Back on my design wall – 2013.11.20

Posted on November 20, 2013 by TerryAske

DSCN2949This quilt is back on my design wall.   It’s layered and ready for quilting.  I’m going to start with machine-quilting, then decide whether to add some hand quilting.  And then I’ll fuse on the flying geese.

And check out some of the other fabulous quilts that have been made as part of this exciting collaborative quilt project – Common Threads Indigo Quilt Project.

I can’t wait to see installation of the 20+ quilt panels!

 

 

DSCN2927I’m happy to announce that I have 2014 desk and wall calendars for sale in my Etsy shop.   Each calendar has thirteen Calendarshigh quality images of my quilts.  A great gift for a sewer or quilter – in addition to most major Canadian and US public holidays, this calendar includes additional important dates like Worldwide Quilting Day and Sewing Machine Day!

 

If you enjoy blog hopping and a chance to win prizes, check out Blogathon Canada 2013 – November 18-23 – a week-long celebration of Canadian Quilting Bloggers, sponsored by Sew Sisters Quilt Shop.  Discover new blogs, make new friends, and win amazing prizes – and you don’t have to be Canadian to enter and win!  Where to start?  How about at my friend Holly’s blog.

 

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

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Esther’s Blog

 

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Pet portrait workshop for FVQG

Posted on November 18, 2013 by TerryAske

Last week, I did two trunk show presentations for the Fraser Valley Quilters’ Guild.  They were a warm, welcoming group.  I love showing my work to other quilters!

Then on Saturday, I did a Pet Portrait Workshop for them.  Several of the participants were using their own pet photo, and had followed my tutorial to create their own pattern.  Others opted to use a pattern I provided based on my Border Collie pet portrait.

Here are some of their pet portraits – still under construction, but looking very cute!

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Posted in Art quilts, Portrait quilts | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

On my design wall – 2013.11.13

Posted on November 13, 2013 by TerryAske

DSCN2901I was thinking about quilting this quilt with a serpentine stitch.  Thank goodness I tested the serpentine stitch on a leftover block, because I saw that it really didn’t work with the skinny lines – it made them look really wobbly.  I’ll save that stitch for another quilt.

So, back to my original plan of horizontal straight-line stitching.   I was thinking of a medium gray binding, but instead went with my default color – chartreuse.  I’m really happy with how it looks – in fact, I think this is my favorite modern quilt I’ve made to date. I didn’t have a sketch or plan – just an idea in my head, and it turned out even better than I had imagined it.  I’ll be showing at the VMQG meeting next week, as my entry to the Michael Miller Cotton Couture challenge.

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

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Esther’s Blog

 

Posted in Modern quilts, On my design wall | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Friday Finish – 2013.11.08

Posted on November 8, 2013 by TerryAske

DSCN2878The Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild has organized a needlebook swap with the London Modern Quilt Guild.   I’ve never made a needlebook, but was up for learning a new technique.

I decided to use the VMQG logo colors for my needlebook, and make a wonky log cabin for the outside.  I’m really happy with how it turned out.

 

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I’m linking up to these sites, where you can see many creative projects:

   Creations by Nina-Marie   Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

Posted in Friday finishes, Modern quilts | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

On my design wall – 2013.11.06

Posted on November 6, 2013 by TerryAske

I had a lot of fun designing this quilt.  I knew I wanted the background to be white at the top, then a couple of shades of gray, and black at the bottom, with small squares and narrow strips of the challenge neon colors and a few of my other favorite colors.  As you can see, I changed some of the colors as I worked on it.

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I constructed it using a very improv technique. I just started inserting strips and squares into the background colors until I had blocks approximately 10 x 10 inches square.  I arranged the blocks on the design wall, then added more fabrics to fill in the blank areas.

DSCN2862It’s all pieced now, so the next step is layering and quilting.  I will quilt it horizontally, so I can use light gray thread at the top, medium gray in the middle and dark gray or black at the bottom.

Initially I was thinking of quilting straight lines, but it occurred to me this might be a good candidate for serpentine quilting lines.  I’ve wanted to try the wavy stitch since I found instructions on how to do it with my Janome 6600.

I’m open to suggestions and opinions  . . .

 

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

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Esther’s Blog

 

P.S.   You still have a couple of days to head over to the Bloggers Quilt Festival and vote for your favorite in each of the 15 categories.  Voting closes on November 7, and winners will be announced on November 8.  While you’re visiting the festival, look for my quilts – number 25 in the Applique Quilt category, and number 58 in the Wall Hanging category.

Posted in Modern quilts, On my design wall, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , | 16 Comments

Off my design wall – 2013.11.02

Posted on November 2, 2013 by TerryAske

The portrait quilt is finished and off my design wall. (You can see other posts about it here, here, here and here.)

I didn’t have enough of the border fabric for a traditional binding, and I didn’t want to use a different fabric for the binding.  It occurred to me that I could use my facing technique (which requires less fabric), then stitch through the quilt and the facing about 1/4 inch from the edge, and create a pseudo-binding.  I’m very pleased with how it looks.

TerryAske_portrait quilt

 

I’m linking up to these sites, where you can see many creative projects:

   Creations by Nina-Marie   Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

And make sure you check out the Bloggers Quilt Festival – Amy at Amy’s Creative Side has been running the Bloggers Quilt Festival since 2009.  It’s timed to coincide with Quilt Market in the fall and spring each year, so those of us who can’t get to Houston can still enjoy a quilt show.

There are 15 categories, all with many wonderful entries.  Each entry has a link back to the blog of the quilter, so you can see the story behind their quilt.

While you’re visiting the festival, look for my quilts – number 25 in the Applique Quilt category, and number 58 in the Wall Hanging category.  You can vote for one quilt in each category (by clicking on the heart in the corner of the image) and there’s the opportunity to win prizes.  Voting closes on November 7, and winners will be announced on November 8.

Posted in Art quilts, Friday finishes, Portrait quilts | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

On my design wall – 2013.10.30

Posted on October 30, 2013 by TerryAske

TerryAske-portrait quiltedThe portrait quilt is nearly finished.   Since I posted about it last week, I added features to  the third face, fused it all together, and quilted it.   Just the final touches to complete – quilting the border, binding, sleeve and label – then it will be off to its new owner.

 

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So now I have another project on my design wall.   The VMQG has a Michael Miller Cotton Couture fabric challenge which is due at our November 18th meeting.  I’ve been thinking about what I’m going to do with this fabric.  I want to tone down the neon bright challenge fabrics with some black, white, grey and darker solids.  I put some fabrics up on my design wall to see how they look together.  (I didn’t bother pressing them, so I pixelated the photo to emphasize the colors, and ignore the wrinkles.)  It will be an improv design with some blocks of color and some skinny lines.

 

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

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Esther’s Blog

Posted in Art quilts, Modern quilts, On my design wall, Portrait quilts, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Bloggers Quilt Festival Fall 2013 – Part 2

Posted on October 29, 2013 by TerryAske

This is my second entry in Amy’s Bloggers Quilt Festival – you can read about my first entry here.

Category entered: Wall Hanging Quilts
Techniques used: machine piecing, fused applique, stitched applique, free-motion quilting
Designed, created and quilted by me
Finished size: 18 x 18 inches

Terry Aske Starry Winter Night 2

Here’s the story behind the quilt.  I had sent away for a fat quarter to participate in the Sew Batik challenge for the Pacific West Quilt Show.  In June, I suddenly realized that I only had a couple of days to complete my challenge quilt and get it in the mail.  I’d known since I saw the fabric what theme I wanted to do – Starry Winter Night – but hadn’t really thought about the details.  I decided to go with an abstract look, and challenged myself to complete it in two days.  Normally I would have drawn a design, enlarged it to full size, and traced that to freezer paper or fusible web.  Instead, I cut all the pieces free-hand and just placed them on the background where they looked good.  I really enjoyed the spontaneous free-style design and construction of this quilt.

Here’s how it looked as I was constructing it, and here it is hanging in the challenge exhibit at the Pacific West Quilt Show in Tacoma.

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Make sure that you pop over to Amy’s Creative Side and check out all of the wonderful quilts in the Festival and vote for your favorites.  I’d love it if you voted for mine, if you’re so inclined.

Posted in Art quilts, Quilt shows | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Bloggers Quilt Festival Fall 2013 – Part 1

Posted on October 28, 2013 by TerryAske

Amy at Amy’s Creative Side has been running the Bloggers Quilt Festival since 2009.  It’s timed to coincide with Quilt Market in the fall and spring each year.

Here’s the schedule if you’d like to participate – you can submit one or two of your quilts, nominate your favorite quilt for Viewer’s Choice, vote for favorites in each category, and win wonderful prizes!

Blogger’s Quilt Festival Schedule:
  • October 25 – 31 – Linky’s Open & Nominate for Viewer’s Choice
  • November 1 – 7 – Vote for favorites in each of the categories
  • November 8 – Winners announced

I’m entering this quilt in the Applique Quilt category.    It’s called ‘Orthrozanclus Reburrus’ and it’s a textile representation of a fossil of tiny grazing animal covered with beautifully-shaped curved spines.  It was created for a SAQA-West exhibit that will travel to elementary schools as an educational tool about the Burgess Shale.

It’s 24 x 24 inches, and is fused applique.  You can read more about this quilt here and here.

Terry Aske _ Burgess Shale Fossil quilt

 

Posted in Art quilts, Quilt shows | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

On my design wall – 2013.10.23

Posted on October 23, 2013 by TerryAske

I’ve been working on the portrait quilt, and I have two of the faces done.  I used some of my skin-tone fabrics for some of the facial features, but for most of them I used machine stitching.  It doesn’t show in this photo, but I did stitch some very light gray hair on the great-grandfather.  I’ll stitch a bit of hair on the baby’s head once the quilt is assembled.  One more face to add features to, then I’ll decide on a background color, and fuse it all together.

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I needed a bit of a break from the portrait quilt, so I took a couple of hours off and made two very modern looking dog portraits.  They’re samples for a class I may be doing soon for a local quilt guild – if enough people sign up.

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The Artists’ Reception for the Abstracted exhibition at the La Conner Quilt Museum was a lot of fun.  The people who attended seemed very impressed with the show.  We also had a chance to see some of Elizabeth Barton’s quilts, which are wonderful.

 

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

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Esther’s Blog

Posted in Art quilts, portait quilts, Quilt shows, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments