August Art Journal finished

Well, I got my August Art Journal finished...only a few days late! The pages were all sewn together on Friday but I needed to do the stamping and embellishment. We were headed out of town for the weekend so I knew it would have to wait until today.

Here is my finished journal for July.

And for August...

It is my interpretation of a big city skyline...none in particular but I did make one to resemble the Sears Willis Tower. Sorry but we still pronounce Willis as Sears!

I have wanted to try to use silhouettes and tried making a perspective of walking down the block. The button embellishments are foam buttons of a clock, journal page and a Chicago postage mark depicting a busy city. I'm pretty pleased with my page...a little different for me.

What do you think?

Hexagons

It has been awhile since I reported on my hexagon progress. This is my ongoing, take-along project without a deadline.

Little by little I have been slowly working on hexagons. At first I didn't know what I would do with my hexagons. About 1 1/2 years ago, I decided on a layout and have been making white hexagon flowers. 

I finally have 10 rows of scrappy hexagon flowers and 9 rows of white hexagon flowers. I still need to make a few more of each so that the rows have 8 flowers across. I also need a bunch of filler hexagons. 

 This past week, I started to sew the rows together! The first 2 rows are finished. 

I'm not sure how I will finish the edges but that will be a decision for much later. Another trip in the car this weekend...maybe I will be able to get a few more rows done!

I'm linking up to

here.

FNSI

It has been a while since I have participated in the Friday Night Sew-In (FNSI.) Thanks to Wendy at Sugarlane Quilts for sponsoring! 

I have been trying to put together a 60° triangle quilt to be used as a picnic quilt (in between wedding quilts.The first finished earlier this week! Posted here.) 

My Friday Night started early and I was able to finally finish sewing the center of the quilt top. 

The plan is to make a border all around with white triangles/half triangles. So I cut out 48 full triangles and 42 half triangles from Kona white. 

I then started sewing together one of the side borders.

That's how far I got before my DH came back in town...a bit delayed but a least before the storm hit.  

Visit here to see what all the participants did on their Friday night. 

I also submitted my Scrap~yard Picnic Quilt to Quilting Gallery's Show and Tell.

 I would be honored if your voted for it! 

Go here to vote and see some wonderful scrappy quilts!

A FINISH and more Sewing from Mom's Sewing Room!

I have been busy since the last time I posted. 

I have some very exciting news ... I have a finish!

The pattern is a variation on the traditional log cabin. With my graph paper and pencil in hand, I drew up the arrangement so the blocks created a star that was  off center and a diamond shape framing the star.

The fabric is 9 by Sanae for Moda and Kona cotton in natural (I think.)

The back is also from 9 by Sanae. All one piece...and the quilting is concentric circles from the center of the star. 

This is my first attempt at quilting concentric circles. Most people advise to start on something small...no, not me...I have to jump into a rather large quilt. 

The quilt finishes at 72" x 84"

I love how the quilting shows on the back of the quilt. I have to say that I'm rather pleased with the way it turned out. 

That's our new adopted dog, our Nellie.

And because we were at the bee yard, I tried to take a couple of pictures but the lighting was not the best.

I also spent another day sorting and organizing my mom's sewing room. Again, I took home a few things to work on for her and I finished a few more from the original pile.

Another set of kitchen towels, hemmed.

A hanky from a panel that needed to be hemmed.

Another soft book.

My mom loves those panels!

This weekend, my DH and I harvested our potato crop! This was our best yet...over 20 lbs of red potatoes! 

We city farmers! LOL!

Lots of potato salad in our future, I'd say!

Catching UP

My last post was photo heavy of quilt shows pictures so today I will catch you up with what I've been up to in my sewing room. 

Besides sewing 2 quilts tops for my nieces wedding coming up this fall (pictures later), I made this bag for my mom's birthday.

It has 2 side pockets and the ties allows for the bag to open wide if you need extra room.

 Inside it has a large zippered pocket and on the other side, 2 open pockets.

The pattern is from Clover and Violet.

July's color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is Teal. Here is my block.

And for creative therapy, I have been spending 15 minutes of play. Made fabric based on Victoria Findlay Wolfe's book. 

Don't they go well with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge?

Now that July is here, my June calendar pages are complete.

What have you been doing?

Shows and more!

Last weekend, after a couple of years absence, The International Quilt Festival returned to Chicago/Rosemont which is 10 minutes away from my house! Little compares to the quality of this festival. The quilt shows were fabulous and the vendors a plenty. 

I love to start off walking through the show to get inspiration and be awed by the beautiful art. Although I took quite a few pictures I will share only a few. As I was walking through the show I quickly noticed this quilt and immediately knew who it belong to. Although I have seen her work many times on her blog, seeing her signature style in person was amazing!

A World of Many Colors by Georgeta Grama

I loved the perspective in this quilt. It really gave the feeling of walking down an alley with graffiti walls.

Amsterdam Alley:The Shortcut Between by Leslie Tucker Jenison

I was attracted to the colors and piecing of this quilt. I love the use of hexagons and the secondary design that is made.

Details of Catena by Timna Tarr.

This clever piece was made from candy wrappers...Pixie sticks, Skittles, Reese's Pieces, Starbursts and more!

Appropriately named, Sweet Blooms by Pat Kroth. 

The use of color and the shape of a Tuning Fork arranged every which way really caught my eye. 

Tuning Fork #6 by Heather Pregger

One of the exhibits was called Chicowgo. I just thought that some of these were just so clever. Gotta love the play on words!

  by Mary MacNeil

 (I took VanGogh's Cow for my daughter who teaches Art)

 by Mel B McFarland

 by Connie Donaldson

 by Mel B McFarland

This past Thursday, I was fortunate to attend a lecture and trunk show by Victoria Findlay Wolfe. She is well know for her blog, book and modern quilt theory, 15 minutes of play. She also won Best of Show at Quiltcon this year with her modern take of the double wedding ring quilt. It was amazing and honoring to meet her. 

Here are some of her quilts she shared.

Her grandmother's quilt where she got her inspiration.

 15 minutes of play made fabric

Everything but the kitchen sink quilt.

 Mixing antique blocks and blocks made from Made Fabric.

 Playing with stripes.

If you ever get the opportunity to hear Victoria speaks I would recommend it!

Here is her cow quilt...could have fit in the Chicowgo show!

So what else have I been doing? 

I have spent some time in my sewing room but since this post is already quite long I will only share my July Art Journal page which is ready for Monday! 

The rest will wait for another day!

Can you believe that July is just around the corner? 

My page is a little predicable with the 4th of July being the main attraction of the month. Without further adieu...My July Calendar.

Here is the link to see what some other's are doing.