Bee Blessed: May Blocks

Don't forget your Bee Blessed blocks this month.  They're absolutely GORGEOUS!

Using this tute, Sarah and Judith are looking for two 12.5 inch (UF) blocks using bright solid fabric in the background.  I can't wait to give these a try!  I'm nervous once I start, I won't be able to stop :)

-Cindy

Medallion QAL Finished Tops? Or WIPS....

How are you getting along with your medallion quilt top?  I think some of you have finished already (quilting, binding and all!), some of you have finished tops to show off and some (like me!) are still adding on layer after layer.

No matter where you are, show us your progress!  Several of us are thriving on what the group creates for continued inspiration, so don't be shy.  Pop up a link to your latest photo.

A peek of where mine is heading.  Slowly, but surely.

This linky is open from today through to the end of Dec 2014, so if your medallion top is a WIP today be sure you pop back when you have a finished top (or a finished quilt!) and add your link.  I will keep checking back and will create mosaics as our group finishes off these pretties.

Thanks so much for piecing along with me.  Even though I have officially fallen behind (and am WAY late in releasing this post), this has been one great adventure.

-Cindy

An InLinkz Link-up

Join In Our Community

Hello Modern Irish Quilters!  Want to share?

Disclaimer:  Some Rolo's were consumed in the writing of this blog post!

I know it's meant to be your last Rolo but I needed the wrapping intact for the photo, but you get the idea!   Some of the goals of the MQG are Community, Connection, Friendships and we have lots of online forums for sharing.  There's our Facebook page, Flickr group, some of us are addicted to Instagram, while others prefer to Tweet!  Thinking about how we could increase our opportunities to connect with each other how about doing some of these?

• Interested in a Monthly Show and Tell?  Wouldn't it be a great way to share what we are all working on?  We could add photos of Works In Progress, Blocks, Finished items, Fabric pulls etc to our Flickr group. 

1. medallion square, 2. pinwheel-quilt, 3. Birthday present, 4. triple zipper pouch swap, 5. Enchant by Riley Blake, 6. block 4, 7. spider-web-02, 8. Rainbow Wonky Squares Quilt, 9. Scrappy Ironing board cover 1, 10. Scrappy Ironing Board cover 3, 11. Bunny Pouch Tutorial, 12. bee blocks for Anna, 13. for-Anna-April, 14. listentothebirdssing cloud tablemat back, 15. listentothebirdssing cloud tablemat detail, 16. Schooldays Notebook Tote Bag

Join our group here and when uploading a photo click to add to group. Our Flickr group photos and blog posts go to Facebook automatically!  If you prefer to use Instagram, upload and add the hashtag #modernirishquilters.  I'd love to do a monthly Show & Tell Mosaic on the blog!  The above are some of the lovely projects on our group page from the last few months. You do need to have a Yahoo account now to log into Flickr.  It only takes a few minutes to set one up but if you prefer Facebook that would work too!

• Anyone find a great bargain or make a really cool fabric purchase? Spread the joy! We'd love to hear about it.  Find a great tutorial for something we could all benefit from?  Again Instagram or Facebook would be perfect for this! Tag with #modernirishquilters or post to the Facebook page.

• Wouldn't it be great if we could create a directory and promote our talents?  Cindy has offered to create a resources page for the blog.  Any members who run a shop, teach quilting classes or even take commissions for made items please get in touch.  Give us a link to your shop, Facebook page, blog or space on Etsy.  We'd all love to spread the word and maybe do a bit of shopping ourselves!  We'd love to do a blog post and feature a member if anyone is interested in shoing us their shop or sewing space.

• Those of us who blog for no other reason than to blog don't feel left out.  Leave a comment or send an email and we'll update the members blogs info so we can all have a blog hop and see what's happening in our community.

• Now I know it would be impractical to swap books but if you guys are anything like me you probably have a bulging bookshelf with books and magazines spilling off the coffee table, well thumbed through and lovingly kept for just in case!  We'd love a book review, even if it is only a few sentences.   Tell us what book we should buy next!  It could be as simple as a Facebook update, take a photo of the book or item made or inspired from the book and upload to Flickr and we could feature it for a blog post!

