Thursday, March 31, 2011
Bug Lookout
I am sorry it took so long to post a picture of my "bug' words.
I am hoping they fit in with the others,I did not cut alot of the border off, as to give Tonya some room to play.Thank you for letting me play.Amy
How about a virtues quilt?
These are my first letters made with Tonya's book. A whole lot o' fun, and the book was so helpful! I'm thinking I'll make a quilt with virtue words. I figure I can come up with one a week. After a year, I'll have 52, and a whole inspirational quilt. Any one else want to play along? If you're interested, you might like to look up The Virtues Project. They've got a great list of 52 virtues, with ways to teach your family and students about each one.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Place Names
Hi! I'm Hedgehog. Some of you might know me from my blog (Life's a Quilt) or from an ealier Tonya class. I've been lurking here for a little while and am always inspired to see what other people are doing. Tonya's been bugging me to share this project here, so here I am, coming out from the shadows.
I started this quilt in 2007 - in Tonya's first online class! Then it marinated for a loooooong time in a cupboard. It's a quilt of all the places I've lived in my life (so far) - a total of 22 cities/towns in 6 US states and 7 countries. I hope to post a photo of the finished quilt here in the not-so-distant future. In the meantime, you can follow my progress on my blog!
Friday, March 25, 2011
New Player
I've been following Tonya for a while and this Unruly Quilting blog since it started. When Tonya announced the Hallowistmas House project I decided I needed to join in. So I thought I would start by briefly introducing myself. My name is Lynn and I blog over at Alamosa Quilter. I made my first quilt in 1995 and am a fairly recent convert to unruly quilting. I made this quilt earlier this year after my copy of Tonya's book arrived.
I'm off to go round up some Christmas and Halloween fabrics and then make something.
I'm off to go round up some Christmas and Halloween fabrics and then make something.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Woohoo! Lotto Style It Is
Tonya again. Wheeee, since the first three commenters all want to do this Lotto style, we're gonna do it! I'm thrilled that some of ya'all are enthusiastic too. Isn't it the great thing about the internet? Finding other goofy quilters to play with?
Okay. Size of blocks. You know I hate to put too may rules into place, such as size restrictions. If you have a fabulous idea for a really complex apartment building, I want you to play and explore and work on it. Plus, if you're using a novelty fabric you might need to fussy cut big to get whatever image you need.
Don't worry that your house is going to be too small. I happen to like small.
If you're worried about going too big, then cut 1.5" strips as the maximum width for the house fabric itself. If you need something wider than that for some reason, then go for it. Also, cut something narrow, like 7/8' or 1". Don't just use one width for the whole thing.
That will get you a smaller house. Too small for you? Then make it bigger.
If the fabric demands that you cut fabric wide, then do it and use that in one part of the house. And then compensate with narrow elsewhere.
I've found that it helps to either sketch an idea out first OR pick a house that someone else has made and then model yours after it. (Okay, door in the middle and I love how the two windows are up on the next level and look like eyes.) Take that as your starting point and run with it. Don't copy it exactly, just let it give you an idea of how to start.
We're going letter-free for this one, except for letters already printed on fabric. AKA, no UnRuly Letters. If you win blocks, you can add whatever you want.
You're not limited to houses. Cinemas, diners.... all fair game. It's a town. I'd prefer to not have any embroidery added, but email me if you have something in mind.
Can you make a block(s) and not participate in the Lotto part of this challenge? Most certainly. That's just more blocks for the rest of us.
If you make a block, is there any guarantee that it will go in Tonya's quilt specifically? No. I'll be mixing these things up and trying to get all the winners a fun quilt.
What else. Don't be discouraged if your first house is boring. That always happens to me. It's not until the 4th house that they really start getting wonky.
You don't have to decide now if you want a chance at winning the lottery. You can wait and see how fantastic all the blocks look and realize, holy cow, how could I not want this.
I think that to have a chance at the lottery you have to submit two blocks, not just one. Does that seem fair?
I'd love to have everyone post their blocks in progress, their finished blocks etc here on this blog. Include what size your block is.
Let me know if you want/need to be added to the blog. But it's not mandatory. You can keep your block(s) secret until the big reveal.
Any other questions?
Okay. Size of blocks. You know I hate to put too may rules into place, such as size restrictions. If you have a fabulous idea for a really complex apartment building, I want you to play and explore and work on it. Plus, if you're using a novelty fabric you might need to fussy cut big to get whatever image you need.
Don't worry that your house is going to be too small. I happen to like small.
