Stashbusting Saturday - Day 26

Today, I woke up with the urge to see what others are working on and go shopping! I went to the local Stashbusters meeting to see some projects and came away with a few cool tips.

Here are some of the quilts shown:

It's always fun to see new patterns and ways to use up all of the fabric we quilters tend to collect.

Then I went next door and found what I've needed for the last 2 months. I can't wait to finish this quilt now that I have the perfect backing fabric. (You'll have to wait for the big reveal coming soon.)

I also finished my friends' wedding gift and whipped on that binding like I was a pro! Check this out:

This chevron fabric made such a fun arrow when it was folded over. I really love the end result. I was able to do the continuous binding on my first try and my corners were so sharp, you could cut yourself.

18 Done and 2 to Go!

I finally glued down my last remaining Skillbuilder BOM.

I will sew them down tomorrow with clear thread and add them to my collection. I can't wait to put them all together.

What did you work on today?

Wordless Wednesday - Day 16

Downtown Ashevile, NC

Most Interesting Monday - Day 14

Fall is definitely here! Work is slowing down a bit and the weather is so much more pleasant. I am hoping to make great progress on my Christmas presents this year and also finish the quilt I'm making for myself.

I wanted to share my favorite books that I turn to for inspiration or quiltspiration if you will. They have helped me find my creativity when I needed a spark. 

Tar Beach by Faith Ringhold was the first book I read at a young age that I still love to this day. Her artwork is stunning and all of her quilts are a treasure. I hope to see them in person one day.

Quilting Modern by Jacquie Gering and Katie Pedersen has so many ideas for projects and quilting. I love that they are very flexible in design so you can make the quilt your own. Meeting Jacquie Gering in person in August was such a treat!

Spirits of the Cloth by Carolyn L. Mazloomi is filled with stories, photos, and art quilts that you can stare at for hours. The history of African American quilt making is so interesting and needs to be shared. Many designs used today were inspired by African fabrics and storytelling.

5,500 Quilt Block Designs by Maggie Malone is fabulous! The book contains page after page of designs with original titles and variations of names found over the years. It's my quilt bible and I turn to it for new project ideas. I love that it has no directions or patters to follow. It only has the basic shapes and it leaves it up to you to get it done. (This is where my love of Geometry and graph paper come into play a lot.) I find it funny [sad] when quilters don't know their own history. Most "modern" blocks today come from these really old designs. I guess everything old becomes new again.

100 Modern Quilt Blocks by Tula Pink is also a winner. You get the name the blocks you can create using her basic 6.5 inch designs.  Much like Malone's book, you can change the design or make your own variations based on a basic idea. She even has you write your own bio on the back page and a place to put your photo since you are the "author" when you make the blocks your own.

What are your favorite books or sources of quiltspiration?

Monday Musings - Day 7

Who knew I could blog seven days in a row and still get my work done? I sure didn't think it was possible. I like that my OCD about posting something each day this month has kept me motivated. (I can't leave any gaps or I will be mad at the world, well mostly just myself for not seeing consecutive numbers in the blog archive.)

So today, is Photo Mosiac day and I thought I would share a few of my favorite things. Lucky for you, I am not into video blogging or you would have to suffer though a horrible rendition of Julie Andrews's song about raindrops, kittens and woolen mittens.

I love a good rainbow! There are few things in life that can make me smile larger than when I see a perfect ROY G BIV waiting for me to admire or cut up.

Images from left to right, top to bottom:

I enjoy doodling with Sharpies. My Sharpie art usually has abstract shapes and lots of color. This image is a bit blurry here but the original was used to create one of my earliest art quilts many years ago. It's the image I use as my photo on G+, Flickr, and other "Sewn With Curves" image icons.

The rainbow rose was recently posted on my FB page by a "guildmate" who saw it and thought of me. I took the original image which actually describes how to make this rainbow rose by cutting the stem and placing it in various food colors to achieve a gorgeous look. I cropped the image and made it a bit more bold so I can design a new fabric piece soon.

The new Kona Solids jelly roll and charm pack has been staring at me for a few months now and I think I've finally come up with a pattern worthy of it's rainbow glory. (Now I just need to somehow add extra hours in the day so I can quilt more. I've tried sleeping less but nobody wants to be around me when I get too cranky.)

Coffee is all that I really need as a pick me up. I don't always have (or need) a biscotti at hand but a dark roast coffee is a must. My French press never goes a day without making magic happen in the kitchen. I've even made a rainbow cozy to keep my French press all snug and warm so it can do its thing while keeping my coffee hot until I'm ready for my next dose.

The "lady sewing" was also a FB post from another friend who is an amazing seamstress. (Her Halloween costumes are stunning!) She posted this over the weekend to describe how she was spending her Saturday. I saved it and am still searching for the original artist. She just found it by accident on Google a while back and can't find it again. I want to remake this woman on canvas with a more curves and an afro. If you know where this from, please let me know!

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These are just some of the images and fabrics that have sparked creativity. Making this collage was a lot of fun and I plan on cataloging all of my quilts and canvas art later this year. I look forward to sharing works in progress and completed art/quilts with you when I'm done.