Just a few of my favorite Thangles quilts.

I love seeing my Quilt Family at our annual gathering in Houston for the International Quilt Market and Quilt Festival.  This blog post features a few favorite quilts made with Thangles, created by MB Hayes, who I met at Quilt Market maybe 1,000 years ago.  I plan to start one of these soon ....

I love this Orion Star quilt.  If you are familiar with Thangles, you may recognize this best selling pattern which is always on display in their booth at Quilt Shows and Markets -- but in a cooler color way (purples, blues and greens).  I plan to make it one day, possibly in reproduction prints ....  The project pack is available online (directions and Thangles included!) by clicking here.

I love this StashBuster pattern!  It is very similar to the current 2014 StashBuster pattern that is the free bonus sent out with all online orders placed this year.  Check out the one featured on the website here. Better yet, order a few Thangles via the website (click here) and receive the pattern for free! 

This is a variation of a pattern called "Stash Balls" -- such a fun what to use up your colorful fabric stash!  There are many stash-busting patterns featured on their website gallery (or click here for a quick trip there!)  Thangles are great to use when clearing out your gallery of fabrics with the double bonus of making room for new fabric acquisitions as well as giving you a fabulous new quilt!

This is one of the older designs and possibly one of the first Thangles patterns that I made and have kept.  I made several that were given away - both baby quilts and table runners.   I should get busy and make more as gifts!  There are two new patterns that feature quick-to-sew quilts (great for making and gifting to friends and family).  They are "Dress Your Table" (aptly named for a collection of six small quilts) and "Dress Your Table 2" (hmmm, guess this pattern was created second).

Susan's work

Tuesday before the opening of the 2014 International Quilt Festival, I visited the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) with a friend visiting from Chicago.  I was delighted to spy a quilt in the current exhibit CraftTexas 2014 that is a creation of a local friend of mine. 

Moon Drunk is an original work by Susan Fletcher King.

Susan used fabric, dye, thread, ink, and batting to create moonlight scene, stitching this piece in 2012.  (note: CraftTexas 2014 is open through December 24, 2014 at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft located at 4848 Main St, 77002.  Be sure to see it.)


Thursday was the first chance I had to view special exhibits at the huge festival.  Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison co-curated an exhibit titled Reflections (sponsored by Havel's Sewing, presented by the Dinner at Eight Artists).  It's description in the program reads: "A mirror image. A response to a thought or word. A memory. What glints back at us as we gaze upon the water? The throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it. What will your reflection reveal about you?" Susan has a piece in this exhibit too.

The Parable of the Dragon and the Sheep by Susan Fletcher King

Susan explains her Reflection piece with this statement:  "Do you choose to stand out, be bold, and make a statement?  Or do you choose to be part of a flock, merely a reflection of your surroundings.  Every day the choice is yours."   She was inspired by a photograph of a South African Blue-headed Agama Lizard.

Then on Saturday as I was admiring the many quilts in the International Quilt Association's judged show, I spied a third quilt by Susan.

 

The Visitor by Susan Fletcher King

"Little miracles happen very occasionally, and if we are lucky, we might be in the right place at the right time to witness one.  Here, this heron is stepping from his world into ours, giving us a moment to always remember." reads Susan's statement.  Materials she used include prepared-for-dyeing (PDF) fabric, Tsukineko All-Purpose inks, acrylic paints, cotton batting, commercial fabric backing, numerous and various threads. Her original design was inspired by a photograph supplied by Thomas Wrublewski.  

All three quilts measure 24" x 60" in size.  All three quilts feature original designs that Susan drew, painted, inked, fused raw-edge applique pieces, stitched with many various threads and machine quilted.  To see more of her work, visit her website:

http://susanfletcherking.com/

Susan's work is also shown and sold through Copper Shade Tree Gallery in Round Top, Texas:

http://coppershadetree.com/

Quilts by my friends

I always love wandering through the many quilt exhibits on display at the annual International Quilt Festival in Houston, Texas.  I'm thrilled when I spy quilts made by friends of mine.  This post is to share three of these quilts.

First up is this lovely vase of flowers, Spring Bouquet, by my friend Ann Graf.

