new experiment

Here is the first of experiments with crayon, color pencil, ink designs. After the leaves were completed, I then mixed some pigment ink and spritzed the background of the block plus the leaves.
I kind of like effect, however the next time I do this I will put paper over the designs and only spritz the background fabric. I think it was OK because the design was leaves so just looks like leaf spots, wouldn't work on anything else though.

Long time since last post

Whew, what can I say, the last month has been a blur. It started out with the Hancock Fabric retreat in September. Was a very fun weekend with lots accomplished. This was at Ashland at Camp Carol Joy Holling.

Accommodations have been remodeled so the rooms are a lot nicer than before, new beds too, which was good. We worked on a kaleidoscope quilt (which I do not have all the blocks done yet) Will show it when I get them done.
The first week of Oct was Threads across Nebraska in Grand Island. Spent two days helping at that. It was a good show with previous state fair winners being featured. Visited with lots of old friends.
The next week was DesMoines AQS show. We spent 4 days at the show. Plus hit some shops on the way to the show. Not sure that was a good thing, as there were lots of really neat "stuff" in the shops. I wasn't to bad though as I was hoping to find lots of new things at the vendors. The convention center in Des Moines was really nice. Plus it was only a block from our motel, so we didn't have to drive to the events. weather was great too.
This last week was our Calico Quilt Club retreat at Camp Moses Merrill by Linwood, NE. Its a beautiful spot. Way up on the bluffs overlooding the Platte River valley. WOW what a view. Lots of wild life around. Deer and turkeys are thick. We also took in the Fremont Quilt Guild show and stopped by Sarah Dillows estate sale. All in all a very fun weekend.
Now for a few pictures. Thought those would come up after the printing--oh well. The first picture is of the throw size quilt (no border yet) that I made from the jelly roll batik strips I won at the Hancock retreat. The on point is a block that I worked on while selling tickets at Threads. Did that as a demo while selling tickets. The third is the progressive I am doing with Shriley from Vegas. The last two are taken from our 7th floor window, across the Des Moines river into Des Moines. The domed building is the court house (capital building?) not sure which. One was in the morning and the other at night. Thought the lights were neat.
Between all that I was peeling pears!!!!! The tree had around 30 bushel on this year, so between putting them in the freezer and trying to give them away, it took a lot of my time. Hope to get back to more regular posts now. Enjoy

Lists

This is my September Take it Further quiltlet. I happened to have lots of lists getting ready for a retreat this coming week. So there is to do lists, grocery lists packing lists, kitty lists etc.
I have the names of the lists quilted in the borders. Was a fun little project, I laid the lists on the scanner bed then laid a piece of batik behind them. Printed them onto fabric, bordered and then quilted.
Now to actually go and DO some of these lists.

new weaving

Hey how about that? Actually did another of the small weavings. This time I cut 1" strips instead of the inch and a half. Left the edges wider and trimmed after I did the weaving. I think I like this better. Or maybe its just because this is only 12" square that I like it better. I used silver glitter pen on the veins in the leaf. Its a sycamore leaf I begged from a neighbor. Leaves are just gorgeous, I picked and dried them. Next I want to try printing with the dried leaf. May or may not work. grin.
PS Do not do as I did--grabbed the wrong fusible and cut the strips with the "non sewable" fusible web. So this will not get any more quilting. Had planned to do the veins in silver metallic, but had to go to plan B when I realized I used the no sew fusible. grrrrr!

Balance

My newest challenge piece. Theme was "balance". I thought of the balance beam in gymnastics. The background is done by weaving two fabrics together. the strips were cut at random in a wavy pattern. then woven into the background piece.
Plan to do more pieces using the woven background technique. I like the way it worked out.
Now on to the Sept challenge --lists--now there is a concept I should be able to come up with as I do have lists of things to do, grocery lists, bills lists, book lists, etc. stay tuned!

Finally

Whew, hadn't realized it was so long since my last post. Life got in the way last month, but hopefully I am back on track again. The last two blocks on the personal progressive are here, bees and birdhouse. only problem is on Wed the new theme comes out. Sigh, may never catch up.
Its getting really chilly in the mornings now, down to about 45 degrees. Really early for this chilly. birds are flocking and monarch butterflies migrated through really early.
Garden is done and just pear tree is left for preserving. Hope it doesn't freeze before they finish ripening. Will try to be back sooner this time.

Calla Lilies

The lily block is my "half way mark" I just realized I am about half way through this project. These are painted lilies and I need to thread paint them to finish. So half way through the project. this was my class at state. It was taught by Annette Kennedy from Colorado. Thanks Annette for a wonderful class. I enjoyed every minute of it and it gave me a new skill to use on applique quilts.
The basket of flowers was my auction piece for the state guild meeting this last week. It sold for $60 to the lady who was my class assistant. Thanks Gaye for purchasing my quilt.

