Creativity Brings Joy and Light

I'd worked during March organizing our wards Relief Society Birthday Party on the 24th.  My part was the program, and displays and the sisters in our ward came through with zealous efforts.  Our theme for the whole year is "Let Your Light So Shine"  and each one of the 13 displays took one "light" focus on the theme and showed ways to implement that specific idea.  I displayed 6 of the recent quilts I had made this winter. This was the largest of the displays and the back drop for the whole event.

The purples quilts on the left, and the fall quilt on the right are mine, plus the two twister quilts on the tables.

 My two awesome display organizers: Elinor Laws and Sallie Franck

Scrappy quilt hanging on blackboard was also displayed. 

Twist and Shout Not Like We Did Last Summer (2013)

My first effort in making a "Twister Quilt" didn't turn out so great. I didn't understand the importance of having adjacent contrasting colors to showcase the twisters. I make this in 2013, and hoped it would look like a firecracker exploding into the night sky.  Unfortunately, all the effort to cut twisters was in vane, because some of the sections were the same, and you couldn't hardly see the twisters.  I needed light shades of the same hue interspersed.  I spent a lot of time adding decorative stitches around the shape, but even then it didn't show up much.  But from that experience I was determined to try it again.

Twister II  Winter 2015

Before beginning my next twister, I cut out all the 10.25" blocks out, using a wide variety of hues, and patterns.  Luckily some good quilter from Monticello had cleaned out her stash, and I bought it. It contained a wide variety of fabric that blended.  Next, I turned to Pinterest and looked at every possible twister quilt I could find.  I watched "how to" videos and decided upon a pattern.  This is what it looked like when I sewed the squares together. I had 11 blocks X 9 blocks, plus the pink border  Does this look like it could ever be a twister pattern?

That was the easy part.  But it is important to make sure all the crossroads where seams meet, is even.

Next, using a twister template I cut out new squares! (Yup that what we crazy quilters do, cut up perfectly good big pieces of fabric, sew it together, and then CUT it up again!!)   You lay the cross hairs of the template on the seams where the 4 different fabrics meet. (Just like hunting!)  You start on the outside edge and stitch a full row at a time.  Next you lay the squares out in the same order in which you cut them.  I usually cut left to right. 

Next sew that row together pressing the seams all in the same direction.  The next row will be pressed in the opposite direction.  This is what it will look right, and you'll wonder what in the world?  How does this become a twister? 

 The photo above shows what the row looks like as you sew one block after another..  It looks crazy doesn't it? but believe me, it will turn into a twister once you sew on the adjacent rows.  Look closely at the next photo and you'll be able to figure out how this happens.  Usually the square you cut out will have one wing of the pinwheel and there are four different fabrics making up the block.

This picture above shows five of the rows stitched together, and the twister shapes have magically appeared.   Make sure you alternate directions the rows are pressed so that the junction where the seams match up isn't bulky.   And voila' below is the finished quilt.  It is about 1/4 smaller than the original sewn blocks were, as there is quite a bit of fabric cut away.  I gave those scraps to a quilting friend who will use the leftover fabric to make yet another quilt.  I love how this turned out.

Because I had so much fun making this quilt...which is, incidentally, quite fast to make, I decided to make another one of more odds and ends I had stashed away.  There is a fair amount of cutting to do, but using a rotatory blade makes it goes fast. The final assembly also goes quickly. 

Show and tell at Quilt Guild March 18, 2015

Twister III  

This is the same size beginning blocks as #2 quilt, but I only used

8 X 10 blocks plus the border.

The finished top.  It's always fun to see what it will turn into!

I plan to add a final border all around to make it a bit bigger.  What colors to use?

Crash the Stash -- My Goal for 2015

Before picture

My goal for 2015 was to tidy up my sewing room by reducing the amount of fabric I had stashed before Spring planing and yard work began.  This was my sewing room when I began sewing this winter.  Every drawer was overflowing and I had fabric upstairs in a chest, as well as in 3 tubs, and in 2 more cabinets not even shown here. By the end of February I had used over 25 yards of fabric. I also cleaned out and organized my fabric drawers.  I made two donations to the Bluff Fort, put other material on the corner to give away, and gave other scraps to fellow quilters!   Finally I can see the tops of my sewing room cabinet tops!

By March I had used over 40 yards of fabric or more, as I made 24 pillow cases, and finished six quilts. Now I pretty much have all my fabric downstairs, in drawers, so I'm making progress.  All the quilts made Feb. and March were from my stash, with just a little bit that I had to borrow from Kathy Hurst, and Eve Lyn Perkins.  In April I made two apple core quilts and used up even more of my stash.  

