Sunday, July 19, 2015

GENTLE MIDSUMMER DAYS

I love love love
the middle of summer!
Ahhh....


I finished up a pillow I started 
for a dear friend's daughter.
When I was making all those Vintage Spin wedges,
the first wedge cut leave you with this angled scrap
really too small to do anything with.

So, I wedged those scraps and
glue sticked them down (ala Feddy!).
Then I decided to keep adding
and it slowly evolved into the pillow it wanted to be!
(with pom poms...of course!)


Staying with the idea of finishing...
years ago,
I trekked to Kalispell, MT 
and took a class with Ruth McDowell.

The gist of the class was
to take a photo you love -
my middle son 
walking down the beach of Lake Michigan
with his bucket and  fishing pole -
blown it up, sketch it out, and divide it into
a million sketched pieces that you can then 
turn into a million fabric pieces
and stitch together to make
a most fantastic Ruthlike quilt.

My friend Sue told me I should stay until the end,
even a day later, she suggested, to ensure I finished.
That was the best quilting advice - that I never took.

I left a day early to see U2 play in Seattle,
and what I started in that class
has lived rolled up under my bed ever since.

A few weeks ago I pulled it out,
stuck in on my design wall,
and immediately
 hung another piece of batting over it 
and proceeded to make my Jen Kingwell quilt!
Ha!




Alas, that Jen Kingwell quilt is finished, 
sew much fun,
but no more excuses...

I knew there was no way I was going to piece it,
so I am glue sticking (ala Freddy) 
and will trust the quilter to work her magic.

On the left is what I left class with -
a hundred little precise pieces
pinned to an outline of my quilt.

On the right is my transfer to a piece of muslin.



I am concerned about fabric choices 
that I did not make in class
and now have to make on my own...

good practice taking one piece at a time
and trusting it will work out.

Deep breath.

Today's progress...


Drum roll please...
the last winner for my summer giveaways is
Joyce Carter!
Congrats!
Thanks to all who have commented! 
It's been great fun...
if a bit challenging for me to get 
things packaged and mailed...
but so worth it!
I love sharing and free stuff
but mostly love knowing there are other 
quilters out there having fun!


4 comments:

  1. I love Ruth McDowell's books--I have two of them and am often found flipping through --all those pieces though really kind of scared me off. Did you glue them TO the muslin sketch abutting them or just to each other?? Will it be raw edged? As you can see, I am fascinated by this process.
    I love how it's turning out--so neat!! hugs, Julierose P.S. Looking forwad to receiving your packet of goodies...;--)))

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  2. Thank you so much Stephanie for your generosity!
    WOW! Your Jen Kingwell quilt is so beautiful. I love all the colors.

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  3. Your Jen Kingwell quilt is wonderful! And your son at the beach quilt is off to a beautiful start. I'm sure you'll finish it in your own way, in your own time, and it will be perfect.

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  4. Your Ruth type quilt is going to be amazing ! I'm like Julierose up there....I have lots of Ruth books but all those pieces are a bit daunting. Maybe some day I'll try, but for now I'll just flip through those wonderful pages.

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