Category Archives: Citrus Belt Quilters

in the cabin

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I’m working on a few blocks for my guild’s Opportunity Quilt and they have to be Perfect with a capital P. So here’s #1 of 4.

I’m afraid that I probably should have gone counter-clockwise, so all that sparkly perfection may be in vain. I’m holding off on making a date with Mr. Seam Ripper, as well as sewing any more blocks until I have confirmed which direction the logs should be spinning. Either way, it’s a beauty to behold. Just wait until I have a photo of the completed technicolor king size quilt with pillow shams to show you!

Here’s my version of a Log Cabin block, stress-free style. The last red log wanted to go on the other side, so of course I obliged. (How could I refuse?) This one’s for my Dear Diary 2010 quilt, but it would be fun to do a whole quilt of these mixed up Log Cabins.

happy piecing! ^_^

adventures in sashiko

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Last week I took a sashiko workshop from Nancy Ota. I’ve always wanted to learn to do sashiko properly, and I’m so glad I did. Nancy is a wonderful teacher and a fabulous quilt artist as well. Here are my results from the last couple of days:

Chidori-Tsunagi, 6″

Mashu-Zashi, 6″

Asa-no-ha, 6″

That last one is on pre-printed fabric (I’ve only just begun, my stitching is the lighter part in the upper left corner), the other two are drafted with a white pencil. Following the stitching lines on the pre-printed fabric is good practice, I’m getting better at the tiny stitches in the centers. I think I prefer drafting to pre-printed though. When you draft them yourself you can draw the designs any size you wish and you can be more free with your stitch length and placement. These blocks are going to eventually become part of a sashiko sampler when I’ve finished enough of them.

Here’s a necklace I made with my Fast, Fun & Easy Cover Button Jewelry techniques by stitching on the pre-printed Asa-no-ha fabric. That’s a 1-7/8″ button.

4″ Dear Diary block made with my sashiko practice piece

and another 4″ Dear Diary block using up the rest of my practice stitches.

Sashiko is a great take-along project. You don’t need a hoop or complicated equipment. I’d like to try sashiko quilting on my painted Spring quilt top, but I didn’t use any fabric paint medium in the acrylics so it’s not going to be the most needle-friendly quilt top I’ve ever made. Maybe I could limit the sashiko to the upper part of the center panel where there’s not much paint and machine quilt the rest. For now though, I’m just going to continue with my sashiko sampler blocks.

quilt green 2009

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Now for your viewing pleasure, the results of the Citrus Belt Quilters’ Quilt Green 2009 Challenge as seen at the May 16 CBQ Quilt Festival in Redlands, CA. Those who quilted before us knew how to reduce, reuse and recycle; something we sometimes forget after being spoiled by all the wonderfully stocked quilt fabric stores around. As you can see by this collection, it really is quite easy (and fun!) to be green.

Reincarnated
Recycled double bed quilt by Lois Cowan
A true quilt … made from clothing to create a useable quilt. Made from two pairs of jeans and four shirts. The maroon is a sheet. The batting is a mattress pad. Backing is a duvet. I needed another dark color so the gray around the border. I dug out the gray plaid shirt and began cutting, when my husband said … “But I still like that shirt.” “Oh well, now you can really enjoy it.”

Days of Wine and Roses
Wall quilt by Marguerette Tate
Grandmother’s Mother’s linens (napkins/small tablecloth) background/backing. Used ribbons for grapes and binding. Mother’s scarf for roses. Lace center from old lampshade. Family jewelry for beads. This challenge was fun! Corks from “2 Buck Chuck”, not from gifts.

Literally Green
Wall quilt by Violet Vaughnes
Made from my collection of men’s neckties. Batting is necktie interfacing and a baby’s receiving blanket. Backing is a shirt from Salvation Army Thrift Store. Pattern is “Boston Lettuce” from Pieced Vegetables by Ruth McDowell.

Pizza & Coke
Wall quilt by Lily Marie Amaru
This piece came from my love of pizza and Coke. The idea started with collecting Coke cans and etc. from around the world for about 15 years. My favorite pizza is from Pizza Hut. The ideas kept coming and being refined until this piece Pizza and Coke materialized.

In the Garden
Wall quilt by Marguerette Tate
So much fun — old linens, coasters for wine glasses (flowers), cuff links, earrings, pins and family jewelry — beads, old cheesecloth (flowers). I used fabric ink for dye.

Sewing Room Floor Massacre
Wall (floor) quilt by Donna Gaston
Often times while sewing in my room the dogs are playing. But when it’s been quiet for awhile I realize something’s up. And usually this is what I find.

