Kristin Shields Quiltmaker

Fond Farewell: AAQI for July

Although I'm staying in Sisters for the week, I snuck home for a while today to upload photos, do paperwork, wash some clothes, etc.  Just the other day I got the email with the registration info for my last two AAQI quilts.  These are called "Who, Me?" and "Shy Kitty".  

The end of AAQI is bittersweet.  I really loved making these little quilts every month, even when the timing was a stretch.  There were a few months when I chose to buy a quilt instead of make one, thus fulfilling my Quilt-A-Month agreement.  I am happy I was able to participate and somewhat relieved that the monthly obligation will end.  I will have more time to make items for the shop and for class samples, challenges, and outrageous fun!  

These two had to be special, so there are a couple of my liberated kitties, with hand embroidered faces and hand quilting.  **Edited to add:  I learned to do the cats in a class with Jude HIll.  She considers them her own design.**

These were so much fun to make.  I already have other kitties in progress and some other animals as well.  When fall rolls around I'll be ready to start creating more small works for the shop and I hope these animals are popular.  **Edited to add:  Due to the above note, I will not be making any more kitties for sale.**

Tomorrow is the Wish Upon a Card reception at the Sisters Chamber of Commerce from 3:30-6:00.  I will be there in the first part of the time frame so I can head over to Jean Wells' reception which is at the same time.  I don't know if I mentioned it here before, but I won third place in the Michael Miller Fabric Challenge.  I look forward to seeing my fellow winners including my good friend Marion who won first place and Martha who got an honorable mention.  Fun times!  Saturday is approaching fast and I may not be able to post before then.  Please come say hi if you are in town!  I'll be at Ponderosa Properties on Hood St. from about 9am-4pm.  

Fun with MOO

A quick post just to show you all some of the photos I used for my latest MOO order.  The first group are photos I used on blank greeting cards.

This time I also got some postcards made and will sell them in sets of 4 patchwork cats.  These are really fun!

I am totally swamped with last minute stuff related to the upcoming Fiber Arts Stroll on Sunday and other things in general.  Such a heady time!  I also realized that I took all my quilts to the quilt show office and forgot to get photos of the two most recent ones before I took them in!  I hate when I forget the photos.  So, that will have to be a post for another day.  

At the Fiber Art Stroll I will be demonstrating my process for using vintage linens in textile art.  I will also have greeting cards, postcards, hand dyed fabric inspiration packs, hand stitched ornaments and a few original fiber art pieces for sale.  If you are able to stop by on Sunday I will be on the shady porch in front of The Culver House, just to the right of the Stitchin' Post.  I look forward to seeing you!

If you see a design you would like to buy before I can get them up on Etsy, you can email me or leave a comment.  We should be able to work something out.  Greeting cards are $4 each, postcards sets are $6 each, plus shipping.  Thanks!

**Edited to add:  I learned to do the cats in a class with Jude HIll.  She considers them her own design.  I will not be selling cards with the cats anymore.**

In the Night Garden

Well, finally, I got some photos of this quilt!  I've been waylaid by numerous things over the past couple of weeks, mostly good like graduation, some more concerning issues due to various medical complaints.  Things will be fine, but I've just not had the time or inclination to do any sewing.

When I first thought of this quilt I wanted to make some cats that would seem to glow on an indigo background.  I had some indigos and found new Japanese prints to round it out.  I think the end result meets the goal I originally had.  There are 9 cats with various facial expressions which were so much fun to do.  **Edited to add:  I learned to do the cats in a class with Jude HIll.  She considers them her own design.**

I knew that this was one quilt that I wanted to machine quilt myself.  My machine quilting skills are improving steadily, but I have trouble when a quilt gets to be too big.  This one worked fine.  It measures 41" x 52".

I decided to quilt an overall swirl in blue to blend in but have an organic, maybe celestial feel.  I left spaces where I could add in some flowers and other garden elements with a variegated orange thread.

I like the back too.  The main backing fabric is a cool batik I found recently and I added a strip of the border from the front for some interest.  

This week I had visits with an interviewer and photographer from the local paper.  Very exciting, but also nerve wracking.  The special publication will come out on June 28 and will be available for free all over Sisters.  The show is just about 1 month away and I still have some finishing things to do with a few of the quilts, plus some other projects that need attention.  More soon!

