Yesterday, I Got the Last "Salli" Bag

I was at the Boise Basin Quilt Show, with my Unruly Quilt Artists, when I went for a cruise through the vendor area.  I wanted to see who was there and stop by Salli's Back Porch Quilts, if she was there.  She was!  And she had amazing fabric, as usual, and some wonderful helpers!  Of course, I bought some fabric, and I was asked if I wanted a bag.  Many times, I say no, so I can help save the planet, but this was Salli's, and she has cool bags.  I said, "Yes!"  Salli said it was her last Primitive Blessings bag and she cannot get them anymore.  I felt so honored to get the very last one.  And her helper gave me a free charm square pack!

The quilt show was good!  I enjoy stopping and chatting with people I have seen last month or a year or so ago.  It turns out, chatting can really eat up your time, but it is crucial to the whole experience.  

This is a photo of a portion of our Unruly booth.

We also entered the "Small Group Challenge".  Our challenge was to create impressive art quilts that were 5" X 55".  They are a cohesive display of talent.

We award a ribbon each year, known as the Unruly Award.  This year it went to Lynette and Autumn Roderick, for their amazing 3D art quilt entitled, "Think", about caring for our planet.  It is truly unruly!

There were so many amazing quilts at the show, especially the art quilts.  This next photo is of my favorite truly amazing art quilt, I saw there:

It is simplicity itself!  The simple, pebble quilting really looks like kernels of corn, and her pallet is perfect!

Now, for a more traditional quilt, but I go for the untraditional traditional . . .

This is medium sized traditional sort of quilt, that I think is amazing.  It won the Scraptastic award, which is given out by another quilt group.  This one also received an honorable mention.  Remember, if you click on the photos they will enlarge, so you can see more of the details.

What's on the Design Wall in September?

I am working on completing some unfinished work.  The photo below shows my completed "Childhood Memory" piece that is 5" X 55". It also shows other unfinished stuff.  The blocks on the right are orphans from a prior project.  They are liberated wedding ring blocks.

Now, that I completed my first 5" X 55" piece, I am so ready for the next one! But I have an unfinished face art quilt in solids that I also need to get done.  Childhood Memories done on Sept. 5, Sheri Baby completed on Sept. 8, and below is Liberated Wedding Rings completed on Sept 10.  

I used the orphan blocks that I had on my design wall on Sept 5, to make the piece I completed today.  Now you see I have a Japanese design working on the wall.  Let me see how soon I can get that one completed.  I seem to need a challenge to get me motivated.  P.S. Sheri Baby will be presented on my next post!  She's a beauty!

"If ya done it, it ain't braggin'."

I had a BIG surprise today, when A and I went to The Fair (Western Idaho Fair), to pick up our entries that had been in competition and displayed there.  

I received this big ribbon and plaque, as the Sweepstakes Award for Clothing and Textiles.  I am honored.  Not slowing down with my creativity has paid off.  Where in my quilt studio am I going to hang this award?  Is it time to declutter?  Surely not, but perhaps rearrange things a little.

Dawdling and Gearing Up . . .

My Unruly Quilt Artists have set some challenges for this year.  I have sketched and started on one, two different times.  The time was not yet ripe.  I did get inspired and complete a challenge from 2024, just a couple weeks ago.  Meanwhile, I have dawdled making some rag dolls, that I really love!

                            I am making more cut layers pieces [aka ghetto reverse applique]

On with the Unruly project that needs an entry form, with photograph, by August 20, but the actual piece does not have to be completed for physical entry until September 20, I started from scratch yesterday.  I am not inspired by my first two starts; those will have to be something else. So, I am gearing up!  I have the back and batting basted to each other, and pieces are starting to make their way in that direction.  The above piece is one of five, cut layer pieces that I am incorporating in the quilt art.

Here is my most recent rag doll:

I have been experimenting with how and what to sew into the head seams to make the hair.  This one, I was certain I had gone too far, but when I turned it right-side out, I was pleasantly surprised!  I do love how she turned out.  The nice thing about rag dolls is you can hand sew all the fastener points instead of adding buttons, snaps, or Velcro.  It is quicker and it looks just perfect. [she is sitting on my Sew-steady while leaning against my sewing machine].

La Mona

I admit, I have been engrossed in art quilting.  I have been making fewer regular quilts.  Since I learned about Kawandi style in 2023, I have made quite a few.  The method inspires creativity.  I have completed my twentieth Kawandi style quilt. 

I made it specially to be displayed on the quilt shelf I made, which hangs in the entry way of my home.  I have always had only a few small quilts that fit on this rack.  I felt like I needed to make another, and now I have!  This Kawandi style quilt is 30" X 38" and has only fabrics that are not new to me.  The fabrics are reg quilting cotton, given to me or inherited from quilters who have passed away, flour sacks given me be my cousin, a piece of fabric of my mother's that she used to make herself a dress and to make a dress for my Tammy doll.  She made the Tammy dress in 1962 from the scraps.  Also in this quilt are scraps from other quilts I have made, repurposed silk Sari fabric, more scraps from clothing making, drapery fabric, and pieces of saved lace bits.  I used #8 Pearl cotton for the hand-quilting, which includes some different stitches and Sashiko stitching.  The Sashiko is a tribute to my aunt Shige.  The whole piece is a tribute to the people and things of the past that we do not want to let go of.

Finally, a Photo of the Black Quilt!

I found a nice white barn near Eagle, Idaho, to photograph my 'black' quilt on.  

All the backgrounds in these fabrics are black.  I really like the effect caused by using just those types of fabrics in the quilt.  This is a great quilt for using all your fabric scraps that have black backgrounds.  You could start a bin that you throw those scraps in, so you can have a head start when you finally begin one of your own.

Cut Layers Class

On March 13, I taught a "cut layers" class, to some of the new art quilters in Treasure Valley.  I call it 'ghetto reverse applique'.  The class is a way for them to learn a new technique that they can incorporate in their own art.   It was a fun class.  Following are photos of some of the completed projects.  

                                        Karen's

 

                                        Christine's        

                                        Elaine's

                                        Elaine's second one!

                                        Peggy's

                                        Shelley's

                                        Shelley's second one!

                                           Kimberley's

                                        Shannan's