One Yellow Square

One Yellow Square

10" x 10"

ready for framing

One Yellow Square

view to show depth and texture

I had a dream last night about creating a quilt with one square. I thought it would be red, but I was not sure. This dream puzzled me. I wondered what the Fast Friday Fabric Challenge would be. When I finally got my computer working, I got goose bumps when it was something to do with numbers.

After reading all of the information, looking at all the sites, and finding out by my birthday, my number was 2 I was stymied. I've been making charity quilts non-stop for a few weeks now. I'm bored. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy knowing that they will be going for a good cause. However, the sewing to a set pattern is wearing very thin.

This challenge came just in time to exercise a bit of creativity. I had purchased some plain and non floral fabrics before Christmas. Now they were all washed and ready to be used. As I read the descriptions, the number 1 made the most sense to me = power, passion, determination on one view as well as "... developing your own will, individuality, decisiveness, and expressing your creativity,..." on another view. Of course I could not get the dream out of my mind. 

 

I wanted the square to stand out visually as well as actually.  I also wanted the strips to be varied in width.  I really had fun with this.  I think now I will work on a small series.  I have discovered that I really enjoy making this type of quilt.

 

Also posted here http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

 

PS. Does anyone know where to buy good quality metal frames at a good price?

Golden Swirl = Possible UFO?

Golden Swirl

 

This is my response to Fast Fabric Challenge #75, "Falling in a Golden Swirl".  Unfortunately, I just lost the LONG write up and really do not want to do it again.  So just the basics.  PS.  These colors are the accurate ones.  I shot this under my daylight flourscent bulbs.  The chair photos were shot with regular bulbs as lighting.  Notice the huge color difference.

 

Hanging Chair with Old Cushion

 

I got the idea for the design while cleaning. My hanging chair had the cushion I made ~ 40 years ago. Then it blended with my colors; now it was an eye sore.

 

New Cushion is Too Large

 

After consulting with my cousin Carla, who makes beautiful home decor things, I was convinced I should try to put cording around the cushion. I thought this would really improve the look. Unfortunately, I did not try the cushion in the chair before I spent several hours making and attaching the cording.  Luckily, I finally did try out the size for fit before I added the back.  Obviously it is too big.  If I had not added the cording, I may have been able to smush it into the chair.

 

Old Cushion on Top of New Cushion

 

As you can see, not only is the old cushion a lot smaller, it is not even circular.

 

What to do?

 

 

Cushion as a Pillow

I am not very fond of this alternative.  I have decided to add it to my growing pile of UFO's so that I can return to my quilting for hurricane victims.  After all, they need bed quilts a lot more urgently than I need a new cushion.  I'm thinking that if everyone in my Quiltart group, made just one bed quilt, we could cover half the folks who lost everyone in the Sandy storm.

 



Quilt Photo Review - Year 5

 

Golden Sunrise, 10" x 10"

 

Horned Violet, 9" x 9"

Painted T-shirt, just for FUN

 

 

Window Study I, 10" x 10"

 

Window Study II, 10" x 10"

 

Window Study III, 10" x 10"

 

 

 

Purple BOMbs, 40.5" x 58.5"

I believe this is the only kind of bombs that we should use.  This resulted from my guild challenge of one BOM a month.  Because I have made very few traditional blocks, I really enjoyed this challenge.  Of course when it came to creating the quilt, I did have to be very creative because I had made my blocks in sizes that I thought fit the block.

 

 

Block of the Month Pillow, 16" x 16"

Pillow made from one of the BOMs that didn't fit in the final quilt.

 

Wedding Memory Pillow Front, 24" square

 

Memory Pillow Back

This is the monogram that the couple designed.

 

 

 

Sewing Machine Cover for my new Juki Exceed 600

BTW, I love this machine

 

Sun Cape made from selvage edges

I like my sewing machine cover so much, I decided to make a sun cape using the same method.  Because I am very allergic to the sun, ie LOTS of cancer, this is something I use a lot during the warm season.

