On my design wall – 2013.05.22

Posted on May 22, 2013 by TerryAske

The red bench quilt is all fused and ready to be quilted.

I purposely cut my fabrics larger than required to allow me some leeway when I cut it down to the final size of 18 x 45 inches.  I don’t want to cut off the extra fabric yet (it’s nice to have extra fabric at the edges to hold onto while I’m quilting) but I didn’t want to waste time quilting fabric I’m going to cut off.  My technique for squaring up a quilt is to lay a piece of Pellon 1-inch grid on top of the quilt.  It’s sheer enough that I can see the quilt through it.  I folded the Pellon to a size of 19 x 46 to allow for a seam allowance when I add the facing.  I lined up the horizon line and smoothed it out from there.  I pinned the Pellon to the quilt, then took it to my machine and basted around it with orange thread.  When I quilt, I’ll know to stay within the orange basting lines.

DSCN0873   DSCN0878   DSCN0881

 

Meanwhile . . . (you may recall that this piece is for a show titled ‘Abstracted’ where pairs of artists will choose an image, and one will create a representative fibre art piece, and the other will create an abstract piece – more info here) . . . my sister Anne has started working on her abstract piece.

Below you can see her initial fabric selection and some fabrics prepared for vat dying.  Several months ago, I gave Anne some of the fabrics I was planning to use in my quilt.  But I think I’ve changed my mind about a lot of the fabrics since then, so I just mailed her a package of the fabrics I actually used.  To design her abstract piece, Anne will work with the photo image upside down.  That makes it easier to design in an abstract manner, as objects read as shapes rather than recognizable “things”.

Anne's initail fabric selection and layout  Anne's fabrics prepared for vat dyes

 

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, On my design wall, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Bloggers Quilt Festival – Rainbow Transparency Skinny Quilt

Posted on May 21, 2013 by TerryAske

DSCN0128This is my second entry in Amy’s Bloggers Quilt Festival – you can read about my first entry here.

Category entered: ROYBGIV – color wheel
Techniques used: machine piecing; illusion of transparency
Machine pieced and quilted  by me
Finished size: 14.25″ by 45″

This quilt was created last year in response to a transparency challenge at the VMQG.  I pulled out all of my bright tone on tone prints, and started auditioning colors on my design wall.  I was having so much fun, I couldn’t stop until I had used all the colors in the rainbow!

The selection of the fabrics create the illusion of transparency, but in actuality the fabrics are all pieced – there is no actual overlapping of fabrics.

IMG_7620 IMG_7623

IMG_7644-004I used a solid medium gray for the background, and a mottled gray-charcoal-black for the binding.   I quilted the squares with either vertical or horizontal straight lines, with the lines overlapping in the ‘transparency’ areas.  I quilted the background with free-motion organic mostly straight lines.

 

Don’t forget to check out all the wonderful quilts in the Festival and vote for your favorites.

Posted in Art quilts, Modern quilts | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Bloggers Quilt Festival – Scrappy Improv Modern Quilt

Posted on May 20, 2013 by TerryAske

Amy at Amy’s Creative Side has been running the Bloggers Quilt Festival since 2009.  I discovered it last fall, just after the deadline to enter, so I voted but didn’t get to submit a quilt.  Here’s the schedule if you’d like to participate – you can submit one or two of your quilts, nominate your favorite quilt for Viewer’s Choice, vote for favorites in each category, and win wonderful prizes!

Schedule of Events :

  • May 17 – 24 – Linky’s Open & Nominate for Viewer’s Choice on this post
  • May 24 – 30 – Vote for favorites in each of the 15 categories
  • May 31 – Winners announced

I’m entering this quilt in the Scrap Quilt category.  It’s machine pieced and quilted by me on my domestic sewing machine, and is 50″ by 62″. The back is pieced for added interest. The double-folded binding is sewn entirely by machine.   IMG_8077

Here’s the story behind the quilt.  Last September, I pulled out my ziploc bags full of scraps, and started piecing wonky squares using a free-style improv process.  In no time at all, I had 12 good sized blocks (and had hardly put a dent in my scrap collection!)

