Jan
24
Butterflies and a spaniel
Filed Under Classes, Color, Designers, Machine appliqué, Patterns, Show & Tell | 2 Comments
A couple of years ago I blogged about Sheril Drummond’s quilt Remembering Barbaro.
Last October at PIQF she had the most amazing, huge butterfly quilt called “Flights of Fancy.”
Flights of Fancy by Sheril Drummond
I checked Sheril’s blog Serendipity and was delighted to learn that she is now offering patterns and on-line classes to help others achieve the stunning look of her quilts. While you’re there be sure to send virtual scritchies to the Cavalier King Charles spaniel :).
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Dec
28
Another spectacular teapot find
Filed Under Books, Hand appliqué, Patterns, Show & Tell | 5 Comments
Look what I found this time! It’s a teapot extravaganza!
Lura Gordy of Sherwood, Oregon, was the driving force behind this beautiful masterpiece. Here’s her story:
Kay,
I enjoy the process of appliqué. In fact, I learned needle-turn appliqué using the patterns in your Teapots 2 book. I wanted to make my sister a table runner and six placemats as a gift. I started out using a faux appliqué method but was unable to get the fine details. I went to your blog and tried several of your methods. I also attended the monthly appliqué club meetings that are connected to the quilt guild of which I am a member. The more I learned, the more I liked what I was doing.
I suffer from restless leg syndrome and by doing appliqué work in the evenings, I keep the restlessness away. Once the table runner and placemats were finished, I appliquéd enough blocks to make another set.
The first of the year, I volunteered to be a member of a committee to design and make a raffle quilt for the Tualatin Valley Quilt Guild in Sherwood, Oregon. I suggested a quilt with appliquéd teapots and I volunteered to appliqué the blocks. I used the patterns from both of your teapot pattern books to make 24 blocks. We used 22 of the blocks (10″) which made a very large king size quilt. The center block was appliquéd by Ann Hartman who is in charge of the appliqué club and a member of the guild.
Now I am working on patterns from your book of baskets. I am trying new techniques and new ways of embellishing the blocks. I enjoy your patterns and books.
Thank you,
Lura Gordy
Here’s a closeup of the center block. The basket (not one of mine but it sure is beautiful) is surrounded by cups and saucers, cream and sugar, and a plate of cookies from my Teapots books.
Erin Davis of In Stitches Quilting in Newberg, Oregon, was the one who took the quilt to a retreat for Show & Tell, which led me to find it on the Anyone Can Quilt blog. Erin was kind enough to send me a great picture, and she reports, “On behalf of the Tualatin Valley Quilt Guild, it was a fun project to work on and we are proud of the outcome.”
Me too! Big time! What a huge treat! Thank you, Lura and all the members of the Tualatin quilters, for such a spectacular job. I hope the quilt raises lots of funds for the guild.
Until next time,
Kay
Dec
6
Victorian Baskets
Filed Under Books, Color, Hand appliqué, Needleturn, Patterns, Show & Tell | 3 Comments
I met Gloria Foley a couple years ago at my home guild’s quilt show when she came into my booth and spotted my Baskets to Appliqué designs. Gloria is the proprietress of The Victorian Quilter, a traveling quilt-show shop specializing in patterns and fabrics with that romantic, Victorian patina.
Gloria gave me an order on the spot for a batch of the books and told me of her plans to make a sample to hang in her booth. Since that time she has become a wonderful friend and a mentor to me, sharing her knowledge of area quilt shows and giving me great tips. Every time I would talk to her or see her at a show she would tell me that the baskets were coming along. Last spring I saw the blocks, completed but not set together yet. They were just gorgeous… soft and rich looking.
Well, at the recent River City Quilt Guild show in Sacramento, I checked in with her during setup and there was the quilt, finished and up on the wall.
Victorian Baskets by Gloria Foley
Wow!!! Look at that red setting. Talk about punch! It looks so different from mine, I love it! Gloria used needleturn appliqué and, instead of a dogtooth border, she used prairie points in the border.
