American Folk Art Museum, New York City

I really enjoyed seeing quilts made from recycled paper and envelopes by Stephen Sollins, a Brooklyn-based artist, as part of an exibition of art quilts at the American Folk Art Museum at Lincoln Center. Pictured above is a log-cabin variation, based on a quilt in the museum's permanent collection by Mary Jane Smith. Pictured below is another paper quilt, made using the traditional tumbling blocks pattern. The exhibition runs through Jan. 5.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Week 4

We're making 4-patches this week. I've made them hundreds of times before, but I think I still learned something new from Bonnie's detailed directions about how to press them and insure that they're accurate. The Christmas colors really come through this round.....how appropriate!

Celtic Solstice Mystery, Week 3

We're making tiny pinwheels this week. Since I'm making the small version of the quilt, I'll need to make 25 pinwheels, and make an extra 100 units for some other use in quilt. So far, so good. More next week!

Stripes for December's Block Lotto

I took a break from the tiny pieces in Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice mystery to pop out 4 very simple but lovely blocks for this month's Block Lotto drawing. I think these blocks could make a terrific child's quilt, which my quilt guild is always collecting, so I'm glad I jumped in. Thanks Sophie!

Week 2, Celtic Solstice

Here are a few units for week 2---my colors are light/bright green, gold and neutral. These are fun---I can't wait to see how they're going work in the final quilt design. The mystery deepens!

Bonnie Hunter's latest mystery

I thought I'd made up my mind NOT to make Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt this year....too busy, need to finish the medallion quilt I'd started for a show in the spring, blah, blah, blah.....but in the end I couldn't resist. This will be my 3rd Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt.  I've had such a great time making the others that I figured, why not? Life's short. Grab the fun when you can.

She's calling it the Celtic Solstice Mystery---if you want to check out the directions click on the button to the right.

Since I hadn't collected fabric in advance, I had to move fast yesterday when the first clue came out. After a quick look at my stash and a trip to Quilter's Attic in Pine Bush, NY I had what I needed to get started on a new Christmas quilt. It's always a little risky to deviate from the colors Bonnie has chosen, but I think I'm on pretty safe ground here with Christmas colors. We'll see!

While I was at the quilt shop yesterday I also purchased the Tri Recs rulers Bonnie's using for this project. I'm so glad I did. It's really speeding up the process, and I feel like my units are coming out much truer to size than they have in the past. The technology and methodology that have been developed to help quilters is pretty incredible when you think about it.

That's all for now. More next week.

Oak leaves for block lotto

I dragged my sewing machine to the dining room today to put together these blocks for Block Lotto. Isn't this a great pattern? I love batiks, and I have a big collection of them, so it was an easy block for me.
The leaves aren't really turning yet where I live, in NYC---maybe because the temperature has been 80 degrees the past few days? I'm sure it will happen soon. I love fall, and I love these blocks!