A Purrr-fect way to start a week

This week I'm sharing an art quilt that I have been working on for about a week.

It is a pattern by Terri Stegmiller.

I was asked to test out a pattern of Terri's...seen HERE.

It was great to be able to step outside my comfort zone and try to recreate her wonderful artwork.  If you haven't seen some of her work you should go to her BLOG and check it out.

For this piece I wanted to try out some of Terri's techniques by adding stencils and paint to my background to give a textured background.  I have been intimidated by stencils and I had a great time exploring them.  I still need some work, there is always a learning curve.  Next I painted the kitty on a separate piece of fabric and fused the purple kitty on the background.

 Then I pulled out the wool roving and wet felt the flowers, stitched then down and thought it would be a great time to practice my french knots.

And last I decided to needle felt the butterfly.  I really wanted the butterfly to be a 3-d element on the quilt.

Overall, this was a great project to explore.

What did I learn from it...better paint.  I used acrylic paint with a textile medium.  The fabric got harder texture than I wanted and made it difficult to free motion quilt.  Next time I do this kitty, I will try quilting it first and then add paint accents.  This is the fun thing about art quilting, no project has to be the same.

And remember to give some love to the artist that created this pattern, Terri Stegmiller.

Have a happy Monday!

Judy

Day 5 & 6 - Pinterest challenge...leaf made of tulle

I want to apologize for not posting yesterday, but my bed called to me.  I'm struggling with the chills, no fever and the only thing that feeling good is a pile of blankets on me.

So yesterday (Day 5) I did try a new recipe, thank goodness for the crockpot...here is the link for Balsamic Pot Roast.  I only ate a little yesterday, but had it tonight for dinner.

Day 6 - I wanted to play in my sewing room, but I knew it would have to be a small project.  This project was trapping fabric scraps in between layers of tulle.

I would checkout the pin to see what other things you can do.

Have a nice night, I need some rest.

Judy

Day 4 of Pinterest challenge - yo-yo's

Why am I doing a challenge?  I have way too many Pinterest pins.  Why not try them out instead of this digital hoarding.

These first couple of days I have been tackling the super easy ones.  But as the month goes on I will venture into harder ones.  I just have to get my game face on!

So these are both lapel pins that I taught last week at the quilt guild.  I'm always looking for short and simple projects that the quilters can get done in less then 2 hours.

It is actually from a Indygo Junction pattern...see pin link here.

As you can see you can do many things with the pattern...here is another sample.

But think of the possibilities...I can see these as Christmas ornaments on the tree too.  maybe next month when I start the 12 days of Ornaments.

See you tomorrow... thinking of trying something that I have been wanting to do but too scared.

Judy

Day 2 - A cute little pocket

 

Day two of my little personal challenge.  Today I thought I would try recycling a pair of jeans.

It looked simple enough and used up some scrapbooking supplies!!

 

Here is the original PIN...go look at it and see where I was going.

What I found amazing is that I used up a little crochet flower I had sitting on my desk for over a year, rose trim from who knows when and rub-ons.  Did you know that you could use rub-ons on fabric?  I wasn't sure if it would work, but it did.

I have seen these pockets made up in Christmas motifs in a magazine many years ago and they were adorable.  Got me thinking...FAB way to send a gift card.

See you tomorrow.

Judy

Time off and November Challenge

November!  Can you believe it?

I have been busy this past month just working on my shop (special orders) and pushing myself to do TWO 5k's.  I can hardly believe I attempted a 5k.  There were other things going on with the passing of my MIL and the govt. furlough...we will just say stress.

This is why I'm committed to get my MOJO back.

Here is the challenge:

My love/hate relationship with Pinterest.  I love it because I get loads and loads of inspiration from so many talents people.  So if you are like me you are doing the digital hoarding of projects you want to try, good ideas, recipes and more here is your chance.  Join me throughout the month and on Facebook for a daily attempt at trying out those pins.

I know this is going to be a hefty challenge for me.  And I know some pins will take me more than a day, but wouldn't you like try some of those pins?

So today here is my PIN, click on that link to see it because I didn't get permission to share it on my blog.

And here is my spin on this pin.

I have been wanting to explore fabric collage, so all my pieces were randomly cut and fused down in place.  I chose not to quilt mine as much as the original.

So do you want to try out some of those pins?  How many Pinterest boards do you have?  I have 42 public and 2 private...I have lots to try out.

Wish me luck and those who have joined in this challenge.

Happy November, Judy

Blue Poppies

Well they are actually teal.

Today I wanted to share with you a box challenge that I made this week-end.

The idea came from Jane LaFazio's blog where she made a box from denim and painted pieces of fabrics.  I loved what she did so much that I had to try it.  Make sure you look at her tutorial.

It has been awhile since I painted or drew, so these poppies are a little improv, like my my background quilt blocks.  The background is all made of improv. log cabin blocks, painted and then quilted.

I stitched around each poppy to make them pop and wanted each side of this box to be different.  It was just an experiment to see what I could do.

I really enjoyed making this box and let loose with my paints.  I want to thank Jane for sharing it.

But what I really enjoyed was being able to create a little box to put next to my bed for my reading glasses, pens, scribble pad and more.

Thanks for looking,

Judy

Finishing another project

 

This week I had high hopes on finishing a project.

Well the project I wanted completed was this LARGE log cabin quilt.

It needs to have the binding done.  I really dislike binding quilts, but I am bound and determined to bind this one.

The above photo is the actual pattern, making log cabin strips with improvisational piecing.  It was fun to work my way thru my scrap boxes of fabric.

Once I got the color block done I decided to finish the quilt with quilt as you go method of quilting.  WOW!  I like the technique but next time I'm going to try it with a smaller quilt.

So to do quilt as you go, means I needed to do a block for the backing...and

this is what I came up with...blue and green.

Those two blocks were quilted and then the big project of adding each side piece and quilting that.

The nice thing about this project is...

I quilted it myself!!

Now the adventure of binding.

Since the project was not fully completed, I really wanted to share a completed project with you.

I made this colorful skirt.

It is a tad big, but I can easily fix that.  I really like how it turned out and I can see me making a few more of these with strips of other scrap fabric.

Some of you may be wondering why just a picture of the skirt and not a full shot of me, this summer I started walking and eating healthy.  I have lost 17 lbs, but I'm not ready to reveal myself yet.  I'm sure it will be coming soon.

Have a happy week!

Judy

Copic Friday

 

I get lots of questions about Copic markers and fabric.  Through out the next week I am going to test how Copics hold up on fabric.

 

Here is a fabric postcard that I did today.

 

 

I like to use my Copics as watercolors, soft subtle colors.  Some blog posts I have read is that you can't blend Copics on fabric.  I disagree.

 

However, you have to have a light hand to achieve blending.  I start with the lightest colors first.

In this case I only used two colors per section, such as, 2 green, 2 blues, and 2 yellows.

 

After you apply the first color, heat set and allow the fabric to cool before going to the next color.  Also another tip is not to color all the way up to the lines.  This image was an embroidery design stitched into muslin, a cheap muslin!  However, I did leave the paper interfacing on the back while coloring to absorb any extra ink.

 

Overall, I really like how the colored image came out.

 

Have a great Friday!  I didn't think about creating on week-ends...hmmm I hope I can and will have time to post.

 

Judy



Hump Day Wednesday

 

Today was a hard one for me, I wasn't feeling too creative.

 

I started off in the sewing room and ended up sitting down and beading.  There are a few unfinished projects waiting for me to finish the beading.  So I am very happy to say I got this lovely broach finished.

 

 

This is a very large button covered with batik fabric, batting and beads.  It is from a class that I took at the Reno quilt show two weeks ago.

 

 

 

I have to tell you about the class I took with Ruthanne Hoffman from Hoffman Originals.

 

When I walked into the class I knew I recognized the instructors name, but couldn't figure why.  Several times during the class Ruth and I kept trying to figure out how we knew each other.  She recognized my face.  For three hours we worked on our pins learning lots of beading techniques.  I was in heaven.  I have been wanting to take a class on beading on fabric, even though I have several good books on it.

 

By the end of the class and all the students were gone, Ruth and I brainstormed of where we could have met. 

 

Now Wait, you are not going to believe this...

 

We know each other from Pinterest!!

 

Talk about a small world and we live only 2 hours away.  I am so glad to meet Ruth and learn how to make this beautiful pin.  Can't wait to start my next one.

 

If you want to get a kit for your own pin or want some wonderful beads, fibers and more, go to Hoffman Originals and say Hello to Ruth for me.

 

Happy Hump Day!

 

Judy



Purrrfect Tuesday

 

I'm not sure you know what is happening here in Reno...we are in a heat wave 105 degrees for the past two days and tomorrow is going to be over the 100+ mark too.

 

Since I'm staying inside I thought I would push myself to be creative and share it too.  I'm always working on something, but I forget to blog and share.

 

So (sigh) I came up with the great idea of posting something creative everyday for the month of July.

I know I biting off something big, but I really need this for myself too.

Not to mention to get people to look at my blog again.  So not everyday will be a completed project, it might just be what I started or finished.  It also could be random photos, books to share, recipes or a new product/tool.

 

Today I made some kitty eye glass holders.

 

Now the good thing about this project, I discovered I'm now out of cheetah fabric and need to find more.

 

Happy creative Tuesday!

Judy

 

Margarita time!

 

Do you feel like a margarita?

 

What song does this make you think of?

 

Wastin away again in margaritaville
Searching for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
But I know it's nobodys fault

 

 

 

This month art quilt challenge was to do a song.  Well Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville is so well known and sounds just like me.

 

 

And it makes me want to be on the beach under a palm tree!

 

So have a sunny afternoon and have a drink on me.

 

Judy



July Workshop

 

I have always wanted to do a Christmas in July workshop. 

 It just sounds like so much fun and get some items started and done before the November rush.

 

 

Well I finally get to do a Christmas in July workshop!  I will be teaching a fabric postcard and fabric ornament class July 20th at A Stitch of Country Quilt shop in Fernley, NV.

Here is their website to contact them about upcoming classes.

 

This is one sample of postcards, I'm making another sample this week.

 

And here is the ornaments.

 

This should be a fun class.  I have so many more samples to share too.

 

So keep following me and as the class gets closer you will see more projects and other samples for other classes and challenges.

 

Happy Monday!

 

Judy

 



Wanted to try something new

 

Not that beading is new to me, but I have dabbled in beading in my past and I like to bead on my arts quilts but this week I took it to another step.

 

You know when you look on Pinterest and say I would really love to do this.  It was one of those moments.  In the back of my mind I have always wanted to do some kind of fabric inspired jewelry.  Now I can say I have tried.

 

Here is my first attempt at a fabric bead cuff.  Warning lots of pictures!

 

I tried to rotate it so you can see each side.

 

 

 

But let me tell you a little about this cuff...the base fabric is silk dupioni sewn to a piece of Timtex, then needle felted with my Babylock embellisher.  I couldn't stop there and needle felted a few pieces of teal yarn.  As far as the beading I went with my freefrom thought...random.

Do you know how hard that is?

 

So this is what it looks like.

 

But I wanted you to see it on.

 

 

 

My final thoughts on this cuff...I think I would make it narrower.  It is 1 1/2" wide before you put in the side beads, so my thoughts is to take it down to about an inch.  Might be super narrow to bead and could limit the freeform but I am open to trying again.  Maybe this time in orange.

 

Oh no! That mean bead shopping and I wonder if they make orange silk?

Well that will be another adventure,

 

Judy

 

 

 

 



Just finished piecing!

 

I have been trying out a new technique or style each week.

 

And here is a art quilt that I just finished piecing.  I'm so glad to have it finished.

 

 

 

 

Not the best photos, but I was glad to have it ready to be quilted this week.

 

Here is the whole quilt.

 

 

 

I update pictures when it is ready for the wall.

 

This piece was inspired by Rayna Gillman, her book

Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts: A Stress-Free Journey to Original Design

which you can get on Amazon.

Happy crafting, I feel like crocheting tonight.

 

Judy

Work in progress

I don't usually share work in progress but to day I thought I would share mine and a few others.

 

As I told you before I was teaching a class and I wanted to share a few pictures of the class, well I forgot my camera and my phone does crappy photos. 

 

The class demo that I was doing is a class from Jane Lafazio.  I went down to San Diego for the class but lucky for you the class is now on DVD or you can download it to your computer.  It is awesome that you now can learn from so many artists so easily from home.  Here is the link for the download option:  Layered & Fused Applique Quilts

 

Here is the one that I did at the class in CA.

 

 

I placed it in a shadow box frame because I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it.  Once it is made it could be easily added to a pillow or a tote bag.

 

So for this week's demo here is my sample.

 

During the class I worked along the fellow art quilters and fused my pieces down and started stitching one of my corners.  I really like the colors of this piece, but I still have a long ways to go by adding stitching, couching yarns, beads and more.

 

Overall I think I have a good start and so do my students.

Here are a few of the samples that my students did in class.

 

Jessi did a monochromatic piece in pink, her least favorite color.

 

 

 

I love what Jeff did with bright colored fabrics, reminds me of those pinwheels that spin in the wind.

 

Bruce took it a step further by working with triangles.  I love when people thing out side of the box.

 

I think overall everyone had fun trying a new technique and can't wait to see the rest of the groups finished pieces.

 

As always, go do something crafty this week.  I'm going through my stamping office and collecting stuff up for a garage sale.

 

Judy