There's a Place Called Mars (where the ladies smoke cigars)

There's a Place Called Mars
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

Made by Judy Coates-Perez of California. (This one also has writing on it if you look close. Click on the picture or the link underneath for the bigger version!)

Unexpected Beauty

Unexpected Beauty
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

A quilt from last year's quilt festival. Made by Sandra Leichner of Oregon. Be sure to notice the writing around the edge.

red batik

red batik
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

I think this is my favorite batik in the world. I just bought a piece of it from Virginia Quilter - I had one small piece but I was running low and I didn't want to run out!

(I'm uploading pictures tonight because it's the last day of the month and flickr resets your limit at the end of the calendar month. So you can probably expect some more posts before the end of the day. I've already posted more pictures this month than I ever have before - 40-something, when I counted the other day - so why stop now?)

Holiday

(That title gives me a Madonna earworm. Ouch.)

The strangest thing I figured out today? Way back in October when I said in this post (which I linked to yesterday) that I miscounted my blocks - I think that I was wrong. And actually I think the evidence of that is in the picture. Look on the right side a little bit below the center; there's a green leaf that's not in a green row and furthermore is turned the wrong direction. Evidently that's my missing 200th leaf. I'm kind of amazed that it took me all this time to realize that.

A question: do y'all think this quilt is good enough to submit to IQF? Because I'm thinking about it. It's cute and it's different - the block is not my own invention (it came from here, for those of you who haven't been reading all along) but the arrangement of the blocks is all mine. I've seen a lot of autumn leaf quilts and a lot of trip around the world quilts but I don't remember ever seeing one that was both. I feel like I've created something out of Mr Small's pattern that's at least a little bit original.

I only worked on this a little while today. I did go over to my mom's, but after lunch we all sat downstairs and watched baseball - the Astros lost again - and I whipped down a binding. So I didn't go upstairs where the machine is until after the game was over. I guess I worked for a couple of hours on the leaf quilt, maybe. Mostly the blocks are going together quite nicely, which they should, shouldn't they? since they're paper pieced - but there are a few exceptions. I did a good bit of ripping and re-sewing.

Assembly line

After more than six months stored away, I actually started sewing these blocks together yesterday. (After all, I'd like to have them done by fall!) I got a good bit done, but since there are so many of them, it's going to take a while.

autumn leaves
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

autumn leaves in progress

So here's what my 196+ autumn leaf blocks look like after being folded up inside a flannel-backed tablecloth for months.

(here's a better picture of the whole thing.)

autumn leaves in progress
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

Courthouse steps on point

Cottage_May24-05_043
Originally uploaded by Everything is a spoon.

If you haven't checked out Flickr yet, one fun thing about it is that the publicly available photos you post show up on the front page for a minute. I just happened to see this one just now - I guess you'd have to call this a courthouse steps, wouldn't you? I thought of doing the green quilt in a pattern similar to this (it was actually this pattern I was looking at, which isn't exactly the same), except that I never thought of putting it on point. I like it a lot this way.

Buttermilk Farm applique

Mom - Buttermilk
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

I may be wrong, but I think this pattern is from this book - or if not, then another book by the same publisher.

(Also, I need to get another picture of this now that it's not on Mom's stairs - it's very hard to get good pictures there!)

Mom's "Persian rug" quilt

Mom - Persian rug quilt
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

Here's a quilt of my mom's I haven't put up a picture of before. She designed this herself, from a picture of a rug she saw in a magazines. It's not easy to tell in the small version of the picture, but all the fabrics here are Christmas fabrics. (She also made another version of the same pattern in shades of purple.)


Also, I have become increasingly curious about the quilt below, and I finally looked close enough to realize that there appears to be a blue ribbon hanging next to it. We know what year it was entered; does anybody know if the lists of winning quilts are posted anywhere? I took a quick look at Quilts Inc.'s website and didn't see anything that looked promising. But it seems like we ought to be able to figure out whose quilt this is.

Unknown star quilt

star quilt
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

I found this in my IQF 2000 pictures, which means I don't know who made it. (I didn't start getting methodical about my picture-taking until 2002 or so.) Anyway, the more I look at it, the more I like it. You don't see many quilts with multiple lone-stars, do you?

Mystery solved! It's Party of Three, by Susan Cleveland of West Concord, Minnesota. (And it won 1st place in Traditional Pieced, Small.) Many thanks to K.M., who found the list (with pictures)!

