attribution/derivatives/inspiration

Monica at Lakeview Stitching has a very good post on the current Modern Quilt Guild's statement:
http://www.lakeviewstitching.com/2016/08/sunny-and-derivative.html

Here is the Modern Quilt Guild's post:
https://themodernquiltguild.wordpress.com/2016/07/30/all-about-derivatives/

The current turmoil of attribution/derivatives/inspiration brought back an issue I had several years ago.
I saw a simple block used on a blog, scaled it down and re-worked a bit and posted my resulting quilt to my blog. My version was (yes) much better. It was noticed by a publisher who asked if they could include it in their magazine. I said I would ask the blogger for permission and she said no.
A few months later I found a doll quilt I had made about a decade previously that used the same block. Made long before the blogger posted her block.
A bit of there is nothing new under the sun.
The whole experience left me sad.

I post my designs with the encouragement for readers to use at their pleasure.
My designs are based on what I think is my own take on traditional patterns and methods, but who knows.
It is tricky to stay in the law and yet let our individual work and the state of quilting progress. Especially when the law is so vague.
I hope that others find inspiration here on my blog and run with it.

tip #37--go negative

I have to be careful with this post. No pictures are included.
We usually look at quilts and think, "I like that. That one too."
Take a bit of time to "go negative".
What is it about the quilt that you don't like.
This is TOTALLY subjective.
It doesn't mean it is a bad quilt, it just means I would make different choices in making it.
This helps me define my own style.

A quick look at quilts with this mindset shows my aesthetic is irritated by:
-scale that is just a bit too big
-strong checkerboard effects in scrap quilts (hard to define this one, but I know it when I see it--when there is too much planning in layout, no seridipity of things falling where they may)
-primary colors
-30's repro quilts with no brown or black in them
-too much repetition of value
-use of one fabric line in a quilt
-odd proportions--table runners irritate me!
-quilts that are "girl" or "boy'--I was more of a unisex dressing mother
-bed quilts to the floor

THEN, after going negative, let it go and appreciate the work of the quilter.
But, know and own your own style!

patience corner--an 18 year old heads to college

Seth is nearly all packed up. We shipped a guitar and record player (vinyl is as popular now as it was in Andy and my college years in the 70s). Off to Los Angeles in the morning--take good care of my sweet midwest boy, California!
I told him to pick a quilt and he selected this Patience Corner, made in the year 2000.

Block finishes 6 inches.
Light squares are cut 2 1/2 inches; green rectangles are cut from 1 1/2 inch strips into pieces 2 1/2 long and 3 1/2 inches long.
My design from a traditional block.
Use at your pleasure.

tip #36--clean your machine bed

The picture shows just one hand (the other was holding the camera), but you see how my wrist and thumb are on the machine bed? Even thought I wash my hands before sitting at the machine (thanks, Mom!*) oils and dust accumulate. Even if you can't see it, you may feel it as drag as you sew.
Wipe it down with a gentle cleanser and a soft cloth.

*Mom made us wash our hands before sewing and before playing the piano.

geese in flight--top completed

99 blocks set 9 by 11
72 by 88 inches
Block finishes 8 inches
solids--4 geese cut with companion angle from 2 1/2 inch strips
prints--8 half square triangles cut with EZ angle from 2 1/2 inch strips; two rectangles cut 2 1/2 inches by 8 1/2 inches

I decided on the north and south straight set.
My design--use at your pleasure.

Working on a back. And, I have started a framed nine-patch with this solid on prints series of quilts!

Faculty week is coming and my summer of sewing is winding down.

tip #35--have a picture taken of you sewing

I asked Andy and Seth to take pictures of me sewing the other night. Between the two of them there are about 20 images, most of which I will delete, but I liked this one.
My mom has been sorting photographs and I especially like the ones that show family at work or doing something. The face the camera and smile ones are fine, but I love the ones that show what was important in people's lives.

seeing stars sew-a-long, quilt completed

Tricia Cribbs at Turning Twenty had a sew-a-long last year with a design by Sue Carter, Seeing Stars. 12 block patterns, each made in two sizes. The book is now available:
http://www.turningtwenty.com/store-detail.php?ID=2762

I changed the set a bit and made an additional eight large sized blocks with different star patterns to make my variation work.
78 1/2 by 99 inches

I used several yellow solids for the backgrounds and 30s repros (plus one vintage!) in the blocks, and a great yellow print for the setting pieces.

A cheerful quilt! Thank you, Tricia and Sue!

The back is made in what I call a "storybook" style, with a variety of light prints with figures on them. I will post later on how I put these together.

...she doesn't have the sense God gave geese

 

North and South, staggered set 

We had geese when I was little--until they kept knocking me down so they became meals. We had the same trouble with a rooster that kept knocking me over and pecking me--my Grandma made soup with him.
And my kids wonder where my pragmatism comes from.

84 geese in flight blocks are made and I am playing with sets. Leaning towards the staggered north and south right now, but the straight set north and south is appealing to me more and more.

 

North and South 

  

Woven Geese 

Every Which Way

Roundabout

East West staggered

basket medallion sew-a-long second border, log cabin

This is part three of the Gwen Marston Style sew-a-long.
Lori at:
http://humblequilts.blogspot.com/
started the medallion sew-a-long with the theme basket for the center.
Cynthia at:
http://wabisabiquilts.blogspot.com/
chose the first border theme--childhood.
Cathy at:
http://wwwbiglakequilter.blogspot.com/
chose log cabins for this next round. 
Katy at:
http://katyquilts.wordpress.com/
is up next and has chosen stars for a theme

The second grey border again is cut 2 inches and finishes 1 1/2 inches.

I made 3 inch finished half log cabins in the Sharyn Craig style. I like this block because you have very good control about how big it will be without over-thinking "now, how many rounds?"
Instead, it grows in inch increments without worry.

I kept it monochromatic yellow, with a few oranges and greens and others thrown in so it wasn't too boring.

My intention was in this round to make it oblong, but decided to keep it square for now. Maybe next round.
At this point the quilt measures 33 by 33 inches.