MQX - My Quilts and ME!

The other day I received this awesome email from MQX. Nice!

Lucy, my project for this years Journeys Thru Art challenge, was accepted. Awesome! I had been wanting to do a Lucy quilt for a while now, and when Journeys decided on Famous Female Faces I knew I'd be making a Lucy quilt.  I went back and forth between different techniques and kept coming back to using purple. I ordered a yardage bundle of Cherrywood Hand-Dyed Fabrics in the eggplant gradation colorway. My friend asked why I chose purple, and I just blurted out "it was Lucy's favorite color" - I had no idea of this, I was joking. Then my curiosity got the best of me and after a little google research I found out that purple was one of her favorite colors so it turned out pretty cool!
So here's Lucy (I still need to square and put the binding on):

It's a Jungle was also accepted. More awesomeness! It's a Jungle was started eons ago as a bed quilt for my son. I pulled it out and made a serious attempt to finish it for Christmas. Well, that didn't happen, and I guess it's good, because now it gets to go to MQX! It is truly a bed quilt, the pattern is Bound to the Prairie by Moda University. Of course I didn't follow directions and went my own way with colors, or should I say my reduced number of colors. And just wait until you see the backing for this quilt! It's an ice-dye by Sondra Millard/She's Got Mojo. I had sent her pics of my fabrics and she created magic (like she always does). This quilt is still being quilted so these are the only pictures I can share right now:

And do you know who else is going to MQX New England?... ME!  I'll be teaching!!  A couple of my hands-on classes have sold out, and space is limited in my others, so go check it out soon!!  Will I see you there?

Down the Rabbit Hole

This is the only warning:  if you are part of the Martin County Quilters and want to be surprised about my entry for the member challenge - STOP READING!

This quilt was oodles of fun!  It all started back when Martin County Quilters announced the 2013 Member Challenge -- black and white. I knew immediately I would be doing one of my zentangle doodles, but didn't know exactly what or how so I put the thought away for a while.  One morning I woke up, poured my coffee and sat down to doodle.  Well, I doodled and doodled and this happened:

I had been playing around with an Alice in Wonderland-ish quilt in my head for awhile, and well, the Mad Hatter, he's one of my favorites and this quilt totally speaks Mad Hatter (at least to me).  So this just seemed like the perfect place for all these ideas to meet -- kinda cool if I say so.

The rules for the challenge were pretty simple -- max size 160" perimeter, must be black and white (you can add 1-2 other colors but they can't total more than 25%) and that's it.

So I took my drawing and enlarged it to about 39" square:

Yep, that's an aerial of my kitchen table -- wow, it looks amazingly fun now huh?

So I started with a piece of really nice white fabric -- when I say really nice, it is such a smooth silky feeling fabric!  Now, to try and remember when and where I purchased this... that just might kill me, but let me tell you it is absolutely sweet fabric!  I'll make a mental note to keep looking for it because now I've only got a little chunk left -- it looks like this:

I know, that wasn't much help huh?  So from there I transferred the pattern to the fabric in pencil:

And then the inking and coloring began:

And after about 80 hours this happened -- awesomeness!

And then it was time for the quilting... Yes, I still suffer from I'm-really-gonna-mess-this-up anxiety!  Seriously!!  When it comes time to quilt my own stuff I turn into a nervous-nelly.

So as with almost all quilts, I start by basting the entire quilt so I know it is square and make sure there will be no surprises when I get down to the bottom.  This also allows me to roll the quilt back and forth as much as necessary while quilting.

 Then some test stitches and we're off:

Staying on those lines... hmmm, maybe next time I'll quilt it first then color it in!  And some super-duper tiny pebbles -- FUN!

Hey... did you know that if you stick your hand in front of the needle it will bite you!  This has happened to me many times, but this is the very first time I got blood on the quilt!  Oh no!!  But, did you know that a tiny little bit of peroxide on a Q-Tip takes it right off!  Magic!

Although this quilt was hanging fairly flat, blocking is always a good idea with any competition piece.

before blocking

So it was dipped, blocked, and stayed like this for a couple of days while it dried:

during blocking

 And that leaves us with binding... ugh... yuck... hate... slow...

But here we go, the finished picture -- OMG, I love this quilt!!!

