Confessions of a Completionist: February 2012

Flop

Do all of your experiments work out well? Mine don't!

I was trying to combine a blended nine patch with a wonky nine patch to make another wonky nine patch jacket. The result was too "spotty" for a jacket, but it isn't a bad quilt top. I will give this one to a charity that makes tied "quilts" for people who are ill.

Lesson learned!

Lisa

Works in Progress!

Thanks to Nick Coman http://www.dragonflythreads.com I finally sent my pattern out to be multi-sized (graded)! It will not happen overnight and I still need to see about printing, etc., but it's finally on its way. I'm very excited!

Meanwhile I'm working on a reversible jacket. It doesn't have a name yet. I wonder if each side should have a name or if I should just name the entire jacket. Any opinions? I've never made a reversible jacket before so this question has never occurred to me. Oooh, it would be really clever if it read forward for one side and backward for the other. (example: Flamingo is Pink and Pink is Flamingo only that's a pretty lame example. Help!) Or maybe a palindromic name...

Hmm, where do you put the label on a reversible jacket?

I'm also working on a positive/negative jacket called trees. I'm quite pleased with the blocks, but I need to figure out which layout to use. I sent sample layouts to several friends; I'm just awaiting their responses. I've looked at it too long to be objective.

AND after seeing all the recent interest in hexagons and English paper piecing I've decided to get back to work on my Hexie jacket. The body of the jacket is done, but I still have the sleeves to make. I put it away when we got the kittens since I had everything laid out on a styrofoam sheet for easy transport. I probably don't have to tell you how the kittens felt about styrofoam...

Life is good!

Lisa

Valentine Quilt

I'm running true to form this year and have my Valentine's Day quilt ready to put up just a little too late. But just think how nice it will look next year!

Here is a close up of the shadow applique. The pinkish vine shapes are actually a red fabric, but the ivory overlay tones them way down. You can't really tell in this picture, but I stitched around the shapes using metallic gold thread and lightly trapuntoed the heart shape.

And I bought myself a Valentine's Day gift yesterday: a new Bernina! I'm so happy with a new machine to play with, but there is, as always, a rather steep learning curve.

Lisa

Redlands Results

The workshop I taught to the Citrus Belt Quilters in January has produced results already. Two totes have been finished (and another was finished the next day for sharing, but I didn't get a picture...)

This beautiful curves tote without flanges was made by Nancy

And here is the curves tote with flanges made by Leila

With an innovative flip side!

It was such a pleasure working with these talented and enthusiastic ladies. Several jackets were in process during the workshop also. I hope they send me pictures when they finish, too. It's so hard as a teacher to see such pretty things in progress without getting to see the results. I'm so grateful to these two ladies for sending me pictures!

Lisa

Guild Program Idea

Pele's Fire

Is your guild looking for a different sort of program? Something new and exciting? I present fashion shows of over 40 of my jackets to quilt guilds, sewing groups and women's groups. I came to wearable art from a background of quilting so my designs are often based on quilting techniques and use fabrics that quilters are familiar with: COTTON with the very occasional lamé, dupioni silk or polyester thrown in for variety.

Wearable art is the next great thing! Let your guild be on the cutting edge. Be inspired by the wide variety of techniques in my very wearable (not show pieces that are never meant to be worn) jackets.

Contact your program chair and let them know you want to see my ever changing collection of jackets at your guild in the near future. Check out my website www.quilts2wear.com

Lisa