2015 FABRIC DESIGN BLOWOUT....

Here are some things we did this year with fabric dyes, soy wax, stamping with fabric paints, tub dyeing, batik method, ice parfait method, and using indigo dye bath.

FROM THIS......

TO THIS.....

AND THIS...



BATIK TABLE CLOTH

CHRISTMAS CRAFT SHOW.....2013 This is the current project right now. Getting ready for the show. This will be putting my new work area to the test.

CHRISTMAS TREE SKIRTS



SUPER LONG SCARVES



CHRISTMAS GIFT BAGS

CHRISTMAS POSTCARDS AND BABY QUILTS

DISH CLOTHS, VICTORIAN PINS, BABY QUILTS

GETTING ORGANIZED...

GETTING ORGANIZED...The first thing is the work area.  The room is half done and looking forward to changing the rest!  I just wanted to change the curtains to the winter coverage and  kept tripping over things and still not able to reach the windows...enough...thus began the project of change.  It is nice to have the room and tables.  The room space is a rectangle shape and currently only half of the room is presentable. It is time for change when your work space trips you from being productive!  The lighting is now great at night, the storage containers are no longer at my feet while I sew, and the cutting area/work space is now useable from both sides.  I can reach all windows for cleaning and moving geraniums to their summer place.  The winter drafts are now blocked with under the table storage. The true test will be working in the new space...more later.

BEFORE... TWO TABLES TOGETHER FOR CENTER SPACE

AFTER...TABLES IN U SHAPE



NOW THERE IS MORE SPACE TO MOVE AROUND!

 

 

JULY'S BLOCK MAKING MONTH...RESULTS

LET'S SEE THE BLOCKS...

CHRISTMAS SAMPLER BLOCKS



CHRISTMAS XBLOCK

CONNECTING CHRISTMAS STAR

WHACKED PINWHEEL

STRIPS ON A MUSLIN BASE (10"x12" pcs)

GIRLY FARM QUILT (pinwheels/xblock pinwheels)

 

PLAYING WITH LEFT OVERS...STRIPS AND WEDGES FROM THE XBLOCK TRIMS

CHRISTMAS STAR BLOCKS...FUTURE QUILT

A NICE BLOCK FIND..ALL OVER DESIGN

 

 

XBLOCK FUTURE QUILT

SAMPLER BLOCKS FOR A QUILT...THE RESULT OF THE MONTH LONG FOCUS FOR MAKING BLOCKS HAD SOME SURPRISES!

 I was thinking of making nothing but template cut-out type blocks and had things ready to go but

when it came to doing them I found myself using blocks that were cut or made such as the half triangle and 3" / 5" squares.  I ended up looking for blocks that had those type of pieces in them and that did speed things up.  My buckets of scraps did not deplete at all and I realized that the buckets need work to get things ready...like iron, sort by size/shape, and pre-cut the square sizes I use the most of along with strip cutting of different widths for all those wonderful string quilts to make.  The other thing that happened was the search for blocks lead to potential over-all quilt designs.

BLOCKS...BLOCKS...BLOCKS...ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT!

RMB COLLECTION OF PRINTS



A FUTURE QUILT...PHOTO INSPIRATION




200+ BLOCKS...FUTURE QUILTS IN THE MAKING! 

BLOCK TESTING TO SEE WHAT THEY WILL LOOK LIKE

 

 

MY SPACE IN THE SUMMER!

ALWAYS TAKE TIME TO LOOK AT TREES FROM UNDER THEIR CANOPY!  THIS IS A GREAT TIME OUT FROM ALL OF THAT SEWING AND BLOCKS...KIND OF CLEARS THE HEAD AND EYES!

THE STITCHING PILE...GREAT WAY TO MAKE THINGS MOVE RIGHT ALONG.

DIFFERENT FABRIC THEME...SAME BLOCK INSPIRATION ...FUTURE FULL SIZE QUILT

HAND STAMPED FABRIC...XBLOCK PATTERN...ADD EXISTING FABRICS...WA...LA...A QUILT TOP IN THE MAKING!

WHAT I HAVE BEEN USING...PRE-CUT 5" SQUARES...HALF TRIANGLES...3" SQUARES...WA...LA..

PRACTICE WITH CHRISTMAS FABRICS...HAS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO...GIVES YOU AN IDEA ABOUT HOW THINGS WILL LOOK ....WITHOUT A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT COLOR THEMES.  THE TWO CHRISTMAS BLOCKS SHOW WHAT I MEAN BY THIS COLOR CONFUSION...ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE WORKING WITH SCRAP PIECES...SO MUCH COLOR AND CHOICE...WHAT TO DO?  SO, I SAY...BREAK IT DOWN TO ONLY A FEW CHOICES AND GO FROM THERE.

VICTORIAN SUMMER

THIS IS THE CURRENT VICTORIAN PIECE BEING WORKED ON...SUMMER/OCEAN FOR A THEME IS BEING USED.

WORKING WITH TWO BLOCKS FOR EMBELLISHMENT

THIS IS THE NUMBERED LAYOUT WITH TWO BLOCKS SEWN TOGETHER

VICTORIAN FALL ...

HERE IS A LITTLE SOMETHING TO ENCOURAGE MEMORIES OF FALL IN NEW ENGLAND.

 This is using foundation piecing blocks...the ribbon work on the border is a method that I love to use now...very simple...basting lines with crewel thread ...then weave ribbon in an out of the basted line and bead work...WA...LA...This is also an anchor for the border edge....notice the pillow slip edge..:)
The fabrics came from my stash...upholstery books stash...and the border fabric was a left over from Rob's upholstery shop...nice stuff...like velvet...but not.

I like to use motifs that you can buy in the store and pile bead work on top of trim.  The fabrics I use also have potential bead work...I am always looking for that kind of thing...it helps with the embellishment process.  Fabric leaves are great...just can not say enough about them...looking at fabric flower petals as HUGE potential!!  As you work with this method of quilting...you get ideas to try...there are some great books out there and will post that later.  Embroidery stitches are also HUGE potential for bead work...buttons are too.  Buttons are great anchors and flower making potential.  The buttons you see are anchors for the 3 layers....muslin foundation, fabrics used, and backing.