Thursday, July 30, 2009

Busy, Busy, Busy....Quilting

Right now I'm very happy that my studio is in the daylight basement. It's so much cooler than the main floor of my house!

Sometimes I'm in a mode to work on one project from start to finish, and other times I love working in more of an assembly line mode, where I rotate around to the different jobs, while working on more than one project. When I can, I like to begin by doing all the rotary cutting, then preparing appliques (if the quilt has them, and I know which fabrics I will be using). The next step is piecing, building blocks or some kind of center panel (some of my quilts have a plain fabric panel for the center, so this step can be skipped), then move on to assembling the center panel, and adding any borders. Depending on the quilt, appliques may be added when I'm working on the blocks, or may be added after the whole quilt top is assembled, and on some quilts like my Fantasy Fish pattern have appliques being added on the center panel, and then more when the quilt top is finished - or placed and partially attached before borders, folded out of the way while the borders are being sewn, and then completed afterward. It all depends on the individual quilt that I am working on.

Just like assembly line piecing, working on multiple quilts seems faster when I batch some of the work - making tops, quilting finishing. Right now I'm working on quilting some tops. Since I can't show you the projects themselves, I thought I could get away with posting a few close-ups of the quilting....




Friday, July 24, 2009

Jammin with Scarlet progress

While I was in Sisters, for the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, I was able to take the Jammin with Scarlet class from Tonye Belinda Phillips, and this is my progress so far. I've decided to only make a much smaller quilt, with one block surrounded by a plain (or appliqued) border, and then the crazy log cabin blocks.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Blueberry Basket

When I was in Sisters, OR, for the Sisters Quilt Show, my new friend Cathy gave my roommates and I the materials, and taught us how to make this basket. It is my first real basket, and although I know it isn't perfect, it is beautiful to me, and I love it!


Now I know I took pictures of this basket, and thought I had posted it, but I noticed that there was not a label for baskets when I wrote my last post. Besides that, I couldn't even find the pictures I took (or thought I took), so my first basket, the Blueberry Basket, had a little photo shoot. Above is the basket with the fabric I was given to make a coordinating liner, and below are a couple more.






Business Card holder basket

Before I left Sisters, OR, my friend Cathy gave me a kit for a market basket, that I'm looking forward to making. However, it is a different style than she taught me, so I was scared of making mistakes, and thought it might be best to try a smaller project.

This basket is so small, it was sometimes more difficult than my first basket. I wasn't happy with the flat oval lashing reed, but did not want to use any from my other kit, so went with it anyway, although if I would have been making a larger basket, it would have been better to get different reed and toss this. All in all, I think it turned out ok, especially since it is only my second basket, first with only written directions from the kit, and my first woven bottomed basket.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Fabric Painting / Sun Printing

Yesterday was a very busy, but very fun day! A couple of friends came over to do some fabric painting and sun printing on my driveway, but since it was their first visit to my house, we spent more time than we should touring the house and studio, so painted less fabric than we could have. Originally, I had hoped to take pictures while we worked, but the day went by so fast no pictures were taken. Fortunately I still have the fabrics that I painted, so here they are:


I love the depth of color and sunprints on this one.



The ferns printed better on this one, but it doesn't have as much color going on as the first.


And this one is almost flourescent when you see it in person, but beautiful!

For something different, the burnt orange is just paint and a couple different types of salt.

And this pink one printed the texture in the drop cloth, driveway, and a few wrinkles, but coordinates with one of the others. Not bad for just wanting to use up leftover paint!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Chenille Vest finished!


I hope I'm not the only one who can be really close to finishing a project, and then not finish it for one reason or another. This vest is from a kit I purchased (at least several years ago), and was finished other than the closure. My original intention was to make frog with the same fabric that was used for the binding, but then it went in the UFO pile because I didn't think I wanted the tube to be made with the bias I had cut, and the scraps are ??? So it sat. As I was going through my button / closure box, I came across this fancy hook and eye set, and decided it would look good, so I put it with the project, and still it waited - other projects were ahead of it. Finally, last night was it's turn, the hook and eye was sewn on, as well as a hidden button for the other point, and it is now ready to wear!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

The Bali Bag that went astray....


I've been saving a magazine that had a bag shaped like this, only smaller. However, when I was in Sisters, OR for the Quilter's Affair classes and Sisters Quilt Show, I saw the Bali Bags pattern at the Stitchinpost, as well as the Bali Pops packages of 2-1/2" strips, and purchased them.

It started out looking just like the pattern, and I had a nice, flat bottom created, but when I started up the sides it was a different story. I know it's because I didn't hold the bag exactly upright, but by the time I had realized what I had done, there was no way I was going to rip, and besides, I like this shape - as a matter of fact, it resembles the one from the magazine, and will be put into use as soon as it is finished. I decided to use all 40 fabric strips, reserving about three to make the closure flap, that was made just like the bag bottom (only smaller, and maybe a bit longer - I didn't measure, just went by eye). It will have a vintage button that was also purchased on the trip, and I'm thinking about using a pair of brown leather handles from my stash, although I wish they were shoulder bag length. Now as soon as I get to the store to purchase some strong upolstery thread, I'll be able to sew the button and handles on (I'm thinking velcro will be going under the flap, and will have to make a decision when I get to the store).

Collage Journal Cover

One of the Quilter's Affair classes that I took was the Collaged Joural Cover with Kathy Shaker. It was a fun class, playing with paint and rubber stamps, then some machine stitching. When I returned home, I collaged the rubber stamped images on the cover, along with some of my hand dyed cheesecloth that just happened to coordinate, some beads, and an Artgirlz "create" charm.


While the cover fits, I think next time I will add 1/4 - 1/2" extra to the width of my fabric panel.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Too much fun in Sisters!

It was such a beautiful week in Sisters, OR! Cooler than normal, the weather was very comfortable. This year I was lucky to share a condo for the week before the show, so I was able to take some classes. Of course we kept busy, either in class, learning or teaching our roommates new skills, shopping, or just relaxing - although I don't think I took time for that - I was having too much fun!

This is the view we passed on our way to classes at the high school - isn't it beautiful!

It's so nice they close the roads so that you can wander back and forth across the road as the quilts catch your eye. I thought I would just post a couple pictures showing the buildings hung with quilts (if you know the maker of any, please let me know and I'll add the information to my post).


This is the side of the Stitchin Post, and as I understand it, the quilts have all been made by shop employees. It's great to see what they like to make, and it is quite different from year to year.


And here is our little group of roommates: Ellen, Cathy, Becky, Susan, and I'm on the right.



This is Tonye Belinda Phillips, author of Hand Appliqued Quilts, and teacher of the Jammin' with Scarlet class, which is a project from her book. The two day class was a lot of fun!
Projects later...



Sunday, July 05, 2009

Off to Sisters, OR

This year I'm lucky to go for a week of classes and the big outdoor quilt show. I'll be back next week, but may not post until then. Be patient, and I'll try to reward you with pictures.

2 more stamped quilts


I'm slowly finishing up the stamped quilts that I started for the lecture at the Block Party guild meeting. The golden one above is completely finished, while the one below will still get some embellishment (the quilts really are square, the pictures were just taken quickly, and hand-held, instead of using a tripod).




Thursday, July 02, 2009

Summer Classes added to schedule

I've just finished scheduling the following classes with Gathering Fabric in Woodinville, WA. Classes will be held at Fresh Air Farm, which is just up the hill from the quilt shop, but you will need to register at Gathering Fabric. I know for some of you this is short notice, so if you are interested, but aren't able to make it to class on these days, or are wishing for something else please email me.

Artistic Free Motion
July 22, 2009 from 10am-3pm (Wednesday)
Awesome Amulets
August 19, 2009 from 10am-3pm (Wednesday)
Adding Texture and Dimension / Details make the Difference
August 26, 2009 from 10am-3pm (Wednesday)

Stamped Flower - quilt finished!



This little quilt is made from some of my hand dyed fabrics that I have stamped with my hand carved rubber stamps. Carving stamps can be addicting, and when I get my tools out and start working it can be hard to stop. Lumiere metallic paints were used, although for some reason the stamps wanted to keep most of the metallic, so the effect is quite different that I would get if I was to paint the same colors onto the fabric. After quilting, I added a few beads to spice it up, and then finished with a traditional binding and sleeve.
I have a few more that are ready for binding and embellishing, and many more that are ready for the quilting stage, which I may take with me to work on next week to work on between classes in Sisters, OR