Clementine Daisy on Exhibit

The winter term for Olli (Osher Life Learning Institute) at Furman University has just ended this week.  And I forgot to post a picture of Clementine Daisy which was included in the "Pretty Posies" exhibit in Baiden Gallery of the Herring Center for Continuing Education.

Clementine Daisy by Paige Alexander

Clementine Daisy was the only quilt included in the exhibit and since it is small, just 21" x 21", it fit right in among other mediums like watercolors, drawings, photography and mosaics.

Pretty Posies Exhibit in the Baiden Gallery Furman University

Clementine Daisy was made for the MQG Michael Miller Fabric Challenge in July 2014.  The fabric collection was Petal Pinwheels. (The winners of the challenge are here.)  I followed a tutorial by Debbie Grifka, Sew Solid Sunday #4, and loved working with the bias applique.  This is Debbie's version made with Kona solids.

Daisy Pillow by Debbie Grifka, Sew Solid Sunday #4

I found a few in-process photos. This little wall hanging is all about BIAS. Here the background has been pieced on the bias and the petals are cut and in place.  I must have enlarged Debbie's templates by 110% because it says so.

Clementine Daisy in progress

The petals are outlined in bias stems which were fused in place and then topstitched on each edge with a straight stitching.  This must have been the first petal I quilted.  I remember not knowing what to quilt where, but that's usually how I feel about every quilt.

Quilting petals of clementine Daisy

Clementine Daisy after the quilting is complete.

Not only were the petals outlined in bias, the center was also outlined in bias.  It was really a guessing game to sew bias circle together and then audition to see if it covered the center without being too large or too small.  It had to be just right and it worked! :)  And guess what, the binding was also cut on the bias.

Update:  I added a circle over the photo so you could see where the bias strip is joined to make the circle.  I measured the circumference of where I wanted the circle to be, added 1/2" for the seam allowance and cut the bias strip to that length.  The join is also with a diagonal seam.  So with a little math and a lot of luck it all worked out.  I added the bias around the daisy center rather than a solid because I wanted to showcase one of the prints in the collection.

Circle shows where seam is make the circle 

I even got 3rd place in our guild's show in the applique/mixed technique category.  I remember being up against some stiff competition, so I was thrilled!

Clementine Daisy 

Quilt Stats:

• Finished size: 21" x 21" 
• Pattern: Daisy Pillow Tutorial (Sew Solid Sunday #4) by Debbie Grika
• Fabrics: Michael Miller - Petal Pinwheels and Cotton Couture in Clementine
• Thread: Aurifil 50 wt.
• Quilting design: Modified stipple in the petals, outlined elements in back ground, all free motion
• Batting: 100% Cotton Warm & White by the Warm Company
• Completed: July 2014

Linking to Let's Bee Social with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts.

Throwback Thursday #7: Leaves Art Quilts

I'll say right off, I'm no art quilter.  So, back in 2008, when my local guild offered a monthly class/discussion to go through the Art Quilt Workbook, I signed up. We went through a chapter each month where the exercises focused on the elements and principals of design learning new techniques along the way.

For Throwback Thursday and with it being fall, I'm sharing two mini quilts made while working through the exercises from the book, both measuring 9" x 12".

In the first one, I remember us covering freehand curved piecing and flange insertion.

Leaves II art quilt

Here you can see the green flange added and the curved piecing.

Leaves I

Leaves I

I was trying to show perspective by adding the shadow below the leaf, but when in nature have you seen a perfectly flat leaf with its perfect shadow.

I had just learned to pebble quilt and I was brave enough to add the swirly feathers to portray the wind on breezy fall day.  Straight lines were added to the top and bottom borders.

I probably should review the book again.

Art Quilt Workbook by Jane Dávila and Elin Waterston

On the second mini quilt, it contains 'found objects'.  The square ceramic buttons were purchased at a street festival.  They may be a little chunky for this piece, but I used the square shape and extended it into the quarter log cabin blocks.

Leaves II

One chapter covered border options and I extended the log cabin block out into the border.  I repeated the leaf theme of the buttons in to the border by quilting continuous leaves all around.  I quilted just straight lines in the log cabin blocks not necessarily following a particular path.

