CAROL LOESSELL: Trunk Show and Lecture

EVENING STAR QUILT GUILD, Davison MI

CAROL LOESSELL: Recipe for Leftovers

I heard an enjoyable lecture last night about SCRAP QUILTING. CAROL LOESSELL, showed her trunk shows quilts that she has been making over the last 20 – 30 years. I am posting a picture of some of the quilts and a brief explanation. If you want to see more of her quilts or listen to her lecture contact her via her blog/ web page.

Carol Loessell Scrap Quilt Patterns

 

Carol believes in scrap quilting and using fabric she had on had.  She said her best scraps came from exchanges and gifts from other quilters in her various groups.  She also use to “GARBAGE DIVE” in the classes she conducted.  Later students gave her the scraps they were done or tired of.  Her are some of the quilts she made.  I took over 50 pictures of her quilts… she had a large collection, some still  IN PROGRESS.

 

QUILT from the scrap bag she got on the give away table at her guild.

 

This pattern was featured in one of the first issues of FONS AND PORTER’S BABY QUILTS magazine.

Carol did say she did have to buy background/ sashing materials for some of her quilts to help them blend.  Sometimes even her sashing were scrappy, for example various white on white.  The secret is to have those fabrics scattered through the quilt and not touching if it could be helped.

 

 

The last two quilts were based on what Carol called  MADE FABRIC.  She sews fabrics together Willy Nilly and then once the fabric was large enough she would cut out blocks to be used in her quilts.  Many of her sewing sessions ended with her sewing fabrics to go into her next blocks.

Carol Loessell is a quilter after my own heart.  I currently have a big box of made fabric that I plan to put into a quilt some day.  My fabric however is sewn on foundation of pellon.  Carol said she rarely used foundation.   The great thing about quilting is you can do any project just about anyway you want to.

Happy Quilting,

Nonnie

 

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FOUND A GREAT QUILT ALONG to check out

Oh My Stars! (A Quilt-Along)

CONTINUATION OF DESIGN HOMEWORK: part 2–RHYTHM from Jaye and Sandy

I would first like to extend a heart felt THANK YOU to Carol Bryer Fallert for allowing me to use her quilts to do this exercise. Check out her gallery at http://www.bryerpatch.com/

Progressive Rhythm (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg.16)

“…uses the repetition of an element to deliberately move the viewer’s eye in a specific direction. It is a pattern in which the viewer can see a sequence that is predictable. (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg. 16)

“In visual art, a progressive rhythm might consist of any repeated element growing or shrinking in size, shape, or number.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
Example: “The expanding rays of a Mariner’s compass block as it reaches outward.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)

“A progressive rhythm is often found in nature when the size or shape of something gradually increases or decreases.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
a musical theme that “grows in complexity, volume, and instrumentation with repetition.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)

“gradually diminishing pattern of ocean waves as your eye moves toward the horizon” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)

Commonplace in nature, but not always readily apparent (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 107)

Cut in half, the inside of an artichoke shows a growth pattern. (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 107)

Chambered nautilus cut in cross section. (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 107)

This quilt reminds me of a plants growing upward to the sky (Yes, it is called feathers but it looks like my hostas and other shade plants as they are anchored in the ground.)  The horizontal curved lines are like puffs of wind moving the feathers/ leaves back and forth across the quilt. I feel this is a good example of progressive rhythm as eyes focus in an upward movement but you also focus on the curved undulating horizontal lines.  I think of a warm summer breeze ruffling the leaves of my plants.

  The feathers/ leaves echo the same shape but are of differing size increasing in curving line, smaller on the outside and largest in the center.  Each feather/ leaf sways with the horizontal waves of wind progressively across the quilt.

Syncopated Rhythm
“…gives surprising emphasis to a beat that is normally weak and adds unexpected interest.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
“A syncopation or syncopated rhythm is any rhythm that puts an emphasis on a beat, or a subdivision of a beat, that is not usually emphasized…Syncopation is one way to liven things up. The music can suddenly emphasize the weaker beats of the measure, or it can even emphasize notes that are not on the beat at all.” (Connexions http://cnx.org/content/m11644/latest/)

The concept of syncopation might be heard easily in music but it was hard to explain visually. To me syncopation is represented by the changing of size or color of repeating elements.

