Helle-May Designs Blog

Looking at this picture evokes all kinds of ideas - a superhero bug, an alien, etc.  Not sure exactly what my 11 year old was thinking when he was told to create a tracing design for a kaleidescope project in his 5th grade art class.  But now look at the finished result below and tell me he’s not the son of a quilter!

 Let’s see what influences his mom has on him: a square on point in the center, “patchwork” wings (with curved seams no less! - he really liked the Flip Flop Block concept - see previous post), corner elements that tie the “blocks” together, small flower elements in between.  The school district’s art program has some talented teachers that have resulted in some really neat artwork coming home - but this has to be my favorite!  This one is destined for framing and possibly a quilt design!  I love that my son thinks it’s cool that his mom is a quilter and love it even more that we get inspiration from each other!

Happy 4th!

Helle-May

This past Sunday my local guild hosted a workshop and lecture with Kathie Alyce of Plainfield, Vermont.  I was glad to have an opportunity to take a workshop and learn from someone, as opposed to working on my own projects for a change.  It was a nice change of pace and quite relaxing to learn and sew a new technique without having to do all of the brainwork myself.  And I have to tell you, Kathie has put quite a bit of brainwork into her technique so you don’t have to!  With stunning results!

Kathie developed her “Flip Flop Block”  concept almost 10 years ago after admiring many contemporary-looking art quilts at shows.  She started designing beautiful landscape quilts and just loves the look of gently curving seams.  She designed and sells a plastic template to easily cut out the “Flip Flop Block”.  But unlike so many other templates which generally make just a couple of different quilt designs, she has designed over 40 completely different looking quilts using just this one template!   So, as she would say, her Yankee practicality and ingenuity really shine through on this one!  The possibilities are endless!

The workshop was geared toward learning how to use the template on some of the more basic designs to create a placemat.  No big fabric commitment for this workshop - (there’s that Yankee practicality again!) - just fabric from your stash.  After I finished putting together my blocks for the placement, I decided to add a few more and make it into a table runner.  Here it is in the placemat stage and withoout borders.

Because our class was relatively small, Kathie also allowed us to try our hand at some the additional variations.  Of course, without knowing it, I picked what she deemed one of the most complex designs to try.  But after a brief demonstration of how to use the template to cut my pieces, it was really no more complex than the basic pattern.  Brilliant!  I won’t tell, if you don’t!  This design is called Stars in Motion.

In addition to individual patterns that use the Flip Flop Block, Kathie has also recently published a book with AQS which features even more patterns as well as instructions on how to add complimentary wavy borders.

Look for Kathie’s booth at most major quilt shows for a free demo or better yet, tell your guild’s program chair that it would great to host her for a workshop!   You can also check out her website  www.waterfallquilts.com  or watch her video on Quilter’s TV www.quilterstv.com/video/1356/kathie-alyces-eye-popping-flip-flop-template-quilts.html. 

Have fun with your Flip Flop Block!  (Makes you think of summer, too, doesn’t it!)

Helle-May 

I can’t believe it’s been more than a month since my last post.  Since mid April , life has been just crazy with activity in our household - and fortunately it has all been good! 

Well I guess summer has officially begun here in the northeast.  After a cool and very wet spring, we have been enjoying mid-summer temperatures now for a week.  Memorial Day weekend weather certainly provided a beautiful start to the summer season.  The boys and I even enjoyed the community pool for a short time each day - and you know the water had to be warm for me to get in!

What really prompted me to write this post, however, was an incident on Saturday at my local home improvement center.  Timing and weather were finally right go pick out some annual flowers to put in pots for color around the deck and house.  I picked out some hot pink Geraniums, some yellow Lantana and blue Lobelia and spiky Dracena for pots on the deck.  As I was trolling for more, a sales woman that was helping another customer, spied my cart and brought her customer over.  “Look,” she says, “how this lady has picked flowers with varying textures and colors that compliment each other.  These flowers make a great combination.”  As she thanked me for being an example, I had to smile to myself as I thought that gardening and quilting are really no different!  I had simply applied the same priciples I use to pick out fabrics for a quilt to pick out the flowers.  As  I was just about to leave, I overheard the sales woman remark about her customer’s improved selection. 

I have had many people remark about the interesting color combinations and prints that I use in my quilts.   Although I really love looking at beautiful flowers and plants, I don’t really consider myself a gardener.  I know that many quilters are,  yet so many quilters find it difficult to put colors/fabrics together for a quilt, hence the popularity of kits. Finding just the right combination is half the fun of quilting and  I think nature is one of the best sources of inspiration for what works!  Next time you find yourself lacking inspiration, take a walk outside, visit your local garden center or park and see what mother nature has put together!  You’ll be ready to head to the nearest quilt shop! 