Drunkards Path variation

Drunkards Path variation
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

Not only another Drunkard's Path, but somebody else who made an all-green quilt! (I do have this person's name somewhere, I'll have to dig it out tomorrow.) This one is from the Dallas Quilt Show last year.

Later: Its official name is "Drunkards Path Variation in Green" and it was made by Lucille Michels.

Mom's Civil War quilt

Mom's Civil War quilt
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

This was a "$5 quilt" that Painted Pony was running.

Puffins!

Puffins
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

I think this quilt is adorable. This is another quilt from last year's quilt festival, and it was made by Shirley Kelly.

Weekly report

I went to Mom's on Sunday instead of Saturday this week. (Saturday I didn't do much except go see Star Wars.) I felt like I got stuff done, but I can't exactly tell you what. I didn't finish the red blocks. I need to do 2 more of those 5" blocks before I go to see Karen - which is in 10 days! yike! - but since next weekend is a long weekend I could easily spend 2 days quilting if I wanted to. (Not that it's going to take me two days to do two 5" blocks anyway.) I didn't work on the green quilt, either. (I'm actually thinking that I'm just going to put on a plain wide border in a pretty fabric, and stop there. It's a busy quilt, I think a calm border would be a good thing.) I also didn't work on those Ohio Star blocks, and haven't in ages, and I'm starting to feel a little guilty about that. I think it's starting to be time I got that quilt finished.

Are y'all enjoying the quilt show - all the pictures? I'm having fun with Flickr and I'll keep putting them up as long as people are interested in seeing them. And I have hundreds. Literally. (I'm gonna have to get a Flickr Pro account eventually, I can already see that coming. Luckily it's not terribly expensive.)

Mom's drunkard's path

Mom's drunkard's path
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

My mom has finished her hand-pieced drunkard's path. (I don't think it's hand-quilted, though - in case you're wondering.)

Women of Juarez

Women of Juarez
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

Finishing up the Day of the Dead series of pictures. This one is a little different, though - it's a tribute to murdered women in Juarez. Also by Sabrina Zarco, who made the first one I posted below.

Dia de Muertos

Dia de Muertos
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

This quilt and the one below were both from IQF 2003. This one was made by Sharon Walton of Louisiana, and the one below is by Linda Rawson Stewart of Canada.

Family Snapshots

Family Snapshots
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

Recuerdos de Familia

Recuerdos de Familia
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

I did the exhibits at quilt festival last fall with my aunt, and my aunt could not believe I wanted to take a picture of this. She does not appreciate Day of the Dead-type imagery, apparently. (I, on the other hand, love it. I have a few more quilts in this style I'll have to see if I can trot out.)

Made by Sabrina Zarco. Part of the "Small Wonders" exhibit at IQF 2004

Water Blossoms

Water Blossoms
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

Another quilt from the Woodlands Quilt Show. Made by Bonnie Carruth.

Rocky Red Road

Rocky Red Road
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

Once I got to digging in the Woodlands Quilt Show pictures, I remembered that they had a good many quilts I really liked. This one was made by Glenda Teaff.

Just in time - a Star Wars quilt

Just in time
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

I took this picture at the Woodlands Quilt Show last year.

(And I can't spell the name of the maker, but if you follow the first link under the picture, it's there.)

snowflake

Nadelstern snowflake quilt
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

I've seen her quilts lots of times - there's at least one at IQF just about every year - but I never realized how many pieces they have. She's very, very clever about disguising it.

another kaleidoscope

Nadelstern kaleidoscope quilt
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

100 best?

Nadelstern kaleidoscope quilt
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

This quilt was one of the Best Quilts of the 20th Century. Actually, it's not my favorite one of hers at all, though.

(Or, I don't know, maybe it's just the bad picture. I like it much better here. Although I don't think the colors in that picture are very accurate either. It's not that bright. Still not my favorite, in any case.)

9-11-2002

Paula Nadelstern and her quilt
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

Another blurry picture, but you can get the gist of what both Paula and her quilt look like. And yes, this quilt is called "September 11, 2002" - not 2001.

Go see her talk if you ever get the chance. She was great. Weird hairdo, though.

Here is a much clearer picture, on Paula's website.

Nadelstern snowflake quilt

Nadelstern snowflake quilt
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

Very quickly before bedtime - here's a really blurry picture, but I think it sort of looks good that way! There's more over at flickr (follow the links under the picture) and I'll get some more up here tomorrow.

