MQS 2011 - The Things I Learned!

I had an absolutely wonderful time at MQS again this year.  I was privileged to work in the judging room as a scribe, quilt holder and general jack of all trades.  Patricia Harrison and Linda McCuean, both NQA Certified Judges.  I learned so much observing their process and listening to the comments they made as they evaluated the design and workmanship of the quilts and other items entered in the show. 

New this year was the recording of the judges comments.  After an initial evaluation, the judges comments were recorded and subsequently downloaded onto thumb drives donated by YLI.  Each entrant received the evaluation sheet and the thumb drive with the judges comments.  Had I entered a quilt, I would have been thrilled to hear a recording of their comments in their own voices.  They were generous with the quantity of comments - not limited by how fast the scribes could scribble - and the educational value of their comments was tremendous even to me as an observer.  They commented on things done well and offered helpful suggestions for improvements.  Most of all, their comments were upbeat and encouraging.  What a wonderful way to encourage quilters at all levels to improve their craft.

After completion of the judging came the classes.  I signed up for classes outside of my comfort zone and learned several new ways to embellish quilts and to quilt quilts.

Gina Perkes talked about ways she embellishes quilts.  She mentioned obtaining Ultrasuede from garments at Goodwill and other resale shops as a way to cut down the cost of obtaining materials.  She likes Ultrasuede for her longarm applique technique as it doesn't ravel.

One of the more interesting techniques discussed by Gina - the leaves are completed separately and then only partially quilted onto the quilt.  This adds quite a bit of dimension to the quilted piece.

 Another class I took was from Mindy Wylie Casperson.  I've been trying to figure out how to get swags using the templates I have on hand...not possible.  She's developed a series of Swag templates that accomplish the job quite nicely.  I also learned some other ways to use templates that I hadn't thought about before - a very helpful class.

OK, not the best picture.  But a great example of one of the ways swags can be incorporated in a border.

I took a wholecloth class from Judy Woodworth a year or so ago and enjoyed her teaching style tremendously.  So when I saw the class on quilt painting and coloring, it seemed like a good way to become familiar with new techniques.  And it was.  A side benefit was getting to meet her husband, Woody, who does most of the painting on her quilts. 

This quilt is an adaptation of a picture of her daughters in their clown costumes.  It's wonderfully vibrant and fun to explore (a term I heard used in the judging room frequently that really expresses how quilts can be viewed). 

My final class was as a Teacher's Angel for Mari-Lee Seei's class on using templates.  It never hurts to learn more about using templates and I was curious as to why the Off-The-Edge circle rulers were marked the way they were.  I've used circle templates marked with rays (45, 90, 135, 180 degree markings and so forth) and was having difficulty envisioning how to use circle templates marked with lines parallel to the centerline.  Well, Mari-Lee explained it beautifully and identified a whole new range of ways to use templates.

The central motif is generated using a circle template combined with just a portion of a stencil.  It really looks elegant and is different from anything I've tried up to this point.

If you can't tell, I had a great time and learned quite a bit at the show.  And if you want to see who won ribbons at the show, check out the MQS website:  http://www.mqsshow.org/. 

Cheers!
Margaret

The Challenge Picks up Speed

We're nearing the mid-point of our guild's UFO challenge and it certainly picked up speed today with one member completing 12 quilts and another completing 8 quilts.  What's even better are the variety of quilts we have seen - some more recent UFOs and some that have been languishing for years in closets and under beds.  The other interesting thing is that quilters are giving themselves the freedom to do something different than they had originally planned - either by using a quilt block as a medallion, changing the size and layout of the quilt blocks, or using some other creative way of completing their projects.

So...the tally is the Batik team with 63 UFOs completed and the Calicos with 74 completed UFOs.  It's relatively close in numbers but the amazing thing is the total number of UFOs completed to date and the energy around getting some of these projects completed.  This challenge has really stirred things up in a good way. 

Here are just a few of the quilts completed and displayed at May's meeting.

Cathy had two different Christmas themed quilts.  She had made one into a beautiful table topper and was going to use this block on the back but liked it so well it became a quilt all its own.  The center ribbon square was one she received from a block exchange - but whose block it was remains a mystery.

Ruthanna's Sunbonnet Sue.  The quilt top was one she purchased from the auction of Judy McClure's quilting related items a few years ago.  Ruthanna hand quilted this - didn't take too long, she said!  Beautifully done, too.

Jan had these two quilts - very pleasing to look at.  What made these particularly interesting were the beads she had incorporated as she was doing the hand quilting on them.

Kay (she moved - sorry she's so blurry) finally completed this quilt that had been laying over the back of her couch for a few years.  Beautiful piecing and wonderful hand quilting.

