Even more quilts from Empty Spools 04-24-24

As I said last evening I didn't take as many pictures as I thought I had, or as I should have taken.  Perhaps someone  who reads this will  contact me and share pictures they took, especially the 12"X12" Bird quilts. Anyway, I will continue to  post the pictures I have. 

These two 12"X12" by Terry Grant of Beaverton, Oregon, were hanging on a separate bulletin board from the others.

Cotton fabrics, cotton batting. Fused, machine applique, machine quilting. 

"Making Quite an Entrance"  Yvonne Porcella - CA  

Commercial cotton fabrics, hand-dyes.

Machine appliqued, pieced, and quilted. About 45" square.

One day I posted three crows and three owls, all 12"X12"

"The Raven - Nevermore"   Pamela Burns  2019

"Another Collector"  Diane Wright - CT  2012

"Everyone Loves a Party"  Diane Wright  CT  2015

"Borrowing Owl"  Linda Frost - KS  2019

"The Sentinel"  Judy Warren-Tippets - CA 2013

"Night Owl"  Judith Roderick  2011

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Quilts at Empty Spools/Asilomar 04-22-24

I took about 30 quilts to show as Collector in Residence.  At the last minute before leaving home, I decided to add a few more very large pieces that would show well in the large space of Merrill Hall.  Some of the smaller quilts I changed out daily, including the 12"X12" bird quilts.  These are the pieces hung from the balcony at the back of Merrill Hall.   More tomorrow night.

     "Not Even Solomon" (Eucalyptus bloom)  Ruth de Vos  Australia  2009                   This is entirely machine pieced and quilted. 

L  to  R   "Through the Lens"  Marianne Burr - WA  2012  

"Copper Tree" Joan Colvin - WA   2003

"An Exaltation of Larks"  Mary Quinn  CO  2010

"Purple Reign"  Deb Cashatt   CA  2024  Machine pieced and quilted.

L to R   "Arnold Marathon"  Yvonne Porcella  CA  2006

"Getting My Ducks in a Row"  Pamela Allen  Canada 2005 

"Desert Nights"  Terry Grant   OR 2014

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12X12 Quilts in Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection 7 09-13-23

The annual Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) annual fund raiser starts tomorrow, September 4, 2023.  There are almost 400 12"X12" quilts in  a reverse auction where the price drops every day.  Go to https://www.saqa.com/auction to find out how the auction works.  Go to  https://www.saqa.com/auctionview  to view  all the quilts, they are listed by maker's last name.  

For the last month of so I have been posting on my blog, images of the pieces I have successfully bid on in years past.  Go to www.delquilts.blogpost.com , look in the right sidebar and click on12X12.  The TCQC has over a hundred 12X12s from SAQA and other auctions, but I have just posted about 30 or so in this series.  This last post below are all bird quilts, which are my favorite subject.  

  

"Two Geese"  Els Vereycken  - Belgium  2011  12X12

The background appears to be a hand dye.  The geese are different white fabrics - bottom one is satin, the middle one is a sheer and the top goose is fine twill.   They are all machine appliqued using both straight stitch  and machine buttonhole,   Machine quilted.

 "In the Thicket"  Sonia Grasvik - Seattle, WA  2012  11.75" x 11.75"    Hand dyed and commercial cottons, silk thread, fabric ink pens.  Machine pieced, FMQ.

The lines on the left are narrow strips of fabric, fold and stitched into the seam.   The twigs on the right are satin stitch.   The bird is machine applique.

"From Above  - Crows"  K. Velis Turan - 2007   12X12

Cotton fabrics, cotton and rayon threads.  Dyed/painted, beads, metal embellishments.  Pieced border.

I especially admire the border - two similar sides and two wildly different sides.  The crows are applied by machine stitches.  

"Tillamook Rooster"  Terry Grant - Oregon  2009  12X12

Commercial cottons, Machine applique, Machine quilting. 

"Fish Dinner"   Sheila Gaquin - Washington   2018  12X12 

Commercial cottons.  Machine applique, Machine quilted. 

And a great back!

Although I usually choose realistic images, sometimes there are a few 
"original" birds that appeal.  Here are a couple "Wild Birds".

" Nite Song"  Nanette Fleischman   2009  12X12

An offset log cabin with a fantasy bird,

Commercial cottons, machine piecing and applique, machine  quilting.

