2021 - quilty goals

I am To-Do-List person. I have them in work and also for my quilt projects. they help me to stay focused and keep on track with my goals.

Here we go!

1. Finish Pantone Quilt 2020

Even though the Pantone Quilt Challenge did not take place in 2020 I made a quilt using classic blue. The quilting is finished, I just need to add the binding. 

2. Pantone Quilt 2021

Pantone have released two colours for 2021: grey and yellow. It's an interesting colour combination. I hope that the Pantone Quilt challenge will be back this year! 

3. Improv Quilt using stack technique

I took an online class with Nicholas Ball in October 2020 where Nicholas taught the stack technique from his book 'Inspired Improv'. I made this quilt in lovely autumn colours. The top is finished, I just need to come up with a quilting idea. Something free motion maybe?

4. Finish Christmas Quilt 

I know, I know! This quilt was on my do-to-list for the last two years! And I did attempt it. Twice. Twice I started quilting and didn't like it. Ripped it all out again. But now, it's finished quilted and just needs binding! 

5. Biene's Adventure Quilt

This has been such an enjoyable project! I'm working on this since three years and there are five blocks outstanding to finish the quilt top. I do hope we can go to the Dutch coast again this year because I need two more coast blocks! 

6. Adventures in Improv Design

I will attend QuiltCon together in February. I have signed up for an improv class with Anne Sullivan and Melanie Tuazon, I'm quite excited about it. 

7. Bee Quilts

I have this quilt top finished. This is going to be a baby quilt soon. 

There will be more, but for now that seems like a good plan! 

2020 - quilty goals

Traditionally the year end round up is followed by this post: the quilty goals for the next year!
I like to have these goals because they are a bit like a to-do-list, I keep on going back to this post throughout the year to check progress.

1. Pantone Quilt Challenge with the new colour of the year: Classic Blue

The Pantone Quilt Challenge has become a tradition, it will be the fourth time taking part and I'm really looking forwrd to working with this beautiful colour!

2. MQG Mini Swap
I'm taking part in the mini quilt swap organised by The Modern Quilt Guild and I will exchange quilts at QuiltCon in Austin/ TX in February! I have a super great swap patner: Audrey of Cotton & Bourbon. Her quilt for me will be truly stunning as all of her work is! I have an idea for her quilt and fabrics are already selected. I will start the quilt this week before work gets in the way again.

3. Finish Christmas Quilt 'December'

I have actually started to quilt this quilt twice, and I didn't like it. The first time I ripped all the quilting out and started again (I had quilted the bottom two rows of trees approximately.). I started to quilt it a second time, and I again don't like it... so it's laying there at the moment, quilt stitches half way removed, and it's waiting for a third time.
Well, I guess these things happen. I just hope that when I quilt it t third time then it's turning out the way I want it!

4. Biene's adventure quilt 

This project is so dear to my heart and it's so much fun! I have 15 blocks so far and need a few more to have the quilt top complete. Actually I have settled on a quilt layout and now the quilt is determining where we go this year! We need to go to the beach once, go swimming twice and have a couple of nature walks in the forest. How cool is that?

5. Bee quilts

This one is from 2018 and I still need to finish it! But I have a great one from 2019 and I'm very eager to finish this one as well.
I'm continuing my bee in 2020 and looking forward to what my bee mates come up with!

6. Improv, Improv, Improv!!!
I have so many ideas and I can't wait to get started!
I also actually got a new book, it's 'Inspiring Improv' by Nicholas Ball. I really like his stuff and want to dive into his methods.

I hope I get as much sewing done as I like to. Happy New Year to you, all the best for your own creative endeavours and thanks to everyone who is stopping by my blog and leave a comment. Every one of it is highly appreciated!

Fade To Grey - Pantone Quilt Challenge 2019

Here is my last minute entry for the Pantone Quilt Challenge 2019: Fade To Grey

I am really in love with this quilt for many reasons. Firstly I wasn't that fond of the colour. Coral, hm. But hey, it's a challenge and you gotta make that work.

