The transition from one month to the next always has a sense of 'hurry up and wait' about it. Invariably I have month-end deadlines to meet, yet there's the unknowns of a fresh new month. It's often an energizing time for me, how about you?
WHAT'S UP
The most sewing fun I've had for a while was happening upon Crosscut blocks, first kind of randomly for a swap project, and then with complete intention with a small Crosscut quilt, complete with quilting binding. Oh yeah.
Also, I rounded up 7 Patterns I Keep Handy, and friends chimed in with their own choices in the comments.
This untitled quilt hangs in the home of Jacquie/tallgrass prairie studio and there's just something about it - the palette, the unexpected wide bar, the scale of the strips - that I love.
[jacquietps]
Jacquie Gering and Katie Pedersen’s book, Quilting Modern, is a terrific resource, both for slice-and-insert, as well as other improvisational techniques.
Pick Up Sticks by Berene/Happy Sew Lucky is a popular quilt tutorial using the basic slice-and-insert technique, similar but different to my method with Crosscut.
And my own X Marks the Improv also uses slice-and-insert to create blocks within a block.
Finally, while researching for this issue, I found I've made no less than seven quilts using slice-and-insert. See them and a collection of others on my slice-and-insert pinboard.
P.S. Just a couple of months ago, Tara Curtis introduced herself to me at a guild meeting. Then at Sew and Tell that night, she shared a basket she'd made that included some modern fabric weaving, a technique she developed. I've since seen her signature 'triaxial weave' projects all over blogland. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out her Ig feed [t_jaye] or her website and be amazed!
