Quilt, Read, Eat, Sleep.... What Else Is There? discussion

I noticed that some of you were discussing Double Wedding Ring quilts. I have one in the works. It is paper pieced. I found the pattern in a Quilter's Newsletter. I work on it a little each week. I am not the kind of person who only works on one quilt until it is finished and then starts another one. LOL

I have about 5 different quilts going t a time!

I need to make one. I've been researching the different methods to make them. Hand piecing is out because of time even though I read a blog today touting the benefits of hand piecing when complicated/curved piecing is involved.

Someone said Quiltsmart is good. I know someone that used the Dritz templates, but she didn't make a whole quilt.

I'm an experienced paper piecer so I thought I would try that method. Someone recommended Judy Niemeyer's patterns last weekend.

Decisions, decisions.....other than NOT making it. LOL

I had written on the other thread that I used John Flynn's method. It really was fairly simple.

Shar Jorgenson has a method she used when she had her own PBS program. She made it look easy of course. She's published several books that include her templates.

There is a book called "Rings that Bind" that offer a unique method. I watched the author demonstrate it on Kaye Woods' program. She makes big circles with batting, then folds them together to sew and it's finished. No binding to do.

The sad thing is that most of these programs can no longer be watched on TV.
I saw John Flynn do his method on Simply Quilts. Try looking though www.HGTV.com to see if you can watch them there. Many of the Simply Quilts programs are still available for online viewing. You maybe able to catch some of these older programs on www.QNNtv.com

You may be able to find Shar's books and "Rings.." at your local library. Check them out and get a feel for the methods. If you think it's something that work well for you then buy the book. I don't think John has published a book about his method, but I've not looked.

http://www.kayewoodtv.com/ktv/?dlink=...
Is the video for the Rings that Bind video.
I have this book because I decided to use this method when I finally make a DWR quilt.

Thank you to everyone! You are so helpful. It is such a comfort!!!!

I need another project like I need a hole in my head, though. LOL I was looking to rejuvinate my quilting spirit and I think I've got a good shot....

I finally got a chance to watch this video. What an interesting method! I definitely have to consider this way.

I've decided to use the Judy Niemeyer paper piecing pattern. It's called Garden for My Wedding.. (It's at the bottom of the page. I couldn't get any other link to work right.)

That quilt will be beautiful, Shannon! Are you going to use those colors or choose your own. I'm the biggest sucker for buy kits so I get exactly the colors that are shown in the pattern!

Oh, that is a beautiful quilt! Have you ever done any of her piecing, or taken one of her classes? She lives here in Montana!

My hats off to all you women who have made Double Wedding Ring Quilts. I love a traditional quilt, but lack patience to make one myself. I'm much more of a scrappy,rag, bend the rules kind of person, and when I want something a bit more formal then double sided fusible is my best friend, or raw edge applique. So like i said you all have my respect and admiration.

I'm an avid paper piecer so I chose that method because it's in my comfort zone for this traditional quilt. The melons and outside arcs will still have to be cut out via freezer paper template, but Judy's instructions and tips seem so I concise that even I don't think I can muck it up.

My biggest fear will be in choosing the fabrics. I only bought the pattern and not the kit.

P.S. I'm experiencing a bit of a personal crisis so I probably won't be quilting much even with this new pattern in my possession. I put all my stuff away today with a huge sigh.

I'll still be reading, though....

Shannon wrote: "P.S. I'm experiencing a bit of a personal crisis so I probably won't be quilting much even with this new pattern in my possession. I put all my stuff away today with a huge sigh.

I'll still be..."

Hang in there, we're always here if you need us! And that DWR - oh my gosh simply gorgeous!

Dear Juliann,

Thank you!

I pulled stuff back out...I wasn't happy not quilting. I did some soul searching for awhile. I came to some realizations about my quilting and the role it plays in my life.

I find that in many instances I quilt to belong with one group or another and work on projects because they are IN instead of making things that I really like.

I'm still trying to find the balance!

Shannon

Shannon, You need to do what makes you happy! That is my advice. I quilted with a group of really nice ladies, but felt frustrated after every time we met. I realized that quilting is my joy and I don't need to do it with others to feel that joy. I hope this helps, if not disregard. I wish you peace, calm, and happiness.

Oh my gosh have I been there. I just left a few months back a group where we sewed once a week. Those ladies, one more than the others, were so TOXIC! I was so disappointed as it was such a wonderful concept to sew together each week.

I have tried making things because my friends are taking the class or everyone "bought one" and have found once it's done I don't even want it. It took some soul searching on my part to know I would rather sew alone than with people who don't keep me smiling and care about ME as well as each other and I feel the best when doing traditional piecing...remember I'm 57 and it takes time to figure this stuff out!

I enjoy sewing by myself rather than others. Actually, I just plain enjoy being by myself! I do go to quilt camp/retreat about once ever year or 2, but I don't get much done. I'm too busy visiting with everyone. LOL!

As for being inundated with books and fabrics, once I retired, I decided I had way too much stuff. I kept only the books that are really old (read that as they belonged to my great-aunt), I truly loved, or hadn't read. I seldom read a book more than once, so I decided to give away all the rest. When I was teaching, I donated them to the high school library. After I retired, I learned that our alternative high school has a really small library budget, so I take the books we finish over there. Some, I've decided, at really the kinds of books kids would read, so the next batch is going to the alternative HS and the senior center. We really don't have as many books to donate since I got my Kindle, though.

