a fine line quilt studio

2012 begins

2011-12-31T18:12:00.000-05:00

Inspirations for next year's projects!

an apple tree applique started a long time ago

Sunflowers in an urban garden by the Lowell Quilt Museum

Inchies with pizazz

Thankful

2011-11-06T18:47:00.001-05:00

I am thankful for so much in my life; friends, family, co-workers, my new coffee mug, good work ahead of me, books to read, all the comforts of electricity and being "connected", Casper. But most of all I am eternally grateful for the wonderful, loving, kind and hopeful people that surround me.

a very comfortable space

Casper napping in a quilt project box

Quilting in Connecticut

2011-10-11T18:31:00.001-04:00

The weather this past weekend in Connecticut was spectacular. I spent the long weekend with friends enjoying finishing up and then starting new projects.

Here's a very easy project for confident quilters that can produce great results;

Start with 2 1/2" strips of fabrics. I used a set of Bali pops; 40 strips on the width of fabric.

Sew sets of 2 fabric strips together trying to create some contrast in value (a dark and a light strip) using 1/4" seam allowance. Contrast is relative, so use your best judgement.

Press the seams to the dark strip.

Line the strip sets up on your mat and cut 2 1/2" sections. You should end up with 16 units plus some leftovers.

Stack the sets up in sets of 8 pairs of units with seams in opposing directions so you are ready to sew.

Sew the units together to make 4-patch blocks.

Press the blocks open.

Now begin the design. Using a backdrop of the fabric you plan on using for set-in triangles, arrange your blocks on point with alternating rows of 7 and rows of 6. You should start with a row of 7 and finish with a row of 7 to keep the design rectangular. You will have 1-2 extra blocks for each row and one entire extra set of blocks. I liked the fact that I could pick my least favorite set and pull them out of the design

Although you could drive yourself mad trying the blocks in differing arrangements, at some point they will be pleasing and good enough.

The next stage of this quilt will be adding a very thin border and then a wider border out of the navy blue batik. My plan is for this quilt to be a background for applique. Disclaimer: This plan is subject to change!

Roadtrips. Destinations. John Conte's.

2011-09-28T19:11:00.000-04:00

A recent stop at Alewives Quilt Shop in Nobleboro, Maine - a terrific contemporary and innovative shop.

We didn't get pics of Mainely Sewing in Nobleboro, Maine, but that is a very worthy stop with a large selection, great notions and tools, lots of patterns and friendly, helpful staff.

Quilt Diva's in Rockland, Maine - a sweet, inviting and fun place to be.

Can anyone guess where this is? A hint - one of my favorite places on earth! And referred to frequently in previous posts. The quilt top on the Adirondack chair is made from a pack of fabrics from Alewives that included some home dec pieces. Once finished, it will bring me back to my time in at the cottage, the ocean and the lovely greens/blues of the waters.

John Conte's restaurant in Rockland, Maine. Not for the faint of heart or those who need fine linens and exorbitant prices to enjoy a dining experience. But a dining experience extraordinaire, it is!

The sun sets on vacation all too quickly.

A Day in the Studio

2011-08-11T21:40:00.000-04:00

Friends spent last Saturday in the studio working on a variety of projects.

Donna works on a pattern by our fellow guild member, Sue Pelland, using her Leaves Galore rulers.

Gina puts finishing touches on her woven batiks bag.

Blocks we all worked on for a quilt top. Wanda volunteered to finish the quilt top and then we'll pick a name out of a hat of one of the participants to win the top. Look for more updates on this quilt once Wanda finishes it.

Jane H. works on a moose wall-hanging for a family member.

Candy had fun chopping up her wonderful hand-dyed fabrics for a Kaffe Fasset pattern.

Inchies started by Coral and jazzed up by Donna. One for each of us!

Wanda works on a drawstring bag. Lovely fabrics.

L to R; Candy, Wanda, Jane M., Donna

And of course, wonderful pot luck lunch!

Looking forward to our next day together!

