Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Lone Star Quilt Reprise

I finished the second one this week. The last of the red print makes the star points and I quite like how lively the lone star looks on the pink.

Printed cotton in three shades of blue, two shades of green, red, and yellow form a modern Lone Star that rests on a bright pink background.
Lone Star quilt 5

Here's how I started the center. I thought the green would work but it wasn't strong enough. The navy blue print is better.

Two collaged photos show two different arrangements of fabrics. On the left the center is red and light green surrounded by darker green and yellow diamonds. On the right the center is dark blue and red surrounded by either the same dark green and yellow or a very light blue.

Next I tried moving the reds. Across the star points or down them? Should the outer row be green or navy or alternate?

Two collaged photos show bright red prints lined along the spine of the stars or across them.

Or perhaps it should be navy and light blue. Do the inside of the star points look better with dark or light greens and blues? Taking photos helps decide which looks best. Aren't we lucky to live in the digital era!

Two collaged photos show the center star of alternating navy and dark red on the left and medium blue and red on the right.

Finally I tested several borders. Of course, that blue with the green print border was my favorite but there's not enough. And this quilt is for a girl. The pink is a shocker but in a good way.

Both the pink print and a combination of light blue print bordered with a dark olive green print are arranged on the design wall for consideration.
Possible borders for Lone Star quilt 5

Again I started this spiral with orange peel arcs in the center of the star then completed a circle around them. After that, a quick off-ramp starts the spiral.

The center star of the Lone Star is machine quilted with FMQ orange peels and then switches to echo quilting in a spiral for the rest of the quilt.
Quilting detail

Here's a view of the back. The quilting doesn't show up as much on this print as it did on the solid of the previous quilt but it works well with the greens on the front. A navy print finished the binding.

The folded quilt shows front, back, and binding. The back is large purple flowers on olive green and the binding is a navy floral cotton.
Detail of front, back, and
binding of Lone Star quilt 7

Done and dusted. Who'd have thought? But now DH will think I can pull this off any time.

Quilt Details
Size: 40" x 40"
Design: Lone Star
Batting: Pellon 100% cotton
Thread: Metler fine embroidery pink cotton
Quilting: Spiral with walking foot

Approximate Yardage: 3.75 yd

The next day I flew out to see my daughter. SFO has wonderful exhibits in their terminals. This time they displayed California Studio Craft from the Forrest Merrill collection featuring work from the 1940s to the present including sculpture, pottery, paintings, textiles, and furniture. Studio craft combines handmade crafting with fine art. Precursors to the American Craft Council and the NYC Museum of Arts and Design raised the professionalism of the artists and increased the popularity of the movement which really took off after WWII with the use of the GI Bill.

Bowl and Tile by Beatrice Wood, 1940s
Bowl and Tile by Beatrice Wood, 1940s

The graceful lines of the legs attracted me. I wonder if it's as comfortable as it looks.

Hammered and soldered copper Sixes by Merry Rink (1976) with shedua and leather Wishbone chair by Arthur E Carpenter (1972)
Hammered and soldered copper Sixes
by Merry Rink (1976)
with shedua and leather Wishbone chair
by Arthur E Carpenter (1972)

Mr. Merrill collected at least two artists' work over the years. The exhibit highlighted how each worked on a simple design in series.  First, John Lewis created lunar themes with his glassworks.

Blown glass Moon Bottle (1970) and Moon Bowl (1972) by John Lewis
Blown glass Moon Bottle (1970)
and Moon Bowl (1972) by John Lewis

These two bowls by Kay Sekimachi show the progression of her work. The 1990s bowl is laminated handmade Japanese paper with bark and straw combined with linen thread inclusions. By 2014 she laminated much more delicate maple leaf skeletons adding watercolor and Kozo paper. These two demonstrate how working in a series builds our skills.

Two delicate pieces made with Japanese paper. Bowl (1990s) and Leaf bowl (2014) by Kay Sekimachi
Bowl and Leaf bowl
by Kay Sekimachi

Intricate woven, embroidered, and silkscreened textiles were tucked into the corner where the curving glass picked up all the reflected lights making photos impossible.

