Cactus Flower Collage

This piece has provided me with several lessons and took much longer than expected to complete.   I was very frustrated with my machine when I tried to free motion quilt it.  I got many skipped stitches.  I tried different thread, different needles, and many other "fixes" but nothing seemed to work. However I persisted and I eventually solved the problem but it was too late for this creation.  The addition of some beads and hand embroidery, which I had already planned, made the skipped stitches less noticeable.  

My artistic friends who helped me think about how to finish the piece suggested extending some of the leaves/shoots into the frame space (on the left and bottom) which I think improved it although if you look closely you can see where I added fabric for these parts. After deciding to frame it using stretcher bars and ordering what I thought were the appropriate size bars,  I realized that I needed to make it "bigger" so there would be enough fabric to wrap around and staple to the frame.   This entailed trying to match the brown paint I had originally used on the "frame" portion.   Finally, the staple gun we have is not my friend-- it is very hard to depress-- but I got help from J to finish the stapling.  

Now it's found a place to hang in my entry and I'm very happy with it.  I just need to make a label to put on the back.    

English Paper Piecing Part 1

Last Spring, I had my first adventures with English paper piecing (EPP).    This is a form of hand quilting that dates back to the 1700's and involves using paper (or template plastic) pieces to create intricate shapes that are joined together. Small pieces of fabric in various shapes are basted or glued around the templates and then the pieces are joined with hand stitching.  Usually the paper templates are removed (and even re-used especially during austere times) although some old quilts have been dated owing to the newspaper or other printed material inside.  Hexagaons (or hexies) are one of the most common shapes in EPP so I started with those.  First, I made a notebook cover with somewhat larger hexagons.  Later, I boldly moved on to smaller hexagons to make a needle case.  

Apparently my adventures with EPP weren't over because I recently got the urge to make a lap quilt with a more ambitious design that involves 4 point stars and octagons.  I was able to enlist the help of my Scan N Cut machine to cut most of the templates and fabric pieces but it was still a days long process.  

I don't have many photos of the early phases of this project, but I was challenged by not having a Design Board or Wall to lay out and arrange the pieces, so my next task involved repurposing a large piece of insulation board I had for felting by covering it with a flannel backed tablecloth.  It was BARELY large enough for the design.  After laying out my design I discarded a few colors I had selected for the 4 point stars, arranged them in what I thought was a pleasing arrangement.  I was worried as I transferred pieces from the board to my work area to assemble the stars that I would lose track of the color arrangement, so I took photos to guide my work.  

Once I had assembled 49 stars from 196 pieces of colorful fabric and was beginning the process of joining stars and hexagons, I discovered that I could label each star with the row and position number written on the back of the top of the star, so I could more easily assemble the pieces as planned.  This was a great discovery because it renders my project much more portable and now I can work on it away from my design board.  

As the project proceeds, I hope to share more of my insights and photos of the process. In the meantime, I have learned several things that have helped me:

The "Knicker Knot" was a game changer.  Thank you Sue Daley and Missouri Star for posting this great video.  I LOVE this knot for EPP.  

I'm undecided about using Templar templates vs paper templates.  It seems harder to stitch the pieces together that have the plastic in them.  (I ran out of Templar sheets so I had to resort to cutting some paper templates for this project).  

Good needles and thread are essential for this technique.  Fortunately I found a tip about always threading your needle from the thread end that comes off he spool first. That has greatly reduced tangles.  Why did I not know that sooner???  I am using Thread Heaven to condition the Aurifil 50 weight cotton. So far my favorite needle is a size 9 Milliner's by Bohin.  

More to come

Recent projects

I've been busy with projects, but have had no time for posting.  So here's a little photo catch up.   

Embroidered shoes:  

Knitting:

Urth Orbit

Kaleidescope

Art quilts progress:

I plan to embroider and bead this Inktense on fabric piece I did in a class a few years ago.    I'm just getting started.  So far I've practiced the Colonial Stitch and Drizzle Stitch.  

Fish Hook Cactus quilt, raw edge applique.  It's now stitched down and awaiting further embellishment/fnishing.  

Old Family Quilt Repurposed

I've been working on this for a while.  Like many of my projects, deciding what I wanted to do and developing a plan took longer than the execution.  I was given an old family quilt in January.  And it has a story.  My sister and I were both given quilts from our grandmother when we left Canada (at age 6 for me). Mine was a red print and hers was a blue paisley like design, both made with solid pieces of fabric and tied.  Little did we know at the time that old family quilts lived under those printed fabric covers.  By the time I acquired the remains of my sister's quilt (and that was how why I would describe it) all the blue fabric covering the original quilt was gone.  There were holes and tears and worn spots.  It was really beyond repair.  

I wanted to do something to preserve the memory, if not the substance,  of the quilt and explored various options.  I decided to use some of the "best" parts that remained and make mementos for family members and something for myself.  The mementos will be shared here once I gift them to their recipients.  The vest is what I made for myself.  

I used this free pattern from Purl Soho: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2014/02/20/corinnes-thread-quilted-vest/. First I washed the quilt by hand add Oxi clean to try and remove the yellowness.  It worked remarkably well but unfortunately it also took some of the original color (green and brown blocks became very faded).  Then, It took a considerable effort to cut this out using the best parts of the quilt.  I still had to take apart other sections and add new squares back to my vest where the fabric was the most worn, faded, or totally disintegrated.  

