Curvaceous Inspiration

Cory emailed me a link to this quilt, Curvaceous Squares, by Diane Hire, (From her Quilts and Classes blog.)  I had to share.

Take a close look  and you'll see that the blocks are made in PAIRS, with 2 or 4 curved cuts/seams in each block.   If you enjoyed making our curved rail blocks ... you could consider making something like this.  Or taking this workshop if Diane come to your guild.  FYI, I checked and this one is NOT in her book, Quilter's Playtime--which is still a pretty terrific book--but I'm guessing it might be in her about-to-be-released book, Vivacious Curvy Quilts.  I own (and recommend!) the first and have added the second to my wishlist ;-)

A Complex Variation of our 3-Patch

Check out this pattern, called Stepping Stones, from Judy Niemayer.

Do you see the 3-patch rectangles ... and a couple of alternate ideas using the same sections/proportions?

Gold-Gray-White

These wonky log cabin blocks reminded me of our gold-gray-white rules for this month's lotto block.

You can find more photos and some background on this wedding quilt in progress on the blog, Wishes, True and Kind.

I thought it was interesting to compare and contrast our scraps-added version of the gold-gray-white colorway with this pure version. 

One more Red and White Quilt

This quilt is made from the traditional block, The Clover Blossom.

Since I had been researching our block just before leaving for NY, I recognized it immediately. It's a great example of how you can make a quick quilt from just 9 blocks . . . if you make the blocks LARGE enough.

The end of the month is almost here ...

The deadline for entering blocks into this month's "super lotto" is NOON (US East coast time) TOMORROW, March 31.

If no one volunteers, I'll be choosing the winners (at least 8 of you) using the Random Number web site. Otherwise, I'll be sending the list to the volunteer to choose our winners and post the results.   (To volunteer to choose the winners, you cannot be in the drawing yourself.)

*** UPDATE *** Julie Wa. has volunteered *** Thanks, Julie !!! ***

. . . while I have your attention, here's one of the quilts from the Infinite Variety exhibit that made me think of the Block Lotto while I was in NY--The (unliberated) version of the fireworks blocks we made last summer.

 

(The quilt on the bottom of the photo is pretty cool, too, huh?)

I'm BACK

This is the view as you walked into the doors of the exhibit space at the Armory on Park Avenue in NYC. It was the most inventive, creative, AMAZING display of quilts I've ever experienced.

If you have an iPad or an iPhone, the American Folk Art Museum has a pretty nice (free!) app in which you can look at all the quilts--I installed it on my friend's iPad ... the iPhone version is apparently still hung up in the app store. If you have an iPad/Phone/Pod, you want to search for Infinite Variety in the iTunes store.

I'll also be posting more of my photos on my sophie junction blog ... and at least two more here--because they relate to Lotto blocks we've made and one we're going to make ...

UPDATED TO ADD

If you have emailed me or left a comment over the weekend, about author privileges or the April block, I will get back to you soon.

February Heart Blocks

I managed to do another two hearts to donate as I was a lucky winner last time

I have also finished piecing a scrappy top which contains my 'bonus's' and a heart that I made first and is too small to enter the lotto - just need to trim and add a scrappy green border and for the first time - no cost, no outlay just time spent... hurray!!

Stacks Coming and Going and a New Blog Post label request

I probably should have seen this flurry of measages coming--after all we did make 378 blocks--and asked you all to label your posts accordingly.   But I didn't, so I'll ask for the following coming forward.

If you are posting about sending OR receiving Stacks blocks, please add the label stacks to your post.

Please also add the label:

stacks-mailed if you are posting about sending blocks
stacks-received if you are posting about receiving blocks

It will make it easier for the winners (and me) to go back and see who has mailed (and posted about it--remember it is optional) and (for me) which blocks the winners have received (also optional to post about).

I've gone back and added (or changed) labels to follow this convention.  So, if you have already mailed or received and posted about it, you're all set ;-)

. . . speaking of stacks.  I saw this adorable pin cushion today on Carol's MamaCJT blog post A New Day.   Anyone who made January blocks could easily make one of these, right . . . just shrink those strips to make a block that's pincushion-sized ;-)

Scrappy Heart Blocks February

Here are two. I may make some more; have other projects in the works but I am grooving on these hearts. In fact I made a purse using one block that didn't quite turn out to spec. Here is a peek.

Thanks Sophie for a fun block to play with.

Blondie

extra heart

I turned the scraps I cut away from the heart block I made for the lotto into a greeting card that I'm going to send to my cousin Sally, who loves crafts.

What will you do with your Bonus Blocks?

Wendy made a pretty wonderful scrappy string star block from her left-over triangles ... what will you make from yours? Before you toss them out, here are some project ideas to consider. If you're not a fan of dark backgrounds, try using something completely different. I plan to make a doll quilt/wall hanging from these 9 blocks with a hand-dyed turquoise background.

