I’ve decided to take part in the 31 Day Blog Post Writing Challenge for December 2020.  So, each day, I will use the prompts list…or my variation on that prompt–to write a blog post.  I want to keep this blog series fun and interesting for both you and me.  So, here are my commitments to …

An Introduction to Me Read More »

The post An Introduction to Me appeared first on Carole Lyles Shaw.

I am thrilled to announce a new series of interviews with some of my Quilt Friends– all artists , quilters, curators, designers and entrepreneurs—now available on my YouTube channel.  The series is called “On the Design Wall”. I have just uploaded the first two interviews in this series with many more to come in the …

Interviews with Quilt Friends Read More »

The post Interviews with Quilt Friends appeared first on Carole Lyles Shaw.

It's going to be a glorious day! I'm making great progress in Studio B in getting some of those silly little things tidied up. I'm going to be making a list of the additional samples that I want to make. Nothing that'll take a long time, but it would be nice to get some of those basics out of the way. The cutting table is not completely clean; however, it's looking great. 

The cutting table in better shape

Oh, it's Monday sewing today, and I've got a pile of projects cut and ready ...

Have you noticed that we spend a LOT of time doing quilting stuff that has nothing to do with the sewing of the project? 

This is the scraps from PRISM Squared. I took apart all the seams for the pieced sections - remember, this is the scraps. Now I need to cut out the center for the next project, which uses the scraps from cutting the first set of wedges. YES - there is a bonus project with this one. I'm trying to get everything organized, and it might go in my retreat bag! 

Sorting through the scraps

Then I'm ...

This project file uses the Serendipity tool in Electric Quilt. Playing with this tool can be very addictive, but a lot of fun, with some very interesting results.

The block I started with for this series of designs is the one I used in the borders.

I love the second one today.

I'm making some headway with my baby boy quilt NewFO!   I haven't cut out the four Wasabi (greenish yellow) QSTs yet, but I'm almost done piecing the rest of the blocks for this "quick and easy" project.

Piecing is in Progress!

I changed my mind about foundation paper piecing my center monogram block, too.  I just could not abide with those extra seams that I would have in the center of my "C" if I did FPP, so this block will be my second ever attempt at English paper piecing (EPP).  

FPP Version, with Extra Seams in ...

You guys, I started a new project yesterday!  I'm so excited!

42 x 42 Welcome Home, Baby, based on AQS Letter Home QAL

A few weeks ago, I shared in this post how I was playing around with resizing and recoloring the AQS Letter Home quilt along.  The original quilt from AQS finishes at 60" x 60" and you can find the free pattern and instructions for that here.  

AQS Coloring and Block Construction

A totally crazy day. I don't even know why I say that anymore since every day is crazy. I got a lot of paperwork done, but not as much as I would have liked. Hence, I didn't finish the class descriptions for my classes. HOWEVER, I'm going to give you what I have. And that's the information for classes on EQ8.

Note - the class platform is on ZOOM. Zoom is free, but you will need EQ8. I would strongly suggest that you link in through your tablet or a second computer, and use EQ8 on another ...

d in
I'm so excited this morning, I can hardly contain myself. Yesterday was the BEST day ever. And I can "blame" it all on Katheleen. I really, really want to do the art journaling that she's doing. I look at my space, and I sigh. There's loads of room for quilting in  Studio B, but there's no room to bring out the art supplies.

But WAIT! I do have the space to make this happen. It's just filled with other stuff at the moment.

My scrapbooking space

 Good morning and happy Sunday!  Today marks the beginning of the last week of this weird "summer break" for my family.  My husband hasn't traveled overnight for work since March, all of the usual summer activities were canceled, and yet here we are, preparing for Back to School once again.  Dr. Seuss needs to write us a new book, "How the Grinch Stole Summer Vacation!"  We have Anders' 17th birthday coming up this Thursday (with no party), then Lars gets moved back into his dorm at Appalachian State University next Sunday, and then classes begin for both of them ...

I had high hopes of knocking out a few of the easier blocks for Anders' Beware the Ishmaelites sampler quilt over the weekend, but I was stymied by a color glitch.  My plan was to make all four of the predominantly yellow blocks, and I printed up my foundation paper piecing templates and my rotary cutting charts and headed upstairs to the studio...  But when I pulled out the two yellow shades of Kona Solid fabric that I'd used in my EQ8 design, I had serious misgivings about using them together in my quilt.  I decided to trust my ...

Interesting concept in the placing of blocks around the edge.

Also interesting is that I placed them where I already had quilting motifs. I left the motifs as they were, but would I still quilt an outline of the applique? I think I would.

Sometimes I think that I waste far too much time designing virtual quilts, and not enough time working on real ones, but I keep finding interesting things that lead me to try new concepts, and by doing it here on Electric Quilt I don’t damage any fabric finding out if the idea is worth transferring ...

Good morning, and Happy Tuesday, everyone!  I spent some time tidying up my studio yesterday, so I rewarded myself with a few design diversions this morning before getting back to work on my Spirit Song quilt.  

First Tangent: AQS Summer Star QAL

First I played in EQ8, redrafting the AQS Summer Star QAL project that caught my eye in their email newsletter.  Here's what I came up with:

The original design by Betsey Langford, shown below, finishes at 72" x 72", which is not a useful size for me right now.  I thought this would make a good baby ...

Good morning, my lovelies, and Happy Tuesday!

Oh my gosh, you guys -- I'm so smitten with a new quilt idea that I'm tempted to mask up and head to my not-quite-local quilt shop right NOW to buy fabric.  Never mind that I'm still slogging away at the long arm machine on my Spirit Song quilt, or that my son's Beware the Ishmaelites sampler is still languishing, untouched and barely begun, and my Modern Baby Clam Shells quilt has been cut out and waiting for me to start piecing it for an entire year...  I have eight works in progress at the moment, and ...

I’m sitting here in Tuckerville, watching TV, looking at my ceiling. I pin orphan blocks on my drop ceiling.

These two blocks are made from the same fabric and units. They both have a Square Squared for the block center, 4 V Block units for the star points and 4 Shaded Four Patch Units (with the Tucker Trimmer I) in the block corners. The top block has the Shaded Four Patch unit small square facing out, while the bottom block has the Shaded Four Patch unit small square facing in. Two very different looks from ...

So today is May 1st, and I've not put a single stitch of quilting into my Spirit Song quilt since the rip-stitching I wrote about a few days ago.  Finishing the quilting was supposed to be my One Monthly Goal in the studio for April, so clearly that didn't happen -- but I'm not just going to throw a bunch of stitches into a quilt to meet an imaginary deadline.  

Sad Spirit Song: No Further Quilting Progress to Report