Duo of Jacquie Gering Workshops

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Plaid Portico

How lucky am I that I got to do two Jacquie Gering workshops in a weekend. VERY, let me tell you! They were organized by the Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild (thank you!) and took place in the Quiltworks space (excellent–nice big design walls) Afterwards this blog went on a bit of a vacation as did I, and then we both decided to take more of the summer off to complete other things, but it’s about time now to get back so here we are.

First off, if you get a chance to take a workshop with Jacquie Gering, please do! It’s not just working on a project. Her workshops are packed with fantastic techniques and tips and she really works the room helping everyone out with their project, with both technical and aesthetic concerns. And she carries on which charisma and aplomb. There is a reason she’s made such a name for herself. She’s got “it”.

I took both the “Stitch N Flip” and the “Building Bridges” workshops and no, I cannot show you the quilts I did in the workshops…yet. I promise I will finish them, but you will have to wait. MUCH more interesting though, I have some pics of Jacquie’s block samples and quilts from the workshop to give you a taste.

If she won’t be coming out your way or you can’t wait and you don’t already have it, her and Katie Pedersen‘s book, Quilting Modern, covers a lot of these techniques. You will laugh in her workshops, and you will chuckle at some of the notes in the book. If you are interested at all in modern quilting, this is an absolute must have.

Jacquie Gering

from Jacquie Gering Stitch N Flip workshop

Stitch N Flip technique by Jacquie Gering

Blind Co-Pilot technique quilt by Jacquie Gering

Stitch N Flip Blocks by Jacquie Gering

by Jacquie Gering

A little preview of my efforts. I’ll make something out of it soon I promise!

Day 2! Building Bridges Workshop.

Jacquie Gering

by Jacquie Gering

A version of her Shattered Quilt by Jacquie Gering

by Jacquie Gering

The start of my Day 2 quilt…stay tuned…

Sew Sundays Baby Quilt

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Plaid Portico

Well I have finished a small and supposedly simple baby quilt for some friends and a very special little one. I designed it in Adobe Illustrator as a sort of plaid using the Pop Rox fabrics with white to keep it modern and clean. Why it wasn’t simple was because I was sewing it and quilting it all myself and am still finding my way. And this is my first non-improv piece (which made me want to do a crazy improv next) But in the end I let all the little errors fall as they may and it’s still a cute little quilt.

And it’s pretty easy to make one like this using any fabrics you want. It’s 44×44 so you can use a backing selvedge to selvedge (I was dying to use the Pop Rox main border print so this quilt was an excuse to do that!). And I used either 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 inches for each column on each side. Hmmm, let me see what order it was in. The horizontal was 7,5,2,3,4,6,8,9 and the vertical was…6,5,2,3,4,7,8,9. But you can do whatever you want. This would also be really fun using all prints or using different colors of solids.

Pop Rox plaid baby quilt by Carol Van Zandt

back of Pop Rox plaid baby quilt by Carol Van Zandt

Pop Rox plaid baby quilt by Carol Van Zandt

What was really fun about this is that I got to use the whole collection on the white color way…er I actually didn’t use the pink/melon zig-zag, but it was originally going to be the border, but then I found out the baby in question was a boy…so I went all traditional and did blue. But you know I know his dad wears pink so I should have been braver.

Pop Rox by Carol Van zandt

Diana’s sampler quilt

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Plaid Portico

On a visit to Diana McClun’s studio, she pulled out the sampler quilt she made with Pop Rox while teaching a class on beginning samplers–from her and Laura Nownes‘ book Quilts! Quilts!! Quilts!!!, chapter12. It combines a variety of beginning sampler blocks that you can compose onto any configuration you want and the book gives 4 samples of compositions if you don’t want to design your own. This one is a fifth. I’ll have to try one some day!

She let me borrow it to take photos to show you so here it is!

Sampler quilt from Quilts! Quilts!! Quilts!!! by Diana McClun and Laura Nownes using Pop Rox fabric

Voices in Cloth 2014: Part Four

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Plaid Portico

And more quilts from the Voices in Cloth 2014 exhibition:

Inspiration Is Where You Find It by Sally V. Houston, quilted by Sue Fox

Finalement by Lark Stratton

Solar Power by Lynn Crook. Pattern by Pam Rocco.

