Almost on my design wall – 2014.03.28

Posted on March 28, 2014 by TerryAske

I had great plans for my Skybridge quilt this week, but I ran into a few problems that slowed my progress.

As I said last week, I was thinking of making it in surreal colors, rather than realistic – something like the manipulated photo below with a yellow sky and blue-violet bridge.  I even bought some fabric in these colors, but somehow it just didn’t work when I put them up on the design wall.

So then I decided to use closer to realistic colors – I have a blue-green fabric for the sky, and will make the bridge from black, gray and white fabrics with a few dark blues and purples for shadows, and the red panel on the towers.

Skytrain Bridge  DSCN3447  IMG_1951-011

So with the colors decided and fabrics purchased, I started tracing the full-size pattern DSCN3445onto freezer paper.   I realized I needed a french curve ruler to get the long curved lines as smooth as I wanted them, so that required another trip to the fabric store.  Then I decided to eliminate the bushes at the bottom of the photo, and I had to refer to several other photos to draw in the structure of the bridge supports.  After several hours, I finally had a drawing I was happy with and I finished my tracing on the freezer paper.

I’m going to use the sky fabric as a base, and assemble the bridge sections in units, then applique them onto the sky fabric.  Since there are some fairly large pieces, I’m hoping it will go together quickly, and I’ll have something more exciting to show you next week.

 

Thanks for stopping by.  I’m linking up to these blogs.  Click on the links below, where you will see many other creative projects.

stitch by stitch    Quiltsy WiP       Creations by Nina-Marie   Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

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Weekend finish – 2014.03.23

Posted on March 23, 2014 by TerryAske

Quilting Arts magazine announces a reader challenge in every issue.  The current challenge is called ‘Art in the Park’ and is to make an 8″ x 8″ art quilt with the theme of ‘enjoying the park’.   My immediate thought was kids on swings in a playground.

DSCN3436I created my two kids on swings first (sorry, no photos of that part) then started thinking about the background.  I wanted a background that looked park-like and that contrasted well with the kids.  None of my fabrics seemed suitable – they were too dull, or too dark or too bright.  It occurred to me to use black and white prints – they would contrast well with the colorful kids.  Then I remembered I recently bought some wax crayons with the intention of using them to color fabrics.  (I’ve used colored pencils to add shadows or highlights, but hadn’t used wax crayons.)

DSCN3427I picked some fun black & white prints, and applied fusible web to the back.  I added some details with a black permanent marker (such as the tops of the picket fence), then colored with the crayons.  To set the color, I put a couple of layers of paper towel over the colored fabric, then applied heat with the iron.  Then I did it again, to make sure no further color came off on the paper towel.

 

Then I fused the background pieces to a piece of batting 8.5″ x 8.5″.  The kids were positioned on the background and fused.  I added a backing fabric, then quilted with black thread.  I’m thrilled with how well it turned out.  I think I’ll be using crayons again in the future.

DSCN3428  TerryAske-Kids in the Park

 

Thanks for stopping by.  I’m linking up to these blogs, where you can see many other creative projects:

   Creations by Nina-Marie   Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

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On my design wall – 2014.03.19

Posted on March 19, 2014 by TerryAske

Another circle quilt – this one is for the SAQA 2014 Auction.  Each SAQA member can submit one 12 x 12 inch art quilt.  The quilts are posted on the SAQA website, and auctioned off in September.  The funds are used to support SAQA’s very active exhibition program.

I started constructing this on Sunday and finished it on Monday.  The design process took a lot longer, but it seems I’m constantly thinking about circles these days, so I have lots of design ideas ready.  My original plan for the quilting was an all-over grid.  But when I was almost finished the quilting, I decided I liked the look of it with the partial grid.

