Andrea's Harmony Quilt-Undulating Harmony

My first thought regarding HARMONY was that I wanted to use a harmonious color scheme. My next step was to look "harmony" up in my well-worn 1963 New Collegiate Dictionary. Definition 3a: pleasing or congruent arrangement of parts.

c: internal calm: TRANQUILLITY.

Definition c lead me to water, which then gave me my color scheme. After dyeing a range of blue/turquoise fabrics that I was pleased with, I started silkscreening images that to me represent water and tranquil places that I have visited.

Construction was intuitive machine piecing and then quilted with gentle undulating stitches. A few purple organza waves were fused on after quilting, as I have recently "discovered" layering with the transparent fabric to be a visually satisfying technique.

Linda’s Harmony Quilt -- Harmony on the Homefront, a double-sided 12 x 12

    

  Three things happened at once: 1) My accuquilt cutter arrived, 2) Joe and I were babysitting the grandchildren while their parents moved their home to another state, and 3) I needed to think “Harmony.” 

    I was excited to try the cutting machine, so I put an inexpensive blended roll of batiks into the chopper to get numerous triangles and many squares of two sizes. In creating the quilt. I limited myself  to only what was available in this particular stash cutting. 

    Off and on, the children concentrated to make houses of squares and rectangles. They had “house” on the mind and organized a tabletop of multi-colored homes (small square and triangle on big square as in the center). Harmony, however imperfect,  prevailed in several directions.This two- sided quilt is an homage to that time, the youngsters’ design, and my new helper, the fabric cutting machine.

  

Patti's Harmony Quilt

This is my Harmony Quilt "Renewed at Crystal Lake, N. H.". I was inspired by the crystal clear waters and serene nature of the lake. I have gone for many summers to Crystal Lake since I was a little girl. I was on my kayak and paddling through a small cove which was covered with blooming pond lillies. When I did a close of the lily, there were little black bugs hanging out and enjoying the flora as I was. I felt like we were all in sync with nature. (Actually, I might have been bothering them).

I did machine applique, free-motion quilting, and added crystal beads. I added some shimmer with netting.

Judy's Quilt-Gentle Harmony

Harmony brings thoughts of relaxation, joy, peace and calm. Silk is a soothing fabric and circles are harmony in a complete unit.

I did not do any sketching for this quilt since I’ve never worked that way. That is something I am working on to change. I started playing with the silk fabrics and cutting out circles. When I looked at what I had, it just started to come to life. They looked like wind chimes and when the red tulle was added, it was as if the wind chimes and a curtain were gently blowing in a breeze.

I normally use a tiny zig-zag to stitch my fused appliquéd pieces down, but the circles looked wrong with that technique. I free motion quilted around them and also the squiggly lines to make the quilt flow better.

To bind the quilt I put “Misty Fuse” fusible web on the back of some of the green fabric and used the pinking rotary blade to cut 1” wide strips. Then I fused the strips on top of the quilt one side at a time. Before I would go to the next side I turned the ends under and fused the strip in place on the back. I sometimes stitch along the edge to give it a “binding” look, but this one doesn’t seem to need that.

When we moved to Texas we stayed with friends until we found a place to rent. They had wind chimes that were soothing and pleasant which is what I needed at that time. This is what the quilt reminded me of.

Alice's Quilt--Asian Harmonies

Asian Harmonies

I planned early on to use the Chinese characters for harmony--printed, painted, or appliquéd onto my background fabric.   Perhaps use them with the ancient Taoist Yin-Yang symbol.  But how to integrate the images?  Then I found some lovely Asian fabric, featuring Koi. My brother had once had Koi in a pool in his replica of a Japanese garden, so why not mix Chinese and Japanese symbols?  The curves in the bodies of the fish seemed to echo the curves of the Yin-Yang.  So I sketched a Yin-Yang and cut out two fish.  The Koi fit neatly inside.   

I was eager to try sun printing.  So for the background I painted some PFD fabric with two different blue acrylic paints and mixed in a bit of black.  Using freezer paper, I traced the Chinese characters and then cut stencils from craft foam.  Placing the stencils on the painted fabric, I waited for the hot Texas sun to do its magic.  I cut out the Yin-Yang from coral and turquoise fabric scraps.  I first appliquéd it down onto the background, and then the two printed Koi, using a tiny zig-zag stitch.  Broderie Perse appliqué, in other words:  another technique I’ve always wanted to try!

I machine quilted around each of the Chinese characters and quilted concentric circles around the Yin-Yang symbol and concentric arcs in three corners.  I used the pillowcase method for finishing the quilt. I've struggled with a name for my quilt; I finally settled on "Asian Harmonies."

