Quilts

Solar Eclipse Block • 2017

August 16, 2017August 9, 2026 Elizabeth E.11 Comments

Since I am completely ga-ga over the 2017 Solar Eclipse, happening August 21st (and I already have the next on penciled in on my calendar–April 2024, if you must know) when searching for decorations to put around my house, I came across a rendition of the Mosaic #19 block (originally published in 1897 by the Ladies Art Company) that is said to commemorate the 2017 All-American Solar Eclipse (who thinks up these names?).

After I read the above blurb, I searched Google for her and found that not only has she redesigned an old block to celebrate something fun and exciting in our century, but that she’s also done a whole series of blocks to commemorate the National Parks. I first saw them when a nephew’s wife showed me teeny screen grabs on her phone at a family picnic, and was happy to know who to give credit for those cool blocks.

Here are some other posters I discovered while search for eclipse-related images:

I have more eclipse-themed posters and info on my Pinterest Board: Eclipse. If you want to make your own eclipse block, here is a PDF file that you can download, in 12″ finished size: Solar Eclipse Block_12. (Click on the blue print.)

The arrival of the eclipse also seems a fitting ending for our Book Giveaway of Summer 2017. Thanks to all who were interested in these books. I’ve contacted the winners of by email; books will go out as soon as I receive their mailing address.

UPDATE: I’VE SINCE MADE A FULL-FLEDGED PATTERN FOR ECLIPSE QUILTS. IT HAS DIRECTIONS FOR TWO DIFFERENT LAYOUTS, THAT MIGHT GIVE YOU MORE IDEAS. HEAD HERE FOR MORE INFO.

Happy Eclipsing!

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Quilts

August Gridster Block • 2017

August 10, 2017August 9, 2026 Elizabeth E.19 Comments

This month we are doing blocks for Debbie, who requested that we make blocks from the Moda Be My Neighbor quilt, from 2016. I found all the free, downloadable blocks on Sew Let’s Quilt It website, and enjoyed figuring this out. My advice: lay out all the pieces as you cut it out, so you don’t get confused with what goes where.

I was the designated mailer for two other Gridster members who are close by, and was able to pose the blocks together. A lot of the blocks are showing up on Debbie’s Instagram feed, so head over there to get some quilty eye candy (and not only the Gridster blocks!).

One fun thing I did in Utah last month was to take a tour of the Handi-Quilter factory. It’s an impromptu tour — you just show up — but it was interesting to see how things are put together. I wanted to take a picture of the table that shows them “testing” out/breaking in the machines, but they asked me to wait to get this one, from above:

They also had a series of quilts, with lots of interesting texture and of course…free-motion quilting! Click on the circles for a close-up.

Continuing with the “What I Did On My Summer Vacation,” we left Handi-Quilter and had a Kneaders’ Seafood Sandwich, which unfortunately, I can’t get near me.

I arrived home a day or two early from that trip, in time to hit the 7th Annual Good Heart Quilters Retreat, organized and hosted by the amazing Lisa J. who helped found our group nearly twenty years ago. It was a day of fun and very cool cookies (thank you, Simone!).

SLC slogans YouAreHere — Aaron T. Stephan created the “Point of View” art installation in downtown Salt Lake City.

I wish I’d taken a photo of me on that bench, but it’s unfortunately placed, behind the traffic light pole. Still. It could have been cool.

Even though it is a couple of weeks away, I can’t end this without reminding you to set your alarms on your phones to watch the eclipse, coming up on August 21st. Vox prepared this nifty celestial calculator that shows you what you’ll see in your part of the U.S. and what time it will show up.

Congratulations to Sandy A., who won the latest book giveaway.

I’ve sent her an email and will get the book sent off shortly.

Only two books left:

Since summer feels like it’s fast coming to a close, I’m doing both of them this week. At the end of this post, leave a comment to win either Kathy Doughty’s Mixing Quilt Elements, or Kim Diehl’s Simple Christmas Tidings. Both are exemplar books by women at the top of the quilting world. Thank you to all who entered these past few weeks!

