WIP Wednesday - Birds in the Air

My Birds in the Air blocks are here!

Recently one of the Twilters suggested a block swap to celebrate the launch of Frances's book, Birds in the Air. For once in my life I didn't wait to start working on my blocks at the last minute. For once I beat the deadline with time to spare. The waiting was excruciating!

But they're here! The blocks are here and I love them. It is such fun to look through and see the familiar names mixed with the new. My Middle Child and I were choosing our favorites last night - how can you pick just one? - and he couldn't believe the ones from so far away. (Whoops! I must have forgotten the pick of OzzyPip's block from Australia!)

I'm working on a layout now, and think I have one I like. I'm keeping it a little bit of a surprise until the top is together. I keep going back to my studio to look and swap blocks around and then leave it for awhile so I can look at it with fresh eyes, but I think I might have landed on my favorite.

I am so grateful to Tina for organizing and to everyone who participated!

What are you working on today?

Going to Guild - Andi Barney on Modern Quilting

Last Monday was guild night, and our guest speaker was Andi Barney of Red Hen Fabrics and Atlanta North West Sewing Machine Service and Repair (more on both of these coming soon). Andi shared her lecture on Modern Quilting, along with dozens of slides and a stack of quilts.

Of course, she spoke about the use of modern fabrics with traditional blocks, the use of negative space, and the emphasis on the quilting. I wish you could see the detail in the quilting (above). It is just amazing. Andi said she prefers to quilt on a domestic machine, even though Red Hen has a selection of long arm machines that she could use whenever she wants!

Andi also talked about the popularity of text in Modern Quilting, whether printed on the fabric or created with improvisational piecing. This quilt is very special to Andi since she moved to Atlanta without having family in the area.

 In the "Everything Old is New Again" category, can you tell which of these fabrics is an antique feedsack and which is a current fabric? (Apologies to the fabric designer whose name I cannot remember to save my life.)

This was a great program for a fairly diverse audience; some of our guild members are very traditional, others are truly modern, but most of us are all over the map. Andi did a great job of covering the topic in a way that engaged and interested all of us. Thanks, Andi!

We also had a very special Show and Tell quilt made by Lin C for #QuiltsforPulse. Please see the link for more information about how to help.