Since the fabric was an exact match to the backing the the binding exceptionally small, it's almost invisible. Just what I had hoped. It covers very little of the extensive free motion quilting and is significantly smaller than many of the faced binding tutorials available out there.

Faced binding, back detail

Other things of note: Bee Sewcial has grown. Although this bee is closed to the 10 current sewists, we have opened each months design inspirations to the entire quilting community via Instagram. Please participate by tagging your photos with the #inspitedbybeesewcial hashtag and we will comment on your makings. I hope that each of you are challenged each month as we are.

I would also like to thank all of you who followed along and contributed to this rather breath taking quilt. I pushed all kinds of limits in its construction (crazy Y seam construction, careful trimming and use of all submitted "blocks"). I hope the excessive FMQ and the obsessive use of color matched threads was well worth the effort (IT TOOK FOREVER). I killed one of my beloved sewing machines in the process and spent a month looking and finally finding another to replace it on the internet. It was a journey and a valuable (and ultimately expensive) lesson learned.

Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing.

more FMQ details from the back

I know it's only September, but I'm already thinking about round 2!!

Create along with Bee Sewcial at #inspiredbyBeeSewcial

"About a year ago a unique sewing bee formed that asked each member to choose a monthly theme/inspirational source and color palate. 10 quilters would then go forth and make "blocks", blocks become a quilt, one for each month. In this process we bee members have gained new skills, explored different designs and close friendships have grown. Somewhere in this whole creative endeavor other talented people have observed our journey and have asked to participate.

Unable to keep a good thing to ourselves, we have created a companion community #inspiredbybeesewcial to sew right along with us. We have received requests to join but since the Bee is currently full, we wanted to find a way for you all to sew/create right alongside Bee Sewcial.   We will continue to post our monthly inspiration on IG with dual hashtags. We ask only that you use #inspiredbybeesewcial when you post your makings. This larger group #inspiredbybeeswecial is about being a respectful, supportive, creative, collaborative community and making ourselves better designers and sewists. If you would like to be part of this companion community, you may follow monthly "instructions" on our blogs and tag your pictures on IG with #inspiredbybeesewcial. You will find us commenting on all your creativity over in #inspiredbybeesewcial creative space.

So, are you ready? Hillary @entropyalwayswins is point for September. Look for her mission to us all in the last week of August. The other co-conspirators (and people you might want to follow just so you don't miss anything) are: Leanne @shecanquilt, Debbie @aquilterstable, Diane @ylmommyx4, Marci @marci_girl, Felicity @felicityquilts, Karen @capitolaquilter, Kari @quiltsforthemaking, Melissa @weshallsew and Stephanie @spontaneousthreads."

Everything Old is new again

I'm participating in the Michael Miller Fabrics sponsored Modern Quilts Unlimited Magazine block challenge.
My July submission was to reinterpret a more traditional 12" flying goose block.
Here is my take:

Michael Miller Cotton Couture solids in Jet Black, Soft White and Acid

Please vote for  me (pretty, pretty  please????) here I'd appreciate it! THANKS!!!!

And the winner is…..

THANK YOU all for the thoughtful and supportive comments. I hope that you perhaps all look at your scrap bin with your rose colored glasses on in the future.

As promised the winner is …… Tamara King, @metamarama (IG).  Chosen by Mr. Random number generator.

What did she win? Well, Tamara, I will make you, either a mini quilt or a pillow, from my  scraps, but you choose the colors. I will also make sure to use a small piece of my 2015 nano particle fabric int eh design.

In addition I will include some fat quarters of blenders compliments of Fabricate Boulder, my sponsor.

What I need from you:
1. color preferences
2. solids, prints, both, don't care.

oh, and when it's ready to go, an address.

Congrats and I look forward to working with you.

Embers

My third (leftover) scraps quilt for 2015.
I set a goal of 2 quilts in 2015 made entirely from trimmings and scraps, and got 2 good sized quilts made along with one smaller quilt. The details on the smallest, "Dark Shadows" have already been published.   The second larger quilts details come later this fall.

"Embers" was born from several projects undertaken and finished in 2015  centered around the Marsala Pantone Color of the year 2015, and a Bee I'm involved with, Bee Sewcial (#beesewcial on Instagram). Let's face it, these are my colors. I have always liked them, they speak to me and it just seemed that I got permission this year to use them with abandon. So, I did. I can't tell you every single Kona solid that went into this quilt, but there were many. I used the scraps as they were cut, directly from my bin. I didn't recut, except to trim. I did focus the "lighter" fabrics in a slightly off-set "center" and let the darker fabrics surround them. I also used my 2015 nano particle fabric. In the right light, the combination of the saturated hues, from yellow to orange, red, burgundy and mahogany, glow. The addition of the retroreflective nano particle fabric just accentuate this. I didn't initially set out to make that happen, it just did.

Quilt front (no flash)
Even without the flash, the retroreflective fabric (read as white) "glows"

"Embers"
64 x 56"

Before quilting
retroreflective nano particle fabric is easily seen

Improv pieced original design made entirely from precut scraps

some of the "background" scraps I worked with

Fabrics:  Top:Kona solids in yellows, oranges,  deep pink, reds, deep reds, burgundy and mahogany (red/brown). Focal intense blues (cyan, aqua, lagoon), nanoparticle fabric.
               Back: additional larger scraps, pieced. Stash print fabric
Thread: Piecing: Aurifil #2021 50 wt, 100% cotton
             Quilting: Aurifil#2240, 2460 (top) #2460 (bobbin)
Quilting: relatively straight line, domestic Bernina 820 with a walking foot

pin basting

Busy piecing, simple quilting

Batting: Quilters dream 100% wool
Binding: 2" straight of grain, pieced to compliment the color change in the dark background
Labeling: Versatranz, stitched name, sewn label

Versatranz custom  heat press label

Quilt back at the photo shoot

Think on this: most of us have scraps. Some of us have lots of scraps. Some people only save scraps of a certain size. Sometimes sorting those little odd shaped ones are more trouble than their worth. But I just want to give a shout out to those scraps and your perception of their worth. There may be a pretty fantastic quilt hiding in that scrap pile. So next time you're considering what to do with the left overs, consider challenging yourself to make a quilt, ONLY using those scraps. You might be very pleased with the outcome.

Quilt top taken with flash on. Retroreflective  fabric is obvious