June with her daugher, Valeri.  June has this wonderful quilt and Valeri's holding a picture of their cat on the quilt.  Valerie claims she'd get more quilting done if it snowed in Texas!

Another of June's quilts - for the wall above another daughter's bed.  What a wonderful gift.

Joyce completed several quilts that will make their way to the Quilts of Valor program.  Joyce prefers to make up her own patterns.  Look at the sawtooth border - isn't it wonderful?

Alice completed this quilt.  What a wonderful variety of stars in the quilt.  She pointed out that she ran out of the blue fabric for the sawtooth border so substituted some of the maroon fabric randomly.  What a great way to turn a potential problem into a nice design solution.

Lena (she's standing to the right outside of the picture)  used this gorgeous Lone Star quilt for practice machine quilting.  She echo quilted inside the diamond shapes.  The corners have a variety of quilting designs that she freehanded.  While she says some of the corner shapes are better than others, it all adds up to a striking quilt.

 

Rosemary actually completed two quilts using this 9 patch design that makes an Irish Chain.  What a pleasing color palette.  Rosemary's quilting is just beautiful, as well.

Another of Rosemary's quilts.  The colors in the border are picked up in the various blocks in the body of the quilt.  This was a half square triangle exercise.  The gold colored cornerstones also add a punch to the quilt.  Rosemary had apparently started with those being all black but realized it needed something to add that zing.

Heifers on the hill - a fun quilt.  Rosemary shared the story of her daughter being given directions to her grandfather's (I think) home in the country that included turning when she reached the heifers on the hill.  The year the heifers weren't there resulted in a wrong turn.

This was just a small sampling of the quilts displayed.  Congratulations to those who have completed so many UFOs.  And for the rest of us, including me, we need to get sewing.

Cheers!
Margaret

Creative Costumes

Today was our monthly quilt guild meeting.  While our members have a variety of talents, at least one of our members is a creative dynamo.  Susannah works with the local dancer's guild on costumes for their wonderful presentations.  Alice in Wonderland is coming up this weekend and we got a sneak preview of some of the costumes these lucky dancers will be wearing.  As a side not, daughters of two members and the granddaughter of one of our guild members will be in the ballet.

Susannah moves too quickly for me to catch her in a still pose.  But you can see the gorgeous butterfly wings that will be attached to the unitard.  There were several different versions she displayed, explaining that they rarely had enough fabrics to make everyone the same costume.  Nor would they all want to look exactly the same!  You may also be able to get an idea of the headpiece Susannah has on - the feelers and eyes for the butterfly.

This headdress goes with a unitard in blues and greens for a lizard (I think).  What a creative way to get the long tail and headpiece to go with the outfit.

Susannah's on the move again but this is the flamingo outfit.  The head of the flamingo, with the beak pointing towards the wall, sits on top of the dancer's head.  Susannah was explaining the modifications to the costume so the dancer could see when she turned her head.

One of the flower costumes with petals that have wire inside them so they can be curled up once the costume is on.

Not sure if this is Tweedle Dee or Tweedle Dum.  No matter, it's a cute costume.  The top and pants are attached to a circle that holds the fabric away from the dancer's body.  The top fabric is a lame of some sort that chewed up needles, according to Susannah.

Just a sampling of the delightful costumes she shared.  What was even more incredible were the other materials used to enable the costumes to hold their shape.  Wire, fishing line, and all sorts of intricate construction and the results are wonderful.

We're blessed to have such a creative person in our midst and her cadre of sewing helpers to make these costumes come to life.

Cheers!
Margaret

Quilts of Valor

Over the past few years, I've noticed an increasing recognition of the Quilts of Valor program in the quilting world.  The mission is to cover all service members and veterans touched by war - quilts to honor and comfort our wounded. 

The Columbus Chapter of the Quilts of Valor program has been prolific over the past 6 years, providing more than 6,000 quilts.  One member, Alice Corya, was recently profiled in our local paper, The Republic, for her contributions.  Alice has made 150 quilts per year for the past 3 years.

The front of the sanctuary with quilts on display.  In addition to the quilts hung up front, notice the quilts draped over the stage.  Quilts were on both sides of the stage.

This past weekend was the semi-annual display of quilts and there were 199 quilts on display at the Community Church of Columbus.  The quilts adorned the sanctuary and were viewed by visitors on Friday and the congregation on Sunday.

Flossie, another of our prolific quilters, stands by one of the quilts she made.  She's well into her 90's and is still turning out several quilts a week.

Quilts were hung from the balcony, draped over room dividers and hung along the side walls of the sanctuary.  Kathy (red shirt) is the coordinator of the Columbus group and Ken (back to camera) is one of the quilters.  Several other quilters from the group come to see the quilts hung.  It's fun to see them hung and they certainly look different than when you see them one at a time.

