WiP – Organization Update – 2013.08.10

Posted on August 10, 2013 by TerryAske

This is what I said I would get done this week, on the organization front:

  • pull almost everything out of the studio, and then put it back in more logical locations – DONE
  • document where I store things on my drawing – PARTLY DONE
  • note the measurements of the drawers, shelves and cupboards on the drawing – NOPE
  • create a new filing system and get those papers sorted – PARTLY DONE

I spent all day Wednesday reorganizing my quilt studio.  I went through the drawers and cupboards and pulled out the stuff I use frequently that was stored in hard-to-reach areas, as well as the stuff I hardly ever use that was stored in easily-accessible spaces.   Then I reorganized it all into more logical storage areas.  I did try to make notes on my drawing of what is stored where, but it still needs some work.  (My idea of marking the dimensions of each storage space went right out the window!)  DSCN1349

 

My day also involved several trips to the “dollar store” for storage containers.  I love these little containers – they seem like the perfect size for so many of my tools and notions.   DSCN1345  DSCN1346

 

My rolling folding table fits into a cubbyhole behind the design wall.   My original concept was that when I reached the construction phase of a quilt, I would put the design wall away and get the table out.  In reality, when I take one project off the design wall to sew it, I usually already have the next project up on the design wall.  So the rolling table was constantly hidden by the design wall.   I’ve now moved the rolling table out of its cubbyhole behind the design wall.  It has casters, so it’s easy to move around the room, and I’m planning to make an ironing mat to fit the top of it (12 x 36 inches), so it will also take the place of the ironing board.  And I’ve stored my baggies of scraps on the shelf behind the design wall – using a previously under-utilized space.  The scraps are now out of the way, but still accessible when I need them.

T.Aske - craft table under counter  T.Aske - portable hinged design wall  DSCN1341  DSCN1344

I even took the time to hang a few pieces of art on the walls.  DSCN1347

Office area – I have a love-hate relationship with papers and filing.  I love a well-organized filing system, especially if it’s color-coded.  I hate filing!  I seem to spend a lot of time trying out new filing systems that will let me overcome my dislike of filing.  So, inspired by the photo on the left, I created my new filing system on the right.  Using white magazine holders (lying on their backs) and colored file folders, I believe I have come up with a system that will work for me.

 File-Folders     DSCN1338

My normal filing ‘system’ has been to pile papers up and try to tackle them all once a week.  But that involved pulling out all my file folders, and I always seemed to find something better to do – like working on a quilt!  But with this system I can easily file papers in their correct folder right away.   Time will tell how well this really works for me.  DSCN1314-001  DSCN1353

I’m declaring my current reorganization to be a finished project – even though organization is never finished – and I’m linking up to:

Now, back to quilting!

 

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WiP – Organization – 2013.08.07

Posted on August 7, 2013 by TerryAske

If there ever was a ‘work in progress’ it’s keeping my fabrics, notions and paperwork in an organized fashion!  When I moved into my newly renovated quilt studio just over a year ago, I stored things based on how I expected to use the space.  T.Aske - portable hinged design wallOf course, how I’m actually using the space isn’t exactly the way I had planned it.

For example, my portable design wall is almost always propped up against one counter, making it awkward to access the cupboards behind it.  It occurred to me recently that I’m often shifting the design wall around to get at some of the drawers and cupboards behind it.

I also realized that I’ve lost track of what is lurking at the back of some of the drawers and closet shelves.  So I’ve made a drawing of the room, and I’ll make notes as I put things away.   I also plan to measure the inside dimensions of every drawer, shelf and cupboard and note it on the drawing.  DSCN1336

 

DSCN1314Another area that needs some (!) organizing is my little office area.  Note the pile of papers that need to be sorted and filed.  File-FoldersI realized I put papers in a pile because it’s difficult to pull out the file folders for every paper as it arrives.  To the right, is how I’d like my files to look.  I think with a filing system I can more easily access, I should be able to keep up with the paper.  I’d love to also have color coordinated files, but we’ll see if that works out.

So my work in progress this week is to:

  • pull almost everything out of the studio, and then put it back in more logical locations
  • document where I store things on my drawing
  • note the measurements of the drawers, shelves and cupboards on the drawing
  • create a new filing system and get those papers sorted

So wish me luck, and check back in a couple of days to see how much I’ve accomplished.  I promise to do a post on Friday or Saturday showing my progress (that’s one way to motivate myself!)

 

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.

