Stitching Hands Studio

SOQS:: Block Contest 2012

I finished my contest block last week and got it turned in a month early!  There's still time if you'd like to join the contest.  Just check out the info here.  When I got my fabric pack, it took a while to come up with a design, but the orange print really begged to be bird tails in my mind.  All the other parts fell in to place easily and I had fun adding some embroidery embellishment.  This is my 6th year participating and it's always fun to see what others come up with.  

My current work includes my guild challenge quilt, based on children's literature and my book club quilt, based on Jane Kirkpatrick's Love To Water My Soul.  I had a terrible time choosing a children's book to do, but I finally chose my book and came up with a design concept last week.  I spent all last Saturday preparing a background and cutting fabric for applique.  Now I'm stitching down those pieces.  Unfortunately, this one needs to be a secret until July 16.  I'm also doing Jude Hill's latest class, Contemporary Boro 2.  It's all about remaking clothing or creating something new. I'm working on a vest and hope to have something to show soon.

With a busy summer coming up I am not sure how much I'll be able to post, but hope to check in every week or so.  I hope you are all enjoying the coming change of season!

Tooting My Horn

Someone's got to do it! I've got big news today. First of all, two of my quilts were chosen for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative's May Online Auction. My #10,000 quilt, Shhh..., is the first one you see in this video. I also have #9500, Fine Feathered Friend, in the auction. Please spread the word about this fantastic fundraiser. The quilts in the auction this month are really wonderful. I see several I'd love to have in my own collection.

Now, for the really, really big news. I have been invited to be the Featured Quilter for the 2013 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show! Wow, I'm so honored to have been chosen. This event draws thousands of people from all over the country and the world. I'm glad I have 14 months to prepare. The past week has been so busy, I haven't had time to sit down and really think about it, but I'm sure some new ideas will start sprouting soon.  So, save the date: July 13, 2013.  If you've been thinking about attending the show sometime, this might be just the incentive you need to make the trip!

Small Wonders 2012

This is my entry for the Small Wonders Challenge this year.  The theme is 'A Patterned Village' and the challenge fabric for this year is the green print.  All the rest of the fabric is hand dyed, mostly by me, but at least one of the greens is from a local friend.  It measures 25" x 19".

I admit to having to push myself to make this.  My first idea for the challenge just wasn't going to be ready in time, and I love it so much that I think I want to keep it, so I made this all in one day yesterday.  I started at the bottom, working my way up to the row with the houses.  The main bodies of the houses are free pieced, with the roofs and other details added by fusing.  I call it 'The Red Door' because I've always wanted a house with a red door.  I also like blue doors!  Presently I have neither, but I'm happy to create little worlds where I can have any sort of door I please.  

If you are so inclined to make a Small Wonder, I have it on good authority that the deadline has been pushed back to May 15.  The prizes are pretty awesome, so think about it!

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.  We are having our first taste of summer weather and it is just delightful!

Wish Upon a Card 2012

It's that time of year again!  The Stitchin' Post will be accepting fabric post cards for Wish Upon A Card right up until July 1.  If you wish to have a card be considered for framing, the deadline is April 15.  Maybe you have time to get one in the mail tomorrow?  I had such fun making my postcards.  I first decided to make the giraffe above with some wool felt.  I was inspired after seeing Salley Mavor's presentation. In order to make the card stiff, I used Fast-2-Fuse for the middle layer.  The backs on all of them are linen.  All the embroidery was done before I fused it to the Fast-2-Fuse.  After fusing to the linen backing, I zig-zagged around the edge.

Next I decided to get back to my beloved linen, but wanted to see if it was possible to do without adding the harem cloth backing the way I do the slow cloth.  That was a mistake, but a good lesson!  The owls were created by fusing the blue linen to a piece of harem cloth with some Steam-A-Seam.  That stuff is nasty for hand sewing, so I had a real pain doing the applique and embroidery on this one.  I finally decided to finish the tree with some machine stitching.  Then it was fused to the Fast-2-Fuse, fused to a linen backing and zig-zagged around the edge.

