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Archive for the ‘Modern Quilting’ Category

Meet Road 2017 Faculty’s Three Sisters

Thursday, November 3rd, 2016

Sew Kind of Wonderful and their Quick Curve RulerHelen Robinson, Jenny Pedigo and Sherilyn Mortensen.

Wednesday Evening: 3064C  Mini Kitesmini-kites

Friday Evening:  5070C Mod Pineapplesmod-pineapples

Helen Robinson, Jenny Pedigo, and Sherilyn Mortensen are three of four sisters that share their love of quilting through their business, Sew Kind of Wonderful. Currently, they live in three different states:  Sherilyn in Cedaredge, Colorado; Jenny in Everett, Washington; and Helen in Mesa, Arizona. Between them they have 14 children, 3 grandchildren, and 2 dogs. [caption id="attachment_4441" align="aligncenter" width="625"](l-r) Helen, Jenny, and Sherilyn (l-r) Helen, Jenny, and Sherilyn[/caption] How did these three sisters get started in quilting? About 20 years ago, Helen taught herself to quilt from a Fons and Porter book when she had to teach an after school sewing/quilting class to junior high students. She taught Jenny how to quilt soon after that.  At about the same time, Sherilyn was teaching herself because she wanted a big quilt for her bed. Helen, Jenny, and Sherilyn’s quilts mostly have a modern feel. They find inspiration for their designs in everyday objects: patterns in floor tiles, weaving, nature, and also through a desire to challenge themselves to go to a different place than the usual.helen-robinson Their business, Sew Kind of Wonderful, began with Jenny’s brain child, the Quick Curve Ruler. She wanted it to be a family affair that would give the three of them a chance to see each other more often as none of them (and their other three siblings) live close to each other.quick-curve-ruler All three sisters are equally involved in the design, piecing, and quilting process.  They have a constant group text running and lots of FaceTime.  Jenny manages the distributor orders.  Helen does the online store and wholesale orders, and Sherilyn does the blogging and trunk shows. Of course, the Quick Curve Ruler and the QCR Mini Ruler are their favorite quilting tools.  They haven’t sewn a quilt without a curve in five years because their Quick Curve Ruler made quilting fun again!  Each sister also has a longarm — a Gammil Classic – that they love.  It allows them to do the whole creative quilt process from design, fabric selection, piecing and finishing it off with the quilting. Teaching classes together says Helen “is the cherry on top” because they get to see quilters when they have their ‘lightbulb’ moment; when the methods and processes they use click and their students fall in love with sewing curves. Helen adds that the sisters ‘have a great time being together!  It is the best part of our business.   If you spend any amount of time with us there is way too much conversation about ‘gluten free’ and ‘bathroom issues’….LOL” What can their students expect to get out of their classes? “Lots of energy, conversation, hands-on help, and uniquely different snacks,” reports Helen. “We want students to enjoy a no stress approach to quilting and piecing curves.  There are not any quilt police that will knock on your door at 11 pm and tell you you did it wrong.  Enjoy the quilting process.” Besides teaching their classes, you will also find Helen, Jenny, and Sherilyn during the show in their vendor booth for Sew Kind Of Wonderful.  helen-robinson2 To learn more about Sew Kind of Wonderful and the Quick Curve Ruler, visit their website.  ]]>

A Modern Twist At Road 2016

Thursday, February 25th, 2016

Modern quilts are primarily functional and inspired by modern design. Modern quilters work in different styles and define modern quilting in different ways, but several characteristics often appear which may help identify a modern quilt. These include, but are not limited to: the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, and alternate grid work. “Modern traditionalism” or the updating of classic quilt designs is also often seen in modern quilting.

There were many opportunities for guests to experience modern quilting at Road 2016. One way was to take a class with two of the popular modern quilter teachers, Natalia Bonner and Jenny Pedigo.

