Summer baskets from my friends

I love this quilt!

It reigns as my most favorite quilt that I have ever made, seriously.

This sweet red basket quilt is a "Buck-a-Block" pattern from Thangles. Last summer, when I was visiting my friend, Mary (MB) Hayes, the creator of Thangles, she gave me the pattern and the fabrics to make it. Her sample was made with red baskets and had a very Christmasy feel. Sara Hochhauser, who was also visiting (she was my ride from Chicago), decided to make green baskets for her version. 

 

I confess, I originally planned to do blue baskets, but quickly switched to red (due to lack of diversity and number of blue fabrics - Mary, buy more blue!). Now I had a goal to not duplicate Mary's quilt, nor Sara's, as we were all using many of the same fabrics. My additional challenge was to create a quilt that did not feel too Christmas-y nor Valentine-y either. 

When my vacation ended and I flew home, Sara returned to Mary's without me.  It was hard not to be able to extend my stay, so I drowned my sorrows by stitching up my twelve baskets.  They went together super fast, which is the joy of using Thangles.

Next, I pieced the six setting squares and the entire top was soon finished, one of the fastest tops I have pieced. Then there was a lull of several months as I was puzzled and stymied over how to quilt this sweet quilt which I already loved.

Eventually Sara finished her green baskets (long after I did) and had her top quilted. Fortunately for me, Sara shared images of the quilting design used on her quilt and I knew this is what I wanted to do.

Do you see the feathered square wreath quilted in the center of this setting square?

This image shows the triangulated feathered quilting.  Both of these images are from Sara's finished quilt.  I have permission to 'copy-cat' the quilting designs used on her quilt and to share them with a local friend who is beginning a new long-arm business.

Pam Biswas of Katy (her business is Pam Quiltaholic, found at http://www.pamquiltaholic.com/) did an exquisite job working her free-motion talents on my basket quilt.  Feathers abound swirling along the borders, and squared inside the setting squares and triangled in the setting triangles.  Take particular note of the individual tight quilting in the background of each basket.

Each is as unique, just like the twelve baskets are each different from one another.  The baskets are left un-quilted, just an outline stitch-in-the-ditch.  The wool batting makes the baskets really poof up, too.  Oh, how I love this quilt!

Thank you to my friends! To Mary for the original gift, to Sara for the quilting design ideas, and to Pam for the free motion quilting! I think I will name this "Summer Baskets From My Friends".

My discovery at Quilts, Inc.

I have a new part-time job .... working at Quilts, Inc. headquarters as we prepare for the many shows they pull together.  I began this summer working with quilts and knit garments for the new Quilt-Knit-Stitch show in Portland, Oregon - receiving, inspecting, packing for the exhibit and later, packing to return after the show.  The offices are lovely, with an ever changing exhibit of quilts hanging up in the halls of the office.

Imagine my surprise to discover among the quilts (new and antique) that are on display, there is also a collection of fiber art postcards.  I was drawn in particular to this frame featuring nine postcards.

Can you see why?

Look carefully, 

especially focus on the far left card in the middle row....

"Untitled" by C. Winter

It's my card!

How cool is it to discover that something I made is in a collection owned by Karey Bresenhan?!!!  I am so tickled and thrilled and love checking to see if it is still on display every time I come to work.  I work barely once a week and I am loving it!  This week, I worked on editing various components of the International Quilt Festival coming up at the end of October.  It is a fascinating place to work!

If you are coming to this year's Festival, ponder volunteering as a Quilt Angel -- it is how I got my start with the show that eventually led to this part-time job!  Click here for more info.

My goal for September

In "A Lovely Year of Finishes", everyone is invited to set a goal for the month and declare it, with a link to the linky party on either of these blogs: Fiber of All Sorts by Shanna or Sew BitterSweet Designs by Melissa.  I have always wanted to "gift" the new babies I know (whether or not they are family or friends) with a new baby quilt.

So this month I plan to complete a quilt using these lovely ABC fabrics which I found at Quilt 'n Sew, a favorite quilt shop stop in Katy, Texas.   I have started it already ....

The fabric is actually designed to be a cute cloth book for young ones and features the letters of the alphabet and some wonderful illustrations much in the line of Kate Greenway and other classic Caldecott illustrators.  I have cut apart each of the book's pages and am sashing them with coordinating fabrics.  This may be the first quilt I have made using fabrics all from one line!  (wow, I can't believe it, but I do think it might be true).  This is my goal for September ... (see my linky #52 here).

Also this month I must make a block - or rather embellish a plain square of fabric - that will be used as a small part of a wedding chuppah for dear friends.

I am still toying with possible ideas and trying to determine color schemes, etc.  Doesn't this plain  white block appear ready for embellishment and design (but first a fresh press by an iron!).  

This project has a definitive deadline (possibly yesterday?).  Yikes, I'd better get busy fast! 

My August NewFO

Starting something new is always such a joy as it comes with dreams of new lovelies, stitched beautifully too.  I am enjoying the 'permission' that Barbara from Cat Patches gives us with her NewFO challenge (read about the specifics here). To top it off, she gives prizes too!  I am drooling over the sweet Sunbonnet Sue pin that is featured as this month's prize pin (and sending very subtle hint-hints to Barbara's random number generator ... pick my number #14)

This month I began stitching on this cute ABC sampler by Lizzie and Kate. 

Here is my progress as off today...

For the curious ones, I started with the basket in the center then moved to the left, slowly working my way up to the top row. Beginning in the center of the pattern and the center of the fabric ensures that the embroidery will be centered when I finish - right?  Since I am a lefty, I wanted to get the left side completed first too. I am pondering changing some colors for the cute extras sprinkled around the lettering .... which is why I am only stitching the lettering at this point.   