Jean Jacket
Recycled pair of jeans by Lois Cowan
Made from just one pair of jeans. Everything, but the front pockets were used. While attending Chaffey College fashion classes, we were assigned to design a wearable garment from a pair of jeans. This was my design and it placed second in the California State Community College Fashion classes Denim Deconstruction Contest.

I Love Coke
Wearable by Lily Marie Amaru
Working with Coke cans and other fun ideas I have made several of these vests. My collection of Coke memorabilia is displayed throughout my home and this vest is my wearable to display my Coke pins and caps that have been collected from all over the world.

Grandpa and Grandson Matching Outfits
Child’s shirt and jeans by Lois Cowan
Taking the idea from the Fons and Porter ad … the two women that are always cutting up the husband’s shirts and pants. I made Grandpa and Grandson matching outfits. But I don’t think Grandpa is going outside in his outfit.

Turn Me Over — One More Time
Shopping bag by Marlene Padavick
Using the socks with holes (my husband’s) and the gardening gloves (mine) was the start. The denim pockets from granddaughter’s discarded jeans sent me on to pieces of beach towels, dish towels, and plastic bag from our travels. Then lastly the single earrings, bottle caps and a broken watch completed it.
And of course, my upcycled quilt:
Quilt-cycle Sampler
Wall quilt by Laura West Kong
Quiltmaking has a long tradition of reusing materials. In Quilt-cycle Sampler I used a variety of old clothing and linens. I couldn’t resist adding some fun and unusual recycled materials as well: plastic grass sushi garnish, a souvenir keychain, pieces of old jewelry, broken baby sunglasses, buttons off the old clothes, fused plastic shopping bags, part of a juice pouch and clear vinyl packaging, used stamps from around the world, and a painted dryer sheet.

Finally, instead of challenge ribbons, I made cell phone charms out of recycled vintage fabric and beads as souvenirs for each participant.
Quilt green! =(^_^)=

quilts in the park 2009

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Saturday, May 16 was the Citrus Belt Quilters’ 2009 Vintage Home Tour and Quilt Festival. It was a gorgeous day … breezy and sunny, but not nearly as hot as last year. Take a short stroll with me through Smiley Park and enjoy the quilts!
I just adore the sight of quilts swaying in the breeze.
Green grass, warm sun, cool breezes, colorful quilts and live music! The Redlands 4th of July band gave a wonderful performance. Click here to listen to The Redlands 4th of July Band and find out more about them.
Stay tuned for the Quilt Green Challenge entries and highlights from the Vintage Home Tour.
=(^_^)=

it’s a beauty!

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Last week I attended a workshop from Peggy Martin, Quick-Strip Paper Pieced New York Beauty. Click here to see some of the many variations you can get by laying out the blocks in different patterns. Definitely half the fun comes when you finish the blocks and get to play with them, trying out different arrangements.

Here is one of the blocks I worked on in the class. The pink fabric in the corner is actually not sewn down yet, I just laid it on top for the photo, and unfortunately did not lay it down very accurately. When you do sew the pieces together you really get nice sharp points, as you can see with the yellow points above, which are sewn down.

What’s great about Peggy’s Quick-Strip paper piecing technique is that it really is quick and easy! And you get 3 different methods to choose from to sew the curved lines (something for everybody!). I’ve started 8 blocks but haven’t decided how many there will be in the end.

This is my focus fabric for my New York Beauty quilt, “margarita” from Alexander Henry Fabrics, 2004. I’ve been saving it for just the right quilt. I have enough of it to use in a border and to sprinkle throughout some of the blocks.

Peggy’s trunk show was amazing as well! I love how she uses such a wide variety of colors and fabrics from quilt to quilt. I was fascinated to see how just a single small change to a quilt block (line, color, value, orientation, etc.) makes all the difference in the world in the final quilt’s look and feel. Check out the different looks you can get with the traditional Palm Leaf block. The cover quilt of Quick-Strip Paper Piecing: For Blocks, Borders & Quilts (Peggy’s book with the New York Beauty pattern in it) is one of those quilts you really have to see in person.

Stay tuned for more of my New York Beauty blocks! (and I promise to sew all the pieces together for you next time) =(^_^)=

quilt-cycle

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I’m hosting a “Quilt Green” challenge for my guild this year and Quilt-cycle Sampler is the sample quilt I made to give people some ideas of the different kinds of things that can be recycled into quilts: not only old clothes and linens, but broken jewelry, toys and trinkets, paper items, interesting “trash” you would normally throw away … just about anything that can be sewn or glued down really.
The fabrics on this quilt are all recycled and came from a linen shirt, plaid skirt, flannel nightshirt, two pairs of jeans shorts, two jersey T-shirts, silk skirt, polyester dress, and cotton sheets. The blocks include piecing and appliqué.

