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Archive for the ‘MQU Magazine’ Category

Birch Pond Landscapes class

Saturday, February 14th, 2009

After years of hinting to me that her customers would love a landscape class, I finally agreed to teach one at Maine-ly Sewing (www.mainelysewing.com) in Nobleboro, Maine.  (Contact the store to sign up, etc.)   The class will be Saturday, Feb. 28th, from 10-4 !

Birch Pond, Summer

Birch Pond, Summer

As usual, I figured why make one quilt when you can make two…. So I made the fusible applique quilt two ways, autumn and summer.  I am so pleased with the results that I think I’ll do the four seasons, write it up as a pattern and sell it…let me know what you think?   The pattern is actually quite easy, finishes about 22×25 inches (depending on your border and your final composition of the scene…there is definitely fudge-room here!).  PS–photos are clickable for a slightly larger view.

I did easy quilting so that beginning quilters and machine quilters won’t feel intimidated…I PROMISE, it really is easy to do the quilting on these patterns even when you are new to it!  Here is a detail photo:

Birch Pond, Summer, Detail

Birch Pond, Summer, Detail

Initially I did the autumn version… I just love the glorious colors of Maine in Fall.  However, given that Fall is behind us, and it has been winter for quite a while, Marge and I decided to use the Summer version (hope is eternal!  It WILL come again!) to advertise the class.  But, I wanted students to see that they can make the quilt in many ways.  Frankly, I kinda think it would be fun to do it another time in totally wild colors, like plum and turquoise and mango and lime…. wouldn’t that be a hoot?  Anyway, here is a more realistic, autumnal version:

birchpondclass004

And a detail of the Autumn version; note that I did the leaf canopy two different ways… in summer I used the twist-and-chop way to cut chunks, for autumn I used the slice it into confetti method!

Hope you like the quilts, and hope to see some of you in class!

Birch Pond, Autumn, detail

Birch Pond, Autumn, detail

Taking the Tension out of Tension, MQU Winter 2008

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008

My second article for Machine Quilting Unlimited magazine is now out, and I’m really thrilled that I’ve been able to help folks.  Rayna Gillman (blog and website) was so kind in sharing on the QuiltArt list that I’d helped solve a tension problem she’d been having, and Gloria (my /designer and art quilter extraordinaire) actually said she made a copy to tuck into her sewing machine manual…Wowie Zowie!  Here’s the cover of this issue:

MQU Winter 08 cover

My article made the cover:  Taking the Tension out of Tension (I can’t take credit for the title, but I love it! thanks Kit and Vicki)

Here’s the opening pages (clickable for a larger view):

Beginning of article on tension

There were a number of good articles, including two on Colorado art quilters, both of whom were awesome… Here is the opening to one of those two articles:

*****oooops…I can’t share the pictures of these articles…sorry….. due to copyright laws

Oh how those quilts make me want to get into the studio and play and create!   There are lots more pics in the magazine (hint hint).

And Diane Doran from the QuiltArt list (among other places) did a great article on design, specifically how she develops a design.  I really liked the sequence of photos in her article showing how she begins with a digital image, then builds on it one step at a time:

Diane Doran

*****Photo included with Diane Doran’s permission

For subscription information go to www.mqumag.com.

I just finished the draft of my next article for them, on the use of contrast in line.  I’m going to do a series of articles on how various elements and principles of design apply to machine quilting.   I’m on a mission I think to convince folks that art isn’t impossible to learn, and that it’s really actually easy and fun to learn and apply.   So the article for the next issue talks summarizes the elements and principles, then talks about line (since of course machine quilting is about creating lines) and how contrast helps lines stand out (or not).  What fun… getting to write about quilting!  Now…kids on vacation, time for quilting evaporated…ditto for time for blogging!  Talk to ya later!