Yesterday, we took down the quilts, folded them and inserted the letters that go in the pocket sewed on the back of every quilt.  The letters express our appreciation to our service members and talk about the loving care that is put into each quilt in the hopes it provides a measure of comfort.

The quilts run the gamut from traditional to contemporary with fabrics to match.  There are also a great number of patriotic quilts in red, white and blue. 

Quilts from this group are headed to VA Hospitals in Albuquerque, NM, and Marion, IN, where they'll be given to wounded service members.

If you know of a wounded service member who would benefit from receiving a quilt, contact either the Quilts of Valor program through their web site or let me know and I'll forward the information to the appropriate personnel.  If they are in the Columbus area, we would love to give it to them in person and express our appreciation for their service.

Cheers!
Margaret

Traveling Sewing Machine

One of the funnier incidents at Paducah actually started the Saturday before I left home.  It's Garage Sale Season so I know Spring is actually here.  One garage sale even advertised "Quilting Books."  Who could resist?  And to find it at the home of a friend was even better.

After catching up with Sandy & Betty, I looked through the quilting books.  There were several I was interested in and at $2 apiece, who could resist?  As I was looking, the owner of the books started talking to me.  It turns out she also was trying to get rid of a White Sewing Machine in a cabinet, given to her by her daughter.  She said it was mine for only 50 cents!  Sold!

Knowing that I was going to Paducah and that Cindy deals in vintage sewing machines, it was perfect timing.  So I loaded the machine into my car and took it home.  I did test it and it did work.  If I had even the slightest room for it, I might have kept it.  But I loaded it back in the car and off we went to Paducah.

When I showed Cindy the machine, I told her I wanted to double my money and I'd be happy.  She guessed that I had bought it for $1.  So we set it up in the middle of her booth.

Cindy, me and Martha.  Cindy set her Singer featherweight on the arm of the cabinet.  The White sewing machine is the black machine in the case.  It had all of the attachments and was in good condition.

Then on Tuesday, I heard some laughing and Cindy tapped me on the shoulder.  Who should be there but Martha, the owner of the machine.  She knows Cindy and recognized the machine.  What a good time we had laughing about the travels of the machine.

Cheers!
Margaret

Paducah at the River's Edge

The 27th Annual AQS Quilt Show & Contest at Paducah, KY, was held this week.  Cindy Claycamp, owner of Quilting Memories, invited me to join her and other friends during this celebration of quilts.  My schedule was such that I could only go for a few days but some is better than none.

I drove down Sunday after playing handbells at our Easter service.  The weather was iffy in Columbus but it was downright nasty as I drove across the Wendell Ford Parkway in Kentucky.  At one point, there was even light hail.  No car damage, thank goodness, but it was nasty driving.  I arrived in Paducah about 6 p.m., just as Cindy and her friend Carol were unloading the last of Cindy's tubs of quilts.  It's all in the timing!!


Cindy taking a stretch break to loosen up the muscles after carting in all sorts of tubs and equipment.

Cindy rents a building in downtown Paducah for the week of the show and Indiana vendors invade the building.  There were 7 vendors in one building and 4 in another.  A few of them had come down Saturday afternoon (Pohlar Fabrics, The Quilt Shoppe and In Stitches) and had their booths completely in order by the time Cindy was done unloading her van.  Cindy, Carol and I moved tables, set up framing on which to hang quilts, and unloaded tubs.  We worked hard and got Cindy's booth pretty well set up by early evening.
 In the meantime, another Indiana vendor showed up.  Nancy Mason, owner of Rivers Edge Fabric Company, arrived as we were close to finishing.  With true Hoosier Hospitality in the Bluegrass state, Kenny Pohlar helped Nancy unload her trailer and set up some framing for her booth.  As Cindy and Carol were exhausted (remember, they unloaded the tubs from Cindy's van), they headed for the condo to rest and recuperate.  I helped Nancy unload tubs, move tables, set up pegboards and we at least got the structure of her booth in place with about half of the merchandise out before we joined the others at the condo.


Cindy's display of red and white antique quilts was stunning and generated quite a bit of interest.  My favorite is smack dab in the middle of this display - solid red circles with rays coming out of them.  The workmanship on this quilt (actually on all of the quilts) was exquisite.

Monday came and we were up and at it early to put the finishing touches on the booths.  We finished setting up Nancy's booth and Cindy put the finishing touches on her booth.  Just Jennifer (Jennie Sharpe) showed up Monday morning to set up her booth.  An honorary Hoosier, she has gorgeous jackets based on sweatshirts.

