Project Quilting Season 9

It's time for Project Quilting's ninth season! It's a three month on-line event that challenges participants to create a quilt in one week, with a week off in between. You can participate in as few or as many as you like. Participants are automatically entered into random prize drawings and at the end of the season there will be grand prizes awarded to all participants, with one entry per challenge quilt, so the more challenges you enter, the better your chances.

I've participated in every year in some form or another (and I was the overall grand prize winner of Season 2). Some of my favorite quilts that I've made were Project Quilting challenges.

The schedule for 2018 is:
Challenge 1: January 7
Challenge 2: January 21
Challenge 3: February 4
Challenge 4: February 18
Challenge 5: March 4
Challenge 6: March 18

Each challenge is posted at noon CDT and due exactly one week later at noon CDT.

Here's a post with some tips about how to participate.

The challenge will be posted on the "Persimon Dreams" Project Quilting blog and you can also find links about past seasons there.

Custom Quilts made in 2017

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.

Ariel's Double-Sided T-shirt quilt. 46" x 80"

Alice's Double-Sided T-shirt Quilt, 85" x 91"

Jo Jo's Double-Sided T-shirt quilt, 58" x 78"

YSKP T-shirt quilt, 46" x 80"

Salem T-shirt quilt, 46" x 88"

Gypsy Moon bed quilt and pillow cases, 88" x 93"

House Banners art quilts, 16" x 21", each

White Mum Corsage Fabric Mosaic, 11" x 14" framed

Skull & Flower art quilt ala Georgia O'Keeffee, 6" x 6" x 1"

Wool Roving as Embellishment featured in Art Quilting Studio Magazine

Two of my framed quilted fabric mosaics, "Mountain Mist" and "Northern Lights" are featured in Art Quilting Studio's Magazine's Winter 2018 issue.

The article that I wrote gives a brief description on how I made both of these pieces but focuses mostly on the wool roving that I used as an embellishment.

Art Quilting Studio is only published two times a year but is packed full of new quilting techniques and innovative design ideas. It is one of many publications put out by Stampington & Company. I've heard it's available at some Joann stores. Or you can order it from the Stampington website.

"Daybreak is Your Midnight" in the OOVAR Exhibit in Columbus

"Daybreak is Your Midnight," 35.5" x 36", made by Pam Geisel, 2014

My art quilt "Daybreak is Your Midnight" is on exhibit with the 11th Annual Ohio Online Visual Artist Registry Juried Exhibition. The exhibit runs through Jan. 6, 2018 at the Carnegie Gallery in the Columbus Metropolitan Main Library in Columbus, Ohio. There will be a closing reception on Sat. Jan. 6 from 2-4 pm.

Art & Soul art show this Sat, Nov. 18 in Yellow Springs

My last show of the year this year is Art & Soul, which features over 30 exceptional artists who “put their souls into making art.” The show is this Sat., Nov. 18 from 10 am-5 pm. It will be in the Mills Lawn School Gym, 200 S. Walnut St. in Yellow Springs, just one block from the Xenia Ave. There's plenty of free parking in town and also in the lot behind the school.

There is a $4 admission fee, a portion of which will go to the Yellow Springs Schools and the Yellow Springs Police Coat Fund.

You can find photos and bios of all the artists participating on the Art & Soul Facebook page.

Quilting Workshop in Preble County, Nov 11

"Delightful Daisy," 9" x 9", handmade by Pam Geisel, May 2017

Last year I taught two quilting workshops at the Visual Arts Center of Preble County (Ohio). This year I am teaching participants how to make the "Delightful Daisy" art quilt. We will cover piecing, using fusibles, machine raw-edge applique, couching yarn, and making a facing (knife edge) binding.

The workshop is Sat., Nov. 11 from 10:30-1:30 pm. The cost is $45 for members, $60 for non members and it includes materials, although you can bring fabric from your own stash if you want.

You can register for the workshop on-line here, or contact the Visual Arts Center of Preble County at (937) 456-3999 or info@preblearts.org.

"Be Still My Beaded Hearts"

"Be Still My Beaded Hearts," 17" x 8" x 1", made by Pam Geisel, Oct. 2017

This year I've made several custom quilts, new baby quilts, bookmarks, wine glass coasters, and printed note cards, but it's been awhile since I've made an art quilt.

I made this one so I'd have something to do as a demonstration during the Yellow Springs Open Studios last month. I fused six connected white hearts to a rainbow batik background then stitched them down. 

During the Open Studios I added over 300 beads by hand, matching the bead color to the background color. I tried to use as many different types of beads as possible.

I was a little concerned about the weight of the beads so I wrapped it around some wooden stretcher bars.

I made this design because we're having a lobby show at Village Artisans and the theme is "What Makes Your Heart Sing" and two of the things that make my heart sing are rainbow colors and sparkly glass beads. I also like taking close up photos of beads. The exhibit runs from Nov. 9-Jan 2 at Village Artisans, 100 Corry St. in Yellow Springs.

As always you can click on the photos to see them larger (seriously, I think these are awesome photos!)

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