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From: Patty22
Date: 10-19-2006, 08:17 PM (1 of 30)
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Today, I was sitting in the garden in front of City Hall in Albany. It was a moment when I looked up and the facade of the building had the most beautiful quilting patterns integrated into a mosaic - squares on point, orange peel (pumpkin seed to some) right triangles, eight-pointed starts, checkerboards.............. and............I didn't have my journal with me, nor a camera. So where do all of you find inspiration for your projects and do you keep a quilting journal, or do you snap pictures when you see something that inspires you? Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: Chrysantha
Date: 10-19-2006, 10:13 PM (2 of 30)
Fabric....I go to my local fabric shop and spend hours or days looking and feeling the fabric...then I come home. Have a thought (hahahahahahaha ) go back and buy what I want/need. Since I'm an Asian fabric freak with 3 embroidery machines...well I do a lot of quilting and embroidering....(with the ever present Asian theme...) Yes I DO do other things...I have a lot of fabric in my stash that isn't Asian. (gender neutral for quilts...www.qovf.org...and for gifts.)Kath Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: Magot
Date: 10-19-2006, 10:53 PM (3 of 30)
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I have a growing stash of "texture " photgraphs on the computer - lichen on a set of steps, the patterns of branches against a sky, th epanes of a greenhouse, bricks, roman mosaic floors etc. These are footnotes to me of colour patterns that might go together that I hadn't thought of. For example the lichen is a muted palette of greys, made by mixing alarizon crimson with cobalt blue in various hues with a splash of sulphur yellow. I have a wonderful piccy of a close up of a bronze statue that has weathered - the colours in it are amazing. blues, greens golds... I find when we are on holiday 'normal ' people are taking pictures of the magnificent scenery and I am taking pictures of the seagull guano splashed on the rocks... love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: Pudge99
Date: 10-20-2006, 09:52 AM (4 of 30)
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Jan, When I was younger I used to take pictures like that too, not for inspiration but just because of the beauty of the thing itself. Now all my photography is related to the kids and ain't no way I am taking pictures of their "droppings". I have only made two quilts and I needed no inspiration for them, maybe I should see if I can find some of my old photgraphs and see if I am inspired  .
Gina
Pictures of my successes and failures Pfaff 2040 Janome Mylock 134D Singer Futura CE-100 w/ Autopunch Husqvarna Viking 3D Sketch |
User: Pudge99
Member since: 10-30-2001 Total posts: 1375 |
From: Patty22
Date: 10-20-2006, 10:13 AM (5 of 30)
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But what about a Quilt Journal?? Do any of you sketch ideas for future use? What about keeping a journal as you're working on a quilt? Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: HeyJudee
Date: 10-20-2006, 10:25 AM (6 of 30)
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I mostly get my inspirations from quilt magazines. I don't have a quilt journal. But I take pics of quilts I see & like or take note of a quilt in a magazine that I like. Just take pics of what I make but don't write down any other info. TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
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From: GreenDragonLady
Date: 10-20-2006, 10:54 AM (7 of 30)
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My problem isn't inspiration, I have plenty of that. It's the energy I don't have any of!
photos.yahoo.com/greendragondesigns
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User: GreenDragonLady
Member since: 07-29-2004 Total posts: 495 
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From: HeyJudee
Date: 10-20-2006, 12:43 PM (8 of 30)
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Yep...GDL, energy is a lot of my problem too!
TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366
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From: Hogmami
Date: 10-20-2006, 01:41 PM (9 of 30)
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I get most of mine from magazines or quilts I see at shows. I don't really keep a journal, just ideas on little pieces of paper. Sometimes they are in my purse for a long time or in the car or in my sewing room in a pile. I even have them on the table next to my bed.
Carolyn
Michigan |
User: Hogmami
Member since: 09-30-2004 Total posts: 800 
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From: Magot
Date: 10-20-2006, 02:09 PM (10 of 30)
get on with that advent quilt Judy and stop whinging!