If you're worried about going too big, then cut 1.5" strips as the maximum width for the house fabric itself. If you need something wider than that for some reason, then go for it. Also, cut something narrow, like 7/8' or 1". Don't just use one width for the whole thing.
That will get you a smaller house. Too small for you? Then make it bigger.
If the fabric demands that you cut fabric wide, then do it and use that in one part of the house. And then compensate with narrow elsewhere.
I've found that it helps to either sketch an idea out first OR pick a house that someone else has made and then model yours after it. (Okay, door in the middle and I love how the two windows are up on the next level and look like eyes.) Take that as your starting point and run with it. Don't copy it exactly, just let it give you an idea of how to start.
We're going letter-free for this one, except for letters already printed on fabric. AKA, no UnRuly Letters. If you win blocks, you can add whatever you want.
You're not limited to houses. Cinemas, diners.... all fair game. It's a town. I'd prefer to not have any embroidery added, but email me if you have something in mind.
Can you make a block(s) and not participate in the Lotto part of this challenge? Most certainly. That's just more blocks for the rest of us.
If you make a block, is there any guarantee that it will go in Tonya's quilt specifically? No. I'll be mixing these things up and trying to get all the winners a fun quilt.
What else. Don't be discouraged if your first house is boring. That always happens to me. It's not until the 4th house that they really start getting wonky.
You don't have to decide now if you want a chance at winning the lottery. You can wait and see how fantastic all the blocks look and realize, holy cow, how could I not want this.
I think that to have a chance at the lottery you have to submit two blocks, not just one. Does that seem fair?
I'd love to have everyone post their blocks in progress, their finished blocks etc here on this blog. Include what size your block is.
Let me know if you want/need to be added to the blog. But it's not mandatory. You can keep your block(s) secret until the big reveal.
Any other questions?
Hallowistmas Border Town
Okay guys, Bah Humbug is just about done. Ya'all have sent me some seriously wonderful contributions. If you've still got 'em out there, blocks are due April 1st. And then I'll put them all together that day. ha ha ha ha ha.
So this blog has been way too dull. Not enough UnRuly projects going on, so I figured I'd start one. I'm such an instigator. I'm thinking of trying something different with this project and see how you all feel about it.
Okay, first off, what it is. I want to work on a collaborative project about a town that's a little bit Christmas, a little bit Halloween. Cuz you have Christmastown over there and Halloweentown here and as they expand, as towns do, you get that area where it all mixes together. (And yeah, there should be a Thanksgivingtown in the middle there, but I think they've been overrun.)
I would love, for those who are interested, if you would make house blocks for me. What would you get? A witch that's moved into the candy cane house? The elves who can't get all those black cats off their roof? Think whacky.
UnRuly, Liberated, Wonky House tutorial here (then click Wonkytown for the pdf file).
Oh and it doesn't just have to be houses. Halloween Trees, Snowman Monster, Jack o' Lantern in Santa hat...
I'm thinking lots of novelty prints, but if you don't have 'em you can still play. Bright happy colors where possible, as compared to those kinda gold autumnal fall prints...
Houses don't have to be evenly split Halloween and Christmas. There can be only one thing slightly off about the house - makes it more interesting that way.
Do I actually have to state that whatever you make HAS to be free-pieced only. Seriously.
So that's the idea. I don't know how many of you, if any, are interested in playing. Now. Here's the thing. You knooow I love doing these group quilts. I do. But I feel the teensiest bit guilty that I'm the only one who ever gets the quilt. So what I'm wondering is if ya'all would want to do this Block Lotto style?
Block Lotto is a fun group where folks make blocks and for every block they contribute, they get a chance to win the blocks. There are some restrictions, but that's the quick summary.
So would anyone else even want to make a Hallowistmas Town quilt?
If we were to do this, I'm thinking everyone would just make blocks that aren't identical. Although if you want, you could certainly make two houses with the same fabrics and idea, trying different ways of executing them.
Part of what I like about this idea is that it would give me a chance to make a smaller quilt (Bah Humbug, which I love, is gonna be huuuuge). I'd like this to be a wallhanging I could hand quilt, adding all the fun stuff I love to add that way.
So I'd get the blocks and divvy them up. Not sure how many winners there would be, besides me that is. One or two? depends on how many want to do this and how many of you would like to make blocks for it, but aren't interested in making this kind of quilt yourself. Oh, and I will be making blocks for this one too. You don't think I could leave this one alone do you?
In the Block Lotto you can make a bunch of blocks without wanting to get any back. (they actually donate chances to win to newbies, but since this is the first time we're thinking about doing this, that doesn't work.)
