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September 29, 2023
Thinking about Classes on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre


 

So it's getting to be that time again...the time when I start thinking of next year's quilt class/workshop/vacation.  Every year I start the hunt for where do I want to go and what do I want to learn.  In the beginning, it was so much easier....I never had been anywhere and I didn't know anything, so it was all new.  I remember picking Paula Nadelstern for my first class, not because I actually thought I would learn to make quilts like she did (which I did not) but because I just wanted to ...

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September 22, 2023
Sutton Foster on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

 

Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center
We interrupt your regularly schedule programming to bring you something a bit different today.  Anybody who is a regular reader will know that I am a firm believer in exposing oneself to all sorts of art and culture.  My reasoning is that not only is it good for your own personal education and mental health, but also you never quite know where the inspiration for your next piece will come from.  When the plague struck, it reinforced this belief that culture is essential to one's life.  I told myself that I would never ...

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September 15, 2023
Off The Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

 


Since it's Fair Week around here, I'm taking off but I saw this week and thought it was something I wanted to remember!!

So What Have You Been Up to Creatively?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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September 14, 2023
Build Your Own World on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre




(The following post comes with a "My Opinion Only" Warning and you are more than welcome to disagree)

Look, I know artwork like everything else goes in and out of fashion.  But lately, I've noticed a LOT of art quilt work that is more derived from rather than inspired by another artist.  Now, I'm not talking about direct copying and using for profit as this article shows.   More like I see art quilts that look more like they were done by the same artist when they haven't been.

You can see where this can easily and innocently ...

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September 1, 2023
DecoBob ThreadTalk on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre



 Let me start this by saying I am in no way affiliated with Wonderfil.  In fact, as you might have noticed, I never monetized my blog 'cause I really feel like we have enough ads in our lives and I'm not adding to the clutter.

 Wonderfil is a thread manufacturer in Alberta, Canada.  I came across their thread by mistake back in 2020 when I saw somewhere (I think it was on the AQS site) that they were giving away free samples of Wonderfil thread.  Because all the national quilt shows had been canceled that year,  they had all ...

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August 27, 2023
Homeward Bound VII - Applipops - on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

Homeward Bound Month 7


Applipops
Okay, I'll admit it.  Even though this project is a lot of work, I am a bit obsessed with it.  I know
Sarah Fielke designed it and hundreds of quilters are making it all over the world, but it feels perfectly unique to me.  I'm always a little shocked when I get a section done.  Shocked by what I learned, how much better I am at the end of the month than at the beginning, and how it looks totally different from everyone else's. 

This month wasn't any different.  Well, it ...

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August 18, 2023
Do You Remember??? On Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

 This week I got the book, The Quilter's Catalog, a Comprehensive Source Guide, written by Meg Cox in 2008.  I bought it for a full $5.25 so it was quite the bargain.  

"The  complete quilter's companion and essential resource, jam packed with information, supplies, explert interviews, techniques, community and inspiration."

And truly it is ... for 2008. Browsing through it, got me feeling nostalgic.  Maybe it's hitting middle age but it's just odd how many things in this book from only 15 years ago are now obsolete.

I remember back in 1995, and all you would ...

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August 11, 2023
Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

 


I've just been hand-appliquing all week which is not over-exciting - so I'll just host....

What Have You Been Up to Creatively?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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August 5, 2023
Homeward Bound BOM Continues on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

One down - 3 more to go

 It's always hard to get back into the swing of things after a vacation, isn't it?  At least that is what I found this week.  I did manage to get my studio unpacked and finally looked at my Block of the Month, Homeward Bound.

Sighhhhhhh

I had a few rules  parameters when I started this journey last January.

  • Stick to the pattern
  • Stick to the technique the designer was teaching
  • Finish each month on time
I was doing so well......then came July and it all got shot to hell.

Here it ...

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July 28, 2023
Last Day of Mosaics on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

 

By Gretchen VanNostrand

Contrary to how last week's post read, I really did have a good time on my creative vacation.  I try to do at least one week a year to recharge my batteries and this week surely did.  It wasn't that the piece really lead me to new ideas, but more the people that surrounded me were a pleasure.

One of which was Gretchen VanNostrand of West Virginia.  Gretchen has been quilting for about 20 years, but she specializes in fabric bags and organizers.  So she walked into the class never really having tried anything like ...