The syncopation in this quilt is represented by the changes in the sizes of the elements…. The circles change size, the triangle points change size, even the waves change size as they move to the outside of the quilt top. The size changing cause emphasis on those elements, the largest elements being the strongest beat that is emphasized.

The colors changing from warm to cool also indicates syncopation; the darker colors indicate a strong emphasis and attracting of attention, “the strong beat.”

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WORD PRESS UPDATE:   It seems that WORD PRESS had updated their site.  It has also become very busy which means it became hard to upload pictures and blog in the time frame I have available.   So I may be blogging less as working at two in the morning does not work out well.  We will see.

I will be posting the remaining lessons in the future…. I am so far behind….. Sandy and Jaye also posted PATTERNS this week and have another design lesson posting next week.

QUILTING FOR THE REST OF US PODCAST about DESIGN: Rhythm

ARTQUILTMAKER DESIGN SERIES RHYTHM NOTATIONS

I would like to say that I do not own all the books mentioned by Jaye or Sandy, I do read up on the elements and principal of design in the books that I do own. I am really enjoying following along with Jaye and Sandy as they explore design.

Happy Quilting,

Nonnie

POSTING ON POD-BEAN as Word Press no longer posts pictures for me without a major meltdown…..

UPDATE: I found a neat video about the OAKLAND COUNTY QUILT GUILDS SHOW and I thought you might like to see it.. So if you have 5 to 19 minutes here it is…

OAKLAND COUNTY QUILT GUILD’S QUILT SHOW ON TV… ENJOY !

UPDATE APRIL 17, 2012: WORD PRESS site must be undergoing some kind of maintenance, as it will no longer load pictures. I am moving my blogging and pictures to POD BEAN FOR NOW. How long this will continue I do not know. Frankly, Pod–bean has become so much easier to use…. I just might stay there. I will be posting new announcements of POD CASTS here… but sadly no pictures.

http://nonniesquiltingdreams.podbean.com/ Nonnie’s Quilting Dream Podcast

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Nonnie

Looking at the Quilting… looking for inspiration

UPDATE APRIL 17, 2012: WORD PRESS site must be undergoing some kind of maintenance, as it will no longer load pictures. I am moving my blogging and pictures to POD BEAN FOR NOW. How long this will continue I do not know. Frankly, Pod–bean has become so much easier to use…. I just might stay there. I will be posting new announcements of POD CASTS here… but sadly no pictures.

http://nonniesquiltingdreams.podbean.com/ Nonnie’s Quilting Dream Podcast

Nonnie

MORE PICTURES WILL BE COMING WHEN WORDPRESS AND MY COMPUTER STOP FIGHTING…..

Quilt by Ruth McCormick

ART QUILTS, THREAD PAINTING and FREE MOTION QUILTING DETAILS

http://nonniesquiltingdreams.podbean.com/ Nonnie’s Quilting Dream Podcast

YOU can find more pictures on my Podcast blog since I ran out of room here!  I am also adding my TWO CENTS about what I think about some of the pieces.  AS you know I have an opinion about just about everything.

These pictures were viewed at THE OAKLAND COUNTY GUILD QUILT SHOW. This group of pictures detail the thread paining, embellishments of a series of art quilts. Several of these quilts are from a challenge using MASTER ARTISTS as inspiration for the pieces. (Georgia O Keefe, Van Gogh, Frankenhaler, Klimpt, Hokusair, and Hunderwasser.) These quilts will be going to exhibits in Europe as part of an exchange.

This portrait used surface embroidery to add texture and highlights to the surface.  I think the big stitches were used in lieu of  quilting as I do not see any free motion quilting on the piece.  I would think if a piece was quilted the embellishing embroidery would have to be added after the quilting was completed otherwise the FMQ would interfere with the embroidery.   I am not sure if that is the way it is done,,, but it would probably be the way I would do it.  I do not think I would bring the stitches to the back of the quilt but travel through the batting from section to section.  

This style of FMQ was called angles by Patsy Thompson on her DVD.  She talked about how the sharp angles added energy and edginess to a piece.  I think the jagged zig zag angles and the sharp flame like FMQ on this piece added contrast to the softer circles and spirals of the applique motifs.