"Taking a Break"  Lynn Welsch - New Mexico   2012  12X12

Such a happy, colorful quilt. Commercial cotton fabrics.  Machine appliqued and quilted.  I met Lynn in a Sue Benner workshop.  Such a nice person with a whimsical sense and good technical skills.

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12X12 Quilts in Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection 6 09-02-23

Another six quilts from past SAQA Benefit Auctions.  These are all leaves or trees from various years and countries.  I am fond of trees and their leaves, but I also look for different techniques and artists with a  distinctive style.  Four of the artists  shown here show their particular style.  

"Autumn Leaves"  Aileyn Renli Ecob - California  2012   12X12 

Commercial cotton fabrics, cotton batting, cotton thread.

Beautiful hand applique.  

"Rainbow  Trees"  Nikki Wheeler - Canada  2011  12X12

Various fabrics, fusing, machine finished edges, Machine quilting. 

"Evergreen"  Brenda Gael Smith -Australia  2011   12X12

Brenda's distinctive style.  Commercial cotton fabrics, Machine pieced and quilted. 

"Possibilities"  Deborah Boschert - Texas  2009 12X12

Deborah uses many of the same motifs in her various quilts. 

Cotton fabrics,  fusing, sequins, embroidery, Machine quilting. 

"Coastal Patterns - Banksia"  Susan Matthews - Australia  2013  12X12

 Canvas, ink, polyester thread, wool fabric.

Collagraph printint, lino block printing, fusing, free motion machine stitching.

"Laurel Leaves"   Terry Grant - Oregon  2008  12X12

Cotton fabric and thread.  Machine applique, machine quilting.

Terry does very exacting work and experiments  with  new techniques  that   she reads  about  or  invents for herself.  This quilt has such depth.  

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12X12 quilts in the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection 5 08-27-23

I didn't realize time was slipping away from me and I didn't blog all week.  As always I will try to do better.  

Here are six more 12X12 quilts in the Collection from the SAQA auctions over the years.  I do have quite a few  birds and will show more in a future post.  The 2023 SAQA Auction starts September 14.  You can see all 380 of the quilts at   www.saqa.com/auction and read how you can register and bid.   I always go through them all several times and make a list of those I am interested in.  This year there are 24 on my list.  Depends on the price and who is bidding,  but I will  probably acquire  3 or 4  new pieces for the Collection. 

"Steller's Jay"  Terry Grant - Oregon  2011  12"X12"

Machine Pieced, Appliqued.  Machine Quilted.  Cotton Fabrics

"Night Owl"  Judith Roderick - New Mexico  2011  12"X12"

Silk  painting, Buttons, Machine quilted.

"Another Collector"  Diane Wright - Connecticut  2012  12"X12"

Artist painted background.  Machine pieced, appliqued.  Hand quilted.

Cotton Fabric and thread.

"A Little Birdy Told Me" - Terri Stegmiller - North Dakota  2011

Hand Painted, Machine outlined. Machine quilted.  Cotton fabric and thread tangles.  

"Blue Wren"   Helen Godden - Australia  2016

Machine appliqued and quilted.  Cotton Metallic fabric.

"Tree Top Parrots of the Palisades"  Sherry Kleinman - California  2009

Machine pieced, Appliqued, Quilted.  Machine Buttonhole.  Buttons.

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Terry Grant quilt from TCQC 04-16-23

Terry Grant is accomplished in whatever she does and her quilts are varied and interesting.  She lives in Beaverton, Oregon, and is active in textile groups in the greater Portland area.  Terry was part of the International 12X12 project which produced exhibits that traveled the world and also produced two books.  It was an outstanding effort on the part of all twelve members.  www.twelveby12.org   

Although she hasn't been updating for more than a year, Terry's blog is http://andsewitgoes.blogspot.com/ where she always has something interesting to say.  Website: https://www.terrygrantastic.com/

There are eleven of Terry's quilts in TCQC.  

