Quilting Spirit: January 2008

Monday, January 28, 2008

Sneak Peak

Another little snippet of something I'm working on right now - all thanks to the "Disappearing Nine Patch" I posted about earlier. This works well in a small format too; these blocks are about 2" square, finished.

I'll show you the completed project next week!

Back of New Quilt

I'm working on a new quilt for an upcoming show. Although I can't show you the front, I can show you the back - this is "newspaper" fabric that my friend Joan printed for me. It is interspersed with a black and white "chain link" fabric. It is fused to muslin, then I zigzagged over all of the raw edges with white thread.

I love this! It is so fun. It has me started on an idea for a whole series (of maybe two or three quilts).

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Celebration of Hawaii Show at Viewpoints Gallery

I received the email version of the postcard for the upcoming Celebration of Hawaii show today, and guess who's on the back?

Honu III! The show opens on Sunday, January 20, in Makawao, at Viewpoints Gallery.

I've decided that Honu III is going to be the last in this design, but not the last of the series. I have other ideas for sea turtle quilts - I just have to take more pictures and do more sketching. I'm also working on a second quilt for the show - a single flower version of my Night Light quilt - but I've got a lot of work to do in a short time.

If you are visiting Maui during the show, please drop by for a visit. It runs through Tuesday, February 12.

Quick Baby Quilt

I needed to make a baby quilt for a boy, and fast. Thankfully, I stumbled upon Dying to Quilt's blog with easy instructions for creating a "Disappearing Nine Patch" quilt.

I used an assortment of red, blue and gold fabrics and started off with 5" squares to create this quick little quilt.

A suggestion - for a cohesive look, keep the same color in the center of your nine patch blocks - that's what makes the little gold squares seen here. I think it would be great to go completely scrappy, too, but with smaller squares, maybe 3"?

Thanks, DQ, for the inspiration and instructions!

Favorite Quotes

Never be afraid of being generous. It pays off in spades. -- Melody Johnson

Wine is sunlight held together by water. -- Galileo

Self-doubt can be an ally. This is because it serves as an indicator of aspiration. It reflects love, love of something we dream of doing, and desire, desire to do it. If you find yourself asking yourself (and your friends), "Am I really a writer? Am I really an artist?" chances are you are. The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is scared to death. -- Steven Pressfield, from "The War of Art."

I think every artist who succeeds (in their own terms) has some ability to keep moving forward in the face of constant obstacles...emotional, mental, financial, physical...and that is what sets them apart from all the others who have tried and quit. This is also what sets them apart from those who always talk about trying or starting but never get beyond the talking stage. -- Nancy Crow, from "Nancy Crow."

The biggest thing separating people from their artistic ambitions is not a lack of talent. It's the lack of a deadline. Give someone an enormous task, a supportive community, and a friendly-yet-firm due date, and miracles will happen. -- Chris Baty, from "No Plot, No Problem."