I know this was one of several quilts made after the style of Georgia O Keefe.   The free motion quilting (FMQ) adds details to the flower petals.  Thread and fiber was used to embellish the centers of the flowers.   The FMQ in the background maintained the vertical movement of the stalks and leaves of the flowers on the left side of the piece.  The quilter mimicked the background fabric with circular flowing patterns.

What can be prettier than a lily in full bloom and this lily was skillfully executed.  The in person viewing shows that this is a fused raw edge layering of colors form the bloom.  Variegated threads was used to accentuate the petals and leaves.  I like the upward movement of the FMQ when it mimics the flower growth.  

It is difficult to see in this post  but when seen in person or  in the original photo where I could zoom in I could see the raw edge applique used in this piece.   The FMQ follows the movement of the fused applique pieces adding texture by heavily quilting some areas of the quilt and leaving some area softer expanded with the batting. 

I think this was one of my favorites of the pieces… but then I am a sucker for POPPIES.  This quilt has a lot of visual impact and I do not know if it can be seen in his picture but each petal seemed to be of a different but closely related values the darker in the back of the flower.  I am assuming the fabric  was  hand dyed  and the gradation and use of the fabric was effective in creating depth.   FMQ mimics the veins and details of the petals and leaves.  I  liked the scattered  “pick” stitches in the background using  variegated threads to quilt the background it provided interesting texture.  

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My grandson loved this piece when he saw it on the computer while I was resizing the pictures I took at the quilt show.  He called it LOLLIPOPS.  I have a feeling I will be trying to do my own rendition of this piece, in the future.   I feel the quilter successfully combined free motion quilting which mimicked the over all pattern of the quilt and embroidery embellishment that adds to the texture of the piece.  

 

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OAKLAND CO, MI Quilt Show 4-14-2012

part ONE: RHYTHM HOMEWORK

IF you want to read the blog post or listen to the podcast that inspired this homework post, you can just use the links below. I have obtained permission from MS Fallert to use her quilts in this post. I do not possess any quilts that would be good illustration of the different aspects of RHYTHM and since I always admired MS Fallert work I requested permission to use pictures. I feel the majority of her quilts are rhythmic by the nature of her subjects, her use of color and value and the skill of her workmanship.

I also have permission from Jaye and Sandy to use their blogs and podcast as a basis for the posts on design.

Quilting for the Rest of Us Podcast for the RHYTHM discussion.

Design Series : Rhythm by Art Quiltmaker Jaye

RHYTHM:

“Intervals at which related element occur throughout a piece of art” (Liz Berg handout entitled Principles of Design from “Design the Abstract Quilt” class)

Visual rhythm is created when elements repeat in a sequence in a design. The repeated elements are often shape or color motifs … rather than simply repeating the elements to create a pattern. They act as a series of beats that ‘speak’ to one another.” (Aimone, Design! A lively guide to design basics for artists & craftspeople, pg. 112-113)

“..rhythm involves a clear repetition of elements that are the same or only slightly modified.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 100)

In the quilt CHECKS AND BALANCES, Ms Fallert. repeats the shape and movement of a gymnast’s or dancer. The girl’s movement across the quilt causes a rhythm over and above the shapes in the quilt. There are faint shadows of dancers on the background echos what is occurring in the foreground. I do not know if these shadows are the results of manipulation of fabrics or the results of thread painting or quilting on the quilt top. The quilt evokes the thought of music with a loud and rhythmic beat. The interplay of the colors brings to mind the flashing and dancing of lights; I my mind’s eye the dancers move right off the quilt.

Rhythm is “the repetition of a regular pattern, or a harmonious sequence or correlation of colors or elements.” (Art+Quilt by Lyric Kinard, pg. 80)

“Visual rhythm involves the movement of our eye from one element to the next in a regular pattern.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)

“In visual art, refers to the movement of the viewer’s eye across recurrent motifs.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg. 1)

“repetition of an element creates visual rhythm.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, pg.15)

In this quilt the dancer’s movements repeating across the quilt evoke a regular pattern, you can anticipate the next movements in the dance.

The colors used in this quilt are pretty much along one another on the color wheel… the yellow to green to blue to purple to pink/red resulting harmony across the quilt. Each individual color relates well to the other colors in the quilt.

The repletion of the dancers creates a visual rhythm as they dance across the quilt.

THIS SIMPLE COLOR WHEEL ILLUSTRATES THE COLORS FOUND IN THE QUILT. You will note they are all next to each other and blend well together, none of the colors clash against each other. The colors are not jarring but rather soothing without being boring, changing and shifting to suggest and echo the movement of the dancers and the shapes within the quilt.

This is part one of several posts about rhythm. I have several other lovely quilts by Ms Fallert that I have selected to illustrate RHYTHM. I hope you enjoy my efforts if you disagree or have any different ideas please post them here.

Happy Quilting,
Nonnie

https://nonniequiltingdreams.wordpress.com/ Nonnie’s Blog

http://nonniesquiltingdreams.podbean.com/ Nonnie’s Quilting Dream Podcast

Links for Nonnie’s Quilting Dreams

email me at: nonniequiltingdreams@gmail.com

Helpful hints for entering a JURIED QUILT SHOW

Entering a Juried Quilt Show

Entering quilt shows has been a hot topic on the internet on several blogs, e-magazines and pod casts. I have been following the discussion because I had been considering entering the AQS QUILT SHOW in Grand Rapids this summer ( or 2013 or 2014.) What better opportunity then to enter one of the big shows in my home state. I have investigated what standards the quilts are judge upon and want to take the plunge. To that end here is the information I have discovered for my guild sisters who might also want to enter one of the larger quilt shows.

( Deadline for entry is April 30, 2012) Below I have posted links the AQS show in Grand Rapids. Be sure to register as soon as possible in order to get your entry instructions.)

Important information:
Be sure to observe all deadlines. Early entries are permissible and encouraged. Quilts submitted after the deadlines are dismissed out of hand, regardless of how beautiful your quilt is. Be sure to follow any instructions about submission for a particular category or group. Read the rules and regulations carefully and follow them.

Follow the rules for the type of photographs required. For the national quilt shows a professional photograph might be desirable. MOST quilt shows will not accept photographs that have been edited in any manner. Following the directions be prepared to submit a head on shot of yourself, a picture of the entire quilt, details of the quilting and close ups of the important details of the quilt. Most photographs are to be submitted in digital format ( CD) but some places still require slides. You must submit the photographs in the format they request.

The rules for the quilt show are set by the hosting organization and will change from show to show. The national shows usually have certified judges, judges who will judge the quilt based on predetermined standards. Judges can be trained and certified by the National Quilting Association, or they can be trained through experience. They all adhere to similar standards of judging, although final results will be varied based on the individuals. There are several method of tallying the points for judging the quilt and the hosting organization will determine what criteria is used. It is usually spelled out in the quilt entry form. Quilts are judged individually then against other quilts in their category and classifications. Best of show quilts are the most perfect quilts with the best workmanship and design elements in the show.

What is important to remember is that having your quilts judged is to improve your techniques for the next quilt, to learn from the judge’s comments. Do not take comments personally but use them as a springboard for improving your workmanship.

What criteria are used for JUDGING A QUILT?
Design / Technique/ Workmanship / Presentation

Presentation:
In her podcast Annie Smith stresses the importance of having your quilt “SHOW READY”. Many beautiful quilts have been knocked out of completion because of pet hair, lint, stains, and odors. Be sure all threads are buried and none are left dangling from construction. All marking should be removed. BE SURE YOUR QUILT IS IMPECCABLY CLEAN.

WORKMANSHIP:
Technique:
For the most part like quilts are judged against each other in their respective categories. It is important to read the rules carefully and enter your quilt in the correct category. What-ever technique you chose it should the best workmanship that you can achieve. Again no dangling threads, applique should be well stitched with invisible stitches. Pieced blocks should have points not cut off or into the seam allowance.

Pay attention to the basics of construction and do the absolute best that you can.

Over all look of the quilt and the impact it has on viewers is important.

Does it hang straight? Are the edges straight and plumb?

Does the quilt lie flat?

DO the borders wave?

Precision of seam allowance is examined.

Are points cut off are they lost into seam allowance?

Threads not buried but hanging off the quilt

Quilting details, regardless of what type of quilting (Hand, domestic or long-arm.) Is it consistent type of quilting being used. Are the stitches even, standard in size and shape? Was the quilting by an individual, a group or professional long arm quilter. (Credit must be given to whoever did the quilting.)

Hand quilting (stitches even size on front and back of quilt, starts and stops not visible, quilt marking lines not visible.)

Machine Quilting (domestic or long armed) is examined for correct tension, thread dots on back of quilt. They look for the starts and stops and the expertise of the back tracts. Thread nests are especially frowned upon.

Does the stitch in the ditch come out of the ditch? More and more shows are judging the quilting against the same type of quilts. (Hand against hand, domestic against domestic and long arm against long arm.) The judges realize different skill sets are required for the different types of quilting.

The binding is especially important. Are the thread hanging, missed stitches gaps in the stitching? Are there any parts where the binding is empty or weak? Are the corners sewn closed on top and bottom? Is the size of the binding uniform; is there any pulling to the back to cover the stitches attaching the binding? Stitches that attach the binding to the quilt should not be seen, but covered by the binding. No batting should be poking through.

DESIGN ELEMENT OF JUDGING:
• Visual impact of design – The quilt must be visible across the room! It needs to be eye-catching
• Originality and creativity
• Color and value
• Balance and integration of design (scale, relationship and arrangement of quilt components including borders)
• Overall appearance (quilt is clean, free of odor, and hangs squarely)
• General construction – workmanship (piecing, applique, borders even)
• Level of difficulty
• Special techniques (if applicable)
• Machine quilting (stitches of even length, no tension problems – Bobbin thread should not show on top and top thread should not show on back. Starts and stops not visible.)
• Quilting design appropriate to quilt top, density of quilting consistent
• Finishing (binding applied securely, evenly and accurately, square corners – no dog ears)

Art Quilts are judged on their merits …
There are more shows being established just for the art quilts. The impact of the design, the artistic expression, composition and all the rules of art are most important for these quilts. That said, technique is still considered to be important part of the judging of these quilts.

Embellishments adhered correctly and are secure

Subjects not taken into consideration and judges try not to allow their own biases and preferences sway them.

Creativity

Color

Harmonious design

Technical skills are judged

Sources:
http://aqsshows.com/AQSGrandRapids/.. REGISTRATION, CLASSES
http://aqsshows.com/AQSGrandRapids/contests …Contests and Deadlines

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Annie Smith, Quilting Stash blog and podcast
http://simplearts.com Podcast 209-210 and 211
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Quilt Judging

http://www.bukisa.com/articles/348120_criteria-used-in-judging-quilt-contests …. Criteria used in judging a quilt

 

Are there any QUILTING ONCERS???

FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS, I HAVE A NEW PODCAST OVER AT POD BEAN. YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD IT ON iTUNES. http://nonniesquiltingdreams.podbean.com/ Nonnie’s Quilting Dream Podcast

You can hear the podcast by following this link. I should warn you LISTEN AT YOUR OWN RISK.

SECOND ITEM: I have added a link to my PINTEREST boards on my link pages on the side bar. Click on the LINK and follow along all the boards you of interested. I would love to have you as a friend on PINTEREST.

THIRD ITEM : ARE YOU A ONCER???

I love the new ABC SHOW ….ONCE UPON A TIME and watch it religiously every Sunday. I have dinner cooked and served in advance and I lock myself in my room and watch my show. Even my grandson leaves me alone. There are a number of ONCE UPON A TIME PODCASTERS. I will provide links here to their forums and podcast sites. You can also download their programs from iTUNES.

ONCE- ONCE UPON a TIME PODCAST with Daniel and crew

Forum for Once Podcast with Daniel and crew

Roney Zone’s Podcast about ONCE UPON A TIME”

SECRETS OF ONCE UPON A TIME PODCAST with Father Liam

STORYBROOKE HERALD PODCAST -DIRECT

OUAT -DVMPE –Best downloaded by itunes

Some of the sites have forums and blog post where you can post your thoughts on the show…. come and play with us.

THIS is the blogs and forums I have found, if you like OUAT you might want to take a peek. I love the theories and insights presented.

Otherwise HAPPY QUILTING, I am working on another podcast hope to post this week. NO SINGING I PROMISE

HAPPY QUILTING,

NONNIE

https://nonniequiltingdreams.wordpress.com/ Nonnie’s Blog

http://nonniesquiltingdreams.podbean.com/ Nonnie’s Quilting Dream Podcast

Pod cast link for Nonnie’s Quilting Dreams

JOIN me at GOOD READS

email me at: nonniequiltingdreams@gmail.com

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