Winners would be free to put the blocks together however they'd like. Wallhanging, King-Sized bed quilt... So you can add more blocks or more fabric, as desired.
Let me know what you think. How about a six week deadline? Ooh May 5th - Cinco de Mayo. Perfect. That would be when the blocks have to be sent to me.
What do you think? Game to play? Does anyone want to make one of these quilts themselves. Or is that just me... Feedback please.
I am now going to sidetrack into teacher mode.
Keep contrast in mind! That is now the one thing I harp on because I used to be sooo very bad at that. So now I overcompensate. For example, I started a project like this years ago. I had the fabric that was Halloween but made with Christmas colors of red and green? If you've seen my book (Shameless plug: Word Play Quilts
), then you've seen the quilt. It's Scary Christmas and I'm too lazy/enfeebled to get up and go get the book to tell you the page number.
I can't find the house blocks I made, but here's a tree to show you how dismal it all was:
End of teaching. Please, anyone want to play with me?
So this blog has been way too dull. Not enough UnRuly projects going on, so I figured I'd start one. I'm such an instigator. I'm thinking of trying something different with this project and see how you all feel about it.
Okay, first off, what it is. I want to work on a collaborative project about a town that's a little bit Christmas, a little bit Halloween. Cuz you have Christmastown over there and Halloweentown here and as they expand, as towns do, you get that area where it all mixes together. (And yeah, there should be a Thanksgivingtown in the middle there, but I think they've been overrun.)
I would love, for those who are interested, if you would make house blocks for me. What would you get? A witch that's moved into the candy cane house? The elves who can't get all those black cats off their roof? Think whacky.
UnRuly, Liberated, Wonky House tutorial here (then click Wonkytown for the pdf file).
Oh and it doesn't just have to be houses. Halloween Trees, Snowman Monster, Jack o' Lantern in Santa hat...
I'm thinking lots of novelty prints, but if you don't have 'em you can still play. Bright happy colors where possible, as compared to those kinda gold autumnal fall prints...
Houses don't have to be evenly split Halloween and Christmas. There can be only one thing slightly off about the house - makes it more interesting that way.
Do I actually have to state that whatever you make HAS to be free-pieced only. Seriously.
So that's the idea. I don't know how many of you, if any, are interested in playing. Now. Here's the thing. You knooow I love doing these group quilts. I do. But I feel the teensiest bit guilty that I'm the only one who ever gets the quilt. So what I'm wondering is if ya'all would want to do this Block Lotto style?
Block Lotto is a fun group where folks make blocks and for every block they contribute, they get a chance to win the blocks. There are some restrictions, but that's the quick summary.
So would anyone else even want to make a Hallowistmas Town quilt?
If we were to do this, I'm thinking everyone would just make blocks that aren't identical. Although if you want, you could certainly make two houses with the same fabrics and idea, trying different ways of executing them.
Part of what I like about this idea is that it would give me a chance to make a smaller quilt (Bah Humbug, which I love, is gonna be huuuuge). I'd like this to be a wallhanging I could hand quilt, adding all the fun stuff I love to add that way.
So I'd get the blocks and divvy them up. Not sure how many winners there would be, besides me that is. One or two? depends on how many want to do this and how many of you would like to make blocks for it, but aren't interested in making this kind of quilt yourself. Oh, and I will be making blocks for this one too. You don't think I could leave this one alone do you?
In the Block Lotto you can make a bunch of blocks without wanting to get any back. (they actually donate chances to win to newbies, but since this is the first time we're thinking about doing this, that doesn't work.)
Winners would be free to put the blocks together however they'd like. Wallhanging, King-Sized bed quilt... So you can add more blocks or more fabric, as desired.
Let me know what you think. How about a six week deadline? Ooh May 5th - Cinco de Mayo. Perfect. That would be when the blocks have to be sent to me.
What do you think? Game to play? Does anyone want to make one of these quilts themselves. Or is that just me... Feedback please.
I am now going to sidetrack into teacher mode.
Keep contrast in mind! That is now the one thing I harp on because I used to be sooo very bad at that. So now I overcompensate. For example, I started a project like this years ago. I had the fabric that was Halloween but made with Christmas colors of red and green? If you've seen my book (Shameless plug: Word Play Quilts
), then you've seen the quilt. It's Scary Christmas and I'm too lazy/enfeebled to get up and go get the book to tell you the page number.I can't find the house blocks I made, but here's a tree to show you how dismal it all was:
If you have a digital camera, you have a way to check out contrast. Look at your fabrics in black and white. ugh.