Quilts

Not All That Wanders Is Lost • Traveling Threads Bee Quilt is Finished

August 4, 2017August 9, 2026 Elizabeth E.16 Comments

Not All That Wanders Is Lost
47″ high by 56″ wide
Quilt No. 186

In March 2015, Megan asked me to be a part of a Traveling Threads Bee. My initial post about the process is here…

…and shows my package (including little book, above) that was sent off to the person in line next to me, the idea being a circle — from one to another to another, roughly every month.

Monthly was probably too ambitious, and at one point my package skipped a quilter because of time pressures, so in the end I had six lovely quilters make a block (or blocks) for me: Megan Evans, Amber, Emily V., Marci Debetaz, Toni Lovelady and Lisa Johnson. Our group on Instagram was #travelingthreadsbee and we all made such different quilts (click on their names to see their groups of blocks).

I love that it is a meeting of far away and close, new and old, friends.

I put my signature blocks on the front of the quilt, and in the lower right is the signature of the fabric designer, Alison Glass; all are contributors to this quilt. I put the label and a statement about the quilt on the back:I liked the idea that the quilt wandered, and then came home. This was the first project I started quilting this spring, using its beautiful qualities to help propel me back to my groove in free-motion quilting. I posted each block on my Instagram feed as I finished it. I took it on the back patio, in the setting sun, so the slanting rays could amplify the quilting lines.

Luckily I caught the un-quilted section (blue triangle) before finishing it up with a faced binding. I like to put that invisible binding on busy quilts, as it gives a clean finished edge (tutorial is *here*). Okay, it’s the OPQuilt Summer Book Giveaway Time.

Third book is gone, given to Simone according to the guidelines of the Husband Random Number Generator. I’ve already contacted her via email and it will go off tomorrow. So, let me tell you about the next book, the Simple Simon Guide to Patchwork Quilting:

I took this photo from their site, a fun place to go and read and get great ideas for all sorts of homemaking-type projects. Their tagline is “Two girls. Same name. One mission. Teach the world to sew.” and this book is a great example of terrific projects made simply, with a lot of pizazz. To enter the giveaway for this book, please leave a comment below. I’ll let it run for a few days then I’ll notify the winner by email. By the way, this is a signed copy (both authors!).

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Four-in-Art · Quilts

Rose Window • Four-in-Art Quilt

August 1, 2017August 9, 2026 Elizabeth E.18 Comments

It’s Four-in-Art Challenge Reveal day today, the penultimate challenge in 2017. We began this art mini-quilt group in November of 2012, and we are in our fifth year. Bette, Rachel and I have been with the group since the beginning, with additions and changes here and there. It’s been wonderful to have this to look forward to four times a year, a chance to stretch and try some new things, all contained in a mini-quilt (we are more flexible with the size now, but originally, it had to be contained in a 12″ square).

Rose Window
13 1/2″ wide by 18″ long
Quilt Number 185

Since I chose the challenge of Stained Glass Shadows, obviously I’m in love with the highly saturated blocks of color left on the floors of cathedrals and churches when the sun shines through stained glass windows. I originally thought I’d try some figurative work, but the colors are what always catch my eye.

So I began with the warm tones, adding the layers of earth-colors as they moved toward the bottom, and celestial-colors as it moved upward.

I also knew that somewhere on this quilt there had to be a Rose Window, that enormous circular window high above entryway doors.

Then it was quilt the background, and I went with the idea of the rose window as the center, with thread-streams of color coming out from there: navy and deep colors from the top and the warmer yellow-orange-red tones as the sun filters downward through the stained glass. My solid fabrics are Paintbrush Studio Solids, and the thread is Magnifico by Superior Threads (with Bottom Line in the bobbin) with some So Fine here and there, as the color dictated.