design and inspiration

Hello, I want to share some of my ideas for quilting designs.  here is a quilt top that Cyndie wanted advice on:

It is made from a pattern by J Michelle Watts.  Cyndie was willing to do a filler like cathedral windows or pumpkin seed allover the quilt.  But on my way home, I started to think that it could be very dull and repetitive for her. 

 Why not divide the quilt into three shapes and fill each one with a different fill.  I settled on triangles, and they interweave where they touch.  I think the one with rays should go in the center (I drew it on the right angel). and the other fillers could be pumpkin seeds, paisleys, bubbles, McTavishing or whatever she wants to do. By echoing the triangles an inch or so, they will pop by virtue of their not being filled.
I thought the baptist fan filler might be appropriate for the outside of the triangles, biblical right?
This design is much more interesting than an overall fill, and it really won't take that much longer.  I would draw in the triangle shapes with a fabric marker and then go to town. 

Another quilt I am in the process of quilting is this Alamo quilt that Linda made for an auction for St. Jude's Childrens Hospital.  I pin basted it already and will think about the design while I am stitching in the ditch and around the applique's .


Some thoughts though; I could just put a filler around those boots, but wouldn't it be fun to quilt a lasso or something western around them and then fill the space?
  I have this barbed wire border stencil, but I don't see any place to put that really, too bad.
Then I need to design something in that open black space around the stars - maybe curved cross-hatching?
And in the sky around the Alamo - I think it would be great to quilt some rays - like it was special or something, haha.  I will take photos as I go and let you know what I come up with.  Karen

Today's quote: "You may all go to Hell, and I'll go to Texas".  Davy Crockett

Another quilt show!

I was lucky to get to go to another quilt show on Friday.  It was a small show in San Antonio at the University United Methodist Church.  They had a speaker, J. Michelle Watts, and then a show where they draped the quilts over the pews.

This makes for an easy quilt show, but it is hard to get good photos of the quilts.

Isn't it lovely?

This quilt was made by Peggy True and quilted by my friend Marilou Loudon.

These minis were made and quilted by Marilou Loudon also.  They were hanging at the very bottom of a sheet with other minis, in the dark.  I had to get down on the ground to get photos.  Marilou took Cindy Needham's class at Quilting Adventures last year and I am pretty sure these linen quilts were inspired by Cindy.  

They should have been hanging at eye level too, I almost missed them!

Below is a hand quilted piece by Carol Rouse that is just amazing, all little 4 patches.

The above quilt is a beautiful family tree that was raw edge appliqued, made by Dorothy Brett and quilted by Fred Brett, it is called "Fritz Family Tree".  I wish I could have seen it hanging.  There were lovely appliqued borders on this also.

This is called "Sparkle Plenty" and made by Claudia McCoy and quilted by Marcia Henry. I loved all the polka dots.

This lovely antique quilt was made by Diane Cheatham's great grandmother in the 1800's.  All of the tiny hand pieced triangles laid flat with nice points, and there was lovely hand quilting to boot.  It was wonderful to see in person.

I won a door prize at this show, woo hoo!  It was a big, quilted bag filled with all sorts of quilting goodies. 

My favorite goodie is the coffee mug near the bag.  I have been wanting a nice ceramic quilty mug for a while.  I also love the pink silk, ooh la la...  

The mug says it all...

When life gives you scraps, Make quilts!  Have a nice weekend and stay warm, Karen

Quiltcon part deux

More QuiltCon photos!!   Yea, there was so much to see...

"Refresh" by Anna Boenish won a 3rd Place ribbon in Modern Traditionalism. This quilt was truly inspired.

"Deconstructed Lonestar" by Amy Struckmeyer won 2nd in Modern Traditionalism.  Love how the star is blowing away.

Coral Reef by Marla Varner won the Quilting Excellence Award.

Diving Geese quilted by Krista Withers and pieced by Katie Pedeson won the Best Machine Quilting Award.  

Long Island Modern Sampler by Kim Soper won 1st in the Modern Traditionalism.

