Creating “Picasso’s Chickens”
I’d like to take you through the creation of my newest quilt, Picasso’s Chickens. This one went through a number of variations, mostly because I’ve been at home and able to really sit with my designs until all of the niggling issues are resolved. This one was in process for nearly five months. One of…
Kaleidoscope Accepted for QuiltCon 2020!
I’m thrilled to announce that Kaleidoscope has been accepted for exhibit at QuiltCon 2020! I got the notification a little while ago, but life has been a little crazy recently and I realized I hadn’t made the announcement on the blog–better late than never! QuiltCon 2020 will be held at the Austin Convention Center in…
Creating an Improv Quilt
As a teacher, one of the questions I get most often from students in my Improv classes is “how do you know what to do?” followed closely by “how do you know when it’s finished?” Those are great questions with Improv quilting, because there’s no pattern and no rules to follow. For me, this is…
“Kaleidoscope” Revealed
I got the dreaded “no thank you” email recently from Quilt National, so I can share my new Kaleidoscope quilt with you now. Quilt National is one of the most prestigious art quilt shows and it’s quite competitive to get into. Hundreds of entries pour in every two years when the call for entry goes…
Working Large
In 2018, one of my goals was to work much larger than I have done in the past. It’s been a very interesting journey. Working large doesn’t just mean making bigger quilts–it also means adjusting my style and my method of design. In the past, I’ve started with a color plan, pulled out fabrics that…
Fireworks is Ready to Go
I’ve had my head down the last two weeks in the studio frantically stitching. I’m leaving in a few minutes to go to the Crow Barn for two weeks to study with Nancy Crow and I realized two weeks ago that I was supposed to recreate my quilt from last year in two different colorways.…
Designing Confetti
Confetti is my newest art quilt and I’d like to share the process of creating it, because it’s a new way of working for me. This quilt grew out of my work at the Crow Barn last year, although it’s a completely new work–you can read about that experience here and here. I’ve always been…
Anatomy of an Improv Quilt
Right before the Baltimore Craft Show last weekend, I had a brainstorm for a new quilt. This frequently happens when I’m in deadline mode before a show for some reason–maybe that’s just when my creativity ramps up? The result was Jumping for Joy, which you see in the featured image above. I thought it would…
Improv Patchwork by Maria Shell – Win her Book!
I was thrilled when Maria Shell asked me to be part of the blog hop for the release of her new book, Improv Patchwork: Dynamic Quilts Made with Line and Shape, published by C&T Publishing. I first met Maria when I sat down next to her at a Studio Art Quilts Association (SAQA) conference several years…