Any Quilters on GC?
 

Here's something I'm interested in (besides badges): I've finally returned to quilting, after many years of not touching my Singer 221 (1957) Featherweight (it was my grandmother's, left to me when she passed). Have been astounded at the changes in the quilting world... the fabrics are incredible. I splurged on a Bernina (without the embroidery module, although I'm saving for that), and take my Featherweight to classes.

Love batiks; working on a sampler quilt right now with reds, purples and (gasp) yellows. Also working on an Amish-style quilt (all solids), Nancy Rink design - Amish with a Twist. Finishing up a bargello for a friend's birthday. Next up: a shabby chic cuddle-style raggy quilt for a certain GCer (if I can find the *right* fabrics).

Not brave enough to tackle any Judy Niemeyer designs yet but hope that next year I'll have enough confidence to tackle paper piecing.

Anyone else quilting around these parts?

I quilt. I love working with the batiks too, but I have been working exclusively with scraps for a few years now because my collection of fabric verges on the absurd. But I'm always scared to buy less than a pattern asks for! The worst quilt I ever made was a water color quilt. It was an interesting project, REALLY difficult and completely controlled my life for a couple months. The result was pretty but I don't know if it was worth the effort and the huge expense in having to go shopping over and over again so I could find a 2X2 inch square of fabric that was the correct shade of yellow on 1 side and black on the other. Eventually I was stuck buying block pieces of 12 inches or larger just to take out 1 single 2 inch square. And thus the ridiculous stash. I occasionally think about doing one again but it actually brings on anxiety. I think I'll stick with squares and triangles.

I quilt as well. I hand quilt, but I have a machine quilter I have collaborated with on projects. I had to put a moratorium on fabric buying - I'm running out of storage, so I have to get some projects done. I am working on a quilt right now with fabric based on the Mexican Day of the Dead. It is very cool.

We should ship a fat quarter (or equivalent) to each other! Pick a color, I bet I can find it for you. Except black or grey, which is a problem. It turns out even when you don't work with those colors, you still need it to make borders pop (my current problem).

And I only hand quilt. Machine piece (I'm not crazy!) but hand quilt.

DS, I have wanted to make a watercolor quilt since first seeing one a long time ago. After reading your account, I've changed my mind. JayhawkAOII, would love to see your Dia de los Muertos quilt! It happens to be my birthday, so I love DOD themes.

So far have been able to resist much "stashing" - practicing extreme restraint.

Here's one that I think I could conquer: http://web.missouri.edu/~chandrasekh...watercolor.jpg

The one I did was along this line:
http://qualityquilter.files.wordpres...l-hanging1.jpg except way more complicated. The heart went from a deep fuschia to almost white pink and the background went from yellow to white to black. I don't think either of these examples would be nearly as taxing and you could use way more of a given print than I was able to.

Something like this is my dream/nightmare:
http://www.lenorecrawford.com/English%20garden.jpg

Holy COW.

Now I really want to make one! That's beautiful. Here's the Amish Quilt I'm working on:

[IMG]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8391/8...8e7ffc8ace.jpg
MFNRAMISHQK by SilverTerv, on Flickr[/IMG]

When I finish grad school and the kids are both in college, this is the hobby I intend to pick up. I've done a lot of sewing but I really want to quilt. My biggest concern is that I'm kind of OCD and want everything to always be symmetrical and balanced and I have a hard time with certain colors together. The heart watercolor quilt would work but the one above it makes me feel anxious because the colors aren't balanced and it isn't symmetrical enough. I think this is going to hold me back creatively...lol. I had a co-worker who did beautiful stained glass quilts though and those were fine with me because they were pictures, not random shapes. Hers were kind of like these:
http://www.ericas.com/quilting/patterns/37480b.jpg

I quilt a bit. I learned how to do it all by hand back in the day before rotary cutters when we used to mark our pieces with the 1/4" stick. I didn't buy a machine for about 7 years but even when I had one, it was mostly for home dec designs. Suffered with the Singer for way too long until taking the Bernina plunge. I have the QE edition which suits my needs (although it would be nice to have a monogramming/embroidery feature).

The quilts and quilted totebags that I make on commission are all machine-pieced/quilted. Ditto with projects that are for gifts as nonquilters just don't realize how many hours are put into these items. Non-utilitarian designs that I will be keeping are all done by hand.