Top row embellishments: embroidery from torn kid’s clothes, plastic grass sushi garnish, souvenir keychain, metal fish charm from a tag sale brooch, printed silk motif from my former favorite skirt that eventually got shredded in the washing machine.

Middle row embellishments: my daughter’s broken baby sunglasses, plastic grocery bag “fabric”, cancelled stamps in windows made from clear vinyl packaging.

Bottom row embellishments: yo-yo flower made from thrift store dress and buttons removed from various clothing, jeans’ pocket and parts from two old bracelets, recycle logo made from painted used dryer sheets.

Bottom border and fringe: juice pouch, tie from jersey T-shirt, dimensional flower cut from jeans shorts, seed beads and vintage yellow faceted glass beads from two different necklaces, metal globe charm from an earring, and Dora the Explorer party favor from my daughter’s 2nd birthday party, with one of her birthday photos glued in the center.

The batting is recycled from an old towel, and some more old cotton sheets for the backing. These sheets were so threadbare that they ripped several times while I quilted it, so a few appliqués for the back were in order. It’s a good thing this quilt is for the wall. I would recommend you recycle your sheets before they start to shred in your hands.
Here are a few more tips in case you get inspired to create a quilt from recycled materials:

* Fusible woven interfacing will help strengthen fragile fabrics and help keep uncooperative fabrics in line.

* Beading, upholstery, and top-stitching threads work great for sewing on all kinds of embellishments.

* Consider adding a photo or two to make a memory quilt if you are using sentimental materials. You can use a printable fabric sheet, sew a clear photo sleeve onto the quilt top, or simply glue the photo to a trinket using all-purpose adhesive.

dresden rose

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Dresden Rose

designed by Marilyn Fromherz

quilted by Lynette Harlan

made by members of Citrus Belt Quilters

embroidery designs by Jenny Haskins

sponsored by 1st Centennial Bank, Redlands, CA

Road to California is coming to Ontario January 15-18, 2009 and my guild’s new opportunity quilt, Dresden Rose will be on display there. If you’re going to Road, be sure to look for it, this is one quilt you have to see in person. It knocked everyone’s socks off when it was unveiled at our last meeting. The background is wool with the Dresden appliqués in batik, embellished by machine embroidery and gorgeous quilting.

2008 christmas stocking challenge

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This year I hosted the Christmas Challenge for my guild, Citrus Belt Quilters. It was a stocking challenge, the quilter could choose any size, fabric, style or technique. (Can you tell that I’m not too big into complicated rules and regulations?)

This is my sample, done in wool felt on my Huskystar needle-felting embellisher machine. It’s decorated with yarn and Angelina fibers, and I hand-embroidered the front and back together with variegated pearl cotton, blanket stitch, my all-time favorite. It was quick, easy and fun to make.

Here are Lois Cowan’s stockings, first place winner for Moonlighters (evening meeting), made from recycled blue jeans. You can put stuff in the pocket on the top stocking as well as inside.

This is Yvonne Butner’s stocking, third place winner (daytime). The tree is decorated with all the things that cute little kitties dream about.

Phyllis Whitlock’s crazy quilted Texas Cowgirl Boot stocking took 2nd place (daytime). If only boots could really be crazy quilted, what a great thing it would be to wear to Houston!

And finally Kathy Willhoft took first place at the daytime meeting for her pair of beautifully appliqu

éd Christmas stockings. Enjoying eye candy like this is calorie-free!

Many cute stockings were made by guild members and donated to Community Service along with the stockings for the challenge.

I thought stocking ornaments would make appropriate “ribbons” for the winners. When you’re painting crazy quilt stockings and make a mistake, you don’t need a seam ripper to remove the “fabric”. Just paint right over it!

Have a pieceful Christmas and a scrappy new year!

purse-a-licious

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Once again I left my camera at home when I went to my guild meeting, so you’ll have to go to Karen Cunagin’s website to taste the eye candy we got to enjoy. I did manage to get my wallet (with the $$ inside) into my tote bag so I was able to purchase these marvelous purse handles.
Handles like these could rescue even the most dreadfully dull handbag, but luckily I have something better in mind…
This is a purse I started some years back, made from silk dupioni with cotton batik folded flowers (from Rebecca Wat’s book, Fantastic Fabric Folding) and beaded and hand-quilted accents. I made up my own pattern as I went along so I wasn’t sure how I should finish it off and besides that, I didn’t have any handles inspiring enough to move me forward to completion.

I’m not crazy enough to add this project to my holiday to-do list, but I believe it would be a perfect new year’s project with a goal of finishing it by spring. It would make a great spring bag if I do say so myself. (^_^)