Duo of Birds Plus an Owl

A few weeks ago, my friend returned to work and I presented her with two of the framed birds (the third one was done, but not framed yet).  I had to laugh, on her first day back, she wore her owl shirt - the one her husband was quoted as saying "Advertising?" when she showed it to him.  When I saw what she was wearing, I literally ran to the car and got out the owl I had just finished the day before, and was going to call just that!  So the Trio of Birds is split up, and an owl is taking it's place.  Welcome back!

A Trio of Birds

Here are some birds I embroidered for a friend of mine who needed some cheering up.  They are free-form cut and raw edge appliqued, to a machine stitched fabric collage, using DMC embroidery floss.  They are approximately 5x7-inch in size.

Valentine's Crazy Quilt Postcards

 

Crazy Quilt International Valentine Postcard Swap

 

Here are the postcards I made for the 2017 Valentine Postcard swap hosted by the Crazy Quilt International Yahoo Group.  I made two, one to swap (top) and one to keep (bottom).  I always regret sending in something for a swap, since what you made is gone forever - but by making two, I have one to share and one to keep, so everybody wins!  These were done almost entirely by hand, as my machine of 16 years made its last stitch as I was making the base of these postcards.  I only got one piece stitched on, when the motor died....oh well, I have another one to replace it - I just have to take it out of the box.

 

I have included two fabrics that hold special memories.  First being the white with gold threads - it was used when my son Walter was in grade school for the Odyssey of the Mind competition costumes and the second being the red sequins that was used for making a tuxedo jacket for one of his high school marching band performances.  

 

Oh, and I just noticed a third significant fabric - the cotton with gold hearts - it was used in Walter's Mojo Doll - see my 2010 post on Meet the Mojos.

 

The top one is headed off to the Netherlands on Monday.

Center Medallion of the Velvet Hex

Center Medallion of the Velvet Hex 

Here is a snap of my Crazy Quilt Journal Project (CQJP) that I started designing in February of 2012, when I first found the CQJP 2012 on-line.  I joined the CQJP 2013 and CQJP 2014 to make the 13 hexes, 6 half-hexes and 24 triangles.  I finished making all the medallion blocks and pieced the center 7 hexes in 2015 using the English Paper-Piecing method.   During my medical leave from work, I worked on the embroidery for seam embellishment.  In the spring of 2016 I added the center border triangles with the black velvet to complete the center medallion.  I joined the CQJP 2016 to work on the border triangles, I need 56 of them in all.  I still have to embellish the seams on the next row of hexes and half-hexes - it make take a while, since it is too big to bring to work - so I bring the border triangles.  This snap was taken in Elk Lake, PA by fellow quilter Debbie C. of Binghamton, NY.  I am behind the CQ holding it up for show and tell at the National Quilt Day Celebration, sponsored by A Stich in Time quilt club of Montrose, PA.

Folded Fabric Tree Ornaments

Folded Fabric Trees

I have been busy these past few days making folded fabric trees.  It all started innocently enough when my quilting group, Stepping Stones (of Binghamton, NY) had our annual quilting demonstration at the Roberson Museum.  For the past few years we have had a ‘make and take’ demo when visitors to the Home for the Holidays event can make on ornament and take it with them.  This year was folded fabric trees – and I was hooked!

I had a stash of Christmas motif fabrics and decided to make some from each of design.  Well, several hours later of tracing an 8-inch lunch plate on each fabric (2 layers) and then cutting out along the line, I had enough for 76 trees!

Each circle was cut in half, and matched with a second half-circle.  These were sewn together, with right sides together; leaving a 1.5-2 inch opening for turning on the straight edge of the half-circle.   Press and clip corners, being careful not to cut into the thread.

Using a hemostat clamping tool, I turned each of the half-circle right-side out and pressed flat [you can hand sew the opening closed now if you want].  Fold the fabric from the curved edge to the straight edge – making the sections of the tree ‘branches’.  The ornaments pictured have 4 folds, but 3 work well too.  If you have directional fabric, sometimes you have to fold from the other side to make sure the motifs are upright.

Next I sewed a loop of 1/8-inch ribbon, knotted at one end, into a fold of the tree.  This will be hidden inside once the tree is completed.  Now it’s time to embellish!

Decorate the trees with trims, buttons, etc. prior to tacking the sides down.  This will hide the sewing inside the tree and won’t show on the back.  Once you are happy with your little tree, tack the sides with blind stitches and matching tread. [If you didn’t close the half-circle opening yet, this is the time to stitch it closed.]   I put the star buttons on top once the other decorations were added – saves from getting your thread all tangled up.   

Now I have LOTS more trees to decorate – will likely spill into next year too! 

 

P.S.  The Stepping Stone Quilt Club decorates a tree every year at the Roberson’s Home for the Holiday’s event with handmade ornaments.  Members of the group also loan quilts to decorate the walls and hallways – it makes a really warm and cozy feel to the event.    

