in a playful manner

So you may recall dear readers that I work at a Quilt Museum (bestjobever)! Well, in the Fall, we had a donation of several Frivol tins from Moda so our boss created a staff quilt challenge. The guidelines stated we had to choose a tin and make something with the fabrics in it - no size requirements or themes so we all had free reign to play!

Quilts were due at the end of 2016 and we ended up with 8 total finishes - each one unique and spanning techniques from fusible appliqué, pieced designs, hand quilting, dresden plates, english paper piecing, foundation paper piecing, machine quilting!

There were several local judges - quilters & quilt appreciators.  My quilt won Second Place! Eeeeee! :)   We'll be hanging all of the quilts in our education hallway in the next week so that our visitors will be able to enjoy them as well. 

I chose Frivol #9 & spent some days trying to figure out what I wanted to create before landing on a sketch I made during the #30daysofquiltdesign challenge. (seriously - what a useful challenge)

Quilt Stats:
Fabric: Moda Grunge Ocean & Frivol Tin #9 - Little Miss Sunshine
Title: Scherzando  - a musical direction meaning in a playful manner
Size:  38.5" x 53.75"
Finished: December 2016
Original design using paper pieced feather blocks from Quiet Play & Play Crafts
machine pieced & quilted by me on my Janome 7700

My quilt features paper pieced feathers using Quiet Play's feather pattern & a free pattern from Play Crafts. I sorted the tin fabrics by color to give the feathers a gradated look and used Sketch print in black for the stems/spines. Piecing the feathers was pretty easy though they did take some time with all the sections - I watched a lot of NCIS putting these together! The background fabric is Moda Grunge in Ocean. 

After the feathers were pieced, I tried several layout options and then worked to puzzle piece the negative space background fabric into place. It's entirely pieced and machine quilted with Aurifil threads. I FMQ windy swirls along the feathers so it's like they are being blown up & across the quilt. 

Squeaking in to join Crazymomquilts Finish It Up Friday linkup!

2017 Finish Along Q1

Another year means another list of WIPs to finish! I'm joining in with the Finish Along again - making this the 5th year I've participated in this awesome link-up! It really helps me keep motivated and focused on working my way through the stack of WIPs in my sewing room.

All of these projects have rolled over from last year but I'm ready to get sewing on these and start enjoying them as finished quilts. Linking up at Charm About You to kick off the 2017FAL!


project Disco:: 2/3 quilted, then needs binding

 project medallion:: top needs an extra border, then quilting

project pineapples:: only blocks right now, top needs to be pieced, then quilted

project marsala:: basted, needs to be quilted

project improv:: ready to baste the pieces & quilt!

project radar wave:: basted, needs a quilting plan

A Year of Quilting :: 2016 recap

Happy New Year! Here's a round-up, look-back on my year in quilting:

going away Snapshot quilt for K

My quilt journey in 2016 covered a lot of ground.  I finished a total of 15 quilts (with many sample tops, blocks & other sewing projects in addition to that number). I also participated in the #30daysofquiltdesign prompt which was a lot of fun.

Park Bench block table topper

13 of those finishes were a direct result of participating again in the Finish Along which I find provides great motivation in working on those lingering WIPs. I've also been working to connect with the online quilt community more through Instagram, swaps & quilty link-ups like Finish It Up Friday.

Star Wars mini swap 

2016 saw my first mini quilt swaps and I had a blast participating in the #maythe4thmqs Star Wars theme & the #quietplayswap on #qpteamlove :: both via Instagram. 

circle of love swap

Both of these swaps challenged my color/design senses and I so enjoyed stretching my creativity.  Plus, the quilts I got in return were spot-on amazing!

 

Making a quilt to gift really captures the Joy of quilt making and I'm happy to have gifted a couple this last year. Firstly, Momm & I made a Quilt of Valor for my Uncle which was a fun collaborative project. I also got to try out Aurifil 40 wt. threads for quilting and love how they add extra texture. Then I stitched a whimsical butterfly baby quilt for a best friends new baby girl! 

Butterfly Dance for baby M

Quilt of Valor for G

Not only do I quilt for my own enjoyment & creative outlet; it's also my day job! I work at the National Quilt Museum and teach quilting to those around me in all sorts of ways!  #bestjobever  It's been such a joy to teach the next generation of quilters though programs like our annual Quilt Camp & our monthly Junior Quilters club & school group tours.  The kids constantly impress me with their designs, color choices and interest in the art of quilting. I also took a class with Victoria Findlay Wolfe and will be hanging and exhibit of our Educational youth program quilts later this month!

Quilt Camp samples - ready for the kids to arrive!

We had two Staff challenges at work - the first was to help celebrate our 25th anniversary year by making a quilt with unexpected materials. Mine was made with black batting, zippers, zip pulls, tulle & vinyl - even the binding!

Zip It quilt

The second challenge was to use fabrics from one of the Frivol tins by Moda and to create something with them. My entry uses Frivol #9 to make the feathers, so they dance in the wind across the quilt & I call it Scherzando.

Scherzando 

Big Bear quilt

Whew - what a fun year of quilting! I'm looking forward to 2017 and all of the stitching fun awaiting me in my sewing room (and office).  Cheers!