Cat Quilt Sneak Peek

The quilting on the Cat Quilt is finished!  I will be working on the binding tonight.  The quilt reveal will be soon.  **Edited to add:  I learned to do the cats in a class with Jude HIll.  She considers them her own design.**

This one makes me giggle!

**Edited to add:  I learned to do the cats in a class with Jude HIll.  She considers them her own design.**

More Kitty Faces

I've been swamped lately, but I really, really loved making these kitty faces.  So much so that I've made two more cats for my final AAQI quilts (for July) and one other one for a block for a friend.  I have ideas for more liberated animals, but no time to try them.  Right now, this quilt is still just basted.  Hopefully, some quilting will happen tomorrow.  

This one is my absolute favorite.  So open and happy, it just makes me smile!  **Edited to add:  I learned to do the cats in a class with Jude HIll.  She considers them her own design.**

All in a Day's Work

Two tops finished, two quilts basted, one very happy quilter.  Happy Weekending to you!  **Edited to add:  I learned to do the cats in a class with Jude HIll.  She considers them her own design.**

It's Been a Very Good Day

Today, I have solved several design problems that have been nagging at me.  I've gotten going on some projects that are not for the show, but need to be done around the same time.  Cat faces are starting to come to life.  The other pieces will have to stay a bit of a secret.  **Edited to add: The cats are something I learned how to do in a class with Jude Hill.  She considers them her own design.**

Well, except for this one.  This is a future AAQI quilt. I've got a bit of hand work to do now and, luckily, several episodes of Call the Midwife and Mr. Selfridge to catch up on.  Later!

Back to the Cats

Starting to puzzle the blocks together, thinking about how to do the faces, hoping I can get it done for the show (but not going to make myself crazy to do so!).  What's up with you?

The Spirit of the Wood

My Novel Idea quilt is done!  The Spirit of the Wood was inspired by The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, which was chosen as the Deschutes Public Library Novel Idea Book this year.  This fabulous story was itself inspired by the Russian folktale of The Snow Child or The Snow Maiden.  It is set in Alaska in the 1920's and tells the story of a childless couple who somehow come to know a small girl who survives in the Alaskan winters in the company of a red fox.  Previous posts are here and here.

I read this book during the snowiest part of our winter, just after Christmas, and it was magical.  There are so many passages that are evocative of the time and place, so many opportunities to be creatively inspired.  I took notes and could have made a dozen different quilts.  It was very hard to pare it down to the things I most wanted to have in my quilt.  In fact, if I had the time I have two other ideas I'd love to make into quilts!

The fox was the very first thing I wanted to have here and it was a bit of a challenge to try to get an approximation of the colors and the eyes.  Faces are always a challenge for me, but in the folk art tradition, eyes do not have to be symmetrical and perfect.  In this quilt, the Spirit of the Wood may be the fox, the owl, or even the trees.  I needed a title that wasn't just "The Snow Child" and spent a 1/2 hour browsing the pages to find something that would fit.  How perfect is this name given that embroidered "S"!  

While there were many different animals mentioned in the book (I made a list of over 30), I didn't notice owls.  However, this one just begged to be included and adds the touch of color I wanted up there by the moon.

The "S" could signify snow child, snow, snowflakes, snow angels, stars, swan feathers, spirit or even Shields.  I think it looks a bit like a cloud in the sky.  

Subtle elements I included are the snow angels and swan feathers, both important to the story.  In addition to the wonderful plot of this book, there are many references to hand sewing and embroidery.  I tried to emulate Mabel's hand stitched snowflakes.

The book title is couched to the bottom of the panel with some of my hand spun yarn and embroidery floss.

The panel itself is made from a vintage table runner that already had the crocheted edging.  I cut it in half and dyed it in indigo last summer, before I knew about the book project.  I love reusing vintage textiles this way.  In fact, the "S" fabric is an indigo dyed vintage hanky, the snow is made from two different vintage (and well used) kitchen linen towels.  The edging at the top is an indigo overdyed linen table cloth.  It's the only part that was machine sewed because I was running out of time and my fingers were too sore to contemplate hand sewing it down.  The trees and fox were hand dyed by me (except the trunks which are a commercial batik).

I hope you enjoyed this mini tour of The Spirit of the Wood.  This piece will hang in the QuiltWorks gallery for the whole month of April.  The reception is Friday, April 5, 5-7 pm and there will be 50-60 quilts in this Snow Child exhibit.  I've seen many of them and it's going to be amazing!  We hope the author will have a chance to see the quilts when she comes for her lectures the first weekend of May.