When my children were home, I was a prolific hand-needleworker as I was always sitting somewhere at Scout meetings, sports practices, religious education.

Currently I am working on a totebag for an AF wife, a DG/UVa pillow, and a large quilt for my house.

My Kappa Needleworker group just finished our triennial quilt that we make to raise money for RIF. We unveiled it at our Province Meeting in the beginning of March and will sell chances on it through next year and will draw a name at our alum ass'n Spring Luncheon 2014. This quilt was primarily pieced by hand (a bit was machine pieced) and was all hand-quilted.

would love to see a photo of the Kappa triennial quilt...

Bought the Bernina 750QE. I felt like I went from riding a tricycle to flying a Lear jet.

AGDAlum should be checking in on this thread. She pieced the Alpha Gamma Delta Centennial Quilt.

This is the quilt that we worked on from 2011-2013, the raffle is ongoing until next spring. Not the greatest lighting at our Blue Owl Boutique room...so hopefully we will be retaking the pictures.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8392/8...baf5f97d_z.jpg

This one was made from 2008-2010, raffled from 10-11. Hand-appliqued/machine-pieced/hand-quilted


http://rosemaryremembers.files.wordp...pg?w=400&h=267

http://rosemaryremembers.files.wordp...pg?w=400&h=267

From 2004-2007 we made a gorgeous batik applique, raffled from 07-08. Hand-everything!

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8104/8...2dc51ef8f2.jpg

In 2001-04 we made a blue and blue Virginia Reel, raffled from 04-05. I'm going to have to search around for photos, not to bore you all but for my own records.

This one was the first one with which I was involved. We were starting on Year 3 of this when I moved to the area so it was from 1998-2001, raffled 01-02

http://blog.kappakappagamma.org/wp-c...s2-300x207.jpg

Upper left hangs in my house

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7231/7...fda01da9_z.jpg

I taught myself to quilt by hand with a headlamp in the dark while working at a summer camp... Thus my quilts are not nearly as extravagant as yours. I tend to gravitate towards the batiks as well.
http://images2.snapfish.com/23232323...36684343nu0mrjhttp://images2.snapfish.com/23232323...36685343nu0mrj

Sorry for giant photos. I kept resizing them smaller, then when I preview or post, they're giant sized again!

I really like this! But I don't do applique, so I'd have to find a different motif for the corners. I absolutely HATE doing applique (way too OCD for the folding and making do) and I don't do curves either.

The one I'm working on right now is quite simple, but the instructions are ridiculous. It's like the designer so desperately wanted to make multiple squares at once that the cuts, folds, lines drawn, etc. are ridiculously contrived. I did one as a gift and I'm working on one (ok, not really working... it's out in the middle of the room making me look like the next episode of horders), trying to simplify the instructions as I go.

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...40943996_n.jpg This one is a baby quilt that I think will be used as a play mat. The baby, being about 1 week old now, hasn't had a whole lot of play time yet!

I'm another quilter. Last one I made was a few weeks ago for our Alumnae Chapter's philanthropy fund raiser. Made a coordinating scotty dog to go with it. Will post pictures if some one can tell me how you do it on here.

DaffyKD

Load your pictures to a web-based account, like Facebook. You can adjust the settings so only you can view the pictures if you don't want them shared. Then just copy the image url, click on the picture above, and paste it in. Once you accept the fact that you can't just take them off your regular files, the process is very simple.

HI,
I am envious of all of you quilters. Question for all of you... I am looking to hire someone to take all of my daughters college and sororoty tshirts and make it into a quilt. I have seen ads in the back of magazines, but have no idea where to find someone. Any ideas?

If you're in Orange County, I'll do it for you! But really, it's such an easy project that I'd think about doing it yourself as a gift to her. I can provide plenty of suggestions on best practices, but from a piecing perspective, t-shirt quilts couldn't be easier. Then you can quilt it yourself or send it out to be quilted (your local Joann's should be able to help you with that).

And AZTheta, I have to thank you for starting this thread. I live in a little tiny apartment and have the sewing machine, cutting board and ironing board out in the middle of the living room but haven't actually worked on my quilt in weeks. This triggered me to get back to cutting and drawing diagonal lines! My goal is to put these things away soon. I should have some new squares completed tonight, and dare I say it, some blocks to share here very soon.