Precious Gifts

2011-08-05T17:26:00.000-04:00

What is the value of the gift of a quilt? When does a gift do more for the giver than the recipient? I've always felt that giving a quilt can do more for the quiltmaker than it does for the recipient. The quiltmaker knows what goes into the quiltmaking; hope, well-wishes, peace, thoughtfulness, warmth, love, time, energy, planning, satisfaction. Sometimes more of those things than others, but always a piece of ourselves.

I've made quilts for new babies and those quilts are filled with hope and love. They are usually light and whimsical, small and sweet.

Quilts for someone who is sick are made with the intention of comfort; warmth, peace, cuddly, safe and inviting.

Quilts for those who have experienced loss are the quietest somehow. We want to say it's ok to give in and grieve. And that it will get better.

Quilts for college students say, remember home and remember you are loved. T-shirt quilts are a tangible reminder of where you've been, what you've done, and who you are. They are pieces of childhood that are perfectly acceptable to accompany you into adulthood.

a beautiful little girl with her quilt

To quiltmakers who have given away a quilt - what have you received in the giving of it?

And if you make quilts and have never given one away, I encourage you to do it. It's good for the soul.

Inspired by the tides

2011-07-18T18:18:00.000-04:00

Some of you will recognize one of my favorites places, E. Boothbay, Maine, in the background. I am happy to tell you that I did find inspiration sitting on the deck and watching the tides, or more specifically, watching what happens to the boats in the bay when the tides shift.

I brought very little fabric on vacation last week, a few Japanese-looking cotton fabrics and some tone-on-tone white stripes. Watching the boats swing around and shift direction with the tides seemed linear, organized and yet still had a sweeping motion. I'm not sure anyone looking at this work in progress would make that connection, but it certainly helped me to see these fabrics in a different way.

I used rotary templates to cut out both pieces of the blocks and then sewed the curved pieces without pinning anything. My Singer 221 Featherweight and slow stitching did a marvelous job!

I'll share more photos of this when I have borders in place.

In the meantime, I hope you all find something inspiring to help you enjoy today!

Searching for inspiration and getting back my mojo

2011-07-06T18:13:00.000-04:00

I've taken some time off from quilting and from creating. The little bit of work that I've done lately, I wouldn't post for a couple of reasons; much of it was not particularly creative or interesting.

However, there were 7 pillows made from the flannel shirts and wild ties of a man that passed away a few years ago. His daughter found me through a friend of a friend. She had the idea to make something out of his shirts and ties - none of which seemed to go together. We decided pillows would work and she picked out one special tie for each recipient and let me work around those selections. The results were remarkable. The front of the shirts became the back of the pillow, with the button front and breast pockets in tact so a note, picture or such could be tucked inside. The ties became a fan pattern on the front of the pillow. She was pleased with the results and I hope her family was, too. It was a pleasure to make them and I got a sense of the man through his choice in ties - and the fact that his daughter wanted to preserve the memories of him in that way. It touched my heart.

With that project done, I'm now looking for inspiration. What inspires creation? What satisfies the soul? What moves the spirit?

I'll let you know what happens next.

Grandma's Aprons

2011-04-27T22:55:00.000-04:00

This quilt contains feed sack fabrics from the 1930's and contemporary muslin. It started with a piece of my grandmother's apron. The apron was well-used and spotted from decades of cooking and baking. Looking at this quilt, I can picture Gram baking oatmeal bread, a weekly tradition, or preparing vegetable fresh from the garden.. She grew a garden that fed the two of us, extended family, the milkman, neighbors, the postman and anyone who happened to stop by for a visit during a harvest. She knitted gorgeous sweaters; white sweaters for christenings, chicks marching across the front when a child started walking, winter sweaters with deer to keep teens warm, and Irish cables when you reached adulthood. Some of my earliest memories are of playing with bits and pieces of cloth she gave me from the garments she made on her little black and gold Singer featherweight machine; wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses for cousins, outfits for me with matching outfits for my Barbie. She was a utilitarian version of Martha Stewart, on a strict budget!

The collection of feed sacks came from my mom who scoured estate sales in Pennsylvania, numerous visits over the years to Brimfield, the generosity of quilting friends, as well as my Gram's apron.

