Kristin Shields Quiltmaker

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Hello!  I have been working hard for the past couple of days to update the blog.  If you are reading this in a blog reader, the details may not be apparent.  To get the full effect, please go to the blog itself.  I have changed around and updated the items in the header and sidebars and added those cute little social media icons on the right.  Don't know how I missed using them before!  

I also updated the Workshops page and made a new Tutorials & Ideas list in the right sidebar.  One thing that took a fair amount of time was to go through every single old post and add the category "solids" to the relevant ones.  It turns out I have lots of posts featuring solid fabrics.  Since they are a big deal for me this year, I thought it was an interesting exercise.  I added that list to the Tutorials & Ideas page under "A Passion for Solids".  If you are wondering why I am feeling so strongly about using solids, take a look at those posts.  It's a link to the category solids, so it will update and change whenever I add a post with that tag.

I would love to hear from you if you find anything amiss on these pages, or if you have any ideas for other changes I could make.  I will certainly consider them.  Also, I would love to hear if you have an idea for a tutorial.  I haven't done any in a long time, mainly because I haven't had any great ideas.  I'd love to hear from you.  

This weekend is the one where I put sleeves on my QuiltCon entries.  I have my work cut out for me after dilly dallying with the blog for two days.  I hope all is well with all of you!  ~Kristin

Modern Improv Sampler

Modern Improv Sampler
Kristin Shields  2014
17 x 24, cotton, linen, machine pieced and quilted

Begin as you mean to go on- a good bit of advice for New Year's.

I don't think I've shown this finished piece yet.  I started making these units during my Modern Improv class at NW Quilters last September.  I did show a glimpse of it in this post in November.  This was a quick finish.  It's small, but so much fun. This is what I mean by doing the kind of quilting I love.  I absolutely love taking a bunch of scraps and making meaning of them.  Especially if they are solid scraps.  I decided to make several of these small pieces because they'll be useful for travel teaching.  I think teachers need to provide lots of examples, but traveling with a suitcase of big quilts gives you less variety.  Since I love to do these, it's certainly not a hardship.  I think I'll be making lots more this year!

Meanwhile, today I started something new for our 2015 Central Oregon Modern Quilt Guild Challenge :: Inspired by Gee's Bend.  I'll post about that next time!

You Win Some, You Lose Some :: QuiltCon 2015

So, these are the three that didn't make it into QuiltCon.  Stylistically, I think they differ from the other three, but to tell you the truth the only one I really thought was a long shot was the second one.  It's awfully busy and may not be some people's cup of tea.  I purposely entered a lot of quilts so I would have a better chance, but I was lucky that I had some that I thought were suitable and available to enter.  The only one that was made specifically for QuiltCon was Love in the Digital Age.  

About the word rejection:  I don't like that word in describing what happened here.  I think with over 1300 quilts entered there were some very tough decisions being made.  I really like this blog post about the word rejection.  I prefer to say that these quilts were regretfully passed up.

I haven't seen this mentioned, but the way quilts were presented in photos could have made a difference.  I have been entering juried shows for just a few years, but have taken very seriously the advice I've gotten on photographing quilts.  Here's one set of helpful tips.  Here's another good one.  In general, I would never offer a quilt photo taken with my phone for a call for entry.  If that's all you've got, it's time to find a friend with a higher quality camera.

Many folks have been talking about the Modern Quilt Guild definitions of modern.  This is the key point that has bugged me since the whole movement started.  They were obviously not the first to make "modern" quilts.  Minimalism, negative space, alternate grid, high contrast, improvisational piecing have been around for decades and even centuries.  I also am bugged when people like Gwen Marston are looked over as having contributed greatly to this movement.  However, having said that, I find myself gravitating more and more to the improvisational part of this aesthetic and the folks who work in this realm.  QuiltCon 2015 will be my first QuiltCon show and I look forward to seeing the quilts, meeting the people, and feeling the energy.

Re solids:  Patty, in the comments on this post, mentioned that mine may have been chosen because they feature solid fabrics.  I have no idea about that for sure, but I have been seeing a lot more solids being used in the modern movement than the traditional quilt guild.  As you can see here, the three that didn't make it also feature solids.  I confess that for a while there, I thought modern meant that you used modern prints.  I bought a bunch and made some quilts that are okay, but really not my favorite.  In my case, I first fell in love 30 years ago with traditional Amish quilts, which, as I'm sure you know, are mostly made with solids.  It seems I am coming back to that and I really want to play with solids for their graphic quality. They also simplify my life as a quilter.  I don't have to worry about the personality of prints playing well together when I use solids.  My print stash has shrunk quite a bit over the years and the solids are taking over.  That suits me, but it doesn't mean it has to suit everyone.  I also still love a wild and wacky scrap quilt with a little bit of everything.  

So, for those whose quilts were regretfully passed up here's my advice.  Keep on making what you love.  If you are making what you think others will love, you will not be expressing your true voice.  If you make what you love you will be making art and craft that speak to you, is an expression of yourself and your personal aesthetic and you will find that this work shines.  Also, keep on entering shows if that's important to you.  Find other local, regional and even national shows that you can enter.  I want to put in a plug for the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. They take all quilts that are entered as long as they meet the requirements for size and finishing.  See more about requirements here.  The 2015 SOQS is going to be huge!  It's their 40th anniversary and I know there will be many wonderful special exhibits.  They usually show over 1200 quilts and people come from all over the world to see them.  Modern quilts are also well received here.  

So, make 2015 a year in which you keep on finding your true voice as a quilter, in which you enter quilts if that's your desire, and keep on keeping on, as they say!

QuiltCon News!

Hi there!  I'm just popping in to say that I am so excited that three of my quilts were juried into QuiltCon 2015!  Above is Love in the Digital Age, below is Las Ventanas and the last is one I've never shown here before.  

This quilt is called The Power of Three and was made in response to Sherri Lynn Wood's call for quilts for her upcoming book, The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters.  I have not shown this quilt anywhere before now.  It was not included in the book, but I am so thrilled to have it show at QuiltCon!  By the way, the book is now available for pre-order at Amazon, so check the link.  It will also be available for sale at QuiltCon.  I'll post more about the making of this quilt next week. In the meantime I am in the midst of tricky gift making that doesn't even involve a sewing machine! Be back soon!

Love in the Digital Age

I am thrilled to report that I have completed my entries to QuiltCon!  I'm so happy that this quilt is finished, I had good luck getting photos today and that the entry went quickly since my information was all organized.  Now, there's just the wait to see what's accepted.  I know that Las Ventanas will be in the show because it was automatically accepted after being at Houston, but I have others that I'd love to have in the show.

Love in the Digital Age was made for two reasons.  One was for another quilt to enter for QuiltCon, but the main reason was because I needed a quilt for our guild's special exhibit at Sisters next year.  Our theme is Ruby Celebration, for the Sisters Quilt Show 40th Anniversary.  This quilt turned out just the way I imagined it.  Chloe gave me the great title.  Whew!  Now I can relax a bit before we head off for the Thanksgiving holiday.  

Love in the Digital Age
Kristin Shields
2014
44 x 44
machine pieced, machine quilted

November Stitches :: This Week

This has been a busy month (are there any that are not?).  Here's a sampling of what's going on this week.  I am taking a once a month wool club class with Tamra at the Stitchin' Post. It's based around Sue Spargo's Bird Dance pattern.  I already have plenty of wool and embellishments, so I started a new project!  Silly me.

I taught my own class: Whimsical Journal Covers on Wednesday. It was a small, but very fun class.  Above is my fox I stitched on as a demo.  Below is Jeannie's dog, my pattern inspired by Scrabble.  So cute!

Lindsey was excited to make a cover to fit a different sized journal. Isn't that pretty fabric!  I forgot to get a picture of the other student's journal, but she did a pieced strip version that was really pretty.My fox is done and when I get a chance I'll be finishing up all these other journal covers to put in the shop.

Above is the quilt that's been my nemesis lately.  I got really, really tired of putting together all those little squares.  I will love the final product, but not the process.  Below is the little project I nearly finished while avoiding the one above.  This one is created from demo pieces from my Portland guild Improv class.  I love it!  And, best of all I love the process too.  If I know one thing about myself, it's that I need variety!

Lastly, hand quilting has been my nightly project for several weeks.  I am making good progress on this one and will update when it's finished!  So, what are you stitching on this week?

Roundabout Bend

I managed to finish Roundabout Bend on Wednesday, complete with facing, label and sleeve.  This has got to be one of the fastest projects I've done.  I couldn't wait to try those curves and then couldn't wait to do the next one.  It helps that this piece is only 18" x 40" (and that the deadline was upon me).  This will be part of a Central Oregon SAQA exhibit.  The first showing will be in November at The Stitchin' Post.  Yes, it's true, the SP is changing things up and adding a quilt gallery!  I'm very excited to see that.  At the meeting yesterday there were 21 pieces shown with more in the works. Should be a great show!  They will also be shown in a special exhibit at next year's Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.  It's their 40th Anniversary and promises to be a big blow-out of a show!  Make your plans now.  