After selecting coral solids and combining them with some prints the colour grew on me. I also added a lot of texture with linen and shot cottons, which worked really well.

I also had the idea of having the coral colour fading to grey. That was a play with volume and different colour shades to achieve this ombre effect I very much enjoyed doing.

I wasn't sure if improv log cabin blocks were the right choice for a challenge but it suited the idea of reflecting a coral reef so much that I went with it. Because not only did I get inspired by the colour coral but I also wanted to highlight that our coral reefs are dying. And when they do they turn grey, this sad process is called bleaching and is effecting a large percentage of our coral reefs due to pollution and the temperature rise of our oceans.

The quilting is another reason why I love this quilt so much. I thought long about doing straight lines, but in whatever direction I imagined the lines to be it just wasn't the right thing to do. I started free motion quilting improv geometric shapes all over and that worked so well. The thread colour also changes towards the top, where it's first light grey and then white.

The back is simple but follows the same principle, coral at the bottom, light grey at the top.

The quilting with different thread colours is very evident at the back and it looks good here, too. I did a faced binding to just focus on the quilt itself.

We went to an former steel production plant Jahrhunderthalle in my hometown to take photos. The rusty panels and old walls gave the quilt such a great backdrop.

And how suitable is the art installation of American artist Olu Oguibe installed for the Ruhrtriennale in 2018, you can read more about it here.

Quilt stats:
Name: Fade To Grey
Size: 50 x 55" (127 x 140cm)
Category: large quilts, international
Country: Germany

Linking this to Rebecca and Sarah, thanks you so much for organising the challenge again this year! 

Purpel Haze is at QuiltCon!

I am so excited to have another quilt in this most prestigious show that is QuiltCon that's happening right now. I am unfortunately not in Nashville this year, but that gives me the opportunity to finally show proper photos of Purple Haze including the back, which I also like very much:

So when you're at QuiltCon make sure you ask those lovely ladies with the white gloves to turn Purple Haze around for you!

I really like this fresh colour combination and that Aurifil thread in light lilac and 50wt was just the perfect choice.

So here it is again in all it's beauty. This quilt has challenged me in so may ways, there are so many reasons I am extremely proud that hopefully a lot of quilters get to see it in real life.

There are so many interesting details in this quilt, that truly makes me want to explore curves further.

You can read about the blocking progress here, and the initial post where I was taking part in the Pantone Quilt Challenge 2018 with the quilt top only and won 1st prize of the international entries here. 

And here is Purple Haze hanging at QuiltCon in Nashville. 

Such a pity I wasn't there myself. But I'm going to QuiltCon in 2019, that's for sure!

2019 quilty goals

A year end recap is always good to define new goals, so without further ado here comes:

1. Christmas quilt 'December'

I know Christmas is just over but I'm in a flow to finishing the quilt top and I hope to have this done within this week. And then to quilt it, I'm debating whether to use a fleece back or not. I'll decide once the top is finished!

2. 'Playground'

This quilt was on my to-do-list already last year, I'm eager though to finish it now! I still love those colours!!

3. Pantone Quilt Challenge

Hm, I have no idea what to do with this colour yet or even with what other colour to combine it, but hey, it wouldn't be a challenge if it would be easy. So bring on the Pantone Quilt Challenge, I'm game!

4. Volta

Originally designed for the Two-Colour- Quilt Challenge for 2019 QuiltCon this quilt did not happen. I have the top finished... and I don't like it. I like the design but not the colours I picked, so I'll give that another try.

5. Biene's adventure quilt

Here are the blocks I already have and I'm planning to add a lot more this year. I am documenting adventures we do with our dog Biene and it's so much fun.
I'm trying to achieve a cohesive design with similar colours e.g. blue, green, turquoise and orange combined with low volume fabrics. I have no idea how the final layout will look but I'll decide that once I have all blocks together.

6. Bee quilt

Here's all the blocks I received and made last year and I'm planning on doing a baby quilt from it. It just is unfortunate that loads of boys were born in my circle of friends in 2018 where this would be more suitable for a girl, but anyhow, who knows what 2019 brings!

7. Clothing

Yes, you read right. I will make my own clothing this year! I have been frustrated by fashion and what's on offer in the shops since a long time and that these clothes either don't fit me or I don't like them, mostly it's a combination of both. I'm not sure if I will show clothing here since this is a quilt blog but I thought I include it anyway. New adventures are good! I have actually tried clothing with my normal sewing machine before and it was very disappointing, so this beauty has moved in and it's a dream to sew with! I have already sewn a few things and I'm super happy! A serger is really what makes sewing clothes fun and fast!

And for anything else I just see what happens.
I will not go to QuiltCon this year, but I'm planning on going to Nadelwelt in Karlsruhe here in Germany in May.
I'm looking forward to the new year, I'm planning on taking it slow though. I'll just do whatever feels right. Happy New Year everyone!

2018 - a round up

The first thing I do before I write my round up of the year is to go to my 'quilty goals' post and see if I have accomplished what I have set out for myself.

Well, I didn't have much of a productive year I have to admit. One reason was our move in March this year, which took a long time and parts of my sewing space are still not completely finished. I still need a proper design wall, and I'm also trying to find a solution of how to hang my large quilts to a wall.

But I did finish two quilts that are very dear to my heart.
One of them is 'Purple Haze' (proper photos and blog post to follow). With the quilt top I've won my first ever prize: 1st in the international entries of 'quilt top only' of the 2018 Pantone Quilt Challenge. Everything about this quilt is so outside my comfort zone: the colour scheme, the curvy piecing and having to block the quilt due to heavy distortion after quilting. You can read more about it here.
Purple Haze is on its way to QuiltCon in Nashville already, I'm so happy that it got accepted to be in the show.

The second quilt is 'Four' with which I was part of the 'What shade are you' blog hop hosted by RJR Fabrics.
Four was a very challenging project with the use of 13 solids and an improvisationally pieced method. I love the soft colours and the play with different values. It looks so much better in real life and I think this might be the reason why it got rejected from being accepted into QuiltCon because the photos just don't do it justice. Anyhow, I'll try again next year, it still is a beautiful quilt whether it's at QuiltCon or not.

Talking about QuiltCon - obviously my second visit to QuiltCon in Pasadena was even more excitign than the first one, because I had my quilt 'Splinter' in the show!

I love this photo so much because that expression is like: OMG, is this really happening??? Pasadena was special because my husband was with me and experienced what this community is all about along hundreds of beautiful quilts and many quilty friends.

I also made two mini quilts this year:
One was 'Three', a mini quilt that I gave to Anne Sullivan at QuiltCon in Pasadena, and that eventually led to the design of 'Four'.

And 'Connected' which was a 15" small mini quilt made in line with the prompt by the Curated Quilts Magazine.

This year was all about exploring lines and finding an improv style I suppose.

I also made super fun table runner as part of a spring blog hop, I really love these fresh colours!

There was this zipper pouch as well as a gift for my colleague:

And there were two projects I made from the left overs and scraps from 'Purple Haze': One was this boxy pouch, which is so big and so handy:

And another project is this pillow:

I've just realised that I didn't write a blog post about it yet...

Another reason that I wasn't that productive was the extremely hot summer we had here and that I rather went on walks with my husband and our dog Biene than sewing.
But I started an adventure quilt that documents the adventure we have with Biene. These blocks are so much fun, it's a slow process but it continues to grow.

Here she is with a selection of the different blocks. I have no idea how to put that quilt together but I'm sure it will be a fun quilt once it's finished!

And of course my bee blocks I made for my 'Quilty Circle of Bees'. We are very reduced in numbers and I've realised I don't have photos of the blocks I made for Magda but here's a small overview of the other ones:

And I have finally started my Christmas quilt:

I made most of the blocks at my first ever Quilt retreat in November, which was so much fun and a great experience being with quilty friends not doing anything else than sewing for an entire extended weekend!

