Quilt Challenges

A group activity

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,

logo_101417_2

The Mystery is Over

| Cindy Anderson
http://inastitchquilting.com/category/32-projects/

Now that the end of our second Mystery QAL is just around the bend I decided it was time to share my own project. Over the last three months I have been busy designing, and creating my masterpiece. This wonderful little art quilt originated while exploring the Five-Sided Made-Fabric technique taught by Victoria Findlay Wolfe in her book 15 Minutes of Play.

Late in 2017 I challenged myself to create each of the 32 projects listed in the book. Although my progress has been slow, I have enjoyed and learned a lot from each of the sections.

Creating my own fabric from scraps is a technique I have used many times. I have not, however, tried Victoria’s version. On pages 40-41 she provides directions for a Five-Sided Made-Fabric. As the name suggests, each of the blocks begins with a five-sided center.

Using the QAL designated fabric,

English Tea
Collection: English Tea Pattern: Tea Flowers Color: Tomato Item #: 91329 Vendor: Connecting Threads

along with scraps from my overflowing bins, I fashioned together nine blocks. All nine were then combined to create an art piece I have called Five-Sided Center. Art Piece # 45 measures 23 1/4” x 23 1/4”.

My new art piece was sandwiched with a layer of Warm & Natural batting and a cotton fabric backing. I quilted my piece on my conventional sewing machine using a variegated thread and a geometric straight-line pattern. The raw edges of Five Sided Center are protected by a facing. A hanging sleeve and label were added to the back.

This is my Mystery QAL art piece.

Five Sided Center, AP # 45
Five-Sided Center, AP # 45

Thank you so much for visiting today! I hope that you have enjoyed reading about and seeing my latest art piece.

logo_101417_2

16 Quilts, Are You Crazy!

| Cindy Anderson

100 Block Challenge

Are You Crazy!

No! Well, at least I don’t think so. 🤣

I’ve been working diligently at creating each of the blocks in the book 100 Modern Quilt Blocks by Tula Pink. I am happy to report that I’ve completed the first 75. I think the last time I talked about them I had just completed block number seven so a lot has happened since.

Time For A Break

After completing block 74 I made the decision to stray, for a while, from my mission to make all 100. The last grouping of blocks I had just completed was slightly more complicated than all the rest. After accomplishing those my brain needed a rest. I was exhausted and needed something else to throw my quilting enthusiasm into.

Orphans

I maintain a box of orphaned quilt blocks and misfit pieces. Every now and then I pull it out and peer inside to see if anything is calling my name. My recent scrounging reminded me that I still had remnants left from the Courthouse Steps debacle waiting for my attention. I’ve shared stories about these blocks in the past. You will find them listed under the category Courthouse Steps, Block of the Month. Feeling the strong desire to wrap up a few loose ends I chose the remaining remnants for my next project.

Ugly Ducklings

The blocks had been labeled by me as too ugly to be included in AP # 17: The Chosen Nine, AP # 18: Four Friends # 1andAP # 19: Four Friends # 2.

Four Friends # 1, AP # 18
Four Friends # 2, AP # 19
The Chosen 9, Art Piece # 17
Ugly because I didn’t like them.  They were just too boring for my taste. To make them appealing I had to camouflage their existence. The best way to do that was with a rotary cutter.

Time to Start

One by one I attacked all 6 ugly ducklings with a determination to turn each one into a beautiful swan. The end result created 16 brand new art pieces. All 16 have been quilted and are ready for finishing touches (binding, hanging sleeve and label). I’ll share photos when they are all finished. Until then I will leave you with a a photo of one of my experiments.

Courthouse-Steps-Experiments.jpg

Thank You for sharing in my celebration of my newest art pieces! I hope that you will return to watch all 16 unfold.

Talk with you soon!

logo_101417_2