Thursday, January 10, 2013

Here We Go...

I love it when old meets new.  In the quilt shop I have the pleasure and privilege of seeing grandmothers shopping and creating with daughters and granddaughters.  I see people finding inspiration from an old piece of fabric or a old piece of ANYTHING and mixing it with new and exciting fabrics and designs.  It inspires me and makes my heart happy.

I particularly like taking an old technique or quilting idea and creating something that has a somewhat contemporary look.  It could be using the latest fabrics, changing the dimensions, etc.  Yesterday I finished the top of a wall hanging.  The technique I used was "string quilting".  In case you aren't familiar....be prepared to fall in love!  You take "strings" of fabric and sew them to a foundation to create blocks.  In this particular case, I used muslin squares.  I have found that I like muslin better than paper.  (I will go into more detail later.)  I then pieced the blocks together to make a giant churn dash, which is another heirloom design.  It appeals to me because the block is over-sized....27"!  To me, the large block has a more modern look and I love it!  I think I will finish this as a standard wall hanging, but the other option I am considering is stretching it over a frame like a canvas for a different type of wall art.
I chose teals and greens for the churn dash because they are my favorite colors for spring.  I chose a variety of background neutrals including some Riley Blake fabric with text...I just love fabric with text right now!

I mentioned earlier that I used muslin for the foundation.  I have tried a variety of papers for foundation piecing.  It works wonderfully for some people and some projects.  I tend to end up with a lot of extra muslin, I don't like to rip paper when I am finished sewing, and I find that it compromises the integrity of my stitch.  So, muslin works well for me!

I encourage you to make something new...be inspired by something old.  Then call your grandma.  

Enjoy your project.  Enjoy your day!

Meredith