Gathering Supplies....

Are YOU getting ready?

If you have ANY questions please leave them in the comments or email me at 

quiltingbias@gmail.com

See YOU on Wednesday to Quilt-Along with Pink Sun Rising!

Pink Sun Rising QUILT-ALONG

Thank-you for all the enthusiasm and sweet comments about doing a Quilt-Along of this paper-pieced project!  

PINK SUN RISING
by QUILTING BIAS
QUILT DESIGNS

Is it difficult?  

In the realm of paper-piecing I would say NO because the paper-piecing component of this design is really only comprised of non-intersecting seams 

- you know -

NO dreaded Y - seams!

like these:

design wall view of my current project!!

Now,
it does have curved piecing 

- but with a few challenges

we can all feel accomplished after tackling a new skill-set or
just further exploring one we have already delved into.

Some of you lovely followers had some other concerns - VERY busy right now, could we get a discount on the pattern, etc.

This Quilt-Along will be up on the blog in perpetuity so jump in when it works best for you!  

Instead of a discounted initial purchase what I thought might be 

FUN 

(and isn't that what this is all about???)

would be to offer a discount on any further pattern purchase of any one QUILTING BIAS Quilt Design pattern if you send me a photo of your finished quilt top or even possibly (GASP) the completed quilt which I will share on the blog.  I thought that might be a LITTLE more incentive to GET IT DONE than giving it away up front.  (add wink here!!)

SHALL WE GET STARTED?

STEP 1:  
GATHER your materials.

WHAT DO WE NEED?

a..  The PATTERN!  

This can be mailed to you in printed format or you can get an immediate PDF download.  All the resources for this are at the top of the blog.  Craftsy ONLY supports downloads, Big Cartel or Etsy support both.  If you would prefer not to access any of these on-line sources I can invoice you directly through PayPal as well.

b.  Notions:

Basic quilting supplies you enjoy using - you know - rotary cutter, mat, quilting rulers, good quality pins, scissors (paper AND fabric) etc.

ALSO:

i.  The one specialty item that will come in handy is an Add A Quarter Ruler.  

It is not ABSOLUTELY necessary but is handy.  

You can use a quilting ruler with a 1/4 inch demarcation on it alternatively but the Add A Quarter snugs right up to the seam you are cutting next to so does help avoid slippage.

ii.  Another choice is in the paper you use for printing the pattern onto.  

The pattern has 1 of each of the component parts of the blocks - you will have to print these for each block.  Printer paper or specialty paper-piecing paper is an individual choice.  Personally I use both.  Paper specially designed  for paper-piecing is lighter weight and tears away more easily than printer paper.  If you use printer paper it will require a little more care in removing it - but it is done successfully all the time.

iii.  Freezer paper.

c.  Fabric

Yardage is listed in the pattern.  

A word to the wise - it is always prudent to think ahead a little about binding and backing if you want it to coordinate or match any other fabric you are using.  Have you ever been disappointed when, having completed a quilt top then trying to find THAT special fabric again to no avail??  GRRRR.....

So...

are you READY???


Let's get our heads and supplies together and meet back here in about 2 weeks:

on OCTOBER 15 

and we will BEGIN!

I am EXCITED to do this with you!

Please leave any questions or concerns in the comments or email me at quiltingbias@gmail.com.

Today is the Day!

Thank you to all of you who have come here to see my work.

A particular thank-you to those of you who comment, follow and have even entered the contest to win a pattern!

The winner of the contest is 

#1 -

  Mary Pat Callihan!!

The person who stepped up first to offer her thoughts is now the owner of a free Quilting Bias pattern.

Mary Pat - please contact me at quiltingbias@gmail.com to let me know which pattern you would like & in which format.

To the rest of you - I apologize but when I tried to put the random number generator on the blog it would come up empty and I wanted to stick with the original number generated to be fair.  

That is why it isn't here.

Thanks for continuing to suffer along with a novice blogger.  Yuck.
If any of you experienced bloggers can offer advice - I would LOVE to hear it.

What quilting projects are you working on this week?

I have been binding 2 quilts -

#1 is a UFO that I forced myself to finish
AND
#2 is a sample for a class I am offering on improvisational work.
 I will now show them to you in reverse order!

#2: is a version of Jacquie Gering's Shattered Quilt.
Sorry about the shadows - it is a warm, sunny, last day of September here in Georgia.

#1: This is my design made with Louisa L. Smith's Strips and Curves rulers after reading 

A New Twist on Strips & Curves:

You can find all Louisa's books and templates here:

Afraid of curves in quilting?  

It takes a little practice just like anything else but we will be tackling them in the Pink Sun Rising Quilt-Along if you dare to join us!

Have a wonderful first week of October!

Modern Geese Class - September 27, 2014

What fun to have some interested ladies create their own Modern Geese quilt! 

