Sunday, October 31, 2010

Helen's Blocks

GOLD LEAF
Was inspired by Pat Pauly's leaf design and made a machine paper pieced version.  The gold pieces looked so happy that I decided to do another block.
I call it:  HERE COMES THE SUN
--Helen

Saturday, October 30, 2010

GROUP QUILT #1

 Here's our first group quilt, quilted, bound and hung to enjoy!

A HUGE thank you to Margaret for Quilting it and Binding it!
She offered to Quilt it after I had the strips sewn together....
It looks good hanging among the Vermont landscape!

 Love the stripes across the back... I gave Margaret a bunch of fabric and let her have it...  
I love the diamonds through there...

 Perfectly bound!

 I have enjoyed seeing all your Saffron colored blocks for the Group Quilt #2

How much fun will that be to put together...?? ;-)

See ya all in December! 
I'm off to Houston this week....
--Victoria

Friday, October 29, 2010

Well . . . I finally did it!

I have been sitting on the fence for awhile now, afraid to jump into the blogging world.
I think having the opportunity to post here, showed me that it wasn't something to be afraid of. Thank you Victoria and Amy!




My blog is called The Red Headed Mermaid. I have always loved mermaids, so mystical.
My blog will mostly be about quilts, but have a few other random things thrown in.
Life is pretty random sometimes right?


This is a full shot of the quilt in the picture about. More Kaffe that I adore.
Now if I could only figure out a few technical things on here . . .

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Houston

HI!
I am sharing my excitement! One of my photos, MILKWEED POD, was juried into the Houston Quilt Festival's EYE OF THE QUILTER: INSPIRATION exhibit.

If anyone is going to Houston, please let me know.

Michele Kucker

Thanks.

mkucker@yahoo.com
artlab273@uahoo.com
718-375-6585
19th Annual Quilt Show "Green Quilts"

See the best NYC quilters have to offer at the annual exhibit.


Saturday & Sunday, 12 – 4pm. For the month of November the exhibit will be shown at Lefferts Historic House; during December at the Audubon Center.

This year's exhibition features quilts that draw inspiration from recycled materials. Quilts will feature both traditional "recycled" items such as fabric scraps or old clothing, as well as non-traditional recycled materials. Quilts will also depict the quilters' love of the environment.

Charming on a Removable Design Wall











Okay...so i have my design wall up...limited in size 36x45 to ensure that I am not creating anymore magilla's that i don't finish...(perhaps i will bring my queens size quilt that was my intro project to quilting...still not finished ... now almost 11 years later... all hand work, pieced, basted and began to hand quilt...yikes)

anyway...so i have been able to dabble a bit in my newly re-re-modified "sweat shop"... but of course with the dabble comes the desire for a "Real" quilt worthy machine...yes, i know any machine works, harken back to the days when there was only a straight stitch machine...but the efficiency factor is a major plus...began considering the Big "B" cult brand...then discovered something on the "Horizon"...and now looking to "lock" down my decision to my basic desires....the ability to free motion with a knee lift, needle stop, large harp space, and built in walking foot...with accessories if i desire to use the other gazillion stitches...ANY THOUGHTS....

Dave I have veered from what i was working on at the last meeting...will hopefully get back to that...I am trying out some other things that has come into my mind...hopefully i will have some things done...and/or nearing completion....

Anyway...so here is a look at some charming fabric...don't recall if its Moda or Fassett 5" charm squares...still playing with design....just thought the name of the fabric "LOVE" series...should be inspiring...smiles.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

EMPIRE QUILT GUILD SHOW


EMPIRE QUILT GUILD
Urban Inspirations Quilt Show
March 26 – 27, 2011
Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.)
28th Street at Seventh Avenue
New York City
more info at:

Folk ART Museum, now thru Oct 16, 2011

This Lovely show is one now at the Folk Art Museum...
  Some really nice piece to go check out...

I have a bunch of images on my blog of quilts from the show

and
to see...

more info on the museum here:


mark your calendars!

