Sweet Persimmons

I have never had a persimmon 

and maybe I should try 

one now that I have named 

a quilt after them:)

New in the November

issue of AQ Magazine

meet Sweet Persimmons.

This sweet design started 

out in a 30s rendition.

Once I started thinking in Autumn

colors, I came up with this palette.

Still really like it and may have

to put this grouping to work

in another project!

Looks great, right?

Sometimes I can't see past my 

own vision but I also had 

this Sandy Gervais print sitting

around that I had been wanting 

to use in something....

Voila'! 

Pull some colors right out of 

the print and it is the perfect

assembly of color for this project!

When I started this, I was preparing

to help my daughter after the birth

of our first grand child so travel

hand work was appropriate.

The pic above shows alignment

for needle turn curves.

The pic below shows turning under

my edges to assemble the berries

before applying to the background. 

Here I stitch on a leaf.

Wow, my lighting was 

all over the place.

IF you own a rotating mat, 

it is the perfect way to trim

4 half-square triangles blocks

at one time by cutting 2 sides, 

rotate, cut 2 sides, etc. 

until finished.

Time to quilt.

I free motion quilted this 

sample myself...WHAT??!!

I used my freezer paper leaf

templates to create more

leaves that I could add 

swirls into the center

(bottom of pic).

When done quilting, 

you need a label:) 

I really like using a square 

of fabric folded in half 

and sewn into a bottom 

corner seam allowance.

The size of the square

depends on how much

you want to write.

This was 2 scraps of fabric

sewn together for an 

approximate 4-1/2" square. 

Thank You again, AQ for an

amazing layout!

It is Awesome!

'Currant Pinwheels' in Simply Vintage!

Thank you all for sticking through 

some of the boring posts this past week

and here is your reward:)

 Here is the new issue of Simply Vintage, 

one of my Favorite publications!!

Inside you will find a sweet

red and green treat based on

this antique quilt below.

 This is Coxcombs and Currants which I own.

I thought I would try designing a 

smaller piece inspired by the quilt

but in a different colorway.

 These are some of my other 'go-to' 

colors; red, orange, black.

 I really like the small loop design within the leaves.

This one was all done by machine but

felt a bit too small so.....

 I started picking out my red, green, 

and white fabrics for a more traditional 

look to match the original quilt.

 This time I did all the work by 

hand (applique and quilting).

 I really enjoy the look of straight 

lines against curved lines.

Someone commented on the unique 

use of leaves on only one side of the 

vine vs. both sides as we traditionally see.

 I really wanted that FRAME appearance.

Then look how absolutely lovely

they staged it in the magazine!!

Thank you Simply Vintage and the 

whole Quiltmania staff!

I can't wait to see what other

colors people do this in!

Keep stitching~R

Cheryl Sleboda of Muppin.com 

for more blogs to follow.

Day 20: 2018 Review J-A-S

JULY -- AUGUST -- SEPTEMBER

This summer seemed to fly right by but I could actually say that about the whole year!

Top row is July.

1. We took a trip to Chicago to visit our eldest daughter and while in Chicago you must go to Wrigley Field according to my husband (a lifelong Cub fan:).  While there I asked how many other girls he had taken there and I am the first girl he has ever taken to his precious Wrigley!  How is that for a first in 30 years of marriage?  It was my first time there too! 

2. Along the way there was thankfully some treasure hunting and I found these lovely ca. 1940s hand appliqued rose blocks.  The pink ones are being redone for an upcoming COC charity quilt. The Autumn colored ones are welcome to stay and inspire:)

3. Another baseball game-ugh!  Thankfully I am helping a friend with her Millefiori quilt so I have lots of handwork to take along! 

Middle row is August and it is all about the LOVE!  We celebrated 30 years together this year!!!

The center photo is us on our wedding day (no professional photos just the one from the little 110 camera I had). The photos on either side are more recent.  We really don't have tons of us from when we were younger without me going in search of.

Bottom row is September.

The center picture is from the landing in San Antonio as a cruise went by during the show we were watching that evening.  Such a lovely city!

The pics to either side are work in progress shots.  I was able to get lots of work done in and around more appraisal shadowing and treasure hunting! 

I am very proud to be able to offer a new workshop to guilds as well: FABRIC COLLABORATIONS!  IT is going to be so much fun to watch people build off one another and design!  I can't wait to meet your guild:)

Pop over to see who else is blogging...

http://muppin.com/wordpress/index.php/the-2018-31-day-blog-writing-challenge/

The SLOW STITCHING / SLOW CLOTH Movement

There has been lots of talk about this 'Movement' recently on multiple boards across the quilting community.  How many of you have heard of this movement? 

 

It has been around for a handful of years now when Elaine Lipson spoke of it, and has gained momentum since Mark Lipinski took it up.  I myself am very happy that there are quilters discussing the merits of not rushing through every quilt. 

 

My 2 cents--

I find it difficult to watch our industry push quicker and easier, all the time!  Yes, sometimes there is a baby coming and we want to get a gift done but sometimes we could take the time to start earlier and not rush.  It isn't like they just pop out....There is usually a 7-8 month lead time!

When I am around quilters who profess to "Love" quilting yet they spend all their time and money trying to find the cheapest-quickest way to 'get it done', I have to shake my head.
Why, if you are passionate about something, do you want to 'get it done' (said in the tone of rush)?  To me, being passionate about something is savoring it, loving the process, and taking time to appreciate what you are doing whilst doing it vs. get it done quickly so you can move on to the next thing. 
With all the gadgets and time saving techniques, I honestly don't see people getting it done quicker, just piling up more stuff and UFOs. We do have many tools to help us do things quicker and I am not saying to get rid of them.  Where would we be without the rotary cutter?

Full disclosure:

I have a ton of UFOs mostly from trying out new designs (oh, and that 'Squirrel' syndrome:)).

I do a lot of machine, fusible applique because it is quick and easy and it allows for me to get pattern samples done in a method that appeals to the consumer.

8" x 11" ALL hand embroidered
The mini included in Pumpkin Trellis

If I had my way though, all my applique and quilting would be done by hand!  FULL Disclosure--NOT the piecing, can't stand to piece by hand and I am awful at it! There is something so soothing about putting each stitch in and this probably explains my new love of English Paper Piecing.

In the Mark Lipinski article, he talks about the conscious meditation with each stitch.  The article starts to sound a little too 'new-agey' at times but when I really think about it, isn't that what I get out of it?  I can get almost meditative, tune out the world around me, lower my blood pressure which is so needed right now:)  I believe every person could use one thing in their life that makes them feel this way (working on cars, wood working, knitting, cooking, etc.) I have met many people who say they don't have the patience for hand work.  Maybe not, but I bet there is something in your life that you can throw yourself into that makes the world around you slow down. 

Who remembers learning about the Arts and Crafts Movement of the early 20th century?  We can re-familiarize ourselves with it and start our own now (everything old is new again:)).  Try shutting out some of the technology of today that is making us all "too" busy.  I don't believe we are "too" busy because we do make time for the things that are important.  Facebook, games online, etc are all easily put away for 20 minutes a day to feel the accomplishment of doing something with our own 2 hands!  IT is all about priorities....now I am starting to sound preachy-sorry!

Slow Cloth has the immediate notion of doing it all by hand and I would love to see more of that in the industry and my guild, but it also means slowing down to appreciate what you are doing without rushing the process. Remember WHY you started doing this (or any) particular craft/art, your health will thank you.

Find your 'SLOW' and let me know what it is:)


 

New Hand Work patterns



So the hard part about being a designer is not being able to share immediately!!  There can be months between creating and editing and publishing.  Those are months I keep things in the vault so that when you see them, it is a WOW moment vs. "oh yeah, she showed that 4 months ago and 2 months ago, etc.".

 

The patterns below are perfect examples.  I worked on these feverishly during Jan and Feb for a March show.  Then Market preps started and I didn't get around to sharing with you.

You can find these on the What's New page of my website and don't forget my new shipping policy for your guild.



