Quilting Modern

Each quilter has a unique style and preferred quilt genre. Quilts are a canvass for a multitude of artistic  stitching endeavors. Although I have never seen a quilt I did not like, I've found that as I have matured in quilt experience, my tastes have developed and I am able to identify which genres please me most. I am very partial to the quilt style and handwork of Lucy at Quilting with the Past. She is gifted in a style that is authentic and comforting. Her miniature quilts are a special treat to view!

Additionally, I find the quilts made by Bonnie Hunter who blogs at Quiltville  to be creative and interesting. Bonnie's effervescent personality and personable, hand's-on style of marketing through social media just draw you in. My friend, Karleen, and I both enjoy Bonnie and frequently will text one another when a QuiltCam alert is given. Bonnie streams live video of sewing sessions in her basement sewing room. Bonnie's famous for her scrappy quilts and her traditional style.

Thus, it surprised me recently how drawn into the quilt style presented by the National Featured Quilter at our local quilt show. Katie Pederson, who specializes in modern quilting style, was the featured artist and a large selection of her quilts were on display. Additionally, she was there to chat with attendees, to sign books, and to answer questions. Friendly and sincere, she is a very talented artist and gifted quilter.

 

This quilt is a beautiful example of improvisational technique and contemporary graphics.

 

Katie, busy signing my book! She says to "break free, go bold".
She co-authored this book with Jacquie Gering.



Fabric, scraps, yardage, cottons, pieces.
Whatever you call them, they create the nerve center for
modern quilting and beyond.
They are the mecca for all quilters!
I love this scramble on Katie's ironing board.

Here are just a few examples of some of the beautiful improvisational quilts that Quilting Modern shares techniques for. In the book, seven core techniques are presented with detailed instructions. That's good, because creating quilts in this method requires that you think outside of the box!

Isn't this a beauty? I love how the colors were used to create such a strong, geometric design. And I suppose I am drawn to it because it not only represents a modern style of quilting, but it draws upon my traditional comfort zone when it comes to quilt design.

The sewing station. It looks like no one is there because
Katie did a marvelous job of walking around and visiting with attendees.

 Karleen and I noted that many of the Quilting Modern quilts used large spaces of blank nothingness. Each of these areas was machine quilted with modern, beautiful lines, geometrics, or circles. The actual quilting process is an integral part of this method. We also noted that the fabric used for the expanses of what we called blank nothingness was beautifully textured and inviting. We asked about the use of this fabric and Katie shared that it is a special linen/cotton blend by Robert Kaufman Fabrics called Essex. It had gorgeous visual and hand appeal.

Here's another vibrant, geometric, free-form quilt.

Katie Pedersen and Jacquie Gering give workshops on their technique. There is one coming up on May 20 - 22, 2013 at Island Quilter on Vashon Island, Washington.

Katie also blogs at Sew Katie Did. She says thread is the best glue! And I say her words aptly describe the process of the joining of pieces with threads.

Karleen and I really enjoyed visiting with Katie and learning more about improvisational quilting.

~

"We wrote this book to share our designs for quilts with modern aesthetic and our enthusiasm for improvisational quilting techniques. Improvisation has various interpretations, but for us it means creating in the moment and reacting to ideas and our environment to make something new. Improvisation energizes our creativity and fosters an inventive spirit."

~ Jacque and Katie ~

Click to enlarge.

For Tea Forsake

Many estates are spent in the getting, 
since women for tea forsake spinning and knitting, 
and men for punch forsake hewing and splitting.  

~Benjamin Franklin~

Ribbon Paradise

Ribbons made from silk and satin are so inviting with their gentle patina or glowing sheen. If you love textiles like I do, I'm sure you understand the draw to admire, touch, and create. Making flowers and trims out of ribbon isn't something I have attempted, but I do admire those who have the patience and skill to create with such beautiful materials.

There are images galore of flowers made from ribbon in Google. And here's a Pinterest board of ribbon and fabric flower ideas. But none are nicer than the ribbon flowers and trims made by Deb, a woman who recently spoke to the local quilt guild. It was a chilly winter evening and the meeting room was filled with women who arrived wearing hats, coats, and gloves. We were met by a beautiful display of colorful hats, gowns, and ribbon boards designed and fashioned by Deb. They were exquisite! Such patience and such ability she has! 

Have you made ribbon roses or other flowers before? My mother did some ribbon embroidery (a similar art) and was skilled at making ribbon flowers. Her favorites were always pansy's which she used to adorn baskets, candles, pillows, and more.

Click on the photo montage to enlarge and get a better look.

Chocolate, Crochet, and Tea

 

Awhile back my blogging friend, Tammy, wrote a blog post called Chocolate, Crochet, and Tea. Now that is a title that's sure to draw me in!  I always enjoy her blog posts, especially because Tammy knows how to enjoy the little things in life. Moments rather than things are treasures to her. I appreciate her perspective and her joy in living each day. She really does fill her quiet moments of the day with chocolate, crochet, and tea! She crafts some beautiful things! 

Years ago my mother attempted to teach me to crochet. As a teenager I made a baby sweater and booties for my "hope chest". Of course they were made in "pink" and I never had a baby girl so they weren't used. They are still stored away for a time when they might be needed for a grand-baby or two. When mom taught me, she was my instruction guide. I didn't learn to read a pattern and since mom could make anything without a pattern, I never really learned how to decipher the art of pattern reading.

This past winter I decided that I needed to push myself and learn something new. Pretty yarns in beautiful colors drew me in, and I decided to learn to read a crochet pattern. Of course there were many aspects of crochet I had to relearn as well. I admit to many frustrating moments, but Tammy's example spurred me on. She posted this dishcloth pattern on her blog and started posting what she'd made. I decided to do the same and "wallah", dish cloths were the result! Thanks to my friend, Karleen for helping me decipher pattern instructions...and to Mitty and Verna at the Quilt Guild for taking time out of quilt piecing to help me fine-tune my stitching technique. And of course, thanks to Tammy for inspiring me from far away! Throughout the stitching process, my teacup of chocolate oolong tea has been by my side. Chocolate, crochet, and tea.

Thinking of You!

 

It has been fun sharing "afternoon tea" with you during National Hot Tea Month.  We have one more week to celebrate! As a thank you to Gracious Hospitality readers, I am offering this little teacup and pansy cross-stitched needlework.  I will be drawing a name from those who enter by posting a comment on this post.  Please leave a comment here, telling either (a) something you have learned about afternoon tea by reading my blog or (b) one of your favorite memories of sharing afternoon tea with someone you care for.  In order to qualify, please sign up to be a Gracious Hospitality "Follower" on Google Friend Connect (scroll down on the left side of this page to find the "Follow" button).  Comments will be closed at noon on Friday.  Thanks!  I look forward to hearing from you!

CONGRATULATIONS TO MARILYN FROM DELIGHTS OF THE HEART FOR WINNING THE DRAWING FOR THE LITTLE CROSS-STITCH PICTURE.  IT WILL BE IN THE MAIL SOON!

The Art of Redwork Embroidery

I am in the mood for redwork!  It's a beautiful form of embroidery, especially for the holiday season.  Not only is it pretty, but stitching redwork is quite simple and fast because you do not have to change thread colors, but can stitch away until your thread runs out!


A college friend is a designer of beautiful things, and has created an embroidery design for redwork called "Tea Party".  Her pattern will be for sale soon, and while waiting for pattern publication I am inspired by a photo of her sample piece on her blog.  I know a few of you are waiting along with me.  Stitching on a chilly, winter evening is a relaxing event and I am looking forward to quiet, cozy times in front of a warm fire while I stitch.  I'm eager for Fay's design, but in the meantime may start a few redwork tea towels while I wait.  The winter is long enough for more than one embroidery project


Redwork is the art of embroidery using only one color: red. I used to think the idea was quite boring, as I tend to like selecting color families that work together in a project. But, recently I tried my hand at redwork and have enjoyed both the process and the cheerful finished sampler. The redwork tea towel in the picture above is one I recently embroidered for Val, a friend in the tea towel exchange group I belonged to.

Originally, red dyed cotton threads were not colorfast and the colors tended to bleed when they became wet. Embroiderers tended to select other colors or stitch red's in silk threads that would not bleed. Then a red dye was developed in Turkey that did not bleed or fade when washed. Soon, Turkey red thread became a reliable and popular choice for stitching decorative patterns on household items.

In 1876 The Royal School of Art Needlework from Kensington, England produced a booth at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. American women were charmed by the intricate embroidery and were ready to try their hand at it. It soon gained popularity, as more and more stitchers created embroidered samplers and quilts using this process.

Redwork designs range from very simple to elaborate and intricate. Over time, pictures of nursery rhymes, people, buildings, animals, and flowers have been depicted in this art. In times past, squares of preprinted patterns were made available for redwork. These squares cost a penny apiece, thus the name penny squares became a common term when describing these blocks. Completed blocks were used for many household projects, but became especially useful and popular for bedcoverings. Blocks were sewn together and a feather stitch or cross-stitch was used to cover the seam line.

Stitches especially common when stitching redwork are backstitch, outline stitch, and the stem stitch. The stem stitch is also called the South Kensington stitch or the English Kensington stitch, a name that probably took hold because of the popularizing of this embroidery style by The Royal School of Art Needlework in 1876.

A Happy Camper

Everyone has their own way of preparing for winter.  For my husband, a simple task like fabricating a new chimney for the cabin makes him a 'happy camper'.  As long as the wood stove can be cranked up to full heat and the cabin cozy, I'm happy too, especially if I have a fun needlework project nearby.  

With the arrival of autumn, hand-crafts and projects become more important, as gardening and summer chores wane.  My friends are pulling out their knitting, quilting, and sewing projects.  It's time for me to do the same.  A new idea, now and then, helps as well.  Look at these beautiful 'autumn leaf' wool felted pot holders!  They are simple, colorful, and easy to stitch.  While you are at the Design . Sponge blog be sure to take a look at their very creative project for a patterned tea lover's cup.  Cute, huh!  

If you have a second, I'd enjoy reading what types of projects you have planned as the weather gets chilly.  Please leave a comment so we can get the ideas flowing!

Stitched On! Blue!

 "In the last room a young woman in a gown of deepest garnet-red was seated upon a wooden stool with her back to the window. She was sewing. Spread out around her was a vast and magnificent piece of embroidery. Reflections of its rich hues danced upon the walls and ceiling. If she had held a molten stained-glass window in her lap the effect could not have been more wonderful."

Susanna Clarke

Aprons Tell a Story

Aprons tell a story and take us back in time. Although they were out of favor for a time, they are making a comeback as an artsy and creative way for women to express themselves. One of my mentors, Shirley, has taken the time to gather together aprons from the past. Each is created using a different technique or method. How interesting it is to see examples of the variety of styles and techniques she has exhibited in her collection. She shares how aprons take us back to important people, dates, and times. And how they implement imaginative use of patterns, fabrics, and embellishment techniques. Together, they show the artistic and inventive talents of women.

Some of Shirley's aprons displayed use these creative techniques: patchwork, tatting, Norwegian fisherman knitting, Seminole patchwork, smocking, crocheting, huck weaving, lacework, Lummi Indian weaving, pin-tucking, painted fabric, crocheted inserts, polka dot prints, dotted swiss and rick-rack, and hanky aprons.

How many of these needlework methods have you tried your hand at?

Visiting Meg at Crabapple Hill

Last week Karleen called and asked, "What are you doing today?". "Hmmmm, dishes, some laundry, and a bit of weeding in the yard. Why?" She responded with "How about coming with me on a part of the quilt hop? Crabapple Hill Studios is open to participants this week." That's all it took! I forgot about everything else. Crabapple Hill Designs are my favorite embroidery designs and are especially famous in our area. Meg's studio isn't open to the public, selling instead to quilt shops and online internationally, but she made an exception this year for this special event. It was even better than I imagined! Our adventure started when Karleen picked me up and we headed for a quilt shop in town. There we received our 'secret' instructions and an address. Using the GPS TomTom really helped as we maneuvered from one freeway to the next, finally taking a winding country road until we saw the sign "Quilt Hop" printed on a banner and attached to a fence! A long driveway wound about until we ended up in front of an inviting and cozy studio. Flowering plants and a sign welcomed us from the outside. Inside, cheerful voices and smiling faces greeted us with graciousness. Yes, I was welcome to take pictures for my blog! Yippee! I knew that blog readers would enjoy this little tour. I especially thought of Elizabeth from Turtle Cottage, who stitches daily and loves Meg's designs. Displays of beautiful designs and sample projects, patterns galore, three types of embroidery floss in any color you could imagine, and more were a feast for the eyes. It was difficult to choose between serious shopping and visiting with the pleasant ladies who were working there. I left feeling I did a little of both, but not near enough of either one! Crabapple Hill Studios is my kind of place! Please check out the Crabapple Hill Studio website for awesome designs and project ideas. And if you really love hand-stitching like I do, you'll enjoy Meg's blog, Knot-y Girl's Stitchery Club as well. Now, off to start a new embroidery project --- shall I start on tea towels or a wall hanging? I'm trying to decide. In the meantime, enjoy the slide show. Be sure to go 'full screen' and turn on the sound!

White Linens

Do you sometimes find yourself doing things that are productive, but not absolutely necessary, simply because they bring you joy? Washing and hanging white linens is something that does that for me. Crisp, white, clean, and fresh; table clothes, pillow cases, and guest towels blow in the breeze, absorbing the fragrance of the late spring day. Handwork done by others, embroidery, crochet, or applique embellish each piece. They represent hours of love meant to bless those whom these will pieces serve. Whites are my favorites. Years ago I gave away all the colored, printed sets of sheets and now use plain-white, crisp cotton instead. It's a perfect way to use sets of embroidered pillow cases --- and now they always match the sheets!

Have a refreshing, joyful 'white linen' day!

Coloring Craft

When cooler weather arrives, it's time for crafting! Last week I found the cutest set of patterns for tea towels. Each design features children engaged in a variety of activities. They are so vintage and remind me of the Campbell's Soup kids. So, I decided to try my hand at them. The transfers have been ironed on to flour sack towels and all but one has been carefully colored with a box of the kid's old crayons. What a task! After being colored, they have been ironed so that the colors meld into the cotton. You can see that at this point they lack detail, but that will soon change. Tomorrow the embroidery needle and thread get put to use --- creating facial features, detail to garments, and finishing touches. Cute vintage cotton prints will be stitched to the bottom as embellishment before they are all done. You know, it's been many years since I've taken time to 'color' and it's been kind of fun!

What's in your craft basket right now?

Sue and her Sunbonnets

Recently, my friend Paula went to the antique market in Portland and came home with this beautiful vintage baby quilt in the Sunbonnet Sue design. She said she was thinking of me when she bought it, and of course I was most delighted to become it's new adopted owner! The fabric is perfectly worn and so soft. I love it's pastel colors and the tiny black stitches that hold the appliqued pieces to the backing. Completely hand-stitched, this quilt features pretty feather-stitched embroidery along each quilt block edge. I can't help but wonder about the little ones this cradled as they slept under it's gentle weight.

Sunbonnet Sue quilts became popular in the 1930's when a change in dye technology allowed for charming and cheerful pastel prints that were colorfast. The sunbonnets and dresses of this design created a perfect palette to show these fabrics off. The faceless design itself was crafted by a designer who was trying to prove that emotion could be expressed without facial expressions. I think she did a good job, don't you? Each Sunbonnet Sue quilt has a personality all it's own.

You might remember my original Sunbonnet Sue quilt; it's the larger one hanging on my back porch in the picture above. I found it in my mother's collection, but don't know any history about it. I don't believe it was a family treasure. Instead, I think she found it in an antique shop during one of her excursions with friends. Both designs are strikingly similar with the variation being the intensity of the colorful prints used and the placement of the arms in the design.


Here's a close-up of the border on the baby quilt. I love the choice of colors and the hand-stitching featured along each edge.


Someone else has been inspired by mother's Sunbonnet Sue quilt as well. It's Lucy from Quilting with the Past. At her suggestion, we are replicating my mother's quilt, making identical quilts that match mother's as closely as possible. From here to the Netherlands, fabrics are being exchanged as we plan this 'non-stress' and 'relaxing' venture together. Lucy has designed the pattern and stitched up the first block, as you can see above. She used the picture from my blog side-bar to create the design and has replicated it perfectly. She's an expert stitcher --- and I know I'm going to enjoy working on this project with her. She always inspires me with her vintage-inspired quilts! She's on a blog break right now, but I think she'll be back as soon as her children return to school after a busy summer of exciting activities! I can hardly wait to see what her blog will contain when she returns.


Here are a few samples of the 1930's replica fabrics that we have selected for our leisurely project. We are trying to come as close as possible to the original. Lucy even found an original flour sack fabric for one of our blocks during her summer travels.

And since we are talking about Sunbonnet Sue's, I thought I would share a picture of a modern Sue that was displayed beautifully on a quilt at our local quilt show this spring. Isn't it pretty? I love the stripes in the full skirt --- but nothing beats the simplicity and quaintness of the original vintage Sue. She will always be first in my heart!

[Thank you, Carrie, for directing me to a nice post about the history of Sunbonnet Sue at Confessions of an Apron Queen. And the Sunbonnet Sue potholders you have featured at Oak Rise Cottage are B E A U T I F U L !!!]

We Should Be Like Gardens

Flower Quilt
by Mom

Thanks, sis, for letting me be the keeper of the quilt for awhile.