Natalia Bonner189

Natalia taught six classes including  Beginner’s Guide to Free-Motion Quilting and Incline, a quilt pattern from her book, 20 Modern Log Cabin Quilts. Natalia and her three year old stayed in Whittier with family for the week she was at Road. Natalia thought all of her students were awesome. As they sewed, Natalia would encourage and help her students. She even did some ripping out!!188

In one of her classes, there were two ladies sitting across from each other who were both from Maryland. About half way through the class they realized that they were from the same quilt guild!!191

Lynn Mysel from Beaumont, California said she “really enjoyed Natalia’s class on improvisational piecing. Even though I didn’t finish my project, I gained the confidence needed to continue when I go back home.”192

Jenny Pedigo

Jenny enjoyed everything about her Road teaching experience — including the weather. She was really busy during the show, teaching two all day classes, Chic Kisses and  Metro Rings, plus being a vendor for her company Sew Kind of Wonderful.036

After attending both of her classes and borrowing other students’ supplies, two ladies finally decided that they “really needed to buy Jenny’s Quick Curve Ruler” so that they could make more of her projects when they got home.037

Jenny couldn’t say enough about her “friendly” and “nice” students. Pam Russell and Karen Brohmer (pictured above) said they had a “so kind of wonderful time” in Jenny’s classes.

Road to California is a quilt show for all quilters!!

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Road 2016 Faculty: Meet Weeks Ringle of Modern Quilt Studio

Friday, November 13th, 2015

Third in Road’s video series introducing their newest faculty, you are invited to listen to fabric designer and author, Weeks Ringle, of Modern Quilt Studio

Weeks Ringle will be teaching on Thursday, 4014R  Improvisational Piecing; oon Friday, 5011R  The Role of Color in Your Quilts, on Saturday, 6010R  Working with Large Scale Prints, and on Sunday, 7010R  Understanding Value & Piecing Curves

Who is Weeks Ringle? [youtube]https://youtu.be/WVkepLtSRr0[/youtube]

Weeks has a unique story on what led her to quilting: [youtube]https://youtu.be/Ds654b9_0Ms[/youtube]

Weeks explains “Modern Quilting” [youtube]https://youtu.be/aqQnAbS5YYI[/youtube]

Where does Weeks find her quilting inspiration? [youtube]https://youtu.be/s4Ff-CBpOGM[/youtube]

What are the quilt tools Weeks can’t live without? [youtube]https://youtu.be/8rYeJ4el6LU[/youtube]

What does Weeks like best about teaching? [youtube]https://youtu.be/VKMF52LpYB4[/youtube]

What is Weeks looking forward to at Road to California? [youtube]https://youtu.be/em_R3GE-_V4[/youtube]

Weeks talks about her classes at Road 2016:  [youtube]https://youtu.be/oDPJiwIADAo[/youtube]

What is Week’s best quilting tip? [youtube]https://youtu.be/uVmOh5stVEY[/youtube]

Weeks has a message for her Road 2016 Students: [youtube]https://youtu.be/RO8bcWFZJP0[/youtube]

To learn more about Weeks, please visit her website.

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Road 2016 Faculty: Meet Sew Kind Of Wonderful's Jenny Pedigo

Wednesday, October 28th, 2015

Jenny Pedigo will be teaching on Friday, 5008C  Chic Kisses and on Saturday 6007C   Metro Rings.  Her company, Sew Kind of Wonderfulwill have a vendor booth during the show.

***This is our second in a series of video interviews of some of our Road 2016 faculty.

Jenny starts off our interview by telling us a little about herself: [youtube]https://youtu.be/ElMvaXcJOno[/youtube]

What was Jenny’s path to quilting?  [youtube]https://youtu.be/euXwCBXPjZA[/youtube]

Jenny is not the only quilter in her family: [youtube]https://youtu.be/fzj409iGZUc[/youtube]

What inspires Jenny’s quilt designs? [youtube]https://youtu.be/ogPCuuyT_ek[/youtube]

How does Jenny keep her skills sharp? [youtube]https://youtu.be/RoAK_f18t2g[/youtube]

What is the one quilting tool Jenny can’t live without? [youtube]https://youtu.be/O5HQBi7NZrE[/youtube]

Why is Tuesday Jenny’s favorite day of the week? [youtube]https://youtu.be/cY8Vqa3z7P4[/youtube]

Jenny loves to teach quilting: [youtube]https://youtu.be/vbrMwWgjjk4[/youtube]

What was one of Jenny’s embarrassing teaching moments? [youtube]https://youtu.be/tLlP44adJsg[/youtube]

Jenny describes the classes she will be teaching at Road 2016: [youtube]https://youtu.be/B_mA-Z2G30k[/youtube]

Jenny has high hopes for her students: [youtube]https://youtu.be/Ur__IbQ1cUg[/youtube]

What is Jenny’s best quilting tip? [youtube]https://youtu.be/saBTh10jVsI[/youtube]

Road 2016 is Jenny’s first time at the show. What is she looking most forward to? [youtube]https://youtu.be/u-PTlFnQi_s[/youtube]

To learn more about this modern quilter and her company that creates contemporary quilt designs, please visit Jenny’s website.