Ignition by Nancy Bardach

Color Play by Pati Fried, quilted by Kerry Reed. Inspired by a pattern by Olde Green Cupboard Designs

Makawao by Gay Nichols, quilted by New Pieces

Cold Water in Canyonland by Karen O’Rourke, from the Kilim design by Kaffe Fassett

Nanay’s Stars by Joel Ignacio

Not Your Grandmother’s Yoyo’s by Diana Berry

Fans by Patricia Bruvry

Whirled Birds and Butterflies by Lissa Miner, quilted by Kathy Ritter

Voices in Cloth 2014: Part Three

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Plaid Portico

More Voices in Cloth 2014!

What’s really fun is seeing these quilts again since it was many weeks ago I originally took these pictures. Enjoy!

For the first 2 installments of my limited coverage of Voices in Cloth, click here:

Voices in Cloth 2014: Part One

Voices in Cloth 2014: Part Two

On The Web by Carolyn Brien, quilted by Marla Monson

Indian Meadows by Carolyn Earls, from The Ultimate Quilting Book

Jana’s Graduation Quilt by Anna Martinez, quilted by laura Lee Fritz

Fifty Sun Daze by Joyce Teekell, quilted by Janice Skiles

What Do You See by Naomi Pockell, quilted by Sue Fox, Textile Dreams Studio

Desert in Winter by Josephine Jarvis, quilted by Sue Fox

Trifid Nebula by Amy Grundler

Clamshell Mound by Arleen Kukua

Jewel Box Series Collage–Silk Chevrons #1-9 by Jo Magaraci

My Red Sticks by Betsy Livak

Voices in Cloth 2014: Part Two

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Plaid Portico

This week we will continue our coverage of the Voices in Cloth quilt show. For a look back at Part One and my top ten from the show, click HERE. The rest of the coverage will be continuous, I promise! Enjoy! (and stay tuned… 50 more quilts to go!)

Wedding Quilt by Sheret Goddard

Yikes! Stripes! by EBHQ Silk Club

Miles to Go by Nancy Bardach

Shadows by Lisa Carey

Floral Hexagons by Lisa Doyen

Bento Box for Mary Ann by Gwen McMillan, quilted by Melissa Quilter

Yasuko’s Midnight Garden by Barbara Ramsey

Forever by Giny Dixon

Flywheel Rondo III by Nancy Bardach, quilted by Angie Woolman

Ombre Love by Susan Peck, design by Christine Barnes

The Original Scrap-Bag™ in Pop Rox

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Plaid Portico

I was pretty happy when Jamie Kalvestran sent me photos of Pop Rox on her popular Original Scrap-bag™ pattern. I LOVE her bags. Jamie is an experienced product designer as well as a sewing pattern designer and print pattern designer. AND she blogs. There is her print & pattern design blog, A Pattern a Day, her sewing pattern blog, Scrap-bags, and Small Town Gardens. Her patterns can be found in independent quilt stores or you can always get a downloadable pdf through Jamie here.

Take a look at this Original Scrap-bag™ with Pop Rox, and of course I’ve picked more of her things to show you after that, including more bags and quilts, and a link to a pdf catalog to all the cool patterns for her Chickadee fabric line with Andover fabrics. Kind of to die for!

Pop Rox in The Original Scrap-bag™

Super Simple Modern Quilt by Jamie Kalvestran

Buttons Bows & Yo Yo’s by Jamie Kalvestran

Big Easy Tote Bag by Jamie Kalvestran

The Bayport Bag by Jamie Kalvestran

Chickadee by Jamie Kalvestran

Patchwork Posse

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Plaid Portico

Continuing our Pop Rox round-up and spotlight on some amazing creative people who have played with Pop Rox, today we look at Patchwork Posse. I met Becky several years ago at The Creative Connection Event where she was a panelist and participant. I have loved collaborating with her and see her creative business grow. Not only will you find a plethora of great tutorials and patterns for quilts, bags, dolls and stuffed animals on her site Patchwork Posse, she also has a lot of fun things going on like quilt block round robins, and lots of free stuff!

AND if you’re a plushie lover like Becky, you must check out her site PlushiePatterns.com where she collects and publishes plushie patterns. I think what really differentiates what you will find on Patchwork Posse is the sheer diversity and originality of the projects and tutorials, AND it’s so prolific. It is literally chock full of anything you would want to do or need to know. If you are looking for fresh ideas for small projects this is the place. It’s one stop shopping–for quilting patterns, tips and tutorials AND sewing projects as well as appliqué and embroidery. It’s kind of a magic place to visit if you own a sewing machine.

