Our annual quilt contest is all about Inspiration this year.

We’re working with our partners at stkr.it to offer all contest entrants a chance to document the story of their quilt as it unfolds through a StoryPatches Slide Show. That feature should be ready for photo uploading soon and until then, we’ll feature entries in progress here on our blog. Want to share your entry? Email your photos with captions to Amy Milne.

This week, I’d like to share the story of Audrey Hyvonen’s contest entry, that was inspired by this 1920’s Split-Nine Patch Streak of Lightning quilt made by an unknown quiltmaker and documented as part of The Heritage Quilt Project of New Jersey.

: 1920’s Split Nine Patch Streak of Lighting Quilt, made by an unknown quiltmaker

: Referencing a classic Streak of Lightning pattern

: Figuring out the original pattern repeat of the combined patterns.

: Dark squares cut and layering with their red accents.

: First iteration- which I was set on for many days- i loved the yellow in the center

: A third iteration?

: Trying the “dirty” blocks towards the center again.

: Flipping it!

: Flipping it back- keeping the lines longer

: Isolating the greens- making the light blue communicate a bit more

: Converging the points- getting closer

: Leftovers look interesting- perhaps the back? perhaps another quilt?

: Prepping a paper window.

: Window cut and ready to use

: Trying the window on the original idea

: Trying it on the points

: Finding my favorite! (loses the yellow center focus, shifts vision to the nine patch light blue echo between the light and dark, keeping the “dirty” blocks on the scene and the greens isolated.)

: Audrey Hyvonen, quilt artist, pictured with one of her daughters

Here’s how to enter:
1. Pick an inspiration quilt. Choose a quilt from The Quilt Index or the Quilters’ S.O.S.- Save Our Stories (Q.S.O.S.) projects, (see the Inspiration Gallery on our contest page for a few quilts selected by our members as examples of the variety and richness found in these resources). Browse and explore the projects to find your own inspiration quilt.
2. Find something(s) about the inspiration quilt that inspires you (like color, line, texture, subject matter, …)
3. Make your own quilt–work your magic–all techniques, materials, and styles are welcomed, but no replicas or copies allowed. All entries must be 16″ x 16″ and comprised of 3 layers (top, filling and back).
4. Sew a sleeve and a label on your entry and mail it to us with your entry form and fee by June 1, 2014.

You could win the Handi Quilter Grand Prize:

The Inspired By contest is sponsored by these generous partners:

: http://www.modafabrics.com/

: http://electricquilt.com/

: http://www.ezquilt.com/

: http://www.simplicity.com/

: http://www.equilter.com/

: http://www.aurifil.com/

: http://www.sewingexpo.com/

: http://stkr.it/

How To Trim Flying Geese Without A Specialty Ruler

If you don’t have a Bloc-Loc ruler, you may find trimming these flying geese challenging. But by following these steps, you should be able to get four accurate geese in each color!

First, line up your ruler so the point of the flying geese unit will be trimmed exactly ¼” above the point. Try to line the unit up as straight as possible on the other three sides.

Next, flip the unit over. Line up the edge you just cut on the 2” line of the ruler as shown below, and trim the excess from the top.

Flip the unit right side up again. Line the lower left corner up with the 3 ½” mark on your ruler as shown above. Trim the excess on the right.

Finally, flip the unit over again so the point is pointing towards the 2” line. Align the left edge of the unit with the 3 ½” ruler mark as shown above and trim the excess on the right. Your flying goose unit is now ready to be pieced into your block!

Quilt Documentation Tip

Andrea’s block story is all about the importance of quilt guilds. Quilting can feel solitary, but guilds bring us together. It’s a topic of conversation that was discussed with two Birthday Block of the Month Designers in a recent Textile Talk where the participants all shared emotional stories about their love for their guilds.

Did you know that your guild can document your quilts as a group? Consider hosting a quilt documentation day in your guild! Follow these instructions and have members share three minute stories about one meaningful quilt in the Quilt Alliance’s signature Go Tell It documentation program. You could even host a screening so all of your members can see the videos! Get in touch at: qsos@quiltalliance.org

See You in October for Month Seven!

Thank you so much to everyone who has participated in the Quilt Alliance’s Birthday Block of the Month so far! Our designer for next month, the seventh block we’re making together, is Bonnie Hunter herself!

Be sure to tag @quiltalliance and @3rdstoryworkshop on Instagram with your block photos this month, and use the hashtag #QuiltAllianceBOM. And leave any questions about this month’s block in the comments below!

1 Comment

upstatelisa on April 4, 2014 at 4:32 pm

very cool!!! thanks for sharing Audrey!
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Quilt Documentation Tip

See You in October for Month Seven!

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