2016 Quilty Wrap UP!

In the few minutes of quiet this morning... (new Puppy, introductions coming soon), I want to share the last couple of quilts... 

I made and quilted another QOV (Quilt of Valor), very similar to the first one. I just have to put the label on it and it is done.

One of the guilds I belong to had a newsletter mystery. All the clues were delivered in the newsletter  over 8 or 9 months and we were able to work on it at our own pace. I chose to make the throw. It would look so much better if I had read the first clue correctly. It suggested to cut the scraps from medium and dark fabrics. I let some lights slip in which muddied up the look a bit. But it will make a nice top to practice longarm quilting on!

And lastly.... a Sparkly Chickens Quilt. It was pulled together from blocks we swapped in 2009. The label tells who made which block and the rules for the swap. I set the block in South Africa... and would certainly made some different choices for fabrics and the chicken arrangement. I did share with the others that they should either quilt it themselves or be prepared to loose their longarmer over the beads. Oh, my... they did pose a problem.... in some places. I won't pretend that the quilting is perfect, but from 30 paces on a galloping horse it looks fabulous!!! It is hanging over the balcony... in the family room on display.

Next up news on the puppy... name, size and color.... antics and all the particulars. A teaser picture... perhaps?

More Later-  Beth

Quitography!

Are we tired of it yet? Last post, on this I think.... Exhibit comes down in January.

I did go to the opening of the exhibit and stayed for an hour or so. Met a few of the other artists too. I promised full views of my pieces and the inspiration photos. Warning, this is picture heavy... 1st will be the inspiration photo and photographer credit, my quilt and then if I have it, a photo of it hanging with some of its counter parts. I think if you click on the image, you will get a larger size for a more detail.

Leopard photo by Charlie Zehnder, Kambaku Game Reserve, South Africa 

 ‘Wheel’ photo by  Darrell Gilbert, Barren River

‘Vineyard’ photo by  Jeff Lackey 

‘Mountain Landscape’ photo by Carol Rice Cain, Arcadia Jordon Pond 

‘Raindrops’ photo by Judith Lesnaw

‘Jeep’ photo by Marty Betts

‘Bridge’ photo by Steve Bromley, Newport Bridge

‘Red Lamps’ photo by Helen MaClatchy

So many of the others were absolutely captivating! 

If you have gotten this far, Happy Thanksgiving.

More Later- Beth

Quilt Artists of Kentucky

Today is the opening of the Quiltography Challenge in Lexington Kentucky. It is a collaborative project between the Quilt Artists of Kentucky, a sub group of the Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society and the Lexington Creative Camera Club.

There will be over 100 little quilts, each one 12 inches square, along with the inspiration photograph. The Emotions Challenge Quilts are also being displayed, which I did not participate in.

This evening there will be a reception.... and hopefully many of the quilters will be in attendance along with the photographers! 

I am excited to see all the quilts hung together, to see them in person and all the different takes on the same photograph! It will be interesting!

Doing this little project has inspired me to pull out a couple of my own photographs... and turn them into small quilts.

More later -Beth

Classes

I took a workshop, in September. Actually 3 days worth of workshops.... I think I have missed workshops where we really learn!!!!  Where the instructor is prepared, knows her topic and shares her knowledge with ease and abandon.

I took the class at Quilted Joy (an APQS dealer) in Louisville KY. It was 3 days with Bethanne Nemesh, learning how to feather her way... 5 classes in all. Not that I am any where near good enough with the longarm to do much of anything... freehand, before or now after the class, but I did learn some things that will make going forward a little easier or at least a bit more freeing in my abilities to date.

I have had some difficulty .... getting things going on the front side of my machine. I can Panto/Edge to Edge all day, but I don't find that very much fun. Just following a line at the back of the machine doesn't allow me to see any of the surface of the quilt, and am certain, that I would not be able to do that for others for long!!! (if that was my intention with the longarm).

During the classes all were able to have time on a longarm to practice what we were learning on paper. My first machine for practicing was the bottom of the line longarm. I got it by default, as I was the last one out of the tables and it was the only one left. A very frustrating experience to say the least. A very temperamental machine that moved like a stick in very thick mud. But we got through it.... Day 2 I got one more like my machine!!!

One of the things I wanted to do while taking the class, was to compare my LA with another LA. My machine... did not track well... and created a wobble... when stitching. I did not feel it when going a moderate speed or at the back, but when going very s-l-o-w or trying to back track, I did!!! It was not something I could replicate.... or even describe with a reasonable description, but I know it was not right. FINALLY figured it out. My table was NOT level, I spent an afternoon following the classes, on my hands and knees adjusting the leveling feet... and then double checked it with an electronic angle finding level. What a miracle that thing was. I had gotten my table within a .20 of level.... and have no idea of where it started, but it makes me wonder exactly I paid for to have it installed and then rechecked? If it was for building the frame... I could have done that .... part myself!!!! I did quilt up some fabric... for a bag (I will be helping friend construct a bag over the next few weeks), and will make one at the same time so I am a few steps ahead for the bumps in the construction and pattern. There are several!!! It is one of those patterns written by person with a non-construction background.

2 Quilts from the Sampler Smack Down Book
edit (I did not quilt these, Bethanne did for her book)

I also took these classes in lieu of going to the MQX show in Springfield IL. I had plans to go, but the disorganized process of the class sign ups left me feeling let down and did not want to experience a huge difficulty after traveling to the show. I hope everyone had a great time at the show and I will certainly miss the eye candy... and maybe some of the vendors too. Maybe I will try and go next year...

One class was for edge finishing... Devil is in the Details. Here is my sample of the beaded edge.

All in all interesting and fun.

Seasonal....

It is fall in Kentucky, again!!! I have been watching and waiting for some good color. The news indicated that the last week of October is typically the best week... 

Our temperatures have been all over the place... one day hot and near 80 and the next cooler in the low 70's.... and of course the nights cooler. All week we have had a breeze during the day as well.

I took a country drive to a quilt shop.... a few miles down the road and took the camera with me. Hoping for a great vista of brightly colored trees.

I did not find much in the way of great color, but I did spot this on the side of the road in a yard. The road is a busy narrow 2 lane, with no place to pull over. I will be planning a 'go back' for a better shot of this. It could become one of my all time favorite photos.

Not finding any great vistas, I stopped in the park near home... and captured some of the nearby fall.

 Leaves on some murky water. I like the reflection of the light on the water as well as the bright red and yellow leaves.

I like the way the leaves flowed into the pattern with the current... in this one. 

I think I have this shot and the one below from last year too. It is the most picturesque spot on the lake... too bad the water seems to have the most color... (as in a murky green)

.

I will keep looking for more fall... and then we will have winter... Not sure what we will really see in the winter .... the predictions are all over the map... from near normal to much higher than normal precipitation... which could mean nothing or everything, depending on the temperatures!!!!

More later.

In the Creative Space #2

The due date for these has slipped a little to November 4, (but I will be taking them over next week), the Gallery Hop and Reception is slated for 11/18 5-8 pm and the exhibit will hang until January 1 at Christ Christian Church 166 market St, Lexington KY 40507.... call for hours....859-492-5168. 

I am looking forward to seeing the photographers work hung with the interpretations. It will be fun to hear/see what they think of the interpretations.... we all made.

Here are the last 4.... these are still just little snippets of the whole thing... (whole is only 12 inches square...)

I will share each quilt and the inspiration photos and the photographer info and tell you about all the other little quilts that these were displayed with. 



I have missed working on these!!! 

More later- Beth

In the Creative Space Lately #1

I have been doing some stitching, but unable to share much... 

I finished up something in June... but can't remember what it was, that gave me some free time, so I decided to take on a Challenge Project.  

I belong to the Kentucky State Guild, (KHQS) and the sub group, Quilt Artists of Kentucky (QAK). The subgroup issued a challenge called "Quiltography", in conjunction with the Lexington Photography Club. The photography club lent us 8 photos to use as the inspiration. Loose rules.... The finished size is 12 inches by 12 inches, and use a "new to you" technique and the interpretation is open.  I am only showing a small part of each little quilt, because they won't be revealed until November... at a group showing at the Christ Church in Lexington KY, along side the inspiration photograph (I think). Here are 4 of the 8.

I've had lots of fun creating these and trying to capture enough of each photo... Not much in the way of new techniques for me...  on most of these, but I did try several new things.... and will explain (if needed) once we have the reveal and I will share the inspiration picture and each quilt after the reveal. These have been so much fun!!!

More later- Beth

The Last of the Sunflowers....

I went out again for sunflowers, but these are on the decline and the weather is hot and sticky again. I really wanted to catch them after a brief rain shower... but Mother Nature just would not cooperate. If it rained I was too busy and when I had the time... it was not wet. Maybe next year.

Not many were in good shape.... even if they were still bright and full flower, they were showing signs of a long season. 

Many were much like this one, and when I see them with the petals all drying and wilted they remind me of a Raggedy Ann face with the fringed hair.

Another fringed faded sunflower.

And another Raggedy face. I wonder if this is where the inspiration for the flat featured face came from?