Improv Month

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of spending some time with two talented ladies from Gee's Bend, Alabama.  (If you don't know the history of Gee's Bend, I highly recommend that you google them.)  Mary Ann Pettway and China Pettway were there to guide several of us ladies as we tried to let go of our structural inhibitions.
This is Mary Ann with a small piece that she put together during those 3 days.  I feel that these women and their family members were instrumental in bringing art quilting and the modern, improvisational look to the forefront in the quilting world.  I will always be grateful to them and thrilled that their art was discovered.

What an amazing woman

Inspired by these women and by my local (Chattanooga) Modern Quilt Guild to try my hand at a modern look,  I took a break from patterning and had some fun!

small improv 1
11'"x 11 1/2"

small improv 3
11 1/2" x 11 1/2"

small improv 5
11 1/2" x 16" 

small improv  8
27" x  26"

Alabama Folk School part 2

Great Friends, Great Fabric, Great Food.  Just can't get enough.  Still reeling with with all the thoughts and memories that will serve me for a long time to come. 

I must take the time to thank Sarah Mills Nee, the director of the Alabama Folk School.  She and her husband are an amazing talented couple.  Sarah and her crew made the daily operation and schedule go smoothly and effortlessly to those of us participating in the workshops.  Everything was done to make our experience relaxing, inspirational and enjoyable.  If you like music or crafts, I can not say enough about this special spot.  They offer classes from nationally know artists and musicians and I can guarantee that you will get your money's worth and then some.

Thank you Sarah and the staff of the Alabama Folk School and Camp McDowell

Mary Ann Pettway - Gee's Bend
Sarah Mills Nee - Camp Director
Anne Robertson - Quilter

Now back to quilting

Mary Ann Pettway posing with her top ready for quilting
Can you tell that she is a fun lady?  

Bonnie

At the end of the workshop, everyone "hung" their quilt tops with blue painters tape to the windows.  Here is Bonnie (sorry Bon, not such a good picture) with her two quilts.  Bonnie has a delightful webpage with great pictures and descriptions of our time together.  Jump over to On The Way and read all about it.  Bonnie is a wonderful artist and you must also visit her web page and art gallery.    Hey!  I just had an idea.  Maybe the Folk School should put Bonnie on their list of teachers!  What fun that would be!!!!

I love the idea of hanging our quilt tops in the windows.  It was magical 

Nifty

Tina

Kim and her very cool GB piece

Suzie made lots of great pieces!

Cathy used her wonderful hand dyed and stamped fabrics

Looks like Cathy and I will be going to a Nancy Crow workshop together!
The fun never ends, my friend.

                                   

Anne had a blast with this one
I cannot wait to see more of it!

I began making more posies on day 2 and laid them on another bark cloth curtain panel. Soon got a bit bored with the posies and looked over to see what Victoria was up to.
(footnote: Tina made a posey for me too - the one on the top with stripped outer edges
Thanks Tina! )
(Do you think I am easily distracted?)

OK, so, back on track.   I scrambled around for some pale neutrals from the table of "shared fabrics" and made this little block:

Mary Ann and China graciously signed it for me
My plan is to hand quilt this one, frame it and hold on to it forever.

So ends the saga of my Camp McDowell/Alabama Folk School experience.  You can see all the other quilt tops if you jump over to the other sites that I mentioned in today and yesterday's post.  As I said, I am being a bit lazy here.  Or is it a case of TMI?
Whatever, there is just way too much to ever fit into one little blog. 
Happy trails to you
until we meet again. 

Alabama Folk School

I have just returned from a trip of a lifetime.  No, no, not an exotic trip to some far flung destination.  I am talking about Nauvoo, Alabama.  

The Alabama Folk School at Camp McDowell seems to have been a well kept secret.  From me, at least.  Last winter my friend, Nifty, gave me the heads up on her plan to come south to learn from the ladies of Gee's Bend.   Naturally, I could not pass up this opportunity.  Along with 17 other ladies from all around the country, we made quilts with the guidance of Mary Ann Pettway and China Pettway of Gee's Bend, AL.

