tales of sunrise--the courage of designing

Have you noticed that sometimes quilts just have a mind of their own? This time it was a quilt I was making to test colors for a custom order. I knew what the customer wanted. I knew where it was going to hang but I wasn't sure about how could I get them to work just right. After all, these customers seem like really special people and I wanted to do my best.

The quilt was to be based loosely on "gentle morning" but with a golden sun and slightly warmer colors that are more alive. The bottom perhaps a glowing tan to echo the sky.

gentle morning--40x40 inches--quilt--Ann Brauer 2017--image by John Polak

Sometimes the best thing to do is just start. I knew I could make a wonderful happy quilt for them but I wanted to learn about the colors and the design.

tales of sunrise--work in progress--ann brauer 2018

tales of sunrise--work in progress--ann brauer 201

tales of sunrise--work in progress--ann brauer 2018

Yes, I am loving this quilt. I have learned so much. Which colors work. How to get a wonderful progression. I can't wait to start on the next one with a slightly larger sun. This quilt though deserves to be finished.

I keep coming back to my recent quilt "view from my window."

view from my window--99x99 inches--ann brauer 2018

This requires so much nerve and steadiness. I don't think about it but just cut slowly and steadily. Courage yes. But design takes courage, doesn't it? Then I sewed it back together. I still have to add the bindings which will finish it off and give the quilt a nice polished look. Don't you love how it tells a story. Don't you love the dreaminess of the golden tans at the bottom. Then I get to start on the next one with the larger sun and slower progression of the colors.

view of sunrise--30x55 inches--work in progress--ann brauer 2018

What do you think? Do you ever have to cut apart a quilt to get the right detail?

another blog

What a delightful and fun blog post this is. Hope you enjoy.

http://gefiltequilt.blogspot.com/2016/01/i-spent-new-years-getting-insanely-thin.html.

finishing the quilt

It may be an apocryphal story but family legend has it that my grandmother would take her quilts to the local quilting bees--she had to. After all, her in-laws were there. Then when she came home she would take out their stitches because they were too big. In her world neatness did count.

Now I am not a fanatic about my work but still I think it deserves the respect of having the back look good even if you are the only person who will see it. This is the quilt "dawn" on my design board just waiting to get finished.

dawn--quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

To begin I take two small blocks that are going to be joined.

dawn--quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

I then put them right sides together, pin them and sew a seam. My machine is a 1965 Singer 281-3 which is beginning to get some wonderful signs of wear that adds character to it. (It actually survived when I lost my studio to Irene--pretty amazing isn't it? But I digress.)

dawn--quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

I open up the seam just to make sure I caught everything. Then I add a strip of fabric binding which will cover the seam allowance on the back. Probably I could do this process in one step but it always feels more secure with a double seam. This is a place you can use what you have and create your own style.

dawn--quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

I press the binding over the seam allowance and whip stitch it in place. Yes, this is not my favorite part of making the quilt. I want it done. But I turn on my favorite NPR station and hope that maybe Terry Gross has a great interview. What is Robin Young talking about today? You get the idea. Of course this is also a good time to dream of your next project.

dawn--quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

I double check the front to make sure it is OK and repeat. And repeat and repeat.

dawn--quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

Finally I sew the long rows together using the same technique. Note I have staggered the side where I press the bindings so it does not become too bulky.

dawn--quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

There you have it. A neat finish on the back. A quilt that lies flat.

Here is the snapshot of the quilt "dawn" the perfect project to finish at the end of the year. I had forgotten how wonderful the colors look together. Now I am wondering if I should make one for the studio also. Hmmm.

dawn--quilt--Ann Brauer--2015

 So I hope that answers your questions. And now I need to work on the next projects for this order.

that certain something

Now for those who follow my blog, I have been working on making a custom quilt for a wonderful collector of my art. It is a smaller version of rainbows of the dawn. Unfortunately for me, smaller does not always mean--easier. Because it is smaller, each wedge of fabric gains further importance.

Think of it. If one piece in a large quilt is not quite right--close but just a little off--it is not going to stand out. But if one piece of a small quilt is off, it will stand out.

This is especially true when I am adding those fabrics that add the "life" to the quilt. That certain je ne sais quoi. On a large quilt, I add lots of those fabrics and they fit in. But too many of them in a small quilt and they take over. Still I need some. After all I want the quilt to have a life. A bit of zing.