DS I hadn't thought of posting any blocks, but now YOU have motivated me to do just that. I have quilt class tonight, so perhaps tomorrow I'll do some "show and tell". My teacher is so wonderful. She has the patience of Job.

It's fun to talk quilts. It's the *perfect* activity for me. Can't be distracted at all, have to be completely focused.

Am headed to Home Depot or Lowes to get a board that I can cover with flannel and mount on the wall in my sewing room so I can put the blocks up and arrange them as I'm working on piecing. It is interesting how "visual" I truly am! Even though I talk a lot, I have to see what the project and gauge what I'm doing. I hate reverse sewing (also known as ripping).

DS, did you buy any fabrics when you were living in Dubai? Thinking about cotton & silk... kicking myself that I didn't bring back fabric from Tibet or China or Mongolia. In Lhasa I was in a fabric "store" for more than an hour and walked out empty handed. China had so much silk that I got overwhelmed. Went for cashmere in Ulan Bator (UB) and didn't pay any mind to the fabrics... oh well.

Cashmere . . . now there's are reason to prevent climate change.

I didn't buy much fabric for quilting while I was there. I had most of my clothes custom tailored (a HUGE perk of living in that part of the world), so I bought fabric regularly, but not calico-style cotton very often. Besides, that mountain of stash I have? It all went with me to Dubai. And for as much sewing as I did while I was there (a reasonable amount), I still brought a ton home. The difference is added to the stash was scraps from a couple ball gowns I had made. I don't know what I'm going to do with them, but some of it is beautiful so I couldn't make myself throw it out. Actually, one of the dresses I deconstructed in hopes of reconstructing it into a pretty chiffony skirt, but I've never made it to the reconstruction phase!

CaMom,

I have made a lot of commissioned tshirt quilts for people across the country. The shipping isn't outrageous despite the weight of the quilt. However, if you are worried about it getting lost in the mail, call your local quilt shop to get contacts for the local quilt guild. There are always members in the guilds who take commissions. PM me if you want more information about my work etc.

I've inherited a few quilts. I feel obligated to fix those before starting a new one for myself.

I feel badly that I didn't inherit my great-aunt's velvet Crazy Quilt - it was amazing!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I hate hate hate when I hear people say they've put a quilt I've made them "away to protect it." Wouldn't we all rather see our work displayed like this? Baby Aryan seems to be happy enough.

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...24720390_n.jpg

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I hate hate hate when I hear people say they've put a quilt I've made them "away to protect it." Wouldn't we all rather see our work displayed like this? Baby Aryan seems to be happy enough."

Oh I so agree! I made a quilt and I asked the person I gave it to how she liked it. "Oh, I have it in the bag still. I don't want it to get dirty." Um...I don't care if it gets dirty! I gave it to you to use not to sit in a bag.

I do have a couple of quilts that are so old they are just too fragile to have out on a regular basis, so they generally stay in the closet, but everything else is fair game.

Jayhawk - my friends had an antique crazy quilt mounted and preserved under some kind of glass so it won't fade. It was $$$$$$$$$$$ but holy COW it's stunning and they hung it on a wall in their living room. DS: Aryan looks so peaceful under that quilt. Love it. That's what quilts are for!

Set aside several hours this afternoon/evening to work on piecing blocks. Hope to get the bargello quilt assembled. I'm not thrilled with the colors but it is more southwest/masculine, not my usual reds/purples and it's a gift so I won't have to look at it once it's completed!

Absolutely agree! I have the quilts that my best friend's mother made for each of my kids. They are very well loved and will be given to their children some day.

DaffyKD

I've told people I will make them a new one if they wear out the one I've given them. They only die if they were badly constructed, used really bad thread or fabric, or by abundance of love. So the 1st two would be my fault and the third would merit a replacement anyway.

I have quilts as wall hangings, and hanging on blanket racks in bedrooms. There is no such thing as too many quilts!

As promised, here's the first completed block of the same quilt but in pinks and lighter yellow and green. It's interesting that in its constituent parts it didn't look nearly as pale as this. In real life it's not quite this pale, but it's pretty light!
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...75221840_n.jpg

Your points are awesome! And I really like your fabric choices.

Put together the first 15 blocks of the sampler quilt; as soon as I get the other ten on, I'll post a photo. I decided to do some ripping and restitching b/c I want my blocks to line up as neatly as yours do, DS.