I had the pleasure of reuniting with Nifty and Tina from Seattle, and meeting Nifty's sister-in-law, Bonnie, from Salem, OR.   I also had the pleasure of meeting Victoria, a.k.a. Bumble Beans,  and Kim from NY after reading their blogs for a long long time. They have both already posted some great pictures and reads. Victoria shared lots of great ones on her  Flickr link  Another new friend, Cathy from Birmingham, AL has posted great pictures and stories on her blog that you will enjoy checking out.  Sweet Diane from Birmingham posted some great pictures on Picasa.  Ann, from Jackson, MS also has a blog and a website.  Jump over to see what she has going on.  So, I am taking the lazy way out.  You must jump over to see their pictures and descriptions.  I promise you won't be disappointed.  

                      But I must tell you about this lady.  Cherrye Parker

left to right:
China Pettway from Gee's Bend, Cherrye Parker from Brimingham, AL, who had never made a quilt, and  Mary Ann Pettway from Gee's Bend.

Cherrye arrived with fabrics that she had purchased in Africa and a sewing machine just purchased, still in the box, with not a clue how to use it!  Not only did she learn to use a sewing machine, but completed the top and began to learn hand quilting.

Just look what she accomplished as a novice sewer/quilter.

My hat is off to you Cherrye!

Cherrye also wrote a very touching note to all after returning home.  With her permission, I am sharing her thoughts:

 but mama said we'd learn to quilt

           a note from Cherrye Fincher Parker

When I was a little girl, mama would sew a few clothes and crochet.

Somewhere along the way she stopped sewing and taught my friend, Juanakee

and me how to crochet...

but mama said we'd learn to quilt.

Mama, Mrs. Lillie M. H. Fincher,  and I crocheted lots of blankets for Cassandra, my sister, Jasmine, my one niece, Mu Dear, my grandmother - Dr. Gertrude C. Sanders, and family friends. We shared good times together completing each others crochet projects. I enjoyed creating the body of the blanket and mama would do the edges and the fringes.....

but mama said we'd learn to quilt.

Years passed fast... work, new experiences, travel, marriages, divorces, illnesses,

job promotions, joys, disappointments, God's grace keeping us strong...time changes a lot of things...

but mama said we'd learn to quilt.

Mu Dear had a stroke at the age of 90 and mama took good care of her for two years until she went Home...

and mama said now we'd learn to quilt.

100 days after Mu Dear went Home, I guess she got lonely because

mama went to sleep and followed her Home too...

BUT MAMA SAID WE'D LEARN TO QUILT!!!

Three years later, Grace brought me to the company of some awesome women, representing eight different states and 2 phenomenal quilters from Gee's Bend at the Alabama Folk School.  With my brand new in-the-box sewing machine in hand, no thread, Joy in my heart and my mama's spirit dwelling in me, I worked hard to make my first quilt top. Mary Ann and China showed me how to bring it all together and several of my new friends added a stitch here and there.

Mama said we'd learn to quilt.

We did.

I know she was there.

Each one of you have blessed me.

Love ya'll,

Cherrye

(Cherrye's sister/best friend, Juanakee, passed away 5 years ago from breast cancer.) 

Here we are, in our final hours together, still laughing

And now to the beginning:
Day 1

China is amazed at Victoria - the day has just begun and she has already gotten half a quilt pieced!  

Where do we begin?

(left to right)    

Mary Ann, Bonnie, Tina, Nifty, Barb, Victoria, Cathy

Nifty & Tina stitching away while Mary Ann confers with Bonnie

(Note the extra large classroom with lots and lots of natural light.  It adjoined the cafeteria and made it oh so easy for meal breaks.  The food was just plain wonderful, I might add. 

Mary Ann shows us a top made by another Gee's Bend lady

Using old boxer shorts from my hubby & son (much to their dismay) and cut up for me by Nifty, Tina and Bonnie.  I brought along a bark cloth curtain panel from the 1950's, as well as bundles of Kaffe fat quarters given to me by Bonnie.  This is the beginnings of my Gee's Bend interpretation.

China suggested that I use this dark green along with the bark cloth.  I agreed, tentatively, but secretly, I didn't like the idea.  But then, why did I come here?  Just to do my own thing?  NO, I wanted to dig into the creative thoughts of a lady from Gee's Bend!  So I reluctantly decided to go with her suggestion.  

I am so happy that I did so.  And I think China was pleased too!  Ya think it looks a bit Gee's Bendish?  I promised China that I would quilt it immediately and not go home and stick it in a drawer.  

