First Showing

Hello!

"Carla Rose, Katy Marie" made it's first showing at the Treasures of Tomorrow quilt show held last weekend in Marshfield, WI.  And it received a very nice third place award in the Master Quilters category.  

I've been entering and attending this show for many years.  It's a chance for me to spend the day with my good old friend Jan (She's not old, she's my long time friend).

It was a very nice show, good vendors and all around a lovely day.  

Workshop

Dresden Basket 22" x 22" by Jane Zillmer

I had a wonderful time leading an applique workshop yesterday sponsored by Mercer's Small Town Quilt group, and I'd like to thank them for asking me!  We met at the spacious and well lit Manitowish Waters Community Center.

19 ladies joined me for a busy day learning my applique technique.  "Dresden Basket" was the chosen pattern.  Each quilter brought their own fabrics; some chose colors similar to the pattern and others went a completely different direction.  It was really great to see the results.  Several ladies had never done applique and one honestly expressed a "fear of applique".  Not uncommon. We did run out of time and just touched on my stitching technique.  I'll follow up with anyone who'd like more help with this. I had planned to get some photos, and didn't get to that either!

I am always impressed by the quilting knowledge and experience among the group, but even the most seasoned said they learned something - the ultimate compliment to a teacher.  

Colorful award

Can you stand another blog post about Flower Power?  Well, what the heck, I need to share this:

Flower Power won the Best Use of Color award in the Traditional Quilts category at the Santa Clara, California Pacific International Quilt Festival last week.  I'm really pleased to have been bestowed this honor. The judges understood what my quilt is all about.  It's fun and colorful!

A quilter friend told me recently that my quilts look "doable" to the average quilter.  They are not show stoppers, or over-the-top, make your mouth drop quilts.  

Thanks, I agree. 

Little by little

I first blogged about this UFO 2 years ago.  This quilt is from a pattern by Piece O' Cake Designs titled "Stars in the Garden".  I machine appliqued the blocks using various decorative stitches years ago and have been hand quilting it little by little ever since.  I use Perle Cotton and a modified "big stitch" for my hand quilting.

I have one more block to finish after this one, plus the borders.  It is always out staring me in the face saying "work on me, work on me" and when the mood hits me, I do work on it.  I've thought about scrapping the whole thing or farming it out (where?) but no, I really love this quilt and someday, it will be finished.

Hand quilting is actually relaxing.  Sometimes it's just exactly what I need.

Etude

This is the full sampler quilt (UFO) I've been machine quilting -  shown here pin basted before I started quilting it.

When I blogged about my quilting progress last week, my daughter Katy, the quintessential journalist asked me what the title of this quilt is.  Title?  I hadn't even thought about a title, while usually I name my quilts as I'm working on them

I made this quilt years ago to "practice" my hand piecing skills as I intend this quilt to be a class model for beginning quilters some day. Then I decided to "practice" my machine quilting to finish it. Each block is different and would force me to try different free motion designs. 

What to name this quilt..... "etude" came to mind.  I remembered practicing etudes for my piano lessons. 

The actual definition of etude from thefreedictionary.com:  A piece composed for the development of a specific point of technique   2. A composition featuring a point of technique but performed because of its artistic merit.

Perfect!

Graduation

It's official:  I have given myself a diploma and I can stop "practicing" my machine quilting.  Permission granted to actually machine quilt any quilt I want to. How long have I been at this??

Not that high honors have been bestowed on my machine quilting, but I've reached an acceptable level.  And more importantly, I've relaxed enough to just be able to sit down and "do it already" without agonizing and overthinking.  

I only have 6 blocks left to quilt in this sampler, plus the sashings.  But is it "show quality"?  You're darn right it is!

Nature's Journey

Hello!

I am pleased to share with everyone the cover and title of my upcoming book.  Due to be released in Spring 2013, this book of my quilts will have 61 pages, include a pattern CD and retail for $21.95.  

Nature's Journey will be published by The American Quilter's Society.  The editors designed this cover and title capturing the essence of what my book is all about, so a job well done!  I could not be more pleased.

The cover quilt is titled:  "Show Me a Summer Day in Missouri", 89" x 89", completed in 2007.