The big reveal

Looking forward to seeing everyone's quilts. Wanted to make sure that I could make a post. Patti

Carolyn's Quilt ~ "Grounded in Harmony"

I was the first to choose a word for this, our very first quilt challenge blog. Shortly after returning from a workshop on "Earth Honoring Faith" at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, I selected the word, harmony, as our theme. The Ghost Ranch workshop was the 4th in a 10 year study on ecological issues as seen through the eyes of world-class theologians and ethicists. After weeks of rough sketches on numerous ideas, I chose "Grounded in Harmony" to convey my invigorated reverence for our planet and our connection with all of creation. A hand-dyed fabric, purchased years ago for a yet to be determined "special" purpose, became my background fabric. Using raw edge fusing, I added a tree that embraces the planet with roots. Flowers were added to represent my garden where I go for spiritual enrichment. A stream, using fused tulle, lies below the flowers depicted what I consider to be our most endangered resource, water. The light pouring in on the tree signifies the power within in all of us to protect the planet and all of creation. All of these techniques - raw edge fusing, over-laid tulle and free motion quilting were new to me and thus presented me with my first art quilt challenge.

Just in Time for the Big Reveal!

We have our new title up and running!  Thanks to all of you who contributed letter(s)!  I hope that you like it.  Thanks to Jamie Fingal for helping me with how to do this!

Quilt Guild of Greater Houston Show Winner

My Quilt Guild show was last weekend. My bee effort won best of show! I was really excited to see that our group effort, an art quilt did so well. One of the members had the idea to cut up pieces of Peltex into a puzzle shape and we each selected a shape and a theme from Alice in Wonderland. I did the Cheshire Cat in the top/center of the quilt. The tree was needle punched into a home dec fabric and then fused to the Peltex. The leaves are made of thread - I started making thread lace but had too much fun to stop. The cat face was originally just sewn on but I was told it was disappearing which is what was planned for the Cheshire cat. I did paint in the eyes and mouth and that was an improvement. I also quilted the black background. Nancy Dickey assembled the puzzle pieces on the background - a huge project.

Greetings from Patti and Alice

Patti and Alice

Patti came over to my house today so that I could give her a tutoring lesson in blogging.  Strangely, when Patti signs in on my computer, Blogger looked and acted totally differently!  This was most disconcerting to me.  So the tutoring lesson didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked.    Oh, well.  We managed to write a post, signed in as Patti, but then we took it down and now I am writing this one, with Patti still here.

Patti brought me her camera so that I could show her how to upload images.  At least that part of the lesson went okay, though again, with Patti signed in, the process was slightly different and, to me, more cumbersome.  Anyway we did get it to work.   Here is one of Patti's art quilts.  She made it several years ago in order to practice curved piecing and machine quilting.  Before she retired, it hung in her office.

Almost Reveal Time

We have less than a week before our first big reveal. I would like a clarification on what to include for our post on the 15th. I know that we post a photo, but what else as far as written info?

I have time this weekend because we didn't get to travel to Northern CA to see our grandson due to the huge blackout in San Diego County! We were at the airport right after it happened and were interviewed by ABC news! We rescheduled our cancelled Thursday flight to Friday which was also cancelled! We decided to stay home!

WOW!

Oh my goodness - Newport and Newburyport. Now is that a coincidence - or what?

Barbara and Alice Meet in California!

Barbara Friedman and one of her quilts!

Barbara Friedman was gracious enough to drive from San Diego to Newport Beach, to meet and have lunch with me here at my daughter's home.  After lunching and visiting, we had a show and tell.  Barbara brought a number of her art quilts, which are behind her on the sofa, and more of them are pictured below.   She also brought several of her sketch books, which I loved browsing through.  I saw the sketch on which this quilt Barbara is holding was based.  I must start sketching, though it will be years before I can achieve the lovely little ink and water color sketches that Barbara does!  I showed her the few traditional quilts of mine that the family here in California have in their home.  Then Barbara and I drove to a yarn store.  I thought the yarns were lovely, but I am not a knitter so I'm not as discriminating as is Barbara.  She loved a couple of patterns, though, and bought them.  The time we spent together sped by for me, and I was sorry to have to say good bye!  Here are a few more pictures of this delightful visit between a Maven from Texas and our sole Californian!

A closer look at some of Barbara's art quilts

My grandson Locke wanted to be in one of the pictures!

Barbara and Alice

Carolyn Meets Andrea

Hi Material Mavens!