Bonnie incorporated some blue "flame" fabric given to her from Tina

Nifty's in progress, using pieces cut from her baby clothes made by her grandmother.

Tina's all together, using some blue and white vintage fabrics from her Mom.
Isn't it great!!!!

Okay, so if you have gotten this far, congrats.  Enough for today, but I promise that there will be more to come.  

One more my friend's shirts quilt finished

Another one bites the dust.  Bound and ready for snuggling on a chilly day.  

front 
All shirtings set together with 3 different pieces of orange shot cottons.
Straight line machine quilting with variegated threads.

back
Using an old piece of chambray which had the corner cut into, I added a length of shirting strips along with a couple of more pieces of shirting to make it large enough for the backing.  

The Real Deal

My friend Laura and her hubby enjoy auctions.  

They always finds the BEST DEALS ever.  

Check out this beauty.  I feel certain that it is of African American origin from Tennessee.  Or at least one of  our bordering states.  It is made from ginghams, chambrays, corduroy, twills, wool tweeds & plaids, florals to mention a few.  I was immediately in love with this quilt ~ wonderful soft colors and great graphics.  

The backing is a ticking stripe and it is quilted, quite nicely,

in the traditional Baptist Fan pattern.  

Although it has been patched here and there, it is none the worse for wear, considering that it must have been a utilitarian quilt used every night. Laura and Steve graciously allowed me to share this beauty.  I hope that everyone enjoys it as much as I.  And of course, it is on my list to reproduce.  

And while I am on the topic, I wanted to share another local African American quilt which was shown in the local museum quilt show a couple of years ago.   This one, also, is on my list to reproduce.  Isn't it lovely?

Hope y'all have a wonderful week, full of great deals.

I've committed to be neutral

I am off and running with the neutrals.  With bits '0 color.  

 

 Using the quilt as you go method, but doing it my way, I've been playing around.  Trying to prevent myself from over thinking the thing.  Y'all do know how difficult that can be.  The first block is pretty cool, so I went ahead and quilted it. Just to see how that process works, but the real reason is because I have no patience at all.  I couldn't wait to jump into the thing.  The second block is a bit better, so I quilted it too. Yippeee this is fun, so I play with number three block.  Number 3 is cool, but doesn't work for me  with number 1 and 2 when I put everything on the design wall.  Let's make block four and five and see how that goes.   In between each one I am placing them on the design wall and scratching my head, looking for a way for them to fit together.  Changing and rearranging.  And yes, over thinking them.  Here is where they stand at this point. 

Now I have fully realized that I must get on with just making the blocks, throw them up on the design wall (unquilted) and see where it takes me. No more worrying that I have too many lights, too many * darks*, not enough white.  The more blocks that I make, the more I learn and the more Gee's Bend-ish the seem to feel.  Well, Gee's Bend without color.  Ya think?  At this juncture I am open for any and all opinions. 

* the tones on my computer screen show more contrast between the fabrics than they actually appear in person.  The darkest strip is actually a light shade of oatmeal.

Getting all dressed up

Did you ever start to get dressed and realize that you aren't satisfied with what you are wearing and how you look? Then change outfits several times?  Come on now, I will just bet that you've done it more than once.  I know that I certainly have.  On many, many occasions.  If it doesn't feel good, or look right to me at that moment,  I just won't wear it. Often I must change my top or my pants or my shoes several times before I am dressed for the day. Same thing with Posy here: This is where she began

I thought she was just a bit too plain Jane.  No pizzaz.  She needed some flowers to surround
her log cabins.

Something was just still not quite right.  I loved her new look, but kept thinking that something was missing.  Plus the thought occurred to me that she might be more useful in a queen size.

 I could add borders.  I considered charcoal and ivory when I snapped this picture with the top laid out on my tile floor.  It looked pretty cool.  But then when I actually added large triangles around the actual quilt, she screamed NO NO NO.  Way too contrived. 

So I tried making some other types of blocks - large blocks so that she could be a queen size quilt.
Now she shouts

HELP ME, I AM BEING OVERPOWERED BY GIANT LOGS AND POSIES.   Okay, got the message, she just does not want to be queen size. She is just going to be what she wants to be.  So I tried once again.  The thought occurred to me that she began as my experimental version of the Gee's Bend house top. This brought me around to another thought, "make more Gee's Bend style blocks for the border."  After trying big chunks, big strips, wavering between no border/yes border, I made lots of improvisational, free pieced blocks, using only the scrap fabrics from the background.  I trimmed these blocks to 6 1/2 inches in width and left the length whatever it happened to be.  Got all those placed around the quilt and thought to myself, STOP THIS MADNESS.  And I went to bed. 