                               Judith's Garden"  Terry Grant  2007  21"W x 28"L 

 Commercial Cotton fabrics, cotton batting and thread.  Fused,  machine pieced and quilted  

Such a sweet face that Terry has drawn/painted. See what she has to say about this quilt at:  http://andsewitgoes.blogspot.com/search?q=Judith%27s+Garden

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Art Quilt group in SDiego 12-07-21

Saturday I drove to SDiego for the in-person meeting of the art quilt group I belong to down there.  Everyone was able to attend and we had a great meeting.  There was Show & Tell, including some work from the past, before the group was formed.  It is always interesting to see these earlier pieces and recognize the growth the artist has made.  I had nothing new or in progress, so I took a set of small works purchased at silent auction at the SAQA 2015 conference in Portland, OR.  Including these three.

"Bird"  Kristin Shields 2015  Machine pieced, hand applique and embroidery, machine quilted.

" New Zealand: Pukeko"  Martha Wolfe - Davis, CA  2015

Machine pieced and appliqued, hand embroidery , machine quilted.

"At the Market"  Terry Grant - Beaverton, OR  2015

  Machine Embroidery and applique.  This is done from the back. 

The meeting was at Judy Warren-Tippet's home and I supplied the refreshments.  We had a large fruit plate (which I failed to photograph) with Fuyus, green grapes, oranges, raspberries, dates, and honeyed pecans.  And for dessert after our bring-your-own-lunch we had a fabulous carrot cake from Katella Deli in Los Alamitos, CA.  It is very moist and coarse textured with all the fruits and nuts and not too heavy on the spices.  And then there is the yummy cream cheese frosting.  

It is an eight inch round cake with three layers and it is very rich, so one doesn't need a huge piece.  I brought home enough to share with my neighbor Mark-to-the-South, who takes care of putting out and bringing in my trashcans every week.  What a good neighbor who deserves a large slice of his most favorite cake. 

The traffic wasn't bad either direction and it was easy to drop off KoKo with Nancy Ota and to pick him up on my way home.  She wore him out and he slept almost all the way home.  

Altogether a really enjoyable, memorable day. 

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Actually sewing again! 01-05-21

I decided that I would just pick anything to sew.  Not worry about how it might fit unto the "agenda" of what is important.  First I mended some undies, about a ten minute task.  Yes, I do mending, it is just part of my DNA I guess - I have just always done it, by hand or machine.  

Then I took off the shelf a box with small quilts I purchased at the 2015 SAQA conference in Portland, OR.  There is always a written bid auction at the conferences and I do enjoy the action at those auctions.  So, I bid all over the place and came home with a dozen 8" X 6" lovely pieces for the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection.   Each one is a little jewel and came with a white mat making them about 10" X 8".  But I don't want framed pieces, so I removed the mats.  Nothing was ever said about finishing the edges of the little works of art, so some have very raggedy edges.  It has taken me all these years to find time to tidy up the edges and mostly do a tiny zigzag around each one.  Some are very nicely finished and don't require anything more.  These four are complete as is.  But all the others need a little tidying. 

"At the Market"  Terry Grant - Oregon 2015  6"W X 8"L 

Stitched from drawing placed on the reverse side.

"Roof Lines"  Geri Patterson-Kutras  - California  2015  8"W X 6"L

Fused with house edges finished using very fine machine blanket stitch. 

"Eucalyptus Leaf"  Sue Dennis - Australia  2015  6"W X 8"L

Sue intended this to be horizontal, but I much prefer it in this orientation. 

"What's Next"  Deb Cashatt - California  2015  6" X 8"

This is fabric with a button, a part from computer innards, and a painted broken arrow.  The label is the small piece on the right, but I don't know what orientation Deb intended.  I like it this way.  

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A year ago on the road 08-02-20

After leaving Mt Vernon we drove south on I-5 and checked into a motel near Portland.  And we woke up to a light drizzle.   We found that when on the road we need to take our walk regardless of weather.  Not many pit stops along the way. 

Fortunately motels still supply hair dryers.  I don't need one for my thin, receding hair, but it did the trick for KoKo that morning.  

We met Terry Grant who lives in Beaverton, OR, for breakfast.   Picture from Terry. 

We found a place that is basically a permanent food truck court that is generally very busy, but not that morning in the drizzle.  

It cleared up pretty quickly as we drove south on I-5.