I've long since forgotten which fabric was Gram's apron. That bothered me until I arrived at the conclusion that any woman who collected feed sack fabrics before me would probably be pleased with the current use of their fabric. That generation repurposed, recycled and reused whatever they could out of necessity rather than from any efforts to be green or environmentally prudent.

Grandma's Aprons is dedicated to Marjorie Ivy Daubney. She lived in quiet dignity, made the most of anything she was fortunate enough to have and shared with great amounts of love. I continue her tradition of sewing by quilting.

It's been a while

2011-04-21T07:41:00.001-04:00

This past winter, we visited Boothbay, Maine, for a change of scenery. It was a terrific road trip. There are a number of photos of this spot in earlier posts. This is a home away from home for me and for Kelly. Other than work, more work, and continued projects involving more home rennovations, I haven't had much time to quilt lately. But that is about to change. Stop by again in the next few weeks to see the projects I'm working on this spring. In the meantime, enjoy the views from Boothbay.

My friend, Michael, is a great collector of found ocean objects including the colorful lobster trap buoys.

Sue and Kelly in Boothbay.

A beautiful day. A beautiful place.

More demolition and reconstruction. It's now done!

Perseverance and Spring

2011-03-13T14:33:00.001-04:00

Last year, a colorful little critter climbed up into my deck herb garden. In an effort to save my hard-won productive garden, I flicked him off the deck that is attached to the second floor of my house and onto the lawn. About a week later I went out to get some rosemary and there he was again. Now, I don't have proof that it was exactly the same little colorful critter, but if not him, it was his twin!

That's perseverance. Despite all those legs it had to have taken him quite a while to get to the parsley. I'm looking forward to this year's garden, sharing it with whomever comes to dinner and perhaps even the return of my little green friend.

We have persevered through this long winter's snowfall and ice dams. Maybe we can apply those skills and some patience towards whatever projects are ahead, quilt-related, spring clean up or otherwise.

Hearty New Englanders

2011-02-04T16:16:00.000-05:00

There are iscicles on the roof, drips in a number of rooms from ice dams and more snow on the ground here in Central Massachusetts than we've seen in a very, very long time.

So what is there to do? Teach a friend's daughter to quilt! We had a very productive day and look forward to our next afternoon to work on her quilt.

The studio may be snowed in but it's nice and dry!

Iscicles off the roof and looking over the back deck.

The front yard, driveway and top of our Weeping Cherry Tree which is at least 6 feet tall at the top.

A little perscpective of the depth of the snow for those of you outside of New England.

Wishing you all warmth, safety and good work to keep your hands and mind constructively occupied!

New Year's Day 2011

2011-01-09T10:25:00.000-05:00

A wonderful beginning to the start of 2011 began with brunch and a day in the studio with friends. It was time to start new projects and finish up works in progress.

Cheers!

Contentment

2010-12-23T08:08:00.000-05:00

What gives you a feeling of contentment? When are you most satisfied, filled up, and at peace?

For some of us quilters it is in the enjoyment of selecting a project, fabrics or a design. Others find it in the sound and feel of their favorite machine running or using their favorite thread and needle. Others are most satisfied putting on the finishing touches of a binding and label.

Is it really about the quilt? I've never believed it is. For me, the contentment and satisfaction comes in the making and giving of the gift of the quilt and, most importantly, the intentions that go along with it. The giving and use of it gives a quilt meaningfulness.

To all of you reading this, I wish you contentment and peace. And I do hope you have a quilt of your own to wrap around yourself and your loved ones.

We gather together

2010-12-05T20:37:00.000-05:00

A day in the studio with friends typically consists of an eclectic variety of projects, good conversation, inspiration, artistic critique, shared life experiences and comfort food. These photos are from a recent weekend with friends in the studio. We're looking forward to another day together in January.

postcards and a little bling

quilt blocks for a scrap quilt

embroidery

beading and inchie quilts

Quilt blocks for a wallhanging

batik jacket

Christmas placemat

Gifts

2010-11-26T07:16:00.002-05:00

It's the day after Thanksgiving, when large retailers with a penchant for falling prices and smiley faces would have us up before the crack of dawn enticed by sales on just about everything. It's outrageous encouragement to buy more stuff, perhaps using a credit card, in the hopes that it makes us happy. Here's an interesting link about The Story of Stuff, something worth viewing before heading out to the store:  http://www.storyofstuff.com/