TerryAske_ModernCircles3

 

I also spent some time creating these fun sample blocks for a new block lottery for the Vancouver MQG.  DSCN3407

 

Skytrain BridgeMy next project is an art quilt I’ll submit to the IQF Tactile Architecture 2014 exhibit.  It will be based on this photo I took of the Skybridge (part of the Vancouver rapid transit system).  I love the curve it makes as it swoops up and out over the river.  I’m going to leave out the street lamps, signs and traffic lights, and focus on the shapes of the bridge deck and the towers.  I haven’t decided yet what colors I will use, but I’m thinking it will something colorful, rather than realistic.

 

Thanks for stopping by.  I’m linking up with these blogs for WiP Wednesday.  Click on the links below, where you will see many other creative projects.

stitch by stitch WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Quiltsy WiP     Esther’s Blog

 

 

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Friday finish – 2014.03.14

Posted on March 15, 2014 by TerryAske

I finished my second entry for the Canadian Quilters‘ Trend-Tex Challenge.  As I said on Wednesday, this one is an improv style.  For example, the pink corner is only there because I ran out of the blue fabric – because I didn’t plan ahead, so hadn’t determined how much blue fabric I would need!  But that’s the nature of improv!

I quilted it in an improv style as well – the quilting is not quite parallel, not quite equally spaced.  I did echo-quilting in the different color areas until I ran out of room, then I just improvised to fill in the remaining space.  As with the first quilt, I matched my top and bobbin thread, so you can easily see my quilting on the back.

TerryAske-TrendTex 2-front  TerryAske-TrendTex 2-back

Here are both my entries together – very different, except for the use of the challenge fabrics.  I’ll get the sleeves and labels on today and get them in the mail.

TerryAske-TrendTex entries

Thanks for stopping by.  I’m linking up to these blogs, where you can see many other creative projects:

   Creations by Nina-Marie   Confessions of a Fabric Addict

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On my design wall – 2014.03.12

Posted on March 12, 2014 by TerryAske

Here’s my second entry for the Canadian Quilters‘ Trend-Tex Challenge.   (You can see my first entry here.)  This one is an improv style, and as usual with this type of design, I didn’t really know what it was going to look like when I started, and it changed several times during construction.  It will also be about 19 x 19 inches.  Now I just need to quilt and bind it, and get them both in the mail.

TerryAske-TrendTex 2

 

Thanks for stopping by.  I’m linking up with these blogs for WiP Wednesday.  Click on the links below, to see many other creative projects.

stitch by stitch WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Quiltsy WiP     Esther’s Blog

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Friday finishes – 2014.03.07

Posted on March 7, 2014 by TerryAske

This week I have two finishes to share.

This my first entry for the Canadian Quilters‘ Trend-Tex Challenge.   It went together really quickly – on Monday I drew the pattern on freezer paper, cut the fabric and sewed it together; on Wednesday I quilted and bound it.  You can see the quilting on the black back, as I used the same color thread on the top and in the bobbin.   It’s 19 x 19 inches.

TerryAske-TrendTex 1-frontTerryAske-TrendTex 1-back

 

2014.03.01.001This little quilt is my submission to the annual juried exhibition “Cherry Blossoms: A Textile Translation”.  The show will open April 1st at the Silk Purse Gallery in West Vancouver.  http://silkpurse.ca/exhibitions/

I fused various scraps to the background to give it more depth and interest.  Then I rough cut the leaf and petal shapes and fused them to the background.  I sketched the flower and leaf outlines with dark green thread, then sketched in some additional details with pink thread.  The blossom centers are embellished with hand-stitched embroidery thread.  The finished size is 12 x 12 inches.

Aske_T_Cherry Blossoms 2014

 

Thanks for stopping by.  I’m linking up to these blogs, where you can see many other creative projects:

   Creations by Nina-Marie   Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

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On my design wall – 2014.03.05

Posted on March 5, 2014 by TerryAske

A few months ago, I sent away for a fabric kit for the Canadian Quilters‘ Trend-Tex Challenge.  Since then, I’ve been mulling over how to best use the fabrics.  I decided to continue with my current fascination with circles, and designed this quilt.

DSCN3358

After it’s been quilted and bound, I’ll use the remaining fabrics to make an improv-style quilt.  I’ll have to work quickly because the quilts have to arrive in Ontario by March 22nd.