Ann is in my Art Quilt group, Beyond the Sunset.  She started this quilt about twelve years ago, then it sat in her UFO pile until more recently, when she brought it a time or two to our Beyond the Sunset meetings.  Ann's quilt was displayed as part of the "In Full Bloom" exhibit, sponsored by Martelli Enterprises.  This juried exhibit celebrates the tradition of floral quiltmaking and is in memory of Helen Pearce O'Bryant, one of the founders of the Quilt Festival.  To see more of the quilts from this exhibit, click here.  Ann also had quilts in the Journal Quilt exhibit in 2003.  Click here for a view of those.

Insanity 3,044 is a quilt by my friend Lynn Roddy Brown.

The quilt's name comes from the number of pieces within it: three thousand, forty-four and the zaniness of the scrappy fabrics used.  According to Lynn, "the variety of fabrics" used in this quilt "lends exuberant chaos to the very structured pattern.  A uniform pieced border brings all of this discord into harmony."

This detail view makes it easy to spy the triple nine-patch blocks which were joined with a nicely pieced sashing.  The blocks in the outer border are also triple nine-patch blocks, but these are made in a uniform fashion using only two fabrics.  The triple nine-patch blocks are very scrappy in the center of the quilt as she has swapped these with quilting friends.  In fact, that is how I know Lynn.  She is one of the members in the Block Builders Bee that I am also in.  It is just one of the many bees within the Quilt Guild of Greater Houston.

Scraps, Spare Parts and Leftovers is also by Lynn.

Lynn excels at making scrappy quilts.  This one has a medallion look with a center built with three different quilt projects.  There are split nine-patch blocks, rail fence blocks, a block made in a Sharyn Craig class and four corner blocks.  The borders were made from other spare parts that Lynn had on hand.  According to Lynn, a quilt made entirely from her stash is a 'free quilt!'

Both of Lynn's quilts were part of the exhibit showcasing "Texas Quilt Guilds' Award-winning Traditional Quilt".  Lynn is a master of making scrappy quilts.  Learn more from her in any one of her three books published by Martingale.  Her first book, Simple Strategies for Scrap Quilts, is available as an ebook (click here).  Her second book, Simple Strategies for Block-Swap Quilts, is also available as an ebook (click here).  Patchwork-Play Quilts- Make the Most of Scraps, Spare Parts and Leftovers is Lynn's most recent book and is available in both print and ebook form (click here).

Challenge to finish and dolls

Here it is -- this is the packet of beautiful pastel solids I received from Michael Miller for their Spring Cotton Couture Challenge for 2015. 

In this latest challenge (issued to the Modern Quilt Guild members), rules state that we can use only Michael Miller's Cotton Couture fabrics in the quilt.  Thus my first challenge was not only what design shall I use, but where in the world can I find more of their Cotton Couture fabric line?  Using the trusty internet, I discovered that High Fashion Fabrics carries their fabrics.  After a Sunday afternoon trek to their downtown shop, I discovered these darker solids to add to my challenge piece.

Now for my list of steps:

• Decide on a pattern (done - plan to revise (slightly) a pattern by my friend MBHayes of Thangles fame - I will share more on this in the next post about this project), 
• Cut it out and stitch it up (the top is stitched!), 
• Select on a back fabric (any Michael Miller - print or solid - is acceptable.  I've chosen one from my friend Patty Sloniger's latest line called Emma's Garden), 
• Choose a quilting design and thread to use (this seems to be where I am stuck ... ).
• Quilt it, 
• Bind and label it.
• Last of all, photograph and submit it before the fast approaching deadline!

My quilt is not finished, so I have made it my November "Lovely Year of Finishes" challenge.  Now it is in two challenges!  I have stated my goal and am linky #38 on the November Goal Linky Party page.  Check it out here and feel free to join us!

I have selected my pattern and have stitched up the top, but am still playing with many ideas of how to best quilt it (and shall I pull in Pam_Quiltaholic's expertise to do the actual quilting?  Here is a photo of my friend MB and myself standing in her Thangles booth during the International Quilt Festival this year.  We are standing in front of my "Summer Baskets from My Friends" quilt!