Driving down through Oregon the surrounding hills are covered with mostly Douglas Fir trees, sort of the "gold" crop of the Pacific Northwest.  I understand that clear cutting of entire mountains is prohibited but the lumber companies can still clear huge sections of trees, leaving these ugly bald patches behind.    After all these years and dozens of trips up and down from SCalifornia to Oregon and Washington I still love this drive.  However, whereas I once could drive it in 24 hours with no overnight stops, I now need three overnight stops and maybe next time I will need four!   It is harder to drive long distances as I grow older.  

A quilt from the past in TCQC 11-03-19

Terry Grant has been in Houston this weekend with some of her quilts as part of an exhibit "Rising Stars".  I think that is a little deceptive since Terry has been making quilts for many years and has been in many shows.  But I am just happy she is there showing her work, whatever it is billed as.  There are a number of Terry's quilts in TCQC, including one that was hanging at Houston, "Douglas Fir Cone".  Below is a repost of "Oregon Junco" which I posted in 2011 and 2015.

https://delquilts.blogspot.com/2011/03/terry-grant-quilt-in-tcqc-posted.html

Revisiting a tiny quilt by Terry Grant 

This is such a charming image and reminds me of my childhood in Oregon where the Juncos stayed all year.  With the change in climate I'm not sure what they do now.

The snowflakes are each two tiny white stitches.

"Oregon Junco"  Terry Grant  2007  9" x 9"

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Quilts that are traveling 08-11-19

One thing I hadn't thought of all those years ago when I started TCQC was how satisfying it is to share the quilts with others.  I do trunk shows for quilt guilds and other groups, install exhibits at various galleries and quilt shops, and loan quilts to travel in exhibits organized by different entities.  Currently there are two major quilts traveling.  

"Not Even Solomon"  Ruth de Vos - Australia 2009  71"W X 58"L

A machine pieced quilt using cotton fabrics, thread, batting.  Machine quilted. 

This quilt will travel for three years with a SAQA International exhibit. 

"Douglas Fir Cone"  Terry Grant - Beaverton, OR  2010  27.5"W X 34"L

Fused using cotton fabrics. Stamping and fiber pen work. Machine quilted. 

Terry's work is part of a special exhibit at Houston in October. 

 

The two person exhibit is titled "Rising Stars" and also features work by Maria Shell.  I don't think of Terry as a rising star but an established quilt maker who has been making and selling quilts for at least 30 years.  Many years ago  she owned a quilt shop in Ashland, OR, so her quilting experience is long and productive.   I am please, however, that she has this opportunity and that she asked to include one of her quilts that is part of TCQC.  .

I will miss these quilts and worry about them while they are traveling, but I am so glad that so many people will be able to enjoy them.  

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A day on the road - I-5, of course. 08-02-19

KoKo and I had breakfast in Beaverton, OR, with out friend Terry Grant.  We met at a place with outdoor dining, but we were a little worried because when we woke up it was raining and we took our walk in the rain.  Dried KoKo off as best as I could, fortunately it was not cold.  

After a tasty breakfast and an all-too-short-visit with Terry we followed the Waze (an app) directions to I-5 south and did some "touring" of residential areas as I missed the "turn right".  Then we crawled in the traffic south of Portland for quite a few miles.  But things loosened up and it was not the congestion I saw on the way north.  

The clouds moved away and finally the sun came out. 

Lovely blue sky with fluffy white clouds. On the far hill right in line with the highway is a clear cut hillside surrounded by the tall uncut timber.  It is such a wound on the landscape.  And always makes me a little sad. 

Now days when they clear cut they do at least leave a few "mother" trees to help reforest the broken land. 

Somewhere along the way we stopped at a rest stop for a piddle and KoKo got tree sap on his feet.  I tried to wipe it off with some doggie wipes, but that wasn't very effective.  When we arrived here in Ashland, OR, for the night I tried again with hot water and soap.  No luck.  So, out came the scissors and I trimmed it all (I hope) off with the hair between his toes.  He was very tolerant of this operation and has not been chewing at his feet.  Hope it was successful, we'll see what his groomer says after we get home. 

After we were in our room I had an e-mail from Phyllis Reddish, a quilter from Orange County who I have known for many years, but seldom see these days.  She said, "You are staying at our motel, I saw you in the lobby, but you got away before I could catch you."  How amazing!!  I almost never run into people I know and certainly not so far from home.  We met in the lobby and had a little visit and a hug.  So nice to see her again.  

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