Helle-May

P.S. Another beautiful combination that I can not take credit for was the hanging baskets I found of a combination of Large Lilac Superbena, Royal Velvet Supertunia, with just a splash of Yellow Superbells.  (The names are all Proven Winners trademarks).   I don’t really have a place for hanging baskets, but found that placed on the right sized pedestal type urn  - they are even more dramatic!

There’s still time to sign up for Saturday’s QUILTapestry:  Orphan Block Rescue Workshop at Fabric Inspirations in Englishtown, NJ.  732-792-0083

In addition to to the Pumpkin QUILTapestry I made earlier, here are two new samples I made up for the class.

My favorite is “The King and Me.”

I won these colorful and gold highlighted batik fabric fat quarters at a silent auction.  Disclaimer:  I did not start with an orphan block.  I made this block specifically for this project.   I thought Prairie Points would add a neat finish to the bottom.  It’s so easy to apply Prairie Points when you don’t have a binding to worry about!!!  I used the Prairie Pointer Tool by Susan Cleveland that I bought last spring (see my blog entry: Prairie-Point-Party)  Then I had fun experimenting with my machine’s decorative stitches and gold thread.  The QUILTapestry is hanging on a really neat hanger that I picked up at the AQS Lancaster show from a vendor called Hidden Talents but they’re made by Ackfeld Wire (www.Ackfeldwire.com).  It’s perfect for these mini quilts!  They have so many shapes and styles, I could have bought a dozen!

This next one:  “All Weather Friend” is an orphan block leftover from a block exchange which I paired with fabrics from my stash.  The other blocks were made up into a wonderful bed quilt “All Weather Friends” and is my memory quilt from the first quilt guild I belonged to in Plainfield, Illinois - Pride of the Prairie Quilters.   Perhaps someone will recognize their block!

In this case, I chose to piece the top border which also serves as the rod pocket and echoed it in the bottom border.  The block was originally 12″ square and so with the borders also fits beautifully on the wire hanger which has a 16″ clearance.

The QUILTapestry technique is a great way to use up those orphan blocks, try something new and have a finished project in an afternoon.  Making one and adding the wire hanger would even make a great gift!

Helle-May

P.S.  Please contact me if your guild would be interested in hosting this workshop!

Remember that quilt project I started with my son’s second grade class at the end of January?  (Happy New Year January 26, 2011 ) Well,  I finished it and the kids gave it to their teacher as their group present for her “Baby Sprinkle” in school on Tuesday.  What’s a Baby Sprinkle?  Evidently it’s the new term for a baby shower for a mom who already has a child.  Just a “sprinkle” of gifts for the new baby instead of a shower of gifts for the mom who is starting from scratch.

On one hand, the kids were so excited to have the party and present the quilt!   On the other, some were sad that she would be leaving for the remainder of the school year.  There were so many hugs, I was worried that the kids might accidentally pop the baby out!  I wish I could post a picture of the entire class, but without each parent’s permission, I didn’t want to take a chance.  So here is Mrs. Hale with her new quilt!

Each child designed their own block.  My only request was that each block have at least one square of the light colored fabric with the animal names.  Much to my surprise, the children took it upon themselves to increase their color selection by also using the backs of the fabric squares.  They placed the fabric squares on a griddded piece of paper which I had spread with a Elmer’s Repositionable Glue stick.  This allowed me to easily take the blocks home to sew together exactly as they had been designed.  Each block was completely unique.

I then quilted their signature in each block.

Knowing that the children would want to touch and love the quilt, I took the quilt home after the party and washed it one more time before bringing it back for mother and baby to enjoy!

Helle-May

I am so excited to tell you about some new classes that I will be teaching at a great little quilt shop in Englishtown, NJ.  The store is called Fabric Inspirations  (732) 792-0083 and when you walk into the store you’ll understand that the name truly fits!  As I’ve told Linda Eaves, the store’s owner, if I had the opportunity to stock a store with fabric, it would probably look just like hers!  The store is not big, but every square inch is filled with lots of color and quilting inspiration!

Now for more on the classes! 

On April 1st and 8th, I will be teaching a 2-part class:  Electric Quilt for Beginners.  The class is intended for two groups of quilters:

Group 1: Those of you who bought either Electric Quilt 6 or 7 and it’s still sitting in the box or untouched on your laptop.

