Misc

I'm so enjoying the times of celebration this December.

I hope your days will be Merry and Bright.

So easy - you can make a bunch in a couple of hours - I used all scraps.  Dig around and see if you have some that will work. I save my Christmas fabric scraps in a large bag, ready to scrounge for little projects.

Email me if you want a pdf file.

Fold in half diagonally and then fold again for prairie point.

trim if desired.

Morris Graves Museum of Art in Eureka, CA, exhibited works from artists of different mediums. 

The exhibit was called: "Towering" inspired by the redwoods.  Of course, that's right up my alley.  I entered "Richardson's Grove" and "Miniature Redwoods".

I'm happy to report that "Richardson's Grove" won 2nd place People's Choice award.  I always am excited when a fiber art piece stands up with paintings and other types of artwork. 

This quilt is a blast from the past.  It's large and needs a big wall space to display.  It was inspired by my son saying.  Hey Mom, one of these days you need to make a quilt of the US with a eagle flying over.  So this is what I came up with.

Edge treatment is a bit unusual -

My local guild, Redwood Empire Quilter's Guild, has an annual Basket Auction.  This year I decided to do a theme: Fun in the Sun.

Here's the Basket - then a picture of the small quiltHere's the basket - then the small quilt.

Here we go...to Las Vegas -October 18-20  Presented by Las Vegas Quilters

Classes   check it out

Mosaic Piecing - Forest

Mosaic Piecing & Applique - Let Your Light Shine

Beginning Landscapes--Mountain View

Thread Motifs--Leaves and Flowers, Trees

I did it! I finished the Morning Star Bed Quilt!! finally. This is a quilt which has been worked on in small little bits of time for several years. The first recorded date I have on it is when I scanned the sketch into my computer in March of 2011. I would get all enthused and try to finish it only to put it away and work on something else. I began to think that it would never get done --but finally--complete--accomplished--yipee. I'll show the sketch and a couple of other shots, along with the completed quilt.

When I do a quilt from this type of sketch, I have to invent the pattern as I go.  This one was built around a center, so that's where I started.  As you can see the finished quilt is a bit different from the original sketch, but that's just how it goes as I quilt. - need I say, I'm glad it's done!

Why do I quilt? Gifts of the Father

I've been in a challenge #CreativePassiontoProfit and one of the questions is "Why?"

Thinking back to my early childhood, I always felt sort of "arty". gifted by God, priviledged to be able to sketch, etc.  My Mom sewed most of my clothes which I'm sure was a great influence on me, though I didn't really realize it at the time.  When I was about 12 yrs, I began to make most of my own clothes.  Through my early adulthood, I continued to make clothes for myself and for family members and friends.  When birthdays came around, I was often gifted with a dress length of fabric.  Seems strange to some folks, but it was a perfect gift for me.

Connie (sister) left, me on right.  New dresses looks like a special day of some sort.

Amy and Christina (my granddaughters), in dresses I made for them.  Below you can see how much fabric is involved in this project.

After the children were out of the house, I had more time, different priorities, and such.  I began to experiment with quilting. Not like Grandma Jennie did, but by machine.  I really enjoyed the design, the math (another gift), etc.

Most of my early work was traditional.  I didn't really know there was anything else.  As time went by I made more quilts and finally entered one in an #AmericanQuilter'sSoc show.   Here it is http://patdurbin.com/quilt-gallery/traditional/15-piecemakers-barns

It was in Nashville and Gary thought we should go.  It was so wonderful!  I saw quilts that were more art centered.  They jump started my mind to look at quilting in a whole new way.  I went home and started on my journey of making picture quilts.  This has become one of my passions and has led me to where I am today. (saturated in quilting).

So that's sort of the start of my journey.  Now I'm headed to Daytona Beach to teach in one of those AQS shows...funny how that happened. http://www.quiltweek.com/locations/dab18/

Have you any stories to share?

Hope you have a fun day.

Early work --traditional

I went through the archives to see what I had for Valentines Day.

One thing is a very well used favorite quilt which I made in 1993.

Made from scraps of sewing clothes, this is unique, and shows early work.  We hadn't quite perfected photographing quilts either:)

Another Valentine style quilt is made from a few Block of the Month squares I won at Redwood Empire Quilt Guild in 2006.  My Granddaughters made the alternate squares and put it together.  It's kind of cute.