IQF 2019:The Altar Quilts

International Quilt Festival didn't disappoint.  There were many lovely quilts & the workmanship was superb on most of them.  A very large exhibit from SAQA was excellent.  Layered and Stitched: 50 Years of Innovative Art was a retrospective with quilts from leading quilt artists.  It was fabulous to see the trends and the artist statements made with signature quilts.  Here's the link to the slide show.

My other favorite exhibit was Altar Offerings: Memory Quilts, Love, Loss and Honor.  These were the works of students in a workshop of designer and artist Jane Tenorio-Coscarelli.  Her website is here.

Here is a selection of the pieces mounted at the show.

Here is the quilt I stitched to honor my son Will Hurter (21) struck by a car & killed on Halloween night 2001 while walking to a friend's house for a party.  I have my altar set up for him today.

Still missing you Sugar! 

My friend Barbara and I collaborated on some wonderful Virgin Mary quilts in the mid 2000s.  You can view them here at The Madonna Idea.   (The links to my previous blog are inactive.) 

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Angel Tree Quilt #56: Sock Monkeys!

Yesterday was kinda one of those days.  My Oklahoma friends called to tell me they couldn't make the trip to Houston for the quilt show.  Toni had surgery recently and she's not healed enough for traveling.  My friend from the 'Hood called with a deep hoarse voice complaining of feeling ill so she canceled too.  I struggled with the curved quilting on this quilt.  About 2 rows into it I remembered why I don't like ruler work.  If I don't move fast enough the machine sits in ready action and then the bobbin thread breaks.  It's just not fun.  I don't quilt for stress or perfection so I'm going back to what works for me.  And then the Houston Astros lost.  By the time I tucked into bed, I was really over yesterday.

Thankfully we all have another run at life the next day.  I can't believe I am wearing a flannel shirt and thinking about slipping on a sweater when a few weeks ago the weather was hot enough to cook eggs on the sidewalk.  I do, however, have all the doors and windows open to air out the place!  Life can change on a dime but hopefully not until I get to my 65 Quilt deadline!

Tomorrow I am joining a group of ladies traveling to the International Quilt Festival on a county bus.  Having the bus available for seniors is a great service of my county.  A bonus is that the bus driver is Chris, my daughter-in-law's mother.  I told her recently whenever a group needs to fill a bus to call me.  Free and someone else driving always appeals to me! 

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What frustrates you when quilting? 

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Angel Tree Quilts #54 & #55

Quilt #54

The sewer of this quilt took a kit earlier in the year to sew.  I added the border.  When I posted it on-line, she wrote a note telling me she cried to see it finished.  It was her 1st quilt.  I am always humbled to know the reactions people have to quilts.  We are so connected, aren't we? 

Quilt #55

My friend Mary Lu has been so faithful to sew tops for Angel Tree.  She has become an unexpected collaborator with me.  This is a little quilt top/wall hanging she stitched from leftover blocks.  So sweet.

Another day for quilting and then the International Quilt Show! 

Whoop!

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Raw Edge Shawl Finished!

With the Houston quilt show popping up this week, I decided to finish a project I started earlier in the year.  Or last year?   I thought I wanted to keep the outside

edges raw but the thought of clipping all the base threads sent me to another solution.  I wimped out and lined it.   I used 2 very lightweight scarves from the thrift.  They are cotton and the weave is fairly open.  Not a dream to sew by any stretch of the imagination.

I put the shawl on my longarm and stitched the scarves (now one piece) around the edges.  I trimmed, turned, ironed the edges and topstitched.  Now I don't have to clip the threads on the back.  Win for me!  Ready to wear!

The birds and the plaid are the 2 scarves joined for the lining.  Wretched fabric to sew-all loosey goosey.

I wish I could say this shawl used a ton of tshirt scraps but then I'd be lying.  Momma didn't raise no liar.  😎😎

That's the drawback to the raw edge collage sewing, it doesn't really use enough fabric to make a difference in the stash amounts.  

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Planning to "wear" this to the show on Thursday.  I could also nap under it if my legs give out which is always a possibility at the International Quilt Festival! 

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Grateful Threads Project: 1st Quilt Top

While I am trying to finish up the Angel Tree quilts for November's deadline some of my friends have started sewing the twin sized quilts the Grateful Threads Project will give to the Houston Furniture Bank starting Jan 2020.

My friend Jeane pieced the 9 patch portion of this quilt.  She's never quilted before she sewed a few tops for Angel Tree.  She asked me if it would be OK if she used some of her own scrap fabrics and sewed a top.  Of Course!   Now I think she may be hooked.  :-)
I handed the top off to Pam for borders.  Pam also could sew but hadn't sewn a quilt.  She's jumped in with both feet.  And, reports she is having a great time!   I had lunch with Pam today and she pulled out this top.  So on my way home I stopped at Mattress Firm and auditioned it on one of their twin beds.

It's generous and makes a positive significant statement to a child.  I am so pleased!

  

I love it when people join together to help children!  

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Angel Tree Quilts #52 & 53

Working on my freeform swirls!  I don't mind funky and a bit imperfect.  These are getting a little more like the look I like!  :-) 

Quilts pieced by my stitching friends for Angel Tree children.

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Upcycled Cloth Collective

Debra Dixon Design is a proud member of Upcycled Cloth Collective. As a seamstress and quilt maker, I personally strive to use as much reclaimed and thrifted clothes in my artwork as possible.
Together we can all make a difference fabrics have on our precious planet. Take a strong look at the clothes you purchase and wear. How do they impact the environment and the labor of those who sew them?
#thegratefulthreadsproject will strive to use 75%+ reclaimed, thrifted and/or gifted/vintage fabrics & clothes in the construction of our quilts.

For more information and to Join the Conversation, check out the Facebook Group: Upcycled Cloth Collective. 

Angel Tree Quilts: 50 Goal Met!

So grateful for friends who helped me stitch quilts for Angel Tree kids for Christmas.  Looks like we will make our 75 quilt goal in the nick of time!  

Will Children Like the Quilts?

I've been wondering if children will like these rayon quilts with their cacophony of patterns and colors.  I don't have children in my life and the things I see in stores for children are "very cute".
One of my very honest friends came to my studio yesterday.  I had just taken the latest rayon quilt off the longarm.  It was a good time to ask her opinion about the quilts.  I can depend upon her to tell it as she sees it.

I asked her, “What do you think? Will a child like a quilt like this? It’s not very childish.”
She replied, "Yes, a child would."  Her reasoning is that it will belong exclusively to that child.  It's cozy, soft and colorful.  I think she may be right. 

What do you think?

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So many clothes saved from the landfill!  It's personally exciting to sew these clothes into quilts.
I told my friend I felt like I was cheating because I took apart one of those big flouncy tiered skirts.  I had long wide strips for miles!   This quilt looks like a long walk through a forest.

I plan to have them well photographed before they are given to the children.  I'd like to see my quilt series published. 

STUDIO TALK: Gratitudes (YouTube)

The Grateful Threads Project

My friend Susan suggested the name Grateful Threads for my upcoming quilt ministry with the Houston Furniture Bank.  She had a wonderful list of suggestions and I debated between either Grateful Threads and Sew Unto Others.  Grateful Threads was chosen because I felt it worked for both the giver and the receiver of the quilts.  Thank you Susan!

I am putting some work into my Debra Dixon Design Facebook page.  I want a spot where people can stop by and join the conversation.  While I love blogging, I find my audience is not what it was when I blogged under my previous name.  In the interim lots of folks have migrated to other social platforms. 

So, I've collected my Videos on Facebook.  My current one can be found at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/debradixondesign/videos/3064821996921255/

If you are on Facebook, please stop by and Like my page.  It's www.facebook.com/debradixondesign

In the meantime I'll keep the conversation going here too! 

2nd Rayon Quilt Finished!

These are like eating chocolates!  Who wants to stop?  😎😎

 I have one more I can sew before I really need to get back to quilting the cotton Angel Tree quilts due by Christmas.

So soft!  Pretty good use for a bunch of outdated clothes!  

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