Art Piece # 034: At An Angle

A mini art piece created during my Mystery QAL adventure

I Have Awesome News!

| Cindy Anderson

Have you ever ventured outside your comfort zone?

A Challenge

The Wisconsin Quilt Expo is held every year in September. Early this summer they invited artists to submit their mini quilts to be considered for entry into the Modern Mini Quilt Challenge.

I’ve always wanted to enter a quilt in a competition but never had the nerve to do it. Just like many of you I have

a fear

of

failure.

They say you have to be willing to take rejection as easily as acceptance.

I’ve struggled with that concept all my life. I guess I would never make a good salesperson.

Temptation

This year the temptation of the mini quilt category was too much to resist.

I have a portfolio filled with specimens. There just had to be one that I could be willing to share with my peers. Which one though?

After looking over the possible candidates I decided to select this one.

At An Angle, AP #34

Another Challenge

The deadline for entries was the end of June.

After crossing the stumbling blocks of

possible rejection and

choosing the quilt to enter

I approached my next personal challenge…

It was hard for me to package up and mail my mini quilt. My faith in our delivery system has been tainted by

  • ripped,
  • torn and
  • lost items.

Trusting the USPS to safely and successfully deliver my mini quilt was nerve-racking. Obviously I had to overcome that phobia in order to participate in the challenge.

The Wait

After mailing my item the waiting game began. The Expo Committee said they would make their decision by 7/31/18. I mailed my mini quilt well before the deadline. Mailing it early meant I had 40+ days to wait for their decision.

Let’s fast forward to early August. Of course I just happened to be on vacation with my grandchildren when my letter arrived. While I would have liked to be able to run to the mailbox to find the letter myself, spending time with my daughter and grandchildren was way more important.

My husband was at home so he had the pleasure of opening the envelope.

Here’s the photo he sent me.

Modern Mini Quilt Challenge Acceptance

Woohoo!

I was so excited to find out that my mini art piece would be on display in the Expo Hall. How

awesome

is

that!

There is a well-known quote by Benjamin Franklin that reads:

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

To put it in other words, we must be willing to take a risk in order to achieve something.

I

took a risk

and

I

gained something!

I can’t wait to see my mini quilt,

on display,

amongst the other awesome entries! My camera will be very busy that day.

Now,

go out and take a risk!

Best regards,

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The Neighborhood

| Cindy Anderson

Finally Finished!

After three months of cutting, pressing and stitching, my last Mystery QAL art piece has finally been completed. The art piece I am about to reveal has been titled Neighbors, AP # 37. I chose this name because the overall appearance reminds me of the diversified neighborhoods often seen within the confines of a city. Contained with a metropolitan community you might find

  • single family dwellings,
  • multi-family units,
  • ranch style homes,
  • bungalows,
  • multi-story and
  • high-rise buildings.

I believe the collage created by the unique blocks sandwiched together in my piece are similar to that of a city. With no two blocks the same, each one has the opportunity to add its own flair to the neighborhood.

It All Started…

This art piece began on January 1, 2018. I shared its history via a series of posts; thirteen to be exact. You may find those posts listed under the category Mystery QAL. Neighbors measures 72” x 34”. This quilt, as with most others, was sandwiched with a layer of Warm & Natural batting along with a backing of a very pretty floral fabric. I purchased the floral print sometime ago from the discount table at a local fabric store. As soon as I saw it I just new it would make a wonderful quilt back someday. I’m so happy I decided to add it to my shopping bag.

The Quilting

To secure the sandwich together I used a variegated King Tut thread. The colors in the thread nicely complimented the fabrics used in my project. My piece is filled with straight and angular lines. Using those lines for inspiration I stitched a geometric quilting motif over the entire surface, with each block receiving individualized attention.

A Surprise

In the bottom right corner I personalized the quilting by adding one of my signature stitching designs. Early on in my longarm quilting career I had fun experimenting with the endless possibilities for quilting stitches. The stitch I grew to like the most was my very own version of a flower. Typically I don’t stitch it on quilts that are quilted with straight or angular lines. In this case I thought it would be fun because after all this art piece was titled Neighborhood and who wouldn’t want to have flowers planted in their neighborhood! To add even more bling I stitched  a handmade bead I purchased from jimenastreasures on Etsy. Parmila lives in Spain and creates the most unusual items. Shown below is a photo of one of my favorites.

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A Bead From Jimenastreasures

To cap off the really cool bead I added a small teal one to the very top. Take a look below.

Neighbors, AP # 37 Flair
Neighbors, AP # 37 Flower Embellishment

The Finishing Touches

Most quilts are finished with a binding surrounding all four edges. I could have done the same with this art piece but I really didn’t want to add another fabric. I also didn’t want the binding to take away from my design; I wanted to leave the edges unobstructed. To secure them I made facings from the same material I used for the backing. I also added a hanging sleeve and of course a label.

Let’s Take A Look

I think that pretty much covers everything I have to say about this piece; other than the fact that I am absolutely in love with the final outcome. With nothing more to say let me share photos of the art piece I call Neighbors, AP # 37.

Neighbors, AP #37
Neighbors, AP # 37

The next six photos are of my favorite blocks.

Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 1
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 1
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 2
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 2 This one is my all-time favorite!
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 3
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 3
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 4
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 4
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 5
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 5
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 6
Neighbors, AP # 37 Block 6
Neighbors, AP # 37 Label
Neighbors, AP # 37 Backing and Label

That’s All Folks!

This brings to a close my adventures in the Mystery QAL. I hope that you have enjoyed flowing along and witnessing the process I took to create my many pieces. Don’t forget to check out my Mystery QAL Category for a complete listing of the posts pertaining to this adventure. If you missed seeing the other three pieces here they are.

Munga Tusen Tak!

That’s Norwegian for Many Thanks! My husband is 50% Norwegian. Aspects of his heritage often filter into our daily lives so I thought it would be fun to honor him by sharing a Norwegian phrase. 🙂

Thank you so much for faithfully following this series. Your comments and likes have made it even more enjoyable.

Talk with you soon!

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A QAL Project For Me, Day 13

| Cindy Anderson

My Luck Day

Some may think of 13 as being an unlucky number but I think Day 13 is my lucky day! On January 1, 2018, I set out on a journey to create one Mystery QAL original art piece. Not only did I smash that goal but I surpassed it by three. Using the Fluffer Nutter You Be You fabric as my starting point I was able to harvest four new original art pieces. The main and largest piece is this one.

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Neighbors, AP # 37

This piece has been named Neighbors, AP # 37. The blocks of this original art piece have been stitched together. Left to achieve is the quilting, binding, etc. When I have finished these tasks I will share an update.

The other three original art pieces haven’t received as much attention. Neighbors was the main topic of the last 12 entries in this journal. Being the largest piece certainly meant it deserved the most focus. The other three projects are far smaller yet just as interesting. Their process of evolution took place much more quietly.

So, on this lucky Day # 13 let me introduce you to it’s neighbors.

My Entry

The first original art piece has been titled At an Angle, AP # 34.

At An Angle, AQ # 34-Ready for Hand Stitching
At an Angle, AP # 34-Ready for Hand Stitching

At An Angle, AQ # 34-Closeup
At An Angle, AP # 34-Closeup

At an Angle is my official entry into the Mystery QAL. A quick focus in the center section, will reveal the required fabric, Fluffer Nutter You Be You.

Next Up

Disjointed, AQ # 36-Ready for Hand Stitching
Disjointed, AP # 36-Ready for Hand Stitching

The next original art piece to be identified is the item above called Disjointed, AP # 36. This one does not meet the requirements for the Mystery QAL because it doesn’t contain the Fluffer Nutter You Be You fabric.

Disjointed, AQ # 36-A Closeup
Disjointed, AQ # 36-Closeup

Last But Not Least

The last of my three smaller pieces is this one.

Bubbles, AQ # 38, Ready for Hand Stitching
Bubbles, AP # 38-Ready for Hand Stitching

Bubbles, AQ # 38, A Closeup
Bubbles, AP # 38-A Closeup

Bubbles, AP # 38, could have very easily qualified for the Mystery QAL because it too has the Fluffer Nutter You Be You fabric. I didn’t want to complicate my entry into the QAL by declaring two projects. While this one carries the chosen fabric, it will remain as an independent item.

All Three

All three of the above original art pieces have had their facings added. Left to complete is the attachment of the hanging sleeve and label, as well as hand stitching. I will share updates for each of them when I have these tasks completed.

Thank You!

Thank YOU so much for faithfully following along on this adventure! I’m grateful for the dedication that you have shown through your continued visits and the sharing of your comments.

Talk with you soon!

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