But the real excitement was happening outside.  It had been raining almost non-stop for the past week and the rivers were starting to rise.  The downtown area is only 2 blocks from the Four Rivers Pavillion.  With four rivers converging in Paducah, they had built a flood wall that was at least 20 feet high several years ago.  Normally, there are gaps in the wall so visitors can stroll along the banks of the Ohio River.  But the city engineers were installing the flood gates - just a half block from our location!  It was an interesting process to watch and somewhat nerve racking to be unloading quilts and materials while the waters rise.  Nancy's shop name (Rivers Edge) took on new meaning! 

This opening in the flood wall is just a half block from our storefront.  You can see the steel beams they've installed to hold the corrugated sheets that complete the flood wall.

The hearty Indiana vendors opened their mini-mall at noon on Monday as scheduled.  Quilters did float in and out of the store between downpours.  Although slightly damp, they were in good spirits and happy to be in Paducah.  Nancy let me help her in her booth and I had a blast.  She did demos of the Strip Tubing ruler and I'd run the register.  Or I'd do the demos and she'd talk with someone about the needlework kits she had on display.  It was loads of fun and I learned quite a bit about embroidery.

Rose and Linda working on projects while waiting for customers to brave the intermittent storms.

We later learned that the river was expected to crest the week following the quilt show and that all 49 of the flood gates had been installed - first time ever! There were pressure gauges on one of the flood gates in the downtown area but the water hadn't reached the flood wall by the time I left town.

I was able to take this picture before they closed up a door in the wall.  Just to the right of the lampost in the center is a sign that's just barely out of the water.  There is a lovely walk along the river - or at this point, under the river!

Anyway, the show moved out of the convention center  as it was on the wrong side of the flood wall.  Go figure!  The town rallied and the quilt show and vendors were all housed in alternative locations - the show must go on.  But so did the rain.  It rained through Wednesday evening but cleared up for a beautiful Thursday and Friday.  Visitors arrived from all over and I had wonderful conversations with quilters from across the United States as well as several from the UK and Australia. 

As I watched the local news Wednesday morning, I learned that Pat Holly's quilt, Paisley Peacock, won Best of Show.  I'm sure Pat was thrilled.  So was I since I'd seen Pat work on that quilt during the 2009 Beaver Island Quilt Retreat.  Pat does beautiful machine applique on some of the tiniest pieces of fabric.

Finally, it was time to head home.  I waited for a break in the storms and left Paducah while it was just sprinkling.  I no sooner got out of town than it started raining.  Then it rained hard.  And harder.  And harder still!  No fun driving in the rain.  But there wasn't alot of traffic and it was plenty light out so it wasn't too bad.  It didn't stop raining until I hit the Seymour exit, just a half hour from home.  It was great to pull into the garage.  But I already missed being with my quilting friends.  Oh, well, there's always next year!

Cheers!
Margaret

Thread Therapy

The Kentuckiana Longarm Group met yesterday to talk about thread.  We enjoyed watching the Thread Therapy CD with Bob Purcell, president of Superior Threads, giving one of his thread lectures.  If you ever have a chance to see him in person, it's worth it as he is quite entertaining (just groan at his jokes) and has all sorts of tidbits about thread...how it's made, terminology used in packaging and what it means to you, and how to pair it with the correct needle.  In the meantime, check out Superior's web site as there is a ton of useful information there about threads.

Marcy hosted the meeting and demonstrated the way to use the Towa Tension gauge for bobbin tension measurements.  She also had one of the new Superior Threads Top Thread Tension gauges.  Used in conjunction with Superior's chart of correct tension measurements, it takes all of the mystery out of whether or not your tension is correct.

One of the helpful tips from the video was that metallic thread, when pulled off the spool, shouldn't twist up like a phone cord.  If it does, Bob's advice is to throw the spool away or to use it in the bobbin only.  Using it in the top will cause unneeded headaches.  The other tip I found helpful was that Topstitch needles and Metallic needles are essentially equivalent.  They have a double sized eye to allow the thread more room so threads fray less.  He maintains that a majority of teachers and educators now use Topstitch needles almost exclusively.

After talking about different threads and tension issues, we went up to Marcy's studio.  What a wonderful space she has!

Marcy, at right, talking with others about the number of thread guides and the tension adjustments on her HQ Avante.

While they were talking about thread tension adjustments, I took myself on a tour of her sewing studio.  I was captivated by the antiques she has and the way she's using them! 

This lovely bookcase is in her sewing studio - mixing a love of antiques and fabrics.  There are some books on the upper right shelf, too.



This is the other bookshelf full of fabrics.

I really liked this cutting table - just two rolling tables pushed together.  Plenty of storage space underneath.  She's got a large cutting mat across the tops of the tables.

Here's Barbara with the one Show and Tell quilt.  She did a beautiful job quilting it and gave me some ideas for how to quilt sashing and triangle spaces.

 It was an interesting afternoon and a gorgeous day for a drive through the countryside.  Good times, good friends, and good snacks!

Cheers!
Margaret