Sunday, April 24, 2011

Giveaway!

May 1st will be the one year anniversary of my blog, so I would like to celebrate next week with a giveaway.


1st Prize -  Dottie by Moda fat quarter pack from Secred Moondance Quilt Shop in Lake Forest, California, and a will be the first to receive a copy of my new pattern Sam I Am.



2nd Prize - Tic-Tac Oh! pattern and enough 2" pre-cut strips in Basic Grey to make this pattern.  (You will only need to add background and border fabric)

Willie's going for the jugular!



Three chances to win!

  • Follow Me!  - Leave a comment if you are a follower of Aunti Nicole's Corner
  • Alert the Media! - Tell someone its my anniversary and about this giveaway.  Post on your blog, facebook, tweet, email someone, or shout it from the rooftop and leave me a comment that tells me you did it!
  • Blogger Awareness - Leave a separate comment to tell me which is your favorite quilt blog and why it is your favorite.

Drawing winners will be announced on May 1st, 2011 at noon PST.
This Drawing is now closed.


Good Luck Everyone!
Love Aunti Nicole

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Celtic Knot

A couple of weeks ago the gang at Orange Quilt Bee in Orange, CA invited me to do another class this summer.  I chose the Celtic Knot.  About 8 years ago my sister taught this class in Mt Shasta at Sew Unique.  My sister is one of my favorite quilters and is an excellent teacher, mother, nurse.

And here is a wedding gift that she did for me.   Little 12" square, but its one of the only quilts that hangs on a wall in my house.  Its hand quilted to boot!















 I have resurrected the class with her permission and added some new things I have learned along the way.   I did this  last Sunday after noon, after my workshop and after a nap.  took me about 3 hrs.







As you will see in the blowup, it is not yet sewn down, but that part is a piece-o-cake.











I had so much fun making this piece I may make a border for it ;]  I can't wait for the class.

The class is scheduled for May 28th and will be on their calendar soon.  So you if you want to signup just email them and they'll take care of you or just let me know.

Hope you get to sew today!
Aunti
Nicole

Friday, April 15, 2011

Gradient Fabric Dying Workshop with Joy-Lily

Last Sunday my Flying Geese Guild hosted this class at Bear's Quilt Shop in Garden Grove.  We were to bring 3 white or white on white fat quarters and wear our work clothes.  

While there were about 16+ people  we didn't make as much of a mess as one might think.  We had a great time and cool fabric was made by all.

Joy-Lily was a lot of fun and she explained about the birds and bees of fabric dyeing.  She also came to our guild Monday night to share her gallery of art with such a variety of mediums.  For a special treat, visit http://www.joy-lily.com/ to see her beautiful gallery.

For this project we used hair color bottles of dye that was cut in half and half again to get the different gradients.  The soda ash was added at the end and then they were set in the sun for a bit and then rinsed.


For the first one we just kept it simple.  I used a white on white print and a magenta color.  I can see using this for applique flowers how the petals are dark and light.  Also Joy-Lily had some great ideas for putting together gradients in pieced quilts.
So here is he back.....



For our next one, we experimented a little.  I used another white on while and let the fabric print decide where the dye needed to go.  I used mostly blue with a hint of red dye for this one.
...and as my friend Hilary pointed out even the back looks good.  I could see using this softer version of the print for a complely different look.

Ok so this next one is why you don't just run screaming through the room with fabric dye!  By this time, I was just twisting and playing.  Another white on white, that I did without really think about the color combination, eek.  

In his case the back looks a little better.  



Watch the ugly one get the most use, HA!  Isn't that just the way.



A little plug for Bear's Quilt Shop in Garden Grove, CA  A great place to learn fabric dying among other quilty things.  They have a lot of great samples and do classes on demand for small groups.  A bunch of us are thinking about visit them this summer for another fabric dying workshop.

Thanks for stopping by!
Aunti Nicole






Thursday, April 7, 2011

I spy a little grey guy!

































Oooh and a new baby quilt to boot!.  This is a sneaky peek.  I'll show this an a few others very soon!
Lots brewing in the background here, can't wait to share!




Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Giveaway at Jaybird Quilts!


Hi All,

Hope your weekend is moving along nicely.

Run by Jaybird Quilts and check out the Introduction to the Quilt Shoppe and the great giveaway Julie is hosting.

http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/2011/04/sponsored-giveaway-featuring-fabric.html?commentPage=4



You have until May 7th at midnight, so hurry and enter.

Hope you get to sew this week. ;]
Aunti Nicole

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Ok...so why Zentangle?

You may ask yourself, "Self, why would I take on a new form of art when I couldn't possible make all the quilts I've planned in my single lifetime."  Well...I'll tell you... Quilting is simply textile art. Whether its a utilitarian style, traditional or modern, it is a form of expression.  I love to see how new "quilting skills" grow from a seemingly separate form of outlet.  

Today I was tracing a quilting line that I came up with for a new quilt design and realized that I was Tangling! (see Zentangle)

I actually think the time meditating over my tangles has loosened my machine quilting muscle.  Just like zentangle, I created geometric constraints and then doodled a consistent pattern within the shape.  It isn't perfect but it has exactly my desired effect.  (By the way, I quilt on a Bernina aurora 430.)

Like my friend and fellow Wool Gather Eileen Wintemute, is a wonderful artist and encorporates her different forms of art into her quilting.  She has a natural gift with color and form.  Check out her blog at http://eileenwintemute.blogspot.com/2011/04/art-quilts-on-display-at-qsc-expo-in.html 
I just can't wait to see what she does next!

I love it when things in life just comes together in harmony.  You know its not coincidence but God's hands at work in our lives.

Like a seemingly random letter with a lovely story that touches a place in you that you needed, at that exact moment in time.  Here's a story of sisters if you have 30 min and whole box of kleenex.  http://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/423/world_enough_and_time
Thank you my Dione, "Sister from another mother".  I love you and my other mother too. ;]

Love
Aunti Nicole

Friday, April 1, 2011

Done Been Splendid in March

Wasn't March splendid?  Well ok it didn't suck.    Anyway, a little late to post March, but here is my Bee Splendid entry for March.  This month was for Sarah Reams choice, she sent precut little squares and big piece of kona white.  It went together really quick.  





Here is the link for the tutorial posted by Modify Tradition http://modifytradition.blogspot.com/2010/04/love-in-mist.html 

Blocks were actually in the mail on time.    

Happy April Fools Day to all!

Love Aunti