Friday, January 21, 2011

Quilt Art Project continues. . .

Once base pieces are prepared, time for applique.  The applique designs are traced onto freezer paper.  Fusible web is affixed to applique fabric.  My new favorite fusible is "Soft Fuse."  It comes on a 37" roll and is a light web-like fusible.  Similar to MistyFuse but paper-backed.  Now press freezer paper to web-backed fabric and cut out.
Now comes the fun part:  thread embellishing!
I used a free-motion zig-zag stitch (my new favorite) to this one,
and this one.  I used wool for the embellished yellow circles and free-motion straight stitched the spiral.
Free-motion straight stitching was used on this one.  Boy, am I having fun!



Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Art Quilting Workshops for 2011

Last year I led a monthly art quilting workshop.  Every month we learned a new technique with the opportunity to complete one project.  This year we are beginning with projects from one book  "Quilted Symphony" by Gloria Loughman.  It will take 4 to 5 months to work through the book.  Completion of this book will give all an opportunity to turn an abstract design into a quilt.  I will record my progress on my blog so follow along and see where it might take you.


Project Base
Using a tear-away stabilizer, trace the drawn design, numbering segments in order of placement.
Draw segments onto freezer paper, cut out, and press onto right side of fabric.  Cut around shape approx. 1/4" away from freezer paper shape.  Layer each shape with tear-away stabilizer and stay-stitch 1/8" away from paper shape.  Remove freezer paper.


Segments are now ready to decorate with applique.



Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Love a mystery or . . .

Mystery quilts and I have a love/hate relationship.  It excites me to see if I can pick the right fabrics for the unknown pattern :), but I'm not that crazy about piecing:(.  


On New Year's Day I attended a mystery event at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company and was pleasantly surprised with the pattern and results of the fabrics selected.  I enjoyed my fabric selections so much I couldn't wait to get home and put it together.  Here is the result:  "Tossed Greens."  


Now that it is together I have decided to add random appliqued flowers in these pinks.
My flowers are designed and I hope to have the flowers fused on in the next few days.



Monday, January 3, 2011

New Year's Word . . .

The new year has begun and I couldn't be more excited about 2011.  Rather than making New Year's resolutions I have chosen a word to work toward.  My word for 2011 is "action."  I came across this idea while reading other quilter blogs and took it on.  Here is my word as I created it for my first art journal page which I am starting this year.  My goal is 2 art journal pages a week with a time limit of 1 1/2 hrs to create.  I am going for being creative without thinking about it too much, whether it's an idea or a technique or a product I want to try.  I'll keep you updated and share the results.

I wish you all a happy, successful, and creative 2011.