• Finally if there are any upcoming exhibitions in your area that you think would be worth a visit please let us know.   There are some national exhibitions coming up in July and August that we will post a reminder for but for this moment keep an eye out on Sew Mama Sew on the 12th May for her big giveaway day.  Lots of blogs will be offering freebies that you may be in for a chance of winning, usually by leaving a comment.  Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side starts on the 16th with lots of categories of quilts to browse and voting opens on the 23rd for your favourites.

Anything else you guys would like to see?  Please let us know and we'll do our best to include in upcoming posts.  Liz and Fiona have already given us a wonderful post each and we look forward to sharing more  in the coming months in addition to our regular posts from Cindy on Bee Blessed and Modern Irish Bee!

- Ruth

Modern Irish {Scrappy} Bee: May

May already.....did I really put my name down to be Queen Bee for May thinking that I would be organised enough to be ready at the start of the month?

Last year I made some  Road to Tennessee blocks for Jan at Isisjem for the Bee a Brit Stingy group.

I fell in love with Jan's quilt and told myself that I need to put this down as a great quilt that would use up all my scraps, (or everyone elses).

So this is it.  I want a quilt just like that.  Jan used a Tutorial that Sarah @ Sew Me.  has written.  I found it easy to follow then and want to return to it again for my quilt.

For each 12 1/2 " finished block you will need......

 32  x  2" squared blocks of Kona White I have also put in a few Kona Ash to replace some of the white blocks.  If you want to do this you are more than welcome, but I would only like a splash of the ash.  I am not bothered where the ash is when you sew your little blocks up. 16 x 3 1/2"  of lovely bright colours using modern fabric. As Jan said to us, think of summer,  Aqua, yellows, oranges, reds, pinks. You can put in dark purple, navy blue but not too much please.  I am not keen on fabrics for this quilt that have lots of black and brown or dark green.  Batiks are not a favourite of mine, and I don't want obvious children's prints in it either.  (sorry for being so fussy) I am looking for two 12 1/2 " blocks please.

Like Sarah has mentioned in her tutorial you will need to draw a line down the 2" blocks, it makes life a lot easier and the blocks will come together better.

What is great about this block is the chain sewing.  It really does come together really quickly once you have dome all the cutting.

You can find the thread that I use at a great price at Threads and sew more (did you like that Fiona?)

Once you have made your little blocks it is time to put them together. 

Follow Sarah's tutorial and please, please, please use a SCANT seam.

My blocks came out just over 12 1/2" 

Don't worry if yours do too.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with and getting all these little parcels in the mail.

Happy Sewing

Erin

Relationship Between a Modern Quilter and their Longarm Quilter

Have you ever noticed how the quilting compliments the modern quilt? I have noticed this more in modern quilts than in traditional quilts.

In traditional quilts the 'piecer' puts the top together and the quilter has to find a way of complimenting the piecing 

but in modern quilts the 'piecer' puts the top together firstly considering the impact of the quilting on the top.

Please don't disagree straight away without hearing me out.

A lot of experienced longarm quilters are aware of the impact their quilting can have on a very simple quilt top design, so sometimes they will put together a top that may come across simple to the eye, but really it is put together in this way because they have an idea that will showcase their longarm quilting delightfully 

I'm not saying one is more difficult than the other....eg. A.  The 'piecer' has a harder job because they have to consider what decisions their longarmer has to take to really make their top 'pop' or B. The longarmer has a harder job because they have to consider what decisions their 'piecer' has to take to really make the longarmer able to accentuate their piece or to blow their piece out of the water so to speak. Some 'piecers' put quilt tops together so simply in order for their longarmer to take full advantage of the negative space and transform their top to higher levels than anyone could have imagined! 

Either way the relationship between the quilt top maker or 'piecer' or 'designer' and their longarmer or midarmer or domestic sewing machinist needs to be communicative at the very least. I would almost advise going for a dinner or a drink with each other to go over design ideas before going ahead with decisions and if there is no time for that at least a cup of tea or coffee at meeting. The consultation between both should never be rushed and I would not advise the 'piecer' to say to their machinist 'oh just do whatever you like because the design decisions on the quilt need to be outlined by both parties.  

