Kristin Shields Quiltmaker

More Quilts for Sale

I've just added more quilts to the Quilts for Sale Page.  These are quilts that I haven't offered for sale anywhere before, including Puzzling World (above).  I have run out of room to store so many quilts and will probably be adding more.  Please feel free to share the info with anyone you think might be interested. 

Shifting Focus for 2015

Over the holiday I've had some time to reconsider what I'm doing here in the studio. I realized that I've been spending far too much time working on projects that don't further me as a quiltmaker or teacher.

So, I've decided to stop making items for my Etsy shop.  Although I will likely keep the shop front on Etsy, I will not be replenishing items there.  As it turns out, most of my sales come from folks who I know personally or who follow my blog.  It just doesn't make sense to pay the listing fees for things that won't be noticed on Etsy.  I joined Etsy in 2007 when it was a much smaller pond.  These days there's just too much competition.  

I have started to remove items from the shop (hurray for several folks on my gift list this year!) and have let listings expire.  I have also dropped the prices on everything, including the Hand-dyed Inspiration packs which I do not plan to make more of in the future.  If you knew how much time went into hand dyeing and packaging them you would see what a bargain they are at $5 a pop.  

I will also not be making more of the smaller items in the future (e.g. pillows, journal covers, fabric postcards, ornaments, etc.).  When they are gone, that's it.  I have spread myself too thinly over the past few years and it's just not sustainable.  Those items are a distraction from what I should be doing.  There will be listings expiring in January, March and April and they will not be renewed.  If an item disappears, feel free to contact me to inquire and I'll let you know if I still have it.

If I have quilts left that I want to sell, I will offer them on the blog and will take Paypal for payment for the foreseeable future (and checks from locals).  As I've mentioned before, I have too many quilts languishing here, so I may offer some for sale sporadically.  I'll start work on creating a For Sale page on the blog soon.  

So, you may ask what I will be doing in 2015 if not all of that?  I will be doing more improv work with solids as that is a great interest of mine.  I plan to make more studio time by taking fewer classes and saying "no" more often.  I feel like the past year really run me ragged.  It's not good for anyone to do that.  

In an effort to take my own advice to heart here's my list for 2015:

• I will make quilts that make me happy.
• I will continue to seek my own true voice as a quilter.
• I will continue to offer workshops locally and nationally.
• I will enter quilt shows because I enjoy it.

Have you considered how you want to go forth in 2015?  I'd love to hear about it!

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas!

Hello!  Popping in again for a quick post to wish you a Merry Christmas!  Thank you all for being readers of my blog. I really appreciate you being here in such a busy world.   

If you are still shopping for gifts (or yourself), please consider buying local and/or from an artist.  Here's an Etsy coupon code for my shop just for my followers (shop link above): DEARSANTA will get you 10% off a minimum order of $30 (expires 12/18).  The shop will be on hiatus from December 19-January 5 for some holiday fun.  Happy Holidays to you!

Journal Covers Now in the Shop!

I have just listed the journal covers in the shop.  I finished these three you see here. There's another one that will hopefully get done soon and listed later this week.  These make fantastic affordable and functional gifts.  Check out the shop here.

More Whimsical Journal Covers

I am going a bit crazy with last minute things to do, but I did get a bit of sewing done yesterday on more of the whimsical journal covers.  The shop will be closed until December 1, but when it re-opens I will have these journals listed and hopefully a few more.  They are perfect gifts for just about anyone!  Meanwhile, we are packing and getting ready to leave for warmer temperatures tomorrow.  I'll be posting to Instagram while I'm away if you want to follow me!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Modern Machine Quilting by Pam Raby