 Each one will be so different because of the personal fabric choices.  

I can NOT wait to see them when they are done!

So - Who Wants to do a QUILT-ALONG?

Karen left a comment on Wednesday's post when I asked what you all thought about paper piecing, that really got me thinking.  She asked for a recommendation about where to start.  

I thought - wow - great idea - 

a tutorial!

THEN the more I thought about it - what an opportunity this might be 

to do a quilt-along 

and get to know each other!

I think it is a GREAT idea!

(if I do say so myself) 

 I did a row-along with Lori Holt on her blog

(anyone else here participate?) 

and 

even though it turned out to be an investment of time much longer in duration than I intended 

(she made no promises 

nor asked MY opinion 

or even set out with a plan) 

it was a great learning experience.

I am thinking we could should make my PINK SUN RISING quilt.  

Honestly - it is NOT that difficult.  

You will perfect paper-piecing those rays, 

get comfortable with sewing curves 

add a POP of a sun

and 

                                          before you know it -

                                                                               you will BE DONE!

How do you feel about that?  Anyone interested?

I am actually teaching this in person at my local quilt shop in November so it would be perfect timing for me (my brain will be somewhat in that mode).

If you think you might like to do this please leave me a comment and we can start planning!

Linked up with Sew Fresh Quilts

I am OVERWHELMED!

To EVERYONE who came here in the last 24+ hours via the 

RUSH HOUR BLOG HOP 

- THANK YOU!!

You have all left SO many lovely and thoughtful comments!

I sincerely thank you all.
I also thank Carol from Just Let Me Quilt because she held my hand through this first blog-hop and I wouldn't have even attempted this without her encouragement and help.  I was so impressed that she was a MONKEES fan too!
Mdme Samm from Sew We Quilt - you have gotten us all together!  Thank you too!

In my novice blogger way I am still working out my kinks with blogging, like trying to comment on all your blogs.

I really appreciate the time you took to look at my work.  To those of you who entered the contest - only 0 more days!

I particularly want to thank you if you chose to follow my blog.  It warms my heart to know you are interested in what I am doing!  Here's to hoping we will stay in touch for quite some time...

AND...

Here is a SNEAK PEEK at what I am working on now.  I LOVE the sharp points you can ONLY get from paper-piecing.  

Do you like to paper-piece?

I'd love to hear your thoughts about paper-piecing 

-leave a comment about it!

JAGGED EDGES

Welcome to the RUSH HOUR BLOG HOP!

Doesn't rush hour give you JAGGED EDGES? 

 This quilt, so named, also creates for me a sense of stopping & going as well as running into possible detours and roadblocks while trying to get where you are going.  Who on earth coined the name RUSH hour for that "hurry up and wait" time of day that you know will put you into traffic for a long, long time?

Here is a closeup to show the fabulous quilting done by longarm artist Jennifer McClanahan.

I wanted it to stay linear and hard-edged like the modern edginess in this quilt.  She pulled it off with simplicity and impact!

I am so happy to be participating in this blog-hop (my first!!) and welcome any of you who have come here to see my work.  I currently have a contest going on to win one of 2 past Quilting Bias quilt patterns by leaving a comment & following this very new blog. 

(See the September 7, 2014 post)

Do be sure to stop by everyone else's blog that is listed below and check out what RUSH HOUR means to them!!  I know I am looking forward to seeing everyone else's rush hour interpretations.

Thanks for stopping by!

Click HERE for the schedule of the RUSH HOUR blog.

Linked up with Let's Bee Social

New Quilt Pattern Reveal!

In just 1 week I will be participating in my first blog-hop!  I am excited and somewhat nervous to be doing this. 

This will be the reveal of my newest quilt pattern!

These are the other participants:

Tuesday, September 23

Just Let Me Quilt

I piece 2-Mary

Marjorie’s Bush Corner

Quilt in a not-Shell

The Slow Quilter

The Blended Blog

Quilting Bias

Wednesday, September 24

Stitchin’ By The Lake

Buzzing and Bumbling

Lixie Makes It

Everyone Deserves a Quilt

Living With Purpose

Madly Mid Mod

Coral Canyon Quilting

Thursday, September 25

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Kwilty Pleasures

Selina Quilts

A Stitch in Time

It Seams To Be Sew

Pig Tales and Quilts

Lakeshore Stiches

Tea Time Creations

Friday, September 26

The Quilting Queen Online

Quilting Quietly

Vicky Myers Creations

Grammie Q’s

From This to That

Quilted Delights

Coeur d’Alene

Sew at Home Mummy

Monday, September 29

Grandmama’s Stories

Kris Loves Fabric

Jane’s Quilting

Life, Quilts, and Cats, too

Thimblemouse and Spouse

Creatin’ in the sticks

Bquiltin Studio

Tuesday, September 30

Lily Patch

MooseStash Quilting

Words & Stitches

Karma Willow Designs

Kwilt Krazy

How arT you?