I went back to my favorite slow cloth techniques with this last one.  The blue linen backing was stitched with an invisible baste to some harem cloth.  Then I added all the applique, some raw edge, some needle turned.  I had lots of fun adding the embroidery stitches, then fused it to the Fast-2-Fuse and the linen backing.  Finally I zig-zagged around the edge.  

I like them a lot and hope they are well received for the fundraiser.  If you would like to give fabric postcards a try and have any questions at all, I'd be happy to answer them in the comments.

The backs are almost as pretty as the fronts.  I used hand dyed linen.  The blue is indigo dyed from a linen thrift store shirt that had that flower motif printed on it.

A day in the life of SHS

Yesterday was a great day here in Stitching Hands Studio. First of all, I finished the stitching on the Long Necked Beast (aka llama).  I still need to back and quilt it, but it's coming along.  

Second of all, I got out the quilt blocks I won last year in the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show block contest and started work on getting them together.  It turned out I won 21 blocks, plus my own.  Twenty-two blocks isn't quite the right number so I decided to add 2 more blocks to make it a 6 x 4 arrangement.  They had sent me leftover fabric from the block packs so I had plenty to work with.  I also decided to choose the dark green for sashing.  It's actually a lovely two-toned green shot cotton. 

Isn't this a wonderful collection of blocks?  Mine is the third one down in the third column from the left.  The two I designed to make up the difference are the fourth and sixth down in the second column from the left.  I'm still stitching them.  The block arrangement might change before they get sewn together, but so far I'm happy with this.  This is after much rearrangement.  Once I get this all sewn together I'll go look for a good border fabric.  

That little stack of fabric tacked on the board at the right is the block pack for this year's block contest.  Wonder what will become of that?

Today I've been running errands, getting together the guild newsletter, packing, doing laundry, cleaning up. Tomorrow we are off on a little trip to the coast.  I'm sure we'll see rain, but I'm hoping the sun will make an appearance too.  I'll be happy for some time away to clear my head, ramble, take photos, and enjoy my family.  Have a great weekend!

Jean Wells: Local Quilter Makes Good

I just had to share this!  Jean Wells, the owner of the Stitchin' Post, originator of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show and all around fabulous art quilter and teacher, was featured in last night's edition of Oregon Art Beat.  I hope you'll watch this video to learn a bit more about Jean and the wonderful shop where I'm taking my workshop this week.  

I'm especially excited because I actually got to have dinner at Jean's house last night along with the rest of my classmates.  It was just wonderful!  Her house is a true artist's house, with art by Jean and other local artists adorning every wall and surface.  Even the bathroom had fabulous original art.  It was such a treat to see Jean's home and studio and the fabulous view from her patio, above.  The mountains were in fine form last evening, showing their new snow in the crisp autumn breeze.  Enjoy!

Eat. Breathe. Quilt.

Way back in early July, during Quilter's Affair, I was fortunate to attend the Quilter's Picnic in the Park with some fabulous friends.  We had the most fun time!  Tonya, Jessica and Sarah made the evening amazing.  We had a yummy dinner, a hand quilting without a hoop demonstration by Tonya, and lots of laughs.  Thanks gals for a great evening!

Something to tide you over

I've still got so much to do in the next few hours before my plane leaves, but I couldn't help posting something from the quilt show as I was downloading my photos.  This is one of my absolute favorites of the day.  Enjoy!  See you round here maybe next week.

Playing around

with my new Nikon Coolpix P500.  Just going through her paces to see what she can do.  Also, packing for the next trip and for moving.  And basking in the memories of the 36th annual Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.  Busy, busy, busy.  Oh, and Magic Diaries just started.  Life is full...  

Look who I got to meet!

Finally, Lazy Gal Tonya and I are in the same place!  It was so great to meet her- like old friends.  We had a nice dinner at Los Agaves Mexican Restaurant and then attended the Gee's Bend quilter presentation.  While waiting in line I did a mini show and tell and of course, we had to get a photo of this quilt, Love Always, our collaboration.  Tonya made the letters and sent them to me and I made the rest.  

I've got more to share, but it will have to wait.  Two more long days ahead.  See ya!