Quiltsy WiP    WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced  

 

 

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On my design wall – 2013.07.31

Posted on July 31, 2013 by TerryAske

TerryAske_IndigoPanelThe indigo quilt top that I started last week is finished, and I’m very happy with it.  It’s not quilted yet, but I plan to quilt curved lines across the quilt – mostly by machine, but I think I’ll also add some hand quilting to this one.

This was an interesting project for me – the size of the quilt and color palette were predetermined, as was the position of the red curve.  However, as I made selections from the lovely indigo dyed fabrics I received, and worked with the design, it became more and more personal to me.  As I said last week, I was going for an abstract version of sky and clouds at the top, with waves and water (the Fraser River) at the bottom.  I now see the red curve as representing the bridges over the Fraser River, and the fabric right under the curve makes me think of city lights at night.  It now appears to me to be an abstract interpretation of the area where I live.

I started piecing the curves from the top down, and from the bottom up, then positioned the red curve and top-stitched it in place.  Most of the indigo fabrics are linen, and the solids are linen and Kona cotton.  I decided to applique the flying geese, but will fuse them after quilting the background, so right now they are just pinned.  I also added a few red fish at the bottom, which further emphasizes the Fraser River concept, and nicely balances the flying geese.

 

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.

Quiltsy WiP    WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced  

 

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On my design wall – 2013.07.24

Posted on July 24, 2013 by TerryAske

I’m participating in an exciting collaborative quilt project – Common Threads Indigo Quilt Project.  The project began with more than 40 people participating in the dyeing of 40+ meters of cotton, linen and silk.  The indigo and shibori dyed fabrics will be provided to each artist so that a consistent color palette will be used in each quilt.  There is a curving red band in each quilt, positioned so that the band will appear to circle the room once all the quilts are hung.

DSCN1298Last week, I visited the church and met with Sheila, one of the coordinators of the project.  I selected the panel I’m going to work on, a 24 by 69 inch quilt.  Sheila provided me with an amazing selection of the indigo fabrics.  (I promised to return what I don’t use!)

 

Here’s my sketch of how I plan to piece my panel, and my first stab at selecting fabrics.  I’m planning to do a lot of improv curved piecing, and lots of curved lines of machine quilting.  I’m not sure if I will piece or applique the flying geese.  I want it to look like sky and clouds at the top, with waves and water (the Fraser River) at the bottom.

TerryAske-sketch for Indigo project-001     DSCN1296-001

 

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.

Quiltsy WiP    WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced  

 

 

 

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Off my design wall – a finished quilt – 2013.07.23

Posted on July 23, 2013 by TerryAske

 

I finished this quilt, and it’s ready to send to the La Conner Quilt Museum.

DSCN1292

My original intention was to piece this quilt as hexagons – blogged here.  That didn’t work so well, so I fused the hexagons instead – blogged here.

1E-A4-4EA-572-D2009.9.1.295b-001While searching for the origin of this quilt block, I found The Quilt Index website, where I discovered this quilt pattern from 1897(!).  The pattern title is ‘Ecclesiastical’.  Looking at this pattern, I can see that it could be pieced as vertical rows of triangles, each consisting of 3 half-hexagons – although there’s still a Y-seam in each triangle.  I think I’ll try making this pattern again, but with larger pieces.  I’m not sure if I’ll piece it as triangle or as hexagons – maybe I’ll try both!

 

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On my design wall – 2013.07.17

Posted on July 17, 2013 by TerryAske

I’m continuing to work on my optical illusion quilt.  I decided not to zigzag the edges.  Instead I’m sewing straight lines around the edges and through the middle of each section.  I’m not sure if you can see on the front what I’m doing, but the green thread shows up really well on the back.  I still have to stitch the light green top of each shape, and then some stitching on the black background.

DSCN1280  DSCN1281

 

Give-away – Don’t forget to enter to win fabulous prizes at the Quiltsy Team Give-Away Contest.  Four lucky people will win prizes with a combined value of $500, including one that includes a $100 shopping spree among the 370 Quiltsy Team shops at Etsy (including my shop of course).  The contest will close on Sunday night July 21st @ midnight Central time.  Winners will be announced Monday July 22nd.

 

As always, 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  

Posted in Art quilts, Giveaway, Modern quilts, On my design wall, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

A change of direction, and a giveaway – 2013.07.15

Posted on July 15, 2013 by TerryAske

DSCN1198I definitely bit off more than I could chew with machine piecing the half-hexagon quilt!  The piecing started off fine when I was doing the corner with mostly solid full hexagons.  But when I got to joining the pieced hexagons, I just couldn’t get the seams to line up.  I think it was a combination of the extra seams in the blocks and the small size of the blocks.   After several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to change my approach.  The point was to use the fabrics and shapes to create the optical illusion, not to drive myself crazy.  So I decided to scrap the piecing idea, and fuse them instead.  I applied fusible web to the back of each pieced block, trimmed the seam allowances off, and fused them to a black background.  Mission accomplished!  Now I’ll do some zigzag stitching around the edges and some quilting.

DSCN1201

 

DSCN1205I also made some blocks for the Alberta Flood Relief project being organized by Cheryl Arkison.  Cheryl is coming to Vancouver this week to do a trunk show and two workshops, so the VMQG is going to collect blocks and give them the Cheryl.   These are addictive – and don’t seem make much of a dent in my scrap bags –  so I may need to make some more later.

 

Give-Away Contest!

I belong to a team of Etsy sellers of quilts, quilted items and fiber art – the Quiltsy Team.  the team is having a Give-Away Contest. Four lucky people will win prizes with a combined value of $500, including one that includes a $100 shopping spree among Quiltsy Team shops at Etsy. With 370 Quiltsy member shops, there’s something for everyone’s list.  Here’s how you could win.

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On my design wall – 2013.07.10

Posted on July 10, 2013 by TerryAske

quilt finished frontI finished the custom portrait quilt, and it’s on the way to its new home.  I made lots of notes and took lots of photos of my process, and I will be posting some tutorials later this month, including a new process for facing a quilt.  I think these are the squarest corners I’ve ever achieved with a facing finish.

il_fullxfull.65603282My next project is an entry for this fabric challenge from the La Conner Quilt Museum.  When I saw the two green fabrics, one dark and one medium value, I was reminded of the Tumbling Blocks quilt pattern which requires the careful selection and placement of dark, medium and light values to create an optical illusion.  Here’s a tumbling block quilt I made in 2001.

Then I remembered a more complex quilt pattern that I’ve wanted to make forever, but couldn’t figure out how to hhwmachine piece it without dealing with set-in seams.  (If you look closely at my tumbling block quilt, you’ll see I found a way to piece it all with straight seams.)  I’m not sure what the name of this block is, but I find it fascinating.   It occurred to me that since this block is made from half-hexagons, I could use Jacquie Gering’s really cool method for sewing hexagons by machine.

DSCN1194-001So I cut my fabrics into half-hexagon shapes and arranged them on my design wall.  Then I sewed them together into hexagons.  I’m trying to keep this quilt to 18 x 18 inches, and I wanted to have 4 of the shapes across, so my hexagons are each about 3 inches unfinished.  I don’t have a hexagon shaped acrylic template, so I cut a hexagon from freezer paper just less than 3 inches.  I ironed my template to each block and trimmed the edges with scissors to ensure they are all the same size.
To sew my hexagons in columns as described in Jacquie’s technique, I have to sew them diagonally.  I started in the upper right corner to make sure I understood the instructions.  So far, so good.  I have a couple of tips – you need to see your stitching lines, so don’t use black thread on black fabric – after I switched to dark gray thread it worked much better.    I really don’t like back-stitching, so instead I’m leaving long threads at each end of my seams, pulling them to the same side of the fabric and tying them off.

DSCN1198

 

As always, 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.

Quiltsy WiP    WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced  

 

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On my design wall – 2013.07.03

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TerryAske

I’ve been working on the portrait quilt (last seen here).  Everything is fused, the quilt is layered, the two people are completely quilted and the background quilting is underway.  I’m thrilled with how it looks.

Terry Aske - portrait being quilted

 

As always, 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.

Quiltsy WiP    WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced  

 

Posted in Art quilts, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

A finish and a work in progress – 2013.06.28

Posted on June 28, 2013 by TerryAske

Terry Aske Starry Winter Night 2I got the Sew Batik challenge quilt faced, labeled and sleeved on Wednesday, and in the mail Thursday.  I forgot to take another photo after sewing on the facing, so this one (cropped to finished size) will have to do.

I really enjoyed the spontaneous free-style design and construction of this quilt.  Normally I would have drawn a design, enlarged it to full size, and traced that to freezer paper or fusible web.  Instead, I cut all the pieces free-hand and just placed them on the background where they looked good.

 

Now I’m back to working on the portrait quilt.  The background is all fused, as are the two people, but I haven’t actually fused the people to the background yet.  TerryAske_portrait quilt in progress

 

Linking up to:

Posted in Art quilts, Friday finishes, On my design wall | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments