Chocolate bunny quilt

Karen Musgrave's challenge quilt is hopping along. The vintage fabric we have to use includes brown, which of course made me think of chocolate, which led to the chocolate bunny fabric and the pile of Hershey Kisses foil wrappers in my stash. 

That's the vintage "challenge" fabric in these two blocks. (The strips with the pink and brown print.) It used to have a white background, but I painted over it with transparent SetaColor fabric paints in warm orange, pink and yellow. Much better with my usual colorful palette!

Scary chocolate bunny, glaring out of the garden patch.

Since I have a huge chocolate wrapper collection, I was able to select just the right pink, orange, gold and chocolate colors. I ironed them between plastic sandwich bags (dry iron, low heat, with a press cloth) to stabilize them for sewing.

Part of the challenge is to use Rayna Gillman's techniques from her new book, "Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts," which is why I have all these wavy, wonky strips. She calls them "therapy strips," and she's right. It's easy, mindless, fun sewing -- great therapy!

Now I have to decide how to finish it. I want to leave the irregular outline, but I might mount it on this veggie patch fabric (above). The colors really pop against black, but I've been getting away from black lately in my work. I guess I'd better have some chocolate and think about it.

To read about Karen's challenge and see the vintage fabric, go to her blog post here: http://connectionsbykaren.blogspot.com/2012/01/fabric-challenge.html

Have a colorful day

Commission blues

Have you ever had

the Commission Blues?

This is a set of sheer panels that I made on commission to hang above a fireplace on either side of a clock and an arrangement of branches. The client said it just wasn't what she had in mind -- she envisioned something airier -- so now they're mine. She did really like the colors, which had to go with her upholstery, rug, and the clock, but she didn't like the end product.

So while I'm disappointed, at least I can do a good blog post. Above are some of the materials I pulled together -- silk chiffon that I painted, unspun hand-dyed wool, and some other yarn and fabric. I made three trips to her house with various parts of my stash before she finally found all of the colors and textures that she wanted.

We discussed design, then I set to work, above. But our minds, apparently, were on divergent paths. Below is an unfinished panel next to a sample of her upholstery. Quite different from my usual gaudy lime, hot pink and orange palette.

I finally put us both out of our misery today when I told her that I just couldn't change it anymore and I didn't want her to have to pay for something she wasn't happy with. I can't TELL you how much better I feel now that it's not hanging over me and I can move on to doing work for myself.

Have a colorful day

Hoppy Valentine's Day

Two of my honeys.

Hoppy Happy Valentine's Day!

And the winner is ...

Ellen Gets Crafty!

A copy of "Creative Quilting with Beads" will be on its way soon to sunny San Diego, CA, home of the prolific blogger and crafter, Ellen Gets Crafty.  Her blog always brings a ray of California sunshine.

My low-tech random drawing consisted of putting names on little pieces of folded paper and pulling one out of the pile.

For those who didn't win but still might want to do a quick Sparkling Heart for Valentine's Day, here's what it looks like in progress:

1. Layer a main fabric, batting and backing that are cut large enough to either wrap around a stretcher frame or to fit inside a mat and frame. (Note: Do NOT baste, as directed in the book. Just pin the corners.) Cut a 5 x 7 inch opening in a piece of paper and lay it on top to isolate the finished area that will show. Layer snippets of sheers, hand dyes, shimmery lame or whatever catches your fancy in the opening to create a rich background. Pin. Glitz is good.

2. Quilt as desired -- just make sure you catch all the little bits with a few passes of quilting. For projects like this, I like to use shiny rayon or gold metallic in the sewing machine.

3. Make a heart template and pin it in place, using the 5 x 7 cut out again for reference. Either trace around the heart with some sort of marker or do as I did -- leave it pinned in place as a guide until you've done a row of beading around it.

4. Outline the heart with beads, then do a few more rows to emphasize the design. You might have to try a few sizes and colors to find a combo that stands out against the background. Then I filled in the center of the heart with scattered beads, but you should do whatever you want. Make it your own!

5. Finish by either wrapping it around a stretcher frame and stapling it to the back or by matting and framing it ... or bind it, incorporate it in a tote bag, whatever your heart desires. Yesterday's post shows the finished piece.

NOTE: The book goes into much more detail about beading, and has a lot of other fun projects. I highly recommend it, especially if you're a beginner and want specifics about thread, beads, stitches, etc. Here's the link: http://www.larkcrafts.com/bookstore/?isbn=9781454703365

I'd love to see your hearts and post them on my blog if you do the project.

Happy Valentine's Day

Last chance to enter

My Sparkling Heart project that's in the book.

The deadline is fast approaching to enter the drawing for a free copy of "Creative Quilting with Beads." I'm picking the winner when I wake up tomorrow. Just leave a comment and you'll be in the running! (If you don't know what I'm talking about, see the Feb. 8 post.)

I'll celebrate the drawing by having my usual venti iced decaf nonfat mocha. I found this luscious silk scarf at a gallery near the Art Institute of Chicago when I still lived in Illinois. And the turquoise earrings were only $7 from a vendor at the International Quilt Festival-Long Beach last year.

It's all about the color!

Have a colorful day

Challenge excitement

I painted a colorwash over Karen's challenge fabric
and topped it with an extra free-form strip block ...

1 + 2

... while practicing Rayna Gillman's free-form quilt technique

= 3

... and discovered that the painted fabric works in the practice quilt!
Can you find it in the lower left?

Now I have to get crackin' on the challenge quilt, using more of Karen's fabric and Rayna's free-form piecing technique. Our deadline is the end of the month! To see what others in the challenge are doing, head over to this post on Karen's site where she gives links for all of the participants: http://connectionsbykaren.blogspot.com/2012/01/challenge-fabric-quilt.html

I think the lavender linen pulls the prints together.

Back to the studio!

p.s. Thanks for all the comments yesterday. You still have a few days to get your name in the drawing for a free copy of "Creative Quilting with Beads." Go to yesterday's post if you're interested.

You could win this book!

CREATIVE QUILTING WITH BEADS
20+ Projects with Dimension,

Sparkle & Shine

Paperback, 129 pages, $17.95
ISBN: 978-1454703365

I'm giving away a copy of "Creative Quilting with Beads," which has just been released in paperback by Lark Crafts. That's my Sparkling Heart on the back cover!!! I give directions for layering and quilting the background, beading the design (it doesn't have to be a heart), and stretching it around a frame. Alternatively, it could be matted and framed. I'm always looking for alternatives.

The book first came out a few years ago in hardback, and now Lark is promoting the paperback version. Here's the link, in case you'd like to order a copy or read more about it. Lark also has a lot of other fun and COLORFUL quilting and beading books at its site.

http://www.larkcrafts.com/bookstore/?isbn=9781454703365

 

Here's the blurb from Lark's website: "Quilters have expanded the traditional boundaries of their art, embellishing their work with beads, embroidery, and surface design. They, as well as other fiber artists and sewers, will warmly welcome this idea-packed resource that opens up a new realm of creative potential. An illustrated basics section and quilting primer, fun techniques to experiment with, and 24 unique projects created by well-known designers--including a retro-chic throw pillow, miniature wall quilt, and fabric greeting card--will provide quilters with hours of enjoyment, instruction, and inspiration. "

 

Here's my project next to its pages in the book.



 You could be the lucky winner if you leave a comment on my blog before Monday morning. I'll draw a name when I wake up Monday, so it won't be too early.

Have a colorful day!

 

The answer: Minneapolis

I can't believe no one guessed that yesterday's Mystery City is Minneapolis! The giveaway is the red and white circle art at Target's downtown worldwide headquarters! Target also had this Chihuly glass art in the lobby:

We weren't there for Target -- we went for a wedding, and what a fabulously colorful ceremony it was. It took place in the lush, sunken gardens of the glass conservatory at Como Park in St. Paul. The bride's dress was a luxurious cascade of frothy ruffles in the back, and the front came up to her knees revealing her black combat boots! She's a singer in a rock band, and she did a great job of combining her rock persona and her traditional side.

The wedding colors were black and cream.

She sang her way down the aisle, while the groom played guitar.

Now that she's part of our extended family, she has to go through the tradition of being on the blog.

In my quest for color in the city, I shot these cool salt and pepper shakers at one restaurant and the embroidered table topper at an Indian restaurant.

And here's the obligatory photo from the airplane, always good for design inspiration:

Check back tomorrow

for a very special book giveaway!

Another Mystery City

Here's another in my series of Mystery Cities.

Can anyone tell me the name of this U.S. city? Photos are from last week, in case the weather works as a clue. And no, it's not Seattle.

HINT: The red and white window art

should give it away.

Two sisters and a double scoop.

Have a colorful day

New business cards

Voila, my new business cards!

I started an art quilters group a few months ago in Gig Harbor, and we decided that we should make business cards to exchange in the style of ATCs -- artist trading cards. So that was the impetus, the kick in the pants I needed.

I started with pieces of blue and orange collaged fabric left over from a project about six years ago. I cut them a little bigger than 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches (the size we agreed on), and printed some business cards on card stock. Then I cut Peltex -- the kind that's fusible on both sides -- to the finished size of the cards. The Peltex is thick and stiff, so the cards will hold their shape. It's easy to stitch through, although I didn't do that.

I fused the fabric on one side and the cards on the other, then trimmed the excess. I love snippets of leftovers, so I took this photo before I threw them out. It's really hard for me to throw out colorful scraps of anything.

Then I started arranging them in different designs and decided they'd make a cool quilt. So maybe I'll collage some more fabric and cut it in rectangles for a tile-like quilt.

Thanks, art quilters' group, for giving me the incentive to move on this!

Have a colorful day

The Nuts eat

I forgot to report on the Nuts' latest sewing day. I know you're all waiting to see what we ate this month, so here it is! (Everyone should have friends like the Nuts.)

Nancy made lattes for everyone, then served us a healthy breakfast of yogurt, fruit and nuts, and muffins. I forgot to get a photo of lunch, but the highlight of the day was this spice layer cake with buttercream frosting topped with, appropriately, more nuts.

There was a lot of crazy quilt embroidery going on. Here's Nancy's very colorful block. Plenty of movement:

Carolynn was just getting started on her red block:

Linda worked on another embroidered tea towel. This one incorporates three things you see a lot of here -- lighthouses, evergreen trees, and seagulls.

And I made a few pillowcases for our quilt guild's ongoing project of donating colorful pillowcases to local hospitalized kids.

Have a colorful day

Breezy scarf and Rayna strips

I needed a color fix last night after days of rain, ice, gray ... so I made this scarf from the silk scraps on my studio floor.

It wasn't exactly a quick project, but that was OK because it provided hours of machine time blissfully soaking in the bright colors. I sandwiched my hand-painted silk scraps and some other glitzy fabric and yarn between layers of Sulky Solvy (see my post here about the technique) and sewed all over with angles to mimic the shapes of the scraps. I used YLI metallic gold and a variety of other colors.

Note: I didn't have any problems with the foot sticking this time, probably because it's so dry in the house now that the heat has been on.

This morning was the exciting part, soaking it in a sinkful of water (above) and seeing what emerged after the Solvy dissolved away. This only took a couple of minutes. I squeezed out the excess moisture in a towel, and it's almost ready to wear!

I say almost, because I think I'll give it a quick press with the iron so it doesn't look quite so raggedy. The power was off again part of today, so I didn't get around to the ironing yet.

Here's how it looks with a green background (my ironing board cover).

And here is what's going on with the free-form strips I'm sewing using Rayna Gillman's technique from her new book, "Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts." I'm still rearranging segments and adding more sections. This is a warmup for tackling the ugly-fabric challenge that I wrote about earlier.

You can read about the challenge here.

Hope you're all either weathering the storms or enjoying sunny weather!

Have a colorful day!