 

Got up this morning still obsessing.  I remember a posted comment from Margaret suggesting that I have the posies spill over into the border.  "Why not give that a try?"I think   Now I am back to making more posies and leaves.  And if this doesn't work, I will  have quite a few blocks to make into another quilt.
So here she is trying on a few new posies.

 She is still not totally happy with what I have done to her.  Still a bit unsure of herself and her new look. Is she a bit overdone?  Sorta like way too much lipstick and rouge.  Perhaps I should let her rest for a while and go play/obsess with some others.   Anyway, she isn't scheduled for any public appearances any time soon.  If this look doesn't grow on us, we can always try something else. Tomorrow is another day. 

Quandary

Quandary:  Obsessive purchasing of Kaffe Fassett and  Rowen designer fabrics. 

Solution:  Jump to Victoria's new blog for inspiration from that group of designers.

Results:  Oh what fun it is to sew.

More than 15 minutes of obsession

I have a new addiction. Victoria over at 15 Minutes Play has provided a spot for creating outside the box, and just plain play time fun.  I've already posted a couple of ongoing projects on that blog that I have been getting together for using up bits and pieces.  Not wanting to be a blog hog, I didn't go into a lot of detail.  I also intend to join in with Rossie and her Process Pledge group.  That is, if I hear from anyone who has an interest in my processes. But just for today, I'll post a few pictures of things that I've got going on.  Maybe seeing everything on screen will remind me that I've got to learn to focus.  HA! 

I named this quilt "The Aspens at Muddy Pass".  It's my attempt at an abstract design using a sketch that I did several years ago.  I've gotten it sandwiched and ready to quilt. 

Last winter I had the brilliant idea of making an abstract log cabin quilt inspired by the Gee's Bend artists.  I challenged myself to use very large pieces of fabric and make only 3 blocks.  And if you knew me, you would know what a challenge that would be for me.  However, once I had it pieced, it wasn't happy with the result.  I kept thinking that it would be the perfect practice piece for free motion quilting.  Nah.  Then I thought, hummmmm, maybe the log cabin needs some flowers to jazz it up.  And voila'

One day not too long ago, in a wild burst of organizational madness, I sat down in the middle of my studio floor with my box of scraps that I just could not bear to toss out.  Using an old mesh- over- the door- shoe -holder, I sorted, by color, all of those bits and stuffed them into the pockets that once held shoes.  (an obsession I've given up, well almost)  Now all I have to do, is reach in and grab a handful of color to make my posies. 

 

Or other free style pieced blocks that may go into a quilt or a pillow or maybe even a few place mats for the dining table, one day soon.

Next delimma:  Obsession/compulsive purchasing of  Kaffe Fasset, Philip Jacobs, et. al., fabrics.   Seems I can't stop myself from buying fat quarters of many many many of their fabrics.  What do you do with all those fat quarters?  More log cabins?  But with a definite purpose.  I have someone in mind who enjoys bright, happy quilts.  And what could be brighter and happier than a jillion Kaffe/Philip/Brandon fabrics?  Along with Amy/Carla/Heather - the list could go on forever. 

Then there's the selvage thing. For years I've checked out the selvages of every fabric that I see. Always thought I was a little weird that way. Seems I was not the only one. I would cut & toss all those selvages that into a basket, thinking that I would figure out what to do with them one of these days. I stumbled into  Karen's blog and yippee, I'm off and running.   With info and guidance from Jacquie and her tutorial I've got a good start on using up that basket full of selvages. 

In my spare time, I've been doing a bit more fabric dyeing as well as using soy wax to learn how to batik my fabrics.  Got a couple of cabinet shelves loaded up and waiting for some experimentation a la  Jean Wells and her inspirational book "Intuitive Color and Design" .  Maybe even an Amish style quilt in the manner of  the Lazy Gal Liberated Amish 2010 Get Together
I'll write about that in more detail at a latter time.  Right now I've got some more fabric soaking in a bucket of soda ash calling for color.