As always I tell myself to make what I know. So I add the purple at the bottom. Looks good doesn't it?

rainbow of dawn--Ann Brauer 2014

And the first row of magenta. Again it helps complete the quilt.

rainbow of dawn--Ann Brauer 2014

But look carefully. Because I did add a couple of prints to add sparkle. Can you tell?

rainbow of dawn--Ann Brauer 2014

Sure the colors are off in this image. But there is the pattern and the hint of yellows that help tie it together. And just a hint of blue "sky". Yes, the fabrics need to be used carefully.

Another row. And more hints. Not too much.

rainbow of dawn--Ann Brauer 2014

And so it continues. Do you see how the patterns add just that right amount of life to the quilt?

rainbow of dawn--Ann Brauer 2014

What do you think?  How do you add that zest to your work?

one row at a time

Recently I was in my local Farm and Garden chatting with Pat--the very competent owner. As those who follow me probably know, I have a large garden. Lots of flowers. Mainly daylilies. Then there are also all the vegetables. The lettuce and peas. The onions. Basil. Tomatoes. This year I got some radishes. Spinach.

But April and May it always seems like an insurmountable task.  How will I ever find time to prepare the beds. Pull out the grass that invariable seems to grow over the winter. Add the compost. Plant the seeds and seedlings. Much less weed them. Argh!!! What am I thinking? Where can I find the time?

Pat asked how my new studio was coming along.

Pretty well, I said. I hope to move in May. Though how I will find time to do it is beyond me.

I know she said. I have the same problem especially this time of year. Isn't it amazing how one can never get everything done? Just do something. Keep going. One row at a time.

I thought of those wise words as I started my most recent quilt. It was an order I took some time ago. Wonderful people who have ordered before several time. They called last week. How was it coming along? Oops. Time to finish it, isn't it?

Now I know it will be fabulous when I get it done. But it is the process of getting there that will take some time. The quilt is based on this lovely wall hanging--or is it a table runner?

blue and yellow--Ann Brauer--2013

 

More traditional than many of my recent quilts. Indeed it is based on the courthouse steps pattern. But the colors give it the dimension. And it is popular. I had another order for one large square as a table topper which I just finished. Dramatic, isn't it?

blue and yellow square--20x20"--Ann Brauer

This order though is for one long quilt with nine blocks. It is to hang over a window in a particular narrow space.  Yes, that will take a while. You see this is another quilt as you go project. So I must pull up and tie off all the threads. One row at a time.

back of quilt--Ann Brauer

After all I want the back to be neat and gorgeous also. That is part of the process.

Well, there is no way to finish but to start and keep going. One block at a time.

block of blue and yellow--Ann Brauer

I guess that is a start. I pin it up next to the original. Maybe it will get inspired and duplicate itself. Nope. I think I just have to keep sewing.

progress--Ann Brauer

And sewing. And sewing. Finally some progress. Enough so I can at least play with the design. Which way to piece it together. This way?

four pieces--Ann Brauer

Or this way?

four pieces--Ann Brauer

What do you think? Only five more blocks to go. Then to join the blocks together. Do the bindings. Add the looped tape for hanging. What was I thinking? Will I ever finish? Meanwhile today I think I will prepare one more row in my garden. After all, isn't that how to get the garden planted?


And you--how do you tackle a large job? One that seems to go on and on. Forever.

How long does it take?

Now one of the questions I know I will get asked all the time at the Baltimore Craft Show--yes, it is next week-end and my Booth is 4209--is "How long did it take to make that quilt?"

Such a good question. After all, the questioner may be genuinely interested or at least they want to talk. Why, after all, do people come to Craft Shows? Sure, some of them want to see what a particular artist is doing. Or they may have an empty wall--a gift to give--a special occasion. Or they may just be tired of winter. Aren't we all? But many I believe come because it is fun to talk with the artists--what were they thinking when they made the piece? What is their process? Just that glimpse of our lives. And quite frankly it is an honor to try to answer their inquiries.

