Empty Spooling

November 24, 2012

A quilt instructor's holiday is when her job seems like a serene vacation. That's what my week at Empty Spools was like for me. Today I'm home in midtown Manhattan thinking about the week my so called work had my toes touching the Pacific. At Asilomar!
If these pictures look like 'camp' to you you're right. The Asilomar Conference Center had its start in 1912. It began as a YWCA facility designed by architect Julia Morgan in the Arts and Crafts style. The twelve structures of hers remaining at Asilomar are a National Historic Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. It's an extraordinary venue for Quiltmakers.

The sight of any quilt made at Empty Spools will always evoke memories of the stillness under the Asilomar pines and the exhilarating sounds of the waves breaking on the coast.
by Cheryl Malkowski
Friendships and Quilts, above and below are made 
by Celine Perkins
Anita's Quilt
When I last taught my Scrappy Pineapple techniques and quilt at Empty Spools the participants were either girlfriends, mother and daughter or sisters. The experience was wonderful for all of us. I teach this class only at seminars and retreats. Because its more than just a quilt.
Anita
If you've been to Empty Spools, please share your experience by commenting to this post. My girlfriends tried to tell me Asilomar was magical but I never imagined how remarkable my experience was to be.

Kaleidoscope Log Cabin for Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks

Friday, November 9, 2012
The newest collection of Quiltmaker's 100 blocks is available. It includes my contribution, the Kaleidoscope Log Cabin. I like that this Make it Simpler block creates it's own stripe sashing, hourglass posts on point, and bull's-eye log cabin centers.
My Kaleidoscope Log Cabin
Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks vol. 6 page 31
Participating 100 Blocks designers are linked on The Quiltmaker Blog
I based my block on an antique pieced wool quilt (below, on the table) in my collection. I stop in my tracks for any eccentric Log Cabin or Pineapple quilt. I brought the quilt to my classroom in New York's Riverbank State Park Cultural Center in 2007 with my first Kaleidoscope Log Cabin foundation block. I'd drafted it with Electric Quilt software. Blocks were sewn and colorful quilts began to appear from scraps.

I'm fond of those made of inconsistently sized patches in class quilts

The rendering below is an arrangement of square blocks

In my head I merged my block layout, above, with the distinct angularity of  Navajo blankets by re-working my Quiltmaker block into a rectangular 8:9 format. I chose that proportion, because it calls for 1½"  strips. That's a sensible size and besides, I'm always cutting 1½" strips for my next Self-Mitered Log Cabin
  
Above: A Navajo blanket 1863

8" wide x  9" tall rectangular blocks

Below are computer renderings of my Kaleidoscope Log Cabin composed of squares and below it, rectangles. In the real world I'd make it entirely scrappy without repeated blocks.


Square block layout


Rectangular block layout

For 100 fabulous new blocks I urge you to get a copy of Volume 6 for yourself. It includes 12" finished (12½" unfinished) Square Kaleidoscope Log Cabin.



You may download the variation, the Make it Simpler® Rectangular Kaleidoscope Log Cabin block pattern by clicking here 


For an opportunity to win a copy of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks, Volume 6, please comment by noon Monday, NYC time, telling me where in the world you live. If you don't see a "Post a Comment" link below, click on "Links to this post" 

11/12/2012
I was tempted to close my eyes and stick a pin into a map of the world for the giveaway winner;  Instead I relied upon Random.org  Kathy's number came up and I await her address. 

It's been a thrill for me to learn where the commenters reside. Thank you for sharing a bit of yourselves. My latest share is that I'll soon be heading to Denver to film some of my work for Craftsy I hope to 'see' you there.
Anita