On my design wall – 2013.12.04

DSCN3000This quilt came together so quickly – and I love it!  As I said last week, this idea has been in my head since I first saw the IKEA fabric.  On the test piece I made last week, I wasn’t entirely happy with my skinny inserts, because I was envisioning a much more precise graphic look.  (I’ll use that technique for a more wonky, improve circle quilt.)  I recalled that I had some fusible 1/4″ bias tape left from this quilt – that was the look I wanted and it looked so good with the black and white fabrics.

DSCN2963My initial concept was big circles of the IKEA fabric with lots of other text fabrics – mostly black and white and gray with a few accents of bright colors.  As you can see, that idea morphed into IKEA text fabric with bright colors and black and white lines.  I’ll save the multiple text idea for the future.

DSCN2997I drew a 6 x 6 inch layout, then multiplied all the measurements by 6, so the quilt would be 36 x 36 inches.  I taped two lengths of freezer paper together to get a 36 x 36 inch square.  I drew my circles on the dull side of the paper using this technique.  I found it impossible to stick the pin in my cutting mat, so I moved the cutting mat to the bedroom carpet, put the freezer paper on the mat, and pushed the pin into the carpet.  My only challenge was that I hadn’t marked the center of each circle on my small drawing, so I had to experiment to find where to put the pin for each circle.

I sewed it together using the same technique I used for my Boston with Love flags.  It went together really quickly.

 

I’m linking up with these blogs for WiP Wednesday.  Click on the buttons below to see all the creative people participating and check out the projects they’re working on.

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Esther’s Blog

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Off my design wall and publications – 2013.11.29

Terry Aske-Indigo quilt - finishedMy quilt for the Common Threads Indigo Project is finished. I can’t wait to see how it looks when installed in early 2014 with the other 20+ quilts.  You can read about how I designed and made my quilt here, and here, and here.  I used my facing method, and added a note to my tutorial after I had to pick out some stitches before clipping the corners of the batting.

I still have some hand sewing to do – finish sewing the facing to the back, and sew on the hanging sleeve and label.  I used to hate the hand sewing part, but now I look forward to it because I’ll watch a new Craftsy course while sewing.  I just downloaded Joe Cunningham’s course, and I’m looking forward to it.

 

I received 2 magazines in the mail this week; one with an article I wrote and the other with an article about two of my quilts.  QC_Winter2013_Cover-224x300Quilter’s Connection magazine’s theme for their Winter issue is Retreats, and they asked me to write an article about the Fibre Art Network annual retreat.  You can read all about it starting on page 8.

Art Quilting Studio approached me about submitting two of my quilts for their regular feature Quilting the Odd  & Unusual.  They liked the perspective view I used in my ‘architectural’ quilts.  The article is on page 108.

1QUI-1401-Art-Quilting-Studio-Winter-2014-300x300      Aske.Terry-Looking.Up-FULL   Aske.Terry-Inside.the.Tipi-FULL

 

 

I’m linking up to these sites, where you can see many creative projects:

Creations by Nina-Marie   Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

Posted in Art quilts, Friday finishes, Publications | Tagged , | 6 Comments

On my design wall – 2013.11.27

 

DSCN2966Lots of progress on the Indigo Project quilt.  I stitched around the red fish, and stitched the water with a variegated blue thread.  In the sky I’ve done some wavy machine quilting, and some handing stitching.  I’ve fused and stitched the flying geese.  I still have do some more quilting in the sky and on the red curve.   Then I’ll finish with a faced edge.  I’m really happy with the abstract look of it.

DSCN2970  DSCN2968

 

DSCN2963I took a couple of hours the other day to start playing with an idea that’s been in my head since I bought this fabric at IKEA.  I’ve seen a lot of people use this fabric as a quilt backing, but I wanted to use it to make a quilt top.  I’m not sure what it will look like when it’s completed – some combination of big circles and lines with lots of different text fabrics.  Mostly black and white and gray with a few accents of bright colors.  I’m happy the idea is out of my head and on my design wall.

 

I’m linking up with these blogs for WiP Wednesday.  Click on the buttons below to see all the creative people participating and check out the projects they’re working on.

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Esther’s Blog

Posted in Art quilts, Modern quilts, On my design wall, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Back on my design wall – 2013.11.20

DSCN2949This quilt is back on my design wall.   It’s layered and ready for quilting.  I’m going to start with machine-quilting, then decide whether to add some hand quilting.  And then I’ll fuse on the flying geese.

And check out some of the other fabulous quilts that have been made as part of this exciting collaborative quilt project – Common Threads Indigo Quilt Project.

I can’t wait to see installation of the 20+ quilt panels!

 

 

DSCN2927I’m happy to announce that I have 2014 desk and wall calendars for sale in my Etsy shop.   Each calendar has thirteen Calendarshigh quality images of my quilts.  A great gift for a sewer or quilter – in addition to most major Canadian and US public holidays, this calendar includes additional important dates like Worldwide Quilting Day and Sewing Machine Day!

 

If you enjoy blog hopping and a chance to win prizes, check out Blogathon Canada 2013 – November 18-23 – a week-long celebration of Canadian Quilting Bloggers, sponsored by Sew Sisters Quilt Shop.  Discover new blogs, make new friends, and win amazing prizes – and you don’t have to be Canadian to enter and win!  Where to start?  How about at my friend Holly’s blog.

 

I’m linking up with these blogs for WiP Wednesday.  Click on the buttons below to see all the people participating and check out their projects.

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Esther’s Blog

 

Posted in Art quilts, On my design wall, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , | Comments Off on Back on my design wall – 2013.11.20

Pet portrait workshop for FVQG

Last week, I did two trunk show presentations for the Fraser Valley Quilters’ Guild.  They were a warm, welcoming group.  I love showing my work to other quilters!