CELTIC MUSIC # 511

I have a newly found appreciation and love for doing hand embroidery.  There are so many lovely threads out there and I don't limit myself to what is right or wrong.  If the color is right, I use it.  Many times I have been asked if something was done on the machine due to its delicate look....NOPE, I just used machine quilting thread 40 weight because the variegated color was too luscious to pass up! 
For so long I have wanted to do a Harp piece and Celtic Music is just that with a vine of shamrocks added for whimsy.  It was stitched with YLI machine quilting thread.

HARLEQUIN HEARTS #510

Harlequin Hearts is a reboot of my Hearts in Bloom design with a new layout.  That is the absolute fun of applique.  If you like the design, buy it because you can applique, hand embroidery, or do wool work with the templates.

SWEET SWIRLS #509

Sweet Swirls is a revamp of my Benign Fusion.  Again I am donating 10% of MY sales of this pattern to Colon Cancer education just like with Benign Fusion.

The Swimming Sea: SEAHORSE #429

The Seahorse was so so so fun to make and I already have an octopus and some fish designs waiting for me to find time to play.
This is the first in the series so check back occasionally to see how far I have gotten:)

Next week I will be posting the run down of the Market booth designs....Stay tuned!

Portland, Oregon: Spring Quilt Market 2013

I am not much of a flyer....the views are gorgeous but that nagging, "we could drop out of the sky at any moment" thought is never far away.  The circle crops were mesmerizing and came in so many formats: green, brown, circles with pie wedges, circles with fun lines drawn in them.  I had to figure out my phone for airplane mode so I could take pictures.  Of course, I am such a rule follower that I didn't get a pic of the double rainbow out our window during landing....SO beautiful!

So after 2 stops (KC and Albuquerque) and 9 hours on a plane, Welcome to sunny Portland.  I had to have the pic to prove to my husband that the sun really does come out.  We lived in Oregon for 2 years once and according to him, the sun came out once in 2 years and it never got above 70 degrees.

To be honest, this pic looked completely different in 20 minutes:) 

One spire of the Convention Center

My booth: NESTLINGS for Autumn

Jillily Studio Booth: Can I have this in my Living Room?

Do you see my mug on the Generation Q magazine wall??

The IQF traveling quilt show was on exhibit too.  There were some breathtaking quilts there....Lots of hand work too!!

Eileen is a friend of mine and this may be one of my favorite quilts of hers!

 Old Friends and New Friends made up my Booth Mates!!

Me and Susan Marth

Susan Marth of Suzn Quilts and her daughter Chloe

Chloe was essential in making sure we were all fed and caffeinated!  Thank you!

My dear friend, Pepper Cory, stopped by to let me hug her!  Very Important business!

Susan Knapp of The Quilt Branch and her staff, Karen Bailey.  Loved meeting Karen!

Always fun to see Celine Perkins of Perkins Dry Goods again!

Our corner had the most fun I am sure!  Then we headed out on the town for dinner.  A friend had recommended The Portland Grill on the 30th floor of one of the skyscrapers.  The food was so good and went well with the view and the company!  So good we went back a second time...Look the weather changed:)

After Market was done, Susan kept the rental car for another day so some sight-seeing could be done.  A very quick drive into Washington State, some antique shopping in Astoria, and a jaunt out to Cannon Beach. 

We had lived south of here for 2 years and never made it up to see this iconic rock (Haystack Rock)/ beach in Oregon. So beautiful!

New Signs!

The flowers in Oregon were just beautiful!  I don't really remember seeing Cala Lilies when I lived there.....

Of course I had to stop into Golden Whale Jewelry after Karen went on and on about this rare and cool stone cut.  It is called a Lighthouse Lens cut and it was very expensive.  When I asked my husband about it, he wanted to know if they give a Lighthouse Keeper discount since he is CG.  No to that but they do offer a Military Discount.  So if you are looking for something unique and you are in Oregon.....check them out.  I was hooked once I saw the orange stone named Indian Flame Sapphire:)

 

The trip was a lot of work as usual, but the friends, food, and memories will be cherished for a lifetime!