Finally - the 9th and final square in Learning Curves in 9 Squares

First of all I am going to start with a plea for help. A couple of years ago I bought a cotton backed gold foil fabric from a quilting shop - it was part of their Christmas range. This is not gold coloured, but a true metallic foil stuck to cotton. It cuts, stitches and FMQs beautifully. And I can't get hold of any more. The shop has sold out, can't remember which rep they have got it from and has no plans to get more. I have tried many shops in the UK, even big ones like Cotton Patch who can not help. I have searched on the internet and bought several things to try, but have not been able to find this cotton backed foil. I can't be the only person to have used this. If anyone could let me know of a source I would be VERY grateful!

I can't remember when I posted the first of the 9 squares from this piece, but there have been so many diversions to show quilts and bloggers festivals and other things. Sorry about that.

This is a long post - lots of photos - so get a cup of tea/coffee ready!!

Today we have arrived at the 9th and final Square 'How does your Garden Grow'

How does your Garden Grow form Learning Curves in 9 Squares

And looking at this photo, you might be forgiven for thinking how your garden grew was upside down! Or could it be the photo that is upside down? However, I think this motif works any way up and think of it as hanging flowers here. It is another design that you can stretch and squeeze at will giving short dumpy flowers to long thin ones and anything in between. It is what I call a 'there and back' design, meaning that it ends at the starting point. You need to travel along the guide lines to the next start point - or do an awful lot of stopping and starting. Guess which method I used!!

And now for the whole piece - all 9 squares together. I promised you a bit of a surprise with this. It is a very small surprise, and I think you will have guessed what I was planning before now. If not, just look at it for a moment or two before reading on.

Learning Curves in 9 Squares

I hope it is pretty obvious that the lines flow across the squares to form one continuous design. If not, let me know!!

The embryo of this piece was in a stitch sample that I did in orange thread with no other aim than to practise. I had some fabric dyed in the same orange and used it for a binding (and no, I don't usually put bindings on my practice pieces!). I really liked the look of thread and binding in the same colour. I had also wanted to vary/develop what I had done in Strata - my first show quilt.

Strata

So I thought I would experiment with similar organic flowing lines but this time divide the piece into squares, with one motif per square. The colour scheme was dictated by matching thread and dyed fabric that I already had.

Arrow Head and Cobbler's Nightmare from Learning Curves in 9 Squares

I call it 'Learning Curves' because it is a trial piece. So, what have I learnt?

Dividing it into squares certainly makes it a lot easier to quilt, and I do think the method works. I've slip stitched the squares together with double thread. The stitching isn't visible and it is strong enough to hold the weight of the quilt. Having one motif per square I think works well, as does the thread/binding colour link.

The importance of colour I have already touched upon. Paler colours just get lost at a distance.

For me, the biggest problem of the piece is a lack of focal point. Strata suffers from the same problem, (which is why I think it only got a 'satisfactory' in the show). Both pieces are an excuse for me to indulge in FMQ which I love so much, but I need to find a stronger design to carry it off. Humm. Back to the thinking board.

Oh, and one last lesson - don't take so many photos. I think this post has taken me almost as long to prepare as to quilt!! I hope you enjoy them.

All Aflame and Swirls from Learning Curves in 9 Squares

4 squares joining from Learning Curves in 9 Squares

4 squares joining from Learning Curves in 9 Squares

Fly away home and Sticks and Stones from Learning Curves in 9 Squares

4 squares joining from Learning Curves in 9 Squares

Arrow Head and How does your Garden Grow from Learning Curves in 9 Squares

Learning Curves in 9 Squares - detail

Hour Glass and All Aflame from Learning Curves in 9 Squares

4 squares joining from Learning Curves in 9 Squares

Learning Curves in 9 Squares - detail

Learning Curves in 9 Squares - detail

4 squares joining from Learning Curves in 9 Squares

Cobblers Nightmare and Not on my Parade from Learning Curves in 9 Squares

Thanks for dropping by

Hilary Florence

Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Anything goes Mondays @ http://marelize-ries.blogspot.co.uk/

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

Fabric Tuesday @http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/    

Sew cute Tuesday @ http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/ 

Show and tell Tuesday @ http://ihavetosay.typepad.com/randi/

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk

Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/

More learning curves...