 

 

Mondrian Inspired Cape

 

Mondrian Inspired Purse, 3 views

Velvet Evening Purse with silk and bead embellishment

 

Place Mat Purses given as Christmas Gifts

 

 

Last October, I promised myself I would try to make one Charity Quilt a month for my quilting year.  Following are some of the 12 Charity Quilts I made.  I know I forgot to photograph one little baby quilt.  The last quilt for my self imposed challenge, didn't get done until October, so it will show up on next years summary.  I found that it was too too much of a challenge.  I struggled to finish; one quilt was late.  This next year I will try to make 6 quilts during the year PLUS quilt 6 other charity quilts. I want to have time to make more Art Quilts and learn how to machine felt.

 

Comfort Quilt, 36x46

 

Comfort Quilt, 43x54

 

 

Comfort Quilt, 36" x 54"

 Red Rhythms II, 32"x42"

Comfort Quilt, 36" x 48"

 

Fat Cat and Mousey, 32.75" x 39.5"

 

Comfort Quilt, 38" x 52"

 

Comfort Quilt, 36" x 44"

Fidget Quilt, 33" x 35.5"

A Friendly Family of Five Fabulous Fish Frequently Travel with Two Terrific Tag-a-longs, 36" x 47"

 

 

A Friendly Family of Five Fabulous Fish

A Friendly Family of Five Fabulous Fish

Frequently Travel with Two Terrific Tagalongs

36" x 47"

A Friendly Family of Five Fabulous Fish

Front end view to show dimension

A Friendly Family of Five Fabulous Fish

Back end view to show dimension

This summer has passed very quickly in one view and very slowly in another.  With my first guild meeting next Thursday, I decided I better use my challenge fabric.  That fabric is the gray, off white and blue-white print used for the fish.  We had to use some of each plus we were allowed to add up to 3 different fabrics.  No other restrictions.  I immediately thought I would do a large blue heron.  So much for that idea.

When the Fast Friday Fabric Challenge came out = a group of something, I got this fish idea.

Since I am very behind in my charity quilts, I wanted to 'catch up'.  This quilt serves all of those purposes.  I would really like to know the age and sex of the person who picks this quilt.  It is very unlikely that this will happen.  I just hope it makes the recipient smile.

Because I am thinking it may be washed a lot, everything is faced and stitched down tight.  There are NO raw edges, loose threads of anything that might 'wash out'.

Installation view at

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2013/03/camp-sunshine-and-quilt-installation.html

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Exhibit

Me with my Traveling Quilt

 

What a FUN surprise to see my quilt in the traveling Alzheimer's exhibit.  Although I had seen it on-line, in person was still a thrill.  Maybe more fun because I did not know ahead of the show that it would be there.

 

Love my new sun cape.  Sorry it makes me look like a blimp.  When I first saw this photo I was eating a huge bowl of pasta with mushroom-tomato sauce.  Probably not going to loose any pounds on that.  It was DELISH!

 

PS .  A few days after loosing my dear Mom, I looked in the mirror and saw her face.  I then starting cutting my hair [her hair was short].  I know I do not look exactly like her, but there is a resemblance.

 

Selvage Sun Cape

Selvage Cape, front view

Selvage Cape, back view

Selvage Cape, side view

Not much to say about this creation.  I had planned it in May, gathered my guilds offerings in June, finally finished it in July-August.  I was going to post the pattern I made and how I laid it out.  Unfortunately, I seem to have exceeded my blogspot space limit.

Blue Horned Violet

Blue Horned Violet

9" x 9"

My Mom's favorite color was blue.  My dear friend Deborah also likes blue a lot.  Thinking of both of them as I debated how to respond to the latest FFF challenge of a flower in the mode of a painter.  I chose to do a Horned Violet ala Georgia O'Keeffe.  I also remember when I transplanted a LOT of these violets around a large bush in our back yard.  They grew and thrived; maybe too much.  However, Mom loved them.  Precious memories.