I added the pockets (every vest NEEDS pockets, don't you think?) and handstitching to give a little more interest.  For some reason after that, my vest went into UFO pile or timeout for many months.  This week, I resurrected the project, made and added the binding, including binding the inside seams).  Then I used my embroidery machine and a Mini Quilt Design from Designs by JuJu to make the little pin. I'm undecided about the placement of the pin, it may go up higher on one side.  But I'm very pleased that I was able to make something I will actually wear from this old family treasure.  

The pins were  so much fun to embroider (I made two today), I think I will have to make more, perhaps for our Quilt Guild's sale in March.  

 

From UFO to...

I've had a creative surge in the last couple of weeks and finished a number of projects, old and new.  At least one will remain anonymous until it is gifted later this month.   But here are the others I can share:  

1) Cozy from a Kantha quilt.  I did modify the pattern from DesignsbyHeidi considerably.  I made the neck opening smaller and simultaneously took inches out of the width of the top. My earlier muslin helped me to create a new, more fitted pattern.   It's still oversized, but doesn't overhwelm me. I modified the pocket shape a bit and made it smaller than the original pattern.   I  also added 8 1/2 inches to the sleeves and took out some of the bullk in the sleeves by grading from about the elbow down an adding buttons at the wrist.  Since I used french seams I ended up with a top that can be worn 4 different ways!  Thanks Heidi for a great design and the tips you've given me along the way.  

This satisfying project makes me want to make another piece of clothing with a Kantha.  I'm currently reviewing design ideas.  

2) Kawandi lap sized quilt.    This is something I started in April after completing a smaller Kawandi piece (blues in my earlier post). It's completely hand sewn and I tried to follow the traditional Kawandi methods. in creating it.   This meant I added pieces from the outside in, sewing with large running stitches.  I added four "Phula" (flowers) on the corners as I finished the first row of fabric pieces.  I used double gauze on the back and some recycled scarves inside.  The quilt has quite a lovely feel to it.  I did find it more and more difficult to stitch as I got further from the outside edges.  

If you want to know more about Kawandi, I have added a link to the article I put together.  The link is on the right of this blog.  

3) One of the most satisfying and unique completions was a political banner I made for outside my studio.  It was adapted from the Kamala Quilt by Modern Quilt Studio.  The original quilt design is larger and has 5 repeats of "Kamala".  Modern Quilt Studio offers it as a free download but asks you to make a $10 to the Harriz/Walz campaign as payment.  Since I don't consider myself to be a quilter, I was challenged by mydecision to make the quilt blocks smaller for the banner, in fact I ended up creating a spreadsheet in order to get the correct dimensions.  For the first time ever I used the scanning feature on my Brother Dream Machine to scan my own handwriting and add the text in embroidery.   

4) Finally a knitting UFO.  I started this project, called Islands in the Stream,  back in May, and I had periods of inactivity with this project that prolonged its completion for months.  Pictured below is the shawl while it is being blocked.  It's still much too warm here in Arizona to wear it yet.  For other knitters, you can find more details of the yarn I used, etc. on my Ravelry page: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/homemadeoriginal/islands-in-the-stream#

Creative Paralysis or How New UFOs are Made

Laptop Sleeve

Sometimes, I get stuck during my creative process and if I'm not careful I can end up with another UFO (unfinished object) to add to my growing collection.    In this case, too many options to consider has me a bit stuck.  I'm currently working on a "Cozy" top, pattern by Heidi Emmert. using a Kantha quilt I purchased for this purpose. Here is a link to the pattern info:  https://designsbyheidi.wordpress.com/2024/03/29/anytime-is-a-good-time-to-get-cozy/

I actually made a "muslin" earlier which probably doesn't really count as a muslin as I used some fabric I've had a long time in my stash and I hope to actually wear the finished product.  

Years ago, there was a SAS Fabric store in Tucson and they had great bargains....tables and tables of fabric bolts and pieces, notions, etc.  All at discount prices.  This fabric came from there and probably cost $3 a yard.  It's a lovely weight of woven fabric that has a nice hand.  Earlier this week I was looking for fabric to make a laptop sleeve since my MacBook Air is a little too big for the previous laptop case I made.  I found this fabric in a box and proceeded to make a new cover.  In the process I thought maybe I have enough of this fabric left to make the "muslin" Cozy before cutting into the Kantha quilt I purchased to make the pattern.    

Cozy "muslin"

As I proceeded I had to make some modifications to my first Cozy...making a large pleat in the center front and back to take out fullness and shortening the collar plus putting the pockets in the side seams.  I'm happy with the final product and ready to tackle Cozy #2 except I can't decide how to lay out the pattern on the quilt, which parts I want to use.  Should I make the collar go in the same direction as the front or not?  What sort of pockets should I make.  I don't think I want just simple patch pockets but I also don't want in seam pockets because I plan to use (another decision) French seams or Flat felled seams to make this Cozy reversible.  

Kantha for my second cozy

As I tried to figure of the pockets,  I searched online and in some books in my library and sketched out some different pocket options.  I was also reminded of this apron I made which has unique shaped pockets that I really like.  (I used my embroidery machine and design software to embellish them).  

Decisions decisions...but I think it's finally time to take the plunge and scissors and move ahead!