I think about the things that I either use all the time or enjoy having or using very much - things I'd really miss if I didn't have them - things that would affect how I live, how I enjoy life.  Stuff doesn't make me happy. What I do with stuff, how I share it and use it may make me happy and it usually involves action on my part or interaction with others.  My trusty little 1944 Singer Featherweight sewing machine brings me much enjoyment. It is even more enjoyable to use when I'm working with friends. I appreciate the design and simplicity of it, the sound it makes, it's consistently solid stitch, it's compact but powerful motor and the fact that I can maintain and repair it.

Quilting is seldom about the quilt itself.  It's about the creative process and ultimately the quilt's usefulness; as a gift on a special occasion, to bring comfort, as a gesture of appreciation, caring and love, or as a piece of art. Most often, the value of a quilt to the maker is intrinsic. Hopefully, the recipient of a quilt understands the love that goes into the making of it; each stitch, each choice, each hour of work, and receives the full intended benefit.

Here are some pictures of a quilt made for Kelly's professor at UNH, Dr. Jo Daniel, who is expecting a baby in December. We wish her and her family much joy and thank her for her commitment to her students.

In the process of quilting. 1920's reproduction fabrics.

Kelly and the finished baby quilt.

Arranging Blocks - Part II

2010-11-16T06:56:00.001-05:00

On Nov. 2, I posted pictures of different arrangements of these half square triangle blocks. This past weekend I picked the project back up and decided to finish up the top by adding a few more rows and a border incorporating the remaining blocks. This is the border.

And here is the finished top.

Next, to find time to quilt and bind it before Christmas!

Giving Thanks

2010-11-11T23:35:00.000-05:00

Friends of mine believe that Christmastime brings out the best in people. It didn't seem that way to me until I decided to genuinely look for little kindnesses, acts of selflessness, and distinct moments of peace - to try to see what they see. When I paid attention and took notice, I did see things differently. What a good way to spend time; looking for and finding joy and goodness, surrounding ourselves with wonderous moments of peace and being grateful. My thanks to Tim and Gina for sharing their views on this season and for so much more.

Now, they also start listening to the Christmas channel on the radio about this time of year and that is not a trait that I'll follow any time soon!

So here are just a few of the things that I am particularly grateful for;

Friends who show us possibilities and encourage us along the way.

Every New England season that changes our environment in lovely ways.

Laughter, friendship, kinship.

Wonderful people; friends and family.

Lifelong friends, through the years, through each stage of life.

Creativity, shared interests, trusting friendships.

Celebrations.

Great times, great places, great people, great memories!

Quilting as a creative outlet, great fabrics, and the tactile satisfaction of making something.

Wherever you are, whomever you are with, whatever your circumstances, I hope you experience gratitude this season. It's good for the soul.

Arranging Blocks

2010-11-02T20:44:00.000-04:00

It is amazing how the same simple blocks can be set in different ways to achieve very different effects. Our minds can be similar in that way. A slightly different attitude can contribute to a very different effect under similar circumstances. A slightly different approach can make all the difference in the world.

Flying Geese

Nine Patch

I'll post the final arrangement in a while, but it is not either of the settings in these pictures.

A change of scenery can also help refresh the mind and senses and inspire creativity. Maine has a way of doing all that for me.

The spillway on Little River in East Boothbay, Maine

September on Little River after all the summer folks have gone home.

The view from Quilt Divas parking lot in Rockland, Maine

Standing the test of time

2010-10-17T09:27:00.000-04:00

I've passed by this great old barn in Connecticut a number of times in the last few years. This past September I was compelled to pull over and take a few pictures. The barn sits on an expansive piece of farmland with great long stone walls. The house next to it is still standing and in the process of renovation. There is something I find inspiring about the construction and colors, the fact that it still serves a purpose and is obviously well-worn used over the decades. It is humbling to know that someone pulled the stones from the land, stacked them precisely and created usefulness out of the simple materials at hand.

