Fun and Inspiration with Mary Ellen Hopkins

Back in the early 1980's I was a new quilter. My husband was watching the children while I spent a Saturday at a WQI meeting (Wis Quilters Inc.) At the time, the members had to bring their own lunch to eat between the morning lecture and the afternoon speaker.  This particular meeting, Mary Ellen Hopkins was the speaker for both time slots.  I had no idea what was in store for me that day.

Mary Ellen Hopkins

What a treat, she was a stand up comedienne/quilter.  This was the first day I was ever hit with a big idea, inspiration that kicked off my own colorful quilting career.  Mary Ellen was so funny, her entire talk was lots of fun.  She started to talk about finding a colorful splashy fabric that could be cut up into half squares; arrange the pieces and sew them back together! Just one fabric, not 5, 10 or 20! This is when the inspiration hit.

Only the day before I had been shopping in a local chain store and seen a red, blue and yellow print that I loved, but couldn't figure out what to do with it. You can guess what I did. The very next day, I drove to that store and purchased some of that fabric*.  I set the triangles in a black border and was absolutely thrilled with the result and ready to create another. This quilt led to another, and another, and you get the idea. 

Closeup of a similar quilt, using one fabric and sewing it together.

Mary Ellen has recently died.  She taught, lectured, and wrote books and articles that entertained and inspired quilters around the world.  I was one of them.  Thanks Mary Ellen.

Symphony of Color by Ann Fahl

*Ann no longer has the quilt that was inspired this day.  It was called "Fun with Triangles."  There is no photo of it, but it is in the collection of Wheaton Franciscan Hospital in Racine.  The fabric scraps, if there were any, were all cut up into triangles and used up! Some of Ann's more recent triangle pieces can be seen on her website. Half squares will always be an important part of her quilts.

Frozen Winter Projects

Usually after the holidays I find it difficult to begin a new project.  This year I had numerous things going at once.  Early January I flew from frozen Wisconsin to Florida to visit friends and relatives.

First I visited my cousin Janet who lives outside of Orlando.  We spent 3 days together. It was wonderful to be with her, and we could be outside in shorts and t-shirts!  So I made a tiny quilt for Janet and her husband.

Winona Winter 2013, quilted photo by Ann Fahl, © 10 x 8 inches

When one doesn't feel too creative it is a good idea to make something small.  So I chose one of my favorite photos of Winona Lake, IN; (Janet and I both love Winona) added two borders and quilted the photo for them.

Winona Winter 2013 detail

I love how the quilting accented the piles of ice along the sidewalk.  I used a variegated gray/brown for the dark areas and a solid light gray for the snow.

After my visit with Janet, I drove up to Amelia Island and visited my friend Sally. Sally was the designer for my book A Black and White Tale.  She was staying at a wonderful house right on the ocean. The view was absolutely amazing. Again, I was comfortable wearing shorts and t-shirts.  It gives you a great sense of freedom, not having to wear heavy winter coat, scarf and boots. Sally is always taking photos with her iphone. Following her lead, I took some too.  We had a short but adventuresome visit. We shopped, ate all our meals out, and even took a boat tour of the area.

Vacation With Sally, a quilted photo collage by Ann Fahl, ©12 x 10 inches

For Sally, I made a photo collage, using some of the pictures I had taken, and one that Sally took. One of the strong visual elements of the beach house was the stairway over the dunes.  You will see it on the right side.  On the left is a sliced up photo of an old shrimp boat that is still operating on Amelia. The dark diamond shape is a picture by Sally that was an image of a beautiful hosta-like plant that I was waiting to see bloom.  It bloomed after I flew home, so Sally sent me the photo. Behind the diamond is a look down the shoreline.  Above it all is a combo of sky-scapes that I layered on top of each other.

Detail of the diamond photo taken by Sally

This was great fun, experimenting with Photoshop and transparencies at many levels.  After it was printed on "Printed Treasures" fabric, I added a double border and quilted it.

Detail of the boardwalk and stairway

For the quilting of all the above pieces I begin with monofilament thread in the top and bobbin.  With feed dogs down and darning foot installed, I outline the basic structure of the quilt. Then I begin adding colored threads.  I have found that using the Bottom Line on the top is great on photos because it is a fine thread, and allows the photo details to be seen.

When heavier thread work is called for I use whatever I want! Both the above quilts have wool batting and are bound with bias binding.  Bias makes a finer, longer lasting edge that using strips of fabric cut across the grain!

By the time I completed both of these quilts, I was ready to begin something a little bigger.  This will be the subject of my next blog.

Hockey Garden part 4

To border or not to border that is the question............ I've been trying to answer this for the last week or so.  I've added a vine or two to the subject, just to add a little something more for the viewer to find.

Look closely under the helmet and purple coneflowers to see the beginning of a little vine growing out of the bag.

When I get stuck like this, and an answer doesn't come my way, then I feel it's time to take action.  A border will add focus to my crazy arrangement, so I know there will have to be one, even though it wasn't in my original plan. So rather than just sit and wait for inspiration to hit, I will play with the idea a bit first with fabric, then with photoshop.

I pulled out heaps of fabric to test for a possible border, I held up the black (a little too harsh)  and the blue (not strong enough..) Rather than cut strips of actual fabrics, I folded the large hunks of fabric into long narrow strips and pinned them on the design wall around the hockey piece.

Here is the piece with a black Photoshopped border.

I like the way the black pulls everything together, and makes the garden more of a focal point, not just a mass of stuff.  However I feel the solid black is a little too overpowering as a border.

Here is the piece with a blue Photoshopped border.

I like the blue better, but will it go in my son's apartment or office?  He has brown leather stuff. It still creates a strong focal point, without the harshness of the black.  So what to do?  I will have a diet Coke and slice of fresh lime and think about it.

Here is the actual border.

I found a wonderful denim-like cotton decorator fabric for the top portions, and used a mottled black fabric for the lower border.  It has an ever so slight masculine feel to it.  Voila!!!!  I've added a few more leaves, and pressed the hockey bag over the border and the leaves from the dandelions too.  I love it.  I can almost smell the scent of the gritty hockey equipment, but you will be spared that bit of realism.

Next week, I will begin the embroidery and applique.

Ann Fahl

TheQuiltShow.com Special Event

Ann, Alex Andersen, Ricky Tims on the day of the filming of Ann's episode.

International Quilt Day is just around the corner, and as a featured artist on a past episode of The Quilt Show, I wanted to let you know about a gift that Alex and Ricky have put together for quilters around the world.  

Beginning on Friday, March 15 through Sunday, March 17, everyone who signs on to The Quilt Show will have free access to over 140 of their internet shows, including my episode #111.  You can watch the shows, check out the tutorials, browse the gallery of over 19,900 member quilts, visit the forum for answers to the most burning quilt questions and lots, lots more. And if you missed my show, you can see it now. Filming this show before an audience was a very exciting experience!

There are prizes and all kinds of things happening that weekend for no charge.

So check in at www.thequiltshow.com on Friday, March 15, and enjoy the shows and exploring The Quilt Show website and all it has to offer!  And I’d love to have you view my show, episode #111.  All of my Oreo quilts will be there!

Ann Fahl