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: lsoutherla
Date: 10-20-2006, 04:44 PM (11 of 30)
I've always wanted to do a quilt of the North Carolina Smokey mountains. I invision the shades of green/blue green one upon the other. And that's where it ends... any ideas? For other inspiration, I have lots of folders that I tear out pics from magazines, etc. One for quilting ideas, one for this and one for that, etc. Mostly I have stacks of paper that needs to be filed! (My DH calls me a pile person.) lfs/laura |
User: lsoutherla
Member since: 05-04-2006 Total posts: 72 |
From: Patty22
Date: 10-20-2006, 07:54 PM (12 of 30)
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If you have the shades/tones already picked out that represent the mountains, you could use any pattern with those colors. You don't necessarily need a pattern to literally interpret "mountain" just the colors to inspire you to think of the mountains. I had purchased a quilt journal through AQS back in early 80's, and that has been filled with quilts for my family. When I was doing commission work for individuals, I kept track of all the hours, cost and disbursements in a marble notebook. Commissions for fabric companies were kept separate in notebooks. I found another AQS journal on eBay and purchased it, but I also found a quilt journal called Cloth and Comfort by Roderick Kiracofe (to go along with his quilt book of the 90's). The Cloth and Comfort journal is far superior to the old AQS one. For anyone who doesn't keep an entry of your quilt projects, it is really something wonderful to do for future generations. I always thought I would remember everything about the quilts that I had worked on. Fortunate thing I had written many things down as I would have NEVER remembered any of the details. Thank goodness I had also put labels on the quilts. Recently I have gotten a little lazy on the label and journal part of the quilt making, however, it is something I know that I have to take the time to do. Case in point, I had belonged to a local guild for 13 years (haven't been a member for the last 10) and when a guild member borrowed some quilts for the anniversary section of the guild show this year, I NEVER would have remembered the details of what kind of friendship group (or who the member were that participated) unless their names were logged in the journal entry. Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: lvquilts
Date: 10-21-2006, 07:11 AM (13 of 30)
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I am forever being inspired by oddball things around me. There's a building in my village that has the most beautiful embellishing...just crying out to be turned into a quilt pattern. I keep a scrapbook of pictures I've cut out from magazines or ads of quilts I'm going to make "some day". Some day actually did come...I made a quilt for my sister for her wedding gift that was a copy of a picture I'd cut out some 8 years earlier. One tip I got from a color theory class was to collect pictures of colors you like...much like what Jan/Magot does with her nature pictures. So, instead of just pictures of quilts I'm collecting pictures of anything that strike a chord with me with respect to colors. Jan/Magot: I loved your idea of pictures of nature as a source of quilt patterns...and your description of lichen was excellent. I tend to only notice architecture...but not anymore! Patty22 is so right about keeping a journal. My sister's quilt won an award at a recent show and over and over again people asked how long it took. Be darned if I know! Larua/lsoutherla: I just saw a book that took a picture of an object and put it in the center of the quilt, then used colors of the picture to sort of continue the picture out into the frame...if that makes sense. It was very striking. If you're interested I'll go back and hunt it down. Great thread! Katie |
User: lvquilts
Member since: 07-16-2006 Total posts: 29 |
From: Magot
Date: 10-21-2006, 10:52 AM (14 of 30)
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Reminds me of an art project we have a school- you take a photograph and slice it into vertical or horizontal 1" strips. Stick them all down on a piece of paper with 1" gaps in between. Then you have to fill in the gaps with what ever seems appropriate. That could easily turn into an interesting quilt. hmmmm love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: Patty22
Date: 10-21-2006, 11:13 AM (15 of 30)
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Hey Jan, there is also the project where you take one picture and cut it up and have everyone interpret their little square. Years ago, the Manhattan Quilt Guild did this with a picture of the Susan McCord Vine quilt and the quilts and techniques were as diverse as the members making them. I remember long ago, QNM showed a farm market picture and a guild had cut up the image and all the members made quilts for their section. When my youngest was in the fourth grade, the kids were not cohesive as a class, so I came in with a section of a picture for all the kids to paint on fabric however they wanted. They had no idea what the image was going to end up............when they were all finished, I assembled it into a quilt and it was from a Patricia Polocco book about falling stars and wishes. The quilt hung beside her when she came to the school to talk to the kids. The idea was the kids, although all very different, could work together and be proud of their efforts together (and I think they were seeing their artwork hanging with the speaker.) An extra bonus in doing the project was learning very quickly that one student was colorblind........and although VERY different from the other blocks, it wasn't as obvious as one might think. Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: Sancin
Date: 10-21-2006, 03:20 PM (16 of 30)
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I am with Green Dragon Lady and quite overwhelmed with ideas and projects I already have. Patty what is an AQS book? I am an off and on life and reading journaller and apparently fabric as well. I clip and take pictures for colours and designs, but am lazy about filing them and making notes. I do keep a mid size coil book to make notes on as I make something, quilting or sewing, and do write 'to think about' notes in it but again, not organized. Great ideas here. Thanks for the thread, Patty. *~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895 
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From: Patty22
Date: 10-21-2006, 04:34 PM (17 of 30)
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Nancy, AQS (American Quilter's Society) printed a little paperback journal in the '80's. Nothing really fancy, but a place to put information regarding quilts you made or if you purchased quilts, facts about the sale. I think journal keeping is definitely skill I am going to focus on improving. Not so much that what I have to say is important, but years from now it provides a good chuckle on what I thought at the time was important
Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: Patty22
Date: 10-21-2006, 04:35 PM (18 of 30)
when I'm feeling overwhelmed......I know it's time for a big cuppa  My sewing room is filled with half finished cups 
Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: lsoutherla