Sixteen Baskets by Kay Mackenzie
At the Sacramento show, people had fun walking back and forth between our booths to look at the two versions.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Nov
16
The Uncommon Yarmulke
Filed Under Books, Designers, Embellishment, Patterns, Show & Tell | 5 Comments
Full Disclosure Statement:
Cathy Perlmutter and I became fast friends a number of years ago over a bunch of commonalities that we just kept discovering: we’re both quilters, both writers, both working on illustrating, writing, and laying out books, both have scientists for husbands, both have papillon dogs (Wuli and Willie), and we both know the words to Tzena Tsena Tzena. (Okay, so Cathy’s Jewish and I’m of just about Puritan stock, but I did go to Israeli folk dance camp as a teenager and some things just stay with you.) When Cathy and I get together in person we’re like old shoes.
Cathy’s book is now out, and I have to say that my heart has been stolen away.
The Uncommon Yarmulke: Easy, Fun, and Spiritually-Loaded Little Jewish Hats is the most extraordinary book, and I’m not just saying that because she’s my friend. This is a gem.
Not only will you learn every single thing there is to know about making four-panel or six-panel yarmulkes from any kind of fabric there is, you will laugh out loud at Cathy’s excellent and completely thorough instructions filtered through her sense of humor. The section on fussy-cutting fabrics includes advice on how to avoid partial kittens, 4 ¾ Commandments, etc. She did regret slicing off the tails of some endangered manatees, “as if they hadn’t suffered enough.”
You needn’t be Jewish to appreciate this book. If you know anybody who would appreciate a personalized yarmulke, you would be doing such a mitzvah to sew them a kippah from a fabric that’s meaningful for them!
Besides that, the book contains a lot of valuable information about fabrics, templates, cutting, sewing, binding, and embellishment that any sewing enthusiast could benefit from. Or for that matter anybody who can thread a sewing machine, that’s how complete and thorough the information is, plus Cathy’s plentiful illustrations are out of this world. And, I learned some really interesting things about Judaism and Jewish culture along the way.
Cathy made a ‘barkmulke’ for Wuli, so of course I had to make one for Willie.
The hat's okay but did I really have to wake up out of a nap for this?
I also wanted to make an appliquéd and quilted kippah, so I made this one for Cathy, to show that I consider her a sewing star!
I used an idea that I’ve been playing with for a future project… magnets! I had these tiny spools that I picked up somewhere over the years, I had super-strong magnets, and I had a roll of sticky-backed magnetic tape. A super-strong magnet on either side of the hat and a little bit of sticky-backed magnetic tape applied to the spool and voila!
The hats are reversible, giving the maker another opportunity to carry out the theme. The magnetic hood ornament is easy to switch from side to side!
I had a ball making these. The Uncommon Yarmulke is available at Cathy’s website, Judaiquilt.com.
Shalom,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Nov
11
Awesome Asian Teapots
Filed Under Books, Fabrics, Fusible web, Patterns, Raw edge, Show & Tell, Topstitch | 2 Comments
I came across this entry on longarm quilter Nancy Gambrel’s blog, where she shows off her customers’ quilts and the beautiful quilting she’s done on them.
Lo and behold, there’s an absolutely beautiful teapot quilt made by Pat Besenhofer, and I recognize it as being from my Teapots 2 to Appliqué.
What an internet find! Pat and Nancy both graciously agreed to let me use the photos and put up a Show & Tell of my own.
Asian Teapot quilt made by Pat Besenhofer, quilted by Nancy Gambrel.
Pat writes,
This is so cool. My quilt is indeed based on your book Teapots to Applique 2. I would be thrilled to have my quilt shown on your website. And to think it isn’t even bound yet! I’m glad that Nancy and I spent so much time exchanging ideas about the quilting, I think the frame she did works beautifully with the teapots and the corner diamonds.
I’ve been a tea person all of my life, and I get so tired of patterns featuring coffee, espresso’s and latte’s, etc., so I snatched up this book (as well as the first one) when I saw it at the all-the-quilt-books-in-the-world vendor at the Rosemont, Illinois, Quilt Festival a a year or two ago.
This is the first quilt I’ve made with a definite location in mind; it’s going to go in my kitchen. I’ve been second-guessing myself on the pattern, wondering if I should have placed one or more teapots going the other way, or adding a teacup in one spot for a bit of whimsy. I’m happy that you like it as is.