But this question is always such a hard one answer. Sure there is the basic reply--how long did it take to sew the quilt? Yes, the construction is a factor. After all, quilts do not just sew themselves even though I wish they did--sigh. And there is lots of finish work that people don't even think about. It took me a couple hours just to baste the Velcro onto the back of my most recent quilt for hanging. Boring.

rainbow quilt--40x40 inches--copyright Ann Brauer

Time to clean up the loose threads. Even time to pack it into the back of my van so I can take time to have its image taken by my wonderful photographer on Friday. Thanks John Polak for rescheduling.

But then I decided I had to try to make just that one more wall hanging--or is it a table runner--for the Baltimore Show. I loved the central rainbow in this quilt and thought it would look fabulous as a quilt to draw people into my booth. Yes, that is always a consideration, isn't it? And hopefully it will impress people.

Now I had previously made other long wall hangings so I did know what I needed to do to start the piece. These were experiments that I had done in 2012. They took a lot of time of course.

rainbow river--12x80"--Ann Brauer

I already had chosen many of the colors from the quilt I just finished--does that count in the new wall hanging?  Indeed I had used the colors in my quilt--rainbows of the dawn. Does that thought process count?

rainbows of the dawn--45x45"--copyright Ann Brauer

Or going back to rainbows of summer. You can see the theme here can't you?

rainbows of summer--99x99"--copyright Ann Brauer

I just had to stop by the fabric store the other day to get a few more pieces of orange--always a hard color to find.  Yes, many of my orange fabrics were actually gifted to me by my sister after I lost my studio in 2011. I think of her as I use them. But that is another story and still I need more.

Yes, this wall hanging should have a bit more blue with just a hint of green than the finished quilt, shouldn't it? So I get those fabrics out. Search for just the right dark teals and greens. Then I cut lots of strips of fabric to begin. My sewing table looks a mess. How will I find the color I want? Time here too. And let's not even discuss the process of putting the fabric away when I am finished. Not my favorite activity.

So I start. The first few rows are the hardest. After all I have to sketch out how the colors are going to transition. And there is always the question--will it work? Am I taking on too much? I pin it up on my design board and study it. More time.

rainbow runner--copyright Ann Brauer

You can see how long it is on my design board. I had to stand on my chair just to pin it up. Well, I want to get it done so I add more and study again.

rainbow river--copyright Ann Brauer

Yes, the colors are progressing. Sure seems like it takes forever to sew this. And of course I have to iron after every seam. Cut more fabric. Do I need a larger choice of reds? What about the purples? Always I am searching for more. Then I try to figure out the borders. I want something to make it more than just a color study. In case you haven't noticed I am into blacks and greys.

Of course the day is getting late. There is not really enough light for a good image so this is just a sneak preview. And that is where it sits. Waiting for the snow to end so I can make it into the studio and finish the sewing. Then it will be on to the bindings and the Velcro. Cleaning up the quilt.

rainbow river--copyright Ann Brauer

But what is the answer to the question that started this blog? How long? Does it go back to my early color progressions of 30 years ago? And what influenced me to begin making quilts in the first place?
Do you get that same question? How do you answer it? How should I answer it?

And will I see at least some of you at the Baltimore show? For tickets and more information:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2014-american-craft-council-show-in-baltimore-tickets-8022827493 and using this code BWI2014GUEST. I am Booth 4209.

in the beginning

I remember a conversation with an older woman a few years ago. "What was life like," I asked. "Do you now know who you are and what you are doing?" I continue.

The answer was short and sweet and stuck with me.

"The questions have changed but they are still needing to be answered," she replied.

How true I thought.

Yes, I recently celebrated my 32nd year in business as a quiltmaker. Time for a bit of nostalgia. So, for those who are curious, here are a few of my early quilts. Yes, you can see the log cabin influence. They were all quilt as you go onto a muslin backing. The blocks sewn together and then a polyester batting. The quilts were then tied. These were meant to be used on beds. I do hope you enjoy. If you want to see more, I have a book with some early images that I will bring to my studio in Shelburne Falls and I will try to post occasionally for my loyal readers. These photographs were by Tommy Elder. I hope you enjoy.

The first is a simple log cabin but the colors are changing both on the top layer and the bottom lighter colors. Each block was made knowing exactly where it went on the quilt.

log cabin quilt--early--Ann Brauer

Another basic log cabin with a slightly more complex pattern. Again notice the color changes. These quilts with a couple more variations got me into every single craft show I applied to. If only life were that easy now...sigh!!!

two diamonds--quilt--Ann Brauer

Of course soon I had said everything I had to say using variations on this theme so I had to change the size of the blocks to add further interest. Yes the size of the lighter strips were narrower than the darker strips.

straight furrows--quilt--Ann Brauer

And sometimes I had to just let myself play. This was a quilt that I had lots of fun with but never really figured out all of its secrets. I owned this piece for some period of time until finally it sold in San Francisco.

river--quilt--Ann Brauer

And yet there was something about this quilt that continued to haunt me. Here is a close-up of my quilt--rivers of autumn. Do you see the similarities?

rivers of autumn--detail--quilt--Ann Brauer

So what do you think? How has your work changed? What questions remain the same? Do you study older works or tend to put them aside for a while and let the work take hold?

it's about family

Sometimes it seems there are quilts I just have to make.  I may not know why when I start--I just want to see what it will look like. I am curious. But there is something deeper too. At least that is the story of this quilt which I began some days ago. I knew I was tense. More pre-occupied than usual. After all, the memorial services for my FIL were going to be held soon and my DH and I were hosting the after party.  I think I should put that in Caps. This was a BIG deal.

You see my FIL comes from a large complex family. Relatives on both sides. Some of whom I know--they may even live just down the road from me.  Others that I had never met before.  Or just knew slightly. There were the traditional rivalries and factions. Those who did or did not  speak with each other. Stories going back way before my time. The end of an era. The passing of the torch to the next generation--my generation--and all of the emotion that the loss of a father or a father figure can create.

Now those who know me know that I am not a party giver. I work in my studio. Make quilts. Play in my garden. My family was small and compact. I knew my stories and my histories. But somehow we were hosting 50 people. I had to be organized. In charge.

And this is where the story returns to quilts. After all, my loyal readers are really not very interested in my husband's family or even my angst about throwing a party. But of course what did I do to calm myself but start a quilt. Like duh!!! I wasn't even sure when I started why I just had to make this quilt but I needed something to do. And I was curious about this piece. I could almost see it in my mind's eye.

So a few days before the party I made the first tentative blocks.

Amazing how good it felt to pin these four squares up on the wall. Yes, this was the way to go.

A few more. These colors are so lush. I felt like I was doing something.

But would it work? I knew the idea involved motion and color going both ways. Let me try.

Interesting look. The next days I came in and made a few more rows. I do love how it is coming together, don't you? Still not sure exactly where it is going but it feels like a statement. A purpose. Come to the studio. Sew. Make progress. Relax. Center myself.  Go home and clean house. Shop. Confer with my DH who has been working even more tirelessly for this occasion--it is his family after all. His father. His loss. Deal with the issues that invariably arise.

The day came. Of course it poured. But the sun came out just as they played Taps. There was enough food. Pizza and polenta. Lots of ice cream--my FIL loved ice cream. So many absolutely wonderful people to meet. So many great stories to tell and retell. And I realized that maybe the reason I just had to make this quilt was because it too was about family. How interwoven it all is. Tales that weave in and out.

I am still not sure what the quilt will look like when it is done. So much work to still do on it--I find it hard to be patient as I piece one row--one strip at a time still hoping that it will all come together as I want it to. But maybe this is why I had to make this quilt at this time? Does this ever happen to you? Do you ever make a quilt to sustain yourself? Is this why I sew?

sewing it together

Isn't there a song about snowy days and Sundays? Well, I guess the song was written in California but I am sure you get the gist.  Time though to get some tasks done.

Now one of the tasks is to write again about how I join the blocks together. Sure, I have written about this before but it is some place in the depths of my blog posts--I have been doing this for several years after all. So for those who are not interested, well there is always some snow to shovel--and if you don't have any, I can offer you some . And of course, you can alter this method using your own methods. Why not?

 As you probably know I piece the quilt in blogs and pin it to the display board.

I take two blocks that I want to join and pin them right sides together.

And sew a seam.

 

Then I cover the seam with a binding.

Which I whip stitch in place.

Press the seam open and repeat.

 

And repeat and repeat. Turn up the music. Take a break. And repeat.....

See that wasn't hard, was it? Just a bit long and a bit tedious.  Oh well, isn't that part of making quilts?

Good luck. And do let me know if you come up with any other variations on this method. I know I am always hunting for an easier method.