The idea for this month's block came from the heart in the little quilt I made a year ago for us to use as a blog button. You could make some word blocks and express your love for something (or someone) that you [heart], too.

I have an idea to make a Priority Alzheimers quilt with some words and a bonus heart--I was having so much fun, as you can probably tell, I made extras "bonuses" . . . anyone want to join me?

For a quick and easy project, how about fiber heart postcards to give or mail to your Valentine(s)?  I trimmed down the left-over triangles with a 4 x 6 inch postcard in mind.  Added some Timtex to make it stiff, added a little quilting, some satin stitch around the edge and a card stock back. It's all set for a stamp and a message and a trip to the post office.



Have you made a mug rug yet?  They ARE contagious and make sweet gifts.

I made one last month from a "fatter" string heart . . .  and I am already thinking of making another.  You can find the basics for designing your own here - Scrappy Mug Rug.

If you like the proportions of the square heart block better, check out Kate's blog for her String Heart Tutorial.

It's been a year since I published the directions for the small portable handwork sewing kit. Today, I finally got around to making one for myself.



You have probably noticed that all my bonus triangles ended up as hearts--I was laughing at myself a little when *I* noticed it. I guess I really am an incurable romantic. So, last but not least, I offer the idea of making a three-dimensional heart you can hold in your hand . . . or pin to your shoulder, clip to your bag or use as a pincushion . . .

I'm working on the directions for making one of your own (if you like) and wondering if this would work for a Quilt Show pin (hang tag for your bag) that would help friends from the Block Lotto identify one another?

I've been seeing TREES everywhere

I've seen quilty trees similar to ours on table runners and pillows and, yes quilts, all month. I just saw Eileen's tree quilt (in progress) on the 15 Minutes of Play blog and had to share. If you take a close look, you can see how her blocks are constructed differently than ours, but the result is similar and I love the simple setting and the strong colors, don't you?

Starlit Forest

I found this in the November/December '10 issue of Quiltmaker:

Tree Everlasting - Inspirational Quilt

This quilt, Tree Everlasting,  was made by Nancie Voegele and was part of my inspiration for this month.

Although I had seen photos of this quilt on the Liberated Quilters Yahoo list, I got to see it alive and in person at the Austin Area Quilt Guild Show earlier this year.  It's really wonderful.

And here's a closer look at some of Nancie's trees and the quilting design.

While I'm still fighting with my email ...

Look at the quilt I found on Sarah's blog, Sew Joy:

You can read more about it on the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief auction site.

I can easily see a version of this with liberated style log Roses, Log Cabins and strings, can't you?  If you made 10" blocks and 10" borders, your quilt would be the same size as this one: 90 x 100 inches.

Houses and Stars

I just saw this, on the 15 Minutes Play blog and had to share:

It's called Dancing with the Stars, made by Emily Douglas.

Three diminsional houses

I just saw these wonderful 3D fabric houses on Candy Glendening's blog, Candied Fabrics.  They seem to fit into our theme of liberated houses this month. so I thought they were worth sharing.

Follow the link for more photos and information on where to find the pattern for her "mod house" ornaments  . . .  and to enter her giveaway for a copy of the magazine and fabric packs.

liberated quilts in Baltimore

Hi all,

Last Saturday, I went the 20th anniversary show for my Mother's guild. I wouldn't ordinarily post about it here, but it has a few quilts that use liberated quilting techniques-- including this sweet Gee's Bend-inspired quilt made by a local fifth grade class.

"20 Years of a Pieceful Passion," celebrates the 20th anniversary of the African American Quilters of Baltimore. It runs through September.

James E. Lewis Museum of Art
Morgan State University
Baltimore Maryland
Hours and Directions:
http://aaqb.org/wordpress/

A change in our timeline ... and another quilty interpretation of a Rose.

Because I have started a temp job and will be in training for the next 2-3 weeks (without access to a computer), I will be sending out the sneak peek email (on Tuesday, August 24) and putting together the final list of names for the drawing on the last day of the month a few hours  later in the day than usual.

In case you're curious, unfortunately, the job is really just NOTHING to celebrate and I still won't be able to make ends meet, unless I decide I don't need health insurance . . . but it is work and I am grateful for that.

On a more pleasant note, if you haven't already seen Béa's blog, here's a detail photo of out her "rose" quilt . . . made from shoo-fly blocks (with a different fabric placement than usual).  

Check out her blog article about her quilt, "Rosaraie," for photos of the full quilt and the pretty rose-inspired quilting design.  I can imagine doing something similar with liberated shoo-fly blocks, like those we made earlier this year.

My Dandelion Patch!

When I saw the fireworks block last month, I thought of making the blocks in green and yellow to resemble the dandelions in my yard!  I just finished piecing my quilt tonight.