Funky Art Queen

Shew! It has been a busy week! Now I am happily sitting here updating my blog while drinking a nice steamy cup of coffee. I just devoured my Curated Quilts magazine. It was my first. I only ordered one to try it out to see if I enjoyed it and the answer is a big yes. I am definitely getting a subscription. This magazine was filled with beautiful quilts, a few patterns and lots of education. I will be looking at it and reading it over and over until my next one arrives.  Back to the busy week. I worked a few days at the quilting studio (my fun retirement job). I got to finish quilting the above quilt there as well. I am calling this quilt "In the Spirit of friends". I was inspired by a piece I found in a Quiltmania magazine called "The Sum of Us" by TOWRAGS group. I was particularly drawn to the star like blocks and so that sent me on a study to see what those were called. Friendship blocks! I made quite a few of those types of blocks for this red, black and cream c...

I entered my first quilt challenge this year! I was inspired by a friend of mine that had entered this challenge so I decided I would give it a try. The challenge is called Pantone Quilt Challenge 2023 and you can check out all the yummy shades of magenta at #pantonequiltchallenge2023 on Instagram. This challenge is hosted by  Sarah Ruiz of https://saroy.net/ and Elizabeth Ray of https://www.instagram.com/elizabethkray/?hl=en When I learned about the challenge, I headed over to Missouri Star Quilt Company online and purchased the Kona Crush for this piece. I was not sure what I wanted to pair it with for several days until I finally decided on several tones of greens.  So I started out with these pieces. I had always wanted to see how to make the flying geese in a curve. I managed to figure out a way by using wedged pieces in between each "goose"? I have since learned that there is another way by using Foundation Paper Piecing. All the things we learn with each quilt, right...

Here is a little update on the Bargello Pattern I posted about last time. The quilt is not complete as you can see. I have basted the round Bargello on this blue printed fabric. I created one border and I'm still working on the inner corners and there will be more border. It was very fun to make and I am pleased with it. Here are some pointers.  Use the organization tags provided for your fabric choices.  Use the organization tags provided for the Sets.  Remember the pattern makes 2 of these Bargello rounds. Set A is the first one and Set B is the second one. So keep it all very organized.  Don't move fabric around while cutting wedges...you might forget what was the top-this is important- I accidentally did that on set two when I was trying to find comfortable position for cutting-somehow I turned the fabric all the way around and it totally messed up the illusion-luckily I had enough fabric to cut out another set. Pay attention when you start to cut each set ...

A couple of times at the quilting studio I heard someone mention a style of quilting called "Bordello" or at least that is what I thought I heard. So yesterday, I decided to search for definition online. Apparently a bordello is a brothel. I'm not going to lie, my first thought was why they would name a pattern after a brothel? LOL Really. Then, I decided I must be saying it wrong. A little more searching led me to the correct spelling of this word. BARGELLO! I love the sound of it. So I had to know what exactly this word meant. It is pronounced like "Bar Jello". It is from a needlework/embroidery design laid in stitches that create kind of a flame or zig zag type pattern. The name originates from a series of chairs found in the Bargello Palace in Florence, which have a "flame stitch" pattern.   This is a great example of how when we expose ourselves to one type of craft and take the knowledge into another craft. In this case quilting. I wanted to try ...

 Wow, I can't believe this blog is still here! Oh I admit I have checked in a few times to view a memory or a post I recalled writing from time to time. You know, life. There is no way I could tell you everything that happened from my last post until now.  Nor could I tell you all the different creative adventures and turns I have taken. All I can tell you is where I am at now.  I love where I am at now in my creative journey. First, we no longer live in West Texas. We transplanted Austin way in 2014. My career as a nurse brought us here and we absolutely love living in this area.  I opened an Etsy shop after we got settled here and started making tutus and baby shirts/bodysuits and all kinds of custom gifts. I dabbled with that for a while, more like a hobby and outlet from the stress of work. I finally started figuring out how to succeed in my shop daily and truly, if I had worked at it....I could have had a successful business. But, I was so bored with making the ...