New Project: Roundabout Bend

I've started something new, with just a few days for completion.  This is for the Central Oregon SAQA group challenge.  The theme is A Bird's Eye View, A View from Above or Mapping Earth (the title will be settled on soon, I hope).  I had lots of plans for other places, other techniques, more realistic than abstract.  However, this very abstract view of my own little town won out.  I really wanted to try these improv quarter circles.  It takes a bit of practice and some of them have a little bit of puckering. I'm hoping that with quilting those will not be noticable.  It's been fun though and it's coming together the way I envisioned it.  It's due on Thursday so I'll report in with progress later this week!

PS: Do you remember I mentioned a new direction in my work for this fall?  This is part of that. I plan to work more often in solids and solid-like fabrics.  For instance, this piece includes regular solids from my sizeable collection (ie Kona, Moda Bella, Free Spirit, American Made Brand, etc), textured solids, chambrays and shot cottons, linen, Thai silk, and even a little bit of a regular print and a batik.  It all started from the scrap bin (a marvelous fount of creativity).  Are you working from your scrap bin yet?

NW Quilters :: Improv in Solids and Liberated Baskets

My time in Portland at the NW Quilters Guild last week was great fun and a wonderful introduction to the world of a traveling teacher!  The lecture went great and the 2.5 days of class were lots of fun.  I hope to do it again soon.  The first photos are from the improv class.  Very striking pieces, don't you think?  Most of the students hadn't worked improvisationally before, but they certainly caught on fast!  The improv class was 1.5 days, but I think it would have worked well in a longer format.  We are seeing a lot of potential here, but I'd love to see them even further along.  They did tell me that the quilts from these workshops will be featured in their quilt show next year (May 1 & 2, Portland Expo Center).

Above: This student made the print blocks with scraps as she went along, each seam was a leader or ender.  Great idea!Above, don't you think that stripe looks great in this piece!

Above:  This student made the block on the top right without planning it.  We all fell in love with it (we named it the railroad block) and she demoed it so we could all give it a try.  We discovered that value and placement of the thinner strips vs thicker strips makes a difference.  

Above:  I wish I'd gotten a better photo of that middle quilt, Tam did such a fantastic job!  Below is my teaching sample mixed with some other parts I found in the scrap bin.  The Liberated Baskets class was on the last day.  This was a smaller class, but no less fun.  I was so happy to see the students try all sorts of different baskets.  This photo includes baskets from everyone, including me.  I look forward to seeing these done as well.  I'll have to put their quilt show on my calendar!

I'm Going to Houston! (and other studio news)

Well, actually Las Ventanas is going!  I'm so excited that this quilt was chosen to be in the Modern Quilt Guild Showcase.  I mentioned that I had done the call for entry in a post in June, but I actually forgot about it until I got an email that said my quilt, Puzzling World, had not been selected.  For a minute I didn't even remember having entered the quilts, but when I remembered I was puzzled about not getting an email about the other quilt.  So back to the junk mail folder I went.  There it was, a nice email about Las Ventanas being chosen for the exhibit. Now, why one went to the junk mail folder and not the other, I'll never know.  Once again, it pays to check the junk mail folder!

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend to see my quilt there, but I hope to hear about the exhibit in other people's blogs, so do let me know if you hear about it.

Teaching News 

I am thrilled to be speaking and teaching at NW Quilters in early September.  Read all about it here if you want to join the fun.  

I am also teaching Liberated Stars at QuiltWorks in Bend on October 24.  You can check out all the class offerings here.  

Shop News

In other studio news I am still finishing up old projects.  Many of these have been in the WIP pile for over 5 years.  Most of them are not projects that I want to keep, but they are not suitable for community quilts. I have been listing items in the Etsy shop and will keep adding things as they are finished.  Quilts are here and I also added some really cute quilted baby jackets.

Other News

Speaking of selling quilts, I have been meaning to add the We Are $ew Worth It button to my sidebar and now it's there.  If you haven't thought about what it actually costs to make a quilt or any handcrafted item, take a look.  It surprised me.  Today Sam Hunter linked to a blog in Australia with a similar accounting of the true costs of making a quilt.  Definitely something to ponder.

Lastly, I have a post planned about The Undercover Quilters 5th Anniversary Celebration and that will be next.  Stay tuned!