This is another test piece for a larger work that I have in mind for a quilt show later this year. This is one of 9 squares (although the final version might have more).

This is a motif called 'hour glass'. Each square will be done in a different colour, using a different motif. At the end, there is, I hope, a bit of a surprise which I won't tell you now, because I want to know if you can see it. I've dyed material in the same colour as the thread to frame each square. I've been working in black and white for a bit. It is stunning, but I do miss colour! There is no doubt quilting on white makes the quilting really stand out, so this is a bit of a compromise.

In the recent black and white pieces, I've quilted the motifs in 'straight' rows. I say straight, because I don't mark them and they certainly wouldn't match up with any ruler! Here, I do mark the curves. I tend to stitch the parallel-lined curves first, then fill them in with the motif. I don't try and keep the 'parallel' line perfectly parallel. In fact, I often deliberately try to vary them a bit, opening up at the apex of a curve. Distorting the pattern to fit the resulting shapes is perhaps my favourite part of quilting.

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Anything goes Mondays @ http://marelize-ries.blogspot.co.uk/

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

Fabric Tuesday @http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/    

Sew cute Tuesday @ http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/ 

Show and tell Tuesday @ http://ihavetosay.typepad.com/randi/

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

We did it Wednesday @ http://www.sewmuchado.com/

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk
Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/

Journal Quilt Competition 2014 - sneak preview

I have just posted a couple of entries to the Journal Quilt Competition 2014, organised by Grovenor Shows.

Beneath Our Feet - The Earth's Inner Landscape - detail. Entry into the Journal Quilt Competition 2014

 The theme this year is 'Landscape' and the exhibition of journal quilts will be shown at the Spring Quilt Festivals around the country, Quilts UK and Malvern 2014.

I am not sure what the etiquette is for showing competition quilts on line before the compeition/exhibition, so I've just giving a couple of detail shots.

My Inner Landscape - Around and around in my Mind. Entry into the Journal Quilt Competition 2014

Nobody who has been following this blog will be surprised to see I have managed to interpret 'Landscape' in terms of free motion quilting! It will be fun to see what others have come up with, but I anticipate there will be much variety.

Enjoy.

Thanks for dropping by

Hilary Florence

Sherri Lynn Wood and improvisational duets?

Sherri Lynn Wood is a quilter who uses improvisation in her piecing and quilt construction, or as she puts it 'improvises quilts as a life practise'. You can learn more on her blog daintytime.net. If you scroll back a bit, you can read how she applies her insights from a course in improvisational theatre to her life and quilts.

She is currently writing a book about her improvisational piecing and looking for quilters to try out her projects. Our styles are very different, but as a musician myself, (and a quilter who never follows a pattern!) I was intrigued and volunteered.

This post is manly for Sherri as she asked to look at applicants' blogs. Since I haven't been blogging very long, I thought I'd put up some past pieced pieces, to show when I am not dyeing, printing or machine quilting, I do actually do some piecing!

Sherri, if you get this far, I hope you enjoy it - as I hope the rest of you do too!

Catching the curve - a first piece in curved piecing

 This was one of my first forays into curved piecing, using an idea by Ann Johnston in her book The quilter's book of design. Slightly curvy strips are sown together to make blocks. Using a 'stack and wack' approach, the blocks are cut with  gently curving 'V' shapes before reassembling.

Blue and Brown Boundaries

 This piece basically uses 2 colours - a bright turquoise and a russet brown. The variations come from 'dulling' each dye by adding differing amounts of its complementary. I admit that there is a touch of gold which I did not dye!

