Texas Quilt Museum Summer 2022

I’m fortunate to live close to the Texas Quilt Museum. This exhibit was winners of last year’s International Quilt Festival and special exhibits by Ricky Tims and Timna Tarr. 

I’ve been watching this artist emerge in social media. She is @cottonandbourbon on IG. This piece is striking.

 

I was drawn to this quilt because it reminded me of bluebonnets. Some day I will want to add bluebonnets to a quilt. Her technique is meticulous.

This quilt was beautiful and looked like it was fun to make. I felt like I could actually do some of these techniques. The quilting was very creative. It included several specialty stitches with fancy thread. The artist is from Sisters, Oregon.

The Ricky Tims exhibit was inspiring. The hand dyed fabrics add such depth to his quilts. I’ve never seen his quilts up close. I noted that several traditional elements such as flying geese are used but with a touch of improv which creates more movement and looks like much more fun to make. More forgiving to the quilter.

The grouping of colors in this one adds such depth and movement. I like the simplicity of the design but the depth and detail of the color. It would have far less interest without the improv color blocks.

The flying geese in this quilt are not uniform which makes it so much more interesting. So much movement.

The Timna Tarr exhibit was so much fun. Of course, I loved the chickens. Her technique is ingenious and very effective. She has a book coming out in October. I want to get it and take a Zoom class with her.

What a joy to visit this museum.

I have a new sewing machine. I didn’t need one. I have two Berninas- 4?? quilters edition which I bought about 15 years ago because I thought my Bernina 1080 was broken. It wasn’t. Both run beautifully but I was so tired of the need for a leader and ender to keep it threaded. After I sewed on a fancy machine in Sisters, I really wanted the thread cutting feature. I got some “mailbox money” and decided to splurge. I’m SO glad I did. I absolutely LOVE this machine.

I’m making a Meadowland quilt using cider fabric. I enjoy the big blocks but I do not enjoy the flying geese. I’m just not good at them. It seems like I do the same steps but sometimes they are beautiful and sometimes they are deformed. 

I’ll post the blocks next time. I forgot to get a pic of them today.

The donkeys finally got to move to a pasture near the house. We’ve had fence down and hubby didn’t feel it was priority to fix. I missed the donkeys, so I was thrilled when it finally got done. I like seeing them up close every day. I love my girls.

Today was a beautiful day. My joy was having leftovers and not having to cook. I know I should have loftier, deep reflections but I received huge joy in not having to think about feeding us. Maybe tomorrow my joy will be a deep thought. Maybe.

Joanna

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show

This is the year I turn 60. My gift to myself was a trip to Sisters, Oregon for the quilt show. I took a class with Jean Wells which was a special treat. She has such a gentle spirit and is a great teacher. Most of all, her approach to creativity is also gentle and fun. She approaches it as a journey. 

I had a quilt in the show which was a big deal for me. I haven’t participate in juried shows for several reasons.  The Sisters Show is an “everyone” type of show. No competition, just hanging everyone’s quilt. I just love the spirit of the show and the type of quilts it attracts. 

 

My quilt was an adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed making it but I’ve never made so many mistakes in one quilt. I’ve made all these mistakes before…just not all together at the same time.My mantra was “always forward,  never back.” I just let it go. Eventually. After several times thinking I better start another quilt for the show. But, I persevered.

As I stood waiting to see it, I listened. Not one person was pointing out the plethora of errors. The flaws only show to the person who sewed it and maybe to some sour old lady. We’ve all met her but she is outnumbered by folks who just want to see what other people have made.

The roses are appliquéd. They cover the intersection of several wedges. Brilliant design. I really love this quilt. The fabric is beautiful. It’s going to be my read a book and take a nap quilt.

Sarah Kaufman, author of the book Folded Log Cabin Quilts, had a gallery exhibit. These quilts are stunning. They are precise and elegant. I wish I had bought one.

The gold centers just glowed. The stitching was just enough for detail.

Tonye Phillips’ quilt was delightful. I believe it’s called garden girl. I have the pattern. It looks like so much fun to make.

The details in each girl were so clever.

This quilt was so striking. Jill Huntington is the quilter. It’s done with peppered shot cottons. I’d love to make one. Maybe people would be distracted and not see all the dog hair on the floor.

Absolutely fabulous quilt.

I wish I had gotten the maker. It was in an awkward location so the tag was hard to read. I just love the colors.

I believe this is a Jen Kingwell design. Another one in my que. 

The quilting is perfectly matched to the quilt design.

This looks like so much fun to sew. I love the updated fall colors. Beautiful.

Now to plan my quilt for next year.

Cock-a-doodle-do and the smell of spring

I’ve spent more time cross stitching than quilting. And when I stitch I hop from piece to piece. I guess they will all get done eventually but I wish my attention span was longer. This is Cock-a-doodle-do by Barbara Ana Designs. It has lots of fudging because I got off with the vine in a couple of places.

   

The wildflowers are starting. They are beautiful but the best part is the smell. It smells like a floral shop outside. 

I’ve loved these pink pretties since I was a kid. I’m learning more about how they grow and the other plants in their family. I always called these buttercups. Apparently, evening primrose refers to several kinds of flowers. I think the Order differentiates them. This is Myrtales. I’m still learning....

Henbit is so pretty to me. I listen to garden shows who tell you how to get rid of it. I think it is delightful.

Maggie thinks they smell nice. Or she’s just nosey.

Our days end sitting with the chickens. It’s a glamorous life.

Belle the prairie bluebell egger. She’s head hen. Belle sits in my lap and reflects on her day. And pecks for mealworms.

Molly the cuckoo maran. She lays beautiful dark brown eggs. Such a sweet chicken.

It’s going to be a beautiful spring week.

Joanna

Sunday Stitching

This morning I’m stitching Heartstring Samplery’s Amazing Grace. It’s part of a series with excerpts from old hymns. I just love this series. This one I’m stitching on 32 ct Creek Bed Brown 1 over 2. For the series I will use remnants of fabrics and choose from my floss stash. The green is classic color works english ivy. What an easy, peaceful stitch. ❤️ 

 

We survived the 2021 snowstorm. Power was intermittent and we had some very cold days in the house. We were texting with neighbors so we felt we had comrades. No pipes burst so luck was on our side.

The beasts lay down in peace if they are cold enough.

Poor Cane is not built for winter. He stayed under cover with his nose sticking out.

And now we are enjoying temperatures up into the 70’s. Back to our glamorous life of sitting outside watching chickens.

I hope you had a restful Sunday.

Joanna