This is "Wavelength" by Lee Heinrich

Two close-ups of the inspired quilting on the quilt below:

"Color in Flight" by Cynthia Whitten and quilted by Helen Baczynski

"Fifty Shades of Geese" by Patricia Roche and the quilting shown below

"Modern Chevron Remix" by Cynthia Whitten (again) and quilted by Helen Baczynski (what a team these two make)

"lost and Found in Translation" by Victoria Findlay Wolfe

"Modern Mojo 2" by Linda Thielfoldt, wow look at her quilting...

"Score for Bias Strip Petal: Daisies" by Sherri Lynn Wood

Bauble by Emily Cier

Grove by Casey York and quilted by Angela Walters

fractal Kaleidoscope by Katie Larson

Teal Sunshine by Matthew Wheeler

Geometric Rainbow by Nicole Daksiewicz

Whew, and I still have more.  Aren't they amazing?

I did have time in between quilt shows to finish my Craftsy blocks from Jinny Beyers free bom:

This is going to be a beauty, hope Hubby likes it because I plan to put it on my bed.

Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.

Swami Sivananda

Have a great weekend, Karen

QuiltCon day

QuiltCon yesterday, Whew what a day!  It was an amazing show with lots of great vendors and fun.  There were nail artists, fake tattoos, and a real tattoo artist.  Here are some of the quilts that I liked starting with some portraits first....

This is "The Conan Quilt" by Alison Chambers in my own home town of San Antonio.

I recognized Luke Haynes work right away.  He's a wonderful artist.  This is [American Context #16] Christina's world.

This one is a self-portrait by Gabriela Kirst with two Java sparrows.

Here he is!  It's Benedict Cumberbatch!  This is called "Holy Sh*t Sherlock" by Kristy Daum.

This one was hard to see until we looked through our camera, and then AMAZING!  It's Jared Padelecki from Gilmore Girls and Supernatural.  It's called Little Brother by Stacey Murton.

Here are some other modern quilts that I liked:

 close-up

This one is called Grand Canal by Casey York and was inspired by the Versailles' Grand Canal.  The quilt was so inviting, I wanted to step into it.  And the quilting by Ann McNew was amazing.

this is Rocket 88 by Latifah Saafir and quilted by Lisa Alexakis.

Freeflow by Lee Heinrich and quilted by Anne Books.  I love this block and the quilting really made this quilt special.

This is called "Sticks and Stones: The Border Test" by Rachel Kerley , it did not name a quilter, so I assume she quilted this beauty herself.

Sunset by Corinne Sovey of Austin.  Wow!

I have tons more pics, I will share more with you tomorrow.  Meanwhile, TGIF and Remember, people will see your quilts long after you are gone. . . Not your housework!!

FMQ Class Samples

I taught a couple of free-motion quilting classes this week and WOW were the quilters awesome!   The first class was a beginner class and they learned as they worked on this beautiful Riley Blake Woodland Tails panel.

I quilted this in what I hope is a fashion suitable for beginners.  It was certainly within reach of these gals, they were great...

In another class, we learned free motion feathers: three types of feathers and lots of designing with feathers.  Here is a sample placemat I designed for the class.  Since it was Valentine's Day, I made the runner with hearts and in red.  

The hearts were quilted with "bump back" feathers (or Humpback feathers as Joanne calls them).

the feathers on the pointed edges of the runner were quilted with "lacy" or "hooked" feathers.

And the sides had a little row of traditional or "longarm" feathers.

I put all of this here in case some of the quilters want to see the sample when finishing their runner.

I also brought my feather sampler (one I made for classes).  It has feathers of all kinds on it, some stencilled designs, and lots of free-form feathers for ideas and practice. 

I am getting back to this project now that I have a little break from teaching.

Just a teaser, this is the back of the quilt.  You may have gotten a peek at this on my first blog entry when I was talking about drag.  I am getting excited to finish this and see it finished!  I will take lots of pictures of the top when it is finished.