Friday, January 29, 2016

Workshop Teaser -- Jen Kingwell's Glitter

As soon as I saw Jen Kingwell's book, Quilt Lovely, I recognized that this delightful block which she has named Glitter would be a perfect workshop project using the y-seam technique that I teach.  Participants need to have already taken a basic workshop on the technique with me or used my DVD, Set-In Piecing Simplified to learn it.

I started out with this little group of 4 blocks and have been adding to them all summer and fall -- what fun it is to pick out the fabrics!  Each block is it's own little quilt-let!
One of the skills that is part of the workshop is learning to make templates and set them up for easy, accurate cutting and matching! 
I decided to make a lap size quilt -- there are 66 blocks.  I have not seen anyone put borders on this quilt but I auditioned it just to be sure and decided not to add them.
Last weekend I layered it up with Tuscany Wool batting -- love the loft of that batting -- and began to quilt.  I wanted to keep the quilting simple -- easy for me to complete and easy for my students to duplicate if they want.
My first idea was straight line channels from top to bottom.
As it lay on my work table, the long ovalish shape where the blocks come together caught my eye and I decided to emphasize that with the quilting.
After laying down a grid of horizontal and vertical lines, I used my favorite pumpkin seed motif to create a flower that fits gracefully into the oval.  The best part of this quilting design on this quilt was that every line started at an edge and ended at an edge -- no threads to bury!!
This weekend, I'll bind the quilt at my annual January quilting retreat and then send it off to the Farmpark to hang with the other workshop samples! 
There are open spaces in the workshop and you can register by visiting the Lake Metroparks website HERE.  You already have plenty of fabric so all you'll need to purchase is Jen's book, Quilt Lovely.

Don't live in near me?  My DVD, Set-In Piecing Simplified, will take you step-by-step through the process of learning this exciting method of y-seam piecing.  Just last week, Michele in Kentucky wrote this note to me after purchasing the DVD -- "Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I had a chance to watch your DVD today and used your technique to finish a quilt that was headed to the trash.  I think it has been in a box for at least 3 years.  The instructions left a lot to be desired and I was struggling with all of the y seams.  After watching the DVD, I wanted to practice on something right away.  I pulled this quilt out, followed what you did and everything fit together and the top is now done and ready to be quilted.  The DVDs was fantastic and I'm so glad I ordered it."

It's exciting to know not only was Michele able to understand the technique from the DVD, but she was able to rescue a doomed UFQ!! 

I hope you are able to do as much stitching this weekend as you want!!

Mary Huey







14 comments:

  1. Another stunner! Although I do like the fabric on the left as a border - gives it an Old World look. Congrats, Mary. Guess I'll have to move to the MidWest to catch one of your workshops.

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  2. I am finding Ms Kingwell very inspiring at the moment too. I am making steampunk blocks and planning clamshells for cushions. A local friend made a glitter cushion, and I like that so much I might be tempted to make my own, but perhaps not a whole quilt as you have done as I have so much else on the go.

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  3. I bought that book a couple of weeks ago, specifically to make Glitter. It's currently the reward I'm using to get me to hurry and finish my current project - I can start Glitter when Big Twinkle is done. Working like a charm!
    Of course, seeing yours is making me even MORE anxious to get to Glitter!

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  4. Oh, what a wonderful block! Set-in piecing is on my list of techniques to work on. Thanks for letting me know about your CD.

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  5. I've had that book for quite awhile with that quilt bookmarked! Yours is lovely.

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  6. Beautiful blocks and the quilting design works really well with them.

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  7. lovely post. I really like that pattern. I especially like the way you laid out the quilting for people. Nice job
    LeeAnna

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  8. I saw this block on Instagram and fell in love. Your quilt turned out so colorful! Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

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  9. i myself have been eyeing that quilt of late...i love jen's book and all those scrappy patterns are inspiring me big time....yours is really pretty and how keen of you to notice the 2ndary design...hmmm....ideas percolating!

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  10. Awesome pattern! Love your quilt.

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  11. It's so pretty! Y-seams have never bothered me. But I have many friends that hate them. I can see this quilt would give you plenty of practice!

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  12. What a fun scrappy project! It looks like a very challenging design.

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  13. It's a beautiful pattern by Jen! but not my favourite in the book...

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  14. This is really lovely, well done! Thank you for participating in the 2016 FAL, on behalf of the global FAL hosts :o)

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