You may not can tell from the photo, but I used seed beeds on the thread to sew on the buttons.  If it weren't for the colors and muddy batiks, this could almost be a modern 'ish' little quilt.

And one more with the birdhouse made from a gourd hanging from the tree.

Now head on over to A Quarter Inch from the Edge to see other makes from the quilty past.

Throwback Thursday #6: Frames

Where did the week go?  It's the first Thursday of the month and time for Throwback Thursday!

I'm sharing a quilt I made in February 2012 for the arrival of the first grandchild in my husband's family.

Frames baby quilt by Paige Alexander

The pattern is called Frames by Elizabeth Hartman and came as a trio of patterns, More Simple Modern Baby Quilts published in 2010.

The original block size was 8" and I enlarged them to 9".  I included a column of blocks on the back so I could still get the backing from from length of fabric.

Back of Frames by Paige Alexander

The main fabric was Zoology in Sea by Michael Miller.  I fussy cut the elephants, hippos, giraffes, frogs and trees for the center of the blocks. Every other block was framed in the same fabric, Scatter Square in Beige from the Mini Mikes collection also by Michael Miller.

Fussy cut giraffe framed in Scatter Square by Michael Miller

The rest of the blocks were made from coordinating fabrics in gray, beige and aqua.

Frames baby quilt by Paige Alexander

Frames baby quilt by Paige Alexander

I printed the label and incorporated it into one of the blocks on the back. No hand sewing on a label, Yay!

Label included in a block on the back of the quilt

I quilted it in an all over stipple design and pieced some random scraps together to practice the scale first and check the thread color.  I know it's a gray by Auriful.  This is the practice piece I still have.

Sample quilt sandwich to practice quilting motif and check thread color

From the leftovers I'm making another baby quilt.  The shower is Saturday and still need to sew on the binding.  I better get busy!

Quilt Stats:

• Finished size:  45" x 45"
• Pattern:  Frames by Elizabeth Hartman
• Fabrics: Zoology, Scatter Square and Baby Dumb Dot by Michael Miller; Kona cotton solids and various prints
• Thread: Aurifil 
• Quilting design:  All over stipple meander
• Batting: 100% Cotton Warm & White by the Warm Company
• Completed: February 2012

Linking up to the 1st Anniversary edition of Throwback Thursday with Jenn at A Quarter Inch from the Edge and Needle and Thread Thursday with Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation.

Throwback Thursday #4: Sew Charmed

It all started with a Michael Miller mini charm pack of Cotton Couture solids in my QuiltCon 2015 swag bag and inspiration from a quilt hanging in my local quilt shop made from Denyse Schmidt's pattern, Big Charming.  I named this mini quilt, Sew Charmed and here is it hanging on the barn one fall afternoon of October 2015.

Sew Charmed by Paige Alexander

The Michael Miller mini charm pack received in the QuiltCon 2015 swag bag below.

Michael Miller Cotton Couture mini charm pack

And you might think I'm crazy, but here are the mini charms fresh out of the dryer.  I'm a prewasher and don't want any surprises down the road.

Cotton Couture mini charms out of the dryer

I pressed them and started laying them out on the design wall.

First layout of Cotton Couture mini charm squares

Then another layout going from warm to cool colors.

Second layout of Cotton Couture mini charm squares

Final layout after trimming to a consistent size, I think 2 1/8".

Cotton Couture mini charm squares after trimming

Next, I had to decide on a background.  I auditioned various fabrics by pinning to the design wall and stepping back to take a look.  Notice the Hoffman modern batik on the left that I ordered soon after they were on the market and mentioned in this post.

A few more auditions.  I decided on the fabric at the top.  I only had a 1/2 yard and knew it was a Windam fabric.  But after posting it on Instagram, Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl quickly identified it for me and I ordered what I needed from Warm Kitty Quilts on Etsy.

The finished top measuring approximately 27" x 20".

Sew Charmed quilt top by Paige Alexander

Now...how to quilt it.  I first thought about spiral quilting starting from the center charm and used a quarter at the start of the first circle.