Date: 10-26-2006, 04:13 PM (19 of 30)
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sorry, I lost track of this thread... lvquilts, yes, if it isn't too much trouble about the book that is, I'd like to look at it if you can come up with the name, etc. When I envision my "mountain" quilt, I see inverted triangles of greens, etc. filling the whole of the quilt. I'm not much of a quilter though. When I do make a quilt it is pretty much a machine quilt. Patchwork, crazy quilts, etc. Tho, I did start a postage stamp quilt many years ago, and a double wedding ring. I suppose those will end up on another crazy quilt which is where most of my scraps go. Tho I'd like to do something better than that with them. I also have a stack of old blue jeans and want to do a jean quilt with the seams on the outside and fringed as they get from washing. Anyone done anything like this? And low and behold, I did do a granny circle quilt once when I was young. (ids that a phase you have to go thru as a seamstress - granny circles - Angela certainly loved them on Project Runway.) I do have a question to ask tho. I do a lot of upholstery and home decor and have always thought of doing a quilt with the left over pieces (of course, a patchwork thing) and wonder if anyone has done anything like that before... making a quilt with heavier upholstery fabrics. I figure I'll wash all of the fabrics and see how they turn out. Also, I have a quilt I made of heavier cotton/cotton blends, twills, wools, etc (taken from a photo from Pottery Barn) (I call it my man quilt because it is dark and heavy and just so urh, urh (man sound) to me) and would like to find some one to do the top stitching on it for me. Each block is large and basically would have hand stitching exclusive to each block. (Does that make sense?) I started doing the hand stitching, but my stitches are too large and, well, I'd rather be sewing. Like everyone else I do have a lot of ideas, just not enough time. |
User: lsoutherla
Member since: 05-04-2006 Total posts: 72 |
From: Debby215
Date: 10-26-2006, 04:47 PM (20 of 30)
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Actually most of my inspiration comes from quilting magazines and my favorite of all times Marcia Hohn's website http://www.quilterscache.com/ I have made quite a few quilts from the blocks that I see on that site. My favorites are blocks with triangles and half square triangles....DONT cringe Lyn....she laughs because she doesnt' like triangles..LOL
Debby
So much fabric....... So little time!! |
User: Debby215
Member since: 11-14-2001 Total posts: 611 
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From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 10-26-2006, 05:56 PM (21 of 30)
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I don't know if she has a picture on her website, but Georgia Bonesteel made a beautiful quilt of the NC mtns.. It is a pretty simple block, and is beautiful done in shades of green or for a fall look, shades of all the autumn colors.. Check out her website..If you need any of her books, they are on sale for great prices.. Site may be named Lap Quilting or Georgia Bonesteel, I'm not sure which.. I found her by googling when I got ready to order..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: Magot
Date: 10-29-2006, 02:14 PM (22 of 30)
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lsoutherla - I make quilts from upholstery fabric - from those swatch pattern books and from a whole load of leftovers from a lady who does upholstery. Thing to watch for is they are not used to being washed a lot, so colours may fade and you need to make sure you have a generous 1/4 seam. The quilts are quite heavy so I haven't been able to put much patterning into the quilting. regard! http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e81/Janicehodge/4567801b.jpg http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e81/Janicehodge/72be6737.jpg love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: Hogmami
Date: 10-29-2006, 02:47 PM (23 of 30)
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Jan, I like your quilts. The heaviest fabric I have used was old blue jeans. I have made a couple of them and used flannel as the backing.
Carolyn
Michigan |
User: Hogmami
Member since: 09-30-2004 Total posts: 800
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From: Magot
Date: 10-29-2006, 03:32 PM (24 of 30)
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Thanks Carolyn - do you use any batting in that or is it heavy enough?
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: Patty22
Date: 10-29-2006, 03:48 PM (25 of 30)
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Jan, those are really pretty quilts.
Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: lsoutherla
Date: 10-30-2006, 01:49 PM (26 of 30)
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I like your quilts Jan. /Thanks for the info. I plan to wash the upholstery fabric first and see what happens. I'd better, alot of the fabric is in shades of red. Carolyn, I have also been saving our old blue jeans to do a quilt from those also. I like the idea of flannel on the back. Of course, before I do either of these quilts, I have to finish my existing UFO's. That will take some time. Laura |
User: lsoutherla
Member since: 05-04-2006 Total posts: 72 |
From: HeyJudee
Date: 10-30-2006, 07:27 PM (27 of 30)
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Nice quilts Jan! I have some upholstery fabric books that I picked up for free last month. But there is paper fused to the back so I can only cut small squares or rectangles from them. But the colours are gorgeous and go so well together. Another project for me down the road!
TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366
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From: AdvaP
Date: 11-11-2006, 08:11 AM (28 of 30)
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Jan, your quilts are very pretty. I get inspirations from quilt magazines and quilt shows, the hills around my town, especially when the sun plays shadows over them, children's coloring books for applique's, tiles, mosaics, rugs, and in one particular case - upholstery. I was riding a London train, and noticed the pattern on the upholstered seats, so I took a photo right there. People around were watching and wondering..... It really helps to have a small camera with you at all times. You never know what you'll encounter. Adva Price
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User: AdvaP
Member since: 10-15-2000 Total posts: 325 
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From: Magot
Date: 11-11-2006, 10:22 AM (29 of 30)
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there are some great bus seats in Cambridge too! All deep blue with flicks of orange highlights.
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: AdvaP
Date: 11-12-2006, 05:49 AM (30 of 30)
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ah, another thing i get inspired by - tissue boxes. there are some really cute ones. i'll try to get a photo of my newest acquisitions later today and post them.
Adva Price
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User: AdvaP
Member since: 10-15-2000 Total posts: 325
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