- Liz Dunne

Blog: http://lizdunne79.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liz.dunne.505
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizquilts
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Instagram: http://instagram.com/lizdunne505

An Interview With Ayumi!

It is with great excitement that we post this interview with Ayumi, author of Pink Penguin and creator of so many wonderful tutorials that I'm sure we've all used more than once.  (Seriously - if you haven't tried one of her tutes, do so immediately.  They're listed on the left hand side of her blog home page.) Ayumi, please tell us a bit more about yourself!

Hello! My name is Ayumi Takahashi. I am a wife to my American husband and a mom to a 9 months old daughter. We live in Tokyo, Japan. I blog at Pink Penguin, though I have been terrible at blogging regularly lately. I am also an author of the book, “Patchwork Please!”

What inspired you to pick up patchwork/quilting?

Lots of things inspired me, but I would say what inspired me the most was blog land. I found so many people’s work just amazing and I couldn’t resist getting a sewing machine so I could sew great things like them.

Where did you learn to start quilting?

I self-taught myself when I was still in the US.

Do you remember your first completed project, and what was it?

My very first completed sewn project was a pillow that I made in class when I was a fourth grader. I remember I was quite stressed out about the project because I never understood how the sewing machine worked exactly. I was rather surprised that I somehow ended up finishing the project. It felt great!

Which quilters inspire you the most?

Goodness I have way too many quilters who inspire me. It would be a ridiculously long list of people if I list them all! If I were to name my top quilting heroes, I would say Kumiko Fujita and Suzuko Koseki are some amazingly talented quilters.

What are your favourite styles of quilting?

Straight lines :) My sewing machine is pretty small, so straight line quilting has been just the most doable. And I like the modern twist it gives to your finished quilt!

What would you say is your no. 1 quilting tip?

Maybe finding tools and materials that you are most comfortable with  is a great quilting tip. Quilt basting spray is one thing I just can’t live without now!

Do you have any advice for beginner novice quilters?

I think it would be great for any beginner novice quilters to start from a smaller projects like potholders, table runners, and a baby quilt before they get into a larger quilt. This way you learn basics of quilting first :)

Thank you so much to both Ayumi and Fiona for producing this interview for our Modern Irish sewers. I am sure each and every member of our crew was reading with great interest. Ayumi, it's been wonderful getting to know you a bit better.

Modern Irish {Scrappy} Bee Blocks: April

Happy April Fools' Day!

I contemplated all sorts of sewing-related mischief for my first day of being Queen Bee for April, but I'd be easily identified as the quilty party (groan lol) ;)

At this stage, we've had three really different blocks to create, I'm really looking forward to seeing the resulting quilts, they're going to look FAB! I have spent ages thinking about what I wanted from my month, and I've changed my mind a number of times. Then it hit me, something that reflects me and my reason for quilting: crazy, happy, fun, sharing, variety.... What suits that better than a collaborative quilt made up of improv blocks! My inspiration comes from these blocks:

As you can see I love bright, bold colours, and neutrals/low volumes that make them pop. Aneela Hoey has a great tutorial to give you an idea of how to approach it. It's simple, you start with a fussy cut piece with 5 sides, and clockwise stitch on pieces of fabric longer than the sides. Every so often, whip a chunk off a corner to take away the 'straight lines' of the blocks. The tutorial can be found on Aneela's blog, Comfort Stitching, the only difference is I don't want the blocks colour-coordinated.
For my blocks:

Two 12.5" square blocks - for these, just keep going until you reach a size you can trim to 12.5" square :)

No batiks or heavy, dark florals

Please use cotton or cotton-linen blends.  No poly cottons.

Fussy cut centre piece and positioned off-centre

If you really felt inclined, the centre piece could be Kona Ash, with an embroidered motif or applique, but it's not a requirement.

I hope you enjoy these blocks, I know I loved making mine, and can't wait to get them all together into one quilt that will make me smile whenever I see it/snuggle up in it! One thing's for sure, this is a truly scrap-busting block!

Anna