2019 - a round up

Even though I have neglected my blog a bit this year, the round up at the end of the year is tradition and I don't want to break that habit.

The year started off with 'Purple Haze' being at QuiltCon in Nashville/ TN, unfortunately I was not able to attend QuiltCon this year. But I have seen many photos where my quilt appeared and that made me very happy!

I finished a baby quilt that was long overdue in February and took photos in the snow:

The yearly Pantone Quilt Challenge has developed into one of my favourite challenges. In 2019 the Pantone colour of the year was 'Living Coral' and I made a quilt that is called 'Fade To Grey':

I liked these improv log cabin blocks so much that I made a smaller version in just black and white. I loved the effect of disguising the actual block and the very graphic appearance of the quilt, I called it 'Define Gravitiy'. 

Both 'Fade To Grey' ad 'Define Gravitiy' have been selected for QuiltCon in Austin/ TX in February 2020 and I couldn't be happier! 

I also had my first solo exhibition in a small gallery in September and that was so exciting! 

I had 12 quilts on display and I was very happy to meet so many people and talk quilts! Thanks again to everyone who came to see the show, I'm still filled with a lot of gratitude! 

This lovely pair I made especially for the exhibition and I love them so much I could do a whole series with just log cabin quilts!

I was also taking part in a modern quilt challenge here in Germany where the topic was 'intuitive colour & design' in red and turquoise. I worked with a directional print in an improv quilt for the first time and I liked it!
I called the quilt 'Poppies In The Sky'.

I have been making bee blocks but I'm terribly behind with posting pictures of all of them. There will be a separate blog post soon!

And of course I continued with the blocks for Biene's adventure quilt! I actually love that project so much that I don't want it to end! I have 15 blocks so far and there are only a couple of blocks more to make up the quilt top.

I also made some small projects like these following zipper pouches. I especially like this one:

Or this one:

And this boxy pouch:

I have also made a divided basket, but never blogged about it.... a friend of mine had triplets, yes, triplets. All boys!

And I thought a mother of triplets does need all the help she can get so a practical divided basket and soother bands will help.

I made these soother bands following a tutorial from my friend Barbara, it's in German but with a lot of photos.

I picked boyish colours for the basket, when the boys don't need nappies anymore my friend can still use the basket for herself.

The pattern is by Noodlehead and you can find it here.

Sewing wise it was a bit of a slow year because I was busy doing something else: Das Quilt Kollektiv! I set up a platform for modern quilters in Germany with two amazing women I am happy to call my friends and business partners. I have held two quilt workshops this year and will continue to do so next year. This is very exciting and I'm very much looking forward to all there is to come!

I have also been appointed as the ambassador for The Modern Quilt Guild in Germany. We are still developing strategies for the ambassador role but I'm also very much looking forward to working on bringing the German members closer together. Here is a screen shot from the MQG website:

Pretty much an exciting and busy year I have to say!

Linking up to Cheryl at Meadow Mist Design and her Best of 2019 Linky Party!

Biene's adventure blocks #10, #11 and #12

I still have a lot of catching up to do!
I continued to make Biene's adventure blocks and took them with me on our tours. Biene has grown so attached to us that it feels that she has been always with us.

We went on several day tours and lovely walks during this year, so here is just another scrappy tree block in the woods.

Biene is eight yers old now and her face is getting very white now. Even her feet turn white. But she is as active as ever and sometimes she still behaves like eight months old!

During another hot summer we went swimming at my rowing club. Biene loves the cool water and she can't get enough of that ball.

I pinned the whe water quilt block to our garden shed that is painted in blue and provided such a great backdrop!

Here's another improv pieced tree block at another hot day in the forest.

Biene is so incredibly photogenic! And she looks as happy as she makes us!

Poppies In The Sky - A mini quilt challenge

I have to catch up blogging about my projects before this year is over!
In July I was taking part in a German mini quilt challenge that was organised by Ursula, who always has an international quilter to judge the quilts. This time it was Jean Wells.

Each year the quilt judge chooses a colour scheme and a method as to how the quilt is to be made. This year the method was 'intuitive colour & design' and the colour scheme was red and turquoise.

I liked the topic and the colours so I played along. I picked two shades of solid turquoise and a graphic print and combined it with a bright red solid. I have always wanted to try out how a directional print works in an improv piece so this was a good opportunity to test this out.

I think the directional print gives the quilt a lot of movement and adds interest to the piecing. I made slabs in different sizes to disguise where a block starts and where it ends.

The simple straight line quilting complements the design and is 1/2" apart.
'Poppies In The Sky measures 27" square.

This is Jean Wells' statement on my quilt:
I am guessing the poppies are reaching to the bright summer sky. The red and white printed fabric is so essential in making this complete. Great fabric and color choices.
I'm happy enough with that! 

Here you can see all entries and prize winners. All entered quilts were exhibited in Ursula's quilt shop in northern Germany, here is a video she made of the exhibition.