What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

No change in the numbers. I thought I’d have a donation, but it hasn’t left the house yet.

Next week.

I pulled fabric strips and started weaving yesterday. It will look like a hot mess until it looks way cool. Good to know that will happen sometime during the process.

I have also pulled yarn, trims and decorative threads to include in the weaving. Those will go in last.

Good thing that big darning needle came in the package with the webbing fabric. It makes things a lot easier.

Fabric In: 18.5 yards

Fabric out: 2.675 ...

For the project inspired by another quilt, I decided to revisit a weaving technique I tried several years ago. This is the small project I made with that technique.

Here is the book with the idea.

The first time I used rug canvas as the base for the weaving. It was way too hard on my sewing machine, and I had to finish the stitching by hand. This time I used this canvas I picked up at the thrift. It’s much softer and more pliable.

Last time I left the canvas white, but for this project I wanted it ...

No change in the numbers.

The borders are on the sketch based quilt, which I have named Shikishi. In Japanese art, shikishi are specially prepared square papers later affixed to a painting. I stumbled across the term and thought it fit the quilt.

I have also finished the leaves. I decided to add them after I quilt to avoid quilting around them. It seems that would be easier, but time will tell.

Fabric In: 18.5 yards

Fabric out: 2.675 yard

Net Fabric In: 15.825 yards

How did you do this week?

This month is flying! I just realized I had to get this posted and fast.

I didn’t finish anything in March but made progress on many projects. The list has grown.

I started The Short List many years ago to create goals to work toward and a way to focus. I continually change the categories as my goals and interests change.

Project 1 (stitching): The Tiny Modernist Holiday 2022 SAL. I’m closing in on this one. Once a project gets to a certain point, all I want to do is work on it until it’s finished. That ...

No change in the numbers.

All the borders are on Remember Me and it patiently awaits quilting.

I shifted back to the quilt meant to get passed as part of the Art2Quilt challenge. Since I ended up passing a different quilt, I’m OK with showing it here.

The idea came from a sketch I drew a long time ago. If I had to guess I’d say 10 to 15 years ago.

I used the cheesecloth I painted for the squares. I wanted those squares to have texture and an organic feel to them. Fusing fabric squares would have ...

As of the beginning of the week, my design wall was a bit crowded.

I have two quilting projects ongoing, plus work from my Textural Style class, as well as photos to inspire new projects. Starting from the top right, there’s my two single color studies from class.

The blue one is done except for an edge treatment. The red one has become a two color study and has lots of big stitch embroidery. I have a section I want to embroider, but it’s mostly done. I have to figure out an edge treatment, but it won’t ...

Hi, everyone!  I'm announcing a new video on my YouTube channel.  It's a bit of a tour of my quilting studio and fabric stash.

You'll see fabrics, new art quilts, and loads of doo-dads.  

Click here to access the video.

Please come visit!  

(You can also find my channel and see the whole video collection, and my interview on the Just Wanna Quilt podcast, by searching in YouTube for my name - Ann Wasserman.)

I don’t know if that’s the proper term for fabrics that aren’t made from naturally derived materials such as cotton and linen. I don’t like the term man made, with its inherent bias, but fabrics developed from polyester often are called that. Here I’m talking about tyvek, evolon, lutrador, and the like. Why am I talking about them? A recent SAQA seminar on such fabrics reminded me of my own efforts to use such stuff.

Part of the seminar was a video conversation with Shannon Conley, an artist who cheerfully tackles all sorts of three ...

This week Project Quilting Season 14 (2023) has as their very last challenge: Conquer Your Fear

They say in their post, “if you only do what’s safe and comfy, you’ll stagnate and grow soft.” I agree. You need to push your boundaries from time to time … and get out of your comfort zone.

As you probably know, the challenge is to make a quilted object (any size) from start to finish in one week using the challenge title as your inspiration. And post a photo at their website before the deadline.

So, after pondering all the fears that ...

When March rolls around I think of Spring. The days are longer and I want to spend time outside. The weather doesn’t always cooperate, but a girl can hope.

I finished both the pinwheel quilt and the table runner in February. It always feels good to add new projects to the list.

I started The Short List many years ago to create goals to work toward and a way to focus. I continually change the categories as my goals and interests change.

Project 1 (stitching): The Tiny Modernist Holiday 2022 SAL. The border stitched up faster than the solid ...