FUR or Fabric Use Rate Update

I donated 8.25 yards to the guild this month and finished two baby quilts of 3.75 yards each so my total FUR is 15.75 yards/month or a smidge over half a yard per day. That's something to consider before I go shopping again.

Enjoy the day, Ann

24 comments:

Pamela Arbour said...

Great fabric placement. Love the quilt and the quilting. Did you get dizzy going in circles? LOL

Alison V. said...

Very cute!

LA Paylor said...

Wish I could look at the exhibit. I really like the stylized faces, the glass work with open areas (luna?) and the fact that you're keeping track of useage. I would have no idea how much I used!! In fact I use and use fabric from my scrap bins and they are just as full as when I started. More so the yardage drawers since I just got more halloween fabric!

patty a. said...

Another cute star baby quilt! I am impressed on how fast you can make one of these.

The art at the airport is wonderful. It is fun to see art when it is unexpected although more and more airports are making room for art. In the baggage claim area in the Atlanta airport there are hundreds of big metal ants that are crawling across the ceiling. In San Diego each entry into the restrooms is tiled differently in beach/ocean scenes and then their are stacked glass boxes with sand and each featuring a shell.

What does FUR stand for? Once I get this next group of baby quilts finished, I hope my yardage I used will be more than the yardage I bought this year.

Quiltdivajulie said...

Wonderful post - from beginning to end. I appreciate seeing the artwork in the ending photos.

Janie said...

Beautiful finish and it goes well with your yellow Lone Star Quilt, I just looked at your previous post.
It's a great idea to start the quilting in the center with the orange peel star. And thanks for your tutorial on spiral
quilting, very clear!

Ann said...

Yes, it always makes me dizzy to do this until I’m very close to the outer edge.

Ann said...

Thanks, Alison.

Ann said...

I seem to go to the scrap bin first, too, but I’m trying to use stuff out of the stash for a while. I know the bin under my table is overflowing but I’m not going to peak until I get the stash down.

Ann said...

Austin had oversized guitars in the baggage claim for a while and some other airports have art but I’ve never seen anyone make as many and professional art exhibits as SFO. It seems every terminal walkway has a complete show.
FUR is fabric use rate. Just amusing myself.

Ann said...

It’s always a treat to go through SFO and I always take time to look at their exhibits.

Ann said...

Thanks, Janie. It’s fun to make these a neat pair. These days I like using simple quilting ideas and reusing them frequently. The fabric plays a much larger part in my quilts and not much shows on top of them.

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

Yes, another sweet baby quilt! I think it’s great that you are able to do creative quilting with your home sewing machine, wish I could too!

Ann said...

Thanks, Linda. Having small quilts to practice on is a great help.

Kaja said...

What I like best about this one is the way that pink background seems to make the greens sing. That wishbone chair is utterly gorgeous.

Ann said...

I agree with you. I don't know why it works although I've been trying to figure out why for days. Usually armchairs are more attractive to me but the lines on the wishbone chair are utterly entrancing. Plus is has "proto" arms. Ha.

Pamela said...

This quilt is gorgeous! Well done!

Ann said...

Thanks, Pamela.

Mystic Quilter said...

I love these Lone Star quilts you're busy with Ann, is there going to be a number 6?? You've shown photos of some stunning pieces of art and such an inspired idea to have them on display in the terminal giving for all to see.

Ann said...

Thanks, Maureen. I’m on a roll and hoping to stay ahead of my husband with these baby quilts although he always finds someone who needs them.
SFO has an actual museum with curators who a very adept at creating varied and well-researched exhibits. They must also have silver tinges to convince so many people to share their collections. It’s always a treat to see what’s new.

Nifty Quilts said...

Wow! I love how the pink sets off this Lone Star. Not a choice I would've thought about, but in the future, I will!

audrey said...

The pink background is a somewhat unexpected choice but works out so well! Kind of old fashioned but not exactly! I really, really like the prints you've used for the star. So charming and spunky too. You have the magic touch with the small lone start quilts now! Love that chair. Wow. Just incredible isn't it!

Ann said...

You did something similar with red. It’s exciting to find these unexpected backgrounds, isn’t it?

Ann said...

Thanks so much, Audrey. These two quilts needed to be run up quickly but I am pleased how lively they both became. Perhaps I need to work more spontaneously in future.