I've begun a NewFO and now it will be counted in my UFO/w.i.p. tallies (except that I never really track how many Works I have in Progress nor my UnFinished Objects - too many to tally.)

PS  It will actually say "mold character" but I'm tickled by "old character" and will leave it for awhile.  Now to decide whether to stitch a bit more or to ponder something new to begin for the month of September?

Red work - finished!

My challenge in the Another Year of Lovely Finishes for the month of August was to complete two redwork embroidery pieces that have been works in progress (w.i.p.) in my UFO collection for a few years now.   I have carried both to many teacher inservices and other meetings so that I can keep my mind focused while my fingers stitch.

Here is my progress as of earlier today ...

It was close to being complete, but a few blossoms in the center were still in need of more stitches, and another flower, a tad left of center, needed one lower petal finished.  Today's specific challenge: to finish these last few flowers!

Great news ..... I did it!  It's finished!  All the flowers are smiling (and possibly dancing too!).  The coloration is off a bit as I took the photo after sunset tonight .... daytime gets the best natural light for photographs, especially a day slightly overcast, but I'm digressing ...

More important, what is the status my second redwork piece?  It features a young lady in red sitting in a sweet floral dress stitching on her own embroidery design.

More great news!  I have finished this one too -- although I should probably press and steam both of my newly completed redwork pieces -- and will do so as soon as I finish this post!


I am proud to claim that I have finished another month in the sweet and lovely year of finishes!  Thank you to Shanna from Fiber of All Sorts and Melissa from Sew BitterSweet Designs for this great year-long challenge.  It is working -- I am finishing projects!

I am #32 in the goal setting linky party for August and I closed the finishes linky party at #72.

Now I must decide on my goals for the month of September......  Feel free to join this fun challenge.  It's easy -- decide your goal for the month and declare it publicly, with a link on the Lovely Year of Finishes goal setting linky party (open the first seven days of the month).  Then work like crazy to achieve your goal and post your successes to the Finishes Party via another linky (also during the last seven days of the month).  A few lucky finishers even win prizes!  Maybe I will be a lucky winner this month .... but first, to decide what to challenge myself to finish in the month of September (am I repeating myself?  yes!)

Video art installation on San Fernando Cathedral

The next time you are in San Antonio, Texas, be sure to make time to see this amazing video art installation "San Antonio: the Saga" currently being shown on the magnificent façade of San Fernando Cathedral, in downtown San Antonio.  It is captivating, delightful, and best of all FREE!   

 

 

The show, which debuted on June 13, 2014, takes place at night, when the sun has set.  You may wish to bring your own chair or cushion to sit on -- or stand as it is only 24 minutes long.  This photo is taken from one of the few seats available... I quickly moved to a more center front spot for the remainder of the show.

French artist, Xavier de Richemont created this spectacular art projection.  It is his first installation in the United States.  Other countries that have also displayed his public art installations include France, Germany, Spain, Morocco, Mexico and Canada.  Look for Xavier de Richemont on FaceBook to see more images of this show.

Vivid entrancing and constantly changing lights move across the cathedral while accompanied with custom-choreographed music featuring many melodies that you will recognize, in surround sound too.  This artistic performance tells the historical story of discovery, settlement and development of the city San Antonio. The amazing images (both specific and abstract) literally dance across the facade of San Fernando cathedral.

Originally built between 1738 and 1755, San Fernando Cathedral is the oldest operating sanctuary in North America. It sits in Main Plaza, the heart of San Antonio. Main Plaza is the ideal location for this story to be told as it is one of only four colonial plazas left in the United States, and the only one with a cathedral.

www.catholicearth.com/beta/profile/691san-fernando-cathedral

 

The video art show is schedule to run for the next 10 years, weather permitting:

• Tuesday (free downtown parking) — 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10 p.m.;
• Friday — 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10 p.m.;
• Saturday — 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10 p.m.;
• Sunday — 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10 p.m.

However, this schedule is tentative and is subject to change. “San Antonio|The Saga” is presented by Main Plaza Conservancy with the generous support of public and private institutions, individuals and the City of San Antonio.

visitsanantonio.com/Browse-Book/Events/San-Antonio-The-Saga

My advice -- get there in time to see the first show ant 9:00, but be perpared to watch it two more times.  It is totally captivating and so much happens: the evolution of time and the specific story of the beloved city of San Antonio captured in 24 short minutes.  I need to get back and watch it again! 

www.mainplazaconservancy.org

If a picture is worth ...

I learned about the art of paper cutting today in a session at the NewCAJE 5 conference that i am attending in Los Angeles this week.  Rachel Silverman taught the session titled "If a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words..."  

Rachel introduced us to the history of Jewish paper cutting, then shared many of her original paper cut art.  Inspired by the examples she shared, we set out sketching our own unique pieces of this folk art.

First step is to draw your design, sketching lightly.  If you are including any script, be sure to sketch the letters backwards (in mirror image) as you are drawing on the back side of the paper.  Shade the areas of the design that you plan to cut out.  Then using an exacto knife, carefully cut (slice?) the edge is the shaded pieces, freeing your design.  

Before beginning to cut out the design, Rachel checked each design to be sure that areas that needed to be attached were.  She was an excellent teacher, assisting everyone - both those struggling and those that understood the concept right away.

For our class, Rachel brought plain blank typing paper to draw our designs on, inexpensive exacto knifes and larger pieces of corrugated cardboard to use as the cutting mat.  When I make my next paper cut piece, I can use one of my rotary mats instead of the cardboard. 

After the cutting away was complete, I auditioned several pieces of different colored papers (the 12"x12" scrapbook size), before selecting this brilliant blue.  I taped my chamsa carefully to the blue background. I plan to frame my piece, as a soon as I am home again.

This was a challenging and fun hands-on class.  I look forward to making my next piece of paper cut art...