Blogger's Quilt Festival - Mom's First Modern Quilt!

One of my favorite times of the year is the Blogger's Quilt Festival because there is so much quilt inspiration to be found in the entries.  Plenty of my time is spent visiting blogs and admiring all the creations.  

Now, I have entered my stuff before, but this entry is rather special.  This entry is my mom's first modern quilt.

Mom's First Modern Quilt

53 x 51

Machine pieced by mom, straight line quilted by me

Inspired by The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters by Sherri Lynn Wood

In February, my mom and I attended Quiltcon 2015 in Austin.  While I was in class, my mom attended a lecture by Sherri Lynn Wood.  She really enjoyed hearing Sherri speak about improv creating and I suggested that maybe we could collaborate on a quilt someday.

Well, someday turned out to be Memorial Day weekend.  I was missing Quiltcon, where it was fun sewing with a group of people and I asked my mom (expecting her to say no) if we could have a sew day.  When she said yes, I jumped to gather up my supplies before she could change her mind.  I was worried just how easily this traditional quilter would take to improv piecing.  

I was wrong.  My mom just jumped in and totally got into the creative flow.  I was trying to be encouraging, while at the same time trying to bring her back to the instructive process as laid out in the book.  It soon became clear to me that my mom was in a zone and was doing her own thing.  I realized that this is what improv creation is all about.  So I gave up on trying to "help" her and just let her go.

The top was completed in a day and I quilted the piece using straight line quilting with invisible thread.

   

Following Sherri's instructions, I asked my mom to evaluate her work:

Surprises - I was surprised at how vibrant the color looks against the light background.

Discoveries - I learned how to use a lot of colors.  Normally, I stick to one color scheme but I like how all the colors work together.

Satisfactions - How fast it all went together.

Dissatisfactions - None really.  I thought at first that the colors would look all jumbled, but it all came together in the end.

Entered into the Modern Category of the Blogger's Quilt Festival Fall 2015

Le Challenge - Gold

This month's Le Challenge theme is "gold".  I wasn't sure where I was headed with this month's project.  I knew that I wanted to make a zippered pouch, but all I had on hand was a red zipper.  

So it was time to dig into my stash and finally cut into some Cotton and Steel fabric.  I found the perfect gold fabric that works well with the red zip.

I have been wanting for some time to make a pouch to carry my scissors when I go to class.  When I saw this tutorial, I knew I had to try it out.  The pouch took an evening to make and the scissors fit perfectly.  Just in time for my classes at the Houston International Quilt Festival in a few weeks.

Please check out the other "gold" themed projects this month.

2015 Finish Along - Quarter 4 Intentions

If 2014 was my year to scrap and stash bust, then 2015 has been the year to bust through my stack of WIPs.  It's been good to see some progress on actually finishing my projects and I know it is due to the monthly and quarterly goals that I have set.

Not sure how many projects I will complete this quarter, since the holidays are coming up and I am running out of old projects.  I guess its time to start something new!

Quarter 4 Goals - New projects added to the list

(1)  Mom's Modern Quilt.  My mom and I had a sew day in May and she made her first modern quilt.  I have finished the quilting, but she wanted a hanging sleeve put on it.  Hoping this won't take too long to finish.

(2)  White squares.  I was told in a Quiltcon class that I used too much color in my project by some students and I should use more white.  So, I started this improv project using some scraps.  It stalled out a bit because I am not sure I like restricting my colors, but I am hoping that I can make it work.  It is starting to grow on me.

(3)  I started to work again on my Tula Pink Marquise quilt.  I know it will take a while, but I figured it wouldn't get finished if I don't start working on it.  The top row of diamonds is completed.

(4)  More scraps have been cut for a Lolly quilt.

(5)  Solid scraps are selected, pressed, and ready for an improv pillowcase.  I need to pick up a pillow form.

Projects Returning to Goal List

(6)  Pink scrap color blocks.  I like these blocks, but I am not sure where this project is heading.

(7)  This Texas quilt is 50% completed and I know someone who wants it for a Christmas gift.

(8) Orphan star block.  I think this may be the oldest project on my 2015 goal's list.  

(9)  Miss Kate Hexy quilt.  All of the hexies have been cut and I have started to sew them together into rows.

(10)  Lime Spider Web.  I have been working on this project all year, and I finally have a top ready to be quilted.

I guess I'd better get to work.

Linking to the 2015 Finish-Along.

October Goal - A Lovely Year of Finishes

My goal this month for A Lovely Year of Finishes is to finally do something with my little star orphan block.  This little wonky star was made during a class last year making modern blocks.

So on this WIP (Work In Progress) Wednesday, I am thinking it would make a cute pouch paired with my Star Trek fabric.  This fabric has been in my stash for awhile now, but somehow, I never found the right use for it.

Linking today to WIP Wednesday.  

Got Strings?

What's on my Design Wall this Monday?  Foundation pieced string blocks where everything goes.

This is the October block for Covered In Love.  I can't wait to see how these quilts turn out because there are a lot of varied fabrics in my scrappy blocks.

Its kinda of funny really because last month I declared that my scraps were officially under control.  Sigh...I had no idea that I would have enough strings to make these blocks.  And, I even have enough scraps for more blocks.  Yikes!

Linking today to Design Wall Monday and Oh, Scrap.