"Concerts in the Park - And a 1,2,3"

Concerts in The Park – “And a 1,2,3”

There are all kinds of musical genres at these events – jazz, blues, folk, steel drums, rock, contemporary, bluegrass, big band, you name it.  This set of three quilts represents some of my favorites.

 “And a 1”  The Fiddle

I grew up listing to folk and blue grass music. (1 of 3)

“And a 2”  The Guitar

I love early rock-n-roll from the 50’s to the 70’s. (2 of 3)

“And a 3” The Saxophone

Not only does my husband attempt to play the sax, but I love jazz, blues and big band music.  (3 of 3)

 

 

“Concerts in the Park – And a 1,2,3”

This is a series of the quilts representing the many concerts I have enjoyed over the last 25 years of living in the Binghamton area.  Every summer the parks throughout the region host all types of festivals, crafts fairs, art shows and music.  There are summer concert series in just about every small community in the Southern Tier of New York held in the parks or village greens.  When I was younger, my friends and I would ride our bikes to enjoy the music and other events.  As a (not so young mom) I brought my young sons to the parks and we would have a picnic dinner and play bocce ball while listening to the music.  I would meet my parents and family at the parks and we would have informal get-togethers during the summer months to share a meal and each other’s company. I have always stitched away at these events – making yo-yos, doing out-line embroidery or crazy quilting.  I keep stitching until the stars come out and can no longer see what I’m doing.  It gives me a chance to relax, no phones, TV or computers – just conversation and the sounds of music filling the air.

 

The title of the 3 pieces are "Concerts in the Park – And a 1,2,3"  One being the violin, Two the red guitar and Three the sax.  They have crazy patch backgrounds featuring hand embroidery and beading.   Many of the beads used on this project were from my mom's collection that we rescued from her craft room after they were flooded in 2011.  Luckily they were on shelves above the water mark.  I hope you enjoy them.

 

Quilt Info: 8” square, crazy patch backgrounds, hand embroidery, beading, hand quilted

 

 

Russian Patchwork Quilt

The Russian Patchwork Quilt

I don’t know about you, but I have been thrilled to see the patchwork designs displayed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.  I poked around the web and found some excellent sources of information for all you quilters out there who want to make one using the Sochi Design.  Back in 2011, the sports wear company BOSCO unveiled its Russian Patchwork design to the world.  I found the youtube video of the presentation given at the event.  They describe the design methodology and inspirations for the motifs used to create the Look of the Sochi Games.  I’ve also included some web urls of other sites I found interesting.  Enjoy this as much as I did.  Cheers, Louise

Uploaded on Apr 28, 2011 (in Russian)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zlp7vDSuEw

Here is a ‘Table of Contents’ of sorts I created from watching the video.

Time      Page      Topic
0:00        1-3          sochi.ru 2014 – BOSCO
0:08        4-17       The ‘Look’ of Previous Games
0:38        18-29     Inspirations for Design Motifs
1:55        30-31     Patchwork Quilts
2:07        32           Design Methodology Starts
2:12        33           Half-Square Triangle Patchwork
2:15        34           Grid Lines Drawn
2:21        35           Triangle Grid
2:25        36           Diamond Grid
2:33        37           Lines Highlighting Pattern on Grid
2:27        38           Various Pattern Grids
2:53        39-40     28 Design Motifs
3:21        41           Placing Designs on the Pattern Grid
3:38        42-43     Color Choices – Color Spectrum
3:56        44           Colorways
3:58        45           Orange/Yellow
4:01        46           Yellow/Green
4:03        47           Aqua Blue
4:05        48           Royal Blue
4:08        49           Pink/Purple
4:10        50           Patchwork Patterned Colorways
4:17        51           All 5 Patchwork Colorways
4:19        52           Many Patchwork Banners, Grids, Colors
4:54        53           Banners with Mountains in Background
4:58        54           What Patchwork Design would add to Venues,
                                Products, Uniforms, Buildings, Souvenirs
5:31        68           Olympic Patchwork on Sponsor Products
6:01        80           End of Presentation

Article (in Russian) with Photos at the unveiling of the Sochi Patchwork Design

http://drugoi.livejournal.com/3541950.html

Article (in English) on the Patchwork Design

http://www.graphicart-news.com/the-olympic-patchwork-quilt-sochi-2014/#.UuOmdfYo7-k%29

BOSCO Web Site in English (click on Look of the Games)

http://sochi2014.bosco.ru/en/

Museum Display (Russian) – Shows Quilts made using the Olympic Patchwork Grid

http://lion-house.livejournal.com/8225.html

Lots of Photos from the Unveiling Event (Russian but has an English button)

http://www.gum.ru/projects/demzal/news/id/37362/