I drew the outline of the quarter and then gradually increased the spacing until the lines were about 1/2" apart.  From there I thought I could use the edge of the walking foot as a guide to finish the quilting.  But I just wasn't happy.  The curves were not smooth and I decided to rip it out.

Spiral quilting ultimately ripped out

I decided to go with uneven concentric circles.  And yes, that entailed burying the starts and stops of each circle.  I found a scrap booking circle template at the thrift store and used it to draw the circles. Sometimes I used a previously stitched line and the edge of my walking foot as a guide for the next line.

Sew Charmed under the machine

Now the quilting is finished and I'm about to dunk it in the washing machine to remove the blue water soluble marking lines.

Sew charmed before soaking to remove the markings

My favorite binding is double fold bias and liked the way it contrasted with vertical and horizontal gridded lines in the background fabric.

Sew Charmed by Paige Alexander

Another view on the barn...

Sew Charmed by Paige Alexander on the barn

And a view on the gate where you can see a little of the fall color.

Sew Charmed by Paige Alexander hanging on the gate

Quilt Stats:

• Finished size:  27" x 20"
• Pattern:  Inspired by Big Charming by Denyse Schmidt
• Binding: 1/4" double fold bias binding from 2" strips and sewn down by hand
• Fabrics: Michael Miller Cotton Couture mini charm squares; background: Grid by Bye Bye Birdie from Windham Fabrics
• Thread: Aurifil for piecing and quilting 
• Batting: 100% Cotton Warm & White by the Warm Company
• Completed: October 30, 2015

Sew Charmed was a fun little quilt to make.  So far, it has been my most liked picture on Instagram and most viewed on Flickr.

I didn't go back too far back in my quilty past to show you this one and am linking to Throwback Thursday with Jen at A Quarter Inch from the Edge.

Throwback Thursday #3: Game Day Baby Quilt

To honor the Clemson University Tigers who almost brought home the NCAA National Championship, I would like to show you a quilt I made in 2013, Game Day.

Game Day by Paige Alexander made from Rookie Quarterback pattern

Game Day was made for guild challenge where the only rule was to make any quilt using Kaffe Fassett's Paperweight fabric in Pastel.  Although the the background is gray, from a distance, it appears almost lavender.

With the challenge deadline approaching, I ran across a pattern, Rookie Quarterback, and thought it would be fairly quick to make and great for a girly football quilt.  I modified the size since I had exactly 1 yard and 1 fat quarter of the challenge fabric

To give the quilt a little more Clemson spirit, I added a tiger paw in the upper left hand corner using zigzag satin stitch applique by machine.

Appliqued tiger paw added to upper stripe

And added 'Go Tigers !' to the lower right hand corner.  I used the font MV Boli and changed the size to 210 points.

I actually finished this quilt on August 31, 2013.  It was a home game in Death Valley and the Tigers beat the Georgia Bulldogs 38-35.  I even made the quilt label in the shape of a football to commemorate the win and appliqued orange stripes to the football.  The label was designed in MS Word and printed on Printed Treasures with purple ink.

Football quilt label for Game Day

I used an all over stipple pattern for quilting in the paperweight fabric and something to resemble stitching in the stripes and lacing.

Quilting detail on Game Day

I was in Clemson earlier this week and took a couple of pictures on campus at Memorial Stadium under gray skies with misting rain.

Game Day at Frank Howard Field

Here is the Tiger mascot holding Game Day.

Tiger Mascot statute just outside Memorial Stadium

And no trip to Clemson would be complete without viewing Howard's Rock.

Howard's Rock displayed in Death Valley at Clemson University

Quilt Stats:

• Finished size: 35" x 45"
• Pattern: Rookie Quarterback by Robinson Pattern Company
• Pattern modifications: reduced in size and added machine applique 
• Fabrics: Kaffe Fassett Paperweight in Pastel, Kona in white and a purple, and an unknown orange print with dots
• Batting: Warm & White by the Warm Company
• Binding: Bias and hand sewn down 
• Thread: Aurifil for piecing and quilting, Mettler for applique
• Completed: Sept. 2013

Linking up with Jenn at A Quarter Inch From the Edge for Throwback Thursday.  Be sure to stop by to see the other fabulous quilts from the past! She has the schedule for 2016 posted here.