So, take a gander at project tutorials using Pop Rox on Patchwork Posse, plus of course I chose a number of other great projects and articles to show you so you can get a really good idea of the many flavors of Patchwork Posse. Have a wander over there!

Quilt as You Go Binder Tutorial by Patchwork Posse

Quilt as You Go Table Runner by Patchwork Posse

Fabric Weaving tutorial by Patchwork Posse

15+ Fox Plushies by PlushiePatterns.com

Hexagon Quilt Patterns and free tutorials by Patchwork Posse

50+ Fabric Bins and Baskets by Patchwork Posse

Using Color in Your Quilts on PatchworkPosse.com

Mitered Quilt Block Tutorial by Patchwork Posse

Sew Can She

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Plaid Portico

The first project in the Pop Rox project round-up comes from Caroline of Sew Can She. Sew Can She has free tutorials DAILY! I don’t know how she does it but Sew Can She is a refreshing blog with tons of info and things to do and participate in. Highly recommend a follow on this one!

Caroline kicked off Patchwork Posse’s Around The Block 2014 Round Robin with a Pop Rox Quilt Block tutorial:

Pop Rox Quilt Block tutorial by Sew Can She

But you have to take a look at some of the other cool project tutorials at Sew Can She. Here are some of my favorites:

Bunny Treat Bags by Sew Can She

2 sided zip cases by Sew Can She

Pattern Weights tutorial by Sew Can She

Mittens for Little Elves by Sew Can She

AND Caroline has a book coming out in the fall, Just for You with C&T (more on that later this year) and in conjunction with that she is throwing a retreat in October…in Key West! So if you like sewing retreats, check out sew:beach.

That is today’s Pop Rox round-up!

Roderick Kiracofe and Ben Venom at Stitch Modern

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Plaid Portico

Well, a few weeks back we were treated to am amazing slide show presentation by artist Ben Venom, who “juxtaposes traditional handmade crafts with extreme elements found on the fringes of society” and whose “work can be described as opposing forces colliding at lightening speed”. I have to quote his website since I cannot describe it sufficiently myself. He is an amazing energetic presenter and we were all entranced and invigorated. Unfortunately I have no pictures! So you are going to have to click on the image below to get to his website. This is something else. Color me inspired.

Ben Venom, photo by Margo Moritz

After Ben, we changed courses and were treated to a viewing of a stream of quilts from Roderick Kiracofe’s collection while he discussed them. I got a photos of a few of them to share with you. Amazing. Most of them were from quilter unknown, from many a decade gone by. They were priceless and Roderick’s passion for his quilt finds was palpable, as was the audience’s response! Pretty exciting to meet him and pretty scary that I know now one could actually COLLECT quilts. Oh, no, hold me back!

Roderick Kiracofe is an art and quilt collector, accomplished author, curator, and consultant. A good summary of his books and accomplishments can be found HERE (why reinvent the wheel!) Truly a joy to see some of his collection and hear the stories behind them. Several are going to be in his new book Unconventional and Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar, 1950-2000, Abrams, Autumn 2014. Currently available by Roderick on Blurb are Quilts and Quilts 2, and on his Amazon page one can find a number his books including the amazing and well-known The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950 and Cloth & Comfort: Pieces of Women’s Lives from Their Quilts and Diaries.

Without further ado, take a gander at some of these finds of Rodney Kiracofe. Apologies for my less than stellar photography due to viewing circumstances, but still well worth a look I think.

From the collection of Roderick Kiracofe

quilt top back From the collection of Roderick Kiracofe

From the collection of Roderick Kiracofe

Next up at The Plaid Portico will be curated coverage of the big show of the East bay Heritage Quilt Guild, and a project round-up for Pop Rox which is just starting to hit stores now.

The Plaid Portico

modern quilting, quilters, and quilt exhibitions

Category Archives: Modern Quilting

Duo of Jacquie Gering Workshops

Sew Sundays Baby Quilt

Diana’s sampler quilt

Voices in Cloth 2014: Part Four

Voices in Cloth 2014: Part Three

Voices in Cloth 2014: Part Two

The Original Scrap-Bag™ in Pop Rox

Patchwork Posse

Sew Can She

Roderick Kiracofe and Ben Venom at Stitch Modern

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