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.

  Here are some of the members' blocks.

And a few more. I never fail to be in awe of the quilters in our guild!

Here are the designers' showing off their blocks. {photo by Lauren Hunt}

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!

Playing with 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.

There's a whole section about the Stitch and Flip technique so I just picked one and jumped in to make a few blocks.

Then I tried a layout.

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?

Fall Begins

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.

So now I just have lots of white to cut and sew together. After I find my floor!

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! 

Heading Home

I'm heading home today. I'm sad to leave my family in TN. I never feel like I had enough time to visit with my mom and dad, play with my niece and hang out with my sister. I'd love to be there when my bother and sister-in-law return from D.C. And hear about their museum visits. At the same time, I'm anxious to be home. It was a great trip. I suppose it's good I always leave wanting more!

I talked Roy into stopping in Paducah at Hancocks of Paducah. They have a great remnant table and a huge selection of fabric. It's interesting to see the employees pushing shopping carts around to collect bolts to be cut for online shoppers.

I also picked up my Hunky Dory Hexies and did a little stitching. I'm not exactly sure where I'm heading with this but it's something fun to do in the car.

Hoping to catch up on emails and such this weekend. Hope you are all doing well!

They Do!

My brother got married tonight to a very sweet and lovely young lady. They make such a great couple and I wish them all the happiness in the world. I know from experience how wonderful it is to share your life with someone you love. I get the feeling they'll have lot's of fun together as they begin this new chapter of their lives.

Mountain Views

It's been a very full week for us here in Tennessee. We've been to Splash Country and Dollywood, visited with family we haven't seen in a very long time, and did some exploring around the venue for the rehearsal dinner. You can see the view of the mountains above Douglas Dam. Such a pretty spot!

If you are anywhere near the Kansas City area tomorrow, you'll want to go to the KC Modern Quilt Guild's monthly meeting. Jacquie Gering (who blogs at Tallgrass Prairie Studio) will be the guest speaker. I'm so sad to miss it!

A Bit of Fabric Shopping

My sister and I wandered down the road to another quilt shop yesterday and I found a few fun fabrics to play with.

We realized today that one of the girls left a baby doll there so we HAVE to make a quick trip back sometime soon. I have to figure out how to put the blinders on!!

Have a great weekend!

Mountains All Around

Hello everyone! Hope you are all doing well. We've had a great couple of days. We got to spend part of yesterday and today with my sister's family. My sister and I got to have a few great chats, watch some reality tv, stay up late working on our own projects but visiting a bit which helped us through to the finish, did some fabric shopping, and watched the girls play on the Slip and Slide. It was all great fun but it never seems long enough!

She has such a beautiful view of the Smoky Mountains from her back yard. You can see in the photo below what we got to look at while the girls played in the water.

Tonight we headed back to GiGi and Papa's. After I dressed Jenna in her pajamas, I whisked her outside to see all the lightning bugs (fireflies) flickering around the front yard. It was magical!

Enjoy your weekend!

A Few Stitches at Mountain Stitches

I'm here in Tennessee and was so glad to finally get to see my family again. My niece is growing up so much and it's so good to see her smiling face!

My parents, sister and brother don't actually live that close to each other and so I have to rotate around a bit to visit with everyone which is hard because I want to be 3 or 4 different places at once.

I got to spend the day at Mountain Stitches, my Mom's quilt shop. Jenna got to go with me and I love that she'll have that memory of being there with her GiGi. I have very few memories of my grandmother and I want very much to help Jenna tuck some away with her's.

It felt so good to cut into some fabric and sew some samples for a demonstration. I got to work in the new classroom space across the hall from the shop. Mom worked on the long arm, my dad minded the shop, Jenna played and I got to sew. Super great day!

I'll head back over for a bit tomorrow and then go over to my sister's in the afternoon. I can't wait and I know the girls are ready for some more play time together.

Hope you're all doing well. I'll try to pop back in again soon.

Spring Quilt Market 2012 - Part 2

I have a few more Market photos to share with you. I think I mentioned in my last post how overwhelming it all was. I walked around and little details of things would pull me in and after a while I'd have to remember to step back and take in the whole picture. Then time would pass and I'd have to remind myself to look at the small details again. It was just impossible to process everything. (This could just be the way my brain works though. I remember when I was expecting my daughter I had to walk around Babies R Us three separate trips before I could concentrate on actually shopping for what I needed) I looked up once and noticed there were elephants standing in the middle of the aisle in Michael Millers area. Elephants!

I must have been focusing on this gorgeous quilt by the Portland Modern Quilt Guild. So many great block designs!

I love the colors and it's made with Michael Miller's Cotton Couture Solids. A charm pack of Cotton Couture was in my goodie bag from the MQG meetup and it's very luxurious!

Another striking quilt made from Cotton Couture solids by NYC Metro MOD Quilters. I really love the quilting on this one and the way the blocks appear to be constructed.

I was so pleased to get a chance to talk with Violet Craft. Her new line of fabric for Michael Miller is Madrona Road. The colors and prints are fantastic but what I love most is the story that goes along with the collection. The story is actually written in a text print that you see used in the black and white background fabric in the quilt behind her with the key holes. The font in the text is beautiful and the story is clustered in a small area and repeated on the fabric instead of it being written across the width of fabric. Love that! I'm very much looking forward to playing with these fabrics! And I think I MUST have a version of this keyhole quilt in my foyer.

I've been a fan of Sarah Jane's illustrations for a long time and I just love her next line for Michael Miller called Out to Sea. I'm not usually attracted to nautical themes but I just love the playfulness of the prints and it really reflects the imagination of children. I'm so happy she included girl pirates and mermaids because I have a girl that pretends to be both.

Here's a playful mermaid and you can see a little bit of another great print on the hat and dress in the photo. 

 She has some great embroideries to go along with the collection too.

Well, I've probably overloaded you with pictures! These a just a few of so many great things that are coming soon.

I'm off to get busy organizing for an upcoming trip to Tennessee. I'm so excited that my brother is getting married to a very nice young lady who loves to sew and craft. She's going to be a fun addition to the family. And my sister and I are already plotting fun with our girls! I can't wait for some of our late night chats. And how lucky am I to be able to spend time working with my mom and dad in their quilt shop?!  It'll be interesting with the big NE Tennessee Shop Hop happening.

I'm hoping I can pop back here now and then amongst all the celebrations and activities.