I always have a list of quilts I want to make, but sometimes a rogue slips into the queue. Recently as I fossicked through my quilts and scrap parts I came across a 12 by 12 inch square sewn together scraps part that said beach to me.

I combined that square with scrap strips, an ancient fat quarter of unknown origin, painted color catchers, and organza scraps. I also used special leftover strips from a gift of painted fabric. My goal was to convey the feeling of hazy brightness I’ve experienced at the beach, not necessarily a beach landscape ...

Not every piece of art has to be a blockbuster. Sometimes doing little projects can be satisfying, too. Over the past week I have been inspired to create mini bits by what turned up when I went hunting for a missing quilt. I am ashamed to say there’s no method to my quilt storage system other than compatibility between quilt size and storage container. A quilt may be rolled up, under my bed, in a tote, or in a big black trunk. So I looked through a lot of stuff before I found what I sought. Along the way ...

No fabric in this week.

I used a yard of my own fabric finishing the pinwheel quilt.

I’m turning binding on the runner. That will be a finish next week.

Before I set it aside, I did add more to the tree in the challenge quilt. That quilt really needs a name.

I’m behind on email, comments and reading everyone’s posts. I hope to catch up some this coming week. I’m not sure where the time goes, but mid-month is right around the corner.

Fabric In: 17.25 yards

Fabric out: 1 yard

Net Fabric In ...

Welcome to February! I didn’t finish anything in January but made a lot of progress. That set me up for finishes in February.

I started The Short List many years ago to give myself goals to work toward and a way to focus. I continually change the categories as my goals and interests change.

Project 1 (stitching): The Tiny Modernist Holiday 2022 SAL. I finished the second release and went back to stitching part one.

Project 2 (charity): The pinwheel quilt. I’m turning the binding.

Project 3 (orphan): The table runner made from 30s reproduction fabrics. The top ...

The Project Quilting challenge for this week (Season 14, #3) is “54/40 or Fight”. It’s the name for a traditional quilt block. If you’re interested to find out more about the block, it’s history, or the Project Quilting challenge, click here: Project Quilting

The challenge has to be done from beginning to end in one week. I was thinking about using the 54/40 or fight block as the center of a square table topper, making pieces wonky to make it more modern. But my heart wasn’t in it. Nothing seemed to come together.

I ...

The challenge quilt has been my focus, but it no longer has a deadline. The group will not submit quilts to AQS this year after several members had a whole lot of life happen recently, not in a good way. Maybe next year.

My attention switched back to the pinwheel quilt, which should be finished in the next week. I will continue working on the challenge quilt (note to self – come up with a real name), but I need another project. The creative possibilities for the challenge increased when the time constraints disappeared. Sounds like an opportunity to experiment.

Sticking ...

No fabric in or out.

I basted the second half of the pinwheel quilt but had to set it aside to work on the challenge quilt.

I finally worked out the construction process, and the top is coming together much faster now. This quilt has a deadline and has to be the priority.

As an FYI, I was not able to comment on everyone’s links last week. One of the comment processes kept giving me an error. Hopefully that is resolved now. Some of you have used quite a bit of fabric already this year!

Fabric In: 0

Fabric ...

No fabric in or out.

I finished quilting the top section of the pinwheel quilt. The plan today is to baste the bottom section.

I also worked on the challenge quilt enough to show some progress.

Hey LC, look familiar?

Fabric In: 0

Fabric out: 0

How did you do this week?

Last year I began to poke my head over the parapet a bit and get out more. The landscape has changed as online teaching and get togethers become more permanent. I am so over Zoom meetings, though it can work for classes.

I used the extra home time to dive into non fabric art mediums such as collage and mixed media. Of course that meant new supplies were bought and a new learning curve was begun, which was a good thing. The basics of design and composition carried over from quilting, of course, but different mediums have different pros and ...

Happy 2023! I love the start of a new year with its feeling of a clean slate and endless opportunities. It’s a time to re-evaluate and change directions.

I started The Short list many years ago. Some years it works better than others. I continually change the categories to reflect my goals and interests.

I have goals this year to finish eight sewing projects, two stitching projects and fully finish three projects I have already stitched. I define the categories rather than choose specific projects because picking projects in advance never works for me. The Short List will reflect ...