Jelly Roll Deer Hunting quilt

 This is one of those creative quilts, where I had to create blocks that would fit around the 5 deer panels that I had. I also had several bundles of jelly roll camouflage that I wanted to use with it.  Next I tried to use the darkest camo to create a rail fence design, but had to insert some plain blocks to make it all work.  Fianlly after it was done, I appliqued maple leaves onto the plain blacks.  Anyway, this is how I started, and below is how I finished.

This is also a "create your own design" using scrappy pieces I got at a sale in Monticello.  I love the colors, and thought it turned out quite fun.

My next project was to make some Valentine pillow cases to use up some more of my stash.  I think I made about 22 cases in all, but only had 3 of them done for this year.  But I'll be ready for next year!

Pillow cases for next year.

The Rest of the Retreat Story and Quilt Gifts

A quilt I finished up for a Christmas/wedding gift for Glenda and David Guzman, my cousin in California though I bought the top on e-bay I did the binding and Jeri did the quilting.  They live near Fresno Calif, where I spent part of my early mission.  They work with marketing produce for local farmers, so I had her include grapes on the border area.  It also reminds me of when I picked grapes in the Lord's vineyard in Fresno, and all the people I came to love through those experiences.

Michael finished up his Eagle Scout requirements before Christmas, so I got busy and completed this quilt for him.  We delivered it in January, when we were up tending kids for Anthony and Ashley.

After Christmas I got busy, during the snow storms and finished up the quilt projects I had started last fall.  I had to resew the last row on this, as I had it backwards, then added the borders, and had Jeri Montella quilt it, using purple thread on a cream colored background.  I love it!

My goal this winter is to finish up projects already started, and use up my stash.  Luckily I had a nice lavender flannel for this baby sized pioneer quilt.  Again Jeri did the quilting, using cream on lavender.

I had quite a few already cut pieces left from the wave, so I made a smaller quilt using these.  I used a minky throw for the backing.

2014 Fall Retreat

Blue Mountain Quilting Retreat 2014

The Blue Mountain Lodge was a beautiful setting for the Grayson Quilters Fall retreat in 2014.  This revived my interest in quilting again.  It is always so fun to be with good friends, doing things together that are creative.  We had wonderful food, lots of laughs, played cards, and sewed like crazy!

My sewing buddies for the weekend were Nancy Kimmerle, Carole Fredere, and Kathy Hurst -- though all of us wandered around visiting with everyone there and checking on their projects.

Blue Mountain Lodge is the most awesome setting for a reunion or a retreat.  We were even blessed with a wonderful rain storm on the second day.  Perfect day to be there in a cozy place, and still able to see the wondrous vistas of rain from all sides of the lodge while sewing and talking.

More Grayson quilters, doing that they do best.

 Kathleen Lyman was our Guild president this year, and did an awesome job.

This was Carol's first pieced quilt and it turned out wonderfully well.

Second Day afternoon photo shoot with projects nearly done.

My two projects nearly completed.   I love the colors

T-Shirt Quilt for Ethan

This was done several years ago, but will stick it in this blog, as I just discovered the picture.  This is a quilt I made for Rob and Kathryn's son Ethan.   As he got older, he even learned how to make his own quilt, and now he's planning to make a mountain man outfit, the old fashioned way, with bone needles and leather.  What a great kid he is, with lots of creative imagination and energy!

     I made this quilt for Ethan Christmas 2011 and his mom furnished the t-shirts.

                                                             By the next summer 2012, Ethan was ready to learn to sew, and made this quilt for his baby brother

There was one minor little problem, when Ethan managed to run the machine needle through his finger!   But he came out smiling once the needle was extracted and the finger bandaged!

T-Shirt Quilt for Ethan

This was done several years ago, but will stick it in this blog, as I just discovered the picture.  This is a quilt I made for Rob and Kathryn's son Rob.   As he got older, he even learned how to make his own quilt, and now he's planning to make a mountain man outfit, the old fashioned way, with bone needles and leather.  What a great kid he is, with lots of creative imagination and energy!

     I made this quilt for Ethan Christmas 2011 and his mom furnished the t-shirts.

                                                             By the next summer 2012, Ethan was ready to learn to sew, and made this quilt for his baby brother

There was one minor little problem, when Ethan managed to run the machine needle through his finger!   But he came out smiling once the needle was extracted and the finger bandaged!