Last week I took a two day class that was probably one of the best I've ever taken on technique (rather than design).  It was Modern Machine Quilting with Pam Raby at the Stitchin' Post.  Pam is a quilter from Corvallis, Oregon and she teaches at a shop there as well as one up near Portland.  Now she's teaching in Central Oregon and I know the Stitchin' Post will have her back after the raves about this class.  Pam used the book, First Steps to Free Motion Quilting by Christina Cameli as the main text, but added lots of her own handouts and freebies.  The class was organized around doing a sampler/practice piece and 3 projects (pillow cover, fabric bucket and zipper bag).  The project patterns are in the book and are really well written, easy and satisfying!  It's worth buying the book for that reason.  In addition, Pam gave us a handout with measurements to make several other sizes of the fabric bucket.  I learned a lot about machine quilting, but also about sewing in general.  So good, I tell you!For my sampler/practice piece I brought this small quilt top that got started at the Modern Quilt Guild Sew Down this year.  I just realized that I never did a blog post about the Sew Down!  How could that be?  Anyway, it was great fun on a crazy, snowy weekend in Portland.  All participants did all four classes and my favorite was the one with Sherri Lynn Wood.  The class was called Improv Round Robin.  

We came to class with a box of fabric and a signature fabric that we would add to every quilt that came into our hands.  At the start of class we had 15 minutes to create a center for our piece, then passed the box to the next person, adding our signature fabric to whatever was in the box.  Every 15 minutes we passed the boxes.  It was hectic and fun and only a 3 hour class, so I think 7 people worked on mine.  Both of my friends from Bend worked on mine so that's cool.  Also, Sherri herself did part of mine.  So, this little top was waiting around to be finished.  I took it out, fixed a ripple and added the borders and it was ready to be quilted.The main reason I took this class was because when I am faced with a top to be machine quilted I usually go to my standard meander or try some basic other stitches, but mostly I just don't have any good ideas.  I liked Pam's class samples and thought I'd at least get some good ideas for patterns, but it was so much more.  Most important is that I have increased confidence with the machine quilting.

I hope that when I sit down with my next top I can dive right in and try something new!

The pillow is now in my Etsy shop.  I grabbed fabric without thinking and realized after that this particular green isn't quite right for my living room.  So, if you are interested, check it out here.  Also, remember to use the discount code Birthday25.

Lastly, Pam gave us a little bonus pattern & fabric for these nifty gift card holder ornaments.  Aren't they cute!  So quick and easy to make and I can think of all sorts of other uses.  How about for candies, gift tags, 24 for an advent calendar?  It was her gift to the students, but she also shared with all the Stitchin' Post employees. Pam was a great teacher, so supportive, enthusiastic and giving.  I would highly recommend her as a teacher!

A Digression :: The Countdown Begins

Today is October 26.  In one month I will be 50 years old.  Sounds like a big number, but in the grand scheme of things it's not so big.  However, I find myself reflecting on how I got here and the things that happened on the way. I probably would not be here without the marvels of modern medicine, that's a big one.  I also wouldn't be the person I am without the family, friends and opportunities I've had.  I'm feeling grateful for the wonderful things that have happened over the years and even the not so good things that brought me closer to my community.  I don't want to get maudlin here, but I do want to start a little celebration.  Now through November 19, I am offering a 25% discount in my Etsy shop.  It's a good time to shop for holiday gifts or something for yourself.  Please use the coupon code "Birthday25".  

In other news, my Undercover Quilters retreat was lots of fun, though I didn't get much done.  I decided to start a new project for a new challenge and it involves lots of little tiny pieces, so I didn't get far.  I will post more on that soon.  

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!

Fiber Arts Stroll Recap and Shop Update

The Fiber Arts Stroll was lots of fun. I got to meet lots of new people and play with watercolors and fabric.  What could be better?  

My Etsy shop is open again.  I have renewed some of the older items and replenished the Hand Dyed Fabric Inspiration Packs.  Also, I ended up making lots of new watercolor fabric postcards as I was trying out the technique.  These will be added to the shop as time permits. I will be finishing up the other watercolor demo pieces and adding them to the shop later.  Check out the shop link under the banner.

Fiber Arts Stroll!

Tomorrow (Sunday) is the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Fiber Arts Stroll.  I will be there to demonstrate watercolor techniques on fabric, which is how I did the fabric postcard above.  I'll be in front of Melvin's Fir Street Market from 12-4pm.  

I'll also have for sale many of the items I sell in my Etsy store, including hand dyed fabric Inspiration Packs, greeting cards and small art pieces.  Hope to see you there!