In September, 2009, I was in need of a cathartic project. Around that time I was reading an issue of Quilting Arts Magazine in which someone had made a quilt every week (or maybe it was every day) for a year. I decided this would be a good project, however, I doubted I would keep up with a project that involved making something every week, even if they were small.
I decided to challenge myself to make a small quilt once a month for a year. The quilts were to be representative in some way of the month that had just passed. I decided small squares approximately 6” to 7” would be a good size.
My challenge is to make representative quilts without using the same techniques each month. For example, I do not want to end this challenge with 12 little scenes. I love making little scenes, but I’ve done that quite a bit. If I did that it would definately tell me where the journey of the year went, but I also want to challenge myself.
My hope is that I will use different techniques, perhaps even trying new techniques. I hope to look back on the year and see not only quilts that are representative of that year, but see quilts that have caused me to stretch myself artistically and technically.
Keep checking back and I’ll keep adding photos and descriptions of the little quilts.
September 2009
Broken Heart
My heart is broken this month. This is the month Jeanise died – on September 1st.
The broken heart is cut from red swirly fabric: swirling emotions
The half square triangles are all jazzed: broken heart, broken dreams
The heart fabrics for the half square triangles were all from my stash. I had just found them the day before beginning this project and decided to make the half square triangles out of them rather than cutting them into strips. There were just enough to surround the heart.
October 2009
Falling Leaves
I once made a winter quilt in blacks and whites. I loved the black and white birch trees so decided to use those trees on this fall quilt.
The leaves are meant to look like they are blowing off the tree into the pile of leaves in the left hand corner.
The quilting shows the blowing of the wind. There are also skeleton leaves quilted into the piece.
November 2009
The Beach
In November, we went to one of our favorite places, the Oregon Coast, for several days.
This quilt is a miniature beach scene. On the left is a decaying, falling down fence, like you might find at the beach. Rocks and a bush/sea grass complete the foreground.
The background shows the waves of the ocean merging into the sky.
December 2009
Christmas Chaos
In my head, I affectionately call this Christmas Crap. That’s the term I use for Christmas stuff (much to the kids chagrin).
This year I had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit. When I was thinking about a quilt that would represent the month, I decided it needed to reflect the chaos of the season.
It’s even bedazzled!
January 2010
January is still a work in progress. I downloaded a map of the city where I live and printed it on fabric. I have “traced” my common routes around the town (car pool, coffee) using perl cotton. It still need more embellishment. I am awaiting inspiration!
February 2010
Hawaiian Flowers
In February we went to Hawaii for 10 days. We spent 10 blissful days on Oahu at the Hilton Hawaiian village on the edge of Waikiki.
I loved the flowers and foliage. After we came back, I was looking through a new magazine and say a small art quilt that featured 3-D flowers. I shamelessly copied the idea on this quilt.
The flowers are made of a pop (soda) can that I cut up and painted with acrylics. I painted on layer after layer until I got to a point that I liked. I curved the flower petals and then layered them on the quilt on a bed of loose Angelina fibers. The centers of the flowers are vintage glass buttons.