Since I lost my Mom on July 20, I've been struggling with a LOT of emotions.  This challenge and the thread painting [which was boring], has helped me cope.  Deborah's birthday is August 16.  Hope she likes this little 'painting'.  If she doesn't she can choose from something else that I will be creating in the small category.  I will be creating many more small items for a one person show next year.

Memories of my Mom

My dear Mother Ruth, passed away last Friday, July 20, 2012.  Finally I am ready to at least re-post some of the memory quilts that I made for her.  My last name, Ruthsdottir, was adopted to honor my Mom.  She did feel special and very honored.  That makes me feel very good.

News paper clipping about one of my Mom's swimming feats.

Here are some quilts and links that relate to my Mom.

She's a Star

This is the first 'real' quilt that I made.  She loved it and it was always hung where ever she was staying.  If you wish to know more of the story behind this quilt, click here

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2007/12/shes-star-quilt-for-mom.html

or here for details which tell a bit about Mom's story

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2007/12/quilt-for-mom-shes-star.html

Mom

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

 

This is about Mom seeing a new granddaughter for the first time.

Angles have no wings

Mom said she felt alone in the nursing home so I made her this little angle hanging with bells.  At the slightest breeze the bells softly ring.  It seemed to comfort her.

These are some memories or a response to Mom, that I have fashioned in fabric.

Here is a link to her on-line obituary.

http://www.baxterfuneralhome.com/book-of-memories/1287578/Hildebrand-Ruth/index.php

Wedding Memory Quilt

Wedding Memory Quilt Pillow Top

I wanted to make a small memory quilt in appreciation of the wedding invitation.  I figured I would just stitched them as a straight top with filler between.  Then when the FFF Challenge came out, I totally changed my thinking.  This Gestalt challenge made a BIG difference in my design = turned it upside down.  I wanted the photos to look as if they were casually dropped on a table.  Of course, they were carefully arranged according to the Gestalt principals of Similarity, Proximity, and Alignment.

The Wedding Ceremony Booklet top is on the top, touching the family, who are now united by the marriage and the couple.  The wedding group photo is on the bottom of everything, because although important, it is subservient to both the couple and the family.  The father-daughter photo is parallel to the couple [they are still close, yet have a very different relationship], but not touching.  I chose this photo of the couple as they were both intently looking at each other.  The small center bottom photo is of the couple lighting the unity candle, another symbol of their pledge of troth.

I had this all laid out 2 months ago when I took it to a guild meeting and someone commented, "Those photos are very antique looking.  Why don't you just tuck a little lace under to complete the look."  Wonderful suggestion.  However, it is not that easy "to tuck a little lace under".  The corners need to be square, matched  and aligned.  I also was unsure of the fusing medium, so when I asked the quiltart group, I found I needed to use Mistyfuse Ultraviolet.  So then I had to wait for the mail.  Then life interrupted.  Now, happily, it is finished.

Fat Cat and Mousey on their way to a new home

Fat Cat and Mousey

Fat Cat and Mousey are on their way to a new home.  My lovely friend Marti Lew is married to a Pediatric Oncologist.  In Bangor, Maine, there will be a new facility just for these children.  Fat Cat and Mousey will be installed as soon as it is finished.  This is just the perfect home I was hoping for these two comical and friendly creatures.  I'm looking forward to seeing them installed.  Fat Cat is ready to give hugs to children and stuffed animals.  I just hope it brings a bit of cheer and comfort.

Golden Sunrise

Golden Sunrise, redone

Not happy with the quilted sky, I ripped it out.  After steaming out the stitch lines, I used gold metallic thread to tie the sky in a circular pattern emanating from the sun.  Difficult to see because of the metallic and the camera's reflection, it does add a small bit of texture, while allowing the atmosphere to just be more as Turner would have done it.

Golden Sunrise

10" x 10"

The challenge is to capture the essense of  'Turner's Light.' As I look at it now, I wish my golden thread was not so heavily stitched.  However, I just spent the afternoon [and last night] ripping out one quilt; not ready to do another even if it is really small.

This is my third try at this challenge.  It is miles better than the other two.  However, I now have more ideas to attempt.  It seems one painting/quilt always leads to another.