The piecing is entirely improvisational - there was no plan at all. A real, have rotary cutter - will travel and make it up as you go along - approach. Each piece is outlined in a bias of the complementary colour and the pieces assembled in ever increasing sizes.

Cross-roads

Here is the next piece using the same technique. The dyes are a scarlet and charcoal and I've livened things up a bit with a touch of silver. This time, the bias insets vary in size and also have their own curves.

Sunset Trees 2

Autumn Trees 1

 Tray dyeing provides the backgrounds for a series I did on winter trees. Biased insets give the tree outline. Cutting the tree free-hand with a rotary cutter makes sure that each tree is unique. I've finished them off by quilting a free-motion leaf motif.

Nine Lives

This piece started off life as 'ten not quite green bottles, hanging on a wall', but the more I looked at the pieced 'bottles' (now the bodies), the more all I could see was cats. In the end, I gave in and appliqued heads and tails and 'Nine Lives' was born.

Nine Lives - detail

The cats' bodies and the blocks are cut free-hand with a rotary cutter. The quilting is meant to be a kind of stone wall. There are also a few mice hiding around - but not on this detail.

Improvisational piecing - work in progress

No curves for once. This is really inspired by using up scraps - with a splash of gold because even scraps can be special. I've got quite a lot more, so not sure yet how this will end up, but there will of course, be some quilting. I'll post about it when I get there.

Enjoy

Thanks for dropping by

Hilary Florence

Strata - West Country Quilt Show Part 2

The Second of the Quilts that I entered into the West Country Quilt Show 2013 in the small wall hanging category.

Strata -  Shown at the West Country Quilt Show 2013

In this quilt I really enjoyed playing around with continuous line free motion quilting. The undulating tracks open and close, altering the density of the pattern and increasing the texture of the piece.

I wanted a kind of slate appearance, so used a piece of cotton I had dyed in charcoal with a flush of pink (which doesn't show up well on the photo).

Strata - detail - free motion quilting -hand dyed cotton

Strata - detail - free motion quilting -hand dyed cotton

Strata - detail - free motion quilting -hand dyed cotton

 I had this piece of pink-dyed material which as used as the back, partly because it picked up on the pink tones of the front, and partly because I don't particularly like the colour, so was happy to consign to the back. However, several people have told me they prefer it to the front!!

Strata - reverse side

 The colour contrast is obviously better and it show up from a greater distance, but I do like the the subtlety of the grey.

Strata - reverse side

I had high hopes for this piece and i did get a 'good' for machine quilting and originality, but everything else was the dreaded 'statisfactory'. So, back to the drawing board. I will post a picture of the winner of the machine quilting prize next time, and it is really, really fantastic. Onward and Upward.

Thanks for dropping by

Hilary Florence

Bottle Jam

It has been a while since I have blogged. According to google statistics, nobody is reading this and I got a bit discouraged. Still, if I don't put anything up, then nobody will see it. So if you are out there and would like to see more - please do let me know!

Bottle Jam - detail

 I showed you my bottle blocks a few blogs ago. I had pieced 3 together and quilted the outlines of bottles. I have now filled the shapes created with a variety of my quilting patterns. (Stay tuned to see them more clearly in forthcoming free-motion-quilting cameos)

Bottle Jam - detail

This was something of an experiment. It was great fun to do and quite a challenge manipulate the patterns to fit all those odd shapes.  However, it hasn't really been a success. Nobody who has seen it has spotted the quilted bottles - they have just noticed a lot of patterns. I think that the pieced bottles have such a strong colour, that they dominate. The mixture of quilted bottles superimposed on pieced bottles is just too much. You can see the quilting a little better on the back.

Bottle Jam back - detail

Bottle Jam back - detail

Bottle Jam back - detail

Bottle Jam back - detail

The idea is good, but I still think this is a bit too muddled. What do you think?