I'm very pleased with my projects and also excited what 2019 brings!

Linking to Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs and the Best of 2018 Link - Up!

Pantone Quilt Challenge 2018 - Purple Haze (a finished quilt top)

I am so happy to take part in this year's Pantone Quilt Challenge again and that the category 'Quilt Top Only' exists as entry.  Our recent move kept me so busy that I wasn't able to finish a whole quilt in time.

So this year's Pantone colour of the year is Ultraviolet. I had some problems finding matching colours but in the end I was very happy with my choices of Kona Bright Peri as equivalent to Ultraviolet, Kona Corsage as light violet, Kona white and Kona Tangerine as a pop of bright orange. As often I mixed it with the beautiful Carolyn Friedlander cross hatch fabrics. I can't help myself, I just love them.

I also seem to have the suitable Pantone cup for every quilt challenge I do, this one is an espresso cup and it even has some milky foam and coffee in it!

I wanted to do something bright and cheery for this quilt and opted do to improv curves. That was the first time I did improv curves and they were a bit scary but after a few blocks I really enjoyed the whole process!

I was looking for an alternative layout other than having all blocks in one direction or forming circles. So I came up with this design:

As often my husband came up with the name for the quilt: Purple Haze. Very suitable I think.

I love this quilt top so much already and can't wait to finish the quilt. The whole colour scheme, the sewing technique and the quilt layout itself is so outside my comfort zone and unlike anything I did before. But that's what a challenge is for, right?

Quilt stats:
Name - Purple Haze
Category - Quilt Top Only
Size - 1.50x150m/ 59x59"
Country - Germany

Linking to Bryan House Quilts and No Hats in the House and thanking Rebecca and Sarah for hosting the challenge again this year!

UPDATE: Purple Haze has won 1st place in the 'Quilt top only' Global category!!!
Wow, I'm very happy and honored!
See here all the amazing winners.

2018 Quilty Goals

After a year end review it's always good to look ahead and plan new things for the new year 2018. I've had a good few ideas in my head for quite some time which I finally want to start.

But first there are two WIPs to finish, yes, I only have two. That's about the number I can deal with.

I have a finished quilt top that is waiting to be quilted. 'Playground' was a big learning curve for me. It's the first quilt I made using only prints with a challenging colour palette. You can read about the process here. I made it work though and I have a beautiful wide screen print by Tula Pink as a back and I also know how I will quilt it.

I have also started a Christmas quilt in early December 2017 but so far I have only cut some shapes, nothing sewn yet. Here's the yummy fabric selection:

Oh, I can't wait. I'm planning to make a Christmas quilt for so long, actually since I've made this Christmas table runner in 2014. I think I will just start early this year to make sure this is really finished by next Christmas!

It was just too busy and we also got a family addition in early December 2017: Biene, a 6-year-old female Viszla dog which we gave a new home.

She keeps me busy but I'm so looking forward to adventures and new things to discover!

I am taking part in the Mini Quilt Swap organised by the Modern Quilt Guild. My partner is Anne Sullivan of Play Crafts with whom I will exchange our minis at QuiltCon in February in Pasadena CA. Here's the fabric selection I picked:

I have started to play around, there will be an update soon.

I'm also super excited about the Pantone Colour of the year 2018: Ultra Violet. There will be Pantone Quilt Challenge later this year and I'm definitely taking part in this.

One of my best friends had a baby boy late last year and I want to make a baby quilt with these gorgeous fabrics here:

I have an idea for a design, nothing definite yet.

And there's my Quilty Cirlce of Bees of course. We are currently decreased in numbers but I hope to find more participants and keep it going, it's so much fun!

We will move house in March 2018 and my husband and I will have a large room all for our work, we call it 'Creative Space'. There's gonna be two large sewing tables for me, a design wall, fabric compartments and a cutting and pressing station. Oh, heaven!

I may have another pattern which I will keep a secret and see what I do with this. But it's very exciting!

Other than that I just want to put some ideas into life. Play with colour, shapes and thread.