Episode 183: QuiltCon Contro!

Download this episode (right click and save)

 

 

What did you think of the QuiltCon Best of Show quilt? It’s certainly stirring up debate in the quilty world! For pix of the winning quilts, go here.

Finished my first donation quilt!

donatequiltfront

 

The back, which came out unintentionally wonky. Fortunately, I don’t mind wonky:

donateback

 

Here’s the VFW Star quilt, with and without the surprise border (a surprise to me, anyway). Of course, I’ll finish the border of wonky strips to run the length of the side. ETA: In case you were wondering, the quilt isn’t squared. I’m Miss Playful, remember?

vfwstartop

 

 

 

 

 

vfwborder2

 

Thanks to Gretchen at 120 Blocks for sending me a link to the page on her website about group quilting:

http://www.120blocks.com/sample-page/

Another article about quilts and politics: http://www.readingeagle.com/ap/article/social-issues-get-blanket-coverage-at-quilt-event&template=mobileart

Check out the videos from last summer’s Sacred Threads exhibit. Thanks to the Quilt Alliance for making these available!

http://www.sacredthreadsquilts.com/

Check out Jinney Beyers handpiecing on Craftsy:

http://www.craftsy.com/lecture/january-may-basket/9902.html?t=827&moneySymbol=%24&NAVIGATION_PAGE_CONTEXT_ATTR=CLASS

Great new podcast from the fabulous Fons girls, Mary and Marianne! Be sure to listen to Quilt Your Heart Out at your earliest possible convenience! http://quiltyourheartout.com/

Need some more quilty podcast goodness? Check out Hobbies Up to Here!

Thanks for listening!

12 Replies to “Episode 183: QuiltCon Contro!”

  1. Thanks for your podcast! I have been listening for a long time but I have never commented because I am usually behind in listening. I appreciated your comments on hand piecing. I thought I would never hand piece but I enjoy hand piecing while traveling. I am stitching hexagons and the directions call for a running stitch. I really feel the back stitch is necessary. “One-two, backstitch” makes me feel more secure.

  2. I love the point that you make about the controversy. I think it makes things more fun too.

    I bought my daughter one of your books for Christmas. She Loved it! Devoured it in one day. Just thought you should know.

    I really like the point that you make about asking for permission before using someone else’s work. It is the same with all artists.

    I adore your donation quilt. Great use of space and color!

  3. I love your star quilt and the borders are so fun! I was pleased that Melissa won Best of Show, especially since she made it all herself. I would rather her win with her perfectly imperfect quilting than someone who buys their ribbons πŸ™‚ If I were a judge I’d give extra points for originality and doing your own work. I don’t know whether the QC judges take the story of the quilt into account when judging but I’m ok with it if they do. Thanks for the fun listen!

  4. Good morning Frances!

    I absolutely loved your donation quilt. I aspire to get to a place in my quilting to be able to participate in donating my quilts in kindness as you have.????

    Thank you for taking the time to listen to and mention our podcast Hobbies Up To Here! Katie and I are tickled! We’re both quite new to quilting and we’re enjoying this process, as well as podcasting together.

    Have a fabulous day!

    Warmly,
    Dori

  5. Dear Frances, I very much like the direction your quilting is taking. The more playful, the more wonky, the more life I see in your quilts. They move and feel alive.

    After listening to your podcast, I wish I had made the time to travel 4.5 miles to go to QuiltCon. Crikey – I let myself get absorbed in daily tasks and things. There were two birthdays last weekend and that was all I could handle I guess. But one of my relatives who loves history and politics read the local Pasadena paper’s write-up on the political quilts and he was quite impressed and actually moved by some of the quilts. What is a quilt without a story after all?

    Thank you for a wonderful listen.

  6. I have been listening for a while now, think so far I only commented in my head. I am mostly listening to podcast when driving, not a good place to comment.

    I am always one to have some knitting with me and I know this kerps my mind focused. I think the people who are playing on their phones, reading something else are the rude ones.
    If you are interested in research Heather Ordover wrote about it. It is mostly dine on doodling. She was looking for knitting but I am sure it is valid for hand sewing also:

    http://cognitiveanchoring.com/
    Looking forward to your next podcast

    Nathalie from Germany

  7. I do like the wonky stripped back on your VFW quilt.

    Get some audiobooks to which to listen while you drive to the modern quilt guild meeting.

    I do think the Modern Quilt Guild is struggling with their evolution. Having a very tight definition doesn’t seem to be working. I saw a lot of quilts that I would characterize as art quilts at the show, yet there is no space in the definition for art quilts. It is interesting to watch the movement unfold, but I wonder if most people are going to fall into the space between modern and traditional (I prefer the term classic, actually)??

    I admire your desire to create donation quilts through your church. I encourage you to get help. Don’t take this all on yourself. I think it will zap your energy. If the church thing doesn’t work out or in the meantime, you can make your own donation quilts and give them to another local guild to distribute. No, it won’t be your project, but quilts will get to those in need.

    Re: machine quilting donation quilts. There are a lot of handquilted quilts that are still around after 75+ years. Think about limiting the rules. If you say “you must hand piece, you much machine quilt” people will be less inclined to contribute. Try to create a project that is inclusive. I participate so much in my guild’s donation project because I can just piece or I can piece the quilt and bind after someone else quilts it. I can make whatever size quilt I want. There is room for me to do what I can do.

    OH! I am so angry that your publisher wouldn’t send you to San Francisco for ALA last year, but are sending you to Orlando. BOO HISS on them. I would have totally been a fangirl and brought an entourage and made all of your fellow authors jealous. πŸ™

    I think QuiltCon was very fangirlly (new word!) and I also think that people were on their phones a lot checking Instagram or whatever app. The social media is part of the experience. It is important to go to a new show with someone with whom you will have fun, someone with whom a new experience will be exciting.

    Re: your book – I would rather you have a really great summary of the book ont he back than blurbs. Perhaps blurbs are industry standard, but as a reader they are useless to me. I need to know what the book is about and the feel of the book. I don’t want to hear what Jane Doe Fabulous Quilter says about a book, because I don’t know her reading tastes. JMO.

    I don’t know if this is useful, but you can look into it: http:// http://www.pubyourselfpress.com

    I like how your VFW blocks look like they are different sizes. It adds interest and makes my eye move around the piece.

    If you have a ride to QuiltCon, you HAVE to go!! I need a reporter.

    I think that the story shouldn’t matter. Perhaps the techniques in a QuiltCon quilt shouldn’t matter as much either, but I think the visual impact of the quilt should be the most important. I think there were other quilts that had equal or better visual impact to the winner. I saw the winner and didn’t think it was particularly poorly constructed, but I do think it got lost in a sea of improvisational piecing, which leads me to believe that the story swayed the judges. All my opinion.

    I am not sure if your comment about needing to learn more was because I have been lazy in working on the partial seaming tutorial or if you forgot or what. I hope the quilt lessons have been useful, but if not, let me know. I don’t want subpar tutorials up on my blog.

    I love to hear from you, too. πŸ˜‰ Thanks for podcasting!
    Jaye

  8. Another fun podcast! I enjoyed hearing/listening to the thoughts on the Best in Show quilt. It absolutely is powerful in person, and not at all what I expected from the photos I’d seen. I love your donation quilt project. Our church has a prayer shawl ministry, where people knit and crochet lap blankets, though I’m sure they would also love quilts. You may consider opening it up to knitters and crocheters too. In fact, almost all my knitting these days is for that ministry. It’s too hot in California for knitted hats and scarves!

    I look forward to each episode! Keep’em coming!

  9. Just a quick little thing regarding pins…if it isn’t too late, please tell them to get pins that won’t melt if touched by an iron. I would recommend either flat sideways heads or smaller heads too, but that is my personal preference.
    I also would not go with all metal (old fashioned(?) pins) as the heads might burn tender fingertips. I suppose if one sews by hand a lot though, they might have callouses and not feel the burn.
    Loved hearing your podcast this lovely Sunday morning, as I worked on a donation quilt too! πŸ™‚

Leave a Reply to Sharon Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.