Deana: Around the World Blog Hop

Your stop today on the "Around the World Blog Hop" is Cleveland, Utah.  It is a tiny little town of 500 and most Utahns have not even heard of it.   

Thank you Moira, from The Quilted Snail, for the invitation to participate.  I met Moira when she joined the 2011 DOD Mystery.   I have since learned that Moira loves to design and has effectively saved many orphan blocks of late as she has put them into finished projects.  Good girl Moira!

This blog was created by the Daughters of Dorinda for a mystery design project we did back in 2011.  For this project each member chose a theme for their own quilt.  Each member also submitted "rules".  Each month a new rule and technique were drawn and a size was determined.  Each person made a block for their own quilt of that size, rule, and technique.  We all had to be very creative as we designed our own quilts.  If you have any interest in reading the rules, they can be found at the links below:

Rules 1-5

Rules 6-10

Rules 11-15

Click the DOD mystery link to see all of the wonderful quilts and blog posts that were made from this project.

Now a new DOD mystery is underway with very different rules.    It is called Quilter's Garden and currently has 30 participants.  This blog is the home of that project.  I, Deana, am designing a row quilt this time and will release a new pattern for a new row each month.  We began this month, so it is still not too late to join in the fun.  Some members are making a row quilt, offered in two sizes, while others are just making a Quilter's Garden sampler.  The detailed rule list can be found here, but the main thing is you have to make at least one block a month to swap but you can make more.  To get the next month's pattern, you must post your swap block on or before the last day of the month.

Below is a photo of the blocks that have been submitted for the swap thus far.

As part of the "Around the World Blog Hop" I have been asked to answer some questions.

1.  What have I been working on? 

Let me refer you to my personal blog for that answer at this link.
As far as the Quilter's Garden group is concerned, we are all making cute little sewing machine blocks.  There are four machine patterns to choose from and participants can make and swap any one they desire.  I just cut out 4 more blocks today as shown below.

 The photo below is a sneak peak of strips cut for the next mystery in the Quilter's Garden ROW swap.

2- How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Versatility is my thing.  Some quilters favor applique or foundation piecing or whatever, but I just do it all and mix it all together.  I think the variety really keeps me entertained.  I hand quilt; machine quilt; hand embroidery; do curved, foundation, folded insert, and strip piecing; applique using a variety of methods, and anything else I can get my needle into.  I have played with fabric dyeing and painting as well as thread work/thread painting.  I am a jack of all trades and master of none.

3- Why do I write/create what I do?

Pure pleasure!  It just makes me happy. 

4- How does my writing/creative process work?

When I feel a surge of ideas coming on is when I start designing.  Sometimes fabric inspires me, but mostly I obtain inspiration from trying a new technique.  I love to learn any and all techniques and have learned that just watching or reading about it is not enough.  I always "try" it before I decide it is not for me.  There is something about experiencing a new technique, hands on, that helps me to accept it.  Once I learn something new, ideas begin to flow with what I can do with it in my own designs.

I love to design with a theme in mind.  Years ago I designed several Row quilts; I am now working to get the patterns PDF converted and available at Etsy and Craftsy.

To move the "Around the World Blog Hop" along, I have tagged Jan at QuiltWalkTalk, so go check her post out next Monday.  I have followed her blog for many years and love all of the wonderful photos she posts from guild finishes.  Following her blog is like visiting a new quilt show frequently.