There are quilts that have stood the test of time, some in almost pristine condition after 100 years or more. But they were not used. They sat in cupboards, folded and displayed. They didn't warm a body or provide comfort in texture and color. They were not handled and dragged and draped over children and their parents as they read a bedtime story. It gives me great pleasure to visit someone and see a quilt I’ve given them bunched up on the couch or a bed, softer from being washed and dried, and used well. I know then it has been used as intended. It has served its purpose.

As I begin a quilt, the first decision is whether it is a ‘user’ or a ‘keeper’. Rarely is the answer a ‘keeper’. Perhaps a piece of my work will last beyond 2 or 3 generations. That’s a nice thought. But the stories will fade and weaken along with the colors and the construction materials. It might need a bit of renovation if it does last. In the long run, if these bits of cloth pieced together and stitched lovingly serve a purpose today, provide some bit of comfort with the recipient knowing I cared for them, that’s enough. And it gives me ample reason to make another and another….

A room with a view

2010-10-09T21:44:00.001-04:00

Pressing

Classroom sewing area - sewing the last row on a 1920's One Thousand Pyramids quilt.

The view from the classroom

After a few trial runs with my quilter friends, the studio is ready for regular classes. I'll be advertising locally in the next few weeks with classes starting in November.

Cats, Quilts and Excuses

2010-10-05T07:34:00.002-04:00

Is the fact that this is one of Casper's favorite spots to take a nap any excuse to not finish it? This quilt was started a few years ago (more than I'd like to admit publically) and is done except for hand-sewing the remaining unfinished portion the binding.

The truth is that I put off finishing projects unless there is a reason to finish them. My quilts seem to need a purpose to be finished. Until they have a destination or intended recipient, they linger. I like to say I 'live with them for a while' until I know where they belong. Working improvisationally is exciting and interesting. There are lots of decisions and trials, experiments, auditioning. Once all the decisions are made and I can see the finished product, I'd rather be designing again.

The upside in working this way is that there is always something constructive to do at any stage in the process of quilt-making. If the mood strikes me to do simple piecing, there's a project that needs piecing. If quilting is what I want to do, I can pull out a quilt top that needs quilting. If I need a take-along project, applique is very portable.

These may be excuses, but they work for me. And I have the finished quilts to prove it!

Simplicity in Design

2010-10-03T08:17:00.001-04:00

There are certain things that we do by habit that become comforting in their simplicity and tried and true results. Half square triangle blocks, essentially a square cut in half on the diagonal from corner to corner is that comfortable and dependable block for me.

I’d rather work with 200 fabrics than be limited to just a few. Simplicity rules! If you use just light and dark fabrics, saving your mediums for another project, the results can be wonderful. This works for two-color quilts, scrap quilts or themed projects. A quilt made with just this block, with or without borders and a simple binding works marvelously. It is important to size them all up consistently before piecing the blocks together, regardless of which method of piecing you use. There are a variety of ways to make these blocks. Because I work scrappy, I like to use the method outlined in this link.

http://quilting.about.com/od/quickpiecingtechniques/ss/halfsquaretria.htm

Who knows, maybe someday I’ll try this theory on a rectangular block just to try something entirely different?

If you do decide to make a border, applying a background fabric and using leaves and vines compliments the overall design very nicely. Sue Pelland's new rulers and tools are a wonderful way to add a lively border. Check out her website.

http://suepellanddesigns.com/

2010-10-02T21:13:00.000-04:00

October 2, 2010 A beautiful autumn day for quilting

2010-10-02T20:53:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the first posting for a fine line quilt studio!

The studio is recently completed and just about ready for quilting classes. Quilters of all levels of skill, from novice to accomplished, gather at a fine line, where the emphasis is on developing and enhancing skills, confidence level, and ability to create. We learn from each other, get to see a variety of projects and methods, and have guidance throughout the process of learning. The environment is welcoming and well-equipped. The people are enthusiastic and friendly. The results are better than you imagined!

Quilt classes are Friday nights from 6-9 pm, Saturday mornings from 9 am to noon, and Saturday afternoons from 1-4 pm.