Around the World Blog Hop

I am so excited to be part of the Around the World Blog Hop! Suzanne at Quilt By Faith http://faithquilter.blogspot.com/ was the very first blogger that I started following way back in 2008, so I was delighted when she asked me if I would hop along.

Has it really been that long?

Suzanne is the chairperson for the Best of the Valley, which is a regional show in California's San Joaquin Valley for quilts and cloth dolls. When she was handed that gauntlet, I began reading her blog to keep abreast of show deadlines and quilting events close to home. Many shows and quilts later, we are now friends and are both blogging along. Check out the Best of the Valley website when you get a chance. It is a top notch show. http://botvquilts.com/.

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As part of the blog hop, I have been asked to answer four questions:

1. What am I working on now?

Perfect timing. A Halloween quilt. This is one in a series of off-center log cabin hexagon quilts I have been making for many years. I got the idea when I saw some off-center square log cabin blocks. So I got out my paper, ruler, and pencil and created the paper piecing foundations that would lead me on a long journey of variations.

This particular quilt will be named "Spider Art". The blocks are finally finished and ready to sew together after literally years of hanging on my design wall. It still needs a border, and I think I need to change out the gray half-hexagon on the left hand side for a brighter color. The red half-hexagon on the right side is drawing too much attention.

 



In the meantime, I am also working on finishing the quilting on other projects. I have also been bitten by the hand dyeing bug. Some examples of those can be found among the Popular Posts list on the left hand column of my blog.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

First of all, I don't really think I have a genre since I make traditional, innovative, and art quilts. With this new category of "Modern Quilts" popping up at some shows, I am finding a label for much of what I have been doing for years.

Most of my quilts tend to be very colorful and busy. I make most of my own patterns unless I am working on something that is strictly traditional. Even then, I will generally only use the traditional piecing as a background or border for an innovative applique composition.

I usually try to add some humor in the mix. We all need to laugh every day. It's good for us.

3. Why do I write/create what I do?

That's easy. My mind never stops. Many nights I cannot sleep because designs are constantly running through my head.

I tried to capture and relay that process in "Vivid Imagination", the work I am currently quilting.

 

 

A close-up.

 

 



I was an artist long before I was a quilter, so that has definitely been an influence. I enjoy quilting much more than watercolor because the colors can be made so much more intense. My work in collage can easily be seen in my busy quilts.

All those creative waves in my mind can be both a blessing and a curse. When I find time to transform those ideas into real projects, I am happy and at peace.

4. How does my writing/creating process work?

It takes very little to set me off on a creative journey. A color. A shape. An emotion. Something somebody said. I let that simmer inside for awhile--sometimes even years--until I figure out the details of making such a thing. Sometimes, I need to draw a series of thumbnail sketches in order to sharpen my vision. Other times, I might need to learn or even develop a technique. Then there is the "task" of finding just the right fabrics.

Generally, I am working on multiple projects at the same time. That way, if I run out of supplies, patience, steam, or know-how on one quilt, I can stay busy with something else until I get things figured out.

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And with that, I am going to hand the Around the World Blog Hop relay baton to Toni at Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Toni hails from Friendsville, Tennessee and has a delightful blog that shares her knowledge of vintage Singer sewing machines, crocheting, gardening, cooking, and herbal remedies. As Toni puts it, "I'm a throwback from another era, methinks." And a bright one at that. Check out her blog at: http://foothillsofthegreatsmokymountains.blogspot.com/

Toni will be posting her Around the World Blog Hop entry one week from now but always has interesting and informative articles available for your reading pleasure.

Happy hopping!

Extreme Tie-Dyeing

It seems with hand dyeing, I am never sure what the finished product will be. The dyes sometimes delight me, sometimes surprise me, and oftentimes leave me puzzled.

I wasn't sure where I was going when I started this. I'm still wondering what I will do with the fabric now that the dyeing is finished. The colors and overall texture sort of remind me of an up-close and personal view of a sunflower's center, but also of ragweed pollen. It will be interesting to read your interpretations.

 

Here is a close-up.

 

It all started with a one and one-third yard cut of white fabric and a packet of super stretchy rubber bands from the beauty supply store. I made tiny little tie-dye bundles until my fabric looked like this. At that point, I ran out of rubber bands, and my cuticles were complaining.