Group 2: Those of you who are curious, but don’t know whether or not you’re ready to make the jump.  For this group, we can install a 14 day free trial copy onto your laptop (please call to make sure you have the right computer requirements).  This way you can take the class and see for yourself.  If you have enough interest to get this far, I’d be willing to bet that you won’t be able to resist once you find out how easy it is to design the quilt you’ve been wanting to make!

On April 16, I will be teaching an all day class:  QUILTapestry: Orphan Block Rescue

This class is for those of you curious about my technique for finishing a wall quilt without a binding.  We will “rescue” one of your 12″ orphan blocks and turn it into a mini wall quilt while learning my technique.  It’s fun and fast and you’ll have something finished to bring home!

Here’s an example of a block I rescued!

Contact the store for more information or to just sign-up!

See you in class!

Helle-May

If this cover isn’t eye candy, I don’t know what is!!!  This is my friend, Linda’s, new book out from AQS.  You can order your very own autographed copy (with free shipping!) from Linda’s website  www.froghollowdesigns.com  or pick one up from your local quilt shop. 

Linda has developed a technique to make those New York Beauty blocks nearly fool proof!   She shows you exactly how to do it with step by step directions and photographs.   

21 stunning quilts, all made with the same technique, yet all completely different looking.  Then she even gives you directions on how to use up the leftover scraps to make mini quilts.  You know how much “The Fabric Minimalist” (me) loves that idea!!!   And if that weren’t enough, there’s a gallery of another 18 quilts from which to draw inspiration! 

All of the quilts were quilted by either Linda or her talented daughter, Sarah.  They have compiled all of the quilting designs into a companion book, Dynamic Designs, also available from Linda’s website www.froghollowdesigns.com or www.QuiltWoman.com

Linda will be demonstrating her technique at the upcoming AQS Lancaster, PA show and teaching classes at the AQS Paducah, KY show, as well as Quilt Odyssey in Hershey, PA.  Check out her full schedule at www.FrogHollowDesigns.com

Just be forewarned…these quilts are addictive!

Helle-May

Ok - I know I’m a little late for that, but better late than never!  I sincerely wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year for 2011!

What a January we’ve been having! Snowstorm after snowstorm!  After several days of the weathermen not being able to figure out what we were gonna get this time - rain, mix or snow or when we were gonna get it, mother nature decided she was gonna give us snow - earlier and more than originally expected.  What a mess of a school day it has been!  Buses barely made it for pick up and by the time they reached the schools, they decided to make it an early dismissal day.  I feel most sorry for the bus drivers!  We’ve already had 3 snow days and added 3 days to the end of the school calendar and the winter is far from over!

I was going to go to school today to do a quilt project with my son’s 2nd grade class, but that is re-scheduled for now.  They just finished a unit in social studies on “Colonial Days”, they are working on shapes in math and the teacher is having a baby boy later this spring.  So…. what better time than to have the kids learn about quilts and help to make one.  The classroom is decorated with a jungle animal theme andI found this great juvenile jungle fabric for the backing and borders, a coordinating print with the names of all of the animals and some color coordinates. 

I cut the color coordinates and name print into 2 1/2″ squares and drew 16-patch grids (with 2 1/2″ squares) on 11″ x 17″ paper for each child.  I also experimented and found that the Elmer’s Craft Bond Repositionable Glue Sticks worked well to hold the fabric squares to the paper long enough for me get the papers home and sew the blocks together.  It doesn’t seem to leave a residue on and fabric came off easily.  So the children will design their own quilt blocks that I will later sew into a quilt for their teacher as a gift from the class for her new baby.

So the plan was to bring in a few quilts to show the kids, show them a book I found with pictures of a colonial quilting bee and traditional quilts, design the blocks and time permitting read them The Quiltmaker’s Journey by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail De Marcken, a story about the gift of giving and the meaning of true happiness.  We will have to re-schedule, but I am still looking forward to it.  I have done a school quilt project every year the boys have been in school and I never cease  to be amazed at how much the children enjoy it, both boys and girls.  I will post a picture of the completed quilt when it’s done.

I have a few hours before the kids get home, so I think I’ll clean up the sewing studio a bit and get ready for the next project!

Happy Winter!

Helle-May

It’s the time of year when we reflect on the past year, remembering all the people who have touched our lives, counting our blessings and looking with hope that the new year will bring continued good health and good fortune.  

With all that’s happened this year, it’s hard to believe this was only the second year of Helle-May Designs!  I can’t even imagine what next year might hold in store!  I am hopefull that I will have the opportunity to present more trunk shows and to do some teaching. 

At the end of the year, I was elected as Vice President of my guild, the Courthouse Quilters.  This position is responsible for the monthly speakers and workshops.  This is in addition to my role as co-chair of the 2012 Quilt Show.  So that’ll keep me busy!  I do enjoy positions like these. I have found it’s the best way to really get to know the members of the guild and truly feel a part of the organization.  I encourage everyone who is involved in a quilt guild (or any other type of organization, for that matter) to raise your hand and take a leadership position.  It’s usually not that hard and it truly is rewarding.

We attended 2 family weddings (here and in Estonia) and one very significant birthday party in 2010.  In addition to 2 more family weddings in 2011, my younger son will make his first Communion, my older son will be Crossing Over to Boy Scouts, and a few of my cousins from Estonia have promised to visit this summer. 

So… I don’t think there will be a whole lot of down time in 2011.  The only thing I put on my list to Santa this year was “Time.”  Let’s hope  he comes through with that one!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, and a very happy and healthy New Year!

Helle-May 

Back in May, my mother-in-law started planning a birthday party for her mother-in-law’s 90^th birthday(my husband’s grandmother).  A friend of hers had told her about their family tradition, where for significant birthdays, they made a poster with quotes equivalent o the number of birthday years that was being celebrated.  My mother-in-law wanted to adapt the idea and solicit 90 ideas from all of the family members as to what each loved about Mom, Grandmom, Mom Mom.   Having recently attended a lecture by Cheryl Lynch, who has made beautiful tribute quilts for special occasions, I immediately exclaimed, “I could make that into a quilt!”  Grandmom’s quilt was born!

Let me interject here that Grandmom is one amazing woman.  She is 90 years young and still very full of life.  After her husband died two years ago, she moved into an independent living residence and is now more active than even before (if that’s possible!)  She swims or exercises every day, plays bridge several times a week, volunteers with several church related organizations, including an adult literacy class and loves to socialize.  She has to check her calendar when you want to visit!  Her wit and sense of humor are as sharp as ever!

Over the summer, we collected 90 quotes and combed through family photos that would be representative of Grandmom’s life.  In May, I had acquired my EQ7 upgrade with its new photo capabilities and new grid feature on the custom quilt layout screen.  These new features would prove invaluable in designing this quilt! 

I used MS Publisher to turn all of the quotes into standardized text boxes and printed them all out onto EQ Printables Premium Cotton Lawn Inkjet Fabric Sheets.  Wanting the quilt to have a random feel, the grid feature on the  Custom Layout screen allowed me to to easily arrange (and rearrange) the text boxes (inserted as plain blocks) and photos.  It was wonderful to be able to import the photos into EQ7 and adjust their sizes to make everything fit.  I also printed the photos onto the Printable Sheets, once I was certain of the sizes. 

After many iterations, I was finally satisfied with the layout and began to sew everything together using the Custom Layout as a guide to cutting out the fabric pieces in between the text boxes and photos.  Because of the randomness, I worked on one section at a time, creating segments that were roughly 8” x 12”.  Each section was sewn together with one of a handful of gold fabrics that I had selected to blend together.  Of course, because the text boxes and photos were all different sizes, the sections ended up being irregular shaped pieces.  It created what I called a giant Chinese jigsaw puzzle with lots of partial and inset seams. What was I thinking when I thought this layout would be a good idea!  When the last two pieces came together perfectly, I breathed a huge sigh of relief!   The finished quilt measures approx. 41” square.

Once the quilt was done, I created a label similar to the heart in the center, telling Grandmom that although there were countless reasons why we loved her, we wanted to share 90 of them with her and then listed all of the contributors to the quilt.  Realizing that the label would be hidden behind the quilt when it was hanging in her home, at the last minute I ran to the store and bought an 8’’ x 10” frame and framed the label instead of sewing it to the back!  I did however sew a label on the back with the quilt’s complete provenance.  I am also planning to attach a separate label that identifies all of the people in the pictures so that future generations will know who everyone is.

This past Saturday was the big birthday party at my mother-in-law’s house.  With all of her children(4), grandchildren (8) great-grandchildren(2) and respective spouses and significant others present, we first gave her the wrapped frame to open.  The tears started to flow and this wasn’t even the real present!  Next came the quilt and a request for more tissues!  After Grandmom had time to digest it all, we temporarily hung the quilt for all to see.  Since the family members had only seen their own contributions, much of the night was spent with everyone taking a turn to read “90 Things We Love about Peg, Mom, Grandmom, Mom Mom!”  

Love you, Grandmom!  Helle-May