As for fabric, since I had the sewing area remodeled, while I had more room for storage than before, I realized that my tastes had changed. I went through and got rid of every piece of fabric I didn't absolutely love! I gave most of it to the high school FACS (home ec) dept. We have students who take those classes and really can't afford to buy fabric. I also went through all the quilt books and filled for boxes that reams of paper came in. Those I took to the senior center since many of those ladies quilt. BTW, I had lots of books because I had those I'd bought and those that had belonged to my mom.

I'm about ready to go through the quilting books and the counted cross stitch books again. I have way too many.

What helps me get rid of things is I know there are people out there who can't afford to buy "luxury" items like quilting books, but would love to have them. I figure I'd rather someone got some use out of them than they sat around and collected dust!

Amen, Judy, I too have sorted through fabric, books and patterns. We lived 18 years in one house and when we moved to Wenatchee I did a thorough sorting and then I did it again a couple of years ago. I want to get my projects completed. I kept only what I want to make and that is now my focus. I give a lot to our Senior Center as they have a quilting group. We also have a Boutique at our annual guild quilt show and I know that the guild will make money with their sales.

I'm a bit of a hoarder. My budget dictates that I don't buy too much now which is a good thing. I'm trying to shop my stash first, but I always end up buying a bit of something new as a compromise. I'm over needing all the new gadgets that have inundated our quilting. I rarely buy books and use my library as much as I can even when it kills me to wait.

The group quilting thing is tough... I wonder if I'd have a better shot quilting with men? LOL The female dynamic always interfers with quilting groups being a utopian experience. Queen Bees and minions seem to rule.

I usually fine with quiting on my own as I generally don't like interference, but I experience these bouts of loneliness which get me reaching out.

When I first moved to my town 6 years ago, I missed my quilting friends in California and our sewing get togethers. I joined a quilt guild thinking that would help with the void. Gee I was so wrong! It was worse than high school with cliques, cat fights, and pure nastiness. I decided it was a waste of time.

I miss having a regular quilting group, but I don't think I can ever find the dynamics I used to have and enjoy in California. The closest I get to a group quilting is with my mom and we enjoy that. Sometimes we start a new project together and other times we just work on whatever we have going. We like to see if we can make things entirely from our stashes...That's a fun and frugal challenge!

Our guild is pretty much the same way. They are very set in their ways and receptiveness to new ideas by new members is not a strong point. I've been on committees and helped at our quilt show, but have never felt a sense of friendship. It seems to be quite common with many guilds. The other fascinating part is the guild members rarely shop at our quilt store. What's up with that?

Isn't that the truth! We used to have 2 quilt shops, but they had little support from our 3 guilds. It seems they would rather buy fabric at Wal-Mart. I won the BOM set one month and was so disgusted by the quality of fabric I had to donate them to a charitable group instead of working on them myself.

My friend is opening a new quilt shop next month and she is lovely! I'm hoping she offers a sit and stitch on one of the evenings that you can drop in for...No obligations just come if you can. Plus she is an amazing baker, so a yummy goody would help me come!

I have a feeling that guilds are like other groups. You have to shop around to find one you like and that works for you. If you have only one guild in your town, however, that makes find one that works rather difficult.

While I don't belong to a guild, that's more because I really enjoy being by myself, and I hate packing everything up to take it somewhere else. That being said, my mom belonged to a lovely group that was made up of ladies who lived mainly in Spearfish and Belle Fourche, SD, but a couple who lived in Sturgis. It was a fairly small group. It was that group that started the Black Hills Quilt Retreat (quilt camp). This retreat grew so big that it's now run by a board.

I met many of these ladies when I'd go over to visit on days that Mom had guild. They were not pretentious or queen-bee-ish. When Mom died, they were the honorary pall bearers. One of the ladies made a beautiful Dresden Plate block that was in a big hoop. The DH of another lady owned a flower shop, and he made a piece from silk flowers that went across the top of the hoop. The hoop was pretty big, like maybe 36" in diameter. We selected the guild as one of the memorials to which people could donate. The guild used the money to buy some books for the public libraries in both Spearfish and Belle Fourche; and they used some of the money to bring in fairly big-name quilt instructors. They also told me that if I wanted to attend whenever, I didn't have to pay dues, etc. They also said I could attend any of the workshops they had when the instructors were brought in. I went for a few years, but after Dad died, I really didn't have reason to go over there. Now most of those ladies have passed so I really don't have a reason to go.

I must be the luckiest. I belong to 2 quilt groups and I love them both. In fact because of lots of snow we cannot meet this morning and I am bummed. I have learned so much from new and old friends. We do group projects but it is only if you want to. My other group us just as wonderful.

They also get me motivated to try new ideas.
Lucky me

Yes, you are very lucky! Count your blessings. Those are friends worth keeping.

I gave in and drafted my own paper piecing pattern. I've tested it and hope to make a quilt as soon as I finish the Wedding Ring quilt I'm working on now.



Wedding Ring:



Wedding Ring Quilt blog post

Beautiful blocks.

I like eleanor burns method, makes life a whole lot simpler. you can find her how to video for free on her web site, I think she uses vimeo. She also has a template, and she shows the method in her book on 1930s quilts.

My paper piecing pattern I mentioned above works really well. No templates or curved piecing to mess with. I'll be posting it on my site. I just haven't gotten around to it, yet.

Shannon
www.twilightquilterscoven.com

do you use the pre-marked facing for appliqueing the rings? that is the part I think makes it go from insanity to a fairly decent method. well for me anyway, goes pretty fast.