 

 

Another close-up.

 

Next I flipped it upside down in my container that used to contain biscotti treats and poured in enough dye mixture so that the little tie-dye fingers were just resting in fluid. I dribbled a little more over the loose pieces that stuck up out of the container. The yellow dye seemed really chalky and resistive to being absorbed into the fabric, so I left everything soaking for 48 hours.

 

 

Finally, I lifted the fabric out of the container and placed it right side up in a few shallow puddles of dark dye on a disposable cookie sheet. 

 

The dark color traveled a little more than I imagined, but I was still pleased with the results. As soon as my cuticles heal, I would like to try this again with different colors. As far as this piece of fabric goes, I am not sure whether I am going to cut it or just quilt it whole cloth.

So many possibilities...

Hand-Dyeing, Biscotti, and an Unsolved Mystery

As of late I have really been trying not to hold onto unnecessary items such as glass and plastic containers. That is why the city provides us with recycling bins, isn't it? That being said, they aren't going to get the big clear plastic container that I got at Smart & Final that used to be filled with a big stash of individually wrapped almond biscotti treats. The sweets are long gone now, but the container sure made a great hand-dyeing tub.

Last Sunday, I had fun making this little jewel.

I wanted to do some more ice dyeing this weekend, but the flu vaccination I had late Thursday afternoon kind of knocked me out of the water. Achy muscles. Upset tummy. I guess I really needed that shot. I even fell asleep halfway through Dateline on Friday evening so didn't get to see the end. That really bugged me because the last half of the show wasn't playing on their website the following day, either. I looked the story up online since the episodes are based on true cases, and an explanation and motive were never given. Drives. Me. Nuts.



Steam-A-Seam 2 is Back!!!

It's always nice to get together with quilters and bloggers--especially those I only see a couple times a year. Recently, I got to spend a bit of time with Barb, the author of the Pointless Quilter blog. I thoroughly enjoyed our chat. There was so much catching up to do, so much to talk about: Vacations, family, friends, finished projects, works in progress, projects that have us thinking that they will be eternally condemned to UFO purgatory. Then there are those projects that are stuck in neutral because a company decided to discontinue an absolutely wonderful product. Case in point: Over one year ago, the Warm Company stopped making Steam-A-Seam 2, the very best repositionable fusible applique film in the world. I found their website and expressed my laments online, begging them to contact me if they ever came to their senses and started making Steam-A-Seam 2 again.

I didn't have much hope.

Other companies tried to convince us to use their similar products. Not convinced.

In the meantime, I have a little challenge project pending, waiting for an answer. A blank slate, so to speak, waiting for some applique.

Barb was the first to tell me that Steam-A-Seam 2 is back. The very next day, a message from the Warm Company arrived in my inbox, announcing the fantastic news. I have to say that I am very impressed that they kept my name on their mailing list after all those months.

I best get down to the store and buy me a packet. Oh, coupons!!!

So far, I am seeing a limited offering online. Amazon is selling a packet of five 9 X 12" sheets for $11.99. That is over double the price of what the same amount used to cost. I don't know whether the price is temporarily elevated since the product is not yet widely available or if that will be the going rate.

Amazing Quilt Fabric Vendor: Sauder's Fabrics

I have been meaning to write a review of this store for awhile now, but the time just seems to slip away as of late.

The brick and mortar Sauder's store is located in Denver, Pennsylvania, however, when ordering online shoppers also have access to merchandise at their sister store, Zook's in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Together, they are also listed as This n' That Fabrics online.

Since they are pulling fabrics from two different places to fill orders, it sometimes does take a little longer to receive online purchases, but the wait is generally worth it. The fabrics are top of the line, and the prices are good. They frequently have sales, so it is good to get on their mailing list.

Like most quilters, I probably have enough fabric to last me through this lifetime and beyond. However, it seems that I am constantly running out of neutrals, particularly when it comes to Asian prints. Sauder's is a good place to stock up on those. They also have batiks, contemporary prints, reproduction fabrics, and many, many other items.

This is my latest order:

Here is the link to their online store in case you want to check it out:

http://www.saudersfabric.com/