 

Thanks for stopping by.  I’m linking up with these blogs for WiP Wednesday.  Do go and have a look at other fantastic quilts and check out the projects they’re working on.

stitch by stitch WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Quiltsy WiP     Esther’s Blog

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On my design wall – 2014.02.19

Posted on February 19, 2014 by TerryAske

Today I’m trying out a couple of new techniques.  I made up a small sample piece about 5 x 8 inches.

The first technique is a background made from small scraps, each less than 1″ square.  I fused some Misty Fuse to batting, then laid the scraps on top.  When I had covered the batting, I fused the scraps to the batting, added a backing fabric and machine stitched them all in place.

The second technique is a sketchy style of applique and stitching.  I cut out vaguely leaf-shaped pieces of fabric and fused them to the background.  Then I free-motion stitched leaf-shapes with dark green thread.  I used the same process for a cherry blossom flower and stitched it with a fairly dark fuchsia thread.

DSCN3348

I very happy with how this turned out, so now I’m going to start working on a bigger piece.

 

I’m linking up with these blogs for WiP Wednesday.  Click on the buttons below to see all the creative people participating and check out the projects they’re working on.

stitch by stitch WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Quiltsy WiP     Esther’s Blog

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Workshop and trunk shows – 2014.02.17

Posted on February 17, 2014 by TerryAske

On Wednesday, I did a trunk show at the monthly meeting of the Vancouver Quilters’ Guild.  On Saturday, I did a workshop for the guild on Freezer Paper Piecing.

DSCN3334I provided patterns – a choice of a fairly simple Maple leaf pattern or a more complex Japanese Maple leaf pattern.  Here are the 2 class samples that I made a while ago.

Most of the participants elected to make the simpler block – and by the end of the class, several of them had completed their blocks.

Workshop with Vancouver Quilt GuildHere are some of the blocks that were finished at the workshop.  I love seeing how each person’s fabric selections change the look of the block.  [The one in the top right corner is the sample that I made.]

Some of the other participants were still working on their blocks at the end of the day, and of course those who selected the more complex pattern did not finish during the class.  Everyone said they enjoyed the class, and they now have another technique in their ‘toolkit’.

Here’s some additional information about the tips and techniques I teach at this workshop.

If you live in the metro Vancouver area, you may be interested in knowing that I’ll be doing two trunks shows at the Langley Quilters’ Guild on Wednesday, February 26th – they have a meeting at noon and another at 7pm.  [I was going to do a mini-workshop on my Mod Dogs in the afternoon, but not enough people signed up.]

 

Linking up to anything goes mondays.  Click on the button below to see all the creative people participating and check out the projects they’re working on.

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Monday afternoon finish – 2014.02.10

Posted on February 10, 2014 by TerryAske

My entry for the Modern Quilt Guild Riley Blake Basics challenge is finished.  It’s 36 x 36 inches.  I added several other solids to the challenge fabrics.

After drawing several sketches of circles, I settled on a design with 3 sections of concentric circles of varying diameters.  I drew the full-size pattern on freezer paper, then cut each template out and pressed it to the back of the fabric.  I used 2 techniques to join the pieces – some of the seams have raw edges covered with bias tape, and some of the seam allowances were pressed over the freezer paper template then top-stitched over the adjacent piece.

I pieced the back with 3 sections that align with the front sections.  I quilted each section with straight lines about 1 inch apart.  I used a medium gray thread on the front, and matched the bobbin thread to the back fabrics.

I love the look of solid black binding, but always forget that it’s challenging to work with.  (I guess I need a pair of those spectacles with built in lights!)  I also forget how solid black backing picks up tiny bits of batting fluff.  Anyway, I persevered, and I love the result.  (As you can see, there is no sleeve or label – yet – so it will be added to the pile of quilts that are waiting for the boring finishing touches.

TerryAske-front  TerryAske-back

 

I’m linking up to these sites.  Click on the buttons below to see all the creative people participating and check out the projects they’re working on.

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