It is really fun to see something you have made hanging up in a public place for many to see it, admire it, and possibly even buy the pattern for it!  Read more about my basket quilt here.

The International Quilt Festival has closed for the year so now I have time to share a few photos taken during the busy days of the show.  First - "In Celebration of the Doll" is always a fun exhibit.

It is even more fun when you are searching for a doll made by my friend, Marlene Slobin.  I'm glad I knew to look for three dolls, not just one!  Below is a closeup of "The Novak Sisters" that she made. 

 Marlene, your creative dolls always make me smile!  I look forward to your next one...or group ...

up-cycling jean shorts

Once upon a time... I came across a pair of denim shorts that no longer fit my kids just when I was pondering what tote to make for a Totebag Swap with my friends in the Houston Modern Quilt Guild .... and the two thoughts became one.  I upcycled the denim shorts into a new totebag.  Since I finished my tote two weeks too late to swap, I am happily keeping it as my "take-along-to-class" totebag.  You can see why (perhaps) in the photo below ....

My rotary mat and rulers fit inside it quite nicely.

And another peek inside.  See my pink rotary mat (it is 12" x 18") and a couple of rulers.  I can also fit fabric and/or other sewing tools inside it, too.  This tote is rather roomy.

I love the side view too -- actually it is the front of the tote, but when it is hanging on my shoulder, it matches the side view of me.

Here is a view of the bag turned inside out -- just to showcase the two funky fun kitty fabrics!  Neither of these is the original fabric I planned to use.  I goofed when cutting the first lining - I made it too small!  That lining is my newest 'work in progress' (or w.i.p.).  It was easier to start all over from scratch, so I selected two more funky cat prints from my collection. 

Andy is not so sure what to make of this new tote.   

When will you play catch with me? he wonders...

Perhaps not now, he realizes and walks away.

This totebag is my successfully finished project for the October "Lovely Year of Finishes" challenge.  Click here to see others that have finished their challenge for the month, where I am linky #28.  You can also click here to see who entered the month with the goal for this month.  I am linky #25 on the goals page.

This is a fun challenge aimed at finishing projects and achieving goals.  It is helping me to select and then focus on one project each month (the hard part is picking just one to focus my finishing on!).  Please join in if you'd like to.  It is very easy.  Here's how:  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 Linky Party (during the last seven days of the month).  The goal-setting linky party will open November 1st.  Come on - challenge yourself to join us for November!

Ruby Jubilee

This year the International Quilt Festival is celebrating its Ruby Jubilee, 40 years of fabulous-ness.

As per their usual, they are celebrating in grand style with a wonderful exhibit of red-and-white quilts...

 Making a red-n-white quilt has been on my "quilt bucket list" for a long time.

After seeing these wonderful quilts,

 the urge to make my own, and possibly to make several of my own, 

has moved higher on my "must-make-this-quilt" list!

This exhibit is in honor of the amazing exhibit called "Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts".  For more information on this exhibit that was on display in New York City in March 25-30, 2011  please click here.  Note - there is a free ap to download that features great photos and more information on each quilt.

If you can, come to the International Quilt Festival at the George R. Brown Convention Center this week.  Opening Preview night is Wednesday, October 29, 2014.  The show runs through Sunday, November 2, 2014.

roll-up gifts

At a meeting this summer, one that I was unable to attend, my fellow Houston Modern Quilt Guild members shared four ideas to make now for gifting in the future (or for using now, your choice!)

I was able to buy a left-over kit and proceeded to make this cute roll-up tote.  So neat and tidy that it's easy to keep tucked into your purse.  Thank you Amy (she presented this project as well as planning this fun event!)!  Check out her great blog House of Bad Cats.

Here it is completed (above) and all rolled up ready to tuck in my purse (below).

I think it is really rather cute!

I must whip together a few more.  After all, what a great way to use up more of my fabric that seems to be lingering in my stockpiles of way-too-much-fabric.  I must clear some out so I have room for new purchases!  Maybe I will make these for all my dear ones -- plus it shows that I am making an effort to Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.  So many great intentions ... stay tuned for updates!