Making Cherrywood Fabric

In 2008, I made this quilt called Cherrywood Checkers.  I had been to my first major quilt show in Lancaster PA, and absolutely fell in love with Cherrywood fabrics.  My budget was pretty tight at the time, and I didn't have a project in mind, so I treated myself to a little bag of Cherrywood scraps.  Lots of little bits in lots of luscious colors.  The perfect indulgence!!!

Then I found this pattern in a magazine (sorry, it's been too many years to remember which one) and decided that it was just the right project to use all those scraps.  I still use the quilt today, and have it draped over my sofa to curl up under on cool evenings.

These fabrics were very precious to me, so when I finished the quilt, I couldn't bear to throw away even the smallest scrap.  I tucked all the leftovers into a small ziplock bag to use "someday".  That was 7 years ago...

Then I learned how to "make fabric" in Pat Sloan's workshop that I took a couple of weeks ago.  So this weekend I found that old bag of scraps buried under even more scraps, and made more fabric!

I started with this small pile of bits...

And ended up with over 4 yards of this piano key border...

And this patchwork panel...

And I still have all of these little bits left to make MORE fabric!!!

I don't know what I'm going to make yet, but at least I have some great new fabric to work with!

Cheers!

Making Fabric with Pat Sloan

Wow - today was just amazing!  A day spent in the company of fellow quilters...

Learning new skills from the amazing Pat Sloan!

I have always admired improvisational quilting, but it has always intimidated me.  I have spent so many years working on perfecting my cutting and piecing skills, striving for perfection.

I have even tried to train myself to cut my scraps into perfect 1 1/2" or 2 1/2" wide strips, ready for piecing into a log cabin block that would be perfectly square when finished.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, and I will continue to strive for perfection in my work, but there is something so liberating and fun about just grabbing scraps, chopping them into chunks, and sewing them together at random.

It really is FUN!!!

Today's workshop with Pat Sloan was a technique class.  I really didn't put much effort into picking the "right" fabrics.  The instructions were to just bring a basket full of scraps.

I love the technique.  We learned how to create new fabric from our scraps, including non-traditional log cabin blocks like the ones shown above, with "kisses" or "x's" spliced into them, as well as curved seam strips sewn together to make "new" fabric.

I will definitely be doing more improv work in the future, although I'm sure I haven't given up on the pursuit of perfection either.  I see a combination of both in my future quilting projects.

Pat Sloan is an excellent teacher, and everyone seemed to come away with the skill and desire to try something new.  What a wonderful day!  Thank you Pat, and thanks to the Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild for hosting the event.

Cheers!

Pat Sloan Workshop

First of all, I have to thank you all for your patience and understanding during my blogging absence.  It's not that I haven't been busy with lots of quilting projects, but I kind of lost my "voice" after my mother died in March.  Every time I sat down to write a blog post, I found myself at a loss for words.  There just weren't any.  I guess the depression affected me more than I expected.  But I'm finally starting to feel like my life is becoming more normal again, and I'm happy to be back.  It's time to move forward and honor my mom's memory with joy, not sorrow.  So... 'nuff said...  On to the "quilty" stuff!

I'm sure most of you have heard of Pat Sloan.  If not, you'll just have to click on this link and read all about her.  She was the guest speaker at our Quilt Guild meeting tonight, and while I'm not one to regularly attend meetings, I just couldn't miss the opportunity to meet her in person.  I am so glad I went!  Pat is an excellent speaker, and I enjoyed her program very much.  And tomorrow I get to attend this workshop!!!  I promise to take some pictures and report back to you soon...

And I'll get busy writing posts of some of the projects I've been working on during my absence.

Soon...  I hope...

In the meantime,  Cheers!