Sew We Quilt

STAY TUNED!!

CONTEST!!

Who wants a FREE Quilting Bias pattern?

If you would like a chance to win a free Quilting Bias pattern 

simply sign on to follow this blog 

and leave a comment here, 

about which pattern you like and WHY!

Got that?  

2 things to leave in your comment: 

the name of the pattern 

and 

why you like it.

I will choose the winning commentator by random generator 

SEPTEMBER 30.

1 chance per PERSON, 

unless 

you send someone here to make a comment 

AND 

they mention your name. 

 1 chance for EACH PERSON you refer.

GOOD LUCK!

I can't wait to hear which pattern you like best and WHY!

Pink Sun Rising                                  OR                                 Modern Geese

Gotta Do It MY Way!

Even though I mentioned this quilt in the last post about the fall classes I will be teaching I never really focused on this particular quilt here.  It isn't brand new and my mind is on what I am working on now so I guess it slipped through the cracks!
A group of my quilting friends made plans to get together to make a lovely version of a New York Beauty quilt.  They were spending a long weekend at the lake doing it and just enjoying the devoted time to sewing and camaraderie.  I needed to come & go and I just couldn't bring myself to completely recreate someone else's very detailed and involved pattern.  I had been itching to get out of that rut of reduplication, besides, THIS wasn't what modern quilting is all about!
I made one traditional block exactly as the pattern instructed.
 Hmmm.
It is now part of the backing.
The group LOVES batiks....
                                           - me...
                                                     - not so much.
BUT I must be missing something?  I had purchased everything I needed to make the original quilt - batiks and all.
So I used the batiks and I must say in this application I was quite pleased.  Quilter's Linen by Robert Kaufman - now that pulled it all together for me.
This pattern does require paper-piecing, but, once you get that down it makes the most beautiful points in the rays.  Again, LOTS of negative space to quilt to abandon and just make it your own! The other adaptability of this pattern is placing the blocks in any format you like.
I have had a lot of interest in this quilt - I think it evokes a real sense of tradition in quilters who love traditional quilts but are feet-first in the modern quilting world - with me  US!

By the way (NOT at all a postscript) the gorgeous quilting was done by Jennifer McClanahan.

Classes Offered this Fall!

I am looking forward to be teaching at Branum's again. I am excited to be sharing modern quilt design with anyone else who enjoys it as well!

 The first class is a pattern that is not terribly difficult and centers around "easy" flying geese.

The second class is a paper pieced modern version of a classic New York Beauty - which by the way - was NOT designed by someone from New York but is believed to be from a southern designer. There is a very interesting article about it's origins and the surrounding history at the time which played a large part in it's popularity here:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/08/1259645/-DK-Quilt-Guild-The-History-of-The-New-York-Beauty-Quilt#

  The third and most free-form class is one in which you will make your own improvisational quilt design and then create it! It will be in a workshop format rather than a traditional class.

Me? Use solids not prints?

A year ago THAT was unthinkable to me. SO many lucious prints, designs, colors...where does it end? Surprisingly I am finding much more design freedom in using mostly solids. I never would have believed this. Today I began a new quilt design with only 1 print and I am surprised to be happy doing it! I really thought I would be bored with solids but the focus becomes more of the overall design and less of the patterning within the fabrics. Here is where I am - we will see where it goes...

What goes around.....well...you know!

I have come full circle.

A few years ago I was happily teaching quilting and other sewing projects locally.  I was finishing up a fairly complex raincoat and it just needed that something extra.  I made a very simple ruffled "flower" and, even though I didn't know it at the time, FLORADORNMENTS was born!
https://www.facebook.com/floradornment

In the ensuing couple of years, through my ETSY shop, I had contact with so many wonderful people around the globe who loved fabric floral design!  

Who knew?  

I began to get special custom requests for particular applications and, best of all, weddings!  How much fun was it to work with exuberant brides?  LOTS!!  So many were thrilled to have a hand in creating a permanent memento of their BIG day.

I ended up walking away from quilting and devoting my entire sewing time and space to floradornments, but I was missing that particular creative part of my brain devoted to quilting.  The modern quilting aspect began to intrigue me - to the point where I founded the Augusta Modern Quilt Guild (https://www.facebook.com/AugustaModernQuiltGuild) 

and began quilting again in earnest.

It was a little different this time, though.  

I was bored re-creating other people's fabulous designs and realized it was time to do "my own thing".  This is where I am today and here YOU are looking at my original Quilting Bias Quilt Designs with a definite modern slant.

This isn't for everyone - but what is?

I am enjoying creating and I hope you enjoy watching!

 Modern Geese is my first published quilt design and is available in a variety of places - please see all my links.