Tag Archives: Ann Loveless

Friday finish: my 1st art quilt

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Do you guys remember when I was inspired by Ann Loveless (art quilter)?

Last Saturday morning (when the kids were with grandparents) that inspiration led to this:

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Pretty cool, right?

It was really fun to try something completely different. Ann is writing a book about this method, so I think it would be wrong of me to do a full tutorial. But in short, you rough cut 1/2 inch squares and use interfacing to attach them to muslin. Then use more interfacing to attach the focal point (in this case, a fussy cut butterfly) and stitch over everything in the design of your choice. I’ll let you guys know when the book comes out!

This is the perfect use for those pretty strings that are maybe just a little too skinny for their own good.

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This is definitely something I’ll be trying again, perhaps with Anne and Adrianne’s Radiant Orchid challenge in mind.

On an almost entirely unrelated note, I came across the best tip on Pinterest the other day: Lynne from Lily’s Quilts has a quick tutorial on reinforcing a too-scant seam. I wanted to share that with you right away because it’s something I really wish I’d known when I was assembling my penny sampler! Then I wouldn’t be so afraid to wash it…

Linking up my first art quilt with Crazy Mom!

Inspired by Ann Loveless (art quilter)

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Have you guys heard of this amazing lady?

iphone + fluorescent lights = we looked way cuter in person

iphone + fluorescent lights = we looked way cuter in person

This is Ann Loveless, art quilter. She recently won a huge (HUGE) art contest in my home state (Michigan) called Art Prize. She won (wait for it…..) $200,000! (Let me translate that into a number you can better understand: that’s 20,000 yards of fabric ppl!) Isn’t that better than those absurd Etsy prices?

The amazing thing for the quilting community is that this wasn’t just a “quilt” contest. It was open to any kind of art. And a quilt won!!

Here’s the winning quilt:

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And for perspective on how huge it was:

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Now, since I’m fortunate enough to live near where Ann is from, I was invited by a friend (hi Nancy!) to attend the local quilt guild meeting to see Ann and her quilts in person. (Not the winning quilt, unfortunately, since Art Prize now owns it. I guess I’d part with my best quilt for $200,000 too!)

I’ll be honest, my first thought was, “Well, that’s not the kind of quilt I make. I’m not sure it’ll be relevant to me.”

Guys I was so wrong! Ann’s quilts were just beautiful and she was a really interesting and inspiring person.

I love traditional piecing, but she’s really got me thinking about some different techniques. She does this thing she calls the “confetti” method which involves fusing little squares onto muslin.

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(I think she’s writing a book about it! I’ll keep you posted.) I could really get excited about trying that with bright colors and a more abstract design. You could really impress your next mini-swap partner with that!

(I’m afraid this is going to take my scrap hoarding to a whole new level.)

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that it’s good to go outside your “quilt zone” and experience what other people are doing. There’s such variety in today’s quilt world, but the internet makes it tempting to surround ourselves with quilters who make quilts that look just like our own. To really grow and be excited and get new ideas we have to be willing to open our minds.

I can’t get this thought out of my head: Ann Loveless confetti method + Anna Maria Horner scraps…