New Obsession with Tiny Piecing

I'm a fan of a big quilt. Always in favour of sewing more to make it bigger I have a hard time making something smaller than 84'' square these days. I have to push myself to go smaller. None of that, however, applies to piecing. The day may have now come where I have to push myself to go larger in piecing, at least for now.

While at QuiltCon East in Savannah last month I had the great joy of taking a tiny piecing class with Chawne Kimber. Mostly, I just wanted to hang out with Chawne for a day. She rocked my world in so many ways!

After a demo and short talk about the mechanics of tiny piecing she let us loose. Not one to follow the crowd, I decided I would try my favourite improv curves scaled down. Way down. I started with squares cut anywhere from 1 1/2'' to 2'' big. With scissors I cut a curve and started sewing. 

Oy.

Not easy, especially on the classroom machines. But also not too difficult. And once I got home and could use my own machine with a smaller foot it got much easier. So much so that I am totally addicted. I can't stop cutting fabric and sewing blocks!

To keep from going totally insane and to make a finished pieced more interesting I change up the size of the starting squares. So far, the largest ones cut are in the 3'' range. They seem enormous in comparison. I square up according to what it can be, but the smallest ones are about 1 1/4'' wide. Even though Chawne taught us how to make log cabins and pineapple blocks with 1/8'' finished pieces, I think that is about as small as I can go and still be able to sew them in the first place. 

It takes a lot of work to get to any size when working this small. I break it up to keep from total insanity (although, I may already be there). One day I might cut and sew a bunch of the curves. After the kids go to bed I might press the handfuls of little blocks. With some good music I tackle the tedious job of squaring up, sorting the blocks into piles of different sizes. This, by far, is the part that makes me doubt myself the most. Then it is play time. I took about 4 hours to get this piece together, from ready blocks. It measures about 9'' by 28'' at the moment. 

Another student in the class - a woman who has actually taken an Improv Curves workshop with me - teased me for being so on brand with this. After a good laugh I conceded that she was right. I just like what I like!

Because it is me, I have zero intention of stopping at a wall hanging or even a baby quilt size. Must go larger! For now, I will play with this until I don't want to play anymore. Seeing as this seems to be pulling me out of a funk I don't anticipate boredom anytime soon. 

Amazing what some experimentation and a lot of play can do for the soul.

Kawasaki's Theorem Quilt with Maze and Vale

Kawasaki's Theorem 1

28'' x 28''

It's a bold and cocky move to name anything Number 1. It completely implies a series. That's a lot of pressure to put on yourself... if you care that much.

I met never get to Kawasaki's Theorem #2. That's okay. In my head this was just the first round of play though. So maybe, just maybe, there will be more.

This particular quilt started before there was fabric. It was an image in Uppercase Magazine, an issue on paper. The image is actually about a paper folding and angles. There is a formula and everything. It was the image that illustrates the theorem that got me though. It immediately screamed quilt block. I sketched up some repeats for fun, then dated and parked the idea.

When in Australia I had the great chance to take a private silk screening class with Leslie from Maze and Vale. Rather than use her screens she encouraged us to create our own stencil. I pulled out my ever present sketchbook to see if anything struck me as a possibility. My Kawasaki's Theorem sketches were there and my brain was broken for any other ideas so I went with it.  We printed fabric and went on our merry way. 

Then I had the idea to go very meta with my fabric. Sometimes I can be rather cheesy. I designed a block based on the theorem and used the fabric in the block. Then I made a few more. And then, as I contemplated my quilting plan, I extended the design there and quilted it to reflect the theorem as well. I am a total nerd.

Who knows if Number 2 and 3 in the series will ever get made, but there are sketches. If not, the play is still totally worth it. It is in the play that new ideas grow, techniques get better, and the joy is found.

Lilla Pattern Launch

Lilla

90'' x 90''

Lilla is a collaboration between myself and Lotta Jansdotter. It is also a pattern available from C&T, launched this week.

Last year C&T approached me with the idea of working with Lotta on a pattern. I hesitated for a split second then agreed. Hesitated only because of timing, but I didn't want to turn down the opportunity to work with an artist and person I truly admire. So Lotta and I started emailing.

While it would have been fantastic to visit her in her Brooklyn studio or have her come out for some Prairie and Mountain air, we had to settle for the back and forth of online collaboration. She chose the fabrics we would work with - a selection from her soon to arrive collection, Lilla. We discussed style of quilt - medallion versus block based, improv versus precision, pieced versus applique, scale of piecing, and so much more. Lotta sent me some inspiration images, I made sketches. My job was ultimately to translate her ideas into workable quilt patterns. It was up to me to interpret her inspiration for the home quilter.

One of my favourite moments was when I opened up my email with this image in it. Lotta made some paper cut shapes. Up until this point we'd been going back and forth with little progress on something feasible for a quilt or a quilt that she liked. But these images! I went straight to my sewing machine to play, instead of sketching. Soon after we had a workable design. 

I really tried to take the organic nature of Lotta's work and translate it to the need for blocks to lay flat. Her shapes lent themselves well to some basic improv techniques, thankfully. Combining those with some precision piecing creates a challenging and graphic quilt.

The pattern itself lays out the techniques as a whole and then instructions for 25 different blocks. Yes, 25 blocks. As presented the quilt is queen size, but the pattern includes a baby size option. Make 1 of the blocks many times over or make all 25 four times over or make each one only once. It's entirely up to you, but the pattern includes it all. It also includes specific fabric notes to make it with Lotta's Lilla fabric as we designed it, but feel free to go on your own.  

I've made another version of the quilt, with totally different fabrics. It changes it up! Watch for that soon. 

In the end I am so glad I didn't let the time factor get in the way of this great experience. Sure, it was a rush as I frantically finished just before I had to leave to Australia. Thank you to Bernadette at Wonderfil for guiding me through the quilting. The experience of collaboration was worth it. It presents a creative challenge, for sure, but that's a good thing. It gets me outside of myself and the insular world of my own creations. On to the next one!

Pattern now available from C&T, or ask for it at you local quilt shop. 

Splendid Sampler Wrap Up and Giveaway!

A whole year later The Splendid Sampler finishes up! While I stalled in making blocks months ago, it was fantastic to see more and more quilters tackle all the techniques and tiny piecing of the designs making up the 100 blocks. 

To celebrate, our fearless leaders Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson are hosting an international giveaway. So are a number of the contributing designers.

For my faithful and new readers I would love to share a collection of patterns with you. Leave a comment below on what you loved and hated about The Splendid Sampler. Finish with your email address so I can contact you (my host does weird things and it is hard to get emails from comments just by clicking on them). Like this:

I'm not a fan of embroidery so those blocks always stopped me in my tracks, but I loved pushing my own technical boundaries! 

cheryl AT cherylarkison DOT com

That way spam bots won't get them but I can still contact the winner.

The prize?! How about a collection of digital patterns? I currently have 6 patterns and would be happy to send you a copy of each. Three of them are brand new to coincide with my Tag Fabric from Connecting Threads.

You will get my most popular pattern, Oh Canada. Plus the Sewing Machine Quilt and Kinda Herringbone. The three new patterns are for Hopscotch, Spiral, and Ellipsis. The last one is a fun mini that will likely appeal to grammar nerds like myself.

Giveaway is open until February 19, midnight MST. I will email the the winner the following day.

And don't forget to check out the main giveaway and celebration, plus the other parties around the world.