Here2There

A Variation on Orcas

2011-09-30T19:17:13Z

I look up from my computer screen,and across the room I see a tumble of colors and swirls under my Juki. It is a variation of our pattern Orcas Swirls. I smile for two reasons....it is beautiful...and, almost finished. I'm sewing on the long binding, and then a few hours of hand stitching and it will be completed. Fortunately, the deadline for an upcoming quilt show was extended just long enough to get this completed and entered.

The LaConner Quilt Museum's Quilt Festival 2012 is in full swing this weekend. Two of our quilts were juried in, Orcas Swirls and Amy's Twelve2. I walked through the show last night and was in awe at the range and quality of the quilts on display. Come by if you are in the Seattle area.

Another happening in the area is the Stanwood Art Walk tonight, September 30, 5-8pm. All the shops in our little town will be open with a featured artist(s) in each place. Our quilts will be on display through the month of October at Snowgoose Bookstore in Stanwood.

Under the Machine (or work in progress)

2011-08-24T02:11:44Z

Today's project was to quilt this small piece, "Orange Segments." It is a variation of a new Here2There pattern designed by Amy. I love working with this pattern and exploring how the use of color can change the feel and look of the block. I love that it looks complex, but goes together easily.

Becoming a Pattern

2011-08-19T20:14:11Z

I've been working on a prototype for a new H2T pattern...next step is to make another flower using written instructions.

Singing Bird

2011-08-16T06:27:52Z

I shared a photo of this a week ago when I was beginning the layout of this piece, and when the two youngest grandboys of the four stayed here for the week. Time to work on my project was hard to find. By the time I put them to bed and they slept, I was exhausted from the day. But, they left on Saturday, and I got to work on finishing this project which was due today. I was inspired by a card with the saying, "A friend remembers the words to your song when you forget"....I love those words and what they mean in a friendship.

When I started, I knew I wanted to use these Japanese fabrics for the background and borders. Once that was constructed, and the layers were sandwiched, I started making the two birds using scraps from my bins. I played with the placement of their legs to get just the right attitude. The flowers were cut from many different fabrics and quilted in place. The black and white fish in the left border is a piece of vintage Hoffman fabric.

The two birds and their long legs make me smile. It is a happy piece.

Today's Work in Progress

2011-08-04T18:45:13Z

Time to work on my projects is fit in where I can around the busy schedule with the grandboys. Today I had a few hours alone, so I worked on my next piece which is due on the 15th. I spent days finding my voice in the prompt, and then a scramble to pull fabrics and seam the pieced parts. I cut out big flowers, first heaping them as a bouquet at the bottom, and then finding a balance as a chunky border on that great Kokka green background. I will move this and adjust that, add something new, change a line and add feathers. This is the beginning of it's 'becoming'....

Quilt Art and Clay Show

2011-07-14T18:09:34Z

Thank you to those of you who came by and said 'hi' at Art By the Bay last weekend. I always enjoy meeting you, and showing off our quilted pieces and talking about our
work. It was a good show in spite of the cool and wet weather.

Roger and I are getting ready for the show and sale in our home in just 8 days. If you are in the area I hope you will come by and see our beautiful quilted wall hangings and quilts displayed throughout the house. My studio will be open where you can see not only projects in progress on the design walls but a glimpse of my fabric stash.

This is one of Roger's latest series. It was recently featured in an art show at Creative Arts where he was the featured artist. His other works will be displayed as well. If you are a collector of his pieces, you will enjoy seeing his latest work.

The dates for our Quilt Art and Clay Show are July 22, 23, and 24 from 10 am. to 5 pm. Directions to our house are on Roger's website, www.camanoisland pottery.com

Quilted Fish and Oranges...

2011-07-08T07:17:52Z

This weekend is the annual Art By the Bay art show at the Stanwood Fairgrounds - Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Amy and I have been busy finishing up projects for this show. We will have beautiful quilts, decorator pillows, quilted wall hangings, unique place mats, quilt patterns, quilted arty totes, and handmade collaged cards for sale. I finished this quilted tote just a few hours ago. Don't you love those oranges?

The other side of the tote has a very 'fishy' pocket.

We hope that if you are in the Seattle area, you will come by and see us, and enjoy the work of other local artists, eat some good food, and hear great music on the stage.

Wheels and Stars

2011-07-02T18:44:02Z

I finished two of our quilts within days. That is hard to believe, even for me. There is a show coming soon, next week in fact. And then another show two weeks after that. So these are done just in time. I'll post more information about the shows for those of you who are in the Seattle area.

Starburst is the first quilt shown above. It started as a challenge between us. Each of us made a center piece and passed it over to be added to. This one was started by Amy.

This challenge quilt was started at the same time. Ths is Little Star. Both of these quilted pieces are wall hanging sized.

Late last night I took the last stitch to finish "Wheels." I love to use metallic thread to quilt, and this one was very challenging. I love the overall 'feel' of this quilt. It is playful with lots of movement. I can think of other colorways I'd like to try - one with black and golds with an Asian influence is what I might do next. There is a pattern coming soon as well, the next in our line of quilt patterns, available at Etsy.

A Peek At the Back

2011-06-27T18:57:59Z

This is the back of the quilt I'm quilting now. Starburst is a collaborative challenge we worked on in a round robin between us. I will post the finished quilt in a few days.

Almost finished!

2011-06-20T18:11:57Z

Another stunning collaboration! I have finished quilting the center squares and frames, and now I'm ready to do the star points. Then there is a border of pieced 3" blocks...some are tiny pieced stars, some are floating squares...it will be a beautiful wall hanging when finished, and just in time for the home studio show and sale in a few weeks.

Quilted Wheels

2011-06-11T19:30:53Z

Our latest collaboration and next pattern is under the machine being quilted, as new ideas are swirling for the next project. This one gave me moments of grief when I switched to metallic thread in the outside border...I broke 5 needles in 15 inches of stitching...and eventually figured out that if I slowed down to a snail's pace and took the curves of the loops slowly, the machine (and I) was happier.

Twelve2 for 2

2011-05-21T16:50:05Z

Amy's Twelve2 2010 Quilt

Opal's Twelve2 2010 Quilt

Our first year long collaborative project is finished. We made these quilts, month by month, in 2010. Beginning in January of 2010, we agreed to each make two strips of a certain size each month... One to keep and one to send, using fabrics from our stashes in orange, pink, and black and white fabrics. We decided to work mostly freeform but to have two elements that we would incorporate into each monthly strip.

At the end of the year, we each had two sets of twelve strips to assemble into a quilt to keep.

In January each of us put our columns together. Then, Amy sent her quilt top to me to be quilted...I laid both of them out on the floor, side by side, and I was just speechless...they are absolutely amazing! At first glance, they seem very similar and alike, but looking closely, you can see the differences, the nuances of color and line that make these unique to each of us.

I backed each with rose pink and orange Minkee...and began the quilting, doing one little pieced area at a time on my Juki sewing machine. If you look at the photos, you will see 11 columns on Amy's..and 12 on mine. Amy wanted hers more rectangular, so one column is nestled on the back with the Minkee.

Here are some details of each of our quilts.

Orcas Swirls

2011-04-18T21:11:47Z

We are working on new projects. This is our sixth original quilt pattern, Orcas Swirls. The freeform fans rotated and sewn together make a swirl full of color and movement.

I'm working on samples to send to quilt shops. I can see this pattern in many colorways...maybe Asian next? Stay tuned....

The Artful Placemat

2011-02-06T01:20:35Z

Amy and I worked collaboratively on two sets of commissioned placemats for the holidays. One set was to reflect the colors of Tuscany, a place they love to visit and paint. The other was for a modern minimalist decor in black and red.

Yes! There were eight of them...each one slightly different.

I love seeing our work after it leaves our studios.

These look beautiful on the glass and wood table. The design on the left of the placemats is a pieced house which is perfect for an architect's home.

Small things

2011-01-07T19:20:51Z

There were many, many things finished up in December. I need photos of the things I finished! Luckily, I did snap a photo of these placemats for children of a friend. Despite having the flu, I managed to finish them up Christmas Eve, just in time to take them to an evening gathering and pass them off. I felt a little bit lame (or old-fashioned) not giving a toy. I doubt kids get overly excited by a placemat! But I knew Mom would appreciate it. And maybe it will be something they use through the years and hold special down the road. That is always my hope with a fiber gift.