Clamnation - Construction

I had a blast taking my second class from Karen K. Stone in Houston this year.  It was called Shellfire and Clamnation.  It was such fun learning how she creates clam shells and appliques them together.  

I started out with a pack of Island Batik 10 inch squares called Pressed Petals.  I made these fun clam shell starters.

Then she taught us to add a 1/4" flange on the clam shells.  In my infinite wisdom (or not) I went down to the show floor in Houston and bought a bunch of silk to use as the flanges and some for the background too.  When in Houston after all...

Later at home I started playing with different arrangements for my clam shells.  I wanted to do a modern take on clam shells.

The silk is a dark, dark blue.  So luscious.  I sprayed LOTS of starch on it to keep it stiff for working with.

It's getting assembled.

Here's me and Karen in class.

 

And my final top before basting.  It's a bit sunny in this picture so the colors are a bit brighter than the actual quilt.

Come back soon to see the quilting!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Whirl Complete!

I had a blast making this Whirl quilt!  It is my own design and I like the unusual spinning symmetry it has.  Such fun.

The background quilting was fun to do.

Wavy curves were my quilting choice for the green.

Here you can see my swirl with petals I used as my background filler.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Handi Quilter Capri -- My first quilt is done!

I just got a new Handi Quilter Capri and I'm loving it, but it is a bit intimidating to learn.  Tonight I tried stippling for the first time.  I learned a couple of things.  First, you need to set the stitches per inch to a higher number to get tighter curves.  Second, I can do it!  No microscopic stippling yet, but I'm happy with the results.

I also finished my first quilt!  The fabric is Island Batik's Enchanted Forest Collection.

Here you can see my stippling.  I'm having fun which is the goal, right?

I'll post a better picture once I get the binding done.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Handi Quilter Capri Learning for the Day

I finally had the time to really sit down and play with my Handi Quilter Capri today.  It can keep up with me when I do big swirly feathers which is just fantastic and I don't have to worry about stitch length when I'm in regulated mode!  So freeing.  

That being said, it's still a HUGE learning curve.  Here's what I've learned so far:

1.  Keep the bottom and top thread the same.  I tried to use some thread that came on one of the bobbins and my tension went crazy, so I went back to the same thread I was using before.

2.  You have to wind the thread around the bobbin winder tension disk TWO times and make sure their is a LONG thread tail wrapped around the bobbin before it winds nicely.

3.  I like the foot pedal better than the go button.  I didn't expect this, but it's true for me.

4.  I'm still not sure how to adapt to not being able to make the tiny locking stitches I'm used to doing on my Bernina.  Time will tell how this one shakes out.  For now, I'm not doing show quilting on it, so it's fine, but we shall see what happens as I get used to my Capri.

5.  I love that it can keep up wiht me!

6.  I like a speed of about 375 so far.  

7.  It's fun!

Here's what I've been working on (the fabric line is Enchanted Garden by Island Batik)

Used up my first complete bobbin!

My lovely machine got some new artwork I purchased from Helen Godden hanging on the wall next to her.  It's so beautiful and such great inspiration!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

2019 Goal Check and 2020 Goals

My Goals

1.  Continue to be an Island Batik Ambassador and write another pattern for them.

Done!  Being an Island Batik Ambassadors continues to be a blast.

2.  I'd love to do another mystery quilt for Minnesota Quilters next year as it was such fun this year.

Done!  I've written and people are starting the 2020 Mystery!  Such fun.  You can still sign up here.

3.  Submit at least 2 quilt proposals to magazines.

I submitted one, so half way there!

4.  Finish two show quilts that are ready for quilting.  Well, maybe one is more realistic.  We'll see.

I finished one and have two in progress.  Pretty good!  They are surprises until their first show, so you will have to wait and see.

5.  Submit another quilt for the National Quilt Museum's Wheel of Fortune contest this year.

This one fell off my radar as I was finishing a show quilt instead.  They're redesigning the contest and I'm curious how it will change.  I have to be honest that the required 50 x 50 inch factor and not having a spark of an idea was what caused me to drop this thought.

6.  Finish and submit my blue quilt for IQA Houston's Sapphire Exhibit.  It's made from all Island Batik Fabrics.

Done!  It was so fun to see it hanging in Houston with all the other amazing blue and white quilts.

7.  Have something printed by Karlee Porter and Honest Fabrics and quilt it.

Well, I did dad's quilt, but that was in 2018 and it was Spoonflower printed.  I haven't gotten around to doing another, but I have thoughts.  We shall see what happens.

2020 Goals:

1.  Continue to be an Island Batik Ambassador and write another pattern for them.

2.  Propose my 2019 Mystery quilt to magazines and/or other guilds.  Something...

3.  Submit at least 2 quilt proposals to magazines.

4.  Finish ONE show quilts that is ready for quilting.  Well, maybe two.  We'll see.

5.  Start working on a new quilting book.  Subject to be determined. 

6.  Have a quilt juried into QuiltCon in 2021.  It's a goal.  It make take a few years.

7.  Have a blast with my new Handiquilter Capri!  (And learn not to be afraid of it at times - LOL).

I hope you get to quilt today and Happy New Year!

Suzy

Island Batik Ambassador Year in Review

I went back to look at all the quilts I've made as an Island Batik Ambassador this year!  It's a boatload!  I'm sure I'm missing a few, but check out the eye candy.  Such fun to see them all in one place.  Thanks to Island Batik, Hobbs Batting, Aurifil, and Accuquilt for all the goodies.

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

Skills I want to Improve

Is it silly that my answer to this is always binding?  It's something I work on constantly to try to improve.  I also want to get my clamshell edgings to stand straight.  It drove me crazy that my quilt did this in Houston:

I need to figure out how to get it to do this:

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy