Quilt Alliance - Animals We Love

Every year the Quilt Alliance has a contest and auction to raise money for their nonprofit organization. They were established in 1993 with the intention of documenting, preserving and sharing the American quilting heritage. 

I have participated in their contest every year since I first discovered it in 2010. Creating a quilt based on their theme always invigorates me and brings me back into quilting. This year the theme was, "The Animals We Love." Recently we have frequently watched the Mexico themed movie, "Book of Life". After chatting with my husband, who is of Mexican ancestry, we came up with the idea of a sugar skull bull, a Muerto Toro.

I started the quilts with improvisational piecing of black and white fabric. I wanted the background to be neutral, but also have contrast to the bright colors that would be placed next.

Then I freehand cut the basic shape and large shaded areas of the bull face in bright, fanciful colors.

Once I was happy with the general layout, the large pieces were machine appliqued on with matching thread. Then I freehand cut the small applique accents to the bull face.

The background then became a little too quiet and I needed some color impact. I quickly drew out flying geese on a narrow strip of paper to foundation piece on.

That linear flying geese looked incredibly abrupt placed into the improved back. I did more chopping and moving so that it flowed better. The color shapes became representative of  fans cheering the Toro on in the ring. Since marigolds are traditional at Dia de los Muertos, there is a giant bloom on Toro and petals thrown from the crowd. It is now realized that Toro is no longer a fighting hero, but has fallen and moved into the next world.

All the small applique bits are hand embroidered on with perle cotton in unique touches.

Large Swarvoski beads are couched on to Toro's eye and falling tears.

Bright and in your face graffiti machine quilting covers his face and the crowd. 

The remaining background of black and white are lovingly hand quilted in big strokes with perle cotton.

I love Toro and was sad to see him off, but I hope he raises lots of money for the Quilt Alliance. And I maybe fully intending on buying him back at the auction!

I am entering this quilt and blog post into the Blogger's Quilt Festival on Amy's Creative Side. If this quilt is one that you love, please consider voting for it. XO

Liberated Halloween Baby Quilt

I love to make a few things for the kids for the holidays. I had planned to make the girls' Halloween skirts and baby boy a pair of pants. Unfortunately, the first skirt pattern I used was written with incorrect measurements. I had to scrap the skirt and in the end, I didn't have enough fabric to make baby boy's pants. The agony of being the third child..

Rather than toss the scrapped skirt in the trash can, I decided that I would cut it apart and create a stroller quilt in my favorite improv style. Makes perfect sense in high insight, he can use the blanket daily and get much more use out of it.

I used the Riley Blake fabric as focal points and improv pieced around them. They are so cute and get a ton of attention. I love sweet Halloween fabric that is not overwhelmingly scary.

I've seen a few quilting friends rave about how fun striped binding is. Luckily I had the perfect fabric for it and I love it! It is just the right, fun touch to the quilt.

So when life or sewing gives you lemons, it's time to make some adorable lemonade!

What's Orange and Black and Comfy??

What's orange and black and comfy??

My first Halloween lap size quilt and throw cushion!

This was originally destined for my Etsy shop..but these Halloween fabrics are my most very favorite EVER. I couldn't part with it..

I did not plan making this matching pillow.. what happened? Well... this was my first large quilt on the midarm and I underestimated how large the back fabric needs to be.. So while the top and batting were all quilted.. one whole row did not have adequate backing. What to do? I was pretty annoyed.. I adore this fabric and I didn't want to toss it. So I had my first try at improv piecing and I love it! It has a fleece back just like the quilt, so I'm pretty confident it is the comfiest throw pillow ever.

Fleece back you say? Yup! This is the back of the quilt. While fleece may not be modern or the hippest back to a quilt, it is comfy and durable with two little ones that like to curl up in it with juice boxes. Do you like the traveling star? My first time with it..it took awhile to grasp the motion, but it ended being a lot of fun.

Are you making some Halloween quilty goodness??

Quilting Class At The Library

I am still here. I am working like crazy these past weeks. I have nothing to show, err, that I'm at liberty to show. I will be back to posting some tutorial freebies soon, pinkie promise.

Until then, tomorrow I start my FREE paper piece quilting classes for the Salt Lake County Libraries. Want the details? Click on over.. I will teach how to do basic paper piecing and how to make it into this pincushion. Hope to see you there!

Cottage Chisel

Do you have an AccuQuilt?

Today I'm presenting how to create an adorable baby quilt from the chisel die-cut.

Come on over to Riley Blake!

Children's Relief Nursery

This year I will be participating in the Children's Relief Nursery based out of Portland, Oregon. I am donating my Piecing History Together art quilt. Here is a little bit of information about the organization in their own words:


"For the 11th year in a row, Children's Relief Nursery will be hosting Portland's Original Iron Chef on April 20, 2012 at the Portland Art Museum. Our most significant fundraising event, proceeds from Iron Chef helped keep hundreds of Portland's most vulnerable children safe last year.

Did you know that every eight minutes there is a report of child abuse or neglect in Oregon and nearly half of the victims are infants and toddlers? We focus our work on early intervention, because the best solution is to prevent abuse and neglect from happening in the first place.

Our mission is to keep children safe and families strong. Our vision is to prevent child abuse and neglect, because all kids deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential. Our early childhood program builds successful and resilient children and preserves families. We work with at-risk families with children from birth through four because early intervention in the first years of life substantially affects a child's future. In our first year, we served 58 children. In just a decade, our program has grown to serve more than 250 children annually."

As a mother, helping children lead safe and happy lives is a cause I'm in great favor of.

If you are a quilter or another type of artist, I encourage you to share your gift to help those in need. Please contact Dana at:  dana@crn4kids.org and she can give you more information. 

Chocolate Kisses

I love rag quilts. They are so fluffy and only get more cuddly after each wash. The only thing I don't love about rag quilts..is cutting them!

Don't you agree? Well if you do agree and you're in Utah, you are in luck! Early this year at Thimbles & Threads I will be teaching this Valentine baby rag quilt and the best part? I will have all the fabric & batting precut & fringed for you! Yup! You get to come to class and enjoy the best part of quilting - the quilting! I alternated between traditional X's and free motioned hearts, but you can do whatever you like.

  

Now, I have the same fabric on the back - I personally love this look. It's like a whole new patchwork blanket on the back.

Don't live in Utah? Don't want to quilt, but want this? I have them available on my Etsy store and will custom make it for you.

MaryJane's Farm Magazine - Artist Feature

It's hard for me to keep secrets.. like super hard. So when good things happen and I have to keep it under wraps, I typically let little bits slip out before I can. As you may have guessed from previous posts and/or my Facebook chatter, I am in a magazine this month.

I was interviewed for MaryJane's Farm magazine about a new line of items that I will be offering in my Etsy store. I am creating DIY paper pieced fabric card kits that are perfect for the new quilter. They are small and not intimidating to create, but for the very lucky receiver they are mini works of art to be cherished. I love quilts - the love & the time that goes in to them. How wonderful would it be to receive a mini bit of love in the mail?

For those that don't want to quilt, but want to enjoy this textile loveliness - I am offering quilted cards made by me.. Now the real question will be, do you keep it or give it away?

I have just a few in the store right now, but there are many more on the way this month..

The ABC's of Paper Piece Quilting

I'm so excited about one of my new classes at Thimbles & Threads. I will have a year long class of paper piecing the alphabet. This would be an amazing baby or children's quilt for next Christmas. It will be scrappy, bright, and just so very cheerful. You will become a paper piecing pro by the time this beauty is completed!

I have a few more classes coming up in January & February and will post pictures soon.

Moda Bake Shop

It's up, it's up! I'm so excited to be on Moda's Bakeshop. I love Moda and it's a dream come true to be working with them. I hope you'll stop and leave my little quilt some love. It was a quilt that I had rolling around in my mind all year and ended up being a birthday gift for sweet Julie.

A Little This and That

I apologize for the lack of posts these past 2 weeks, there has been so much going on here at home. It literally took me a week to recover from our overnight camping trip with the girls. Anyone have tips to camping with a baby and toddler, AND not coming home completely wiped out? I'd love some ideas!

Summer is here and our days have been filled with early mornings, running through sprinklers, learning the art of a water balloon fight, and evenings on the deck. Unfortunately it hasn't left too much time for blogging or working in the studio. But with beautiful, sweet babies like these who can complain?

I did finish two items last week for my Etsy shop. First up is a Diva Minnie Mouse inspired quilted baby blanket. I am a stickler about copyright - there are no licensed Disney fabrics in this quilt. They are just fabrics that remind me of the iconic fashionable Mouse! Lots of pink, black, polka dots, and zebra stripes. So much fun!

And I had been working on a paper pieced Union Jack for awhile now. I always test on my patterns to make sure they will come out as well I as imagined. I reworked the pattern 3 times and considered scrapping it all together, but I just love the iconic image. I realized my mistake - I was trying to replicate rather than trying to create my own version. As soon as I went wonky and embraced my vision, it was perfect! The pattern is for 4"x6" and it makes a fabulous applique! I'm using my test pattern on a mini art quilt, but I think this would be so cute on a bib or burp cloth!

I'm also working on a couple larger art pieces. It is hard for me to stay focused on the lengthier projects since I'm all about immediate gratification. These new pieces have been floating in my head for awhile though, so I'm excited to work on them and don't want to rush it.

Due to our crazy,crazy summer schedule I'm going to put off doing more sewing pattern reviews & knock off tutorials till at least the end of July. I have lots of fun projects lined up for you, but time is moving so fast. In the meantime, if you do have any requests - please let me know!

Modern Flag - Mug Rug Freebie Pattern

To kick off my pattern debut on Etsy, I'm offering a free pattern for this mug rug. This is a great introduction to paper piecing. Please only use this pattern for personal or charitable use. Also, it would mean so much to me if you would follow my blog if you like my freebies!

Let me know if you have any questions about paper piecing! I'm soo addicted. Designing these patterns is the perfect combination of creativity and logic. I hope you love it too!
If you love the mug rug, but don't want to make it - I'm selling this one in my Etsy store here. It will probably be the only one of this style I make.. Just too many ideas and not enough time..

It's Done, It's Done!!

This is my entry for Project Modern II.

It is called "Vertigo" and was inspired by one of my

all time favorite Hitchcock movies.. Vertigo.

It was a beast!

I love it, but I'm very happy to put it to rest...