Months 4-5:  As the larger composition takes shape, I am challenged to find – or create − the ideal bridge fabrics. I spend as much time searching for fabrics, cutting single pieces from specific fabrics, or painting, stamping, or shopping for the missing pieces.  I am still teaching, traveling, packing and shipping my teaching equipment from place to place. This process takes a while because I am also teaching others how to make quilts!

Months 6-7:  When working high on the wall, my step stool and I get a workout! I eventually shift from a step stool to a ladder, and add another 18″ to the top of the design wall. The loose pieces are currently overlapped, and I know that sewing the seams will cause shrinkage. (This photo was taken later in the project – this was a tall project with lots of  “ladder time”!)

Month 8: Once I am happy with all of the fabrics, then I begin sewing diagonal rows of fabric diamonds. I keep the rows in manageable sizes, working one row at a time. Climb the ladder, secure all the loose pieces edge-to-edge, climb down, sew the seams, press, climb the ladder and re-position the pieced row. Continue to the next row. An audio book can be my best friend during this process! 

After cutting a palette of diamonds in various colors and values, I begin composing the design on my flannel-covered wall. This wall surface is “pinnable”, and I want to secure the pieces when I am satisfied with the results. This design wall is 8 feet tall, 9 feet wide. I am also arranging fabric on the left adjacent wall, too.

I arrange a batch of color, creating regions of dark (for the base) or blue-grey (for the water) or lighter values (blue, pink, peach, lavendar) for the sky. Then I search through my fabrics to find the perfect “transition” or “bridge” fabrics, which contain bits of the colors on either side of it.  Note the change in the sky between photos 4 and 5 – as I completed changed the fabrics in that area, seeking a smoother, sunnier color.

After selecting a wide range of fabrics as my initial palette, I decided the scale of my pieces. Since it was to be a large quilt, I cut 4-inch diamond shapes (as if you were cutting a strip 4″ wide, then sub-cutting it on a 45-degree angle into 4″ diamonds). I positioned my diamond tool in one corner of the fabric, so my strips were cut at an angle to the outer edges of the fabric. The resulting diamonds have slightly bias edges, and the grainline is straight through the body of the diamond shape.

1. Place a diamond tool at the edge of the fabric. 2. Place a long ruler next to the smaller diamond tool.

3. Cut at this newly-established angle from edge to edge. [1/2 of a 45-degree angle = 22.5 degrees.]

4. Align the longer ruler with the freshly-cut edge. 5. Cut an angled strip, the desired width (3″ in this photo).

6. Re-position the smaller tool on the strip. The woven grainline should bisect the shape in the center.

7. Cut one or several diamonds from the angled strip(s).

  Early in 2012 I accepted a commission for a private client. The request was for a king-sized diamond quilt, reminiscent of Monet’s famous water lily paintings.

I first searched through my fabrics, arranging the stacks and photographing them for the client to see the range of colors and textures I was considering for their quilt. This became a monumental landslide of textural fabrics in all colorways.

Join me on a Hawaiian Cruise! I posted all the information on my website – please click this link to go directly to the newsletter.
Registrations for this wonderful event are available through Cruise Holidays: Click this link
I’ll add more details in the future. I hope YOU can join me!

Jan's Quilts with Striped fabric

My blog has been quiet for a while…. because I am working behind the scenes! I am preparing for a workshop in Kerrville Texas at the fabulous CREATIONS Quilt Shop, to be held July 8-10, 2012.  Their blog and online shop tour is just a tantilizing glimpse into a shopping adventure!

The 2-1/2 day retreat in July (come join us!!) will be held in the Main House next door to the quilt shop, a fabulous retreat center designed and built by the owners of Creations.

Our workshop will cover different concepts and cutting techniques specifically using striped fabric, and strip-sets that can mimic printed or woven stripes. Students will design their own project after experiencing the techniques utilizing their favorite method.

The first time I stepped foot into their fabulous classroom, I was head-over-heels in love with this facility! Beautiful work spaces for 24 students!

Upstairs are different bedroom suites, each with its own theme and private bathroom facilities. Owners Julie and Kathy say: “There is room for everyone to be doing something at the same time!”

Click here to read all about the Main House, and add it to your personal BUCKET LIST!

Grab your striped fabrics and register for the workshop! See you in July at the Main House!

After cutting, I created my “palette” of fabrics – quite a range, from lights through medium and dark, in a range of colors. I don’t cut too many pieces at this point, because I will likely need to fine-tune the number of fabrics I use. I can always cut a few more as needed during the design phase.

light to medium spring green

teal, brown, green

a range of blue and purple colors from dark to light

detail – you can see some of the textures

What a great sewing time at home in my studio! During the Quick Star workshops, students request additional designs.

  

Pushing the envelope by adding more layers, I am developing expanded designs that will become workshops in the near future. I would love to know your thoughts about this design − please comment below, or send an e-mail to me at [remove spaces] jan @ jankrentz.com.

This design was created using left-over 3″ diamonds cut from undersea fish and ocean fabrics (from a Mexican Riviera cruise workshop). I arranged the loose diamonds in a fairly symmetric setting, and drafted the smaller diamonds to create a more complex outside row.  There is currently no published pattern for this variation, and it will be offered in the near future as a workshop.

 

I am teaching the Framed Diamonds / Dancing African Ladies quilt in Grand Junction, Colorado, Oct. 15, 2011. The location is Quilters’ Corner in Grand Junction. Due to my travel schedule, I am unable to loan out the original Dancing African Ladies quilt. Therefore, I selected two related fabrics from my stash (these are older fabrics, no longer available):

(Cutting directions available in the Quick Diamond Quilts book).  I cut the tropical floral print at a 22.5-degree angle (to control the grainline) and sub-cut into 45-degree angles. The grain runs through the center of the diamonds, and the quilt will be stable once it is pieced.  I also cut the striped fabric on an angle, and sub-cut into quarter diamonds. These are the ruler sets I used, in addition to the long 6″ x 24″ ruler.

click the image above to order the Fussy Cutter diamond rulers, or the Quarter and Half ruler set

I sewed combinations of framed diamonds, and arranged them on my design wall. I alternated a pieced diamond with a floral diamond, all arranged in rows. The edges looked a little too “blendy” between the striped diamonds and the print, so I added a narrow dark brownish batik fabric trim at the edges of the striped diamonds.

I pieced the rows of diamonds diagonally, creating larger sections, and finally assembled the entire top. I sewed 3 fabrics together, creating borders. The borders were added, and the corners mitered finish the design.

Join nine C&T Authors this evening (March 2, 2011) on the C&T Wednesday Night Live online digital lounge!  Click the photo to go to the C&T blogsite and learn more!

We will be discussing our upcoming workshops in the world-famous Empty Spools Seminars, held annually at Asilomar Conference Grounds in beautiful Pacific Grove, California.

If you are new to the online digital format, it is a live, interactive online chat room –when you log in, you will set a name for yourself, and you will see the presenters talking on their web cameras (one at a time). You may enter comments throughout the evening, and at the end, post your own web site or blog address for others to see and write down.

See you tonight online at 6pm Pacific Standard time! (link: World Clock Time zone converter to locate your local time)  Following the event, you may also watch the recorded event; I will post the link when I know it!