  Park Avenue Armory
643 Park Ave, New York City
between 66th and 67th streets

Local guild show

 


The Evening Star Quilters Guild 
HARVEST of QUILTS IX
show is 
Saturday Nov. 6, 2010 10 to 5 pm
Sunday Nov 7th, 2010 10 to 4pm

Admission is $6


Mineola Community Center
155 Washington Ave
Mineola, NY 11501


Judged Quilt Show, Raffle, demonstrations, member's Boutique, Vendors

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

 Amy and I had a little outing today... 
I needed to get out of the city to see some trees, and
Amy needed to swing by

Roxanne and Amy
 Some of you were familiar with Roxanne's Patterns 
and her lovely shop...
we talked about it at the last meeting...
If you haven't been, it's worth a visit!
(tell her your in our NYC MOD group, 
and that she should come visit our little group sometime...)
;-)

She has some really lovely fabrics... and a great eye for color...

 See...  I had to check out TWICE... That's how  nice they are...
I kept finding more fabric that needed to come home with me...

**
By the way...
For the December Meeting,
if you didn't get the email...

Please bring a fat quarter of your most favorite fabric that you have on hand...
And we'll do some fun swap thingy...
(besides your challenge block)  
;-)



Monday, October 25, 2010

Betta Chedda 2

I finally finished the challenge block for our December meeting. 144 squares.
It still needed a little border because it was short about 1/2", don't you hate that?
I think if came out pretty well. Can't wait to see all the blocks together.
Happy Sewing everyone!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

in the interim




Whew...talk about a busy few weeks...but i have managed to work on a few things...I have my scrumptious fabric for the block project...i am waiting to get to that... however, i was fortunate to have my fall trip upstate...after the business of work is done my friend and I take a day and a half to create and or quilt shop hop.

This past Friday, we opted for wine and quilts...She brought her Bernina Aurora 440 QE (needless to say...I am seriously thinking about entering the cult...smiles). So I worked on some outstanding projects...and on Saturday, we took a placemat class at the Joyful Quilter in Glenville, NY. It was great.. Met a woman from Scottland (she was visiting a friend and decided to take a class that day), as well as a few other people. It was a great day and the shop was great... so here is what I worked on...and quilted 2 tops upon my return to the city...

Yelllllow


I passed my bookshelf the other day and I noticed it was pretty much yelling at me:
"Don't you think it's a good time to make that challenge block?!"
Look at all the orangey yellows!

So I went through my stash, and though I had a bunch of prints that I could have used,
the solids were yelling as much as the books.

Yellows

A nice, simple shoofly block.
Makes me want to do a whole monotone sampler quilt!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Birds and pheasants and Humpty, Oh My!




Hello Everyone! Two blog posts in one night. I figured I would do it while I have the chance. You all have given me such nice feedback about this quilt. I really appreciate it. I love using found fabrics in quilts, and the thrift stores in Wisconsin were a gold mine last year. So, my question is, how do I finish this quilt? Do you think I should put a boarder around it, or just leave it as is and bind it? And quilting, any thoughts??? Hope everyone is well.

Ode to Lemon Jello




Time to blog! Have been traveling a lot, so it was good to get back to the sewing machine and do something that used the right side of my brain. I know others mentioned it in their blog posts, but I really didn't have a lot of options in this cheddar color. Being from Wisconsin, obviously it was hard to get cheese off my mind, but I foung this fabric and decided this would be my ode to lemon jello. I realized that I will be at an early family holiday function in Chicago the first weekend in December. I'll have to send my block to someone. Let me know who wants it!?

Friday, October 15, 2010

my version of the challenge square... using limited scraps of related color. (not the most popular color in my stash)

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Cheddar Housetop Block

For the block challenge from our October meeting, I decided to use only scraps from my small but ever-growing scrap basket.  I found a number of Kaffe Fassett prints that were perfect for this block!  I also used a few scraps that I picked up at the scrap table during our meeting. 

For inspiration, I looked at the "15 Minutes Play" blog and found a fun Housetop Block .  I modified it a bit and finished it in no time! 


I look forward to seeing all of the other great block creations!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Radiant Gold

Radiating is the word that came to me when I started thinking about this block. Our challenge color just says "sunshine" to me!

Lots of fun (and crazy) interpretations floated through my head between now and then, but when I sat down to work, I decided to also use Helen-inspired strips and a bit of simplicity. I debated about "wonkiness", but as I chose symmetry instead. It started to feel like an art deco decorative arch topper.


