Quilting Artistry

Welcome!

Welcome to the Quilting Artistry blog! I am a quilter, currently living in San Francisco. As they say in my world, I am a 'trailing spouse.' This just means that my husband's job has taken us around the world, and I left my job as a CPA to move with him.  On a lark, I went with a friend to a quilting introduction class, and now I am hooked. Browse my blog, and see my website, www.quiltingartistry.com for even more information.
 

Fun Materials and Patterns Purchased in Hawaii

Like many people, I like to visit quilt shops wherever I go. I visited several in Honolulu. The first was Kaimuki Dry Goods. Here is the link: Kaimuki Website. This was a wonderful quilt store. I ended up buying a pattern called Passion Flower and a wonderful group of batiks. 

The pattern - Passion Flower -

 

The batiks I chose to use with the pattern -

 

 

I also went to The Quilt Hut. This was a smaller shop, but they had a lovely selection, and a group of women working on some projects in the back. It looked like a fun group of supportive ladies, enjoying their quilting time together. I bought a pattern that had more of a traditional Hawaiian look, and a batik to use for that. (I know batiks aren't traditional Hawaiian materials, but they work so well with it!) I don't have the material for the white or cream section. They didn't really have anything that worked perfectly with it. 

The pattern and material -

 

I went on a Quilt Shop Hop this past weekend. Two days of grueling driving through some beautiful country! My charge card is still smokin'!

Hawaii & Patterns

Hawaii was wonderful. The sunsets, the weather, the beach - what isn't wonderful about Hawaii? We went to Oahu, staying about 20 minutes North of Honolulu in the Ko'Olina Resort. What a lovely place. It is away from the hubbub of Waikiki, but close enough you can go for the shopping and eating. We also flew to the Big Island and visited Volcano National Park. That was fabulous. We did see lava flowing, although we weren't close up. We could watch the red glow as it spilled into the ocean.

And of course, I took hundreds of pictures! Way too many pictures. But I decided that I would post some of the patterns that I saw in nature.

This is some of the big ferns that overhang the path on the path to the Lava Tunnel.

 

Isn't this pattern that the lava made fantastic? This was outside of the Volcano National Park, on the hike to see the lava flowing into the ocean. Really fascinating!

 

Another interesting lava pattern -

 

I really liked these tree roots!

 

I visited some quilt stores in Honolulu! I will tell you about that tomorrow. 

Leaving on a Jet Plane ....

I am so excited! We are leaving tomorrow for Hawaii. I have never been there! While we lived in Moscow, Russia, we did a lot of traveling. We have traveled to many places, but I have never been to Hawaii! We are going to a resort near Honolulu, and then will spend a couple of nights on Oahu in the Volcano National Park.

I can't wait to go to some of the quilt stores in Honolulu. My best quilt bud in Anchorage told me about some shops that I must visit. I can't wait to see the Hawaiian style quilts, and possibly buy a kit. I love to buy fabric from foreign lands (of course, Hawaii isn't foreign, but it is different from where I live!) I love to make quilts from fabrics purchased elsewhere, because they bring back such wonderful memories. One of my favorite 'foreign' quilts is my 'English Garden' quilt! I bought this fabric from a quilt store in London. Every time I use this quilt, it reminds me of the train journey I took to get to this shop. I was by myself, but I loved the journey, and the shopping!

Aloha!

Virtual Quilt Festival 2009!

When I heard about Amy's virtual quilt festival, I had to join. I love her blog, and wanted to share with quilter's around the world. You can see her website and surf around all the virtual quilters here: Park City Girl.

I decided that I wanted to show my Christmas - Ring of Holly quilt. I love this quilt. It has been a labor of love, and a labor of time. I still have to finish quilting the borders. I hand pieced all of the stars, and needle-turn appliqued the center. I made the snowflake appliques on the corners just like a kid would by folding and cutting material. I hope you enjoy it!

Super Fun Christmas Project

I have started working on a couple of fun flannel quilts. I am making the same quilt for each of my daughters. Well, they won't be exactly the same as they are both scrappy. The material is this wonderful, cozy flannel fabric, perfect for those cold winter evenings. The fabric is soooo fun! I am loving my work today!

Migraines - Oh my!

I am a migraine sufferer. I don't mean to make it sound like a twelve step program, but I do feel that it takes a lot to admit this. There is a stigma attached to someone who has to spend 2 to 3 days in bed every month because of migraines. Although many understand, I know that a lot do not. And what they think, weighs oppressively on me. I worry that I never know when I am going to feel bad, and it does make me rethink what I am going to do. I am afraid to volunteer, or commit to outings. I still do commit though, and won't let it get me down, but sometimes I have to bow out. I feel that am not reliable.

Recently, the attacks have moved to several times a month. I don't know if this is because of our move to the bay area. I am sure that my body is acclimating to the various pollens in the area, and the differing weather patterns. But during an attack, I don't really care why, I just don't want to feel the pain! 

I am recovering today, feeling much better. I plan on cutting out some more quilts, and looking into my new machine. Life is looking up! 

New Machine Anyone? A Pfaff 2170?

Alright, here I go again. My workhorse (a Pfaff 2056) is in the shop. There is a backlog and I may not see it again for 3 weeks or so. So of course I had to browse the machines. BIG MISTAKE! Never look I say, or you just may want! I could feel my fingers twitching, and I was reeling in the glow of my addiction of choice - shopping! LOL

Actually, I am looking at the Pfaff 2170. I have not really done a lot of embroidery, but I loved what can be produced on the machine. I am also excited about the opportunities to blend quilting and embroidery. I am not sure how this is treated in the judging world, but I am sure that it is something that they are dealing with. It probably is similar to the days when people started machine quilting.

I am still looking into it, but I think I may buy it. I have a backup machine - a Pfaff 2048 but I took it to our River Condo in Louisville, KY so I have something to work on when I am there. They had some wonderful examples there of blending embroidery and quilting. A class was in progress while I was there. I loved the tote they were working on! A wonderful mix of patchy quiltwork and embroidery! Hmmm, I think I am almost convinced.....

Quilter's Way - A lovely shop in Concord, Mass

Again, my BQB's (best quilt buds) and I decided to do what we do best - shopping. Well, actually, eating may really top that list, but let's go with our second favorite passtime, shopping! We went to Quilter's Way, a lovely shop in Concord, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. It is a wonderful, homey and quaint little shop.

The ladies in the shop were well-informed and helpful! Always an excellent combination! My friend, Laura, decided that she was going to do a one-block wonder quilt after hearing me rave about it. The ladies in the shop delighted in helping choose a fabric and explaining the one-block wonder quilt process. I decided to buy a bali pop package, and some clothesline, and I am going to make one of the 'BaliPop Bags'. They say that you can watch some videos on you tube for hints on putting it together. One of these days I will get around to that! Visit their really cute site at Quilter's Way. 

Journey to Quilting Mecca (Keepsake Quilting)

Actually, there are a number of Quilting Mecca's. I love all the shops near Paducah, Kentucky, shops in London, shops near my home in San Francisco, and basically, any quilt shop I happen upon. I find that each quilt shop has it's own flavor. No flavor is bad, it is just different. A flavor that appeals to me may not be a favorite of someone else.

While I was visiting with my BQB's (best quilt buds), in Boston, we decided to take a quick trip into New Hampshire to visit Keepsake Quilting. I have enjoyed receiving their catalogs over the years, and couldn't wait to see their shop. Their catalogs are almost like magazines, I love browsing through all the pictures of quilts, dreaming and imaging of projects to do, and time to do them!

Well, I loved the shop too! Once we reached Center Harbor, New Hampshire, we decided to try the Canoe Restaurant for a wonderful lunch. The crab cakes and the lobster macaroni and cheese dishes were delicious. You can't get much more decadent with mac and cheese than adding chunks of lobster. Yummm, I wouldn't mind some right now. Breakfast anyone?

Well, back to Keepsake Quilting. It is located in a modern village center built in an old, New England style. There are a number of wonderful home decor shops located in the same center. Certainly worth a visit, also. There were baskets of petunias, and adirondack chairs lining the porch at the entrance way. Funnily enough, when we arrived, they were filled with men. Now, I know that there are a lot of quilting men out there, but not this afternoon. They were enjoying the sunshine and the crisp cool air. 

I loved this shop. There were certainly lots of bolts (I would guess 4 to 5,000) and I loved the arrangements. Because it was the end of summer, there was a wonderful fall collection at the entrance. There were tables artfully arranged with knick-knacks and clever little kits for sewing ornaments, and coasters. There were a number of quilt kits already made up for you. I purchased a wonderful Bali pack for my mother-in-law. 

One of my dear BQB's did not love the flavor of this store. She found that the people weren't as a friendly. I did feel that they were very busy, but when you interacted with them directly they were very friendly and helpful. I felt that the choice and variety in this shop more than outweighed any negatives. I would certainly return anytime. Anyone up for a road trip?

Relaxing with My BQB's (Best Quilt Buds!)

I met up for 4 days with 3 of my BQB's (best quilt buds) from Moscow. One now lives in Anchorage, another in Norway, and the third is still in Moscow. It was like we had just been together last week. We picked up right where we left off, when we had not all been together for almost 2 years! 

We met up in Boston, and did some of our favorite things - eating and shopping! Of course we did some site seeing, but I would say most of our time was spent catching up, eating and shopping! We ate at some fabulous restaurants. I can highly recommend Ten Tables, Cuchi Cuchi, and the Summer Shack for some wonderful food and drinks in Boston!

But honestly, don't quilt friends make some of the best friends in the world? I have met some of my best friends through this medium. Quilters are the best cheerleaders, and always support you in whatever you do! Lift a glass to yourself this evening for being such wonderful people!

Below, you can see my BQB's and I at Canoe Restaurant on our way to visit Keepsake Quilting in Center Harbor, New Hampshire. This was a charming restaurant right on Lake Winnipesaukee, and represented a quintessential New England town!