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July 21, 2023
When Your Big Idea Changes on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

Our Classroom at Marc Adams School of Woodworking and Time Honor Crafts

Okay, let me start by saying, this is not this clown's first rodeo.  When I get ready for a 5-day design class, I normally have a plan in mind of how it's going to go.  This week with Timna Tarr's Stitched Mosaic was no different.  Since I took this exact same class last year, I thought no problem.  You pick a pretty picture - you edit - you place fabrics - you sew - you get your pretty picture in fabric.  Right?

Well, apparently not.

It started off pretty ...

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July 14, 2023
Getting Ready for More Mosaics on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

 After much angst,  I did manage to come up with a photo for my upcoming Timna Tarr's Stitched Mosiac class.  Good thing too since it starts on Monday morning!  I did do a lot of research, but ultimately I took the easy way out and bought a picture from IStock.  


Points that lead to this choice

  1. It has the same joyful theme that Tessa's Mosaic does so it will form a series
  2. The color palettes will be similar
  3. No faces to obsess about
  4. Hands that I know how to do
  5. Landscape orientation

You see, somewhere in my research ...

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July 7, 2023
Looking for Inspiration on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

Homeward Bound Month 6 Completed


Why is it that sometimes inspiration seems all around you and other times it's nowhere to be found?  I spent the last week finishing up the Homeward Bound Month 6 - 24 star blocks.  A lot of the work was really about precision piecing and pressing.  None of it very innovative.  So now when it's time to put my creative hat back on, I'm having a hard time making the switch!   

For months now, I've known I needed an inspirational picture for my upcoming Timna Tarr's stitched mosaic quilt class.  I ...

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June 30, 2023
The Tess Take-Over: Publishing an Indie Novel on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre




I used to think that there was nothing better than a good book—the kind that makes you spend days cocooned in your favorite reading nook, not a care in the world. Turns out, the only thing better than reading a good book is writing one. My name is Tess, and this week I'm taking over my mom's blog to tell you about my debut novel, Kit & Basie (Tales from Long Lily, 1), and how the heck I got to this point. 

My mom can tell you I've been writing stories since before I could accurately spell ...

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June 23, 2023
The Color Cabal - It's a thing on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre


 My day job is selling clothing.  Today, as I sold my 13th coral almond shirt, it had me asking - Why coral almond?  I'm not overly fond of the color, but my customers are eating it up (well not literally).  I long for the days of lime green which I love...but nope it's all about coral this year.  WHY?

Welllll....apparently..... there is a handful of companies whose job it is to decide what are the "In" colors are this year.  How?  Through a lot of research in cultural and psychological trends.  The crazy thing is that it ...

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June 16, 2023
Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre


 I'm traveling this week so I'll just host!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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June 9, 2023
Things I Like on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

Four Flying Geese for the price of 

Yeah know, I don't know where the idiom, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" comes from.  I know we're all set in our ways, but really, doesn't everyone like to learn something new that will make their life easier?  That's what I did this week.  I continued on with The Quilt Show's Block of the Month quilt, Homeward Bound.  With June, came the piecing of the stars that radiate all the way to the edge corners.  When I first read the directions, they were made ...

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June 4, 2023
BOM - Month 5 on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre



Helen's EQ8 mock-up
Under the wire, I finished up May's section of the Quilt Show's Block of the Month quilt.  I won't lie, it was a struggle.  This month's section was the flying geese that surround the elaborate medallion center.  I spent a good 10 days hmmmmming.....hawwwwwwing on exactly how I was going to handle the color placement of the geese.  When I spoke up about these concerns on the quilts forum, Helen W used her EQ8 to come up with a quick mock-up (Cool right?).  Several quilters were going with solid flying ...

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May 26, 2023
My First & Last Quilt on Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre

 This time of year is always brutal around here.   We have Paul's birthday, our anniversary, Mother's


Day, and my birthday all in the same four weeks, it adds up to a lot of socializing and family time.  It is better than it used to be because before we also had all the end-of-the-school-year activities to add to the list.  Now as empty nesters, we are used to our creative time and that has sure been in short supply.  

So this week, I thought it a good idea to share my first and last quilt.  In 1993, I started ...

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May 19, 2023
Off the Wall Friday from Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever by Nina-Marie Sayre



 Sorry, y'all - spent some must needed family time this week....so I'll just host!


What Have You Been Up to Creatively?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

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  • off the wall fri
  • Page 1 of 10 ( 196 posts )