Circles and design considerations – 2018.09.21

Posted on September 21, 2018 by TerryAske

I will be teaching a Circles workshop at the end of September with Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild.   I like to make a class sample or two before a workshop, partly to refresh my memory about the techniques (even though I did use the technique recently for my Hobbit House mini quilt) and partly because I really like making circle blocks.

I had a couple of different ideas for color options, so I decided to use one pattern to make 2 very different circle blocks.  Here’s the pattern I designed, drawn on freezer paper.  It’s a 12.5 inch square.

 

The first block is all black and white fabrics, with gray and orange bias tape.  Here’s how it evolved.  My first idea was to use bias tape in lots of bright colors.  It looked great up close, but when I viewed it from a distance, it didn’t appeal to me.

   

 

I experimented with a few other color options for the bias tape . . .

. . . and eventually settled on bias tape in 3 shades of gray and one of orange.

 

I peeled the freezer paper off the back of the first block, and reused it to create the second block.  My second design idea was solid colors, separated by thin black bias tape.  This one came together more quickly, because I was satisfied with my first color choices for each section.

 

I see either or both of these becoming the basis for a full-size quilt.

 

Thanks for stopping by. Today, I’m linking up with these blogs – click on the links below, where you’ll find many other creative and inspirational projects.

Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday
Can I get a Whoop Whoop? by Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

Posted in Modern quilts, On my design wall, workshops | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Journal quilt – 2018.09.10

Posted on September 10, 2018 by TerryAske

This little quilt is 8.5 by 11 inches.  It’s for the artist exchange at the upcoming annual Fibre Art Network (FAN) conference.

It’s the result of a convoluted thought process on my part, in response to the newest FAN exhibition “20/20 Vision”.   The exhibition will be “based on personal interpretations of the concept of 20/20 vision in light of the Fibre Art Network celebrating twenty years as a cooperative of artists based in Western Canada.”   All pieces will be 20 x 20 inches.

It was suggested that we could use the FAN journal-size art exchange as an opportunity to create a trial run of our “20/20 Vision” piece.

Sometimes when I read a call for entry, I immediately know what my subject matter will be.  But sometimes, I struggle to find a subject – and I turn to Google for inspiration.

Searching for “20/20 vision” led me to “vision test” which lead me to “tumbling E vision test eye chart”.  The clean lines and abstract look of the tumbling E’s appealed to me, and I decided to make an abstract piece using the E-shape.

Image result for vision test tumbling e wikipedia

My initial plan was to use mostly black & white fabrics with text patterns, but I got distracted by some colorful solid scraps on my cutting table.

These were improv blocks, only roughly measured.  So I was pleasantly surprised when all the corners matched!  I quilted it with a 1/2″ grid, and I faced the edges.

  

 

I think when I make the actual piece for the exhibition, I’ll revert to my original plan of black & white text fabrics.  I’ll have to make some test blocks and see what it looks like.

 

Thanks for stopping by. Today, I’m linking up with these blogs – click on the links below, where you’ll find many other creative and inspirational projects.

Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday
Em’s Scrap Bag Moving It Forward Monday
Love Laugh Quilt Monday Making

Posted in Modern quilts | Tagged , | 4 Comments

On my design wall – 2018.09.07

Posted on September 7, 2018 by TerryAske

The background for my new art quilt is sewn together.  See my blog post from earlier this week for more information about the SAQA regional exhibition “Shifting Tides: Convergence in Cloth“.

Before I sewed the columns together, I checked the values by converting the photo to black & white, to see the values and ensure the flow from light to dark was what I wanted.

 

Then I sewed the columns together.

 

Next I’m going to layer and quilt the background, before adding appliqued schools of fish.  Here’s a close up of the fabric I’m thinking of using for some of the fish.

 

Thanks for stopping by. Today, I’m linking up with these blogs – click on the links below, where you’ll find many other creative and inspirational projects.

Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday
Can I get a Whoop Whoop? by Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

Posted in Art quilts, On my design wall | Tagged , | 4 Comments

On my design wall – 2018.09.05

Posted on September 5, 2018 by TerryAske

I’ve started working on a new art quilt.  It’s for a SAQA regional exhibition – the “greater North Pacific region” (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Western Canada).

The title of the exhibition is “Shifting Tides: Convergence in Cloth“.  The Exhibit Concept is “Shifting Tides: Convergence in Cloth will focus on the current state of the Pacific Ocean ecosystem, its marvelous natural diversity, and the human activities that both sustain and threaten oceanic life.”

I’ve had an idea for a long time to make an art quilt featuring schools of fish, swimming in graceful synchronized patterns.  So I guess I’m focusing on the “marvelous natural diversity” rather than the impact of human activities on ocean life.

The entry does not open until November, so this is early for me – I usually work much closer to a deadline.  But I have an idea, and decided to start working on it.

First, I’m building an underwater background, then I’ll fuse fish (and possibly other ocean life forms) on it.

I want to keep it somewhat abstract, so I cut 6″ square pieces from a variety of ocean-colored fabrics.  I positioned the squares on the design wall from dark to light.  Do you see the ‘fish’ shapes?  I’m not sure what colors or sizes I will actually use, I was just anxious to see how they looked against the background.

 

I cut curves between the horizontal joins and inserted a few narrower pieces.  I purposely offset the curves from one column to the next, to give it an abstract look.  I’ve spent a couple of days arranging and rearranging, but now it’s time to sew the pieces into columns.  I can always insert more fabrics if I don’t like the flow from light to dark.  Then I’ll sew the columns together.

 

By the way, all this fabric is from my stash, including some fabrics I bought to make this quilt in 2003!

 

 

Thanks for stopping by.  Today, I’m linking up with these blogs – click on the links below, where you’ll find many other creative and inspirational projects.

Em’s Scrap Bag Moving It Forward Monday
Love Laugh Quilt Monday Making
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle & Thread Network
WIPs on Wednesday at Esther’s Quilt Blog

 

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Row houses mini quilt – 2018.08.24

Posted on August 24, 2018 by TerryAske

I’m working on another mini quilt for Curated Quilts magazine’s mini quilt challenge.   The theme is House, and the deadline for submissions is August 31.  You can see all of the entries here.

My second entry will be Row Houses.  I’ve pieced the houses.  Next, I’ll sew them together, then add details with quilting.

 

Thanks for stopping by. Today, I’m linking up with these blogs – click on the links below, where you’ll find many other creative and inspirational projects.

Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday
Can I get a Whoop Whoop? by Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Posted in Modern quilts | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Hobbit House mini quilt – 2018.08.15

Posted on August 15, 2018 by TerryAske

The theme for Curated Quilts magazine’s issue 6 is House.  As usual they are having a mini quilt challenge.   Some of the mini quilts will be included in the magazine.

The image below shows the color palette they would like entrants to use, all or in part, with House as the overall inspiration.  The colors are: “pear green, peacoat blue, poppy red, ocean spray, clay brown, light gray –– descriptors not actual color names, and prints are always welcome.”

 

I was thinking about circles, and in my mind, Circle + House = Hobbit House door.  Here’s my entry.  It’s 11 x 11 inches.

 

Thanks for stopping by.  Today, I’m linking up with these blogs – click on the links below, where you’ll find many other creative and inspirational projects.

Em’s Scrap Bag Moving It Forward Monday
Love Laugh Quilt Monday Making
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle & Thread Network
WIPs on Wednesday at Esther’s Quilt Blog

 

Posted in Modern quilts, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Want to see some quilts?

Posted on August 11, 2018 by TerryAske

If you would like to see some beautiful quilts, and you live in the Vancouver area, mark this event on your calendar.

It will be at the same location as our Showcase in 2016, and it promises to be an outstanding show.

 

Here are two of my quilts that will be on display.   ‘Sailing at Sunset‘ was made a couple of months ago specifically for the VMQG showcase.   ‘Shades of Gray‘ is from 2013, but it’s still one of my favorite modern quilts.

