Saturday, March 23, 2013

Center Star, 2013

Center Star, 2013
The Center Star quilt is finally bound. I wanted something very specific for the binding: narrow, 1/4" pieced rather than the standard 1/2" single-fabric binding. I chose this finish because I felt it would enhance the irregular edge rather than eating it up, but I didn't trust myself to get it done right in time for the NW Quilters show in a few weeks. So, I worked with a professional, guild mate Sylvia Gray, who also does sleeves for my antique and vintage quilts. The long-arm quilting was done by Tomme Fent, also to my exact specifications.

This quilt was started last November during a Liberated Medallion workshop with Gwen Marston in Sisters. It was my first quilting class, and first sewing class since the 7th grade. We had fun, and several of us spent the rest of the weekend together in the retreat with Sue Spargo, which is where I started the "Wild-Eyed Susans" quilt. It's nice to have both done within a few months of starting them, and they will be displayed at the NW Quilters 39th Annual Show in April.

More experienced quiltmakers roll their eyes when I say I have a no-UFO policy, but I'm going to try to stick to my guns. There are things I experimented with, which I'll never finish, but I don't consider them UFOs since I don't intend to finish them. At this time I have just a couple UFOs, and I'm not starting anything new until I finish one of them. The one I'd like to finish next is called Oregon July and the goal is to have it ready in time for the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show this summer. It will be my eighth completed quilt.

next up: "Oregon July" in progress

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12 comments:

  1. woolywomanMarch 23, 2013 at 10:31 PM

    UFOs aren't really a bad thing. sometimes they need to marinate a bit, thats all

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    1. Bill VolckeningMarch 24, 2013 at 8:05 AM

      I don't disagree, although I feel like my perspective is a little different because of some of the formative creative experiences I've had. I do appreciate the need to let a project marinate, but very rarely do I experience that as a visual artist. More often, time management or financial considerations would be the primary reasons for a project to go on hold, and if those were the reasons, it would make no sense to start other projects. So, that's why I don't believe I'll ever have a lot of UFOs.

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  2. suzanneMarch 24, 2013 at 12:35 AM

    Your quilt somehow captures the energy of some of the best "primitive" pieces. If it was divorced from your identity and put on display in different contexts, it could be taken as African American in tradition or a very effective scrap piece made in humble circumstances whose power was achieved by accident. This is a good thing. Maybe you should keep taking these classes, they really seem to inspire you.

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    1. Bill VolckeningMarch 24, 2013 at 8:20 AM

      Thank you. Glad you like it. When you see it in person, it seems much more like what it really is- an art quilt and a tribute to quilt history.

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  3. Fabric FanaticMarch 24, 2013 at 5:36 AM

    The center star is stunning. Really beautiful in execution and design.

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    1. Bill VolckeningMarch 24, 2013 at 10:30 AM

      One of the things Gwen Marston showed me was improvisational style quilts could also be refined, resolved, and somewhat controlled technically. That's kind of what I was going for - being in control of the out-of-control-ness. :)

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  4. UnknownMarch 24, 2013 at 8:05 AM

    I absolutely LOVE the quilting on the Center Star. Perfectly chosen to really accentuate the elegantly simple design. Just beautiful.

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    1. Bill VolckeningMarch 24, 2013 at 10:45 AM

      I'm glad I decided to have it long-armed rather than trying to hand quilt it. I liked it, wanted to get it done, and didn't want to wreck it.

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  5. quiltcontemplation blogspotMarch 24, 2013 at 8:59 AM

    Its gorgeous-the piecing and the quilting!

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    1. Bill VolckeningMarch 24, 2013 at 10:47 AM

      The piecing was fun, and I was happy with how the quilting enhanced the design.

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  6. DawnMarch 24, 2013 at 10:17 PM

    Bill, let's touch base in about five years. I want to see how many UFOs you *might* have by then!

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    1. Bill VolckeningMarch 25, 2013 at 6:32 AM

      LOL, Dawn! But seriously, when you attend college at a place like RISD and are required to finish projects overnight all the time, the inclination to let something sit is really trained out of you.

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