Today I AM Judging at the Western Washington State Fair

Thought I would share some of the comments I might make.

FEATURES OF THIS QUILT ARE:                                

GENERAL APPEARANCE

Excellent visual impact

Stood up well against stiff competition

Edges flat

Colors and fabrics well chosen for quilts style

Innovative use of color

Innovative use of pattern

Well balanced design

PIECING

Piecing well done

Points match

Block size is uniform

Straight lines are straight

Curved seams are smooth

APPLIQUÉ

Appliqué well done

Design well centered on block

Curves are smooth

Points are sharp

Stitches are even

Stitches are unobtrusive

BORDER

Border well done

Border compliment’s central design

Corner miters well done

BINDING

Binding well done

QUILTING

Quilting well done

Stitches are even

Stitches on back are even

Straight quilting lines are straight

Curves quilting lines are smooth

Quilting pattern appropriate

AREAS WHICH NEED IMPROVEMENT:

GENERAL APPEARANCE

Color impact could be improved

Good effort

Bearding is apparent

Loose threads should be cut (threads shadow)

Remove basting threads and/or pencil marks

Edges wobble or ripple

PIECING

Piecing needs improvement

Corners and points should meet precisely

Block size should be uniform

Straight lines should be straight

Shadowing-through detracts

Stitches should be secure

Piecing thread should not show

APPLIQUÉ

Appliqué needs improvement

Design should be centered on block

Curves should be smooth

Points should be sharp

Stitches should be even

Stitches should be unobtrusive

Background shadows through

BORDER

Border techniques need improvement

Border should compliment central design

Corner miters should be done carefully

Borders should be straight

Sashing inconsistent (not aligned)

BINDING

Binding techniques need improvement

Batting should fill binding completely

Corners should be stitched closed

Width of binding should be consistent

Fabric bias more appropriate than commercial bias

QUILTING

Quilting techniques need improvement

Density of quilting should be consistent over surface

Stitches should be of even length

Stitches should go all the way through

Beginning and ending of quilting threads should be invisible

Quilting design should enhance design

In the ditch quilting should stay in the ditch

Tension on quilting stitch should be even

It's Summer, here is a Tour of My Gardens

Jubliee

I love flowers! A psychedelic wonder with fragrance so sweet.

It is important to me that my art quilts suggest a meaning to the viewer rather than simply decorate walls. Underlying much of my work is the theme of wonderment for the workings of the earth.

Roses are Red

Flowers are a significant visual influence in my daily life. I can almost feel the warm summer sun and smell the fragrance of roses from my quilt garden. This is a glorious sensation.

Seattle Summer

Watching the goslings learn to fly is very fun! They run across the water until they nose dive into the water. Then do it again!

During the second year of their lives, Canada geese find a mate. They are monogamous, and most couples stay together all of their lives. If one dies, the other may find a new mate. The female lays from 2–9 eggs with an average of five and both parents protect the nest while the eggs incubate.

The incubation period, in which the female incubates while the male remains nearby, lasts for 24–28 days after laying. As the annual summer molt also takes place during the breeding season, the adults lose their flight feathers for 20–40 days, regaining flight at about the same time as their goslings start to fly.

As soon as the goslings hatch they are immediately capable of walking, swimming and finding their own food (a diet similar to the adult geese). Parents are often seen leading their goslings in a line, usually with one adult at the front, and the other at the back. While protecting their goslings, parents often violently chase away nearby creatures, from small blackbirds to lone humans that approach, after warning them by giving off a hissing sound and will then attack with bites and slaps of the wings if the threat does not retreat or has seized a gosling.

The offspring enter the fledging stage any time from 6 to 9 weeks of age. They do not leave their parents until after the spring migration, when they return to their birthplace.

Summer Garden Tour

I don't garden, but I love gardens. Here is one of my favorites.

Saturday, It's Quilters Anonymous, Edmonas WA

Fast Finishes

First we learn to join pre-quilted blocks using several innovative techniques. Go home ready to make

larger machine quilted quilts without all the work of trying to get it into your machine. The Quilt-As-You-Go method allows for more detailed quilting using a standard sewing machine since you're only quilting a small section at a time. Fast finishing concludes with super-fast binding. Is binding the quilt your least favorite part?  Bindings and piping are a snap with this no-fail completely machine-stitched method.  In this class you will be making a sample to take home to keep as a ‘how to’ example for your own quilts. Binding will never be the same again!
Check with Barbara 


Here's the supply list:

3 Quilted Quilt blocks 5 x 10” (firm batting works best)

          Option: use pre-quilted fabric

Fat quarter fabric for front and back sashing strips

Fat quarter batting

Fat quarter each binding and piping fabric

Rotary cutter, mat and ruler (medium size)

Sewing machine

Walking foot (Frequently an extra item with open toe capability if possible) OR open toe embroidery foot AND ¼” foot

Seam ripper

Thread snips

Fabric scissors

Thread to match the sashing strips, backing and piping fabric

Size 75/11 quilting needles

Pins

If not provided by the guild

Extension cord

Iron and ironing surface

Optional, but nice

Chair cushion

 

Always Something to Learn from Old Quilts

I just love old quilts! Send me to a show of old quilts and I'll be there forever! There is always something new to learn.

My friend Ruthann brought this family quilt to share at the recent gathering of my small group.

My favorite..red flowers!

What I loved most was this edge treatment. The quilt is faced with a tiny piping.

Quilting with Big Inspiration

I usually don't work with bold prints like these. Their graphic nature just screamed at me, how could I resist? It turned out to be a fun experience! The printed shapes suggested so many ways to quilt the quilt!

em-bel-ish - a purse

Note that the closure is a hair elastic.

I think that if you need to ask the question 'is it enough?' The answer is always NO! Here is a great example of that idea.

I made a purse...it really needs to be decorated.

4 layers of nylon net, cut 4 & 6" wide

layer one on top of the other, long stitch down the middle

pull gathers to desired length

pin ruffle on to purse

Great lining for a strap

And a bit more ribbon!

A Great Idea

I try to be neat, but sometimes I just can't get there from here. If messy thread isn't your thing either, here's a great tip. On a trip to the dollar store, I purchased a package of hair elastics. For my dollar I got 36 tangled thread solutions! What a find!

What's New in the Studio

Reliable Maven 100IS Home Steam Ironing System with Lightweight Iron
My friend JB has one, I used it the first time a couple of years ago. I have been lusting for one. I finally decided to invest! What a treat!!!

    Ultra-light, professional-quality home ironing station smoothens out wrinkles with pressurized steam
    Delivers consistent volume of high-pressure steam (3.5 bar, 50 PSI) for a crisp, clean finish
    Easy-to-clean aluminum soleplate with holes at the tip for maximum steam penetration
    Heat-resistant cork handle; 3-1/2 cup water capacity; heats up in 7 to 8 minutes
    Backed by a one-year limited warranty and a lifetime boiler tank warranty; measures 12 x 8 x 10-1/2 inches

It's Summer, I'm Dyeing (Fabric)

I've playing around in the dye pots again. It's lots of fun. Get a friend or two and spend the day.  Check out the Dharma Trading Company's web site for help.