I really like art deco design and wasn't sure I wanted to trim it down, but alas....here she is.


Hubster says it looks like a sunrise. Hooray, radiance!

Yesterday: a trip to Patchworks in Sayville, NY for a new project. Yay! If you haven't been to that shop, you have to check out their gorgeous batik and Asian prints collections.

But today: too nice to be inside. I'm going hiking!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Helen's strip quilt


 Helen sent me this info on her process for making her FABULOUS Green 1" strip quilt...

I made this quilt in sections.  "Stitch & Flipped" my 1 inch strips onto Thermore batting layered with a sturdy flannel backing.  Joined the sections with more strips, added binding, and it was finished!      However, picking all those greens was the best part.....no system, just followed my instincts....one strip led to another........

I have her scrap bag... yipeee!
Now what shall I do with these yummy bits??

I have a few ideas running through my brain...

happy sewing!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Two more!

Another night of sewing inspired by this group: here's my contributions to the group project. I started off inspired by "stitch'n'flip - aula com Doris Teixeira" at http://www.flickr.com/photos/silort/, and ended up with the roundish block. Then I had leftover scraps and made the square block. I can't wait to see them together with all the rest!

Mostly Golden

Strayed a bit from the specified color palette ...
Just working with what I had ...
Instead of raiding my friend's stash ...

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Betta Chedda


So this is as far as I have gotten on the challenge block. This photo shows a more "cheddary" color than the actual fabrics. These sqaures are 1 1/2 " so I'll need 144 total. I'm not sure where this is going, but I am having fun so far. Oh and this it the first time I have ever posted on a blog. I hope I did it right!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Great meeting!


Thank you all for a very inspiring meeting! I hated to leave early (I had to work) and miss the rest of show and tell, so thanks for all the photos. I got up Sunday and spent almost all day sewing: I finished quilting my New Wave quilt and sewed on the binding, ready for hand finishing; sewed the binding on another unfinished quilt; and made myself a nametag! I used some of my favorite recent fabrics, and even used a scrap from the swap for the binding. I look forward to the next meeting and getting to know all of you! Cheers~ Christa

Updated




I was so inspired by you all that I went with jessica to City Quilters...where i saw a couple of others...bought fabric for my challenge...and then went home and worked on the scraps that i received in the swap....this is where i am so far...smiles

updated

I was expecting Hillary to make it to the meeting on Saturday, and knew she had made a strip... 
I got a package in the mail today from her, as she had hoped to make the meeting, 
but that day found her basement flooded with water!  
So Alas, I have her strip, and it rounds out the quilt.


No room left on this quilt.  It's done and fabulous!


Are you working on your Block for the next challenge?

Please post your work!

I didn't waste anytime... Saturday was so fun,  
you all left, and I was wound up with ideas...

Anyone else did there's yet?

Or what did you do when you got home with all that creative energy?

Sunday, October 3, 2010

GROUP QUILT

Here is our First Group Quilt top, put together...

What do you think?
We need a member to volunteer to quilt it, 

and perhaps someone else to bind.

It would be nice to have this done for our next meeting Dec. 4th.

Also, 
Any thoughts on the backing?



More Show and Tell


I loved this juxtaposition between new and old with Lisa's quilt top and the grandmother's flower garden quilts made by Christa's grandmother.



Sometimes you need to abandon one project and turn it into a bag instead!



This handpainted, sparkling art quilt definitely shows its wave of inspiration:
The Rockaways!



Jody (middle) was called by her daughter-in-law (on the right) at 10 p.m. Friday night, who told her about Saturday morning's meeting. Twelve hours later they were in Manhattan at their first meeting, sharing construction stories--
about both buildings and quilts.



Two in-progress gift quilts.
Andrea made a lot of half-square triangles out of some fabric she never thought she'd use,
and Nicole showed us the space on the back of her quilt that she's left to place a label.




Margaret, Helen, and Ellen each made a 7-inch block with tiny square patches.
Then they swapped blocks, and made a mini quilt that incorporated the block.
The different interpretations really show each quilter's style!