Learn To Do Hand Quilting in Just One Day

That's the title of a little book I picked up at a used book sale recently. 

Sounds a little ambitious, yes, but what is important to note is the sub-title of the book:

...and then practice for the rest of your life.

Lately, I've been itching to do some hand quilting. I've done some before and it is something that I always enjoy doing. 

 These are some of the quilts I quilted by hand:

These first 2 are hand pieced and quilted.

     

 

This next one is hand appliqued, machine pieced and both machine and hand quilted.

   

This last quilt is machine pieced and hand quilted. You get soo much more control when quilting circles by hand!       

I enjoy it a lot more than machine quilting. And to be honest, machine quilting is the part of quilt making that I least enjoy. I like hand quilting more for several reasons: I feel as though I have more control, I can take the quilt with me anywhere, and I find the 'slowing down' of it very meditative. It's a stark contrast to how I usually do things...It allows me to be 'in the moment'. 

The little book I bought is full of practical tips. Some that I knew, others that are new to me. 

Most of the tips are of a technical nature, like how to mark your quilting lines, how to rock your needle, and how to bury the knot. 

The author, Nancy Brenan Daniel, even talks about proper lighting, posture, and breathing (all things, by the way, that we do in yoga class. See how it relates to meditation?).

But the tip that I found most useful is about developing the right mental attitude.  Among other things, the author urges to "do it because you enjoy the process and the results". She explains that sometimes your physical surroundings and your physical state are not conducive to achieving good results, so it's important to modify our expectations for the day. 

Yes! Many times I put off taking my quilt sandwiches to the machine because I just don't enjoy it. But when I have  quilt basted for hand quilting, I find myself stealing a few minutes here and there to put in a few stitches. It's also something that I can do in the evening while being together with the family. 

Does this mean that I will forgo machine quilting altogether? No, but I do plan on doing more hand quilting. 

Last week I took some time to baste my latest quilt (I found even hand basting enjoyable!) and am looking forward to taking the time to quilt it.  

What about you? Is hand quilting something you've ever considered? 

on my design wall

It's been awhile since I've had something new on my wall. I've been busy teaching, and prepping for classes takes up a lot of my time. I'm not complaining, teaching is fun, but when I don't get much time to sew i feel a little out of sorts. 

These fabrics have been sitting on my shelf together for awhile and ideas have been brewing inside my head as to what to do with them. So today i put some time aside to play around with them. 

As with my "I Don't Wear Blue" quilt, I just spread the fabrics out on the wall 

and shifted them around

and cut and sewed

  until I was had a finished top. 

This one will definitely be hand quilted.

Taxes:DONE!

My visit with the dentist last week was less painful.

(had to add a soothing image to calm my nerves)

Improv Club

Recently,  a new Club was launched at Courtepointe Claire:

"The clubs have been created for those who wish to continue their development in quilt-making,  but with a particular goal in mind , and over a long period. We hold six (6) monthly meetings with a new  project at each meeting, but still carrying on the same theme."


The Improv Club, which I have been teaching, is an introduction to the 'liberated'/improvisational style of quilt-making where students learn a series of techniques that take them away from the traditional style of cutting, piecing and designing a quilt. In each of the first 4 meetings students will complete a project that includes the following techniques:
Improv Strip Piecing, wonky log cabins, free form curves and  free piecing.

The last 2 meetings are reserved to help students realize a quilt of which the final design is not predetermined, but will incorporate the lessons learned in previous classes..


Here is a sampling of the work that has been done by my students in the first 2 meetings. Suffice it to say that I am a very proud teacher!

A combined effort by Chantal & Bertrand

 Gisele

Elaine

Edith

Chantal

Bertrand

Eight Hours of Homework: DONE!

Recently, the lovely Vona, from the Beaconsfield Quitlers' Guild, called me to ask if I would be interested in taking a workshop given by Dwayne Wanner. "Before you say yes", she said, "go check out his website and see if it is something you would be interested in exploring". 
"And", she warned, "there is some homework you have to do before the first day. But don't be scared". 
"Why would I be scared?"
"There are 24 pages of instructions". 

I got scared. 

The workshop title is: 

"The Abstract Expressionist Quilt Project".

While I am not particularly a fan of ALL examples of Abstract Expressionism, the course description is what intrigues me the most.

words like:

"the workshop will present an alternate approach to traditional quilting"

and 

"the quilt will be created like a painting"

and

"the design of the quilt will be realized from a process of random dispersion of color"

and 

"we will work at a fairly brisk pace"

and 

"solids work best..."

and 

"think...but don'think too much"

sound like they are right up my alley! 

I am excited!

And scared.

So I set out to gather my fabrics:

The orange was later changed to yellow. Not sure this was the best decision. We'll see.

After about 8 hours of homework, 

 

this is what I have prepared for the class:

Each of the 6 'assemblies' are labelled:

floating squares
wonky strips
varied strips
narrow strips
skinny strips
crooked path

Any leftover bits must be brought to class. 

I am exhausted.

The workshop will take place this coming Saturday and Sunday.

Dwayne Wanner will be in town on Friday night (April 5th) for a trunkshow  at  Centennial Hall, 288 Beaconsfield BLVD., at 7pm. Everyone is welcome. The fee is $5 per person. 

I can't wait!

If I were a quilt block...

Okay so it's not Thursday anymore, but I am playing catch-up and linking up to Emily's  Sew Thinky Thursdays. 

If you were a quilt block which one would you be?

I love this question!

If I were a quilt block...

I would be a log cabin.

Sometimes orderly:

Sometimes wonky:

Made up of little pieces of me:

All sewn together with the thread of life to hold the memories that keep me intact.

And because it represents home.
And to me there's no place like home.
It's my safe haven. 
And it's the place I want my family to always feel safe in.
It represents stability, security, shelter.

Home is the place where we can be ourselves, where we gather with loved ones, where we take shelter from the cold (snuggled under a quilt, of course). 

It is the place we long to come back to no matter where our journey takes us.

Quiltcon feedback

Today I received the judges' feedback for the quilt I submitted for the Quiltcon show.

The quilt in question is my quilt entitled:

 "I Don't Wear Blue".

It was a checklist type of feedback with 2 columns: 

-one with the heading "Positive Attributes" 

-the other "Areas for Improvement".

I was pleased to read that the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The only boxed check in the latter was: fabric choices detract from the design.

It was supported by a written comment at the bottom of the page that made me laugh.  Not because I thought it was ridiculous, but because I completely agree! 

The judges said:

"fabrics are overwhelmingly from a single designer".

I laughed because I almost never buy designer fabrics.  The only reason i used these fabrics is because they were given to me. If you read about my process in making this quilt, you'll recall that I was not inspired by them at all. 

I am assuming that when makers choose fabrics for their quilt, they are showing an ability to mix and match colors and/prints from various sources, rather than rely on the decision of the fabric designer. It's just my guess but it makes sense to me. 

The judges also commented that they liked my pieced heart! 

I included it in the quilt (with some hesitation) because even though I was not crazy about the fabrics, I thoroughly enjoyed the process of making it.

This quilt won't be coming home anytime soon because it has been selected as part of the Quiltcon Travelling Quilts.  It will be on display at various shows throughout the year including The European Patchwork Festival in France, which I will be attending! 

P.S. if you want to see a better picture of my quilt (while it was on display at Quiltcon), Darra has included it in her Quiltcon recap on the See How We Sew blog. Thanks Darra!