Thanks for dropping by

Hilary Florence

Underneath the Arches - fmq cameo 3

As much as I admire the skill of many free motion quilters, particularly long-arm quilters, to make each motif a clone of the previous one, I actually don't aim for total accuracy. I don't like it too look too machine like. I like the phrase 'consitantly inconsitant'. I also love playing around with size, scale and density.

Underneath the arches, one of my original designs also shows a technique I use a lot, namely building up rows to create and area of texture.  It is a 'there and back' design. The 'there' creates the arch and foot, and coming back I echo the arches.

Fmq 3 - Underneath the Arches

Thanks for dropping by...

A sensuous curve too far

Now for a free motion quilting interlude - which is another way of saying that I could never stick to one thing at a time. Somehow the ideas in my head queueing up to get out are too impatient to wait their turn. Impatience is great for creativity but not too good for finishing things in a hurry! I usually have several things on the go at once.

Time for a bit of procion paper play

Procion paper play is all about thickening up some procion dyes with manutex and printing, rolling, painting, dribbling, splashing them about on paper. Anything goes really. It is a great way to explore, experiment and play with no goal in mind - just discover what come out.

Bottles are a gift for quilters - all those sensuous curves. I've been meaning to explore exploiting them for ages. A clear out had left me with a pile of old folder dividers and I decided I could up-cycle these into masks and stencils. I perfect opportunity to make something for nothing and feel virtuous about reducing my rubbish. The idea - gleaned from an article on making stencils - was to paint them in acrylic to make them waterproof. I expected them to curl up when the first side was painted. I expected them - as per article - to lie flat again when I painted the reverse side. Not so. My stencils, not having read the article, decided to corkscrew. I know that I wanted sensuous curves, but that was taking things too far!

It was also quite time consuming, messy and used up a lot of acrylic paint - and probably cost a lot more than simply cutting them out of acetate. Ah well - I tried.

Here are the un-corkscrewed stencils, weighed down by stones to keep them flat...

stencils made from painted dividers - weighed down to stop corkscrewing

and the masks.

masks made out of old dividers, waterproofed with acrylic paint

This first one uses a couple of the masks and stencils, apply the dye with a sponge roller. Sponge rollers are very dye hungry and soak up a lot of dye-paint, but I do like the texture they give.

Procion paper play - bottle masks and stencils

detail

For this one I've limited myself to just one bottle shape. It's done with a brayer, which gives a totally different texture. It looks thicker, glopier, much more messy, but therefore there is more textural interest. I used electic blue and mustard yellow, which I think give a lovely colour combination. Areas under the mask were of course white, and I've gone over these with lemon yellow.

Blue and yellow bottle procion paper play

Blue and yellow bottles - detail

The last two from this session are cheerfully chuby. Again the sencil and mask give the postive and negative shape. I've used the sponge roller again and given a bit of extra colour with a light rolloing of magenta. I might give it a colour wash at some stage to colour in the white.

Cheerfully chubby bottles in yellows and organges with a bit of magenta

Detail

Back to the quilting next.

Thanks for dropping by.

fmq cameo 2 Figures of Eight

Here is the next cameo, several days later than promised. I hadn't reckoned with technical difficulties - such as not being able to open a new post - does make things a bit difficult! As you can see, I've made it with umpteen clicks and going around in circles. The last post was 'we have lift off' - I was tempted and call this one 'and we've crashed'! I've also just seen on the preview that the picture has publised twice. It isn't there twice on the original post page, so can't fix that. Definately something wrong here. Sorry.

Anyway, technical difficulties apart - here is number 2. Figures of eight are not original I know, but I have never seen their versatility exploited (let me know if you have). You can change the height, breadth, size of loop, how spaced out they are... Here I have done them in undulating columns. The photo doesn't really show how they 'negative' space between the columns also then stands out and becomes a feature. When stitched in colour, changing the size and thus the density of the pattern gives the illusion of darker and lighter shade. It is also great to quilt as  you can get into a lovely swinging rhythm.

fmq cameo 2 - Figures of Eight

Enjoy and thanks for dropping by