   

I surrounded each block with a border of white print fabrics and another border of color, then pieced them all on a solid grey background.  I hadn’t really planned the final size, and as usual when I improv piece, the quilt ends up bigger than expected!

IMG_8078   IMG_8079

Make sure that you pop over to Amy’s Creative Side and check out all of the wonderful quilts in the Festival and vote for your favorites.  I’d love it if you voted for mine, if you’re so inclined.

Posted in Modern quilts | Tagged , | 9 Comments

On my design wall – 2013.05.16

Posted on May 16, 2013 by TerryAske

Yesterday, I got back to work on the red bench art quilt.  I Terry Aske - pre-quilting sky and waterlayered the back and the batting, then positioned the sky, distant hills and water, and pre-quilted them.  I may need to add more quilting later after I’ve quilted around them, but I found this easier than quilting them after all the foreground elements have been added.

 

Terry Aske _ auditioning foliage fabricsI’ve fused the foliage at the top of the quilt (and sure enough the sky looks like it will need some additional quilting), and I’ve auditioned a number of fabrics for the rest of the foliage.  You will recall that I pre-assembled the red bench a couple of weeks ago.  I’m satisfied with all these fabrics – the only thing I plan to add are some long grasses under the bench.

I’m heading up to the Canadian Quilt Conference in Penticton for a couple of days, so I’ll be fusing and quilting this quilt next week.

Posted in Art quilts, On my design wall | Tagged , | 2 Comments

On my design wall – 2013.05.15

Posted on May 15, 2013 by TerryAske

I’ve finished the VMQG logo colors group quilt.  I quilted vertical lines with aqua thread, and horizontal lines with orange thread, to give it a plaid look.  The binding is pieced from leftover pieces of several of the logo colors.  I used my favorite label technique – creating the label in Excel then printing it on an inkjet fabric sheet and fusing it to the quilt back.

DSCN0828   DSCN0833

 

DSCN0836I also made 3 entries for the newest VMQG block challenge.  It’s a really cool method for  sewing hexagons by machine, as taught by Jacquie Gering.  You can see Jacquie’s tutorial here.

I’m intrigued with Jacquie’s technique and definitely want to try this.  I don’t win the block lottery at the guild meeting, I’ll have to make some more for myself.

By the way, Jacquie has a new course oo Craftsy – Improvisational Piecing, Modern Design.  (I love watching Craftsy videos while hand-sewing hanging sleeves onto my quilts.)

 

I’m working on the red bench quilt and plan to have some progress to show later today.

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 Modern quilts, On my design wall, WiP Wednesday | 8 Comments

On my design wall – 2013.05.08

Posted on May 8, 2013 by TerryAske

I’ve finished my fossil quilt for the SAQA Western Canada Burgess Shale fossil quilt project.

I’m really happy with the dimensional appearance of the head and body.  I outlined the spines and small armor plates with zigzag stitching – using slightly lighter thread colors to give it a bit of a glowing look.  For quilting, I echo-stitched around the spines, and then quilted a few straight lines parallel with the edges.  I’ll be taking it with me to the CQA quilt show in Penticton next week to hand it over to the coordinator of the project.

Terry Aske _ Burgess Shale Fossil quilt  Terry Aske _ Burgess Shale Fossil quilt - back

 

Now I’m about to start quilting the VMQG logo colors group quilt.  I’m going to quilt vertical lines with aqua thread, and horizontal lines with orange thread, to give it a plaid look.  Then, I’ll carry on with the red bench art quilt which has to be finished by the end of May.

VMQG logo colors - pieced      Terry Aske_red bench

 

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, Modern quilts, On my design wall, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

On my design wall – more plans for May – 2013.05.03

Posted on May 3, 2013 by TerryAske

I forgot to say in my Wednesday post that I will be attending the Canadian Quilters’ Association (CQA) annual quilt show.  This year it will be in Penticton BC from May 16 to 18.  I’m driving up with my friend Janet.  I’m looking forward to meeting up with lots of people I haven’t seen for a while, including some online friends I’m looking forward to meeting in person.

Terry Aske _ auditioning fabrics

 

The art quilt with the red bench is coming along.  I decided the green fabric I used for the bushes was too dark – fortunately I have some that’s not so dark, and more mottled.  I’ve used it on the right side, and I think it’s much better.

I’ve read many times that you should consider using both sides of your fabric.  I seldom do that, but in this piece I thought a couple of the fabrics looked too dark, and when I turned them over, the back side was perfect!  Can you guess which fabrics I used this way?

Terry Aske_red bench

Yesterday I started – and almost finished – the red bench.  I haven’t attached the seat yet, as I may need to move it up or down slightly, depending on what’s behind it in the background.  I used paper-backed fusible web, but with the outer edges I folded the seam allowance to the back rather than cutting a raw edge.  It should give the bench some added dimension.  I’m really happy with how it turned out.

 

Linking up to:

 

Posted in Art quilts, Friday finishes | Tagged , | 4 Comments

On my design wall – plans for May – 2013.05.01

Posted on May 1, 2013 by TerryAske

VMQG logo colors - piecedAs usual, I have several projects on the go – even though I try hard not to do that!

The VMQG logo colors group quilt has been side-lined until I get more fabric for the back.  I have to get it finished by the end of May.

 

Terry Aske, fossil quilt - in progressI’m still working on my fossil quilt.  I’ve zigzag-stitched around all the spines.  It was a bit tedious to stitch all 33 spines – but I just kept reminding myself that the spines are what I find so attractive about this fossil!  Even though I used stabilizer, it did draw in the center part a bit, and the body and head are looking a bit puffy.  But I’m going to put extra batting behind the body and head, so that should fix it.

 

I’m really excited about a new exhibit by Fibre Art Network members.

‘Abstracted’ will explore the development of a subject from a realistic image to one that illustrates the essence of that subject in an abstract, or in a non representative way. Pairs of artists will illustrate their subject – one in a representative fibre art piece and one in a abstract / non-representative fibre art piece. 

FAN AbstractedEach pair of artists will select their own theme.  The unifying element is that each piece must be 18″ x 45″.  I will be working with my fibre artist sister, Anne de Verteuil.  I’ll be doing the representative art quilt, and Anne will do the abstract piece.  Our starting image is a photo I took several years ago at the Point-No-Point Resort on Vancouver Island.  Here’s the photo, next to my first stab at auditioning fabrics.  I think the bushes are too dark a green – I have another fabric I’m going to try before I get to the exciting part – the red bench.

 

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, Modern quilts, On my design wall, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

On my design wall – progress on my fossil quilt – 2013.04.26

Posted on April 26, 2013 by TerryAske

Orthrozanclus reburrus is now fused to the background fabric.  I’m going to outline all the pieces with zigzag stitching.  I’ll do each spine with a lighter color thread on one side and a darker color on the other side to give a more dimensional appearance.  I think I’ll do all the zigzag stitching with a stabilizer before I layer the quilt.  After I add the batting and back, I’ll quilt the background area, and do some thread-painting to highlight the body and head.

Terry Aske, Orthrozanclus reburrus - in progress

Linking up to:

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On my design wall – 2013.04.24

Posted on April 24, 2013 by TerryAske

I belong to a regional SAQA group called SAQA Western Canada.   About 30 of our members are participating in a project to create quilts featuring fossils from the Burgess Shale.  Each piece will be 2 feet by 2 feet.  There are close to 2,000 Burgess Shale fossils, so we each picked a different one for our piece.  The exhibit will travel and is intended to be viewed by children aged 5 to 12 years, so we are encouraged to make our pieces colorful and fun.

I picked Orthrozanclus reburrus – a tiny grazing animal covered with beautifully-shaped curved spines.   Soon after I signed up for this project, I found a blue fabric that’s covered with dinosaur fossils, that I’m using for the background.   I’ve fused the head and body, and am working on the spines – there are 33 of them!  I’ll outline the pieces with zigzag stitching.

DSCN0775

 

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, On my design wall, WiP Wednesday | Tagged , , | 8 Comments