April 12, 2013
Friday Favorites: Favorite Quilting Books
I am inspired by so many things, I decided that every Friday, I will highlight a favorite person, thing, or idea. Maybe you will be inspired too! See all past Friday Favorites here.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
I have a special bookshelf in my studio that is filled with favorite quilting books. The ones I pull out to look through when I feel in a creative rut. Each of them inspire me in different ways (some for color, some for pattern, some for symmetry of design) and they are the ones I turn to again and again. In my eyes, these books represent quiltmaking as an artform, not simply craft. I thought I’d share a few of them.
Anna Williams: Her Quilts & Their Influences by Katherine Watts
This book was published by the American Quilter’s Society in 1995, so not really vintage, but the quilts of Anna Williams span a lifetime of instinctual, brilliant color patchwork piecing, a lifetime of honing a skill she described as “what I do to take my mind off my troubles”. The copies of this book left in circulation are not cheap, and it is shockingly thin (a mere 25 pages), but it is truly inspiring. As Denyse said in her workshop where I first learned of Anna, “you can’t fake” what Anna did with color, pattern, and quilting. Sadly, Anna passed away in June of 2012. I love having this book of her work to inspired me.
Quilts by Roderick Kiracofe.
This book was a gift from Erin and I absolutely love it. Not an old book at all, quite new in fact, available as a self-published book on Blurb.The colors, the patterns, the entire collection of quilts in this book is completely inspiring on so many levels. Some of these quilts were shown at QuiltCon recently (another reason I should have gone!) and it must have been wonderful to see these in person. Great fabric and color reference on these pages. And something about seeing beautifully colored quilts on a stark white background really appeals to me.
Abstract Design in American Quilts: A Biography of an Exhibition by Jonathan Holstein
This book is the story of an exhibition that opened in 1971 at the Whitney Museum in New York. This book reminds and inspires me to remember the art of quiltmaking. There is an entire story within the pages of this book of how the exhibit came to exist, along with full pages of the quilts themselves with information about each one. There is page after page of graphic inspiration and use of color and pattern. This is a beautiful book for any quiltmaker to have in their collection.
Patchwork Simplified by Alice Timmins
This is a well-used old library copy with a copyright of 1973. I love the mod, geometric feel of the patchwork in this book. Look at those wonderful quilted skirts above (although I’m sure she is beating her head against the wall on the right, wondering why she didn’t just make that fabulous patchwork into a full quilt instead of a skirt).
Patchcraft by Elsie Svennas
Another treasure, beautiful use of color and shapes within quilts. Gives great examples of applique and embroidery used in quiltmaking, although many of the images are black and white. Still…
The Perfect Patchwork Primer by Beth Gutcheon
This book is just a great reference book for so many techniques, standards, and really just the whole idea of quilting’s place in a creative life. A must-have for any vintage quilt library.
I would love to hear what quilting books you have to inspire you!
Happy Friday!
April 9, 2013
8 Months into Daily Sketching
I am still doing daily sketching and posting over at The Sketchbook Blog. I’m actually sticking with it people! This is not that painful!
The whole idea of taking the time to sketch daily has been full of starts and fits for me, but despite that it has slowly turned into a new, daily discipline. Reminder to you all- I DIDN’T KNOW I COULD SKETCH BEFORE I STARTED THIS! I find myself heading over to the family room table I sketch at instinctively every day, usually in the morning, to get my sketch done when I feel fresh and the light is good.
READ MORE
April 1, 2013
DIY Geometric Garland out of Vintage Sheets
I was quite entranced with Spring this past weekend, Seattle truly outdid itself with beautiful weather! We had dinner on the beach (I, of course, brought home more rocks), we walked the neighborhood, dyed Easter eggs, and had Peep jousting wars in the microwave, and made our traditional Easter dinner of ham, carrots, asparagus, etc. I wanted to make the Easter table feel as Springy and came up with this garland after seeing a similar paper version in an old kid’s crafting book from the 1960’s. I love that it creates a really geometric shape and gives a new spin to everyone’s favorite triangular bunting shape. I think these will stay up for a while, I smile every time I pass them.
Here’s how I made them.
March 26, 2013
Granny Circle Squares
As many of these granny circle (or squares) as I have crocheted and I’ve never stuck to such a strict color palette. Fun change!
March 20, 2013
Jewel Boxes Quilt
The Jewel Boxes Quilt is done! I began this quilt, or I should say, I began the scrappy improvisation blocks for this quilt, during the first workshop I took with Denyse Schmidt. You can see my blocks from that weekend more in the second part of the write-up. In the class, we randomly grabbed and pieced small strips together using her paper bag piecing method. This is just what it sounds like, grabbing little bits of fabric from brown paper bags, with absolutely no thought as to what gets paired with what, or what color combinations result. (This is exactly why so many of the blocks you see from her classes have that beautifully random, “use what you have” homespun look.)
READ MORE
March 14, 2013
Friendship Bracelet Quilt Pattern Version 2
I’ve been wanting to play with my Friendship Bracelet quilt pattern again. Someone once asked if this pattern could be done with pre-cut jelly rolls, and after the Jelly Roll Race quilt and the Echo Star, I decided to actually try it. I thought it should work, but wanted to sew one up to be sure. Plus, this quilt is so quick to sew up, I knew it would be a relatively fast project.
READ MORE
March 8, 2013
Friday Favorites: Echo Star Patchwork Quilt
I am inspired by so many things, I decided that every Friday, I will highlight a favorite person, thing, or idea. Maybe you will be inspired too! See all past Friday Favorites here.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
Updated to add: The Echo Star quilt is now available as a PDF pattern here and here!
Sometimes making a quilt from my head is all about exploration of what looks right together, or what type of patterning might seem harmonious, really just playing with the possibilities, hoping I will like the outcome. (That was definitely the case with Sunshine Medallion.) But there are times when my mind’s eye has a crystal clear vision from the very beginning of what I want the end result to be. That was the case with this quilt, Echo Star.
March 5, 2013
Echo Star Quilt Progress
Oh…this quilt…. I love it so much. What began as a painting, then became a pillow, and now this large version. It has been so incredibly nice to just hunker down and work feverishly sewing this up during the drear and drip of winter. Somehow it feels so cheerful to me. Edited to add: This quilt is now completed, and available as a PDF pattern!
READ MORE
February 18, 2013
Make Some Shrinky Dink Jewelry
So, I’m still stuck on doodles. I can’t help it, I’m just not tired of them yet! Over the weekend, I played around with an Ipad sketch I posted to our family’s sketchbook blog last week. I liked the colors in this one a lot and tried making some shrinky dink jewelry. Super easy and fun!
READ MORE