This quilt was just too much fun to make! I used 5" squares purchased as a sample pack to highlight the colours in the Painter's Palette solids line. I LOVE the hand of this fabric. The black is Colorworks Black, by Northcott Fabrics. It also has a wonderful hand. Here is the quilt as it grew on my design wall. Then it went to my long arm quilter, Deanna Gaudaur, quintestudios.com . Her husband, Mike Gaudaur, quintestudios.com photographed it for me. Artist Statement: Surviving January Resolutions. Plans. But I’m stuck. Starting. Starting again. And again. Until I can’t. Fighting to stay happy; to see the Light; to know that I’m OK. Always trying. Using words to convince myself. ‘Life is good. Life is good!’ Until I believe that it is. And I survive another January.
While we were in Baton Rouge, we visited a little complex that we enjoy. It is on a corner and has an antique & salvage shop, a yoga studio, an art gallery, a salon, and a gift shop. This time, I wandered into the art gallery and was immediately taken with the painting by Bill Hemmerling. Fee had been wandering around in another store, and when I found him, I asked what he thought. He, too, felt drawn to Hemmerling's work. We ended up buying "Blackberry Street" and finding out a lot more about Bill Hemmerling from the gallery owner who knew him personally and collects "Bill Stories." You can read more about him here, in "So Long, Bill Hemmerling," an article from blog of new orleans after his death in 2009. Equal parts Forrest Gump, Clementine Hunter and Gandhi, Bill was the only man I’ve ever known who completely detached himself from the material world. He worked 35 years for Sears stores across Louisiana as an arranger of floor and shelf displays. When Sears laid him off, he thought his life was over. Turns out his forced retirement from Sears was the best thing that could have happened to him. At the age of 59, he began his career as a primitive folk artist. He never had an art lesson in his life.--from the article "So Long, Bill Hemmerling"An Artist's Eden: Whimsical Retreat in Ponchatoula shows his home, studio, and garden.
Learn more about Bill Volckening, quilt collector, quilt blogger and occasionally makes a quilt of his own. He is intrigued by quilts of all genres and age.
Quiltmania, blue star quilting, cours
Learn more about Bill Volckening, quilt collector, quilt blogger and occasionally makes a quilt of his own. He is intrigued by quilts of all genres and age.
Learn more about Bill Volckening, quilt collector, quilt blogger and occasionally makes a quilt of his own. He is intrigued by quilts of all genres and age.
My first quilt top, still a top, c. 2006 Over ten years ago I experimented with sewing by making a quilt block out of Hawaiian shirt batiks. It was terrible. bad quilt block, c. 2002 Clearly, I had no sewing talent. I put the block away and forgot about it. Several years later, I got the idea that I'd make a denim quilt in the improvisational style of a Gee's Bend quilt - since I'd never be able to afford one - and in a day I cranked out the warpy, wavy top seen above and as the wallpaper of this blog. I wasn't exactly sure I knew how to finish it, and the whole thing seemed like a disaster, so I put it away and forgot about it. I pulled it out a few years later and came up with a plan to quilt it, but still haven't done it. Maybe this year. "Escape from Palm Beach" 2012 I used some of the same batiks seen in my first quilt block to make my first completed quilt, "Escape from Palm Beach" for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. Later in the year, I bought the quilt back, so I have it. Within the next couple weeks, I did a few other quilts, "Happy Place" for my friend Sarah, "Julie Silber" (for Julie) and "House of Wonky" for the Small Wonders Challenge of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. "Happy Place" 2012 "House of Wonky" 2012 "Julie Silber" 2012 All three of those quilts are in new homes. I gave "Happy Place" to my friend Sarah; I gave "Julie Silber" to Julie when I met her in Bellingham at the Whatcom Museum- the quilt was made on her birthday; and "House of Wonky" sold to a person in California after winning the Viewer's Choice blue ribbon at Sisters. "Marvelette" 2012 The next quilt was also for Sisters. It was called "Marvelette" and was made after show director Ann Richardson saw "House of Wonky" and invited me to be part of a new exhibit called "ManLand" for quilts made by men. The quilt needed to be larger than anything I'd ever made, so I stitched together large pieces of fabric until it was big enough, and got it long-arm quilted and bound. Both quilts were done to surprise my mother, who was visiting from Maine during the time of the quilt show, and yes, she was surprised! "Wild-Eyed Susans" 2013 The latest two quilts have been on my blog during the last week, and both were started in Sisters during a workshop and retreat with Gwen Marston and Sue Spargo. "Wild-Eyed Susans" is my wool "Flower Power" challenge quilt for the Northwest Quilters annual guild challenge, and "Center Star" is my wink-and-a-nod to quilt history- a liberated rendition of a classic American quilt. "Center Star" 2013 It's fun to look at this work as a group. Even though it really isn't a body of work, it's connected and shows a clear progression. The projects have gradually gotten more ambitious, and have drawn more inspiration from quilts, quiltmakers, and quilt history. At this time, I have just two projects I think of as UFOs- the denim quilt top at the top of this blog, and the one called "Oregon July" (below). Friends have teased me about my no-UFO policy, but really, my college art background squelched the inclination to let visual projects sit for long. Even though I still need to get back to the denim top, I plan to do something about that this year. :)
This 1970s polyester double knit top with rick rack came from an eBay seller in Louisiana, and I think it's sensational! Monumental in size, 112" x 120", it was a little tricky to get a full view picture. The top is finished on the edges and stitched together with black rick rack, which gives the piece the look of a large tile mosaic. It is also reminiscent of the paintings of Piet Mondrian, although the colors are more of the psychedelic ilk. If you look at it carefully, you can see the blocks, but they are put together in a way that creates the illusion of more complicated patchwork. There are also areas of saturated colors blended with areas of more pastel colors, a nice overall balance. I shared it on Facebook, and even some of the people who don't usually like polyester quilts enjoyed this one. Winner!
When I was in Oregon recently, I got to see Bill Volckening's collection of New York Beauties at the Benton County Museum. We call them ...
Learn more about Bill Volckening, quilt collector, quilt blogger and occasionally makes a quilt of his own. He is intrigued by quilts of all genres and age.
I'm so bad at keeping this blog up to date. Facebook and Instagram I do OK with. But this blog!! I am going to work at it! First off...
When I was in Oregon recently, I got to see Bill Volckening's collection of New York Beauties at the Benton County Museum. We call them ...
I’m back home and recovered from Quilt Market – the semi-annual trade show for the quilting industry. It was my third time having a booth to showcase my new patterns and fabric and I t…
Karlee Porter shares how the quilt Nate was inspired by the birth of her first baby.
This one started out as a skill building Half-Square Triangle Sampler by Jeni Baker. I learned a lot. As it grew, it began to reflect aspects of my life and I could see many of my joys. In the past, some of these were masked by the Black Dog. This quilt reminds me that there is always joy, and that for the moment, I seem to have my black dog mostly under control. Life is good. And ... check out incolororder.com . Jeni Baker is a delight! (quilt back) Quilting by Deanna Gaudaur. Photography by Mike Gaudaur. quinte studios.com
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Discover how to make a DIY privacy screen that adds style and functionality to your space. Get creative with our DIY & Crafts guide!
A second 70's Pinwheel quilt arrived yesterday (pictured above). The other one (pictured below) came a week or two ago, and it's interesting to see the two together. One is very colorful, bright, and is dominated by solid fabrics. Its blocks are smaller, which created more pinwheels and a greater sense of motion. The other one is much darker with larger blocks, and comes to life with some wonderful print fabrics. In a way, the one with the smaller blocks and bright colors is easier to understand. It's happy, and the combination of colors suggests a birthday party. The other quilt has a much more unexpected combination of colors and fabrics, mixing turquoise, brown, black, plaid and floral print. The row of smaller blocks at the top is also unexpected and adds an element of quirkiness. So, I can't pick a favorite. I like both, for different reasons. Same basic quilt, two entirely different visions. The quilts compliment and enhance each other, and I can picture them hanging together. Do you have a favorite? Which one?
Explore Bill Jacomet's 72389 photos on Flickr!
When I was in Oregon recently, I got to see Bill Volckening's collection of New York Beauties at the Benton County Museum. We call them ...
I must start by saying I have a terrible cold. I really can’t believe it. I have not been sick since I started writing this blog (more than TWO years ago), and it just doesn’t seem right that I sho…
des dessins pour broderie blackwork, c'est ce que je vous propose aujourd' hui pour changer un peu des petites croix... Et pour d' autres idées: ICI Bonne broderie!
Rebecca Thompson was determined to finish this quilt! This month, I am posting a series of blogs counting down my top 20 quilts of the year. All the quilts were acquired by the collection in 2017, and they represent four centuries of American quilts. Kit quilts are not usually my thing, but this hand-painted Bicentennial quilt grabbed my attention because the maker, Rebecca Thompson of Boaz, Kentucky, started it in 1976 and finished it in 2016. I admire her determination. To read more about it, click here. SaveSave
VERY IMPORTANT: There are three files to download! You will need all three! Looking for something a little different in your quilting life? Look no further because Lynne’s Zebras quilt tutorial is here! The tutorial PDF includes 62 pages of well-tested highly detailed instructions illustrated with numerous large photos, a multi-page Gallery filled with inspiration photographs of Lynne’s Zebras quilt tops/finished quilts, and quilt-specific information on the layouts used to achieve each “look.” A second PDF file contains printable coloring pages, so you can test out your color ideas, printable layout diagrams of the inspiration quilts, and printable triangles to keep by your side as you work and/or use to design your own layout. A third PDF file contains the Zebras templates (to be printed full-size on 22” paper at your local copy shop). Beta Tester Cathy said, “I have made triangles 1 and 2. They gave me no problems by following the pattern 100%. I was initially thinking the [way you had us use the rulers] when cutting seemed like quite an exercise, but I followed step-by-step and the light dawned, birds (liberated ones no doubt) sang and I did a happy dance...” A Perfect Rectangle Ruler is required.
See 6 intricate designs from a California exhibition and get tips for building your own quilt collection
The Cinco de Mayo quilt made by the Buda Bee quilters in Texas is definitely the largest, most ambitious example of this pattern that I've ever seen. It is 64 blocks, and most of the other examples I've seen are 36 blocks. The extra row of blocks on all four sides allowed for the completion of the circles around the perimeter. That gives it a greater sense of symmetry and graphic impact. Needless to say, there are lots of details to be seen. Here are some close-up pictures. Don't miss the variegated quilting thread, rick rack, and decorative ribbon detail. Even though the Cinco de Mayo quilt is just four years old, it's quite rare. The pattern was published less than 10 years ago, and it requires great skill and a lot of effort. Not many have been made. Experienced quiltmakers look at it with wonder, and it's the kind of thing quilt show judges tend to favor. No surprise, this quilt won a blue ribbon when it was entered in a quilt show. Since the Cinco de Mayo pattern is so recent and serves as such a high benchmark for demonstrating sewing mastery in a quilt, the people making them aren't exactly selling them. In fact, I've never seen one available on the open market. This one happened to come from someone who won it in a raffle. I suppose, if there was a way to get hold of a Cinco de Mayo quilt, I'd find it.