Quilt guild

Paula Nadelstern is speaking at the guild tonight. I wish I could've taken her workshop, although the last thing I need right now is another project!

Green top redux

green top
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

A much better picture!

green design #2

Here's what I'm thinking about for the other green quilt, whenever I get around to doing it. This arrangement does that "disappearing star" thing, which I really like.

green EQ design #2
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

green top

(Picture deleted because it sucked, and it pained me to look at it. See better one two posts up.)

Anyway, it's together. I will try to get a better picture tomorrow. (Any suggestions about a border?)

Faceted Amethysts at quilt show

Faceted Amethysts at quilt show
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

I always think I've posted pictures that I haven't - this quilt is one reason I have so much green fabric. I finished this a little over a year ago. (After this and the triple four-patch, I have sworn not to make any more bed-sized quilts for, oh, the next 20 years.)

Speaking of contrast

DSC00782
Originally uploaded by Oracle Omega.

I was just talking below about the importance of having triangle pairs with a lot of contrast, and then I went back to Flickr and saw this quilt picture, which I found while I was exploring around earlier today. I don't think that there is any difference at all, overall, between the colors on one side of the divide and the colors on the other side - but it has those pairs with good contrast, and your eye has no problem whatsoever in picking out those concentric diamond shapes. Very, very interesting.

More than you ever wanted to know about the green quilt

Down in the comments, K.M. said:

did you randomly choose greens for half square triangles and then lay them out or was there more of a plan?

...and since I know that not everybody reads the comments (I don't, not on every single weblog I read!) I thought I'd answer this up here.

There was sort of a plan. This is how I tend to work - I start out with at least some glimmer of an idea what I'm doing, but I also leave myself some wriggle-room to improvise. (Like, if you look in the April posts where I had first started cutting fabric - here - I was talking about just placing the fabrics randomly, and you see that's gone by the board.) I guess you could say that I started cutting randomly, or actually it's probably more accurate to say I cut inclusively, because what I did was cut a 5" strip out of every single fabric I had that was predominantly green, and then cut squares out of that. I cut a ton of 5" squares since some of these were selvage-to-selvage strips, so I got up to 8 squares out of every strip.

As I cut, I made three piles - one complete set, one almost-complete set (because there were a few scraps that didn't even yield two squares), and one really big pile that was everything that was left. And somewhere in the middle of cutting, I started separating the first pile into lights, mediums and darks. So then when I paired the squares off to make my triangles, I paired up a lighter and a darker one - usually either a light with a medium, or a medium with a dark. This quilt really depends on having pairs with a noticeable contrast between them. (And because I'm a nut about playing with color - it's my favorite part of the process, really - I also tried to come up with pairs that looked nice together. But I really think that that part is unnecessary. The contrast is what matters.)

I'm going to do some tinkering around before I sew tomorrow, but I'm definitely going to get this assembled. (I sort of have to, because my mother wants her design wall back!) So check back for new pictures late tomorrow night or sometime Sunday.


By the way, if you read carefully up there you notice that I still have an extremely large stash of green nickel squares left. So if somebody wants to do a swap, I could probably be persuaded to part with some of them. (And you wouldn't have to only give me green squares back. Other colors might be very nice, at this point!) The only thing is that I can't guarantee that they are perfectly accurate 5" squares - I wasn't being terribly, terribly careful to be 100% accurate because I knew I was making 4-1/2" triangles and thus I had a little wiggle room. But they're all pretty close.

Mom's Angel Quilt

Mom's Angel Quilt
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

This is the Sue Garman angel quilt she's been working on for months, finally all done. (Incidentally, the block you can't see at the top corner is the one in the picture just below.)

An angel block

Angel block
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

Angel block

Angel block
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

I would just like to make it clear that I don't exactly approve of my mother's method of hanging quilts. (Look at the top right corner if you missed it.) But she never listens to me anyway!

Another angel block

Angel block
Originally uploaded by Mellicious.

(Go back to May 2nd for the first one.)

I've been trying to post this picture for days and days, so cross your fingers.

(And yay!)

This is from the bottom row, which she finished after her surgery. You can tell the difference if you look close, especially in her formerly perfect quilting. She says she likes it that way. I think she thinks of it as sort of a record of what happened to her.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

(Huh. Well, maybe this will work!)

Grrrr.

Hello decided to work again for a while, but now it's quit again. Obviously I'm going to have to find a better way to post pictures. (I thought Hello was the better way, but not if it's not working!)

Ohio Star centers

Posted by Hello

These are the centers for an Ohio Star quilt I'm working on. I have a couple more to make. The colors aren't really accurate in this picture - they're pretty low-contrast, except for the black print, and the lighter reds are a little bit washed out. But you can get the idea, at least.

Mom's Quilt of the Week

Posted by Hello

I'm not sure my mom is ever going to be as productive as she used to be, but she's still getting some stuff done. She's doing this small Drunkard's Path by hand. She also put some blocks that she was given together for a top, but she sent it off to be quilted before I could get a picture. Denise, who she sent it to (she also quilted this quilt), is terribly backed up so it may be a while before it comes back.

Ocean Waves

This is a quilt my mother made me long ago. It was made to match the comforter on my bed, but somehow it ended up in my living room instead. (Which worked out fine, because I'm not even using that comforter - which was a wedding present, and we've been married 18 years last week - any more.) This was made in the early 90s, I think, out of cotton solids that came from Wal-Mart, and my mother hand-quilted in the ditch around every single triangle. That's devotion.
Posted by Hello

Another view

Posted by Hello

Whew!

testing... 


(and woohoo - it works!)

And up on the design wall at Mom's house is green quilt #1, in the arrangement I posted a couple of days ago. Doesn't it look great? I'm going to do some tinkering before I assemble, but boy, I am pleased. It even has the 3D effect when you look at it from a distance.

Incidentally, as it stands this is a charm quilt - no repeats. I even had some triangles left. Apparently I have close to 150 greens. So believe me when I say I have too much fabric. (My current thinking is that the other quilt is going to be bigger and thus will have to have some repeats.)

Oh, and the pictures visible on the wall are me, approximately age three, and my sister.

Hello and goodbye

Does anybody here use Hello? (For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, Hello is software that adds pictures to your weblog. If you're wondering.) Because it's still not working for me and I'm getting really frustrated. It's not working on either my home computer OR my work computer and they don't even have the same operating system, so it's not just that. And I see from the Picasa forums that it's not just me, but it also doesn't appear that anybody is being very helpful with a fix, either. So if you have any ideas, let me know! I know there are other ways to add pictures - and in fact I used one of them to add that EQ drawing below - but Hello is just so incredibly much easier. Or it was when it worked!

Ancient history

We get a monthly newsletter from our apartment complex. It's 4 pages, a folded 11x17" sheet, and it's sort of interesting, because one side is clearly locally produced and the other side is not. Pages 1 & 4 are customized to our complex; pages 2 & 3 always have general articles - a lot of them are seasonal - and trivia and things like that, and is much more slickly produced. Usually I take a glance at this newsletter and throw it in the trash. But this month there's a piece on quilting. (On page 3, if you're wondering.) "Quilting - It's Not Just For Grandma Anymore!" it proclaims. It talks about how the perception of quilting for most people is the image of women gathered around a quilting frame in a small town, and it goes on to talk about how quilting is changed, and how it's (gasp) even done by men! But it does have a couple of interesting paragraphs in the middle about the history of quilting.

The exact origins of quilting are unknown, although historians believe the art began in China and Eqypt. The earliest recorded quilted garment was found on a carved ivory figure of a pharaoh from the first dynasty (3400 BC), but quilting, piecing and applique have been used for clothing and furnishings all over the world for centuries.

Out of necessity due to their harsh winters, Europeans in the 15th century developed primitive quilt making techniques. Basically these quilts were nothing more than layers of cloth sewn together with a few strong running stitches, but they were the forerunners of today's quilted products.

I have no idea how much research the unknown author of this article did (and for that matter I could have written most of that 2nd paragraph by pure guesswork), but it makes me realize I know almost nothing about quilting prior to the late 1700s. I always say I'm interested in history; maybe I should make it my business to find out more.

One more time

Let's try this the old-fashioned way:


(And in case you've forgotten, or haven't read down that far, here's what my actual triangles look like.)

Picture to follow

Here's a quick mock-up of a possible layout for the green quilt. (I used a block that EQ had already made up - actually each block here would be made up of four half-square triangles, if you can visualize that.) This layout has a nice 3-D effect that I like, although that look might be harder to achieve with a scrappy quilt.

(And grrr, Hello is being cranky and posted the words without the picture. What good is that? I'll try again in a while.)

Today's picture

I was going to put up an EQ design, but EQ is crashing on me, so here's an angel instead. (Hey, I know she's supposed to be an angel because she's in the middle of the angel quilt, but where's her wings?)