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So You Want To Make A Winning Quilt? 2015 Outstanding Modern Quilt Winner

Thursday, August 27th, 2015

Keep it Simple was made and quilted by Jodi Robinson. She was awarded $5,000 from Robert Kaufman Co., Inc.Best Modern Quilt 2015

How did you get started in quilting? My mother-in-law introduced me to quilting about 20 years ago.  The first quilt I made was a log cabin.  It wasn’t until I had made all of my blocks, and began the layout process, and saw all of the design possibilities that this one stack of blocks had …. I was hooked.  A couple of years later, we purchased a longarm machine and I found my passion. I have been machine quilting for others ever since. What inspired you to make Keep it Simple? My inspiration for this entire quilt came straight from the pattern on the backing fabric.  I actually started with an idea for the quilting, and kind of made the quilt to fit the quilting designs.  I wanted to see if I could make a very simple modern quilt that would still have a very strong visual impact. How long did it take to make your winning quilt? I made and quilted my original design for Keep it Simple in 2013. The quilt piecing actually took very little time. I had made the small applique blocks and then didn’t actually do anything with them.  Then, a few months later, I needed something to work on at a sewing day I was going to, so I grabbed those blocks and some matching fabric and pieced it into a finished top. What was your reaction when you won? I was so shocked!  I am amazed by how well this quilt has done!  I never in a million years could have imagined winning an award like this, especially knowing the incredible talent that is displayed at the Road to California Show every year. Did you do anything special with your prize money? I did not.  I am hoping to purchase a new longarm machine at some point in the future, and this prize money will definitely help me reach that goal sooner. What quilting will you be working on next? I will continue to explore my love of modern quilts.  I was so happy when I saw that Road to California had added “modern” categories to their show.  I am definitely planning on entering again in 2016!]]>

Modern Quilts for Charity

Tuesday, July 21st, 2015

The Modern Quilt Guild will have a special exhibit, The Best of QuiltCon 2015, at Road 2016.

The Modern Quilt Guild is a thriving online community of modern quilters. The founding guild was formed in Los Angeles in 2009 and has grown to over 125 guilds around the world with members in 6 continents.

Last August, the MQG offered a challenge to its members: the QuiltCon Charity Quilt Challenge. This challenge required participating Modern Quilt Guilds to work collaboratively to create quilts using a predetermined color palette and alternate grid work design. Quilts could utilize blocks of different sizes and additional negative space plus any other creative ideas.  Finished quilts were then donated by the guilds to local charities benefitting children.

The official rules also included:

  • Guilds had to complete a quilt using the predetermined color palette of white, light gray, chartreuse, burnt orange, sky blue, cerise and a deep turquoise.
  • The quilt had to use alternate grid work.
  • A pattern could be used provided the guilds got permission from the pattern designer.
  • A guild’s members provided the blocks for their quilt as well as all the necessary batting, backing, binding and additional fabric to complete the quilt top.
  • The finished quilts could be no smaller than 68”x 88” and not greater than 72” x 92”
  • Quilting could be no farther apart than 2”
  • Machine sewn binding was allowed.

Pictures of the finished guild quilts, along with their story on how they were created, began appearing on the MQG’s blog last spring. Some of the recent entries included:

Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guildann-arbor-4

A quilt inspired by ideas! Arrows swarming and circulating represent the coordination of thought fragments.

Chicago Modern Quilt Guildchicagomqg1

Inspired by the pattern “Blue Ice” from Quilting Modern by Jacquie Gering and Katie Pedersen.

Central Jersey Modern Quilt Guildcentral-jersey-pic2

“Modern Bracelets” is a tribute to minimalism, bright colors, and modern piecing of every kind.

Boise Modern Quilt Guildboisemqgquiltconcharityquilt

The idea of a block slowly building and getting bigger with additional elements being added to it. It has double batting so it really “pops.”

 

Congratulations to all the modern quilt guilds that participated in MQG’s QuiltCon Charity Quilt Challenge.

 

 

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