Friday, August 31, 2012

QuiltCon Block

QuiltCon Block
Have you heard about QuiltCon? Wondering what it is and why so many people are talking about it?

"QuiltCon is the inaugural international conference and show by and for The Modern Quilt Guild. The first modern quilting event of its kind, QuiltCon features top modern quilting instructors and will attract attendees from around the world. It includes a juried modern quilt show with cash prizes, vendors, lectures, workshops from top modern quilters, and more." {from the QuiltCon website}

Members of the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild participated in QuiltCon's Block Challenge. We used colors from QuiltCon's logo to create a quilt block that reflects what modern quilting means to us.

I knew I wanted some scrappy element in my block because I've always loved scrappy quilts (both traditional and modern). I also knew it had to have some wonky element to it. I like wonkiness contained and controlled a bit so I added the white frame around the scraps. And while I love solids and negative space, I knew a large number of my scraps would have to be prints because they are my first love. I didn't really plan for my block to be so long but I found more and more prints I wanted to include. The challenge in making such a long block is to keep that white frame straight and even. And it's not perfect. I quickly snapped a photo before I squared it up and headed out the door to the KCMQG meeting.
QuiltCon Blocks Challenge 2
  Here are some of the members' blocks.
QuiltCon Block Challenge 1
And a few more. I never fail to be in awe of the quilters in our guild!
QuiltCon Block Challenge Participants
Here are the designers' showing off their blocks. {photo by Lauren Hunt}
Challenge Winner Lisa Hirsch
Lisa Hirsch is showing her block that was voted as the guild's favorite. Way to go, Lisa! {photo by Lauren Hunt}

Members of Modern Quilt Guilds and modern quilters from around the world participated in this challenge. 20 blocks will be used in a quilt to be raffled at QuiltCon and the remaining blocks will be assembled into quilts by local Modern Quilt Guilds and given to Austin's Children's Shelter. 

If you would like to see more examples of QuiltCon Blocks, head over to The Modern Quilt Guild's website. They'll be featuring the blocks over the next four weeks beginning here. I'm certainly enjoying seeing all of them!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Playing with Quilting Modern

Quilting Modern

Every time I hit a bump in my quilting plan, I tend to

stall...

procrastinate...

wait...

I don't know why I find it so easy to loose my momentum. When I hit the bump on my A Stitch in Color Quilt, I decided to pull out Quilting Modern and some of my scraps to play a bit.
Quilting Modern
There's a whole section about the Stitch and Flip technique so I just picked one and jumped in to make a few blocks.
Stitch and Flip Play 2
Then I tried a layout.
Stitch and Flip Play 1
And another. I like how this is going and I think I'll play a bit more until I get the white fabric I need for the other quilt.

As fun as all of these are, I have a third quilt in my head that I can't wait to start. I can picture it completely except for the fabric choices. So much fabric and ideas but only so much time! Anyone else with that problem?

Monday, August 27, 2012

Fall Begins

A Stitch in Color Quilt-Plan A
A very fun summer full of family, swimming, carnivals, camping and time with friends has come to a close. School started and we're beginning to find a new routine while I catch up on so many things that were set aside during our busy summer activities. My sewing room has been a bit neglected except to open the door and pile up some fabric purchases from my summer travels.

During the last week or so, I've been able to sneak in and start sorting through the piles and put some blocks on the design wall. I started this quilt at the KCMQG retreat at the beginning of April with some quarter square triangles made from A Stitch in Color fabric and a little bit of Laura Gunn fabric mixed in. Just hours before the retreat, I'd sorted though a pile of magazines and patterns looking for something I hadn't tried before and something pretty simple. I found a pattern in an American Patchwork and Quilting magazine that had quarter square triangles alternating with a nine patch block. Right off the bat, I knew I didn't want to cut all the triangles out individually like the pattern directed and used a different technique instead. I recently started making the nine patches and after just a couple of those blocks were added to the design wall, I knew I needed to make a change. There was just so much color and patten happening that I felt like my eyes needed a place to rest. I debated what to do and starting throwing up small squares in the empty spaces. I instantly loved it and thought the white space balanced all the color nicely.
A Stitch in Color Quilt - Plan B
So now I just have lots of white to cut and sew together. After I find my floor!
1st Grade
Here's a photo for my family. My girl on her first day of First Grade. I miss her already but she is having a great time at school. As a former First Grade teacher, I know how much she'll learn and grow this year and I'm so excited for her! 

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