I've just returned from the Boston area where I had the exciting opportunity of meeting fellow maven, Andrea. That's Andrea on the left, and me on the right. We had so much fun sharing information about one another and talking, talking, talking quilts. Linda was suppose to join us, but was ill that day, so I will have to wait until another day to meet her. We enjoyed a delightful lunch and strolled the streets of Newburyport, Mass. looking at all the artsy shops we could find. Andrea brought along some "show and tell" that included examples of her silk screening AND hand painted fabrics using melting SNOW, of all things. They are stunning! I'm thinking about becoming brave enough to try dyeing, but since I'm in Texas, it will have to be minus the snow.

Cheers!

Carolyn

Studio Under Construction !

Good morning from the Great State of Texas ! Some of you may know that my husband, Greg, and I relocated from Anchorage, Alaska last June (2011) and now live in the teeny-tiny town of Gatesville, TX. During this summer, Central Texas has endured almost 90 days straight of triple digit heat, and almost all the records for the highest heat and longest number of days in triple digits have been broken. Equally difficult is the significantly long period of drought. Our land is parched, our livestock are struggling, and humans are getting just a bit testy. We've heard there's a possibility of rain this weekend and temperatures returning to "normal" (in the 90's!) Collectively, Central Texas is praying for that rain and the lower temps.

On a personal note, my great news is that having been without my studio for over 2 years and thus very limited in the amount of work I've been able to produce, the cabinetmakers, carpenters, and painters are now hard at work putting my studio together ! What started as 4 white walls and a beautifully painted concrete floor (turquoise, of course!), the studio now has 85+ linear feet of upper shelving, and the 16" wide shelves will allow ample room to store all the rolls of batting! Next to be done - installation of cabinets, peg boards, an over-sized magnetic 'bulletin board,' and cabinetry under my Handi-Quilter to accommodate all the other 'stuff' that hasn't yet found a place to reside. I'm ecstatic about the progress that's been made in the last few days, and can hardly wait to get everything moved in !

Our "Letters" are due no later than Sept. 10, and our "Harmony" reveal is set for Sept. 15. I seem to do well under pressure, and it's probably time for me to get the ideas that have been floating around in my head for a few weeks out of my head, on to paper, and then into fabric. That is... if I can find all my quilting / art supplies that have been boxed up since we moved down here :-) I'm up for the challenge and excited about working on those 2 projects. I'm still very new at blogging, and as soon as I can figure out [again!] how to post pictures to this blog, I'll let y'all be the first to see the brand new "From the Harte Design Studio."

Peace & blessings to all, Kathy

Alice On the Road

Hey, Mavens!  I'm now in Michigan, having traveled here by car from Texas with my youngest daughter and her two sons.  Tomorrow I fly from here to CA, where I'll be until 9/9.  I will try from there to access all of your email addresses so that I can send out a reminder about our "letters" project. 

I talked via cell phone today with Linda, Carolyn, and Andrea.  I am hoping that C or A will post sometime in the next few days about their meeting one another in Massachusetts.  So glad that Boston escaped the worst of Irene!

No, not in Greece, in Nashville!  We ate lunch across from
the park where this replica of the Parthenon stands.

Meanwhile, hope the letters project is coming along.  You can get my email address from this blog, if any of you need further instructions about this pre-BIG REVEAL project!  Hope you are managing to stay Harmonious in your busy lives!

Three Mavens Have Quilts in Katie PM's Latest Book!

Three of us were in a class taught by Katie Pasquini-Masopust in 2009--Sara, Judy, and I.  Over a year ago she emailed all of her students and asked us to send photos of our completed quilts that we had begun under her tutelage.  There was a possibility that these pictures might be used in various chapters of her latest book, to be published in 2011.

Today in the mail I got a signed copy of the book, sent by Katie, and lo and behold, Sara's, Judy's, and my quilt are all pictured.  Katie's book is called INSPIRATIONS IN DESIGN FOR THE CREATIVE QUILTER, and it is "hot off the press."  You can see our quilts on pp. 24 for mine, 29 for Sara's, and 58 for Judy's.  I know that Sara and Judy are as excited as I am!  This is the second time for one of Judy's quilts to be in a Katie PM's book!

Here's my quilt that made the book; perhaps Judy and Sara will share photos of their quilts which appear in it as well!

Aqua in Abstract (now hangs on our bedroom wall)

Printing on Sheer Fabrics

Hi Mavens,

We finally found the liquid that my husband used to print on sheer fabric. It is made by Golden and is called Digital Ground Clear (Gloss). It prepares surfaces for Ink-jet printing. It worked really well. Arnie bought it at an artist supply store in San Diego.

Barbara's husbands' quilt

Here's the photo that I took...LOVE the sheer shell overlay!

World Quilt

Here is a photo of my husband's first quilt which is now hanging at World Quilt Show in New Hampshire. These are photos that were taken on Maui at Thanksgiving 2010.