Pat told me that the quilt was done with fusible raw-edge applique. In order to get the teapots facing the ‘correct’ way, she copied the positive images, then flipped the paper to create a reverse image to draw on the fusible web. Pat, that’s just the way I do it. Nancy stitched down the edges of the fusible applique with clear thread.
A beautiful job, both Pat and Nancy!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Oct
20
PIQF favorite
Filed Under Designers, Embellishment, Quilt shows, Show & Tell | 8 Comments
Pacific International Quilt Festival was last weekend and as usual it was a colorful, energetic, heavenly concentration of quilts, quilters, and wares under one roof.
The quilt that reached out and grabbed me this year was Fragrant Memories by Rachel Wetzler of St. Charles, Illinois.
Fragrant Memories by Rachel Wetzler
Rachel graciously consented to my posting her quilt on my blog. She reports, “It’s one of my favorites as it brings back ‘the good old days’ when mom’s warm bread or rolls awaited me after school. Yum!”
The description read, “One of my favorite childhood memories is coming home from school to the aroma of mom’s homemade bread. This quilt is one of five in my Simply Sensational series using architectural settings to highlight each of the five senses.”
I think Rachel succeeded in the smellorama department, don’t you? I wanted to step right into that kitchen and dive into a cinnamon bun.
This quilt won the Best of Country ~ United States award in the World Quilt Competition.
Rachel is an amazing quiltmaker. I found this interview with her on the Alliance for American Quilts website that was done in connection with the Q.S.O.S. project. She talks about the series and about how it wasn’t all that easy to make LOL! (I imagine not!)
Thanks, Rachel, for sharing your fragrant memories with us.
Until next time,
Much more from PIQF,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Oct
9
Dana’s choice
Filed Under Embellishment, Fabrics, Improvisational appliqué, Show & Tell, Turned edge | 60 Comments
I asked Dana which quilt should be my quilter’s choice for the Blogger’s Quilt Festival put on by Amy of Park City Girl. Immediately he said, “Shopping Bags.”
Shopping Bags by Kay Mackenzie
The bag popped into my head a number of years ago whilst tromping the aisles at Pacific International Quilt Festival. It must have been the heavenly combination of quilts, fabric, and shopping!
It took awhile for the concept to get from my head to a design. Yes, kids, each bag has set-in seams in two places. That did not deter me. I used freezer-paper templates and sewed carefully, and they came together just fine.
Shopping Bags detail
It was gobs of fun rummaging through my stash for fabrics to make the fronts, sides, and backs. For the sides, I chose fabrics where I could use both the back and the front, to add to the illusion of a folding pleat.
After the bags were all sewn together (by machine), I turned over a quarter of an inch all around the edges and pressed. I chose a swirly background fabric and made my best stab at an artistic arrangement. In fact this may have been my very first quilt to come even close to being an “art quilt.” I just wanted them to hang there in space and overlap and float in and out from each other.
Once the bags were arranged, I basted them down and stitched the turned edges like appliqué, changing threads to match or blend with each fabric.
I went to the craft store to get something for the handles. I made my choice and as I was standing in line I saw the manager. Susan!” I yelled. “Whaddya call this stuff?” “That’s rat-tail cord,” she replied. Who knew. I couched the cord into place using one of those curve-bar thingies for placement.
Get this… I totally forgot to leave enough background fabric at the top for the handles. I quickly figured out that the topmost handles were going to stick up off the quilt. A happy accident… I get comments on how creative and clever this is.
Along with a different version of the quilt, the Shopping Bag block pattern was published the Fall 2005 issue of American Quilter magazine.
Hope you like Dana’s choice! Visit Park City Girl every day through October 16 and get a ringside seat for other bloggers’ quilt picks.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Oct
4
Blogger’s Quilt Festival coming up
Filed Under Prizes, Quilt shows, Show & Tell | 2 Comments
Amy at Park City Girl is sponsoring another internet Quilt Festival for those who have Market envy. (Just kidding! If you’re making the pilgrimage to Houston you’re welcome too :).
Click the logo to learn all about the Festival, And, if you have a blog, consider participating! You’ll get to showcase one of your quilts for whole bunches of appreciative quilters. I’m a prize sponsor and there are lots of others too.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
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