AMQG BOM - Block 3

Block 3 - December - Modern Plaid

Ok, so I didn't really do this in December either.  Actually, I decided I was going to save the remaining blocks of the month for my trip to Japan.  Since I couldn't take my sewing machine with me, though it would have fit nicely in the over-hear compartment, I decided I would try hand piecing for the very first time.  Yikes!  What a disaster.  Not only did I HATE hand piecing, but one thing failed to occur to me:  If you hand piece rows together only to cut the rows into smaller pieces, the rows will fall apart because hand piecing is not as secure as machine piecing.

Check-out below for what I mean.  I pieced rows of white and green together.  Then I needed to rotary cut the entire thing into strips.  After cutting into strips, the white and green did not stay stitched together because the stitching with hand piecing is much too loose.  Lesson learned.  I don't know why that did not occur to me in the first place!

So hand piecing in Tokyo was a bust!  When I got back, I re-sewed the block with my sewing machine. Much better!

For more info on the Block-of-the-Month, click here!

Japan - Fabric Town

Before heading to Japan, some friends in AMQG mentioned a place in Tokyo called 'Fabric Town'.  Located just outside the Nippori train station on the Yamanote line are several blocks lined with fabric shops.  They had more kinds of fabric than I ever imagined - quilting fabric, patterned knit, velvet & vinyl, not to mention the countless notions.  It was fabric heaven.

I managed to make two trips there during my month-long stay in Tokyo, which was difficult given that most of the shops in Fabric Town are only open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm and I was working Mon-Sat 9am-9pm.  Luckily, I had a week off from work during my stay in Japan, which included two Saturdays!  I dragged my poor husband there both times, the second time with the lure of lunch at a noodle shop nearby where they made fresh noodles right in front of you.  

The main store for quilt fabric was Tomato, which was 6 stories tall, each story being a different type of fabric.  The quilting fabric was on the 6th floor and has an overwhelming selection of fat quarters.  Not to mention an incredible amount of notions  - purse handles & straps, zippers, templates, etc.  Pure heaven.  I bought a bunch of zippers and some quilting fabric.  Much of the quilting fabric was actually not made in Japan, so I didn't go too crazy here.

Tomato.  From Left: Solid Knits, Pattern Knit, Fat Quarters, Purse Handles

One of the other floors had an amazing selection of knits.  I've recently become obsessed with making knit sleeves to keep me warm in the office, so I was particularly interested in this floor.  I managed to learn the symbols for cotton, polyester, and rayon thanks to google translate on my iPhone.  I didn't end up buying any knit, however, because much of the 100% cotton that I was interested in was $35 per yard...a little too rich for simple office sleeves!  

After leaving Tomato, I scored a ton of Japanese quilting fabric at the store across the street called Tsukiyasu Honten.  The folks working here were SO friendly.  On my second trip I was actually able to complete the entire transaction in Japanese after learning a few more fabric related words!  Tsukiyasu Honten was definitely my favorite shop that I visited and the main reason that I wanted to make the second trip back to Nippori.

Austin Modern Quilt Guild Winter Retreat

Had a fantastic time at the very first AMQG retreat this weekend at the Wimberly Quilt Ranch.   I spent the whole weekend working on my Tokyo Subway Quilt, a design for a Quilt-A-Long that Elizabeth Hartman did on her Oh, Frannson! Blog.  I chose this quilt for a couple reasons.  First, I will be going to Tokyo in February for a business trip for a few weeks.  I thought it would be a great way to commemorate the trip!  Second, I decided it would be a great way to use a bunch of stash fabric.  All but one fabric I've used in this quilt so far is from my stash!

This will be the first quilt I've made where I pressed the seams open.  I've been hearing that this is the latest trend so I thought I would give it a try.  This top was the perfect candidate because it has a lot of small white squares in it.  Had I pressed the seams to one side, it would have been difficult to keep track of which way each should go.

I have to say, after pressing the seams open, I really do prefer to iron my seams to one side.  It is quicker and also makes it easier to line up the seams when sewing rows together.  But, there IS much less bulk, which will be nice once I'm ready to quilt!

Checkout some pictures from the rest of the gals at the retreat on our Facebook page.  And if you are interested in doing a small retreat somewhere in the hill country, I would HIGHLY recommend the Wimberly Quilt Ranch.  While you're down that way you can also checkout the new quilt store, Valli & Kim, in Dripping Springs.

AMQG BOM - Block 2

Block 2:  November - Disappearing 9 patch

Ok, I didn't really do this in November.  But I got it done, so give me some slack!

This is my new favorite block.  I could make these all day.  You just make a 9-patch, then cut it in quarters and re-arrange.  Fantastic!

For more info on the quilt-a-long, click here.

AMQG Block of the Month

I am participating in my very first Block-of-the-Month.  Very exciting!  I picked some fabrics that I've had in my stash for a while - you know, the ones that you like to look at every once in a while but don't dare use because they are just too pretty.  Yes, I've decided to start cutting them up.  They will be in a better place, shortly!

Block 1: October - Friendship Star

I've made Friendship Stars before, so this time I decided I was going to do an inside out Friendship Star - I used white fabric, which would typically be used as the background fabric, for the star fabric instead.

For more info on the quilt-a-long, click here.  

AAQG Show

I was very excited to hear that one of my quilts, Feathered Grassland, received an Honorable Mention at this years Austin Area Quilt Guild Show.

My mother and I made this quilt together.  Though she lives over 1500 miles away, I love to collaborate on quilts with her.  Last year, she pieced a red, white, and blue top with this same pattern for one of her cousins.  I liked it so much that I asked her to piece another one just for me!  She picked out fabrics that she purchased through her guild's annual fundraiser.  She also added a custom border to Evelyn Sloppy's design.

I had two other quilts entered into the show.  A self portrait and a beautiful quilt that my neighbor, Jan, designed and pieced.

New Studio

It’s been an eventful summer. My husband and I finally completed our move to the new house, including moving my quilt studio. The quilt machine fits perfectly into the new studio (pictured right).

As a house warming gift, my mother created a studio sign (pictured above and to the right) that she created in an art quilt class taught in her local quilt shop by Lisa Ellis. Isn’t it beautiful!

During the summer I was also, unfortunately, diagnosed with a recurrence of skin cancer. Many trips to Houston for doctors appointments, surgery and reconstruction have taken up a great deal of the summer. I’m anxious for fall and getting back to quilting.

I have many UFOs that are anxious for my return as well!

Larger than Life?

This is a self portrait I’ve been working on. I’m calling it, ‘The Right Side of Darkness’. I’ve had cancer twice in my life, and a friend recently pointed out to me that both cancers as well as the organs I’ve had removed as a result of my cancer treatments are all on the right side of my body. How strange that I never put that together! As soon as she said it I knew I wanted to do a self portrait based on that idea.
One of the hardest part was trying to figure out what size I should be. Am I larger than life like the middle print? Hmmm...I don’t think so. So I settled on the size on the right. It seemed like a perfect fit.

I used fusing to piece this quilt. I have yet to quilt it. Stay tuned for the completed piece.