There Be Dragons and There Be Mermaids - Project Quilting

"There Be Dragons" and "There Be Mermaids," 6" x 6" each, made by Pam Geisel for Project Quilting, Season 11, Challenge 2: Team Colors, Jan. 2020 in Yellow Springs, Ohio

Challenge recap for "Team Colors":

Your project this week needs to be inspired by the official “team colors” of some organization you support.

While it was made clear in the directions that this didn't have to be a "sports team," that was my first thought. And while I'm not a big sports fan, my husband does like baseball, and fortunately baseball is a sport I can tolerate. And perhaps even enjoy. So much so that we do go to a handful of minor league games every year to our hometown team the Dayton Dragons. Their colors are red and orange.

(As a side note, several years ago I did make small quilts of the stadium, both inside and out, and you can see them here.)

So my first interpretation isn't that much of a stretch, since it's a dragon. I was thinking of the quote "There be Dragons" (or "Here be Dragons") which can mean dangerous or unexplored territories. It is supposedly a saying that was on old maps in areas that hadn't yet been explored to warn people away from those places, although there doesn't appear to be any maps that actually say those words.

Realizing that I had some fabric with fictional ocean maps left over from 2013 Project Quilting Bonus Challenge "Tradition Times Three" where we all purchased a specific fat quarter bundle to create a quilt that used a traditional block and use it in at least three sizes. I made "Red Sky at Night" for this project.

While I was thinking about this background fabric and dragons, planning on using the second team color of orange to make the dragon's fire breath, I realized there was something else that could be found in the ocean, which also had green scales and could possibly have orange/red hair so I made a second quilt that featured a mermaid. (I did recently sell the quilt "Mermaid Haiku," which was also a Project Quilting challenge and perhaps I was missing having a mermaid around.) Also neither my dragon or mermaid are too cute be considered dangerous.

I ironed fusible to the back of the mermaid and dragon pieces then fused them to the background fabric. I based the quilt sandwich, quilted down the raw edges, applied fray check to the raw edges, then wrapped the pieces around 6" x 6" canvases.

More about There Be Dragons and There Be Mermaids

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Click on any of the photos to see larger images.

To read more about Project Quilting, go here.

To see other entries for this challenge, visit the Team Colors page.

"Aye, Eye Captain" in Eye Contact Book

 

My art quilt "Aye, Eye Captain" in the book "Eye Contact: Creating a Connection."

I made the art quilt "Aye, Eye Captain" last year as a Project Quilting challenge and also for the Sacred Threads special exhibit "Eye Contact" exhibit "Eye Contact: Creating a Connection."

There was such a great response to the exhibit that most of the pieces are touring the country through December 2021. While they are still getting the venues, information about where you can see the exhibit is on their website. They also have photos and videos of the exhibit.

The book contains images of 248 art quilts all featuring human eyes looking at the viewer. All of the quilts are the same size: 23" wide and 5" tall. It's a small book but very interesting to see all the different interpretations.

You can purchase the book here.

If 6 Turned Out to be 9 - Project Quilting

"If 6 Turned Out to be 9," 7" x 5", made by Pam Geisel for Project Quilting, Season 11, Challenge 1: Notably Numeric, Jan. 2020 in Yellow Springs, Ohio

Challenge recap for "Notably Numeric":

Your project must feature numbers, counting, or mathematics in its theme or implementation.

We were on vacation when the challenge was posted, so I had several days to think about it before I could work on it. And I had many, many ideas. When I finally started working on it I was going to use the number 6 (or 9) to make eyes or eye glasses. Perhaps I was inspired by the project I made for one of last year's challenges ("Aye, Eye Captain") that also ended up being in the Eye Contact Challenge, as I'd gotten the book from the exhibit for Christmas and had just been looking at it.

Here are just some of the many fonts that I considered. Don't they make great eyes/glasses? Some looked hopeful, while others looked angry.

As I was looking through all of the fonts that I have, I came across one called Jokerman.

I'm not sure where it came from and I don't think I've ever used it before, but it had such a wonderful curl to it that I decided I wanted to use that and not the eyes. (Perhaps another time.)

I traced the six in reverse onto fusible web then fused that to the back of some Robert Kaufman  Effervescence Gradation Rainbow fabric that I had left over from "Breathe - Inhale" and "Breathe - Exhale" that I made last fall.

I fused that to a bright purple Island Batik fabric and sewed the edges down. I basted the quilt to batting and a backing fabric and couched a dusty purple yarn around the design.

I popped it into a frame which can hang either horizontally or vertically (which really makes the 6 obvious).

More about If 6 Turned Out to be 9

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Click on any of the photos to see larger images.

To read more about Project Quilting, go here.

To see other entries for this challenge, visit the Notably Numeric page.

Custom Quilts made in 2019

It's my annual look back on the custom quilts I made during the year that I haven't shared yet (some were gifts).

Click on the photos to see larger views.

Quilt using shirts, ties, and vests from the recipient's father. 60" x 60"

Baby quilt from a wedding dress. 34" x 44"

(It's hard to photograph white so here are some detail photos)

A set of mini quilts for the seasons. 8" x 6" each on stiff innerfacing.

A quilted stocking to match the other ones the family had. It's been awhile since I've done cross stitch.

Framed fabric mosaic of the Clinton County Courthouse. 14" x 11" framed.

Two more framed pieces, made from a vintage wedding dress. I'm posting the photos that I took at an angle to show off the quilting and the buttons. And because white is hard to photograph. Both are 8" x 10"

I just realized I didn't make any t-shirt quilts in 2019. I've already had a few people inquire about t-shirt quilts for this year so if they happen, I'll share them in the 2020 year in review.