Done

Another thing off my list. My drawing block for state meeting. as you can see it has been inspected and approved by my four legged "quilt inspector" Patches approves. ha.

New piece

I bought the fabrics for this piece at Vivians sale. I made dimensional petals, glued them onto the heart wreath then added a dab of jewel glue to the centers of the flowers and poured beads into the glue. Let it dry and now I have a cute dimensional piece. The background was quilted in tiny heart shapes before the flowers were glued on. what fun!

Another purchase

bought this at Vivians "quilters garage sale" also. I have always thought this was really a neat piece too. Besides I now have two things for keepsakes now.

Its working!!

I bought this small quilt from my dear friend Vivian. She is moving to Minnesota and was downsizing her "stash" and "stuff". I always thought this was the cutest little quilt. with the sunbonnet girls in "stripes".

Checked

Looks like blogger is having a problem with photos so will try again later.

Painted Batting

I just finished this little fun piece. It is done with painted cotton batting. I cut some squares of batting, painted them with diluted setacolor paint. Let it dry overnight, then cut into smaller squares. Stitched the center squares over the larger squares, then did some zig zag stitches to join the batting squares together.
I then quilted the circles on top of the joinings and around the edges. Added beads to the center block.
Layered with a backing and a batting and stitched around the outside edges, turned and it was done.
I can see some possibilities of adding the painted batting into landscapes and putting dimension on some pieces in the future.

Play day

I spent the afternoon playing. This mornings mail brought the season 2 of Quilting Arts programs. WOW. I have so many new things to try I can't believe it. This is a small piece I did using some of the techniques on the programs. I quilted a free form feather on a deep green fabric. Light green on back. First photo is the back and pretty well shows the feather design. Photo 2 shows the front where I did the quilting, then took copper metallic paint and with a brayer, rolled the metallic over the quilted surface. The photo really doesn't show the effect very well but the close up kind of shows what happened when the copper was rolled over the quilting.
For the edge I did zig zag over the raw edge. Then stitched a fuzzy yarn over the zig zag. I really like the effect that has.
The free form feathers was my first attempt at using a new method of making feathers.
There are several other techniques I want to try sometime soon.

4th!!

Happy Fourth of July!!! Lots of firecrackers going off around here today. Poor kitties just go and hide all day. They will come out once all the kids go to bed. ha.
Didn't get to stitch anything fun today. Did sew a pair of curtains for DS#2 's garage window today. Doesn't that sound exciting? But he wanted something to cover the window so no one could look in. Less temptation that way.
Quilt show registrations are due on Tuesday so will have to get that done. may get some more stitching done this next week as it is to get hot. Hasn't been hot yet this year, only ran the air about 3 times so far. Usually we turn it on in May and do not turn it off until fall.
Pictures when I get something accomplished.

Personal progressive

Yea I am caught up. PP for May was "bird" so did a thread painted bird. PP for June was tree. The tree is fused trunk and leaves, then leaves are thread painted over the top of the fused greenery.
I do believe this catches me up with my challenges etc. And even some days to spare before the next challenges come out.

TIF June

Finding fabric to match the color bar was the hardest thing about this month's challenge. Three road trips to find the colors.

Word Challenges

The first word was "signs" so I found a Burma Shave sign and printed it onto fabric and framed it.
The second is "invisible" so it is called invisible ancestors. The foreground heads are under one layer of net with thread painting for the lace around the necks of the ladies. The "ancestors " are tone on tone in the background and have 3 layers of net over them. Now only one more challenge to go this month and it is in progress. Was fun projects though.

Fund raising quilt block

Finished the stitching on the last fund raiser quilt block that I have. I think we have them all stitched now. Only border left before we assemble the quilt top and get it quilted. Whew, will make the December deadline for having it completed.
Now to finish last months chooseday challenge. Its ready to stitch, but just haven't had time to do it. Next months word is invisible, have an idea, will see how to get the time to complete it.

July August Quiltmaker 08

Yea, my Stars In, Stars Out pattern is in this issue. Its always such fun to see one of my designs actually done in fabrics.
I have around 50 graph paper notebooks with designs sketched in them. At approximately 50 pages to each book, thats a LOT of designs.
I love to sit and just draw lines on the graph paper to see what I can come up with. On this pattern it was exciting to see what happened when I made the diagonal seams so that it make a double outline around the stars. then the alternate stars appeared when the blocks went together. I just love it when something good happens in a sketch. There are 4 different sizes given for the quilt, so if you like it, get the magazine and make one. AND send me a picture if you do the pattern.