Chinese Coins Quilt with Amy Butler Fabric

Hmm, well the goal here was a cool, mod Chinese coins quilt. The olive one is meant for Teri's new daugher Ava. I was called to do something a little more reserved for her than my usual garish, batik number. The orange is an attempt at doing some kind of orange-pink clash/blend. They are made with Amy Butler fabrics, I love them so, but they never seem to quite work out for me. Not quite satisfied but can't figure out why...

Doll

I decided to jump in head first and begin making dolls. I had wanted to make them for a while but I was pretty intimidated by trying to follow a pattern, so I just sketched out an outline on a sweater I had felted, cut, sewed, and stuffed her. She is lop sided but Soley likes her, that is the important part. When I was feeling self congratulatory and thought my job was done, Soley pointed out that she didn't have any clothes, so I had to make her a dress. Then she pointed out that she didn't have a belly button, so I had to sew her on one. She has also pointed out that she doesn't have any ears, but that is above my current ability level.

Ugly Doll

I also thought that these ugly dolls were cute so I tried my hand at it, also with no pattern. Though appropriately ugly, I think a little more symmetry would have done him good. Soley insisted on a belly button.

Dinosaur

We went to go visit my friend Tene' in Brooklyn, her son Kamau, has a sever case of dinosaur fever, (though only two and a half he knows the names of nine dinosaurs). Kamau has a stuffed T-Rex that Tene' bought from Urban Outfitters for some astronomical price. The crafter in me always boasts, I could make that, but this time I finally did. Since dinosaur fever is extremely contagious, I made Soley a stuffed Apatosaurus (which only fools still call Brontosaurus) out of felted wool. I hope to make another one to send to Kamau, (but his will have four legs). Please appreciate the fact that this is hand stitched because machine was in the shop getting fixed

House Top Quilt "inspired" from Gee's Bend Quilt

This quilt was "inspired" from a quilt from the Gee's Bend collection. The inspired is in quotations because it is a copy. My husband complains that I never make a quilt for the house so I asked him to choose one from the Gee's Bend book for me to me to use as inspiration. He chose this one, and I was pleased that he chose such a simple pattern (they call it a house top pattern). The quilt in the book, though simple, is beautiful, and I was dissapointed by mine, which is plain in comparison. The Gee's Bend quilt is made out of corduroy at a time when it was plentiful to the ladies and it has some very interesting half circle quilting on it. Mine is not quilted yet, however, so maybe that will add some depth to it. The lesson: don't copy a quilt, each one is unique in and of it's self and reflects the maker and the context.

Strip Around the World or House Top Quilt

I made this quilt for my friend Vanessa's daughter Nia. It is based off of the Strip Around the World pattern by Carol Morrissey.

Snails Trails Quilt for Lauren

This baby quilt was meant for my niece Lauren, who is big girl now, and thus will need a bigger quilt. (Perhaps I can add another row to each side). It is based on the "snails trails" pattern and uses batiks.

Bento Box

I would love to do commissioned quilting (well I thought I did), but it turns out that I can't handle doing what other people want me to do. This is my first and only commissioned piece kinda. Nia, my doula for Soley, asked for a quilt, and we even went to the fabric store to pick out the fabrics (this was two years ago). She asked for a quilt that wasn't too busy and didn't have a lot of reds in it. However, I could not listen to her because I was sure that what she wanted would not work and I knew better: that the fabrics she chose would make a perfect bento box. So I went ahead and made it and it is much too busy and I'm sure too red for her. I have began another one that I think is closer to what she wants but I'm stalled on it and lost motivation because I'm a brat and it's not what I wanted to make. (perhaps I'm not ready to take commissions, it seems to involve a certain zen- non-attachment and I'm not there yet)

Pink and Orange Batik quilts for Ayanna's twins