Then on Saturday, I did a Pet Portrait Workshop for them.  Several of the participants were using their own pet photo, and had followed my tutorial to create their own pattern.  Others opted to use a pattern I provided based on my Border Collie pet portrait.

Here are some of their pet portraits – still under construction, but looking very cute!

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DSCN2908   DSCN2909

 

Posted in Art quilts, Portrait quilts | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

On my design wall – 2013.11.13

DSCN2901I was thinking about quilting this quilt with a serpentine stitch.  Thank goodness I tested the serpentine stitch on a leftover block, because I saw that it really didn’t work with the skinny lines – it made them look really wobbly.  I’ll save that stitch for another quilt.

So, back to my original plan of horizontal straight-line stitching.   I was thinking of a medium gray binding, but instead went with my default color – chartreuse.  I’m really happy with how it looks – in fact, I think this is my favorite modern quilt I’ve made to date. I didn’t have a sketch or plan – just an idea in my head, and it turned out even better than I had imagined it.  I’ll be showing at the VMQG meeting next week, as my entry to the Michael Miller Cotton Couture challenge.

DSCN2895   DSCN2899

 

I’m linking up with these blogs for WiP Wednesday.  Click on the buttons below to see all the people participating and check out their projects.

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Esther’s Blog

 

Posted in Modern quilts, On my design wall | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Friday Finish – 2013.11.08

DSCN2878The Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild has organized a needlebook swap with the London Modern Quilt Guild.   I’ve never made a needlebook, but was up for learning a new technique.

I decided to use the VMQG logo colors for my needlebook, and make a wonky log cabin for the outside.  I’m really happy with how it turned out.

 

DSCN2877  DSCN2876

 

I’m linking up to these sites, where you can see many creative projects:

   Creations by Nina-Marie   Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

Posted in Friday finishes, Modern quilts | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

On my design wall – 2013.11.06

I had a lot of fun designing this quilt.  I knew I wanted the background to be white at the top, then a couple of shades of gray, and black at the bottom, with small squares and narrow strips of the challenge neon colors and a few of my other favorite colors.  As you can see, I changed some of the colors as I worked on it.

DSCN2836  DSCN2840  DSCN2853

I constructed it using a very improv technique. I just started inserting strips and squares into the background colors until I had blocks approximately 10 x 10 inches square.  I arranged the blocks on the design wall, then added more fabrics to fill in the blank areas.

DSCN2862It’s all pieced now, so the next step is layering and quilting.  I will quilt it horizontally, so I can use light gray thread at the top, medium gray in the middle and dark gray or black at the bottom.

Initially I was thinking of quilting straight lines, but it occurred to me this might be a good candidate for serpentine quilting lines.  I’ve wanted to try the wavy stitch since I found instructions on how to do it with my Janome 6600.

I’m open to suggestions and opinions  . . .

 

I’m linking up with these blogs for WiP Wednesday.  Click on the buttons below to see all the people participating and check out their projects.

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Esther’s Blog

 

P.S.   You still have a couple of days to head over to the Bloggers Quilt Festival and vote for your favorite in each of the 15 categories.  Voting closes on November 7, and winners will be announced on November 8.  While you’re visiting the festival, look for my quilts – number 25 in the Applique Quilt category, and number 58 in the Wall Hanging category.

Posted in Modern quilts, On my design wall, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , | 16 Comments

Off my design wall – 2013.11.02

The portrait quilt is finished and off my design wall. (You can see other posts about it here, here, here and here.)

I didn’t have enough of the border fabric for a traditional binding, and I didn’t want to use a different fabric for the binding.  It occurred to me that I could use my facing technique (which requires less fabric), then stitch through the quilt and the facing about 1/4 inch from the edge, and create a pseudo-binding.  I’m very pleased with how it looks.

TerryAske_portrait quilt

 

I’m linking up to these sites, where you can see many creative projects:

   Creations by Nina-Marie   Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

And make sure you check out the Bloggers Quilt Festival – Amy at Amy’s Creative Side has been running the Bloggers Quilt Festival since 2009.  It’s timed to coincide with Quilt Market in the fall and spring each year, so those of us who can’t get to Houston can still enjoy a quilt show.

There are 15 categories, all with many wonderful entries.  Each entry has a link back to the blog of the quilter, so you can see the story behind their quilt.

While you’re visiting the festival, look for my quilts – number 25 in the Applique Quilt category, and number 58 in the Wall Hanging category.  You can vote for one quilt in each category (by clicking on the heart in the corner of the image) and there’s the opportunity to win prizes.  Voting closes on November 7, and winners will be announced on November 8.

Posted in Art quilts, Friday finishes, Portrait quilts | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

On my design wall – 2013.10.30

TerryAske-portrait quiltedThe portrait quilt is nearly finished.   Since I posted about it last week, I added features to  the third face, fused it all together, and quilted it.   Just the final touches to complete – quilting the border, binding, sleeve and label – then it will be off to its new owner.

 

DSCN2836

 

So now I have another project on my design wall.   The VMQG has a Michael Miller Cotton Couture fabric challenge which is due at our November 18th meeting.  I’ve been thinking about what I’m going to do with this fabric.  I want to tone down the neon bright challenge fabrics with some black, white, grey and darker solids.  I put some fabrics up on my design wall to see how they look together.  (I didn’t bother pressing them, so I pixelated the photo to emphasize the colors, and ignore the wrinkles.)  It will be an improv design with some blocks of color and some skinny lines.

 

I’m linking up with these blogs for WiP Wednesday.  Click on the buttons below to see all the people participating and check out their projects.

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced     Esther’s Blog

Posted in Art quilts, Modern quilts, On my design wall, Portrait quilts, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments