MakingOver Quilts

It's been too long since I updated my blog. Mostly that is because the academic year has started back up and I have a lot going on with my day job. I am teaching a new class that I absolutely LOVE . It is a theory class, which means it is pretty challenging. My students have been great and they are putting in the work to understand fairly complex ideas. It is also prompting me to think more about my own intellectual and creative inspirations, which are are varied and a little bit unconventional. Some might even say they are 'heterodox' in that they defy orthodox practices, beliefs, and knowledge. While the term 'heterodox' is sometimes used to chastise individuals or demean particular perspectives, I use it as a reminder to think in new ways, using whatever tools are available to come up with new ways of approaching the world. This is evident in the ways I teach, especially through combining different theoretical traditions in new ways and bringing in non-schola

I learned about One Block Wonder quilts on Instagram. I was blown away by the first one I saw. If you ever need inspiration, just go to #oneblockwonder to see a wide variety of incredible quilts. Here are some reasons I love making these quilts (and some tips for making your own). 1. Every One Block Wonder quilt is totally unique. You start by taking a panel or other repeating design and carefully stacking six pieces on one another. There are several great techniques for effectively stacking discussed here . You then cut strips of 4-6" and use a 60 degree ruler to cut a series of triangles. I usually cut between 25-35 triangles for a throw sized quilt. Every triangle is different. And the way I lay out each triangle differs. That means that even if fifty people started with the same exact fabric, the resulting quilts would all look very different from one another.  2.  The end result of the One Block Wonder process is really impressive, but the sewing process is actuall

All quilters have it. The ever-growing bin of scraps that we swear we'll someday do something with. Maybe there's something in the psychology of creative types where we can't stand the idea of getting rid of something that might someday be useful in our projects. Or, maybe some of those fabrics have come to symbolize an important person or time in our lives. Or, maybe some fabrics are just so cute/pretty/unique that we have a hard time convincing ourselves to use them. No matter the reason, the stash of scraps just keeps growing and growing. After many years of quilting, I've come up several ways to use scraps. I organize my scraps according to the following four patterns. My system of organizing is not the only system, of course, but I hope reading about it will inspire others to tackle their own stash. I use different size scraps for different kinds of projects. So the first thing I do is sort scraps by size. For example, I sometimes use scraps in more traditional

On a recent trip to Pittsburgh I was finally able to visit the Andy Warhol Museum . As much as I am ambivalent about his iconic pop culture status (and his films), I have always appreciated the way his work makes us look at things differently. The repeating images and color distortions force the viewer to look again and notice things that our brains typically gloss over. I experimented with these techniques in my own artwork when I was a youngster. I'm now circling back to my Warhol-ian inspiration in some of my quilting. My first attempt was this Elvis Quilt (available on Etsy ). Along the bottom of the quilt you can see different neon blocks of dancing Elvises. The fabric was a series of these panels. The fabric feels a bit like Warhol in its raw format because of the neon colors and the sharp contrasts between the black and white clothes and the bright backgrounds. I used the One Block Wonder technique to go even farther in the Warhol direction. This means I took six pan

I love making pies for potlucks, holidays, really all the time. But transporting pies can be a pain. Years ago I saw something called a "pie cozy," which is like a pie-shaped potholder with sides that wrap up alongside the outside of the pie pan. So, recently when I came across a strawberry fabric that reminded me of strawberry pies, I decided to make my own pie cozy. I've now made two -- one strawberry, one pumpkin. Here are the directions, in painful detail and with pictures.  Materials Pie Center - At least .25 of a yard (more if the print is bigger)  Contrast - .5 yard for contrast on front + backing  Sides - Strip 4" wide and approximately 42" long Piping - Strip 2" wide and approximately 42" long Batting - Strip 2" wide and approximately 42" long + Square 15" wide and 15" long Thread for piecing Thread for quilting (hand or machine, or both) Spray adhesive Spray starch Steps 1. Press all fabrics. I