Down the Rabbit Hole - an original design by Karen Marchetti

So the best part of this... as I was finishing inking and coloring the design I realized how awesome it was and decided to submit it to MQX Quilt Festivals Pacific Northwest show.  It was accepted, so everyone will get to see it debut there.  No worries, it will still be my member challenge for Martin County Quilters, and hopefully many more shows!  Hope you get a chance to see it!

Update on the goings-on in my little world...

Today is setup day for AQS Grand Rapids.
If you are there, you'll notice I'm not...

Yes, it is true, as much as I would love to be there, things have happened and plans have changed, and my cute (albeit chubby) face won't be at AQS Grand Rapids or OSQE Pittsburgh.  I would have been showcasing my talents as Quilting Artist in the Gammill booth sharing how awesome their machines are but life happened and crazies have landed and no... I'm not there.  I know this is a bit disappointing for a few of you who I was hoping to meet, but I am sure we will meet soon, at another show perhaps.  I'm not sure where I'll be next, but no worries, I will definitely let all of you lovely quilties know as soon as I do!  As disappointing as it is, it is also kind of neat -- it's like I've found two weeks that I didn't have.  That's cool, I might actually be able to get ahead of myself... hahaha... wishful thinking I know!

But loads of stuff are happening anyway!  Just adding to the fact that I am totally insane so why not just let the pot boil over with craziness?... right?

I'm trying to catch up on client work -- ehhh, that is a never-ending battle.  You get ahead only to fall behind again.  It is good though, it keeps life interesting and kinda keeps me on my toes.  And I do try my best to keep 3M in business with my plethora of post-its!

A quick run down on everything I have going on.  If you don't remember my last accountability post was on June 6 (check it out if you don't remember) -- and... not much has happened since, okay I lie, a lot has:

Kaleidoscope Quilt (aka Dance in the Rain)
I did manage to work on this for a couple of days.  I finished all the strata and started assembling the pie pieces.  Not too bad for less than a weekend's worth of work.  And the good thing is I managed to work on it -- it was stuck in that bad never-gonna-get-this done place, so some work is good!  Still have oodles of stuff to finish on this one.  I love the designs that are happening.  I totally did not plan any of my fabric placements -- just made the strata and hoped for the best.  I will be adding some applique -- the eyes might need a spot to rest every so often!  And, I still need to piece the border - more strata - have to grab some more fabrics from Natalie. Once this beauty is finished it WILL be amazing!  Right now it's still getting there!

H2O Challenge
My project for this years Journeys Thru Art challenge.  I'm calling it Drops.  I am so excited!  I spent a few hours and made some drops.... now to find a gazillion more hours!  But aren't those drops freaking amazing?!!!  I love when I impress myself -- it scares me sometimes when things turn out so perfectly that those little hairs on the back of your neck stand straight up!  IDK, maybe that's just me -- but it happened, they stood straight up and tinglies went up and down my spine.  One of those wow moments!  I can not wait to find more time to finish this quilt!



Martin County Quilters 2013 Member Challenge - Black and White
Just wait until you see this -- it is totally amazing and cool!  It is just about finished being colored and then needs to be quilted.  It turned out so amazing that I actually entered it into MQX Quilt Festival - Pacific Northwest!  It is a wholecloth which I am using fabric markers to color in one of my zentangly doodles that I drew specifically for the challenge.  I'm calling it Down the Rabbit Hole, and this is the only picture I can share at this point -- just wait though, it'll knock your socks off.  Well, unless you don't wear socks, then perhaps your flip-flops will fly?!!  Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that my quilting will accentuate my drawing and I don't mess it up!

PSL Crazy Quilters 2014 Member Challenge - fail... I have nothing more than the last update.  The entry deadline is still in November.  My idea board is still blank.  Hoping my last minute magic kicks in on this one!

True Colors - I have drawn out the quilting design and I'm quite pleased.  That's it though, I still need to transfer the main lines to the quilt and then squeeze it into my schedule somewhere!  Soon!!  This quilt wants so badly to be born.

New Un-Named Quilt
Progress!  It has been named - Arachne's Dauntless Spin - why you ask?  Of course it is a long story, here is the short version... one of my besties said it looked spider-webby, which you can't see just yet but yes, some of it really does resemble spider webs.  So me and my little researcher brain had to find a name to match the spider-webbiness of the drawing.  Hmmm.... well..... wow.... not much.  Then I found the story of Arachne and Athena... and hey, the quilt is made of silk and spider webby and and and... there you go, that's how my brain works!  So while I can't share the drawing with you (only a few have seen it -- its going to be a surprise), I will share the fabrics with you -- beautiful aren't they!  I can not wait to work on this quilt!!

Un-Named, Yet-to-be-Designed Fantastic Idea for a Quilt
Absolutely no progress on this one at all...
my idea totally matches the Up Up and Away theme for MQS and I think it would be totally awesome.  The only problem I'm having is drawing it out, fabric'ing it up, quilting it... you know... T I M E.  Ahhhhhh, we'll see, this is on the back burner for now.  Even if I don't finish it for the Up Up and Away challenge I will still finish it because it is awesome in my head!

Where The Heck Did That Come From? - new un-named wonder
I have had these fabrics for forever and a day, or two... they were originally planned for something else and well, that something will never happen -- the one block took me an entire day to make.  I don't know about all of you, but I do not have enough time to devote an entire day to one block... ever!  So scrap that idea and the fabrics are now available for this amazing thing that just popped out of my head -- no name for this one yet but it is total coolness!  So again, I can't share the quilt just yet but here are the fabrics.  But here's the weird part.  I am not a print person -- lately I have been trying to rid my stash of all these crazy prints I've picked up over the years.  I think part of it is I like to see my stitches and prints don't always allow that.  But amazingly, this quilt will be using two prints!  Proud of myself in a weird sort of way.

I think that's it... probably not, but I've made blogging progress and added reminders to my calendar not to ignore you wonderful peeps!

Gammill and MQX 2013 - Manchester. NH

What fun I have had since last Wednesday!  Exhausting, anxious, extreme fun!  It is pretty much a giant blur in my mind, but I'll try my best to share it all.

It all started landing at Boston Logan airport -- a few pics of Boston and Cambridge that I managed to snap on the ride to Manchester.

a tunnel... I have missed these!

really cool architecture

MIT !!

look... it's still winter!

The awesome Gammill booth:

And I was super surprised when Rhonda and Betsey handed me my big surprise - the beautiful products brochure with Wonderlust on the cover - it is awesome, amazing, fantastic... every possible adjective and even more!!

The awards ceremony - congratulations to ALL the winners, some beautiful and amazing quilts, as always!  

Outta the Loop managed to win a Faculty Award - pure awesomeness!

I did manage to wander around and see everything I just didn't have enough brain cells to photograph it all.  I did snap a picture of Dance 1-5 by Randall Cook -- this is the first time I have seen all five together, it was amazing!

And you'll never guess what happened while I was in New Hampshire... snow!  I do believe I was the only person that was excited.

So you might ask what my purpose was in the Gammill booth.  As a Gammill Quilting Artist I was stitching on an actual quilt that will be auctioned off later in the year.  Make sure you follow along with Gammill Quilting via the website or the facebook page.  There will be details on when, where, how, etc.  A different quilt will be quilted at each show - what fun!!!  It's nice to show/remind people that quilting is truly an art!  Following are a few pictures of the quilt created at this show - and yes, that is the most beautiful teal silk dupioni:

Well, it seems I stitched a little too quickly and finished a day early.  So we loaded a beautiful rayon batik purchased at Sew Batik (wish you could feel this fabulous fabric):

And a video taken by Carolyn H. of Cape Elizabeth, Maine -- so nice of her!!

This one didn't get finished, it'll have to wait for my visit to Paducah next week!  As well as another dupioni masterpiece -- I can't wait!

I am a longarm quilter, but let me tell you Gammill's sit down machine, the Charm, is kinda amazing!  Here is Betsey piecing a backing on it - she is a genius and shows us how extremely versatile this machine can be!

And then booth take-down time.  This is an amazing team and I think it was possibly a record take-down -- 3.5 hours!  Everyone helps out and it all goes smoothly!

I know that was really long and it was a lot of pictures but I just had to share it all.  It was a wonderful experience and can't wait to do it all again in Paducah -- hope to see you there!!