Helle-May Designs Blog

It’s a new year and a great time to start a new quilt
project! Check out my patterns at www.HelleMayDesigns.com!

Check out the newest dowloadable pattern from Helle-May
Designs at www.ConnectingThreads.com!

I’m so excited to announce that Part 2 of the instructions
for my Wild Daisy quilt are now published in the January 2012
edition of American Quilter Magazine! Part 1 appeared in the
November/December issue. Wild Daisy is a 2-block, partially
paper-pieced twin sized quilt. It was inspired by my earlier
quilt, Driftwood, but with a lot more energy!

I still have a few pictures and words to add, but it’s
finally done! Have a look around! www.HelleMayDesigns.com

Don’t be alarmed if you don’t see my website.  When it reappears it will be new and improved!  Hopefully by tomorrow!

Still working out the bugs

I know I’ve been teasing for a while - but really - it’s just
about done! Hold on just a little while longer!

 I can finally tell you about the surprise!  I am so excited!  My newest quilt, “Wild Daisy” will appear in the November issue of American Quilter Magazine!  The article is actually the first of a 2-part series, the second of which will appear in the January issue!  See this link for a preview!   http://www.quiltviews.com/new-series-quilt-debuts-in-the-november-2011-issue-of-aq

The November issue should be available by the beginning of October.  If you are an American Quilter Association member, you will receive your copy in the mail, if not, rush to your nearest newsstand before I buy all the copies!

It all started when Chris Brown, editor of American Quilter Magazine spotted Driftwood  in the Lancaster AQS show back in March 2010.

While I was at the show, she contacted me, eager to publish it in the magazine.  Unfortunately, I had already published the pattern and so, no go. Magazines always like to be the first kid on the block to publish something!

So we talked and agreed that Driftwood would get a more colorful cousin with slightly different DNA.  And so the design for Wild Daisy was born!   She is quite bright in person, but the overall design and coloration kind of reminds me of a Persian rug.  Does anyone else see that or is it just me?

While I was busy preparing for our not so welcome visitor, Irene, Wild Daisy was evidently even a contender in a reader poll for the cover of the magazine.  However, being that she’s appearing in a November issue she lost out to a much more subdued, but beautiful winter pictorial quilt!  That’s OK - I’m thrilled that she was even considered!

Don’t be afraid to show that quilt!  You never know who might be looking!
Helle-May

I can’t believe my last post was in July!  August is just a blur!  On July 30th, we picked up my son from his first ever week of sleep away boy scout camp…later that same day, my sister-in-law got married .  It was a beautiful wedding on a picture perfect day… we took the boys to Hershey Park for a long weekend…

…my son  played football for a week and a half (although it was just conditioning for 3 hours every night - it threw the entire household into upheaval for that time period as it was much more work than he ever expected) … I taught a 2-part Electric Quilt for Beginners class and a QUILTapestry class at Fabric Inspirations in Englishtown, NJ… and then there were the preparations, clean-up and repairs for Irene AND then Lee!  Oh yes, and the boys started school with all of its related craziness!  There was more, but that gives you the highlights.  Having written all that now I really remember why I don’t remember the last month!

So now it’s the middle of September and life is finally settling down and getting back to somewhat of a normal routine and I am trying to get back to quilting.  I had a good jumpstart this past weekend.  As program chair for my guild, I was responsible for organizing all of the activities around our guest speaker on Sunday, Karen Kay Buckley.  I have long admired her work and was happy for the opportunity to learn from the master! 

We had chosen her full day workshop, Garden Medley, to learn her secrets to beautiful hand applique. This was the second applique class I have taken, the first with Becky Goldsmith.  Although piecing is my forte, I continue to want to give applique a try for all the design possibilities it opens!  I have made one applique quilt in my life for a guild challenge, Ring Around the Rosie, back in 2006.  No one guessed it was mine! 

I even won a 2nd place ribbon for it.  But truth be told, although I intended for it to be completely hand applique - as the deadline loomed - I had to quickly learn how to machine applique in order to finish on time.  Ironically, the techniques I used were very similar to what we learned with Karen - but I certainly picked up quite a few more important tips.  I can’t remember now whether or not I had possibly seen her on Alex Anderson’s show or read an article somewhere.  In any event I am inspired to give it another try with some Estonian-influenced design ideas that just don’t lend themselves to piecing!

In any event, Karen was a great teacher.  She is very organized and has lots of great information to share.  I love that prior to recommending any tool or product, she thoroughly tests it herself to make sure it works.  It’s also always great to hear that someone else recommends the tools you already use!  I felt good about that!

Karen is famous for her Perfect Circles die cut templates (and yes - 25 of us made perfect applique circles that day!) and she has designed and sells 2 pairs of scissors with micro-serrated edges that cut fabric better than any other scissor.  The blades glide through the fabric and don’t push on the fabric, creating a cleaner cut and reducing fraying

Of course the quilts she brought were stunning.  I love hearing the stories and inspiration behind each quilt.  So even though I had seen some of them before, it was just that much more interesting to hear about them from their maker!

Now that I am inspired, I need to get to work!  I have a new quilt/pattern in the final stages and a few surprises that will be coming along shortly!  Stay tuned…

Happy Quilting!

Helle-May

Did you miss the opportunity to take my QUILTapestry Workshop in the spring?  Good news! I will be teaching at Fabric Inspirations in Englishtown, NJ again next month!  I will be teaching a one day class (August 17) on the QUILTApestry technique as well as a 2-part class (August 16 & 23) on Electric Quilt Design Software. 

I developed the QUILTapestry technique as a way to finish a quilt when a binding is either unnecessary or unwanted, such as for a wall quilt.  The top border does double duty as the rod pocket!  I teach the technique by having my students bring a leftover block from another class or project, add some borders to it and then finish it with the technique to create a mini wall quilt.  Everyone should go home with a finished project!  No two alike! Here is one example:     

For more examples, please see my previous post QUILTapestry Class.  Pick a holiday themed block and you’re on your way to getting some quick Christmas gifts finished!

The second class I will be teaching is a beginners class for Electric Quilt Design Software.  This class is suitable for anyone who owns either version 6 or 7 or is possibly interested in owning the software.    Have you purchased the software, but are intimidated as just where to begin - this is the class for you!  For those of you still pondering the decision, I can install a free trial version that will be valid for about 2 weeks.  The class will be split into 2 3-hour sessions, a week apart, so that you can digest what you have learned! 

Check with the store for more information:  http://www.fabric-inspirations.com/   or call 732-792-0083.

See you in class!