I am so glad I abandoned this project early on, because it would have turned out dreadful (in a bad way, not a fun Halloweeny way).
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Big Love
... working on a wedding quilt
Love measures 45" x 51" :-)), I'll add 'all you need is' , the rest of the top will be white. It has to be finished in May, so I better continue sewing ....
Heidi
Oh and the back will be http://www.robertkaufman.com/fabrics/night_and_day_3/ewk-10937-5/?fabrics&basics
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
another B
Now I need to go tell her I made a B!!!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
My B for Brenda
this is the B I made for Brenda. Don't know why? See previous blog post
I turned it into a challenge to come up with a style of B I hadn't made before. I wanted the bottom portion to have an extra loopy bit at the top. Makes the background of the top part a really cool backwards comma. Anyway, I was planning on curving the bottom part all the way around but forgot to do it the first time I added the left side.
Yes, I actually used a seam ripper and took the left back off. It was perfectly fine, but I wanted that "See Dick and Jane play" to be centered, not cut off. So I liked how the letter looked with the bottom flat on the left side so I didn't add a triangle when I had the chance. I was thinking of adding some extra serifs to the left side but it all got too busy.
I hope the Dick and Jane fabric has some meaning for you, Brenda. In the States those were the readers that so many of us started our schooling with. I definitely remember them and that would be the late 60s early 70s. I know the readers aren't used anymore but have no idea when they were dropped. Or if they were ever used in Canada.
I wasn't sure if that particular text fabric would be too chaotic to use in this multi-pieced letter, but it works for me anyway. I think because of the larger size of letter--it finishes 6" high and I usually work about half that size--and the really good contrast with the black background (which does have text, but it's subtle).
So make a B for Brenda if you're a fan of her blog (or just because) and try making it in a new-to-you way. Or for the first time ever... Good luck!
I turned it into a challenge to come up with a style of B I hadn't made before. I wanted the bottom portion to have an extra loopy bit at the top. Makes the background of the top part a really cool backwards comma. Anyway, I was planning on curving the bottom part all the way around but forgot to do it the first time I added the left side.
Yes, I actually used a seam ripper and took the left back off. It was perfectly fine, but I wanted that "See Dick and Jane play" to be centered, not cut off. So I liked how the letter looked with the bottom flat on the left side so I didn't add a triangle when I had the chance. I was thinking of adding some extra serifs to the left side but it all got too busy.
I hope the Dick and Jane fabric has some meaning for you, Brenda. In the States those were the readers that so many of us started our schooling with. I definitely remember them and that would be the late 60s early 70s. I know the readers aren't used anymore but have no idea when they were dropped. Or if they were ever used in Canada.
I wasn't sure if that particular text fabric would be too chaotic to use in this multi-pieced letter, but it works for me anyway. I think because of the larger size of letter--it finishes 6" high and I usually work about half that size--and the really good contrast with the black background (which does have text, but it's subtle).
So make a B for Brenda if you're a fan of her blog (or just because) and try making it in a new-to-you way. Or for the first time ever... Good luck!
B Bee, anyone?
I've been watching you folks play with letters and I'm inviting you to experiment with the letter B.
Here's my attempt at a formal, sort of Times Roman font
then a cursive one, made with curved piecing, with lots of script running over the letter
and a wonky letter, with some messages inside.
Wanna play with me? I'm collecting Bs from blogland friends
to make a B quilt for my upcoming Big Birthday.
Come over to my blog to find out more about Brenda's B Birthday Bee or leave a comment here. Thanks!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
My productive weekend
Now that I have both of the Liberated Quilting books and Tonya's Word Play, I'm just having a great time.
One of the swap groups I'm in has for this month's theme "My Favorite Things." My partner has "cats" on her list, so I made her a calico cat using the directions in Liberated Quilting.
Then I saw that Brenda of Scraps and Strings was asking each of her readers to help her celebrate her birthday by sending her a B. Having just gotten Tonya's book, this was my first letter.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
One of the swap groups I'm in has for this month's theme "My Favorite Things." My partner has "cats" on her list, so I made her a calico cat using the directions in Liberated Quilting.
Then I saw that Brenda of Scraps and Strings was asking each of her readers to help her celebrate her birthday by sending her a B. Having just gotten Tonya's book, this was my first letter.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, March 4, 2011
Hidden Potential ~ The Reveal
 |
| Hidden Potential (2010) 60" x 80" |
Woo Hoo!
We have a finish!
about this wonderfully UnRuly collaborative quilt!
Quiltdivajulie
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