Healing Stitches Quilt Exhibit...

Enjoy the Virtual Quilt Show

Courtesy of:

Permission 2 Play

"Living Well with Cancer and Healing Through Quilting Class"

Click Images to Enlarge:

Mixed Media Class

Emily Dashiell

Mixed Media Class

Kathy Haywood

Mixed Media Class

Jan Andrews-McKirdie

Melted Metallic Crayon Printing Class

Martha Baltram

Mixed Media Class

Virginia Gregory

Mixed Media Class

Nancy Bryant

Mixed Media Class

Mariah Paul Bryant

Melted Metallic Crayon Printing Class

Kathy Haywood

Mixed Media Class

Kathi Borrego

Shaving Cream Stenciling Class

Jan Andrews-McKirdie

Melted Metallic Crayon Printing Class

Kathy Haywood

Mixed Media Class

LuAnn Kessi

Melted Metallic Crayon Printing

Emily Dashiell

Melted Metallic Crayon Printing Class

Kathy Haywood

Couching Class

Martha Baltram

Mixed Media Class

LuAnn Kessi

Melted Metallic Crayon Class

Kathy Haywood

Jello Printing Class

Kathi Borrego

Mixed Media Class

Kathi Borrego

Melted Metallic Crayon Printing Class

Virginia Gregory

Mixed Media Class

Kathi Borrego

Mixed Media Class

LuAnn Kessi

Mixed Media Class

Kathi Borrego

Journal Quilts are Exhibited at the Good Samaritan Hospital and Corvallis Clinic in Corvallis, Oregon.

I have been asked "What is a Journal Quilt?" by so many of you.

Perhaps this will help...

A Journal Quilt is a small quilt that you create to document an event in your life, an emotion you are feeling, a time of the year, something you want to remember, a new technique you wish to explore, anything of your choice.

I have kept a written daily journal since 1991, so a textile journal quilt was a natural progression for me. I look forward to recording my thoughts and feelings in fabric and thread. I keep a book of “inspirations” with me at all times. You never know where inspiration will come from. When it strikes be ready with your book to record your thoughts, images, etc. If not, you will forget what inspired you and why. In the book I keep photos of quilts, color groups I like, quotes, magazine clippings, sketches, etc. From this book I draw my inspiration for my future projects.

There are many different ways to approach a journal quilt. One quilter, when creating her monthly journal quilt, will only allow herself to use the scraps she finds on her cutting room floor. Another quilter only uses colors that begin with letters in her name, or her first and last initials. Another quilter chooses a color she rarely works with, and pushes herself to use that color in her monthly journal quilt. And yet another quilter tries out a new technique each month: bead work embellishments, couching threads, dyeing fabric, photo transfer, free-motion machine quilting, etc.

* Challenging yourself once a month to create a journal quilt is something special and personal that you do for you. It is a chance to grow and express yourself.

* 8x10 inches up to 9x12 inches in size........some of mine are 18 x 24 inches if the quilt calls for a larger size.

* A textile version of a written journal

* Great way to try out a new technique on a small, manageable size quilt, rather than committing to a full size quilt project that may take months to complete, and you eventually find that you really don’t care for that method or technique, but you have committed to this project and feel burdened to complete it. There is no risk with a one day journal quilt project.

* A Journal Quilt is an excellent way to perfect your binding technique: 4 corners to bind, and a flawless finish to end the binding, and practicing your blind hem stitch on a very small scale.

* A very small and manageable size to practice your free-motion quilting, not a lot of bulk to try and fit under the throat area of your sewing machine. You can concentrate on your technique without having to worry about handling the weight and bulk of a large quilt.

* Satisfaction of completing a project from start to finish in a matter of hours. We all need that feeling of completion.

* An opportunity to create one of a kind quilts for yourself, your family & friends: Birthdays, Weddings, Anniversaries, Valentines, Mother’s Day.

* Start Simple: Make a few simple journal quilts. It will be a natural progression to make more involved and detailed quilts as you go along if you wish. Choose a simple background, then embellish it with your collection of buttons, threads, yarns, ribbons, charms, etc.

* If they are made small enough, they will fit into page protector sheets and can be stored in a notebook for easy keeping.

* They are a great way to use up all those tiny scraps you have been saving. I keep my scraps in a shoe box (well, several shoe boxes) I keep left over strips and strip units, little triangles, border edges that have been cut off of panel fabrics, etc. You can organize by color, by shape or size of scrap, etc. Sometimes just opening the shoe box and looking inside gives you the inspiration you need to create a one of a kind journal quilt.

* Journal quilts are small, manageable size, quick to put together from start to finish and a very do-able project. They give you a great deal of personal satisfaction as well as a feeling of completion.

Give one a try! Bet you can’t make just one!

LuAnn Kessi

2007

CLICK HERE to learn more about Permission 2 Play

CLICK HERE to view the Mixed Media Class

CLICK HERE to view the Melted Metallic Crayon Printing Class

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn