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Showing posts from January, 2013

Thread Art --

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I started to quilt thinking this was the kind of work I most wanted to do. When I was first quilting I would end up with lots of bubbles is the fabric and bunching in the cloth. I could not figure out what people were talking about when they "bobbin work" - but after a long break from even being interested in doing this work -- here some is. I was making something to give as a prize during a drag show - and poof this came out. Im really kinda loving it.

quilt in the wild!

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Quilt dress turned into a quilt!

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I looked around and found a few more pics of drag dress turned into quilt -- Its really easy - I think the trick is to imagine there being no possible way to mess it up. And, let yourself love your work. I have a tip -- "If your friends are giving you unsolicited critique's ask them if they are "really happy at their job and relationship" -- I hate people acting like they are the decorator or they are a judge on some tv show whenever they see things? Here are some pics -- enjoy. I love them. Notice how the dress becomes a quilt? Yeah -- I like that.

Drag quilt dress = quilt !

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I make lots of dresses for drag that later turn into quilts - Here is one -

I worked with Laminated fabric today -

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      I was supposed to make these pads for the place that shows my quilts in NOVEMBER -! I was dragging my feet because I really wanted to work with laminated cotton fabric and it took some time to convince the store owner that it was worth giving it a try -       Well today I got the fabrics and put them together -- here is what the process looked like..  I was so tired and pooped today - my pipes had frozen and I was not impressed. Forgive my bitch face? The fabric was easy to work with -  Amy Butler - pdf - all about this fabric and working with it. -- I was lazy and just sewed the edges shut -- no zipper no buttons. I never really learned how to do zippers - Im sure its simple - but, Ive only wanted to use a zipper -- a few times. Ill post a pic of the things in their new home soon.

Scarf -- made from recycled scrap fabric.

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            I love wearing scarf's - I am fat and my core stays pretty warm under a light coat and if I add a scarf .. Im a perfect temperature. Here are some pics - all text is for the pic under it - This one is some strips of yellow and pink with batting - All of those smaller pieces are pieced - and are leftover from a scrap border I made. This one is like a quilt - pieced with no raw edges - This one is applique - But also built like a quilt - front/back + batting and binding - This one is some flip and sew and some raw edge applique - joined inside out like a pillow - Just a few more ways to use up scraps.

Close up - polyester quilt fabrics -

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I wanted to post a better pic of the polyester fabrics - they are pretty. The pink has a very nice texture on it. I love that. The most dedicated reader of my blog called her polyester quilt "indestructible." That is a good thing. I live in a small city - but, I still like to have the house cool at night to save heat and these quilts are so warm.

Use up the old polyester fabric!

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I buy old yardage of polyester most of the time when I see it. Polyester fabric shows at  yard sales all the time and on craigslist - people seam to think its trash. Therefor they practically give it away! I love cheap fabric. Polyester is easy to work with in quilting. The color never fades and its easy to wash/dry. I love it and am not ashamed of that at all. Here is another quilt I just made from polyester fabrics -- The green solid is a cotton sheet. In person - the dark color is brown - not red.   Ill take another pic in the AM in real light. I stayed up way too late tonight. Im hoping for a snow day tomorrow. Fingers crossed. 

Old clothes quilts -

     I make quilts that use mostly old clothes and other used fabrics (sheets, curtains) - for a long time I made quilts that used exclusively old clothes or cast off fabrics from other sewists.      Then, I started to include some quilting cottons. I love fabric and using new fabrics is as fun as using used fabrics.      But, then - I started using used fabrics again... and love how things looked and felt. I love the feeling. I love the security that nothing is going to run in the wash - or shrink. The problem I run into most is having yardage in any print. Solids are easy to find because of sheets. But - even with the shortage of yardage in prints its no worry because I prefer the look of scrap quilts to other looks.       I will continue to sew with what fabric catches my eye - I love recycling and I love recycled quilts.  I also love some new fabrics. And, lots of people donate new fabrics to me. Im going to use them. I consider donated fabrics re-used. I just inherited some

Twin quilts for kids -

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My house turns into a real mess when I pull fabrics for new projects. I like to pull as many as I think I like for what I have in mind --- I pull WAY too many. And then, when I start cutting I start weeding out the ones I like.  I made this quilt for a friend who has a son who needs a warm heavy blanket for the Maine winters. She wanted a old looking quilt but one that also was a boy quilt. Dog. My friend also wanted a "girl" quilt - I have an idea to put bright green/pink or purple circles in some of those squares but - I had to send a note to mamma to see about going that wild. Here are the pieces of the "boy quilt" in a pile -

I finished the baby blankets -

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I had some leftover blocks from a quilt - perfect to make a small quilt with. These squares were left overs from a half square triangles quilt I made. Again, these are more left over blocks. I love the edges of this quilt because its polyester velvet - the same fabric is on the back. The purple squares are corduroy. Im working on making some more quilts that are made from 100% recycled fabrics. I love sewing with recycled fabric and have learned more about how to pick out a variety of everything to make looks that I like. I really want to make some new quilts that are my own patterns. While I quilt my own way and use my own fabrics - I use those things to put my stamp on older more traditional patterns. I feel like those are my own. But, its picking elements from quilts and putting them together - I dont know if I feel like that is creating something new.

School - journal post.

           I am going to start to use the "journal post" tag to organize posts that are thought and idea posts.            There might not be any tutorial or quilt related information in these posts.            School started for me today. I hate school and prob never should have went to college in the first place.   But, that choice is made so I decided to finish. Finishing has been hard. I have been "in the last semester" for 3 semesters. I hope this one is the one that seals the deal.           I hate School. I wanted to be an artist - and had no art skills. I wanted to perform but, had to try to act straight in order to get a role. I hated that, too.            Sometimes I think about going to grad school - I would like to go to the quilt history college in Lincoln Nebraska. Online - legit.    George (my dog) is doing great.  We had a short winter thaw.  I lost 10 lbs and am doing better with diabetes care.  As much as I HATE sch

Baby blankets -

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School is starting Monday - I have to get some small projects going so that I can sew and not feel like I have to get a whole quilt made. Well, these quilts are made from pieces left over from other quilts I made. So they are scrap quilts made from left over scrap pieces. I love it.

Recycled fabric quilt --

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 I thought I would post a pic of the jean tumbling blocks quilt on display. I love the borders. George, looking ready to tell me to stop taking flash pics of him. This is all made from khaki and other mens dress pants. I started to add borders - I wanted the quilt to be a king size - and decided the green/gold colors would make a great addition to the other tones in the quilt. But, the green was too much alone - so I added some applique stars. Before the applique Free Motion quilting -- Well, here is the finished quilt --  I really love the quilt - of course one pic had to decide not to fall where I wanted it. The quilt is huge. King size with nearly 20 inc drop and tuck. Huge.

I have been busy! Tumbling blocks and khaki -

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 What do you see when you look at that pattern? I see snowflakes and large tumbling blocks and stars -- but cant see them all at the same time.  I finished another tumbling blocks quilt! The faces we make.