There is more than one reason I work with squares and half squares only. Plus, I have learned to trim after each round so they end up the same size virtually every time. I hate the trimming part but it's critical to a good point.

But this pattern is easy enough and sized right to use scraps so I may keep at this one for a few more go-rounds. The one problem is my muslin is done so I'll have to use a color for the background on the next one.

Here's a quilt made for a KD from Washington and Lee.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CsL7te7sOV...kdW&L2big1.jpg

I LOVE those stained glass quilts. Gorgeous!!

As a non-sewer, how difficult is quilting? One of my friends made a quilt for my newborn son and it is so cool looking it got me wondering if it'd be a good side hobby in the future. Something kind of challenging but also offering some time to escape the stressors of real life. I have the same challenge as AGDee, though- I feel like I would agonize over every single little scrap to make sure it was really perfect. That may result in never getting off the ground or never finishing! I feel like I need a class in "how to give up artistic control and just go with it".

I'm a perfectionist, and quilting is *perfect* because it's taught me a lot about myself, the idiocy of perfectionism, and how to let go of what's not important.

Quilting consists of three steps: measure and cut; sew press. Repeat.

It is a great activity because it can be done in small time increments. The results are immediate.

It appeals to my creativity and artistic sense. There's tremendous variety in quilt patterns, fabrics, threads, and so on. And it's the best way I can manage my ADHD. I have to focus on what's right in front of me. I never get bored. I love seeing a quilt take form.

thetygerlily, my 7th grade home ec teacher guaranteed that I would hate sewing for the rest of my life. I wouldn't touch a machine or sew ANYTHING until the mid 90's. My best friend (a pledge sister) had her mother make quilts for both of my kids when they were born. I loved them. A friend took a quilting class and got me to join her. I have been hooked since. When sewing clothes, you had to be spot on or else you may be walking down the street with 1 sleeve a mile longer than the other. With quilting, if you make a mistake, you either take out the stitches if it is a big error or add an applique to cover the boo boo if possible. I still won't do curves. I do straight stitch seams, but thanks to optical illusions, often it looks like I have done curves.

Try a basic quilt class and see how you like it!

DaffyKD

I think it's a great hobby IF you have room to put your sewing stuff in and close the door. In my current living situation it's out in the middle of everything and putting everything away every day isn't realistic.

Here's a suggestion for anyone interested in taking up quilting but is intimidated. Look for a "mystery quilt." It gives you step by step instructions but you don't see what the quilt looks like. The first one I did said to buy X number of blue fabrics of similar tone and X number of a light color (I chose yellow). The quilt turned out really pretty although loaded with errors. The mystery quilt had me doing way more complicated procedures than I ever would have otherwise, but it taught me a lot about the process.
If you google Mystery Quilt, you should find some information to get you started. But seriously, don't cheat.

There are a lot of materials required to get started as a quilter. Before you make a huge investment I might see if you could borrow or inherit a quilter's older stuff (except for your scissors and rotary cutter which should be new and high quality). The cutting mats and clear plastic rulers are expensive so those I'd see if you can borrow for a while. Plus, you'll develop your own preferences and I can tell you having a $50 cutting mat sitting around doing nothing because you don't like the size or shape is pretty annoying.

If you start out hand-piecing and hand-quilting only, you won't need a machine. I was originally taught by a neighbor who was heavily influenced by Amish and Shaker design. The emphasis she instilled regarding simple lines and precision resonates with me today. My sewing machine was for sewing window treatments (we PCSed a lot with the Army). I didn't piece a block by machine until about 12 years after I originally was taught the hand techniques. Even then, I still did very little machinework until I bought my Bernina about 7 years after that. I would love to get a midarm machine for my next expenditure, specifically the HQ16

My mom took up quilting when I was little and never completed the piece. I found the material in the attic when I was fifteen and finished all the squares. My mom had done three including a fancy center square that had peacock type feathers. When I went to put it together, that dang fancy square was 2/3 the size of all the other squares, and I couldn't figure out how to put the thing together. I packed all the squares back up and have no idea what became of it. :/ My 15 year old brain did not take well to that level of annoyance and didn't have the resources of the Internet, classes or additional material to fix the issue. I did enjoy making the squares while it lasted.