  

 

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If you can’t make it to the VMQG Showcase, check out the SAQA Auction quilts.  This year, there are 443 art quilts that have been donated by SAQA members for the online auction.  Each art quilt is 12″ x 12″.

Auction Header

 

My donation to the auction is ‘Fallen Beauty‘  You can read about how I made it here.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by. Today, I’m linking up with these blogs – click on the links below, where you’ll find many other creative and inspirational projects.

Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday
Can I get a Whoop Whoop? by Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Posted in Art quilts, Modern quilts, Quilt shows, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Want to see some quilts?

Baby quilt is finished – 2018.07.18

Posted on July 18, 2018 by TerryAske

The baby quilt is done!

I layered it with batting and fleece backing.  I cut the batting to 1.5 inches wider than the top on each side, and I cut the fleece backing even larger, so there was about 4 inches extra on each side.

 

 

I stitched around the edge of the top through all the layers, then I quilted two lines through the center, one vertical and one horizontal.  This stabilized the layers and divided the quilt into four sections.  I echo-quilted each section with parallel right-angle lines about 1.5 inches apart.

 

 

I trimmed the fleece so it was 2″ wider than the batting on all sides, and folded it over to the front as binding.  I used the mitering technique described in faux blanket binding by red flannel pantry.  I straight-stitched about 1/4″ in from the raw edge of the binding, then zigzag stitched over the raw edge.

 

 

 

The final size is 44 x 44 inches.  It’s soft and cuddly, and bright and colorful – exactly what I wanted!

 

Thanks for stopping by.  Today, I’m linking up with these blogs – click on the links below, where you’ll find many other creative and inspirational projects.

Em’s Scrap Bag Moving It Forward Monday
Love Laugh Quilt Monday Making
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle & Thread Network
WIPs on Wednesday at Esther’s Quilt Blog

Posted in Modern quilts | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Baby quilt top is done – 2018.07.03

Posted on July 3, 2018 by TerryAske

I’ve been working on this baby quilt off and on since the beginning of May.  Towards the end of May, I was at this point.

 

Then it sat untouched on my design wall until a few days ago, while I worked on other projects that had firm deadlines.

I spent the last couple of days making more striped blocks, and now the top is totally pieced.  It’s about 42 x 44 inches.  I love the combination of pink, purple, orange and yellow with neutrals, and the scrappy, improv look.

The words are created with a technique taught by Felicity Ronaghan (felicityquilts.com) at a recent Improv Letters Workshop.

I’m going to back it with pink fleece, and I’ll quilt it with straight lines – most likely diagonal lines, like I did with this baby quilt.  My goal is to have it finished so I can show it at the July Vancouver MQG meeting.

 

Thanks for stopping by.  Today, I’m linking up with these blogs – click on the links below, where you’ll find many other creative and inspirational projects.

Em’s Scrap Bag Moving It Forward Monday
Love Laugh Quilt Monday Making
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle & Thread Network
WIPs on Wednesday at Esther’s Quilt Blog

Posted in Modern quilts, On my design wall, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Sailing at Sunset – 2018.06.29

Posted on June 29, 2018 by TerryAske

My newest cityscape quilt is finished – and just in time to be registered for the VMQG Modern Quilt Showcase – the deadline to register quilts is tomorrow.

I called it ‘Sailing at Sunset‘.  It’s 13.5 x 26 inches and made entirely from solid fabrics.    (See my previous post for information about how I designed it.)

 

And here it is next to the 6 x 8 inch cityscape mini quilt I made in March for a reader challenge in Cloth Paper Scissors magazine.  I think they look great together!

 

Thanks for stopping by.  Today, I’m linking up with these blogs – click on the links below, where you’ll find many other creative and inspirational projects.

Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday
Can I get a Whoop Whoop? by Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Em’s Scrap Bag Moving It Forward Monday
WIPs on Wednesday at Esther’s Quilt Blog
Midweek Makers @ QuiltFabrication

Posted in Art quilts, Modern quilts, Quilt shows | Tagged , , | 5 Comments