recycled quilt

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.

Im Finally quilting again - I want to make another quilt using a pattern I tried a few quilts ago. We will see if the new quilt has the same presence as the other one. Maybe its workable pattern?

I know Ive posted Pics of these quilts before - but, here is what they look like up on show walls!

I saw a quilt I liked that was made like this -- So - I cut up a pile of pieces and made my own -- I did not have a pattern - but, I think everything is OK.                               I really like the way it turned out -- I dont know that I have ever used white b-4 as a background. Well, I have made a few Red and white quilts -- I guess i have .. but, I like this one. We will see how I finish it. Most of these fabrics are commercial quilting fabrics that were given to me as scraps from my Aunt who is a quilter. I used a cool process that I saw on a jenny doan youtube video - I used 10 inch squares - sewn together at 1/4 inch all around the outside -- (right sides together) then cut them all into an *X* -- magic = 4 half square finished triangles. The cutting took longer than anything else...

Ive been going crazy for strip quilts - I have so much fabric here at the house. This process is a great way to use up smaller pieces and HIDE some uglies. When I first started quilting I was buying new fabrics - Im trying to get all of those used up also. I have let my collecting fabric totally take over my little house. Im feeling like its too much and I want some of my space back. Ive been feeling a little down - I am going through some stuff and the end of the summer is a sad few weeks for me. Of course, the Drag Queen Quilter has real (REAL) long man nails. I have no idea why I love long fingernails. I just do. I used to chew and eat the sides of my fingers till they would bleed and be infected. Its was gross. So, now that I quilt and have to look at my hands all the time I like to have them (sorta) nice looking. I also let them get gross and unpainted - but keep them pretty long. I signed up for classes today - I think this is the last year of working o...

I am torn about what I want to do and made this video about my process on working it out.

I had too much fun during Portland Pride this year. I worked hard to try to help other people have fun - and I went to new events to see what my friends were bringing out to the party!

I have been sewing like crazy but - making drag dresses for a pageant I was in. The dresses were simple but, made from great fabrics. Now the sun is out - its warm (for today at least) outside and not many people are thinking about a cozy quilt. Here in Maine the rain usually lasts until the second or third week in June then BAM - we get all sorts of heat and humidity. Maybe Ill try to sell quilts on ETSY -- I love quilting and would like to just keep doing quilting instead of looking for other things to sew for summer. See? Simple styles made great with fabric!

I had so much fun last night. I found a big piece of lame fabric and made a dress. I went out and danced like crazy. It was crazy fun. Today Im even a little tired from being so nuts last night. I also spent lots of time reading posts online about sewing machines. Im obsessed with machines. Im pretty sure I dont want the Pfaff C-1100 pro. I dont like a few things about the way the computer is set to work. I think it could be a fine machine - it is a very strong machine. It works well. I would still tell people who are looking at machines to go and look at the C-1100 pro. I have to say - part of the reason I bought a Pfaff is because the Pfaff dealer here is wonderful! I love the Pfaff dealer. I also really like 9mm stitches and the idea of the IDT (built in walking foot). I may talk to the dealer and see if I can trade out the C-1100 pro for a used Q.E. 4.0 she has in the store. But, I dont know what I will do. I'll talk to the dealer Monday and see what ...

I had the quilt show and a drag show all in one week! WOAH! BUSY! I made a few drag dresses and wore them OUT! Girl, those things were falling off of me when I got home. I wore those things OUT! I did the song "Im beautifull" by Bette Midler last night at a show for the Birthday celebration of a dear OLD friend. My Drag Mother - ! I feel like people really got a great laugh out of my number and, thats what I do drag for. Here is the quilt Ive been working on. I think its good to show pics of quilts all stages. They can be pretty ugly and scary for much of the quilt making process. Taffys tip for the day ... keep sewing! Just keep going, most of us went through a nasty phase (or three!) .. just keep sewing.

Ive been busting my hump working on getting things done for the show. Its really exciting to have my first show so, it made the work easy. But, I have been working hard for it. I wanted to have lots of new work in sizes and prices ranges that would make lots of potential shoppers happy. I also wanted to be happy with the style and quality of the things I sent out. Ive got another new quilt almost done for the show - but, for some reason in the last half hour of quilting I was having lots of thread shredding. I changed the needle, rethreaded... repeat, repeat --- and nothing fixed the problem. I messed with tension, too and changed threads ... I had to give up and take some time off. Its late so, Ill prob take out the dogs and lay down for bed. I haven't said yet in this post, but - dont forget I sew with recycled fabrics. While I enjoy contemporary quilts. The modern quilt movement isnt totally my thing. I dont really like minimal design. I like max design. Anyhow - tha...

Hey, I made a little video showing some of the work Ive been doing. I hope that people who have old fabrics and a sewing machine laying around will feel like they can make some cool stuff for their house, friends, kids, ups man, bank teller --- seriously. I love my U.P.S. guy. He and his wife seem to be nice people. Hes been my U.P.S guy for prob. 7 years and Ive never tipped him. I feel like I should and I want to - but, Im so poor. He and his wife like my quilts (they are facebook friends) Im gonna give them one. I can afford that gift - it means something. I would love to have all kinds of money to give out - but, I dont. I know lots of other people dont, too. Lets make things. The audio is terrible - but, content is good. I hope you are doing well.

Its really late at night. Im kinda pooped. It has been spring break but, now- its time to get back to work. I went out tonight and had some good laughs. On Tuesday, I made a video about sewing machine basic parts but, it took so long to load and then the up-load failed anyway. I got mad. I made a new video tonight using the camera on the computer. The sound sucks. But, there are some cool quilts in the video - straight edge and zig zag - raw edge applique.

MESA VERDE MEXICAN RESTAURANT 618 Congress Street, Portland, Maine, 04101 Shane Boyington Quilts by Taffy Quilts Coming in April, Quilts by Taffy. A funky and ecclectic artist, Taffy will be displaying her unique, hand made quilts this Apri ...opennight april 6!   www.mesaverdeportlandmaine.com    

I decided to turn some of my old tee-shirts into small quilted pieces. Im planning on using them for place mats and wall hanging's -- I know thats boring. Im also going to use them modern crochet things. You know, Il put them under plants. Ill put them on the back of chairs. Ill also use them as tea/snack treys. They can be on my bureau, under lamps - EVERYWHERE!

the drag queen quilter is not big on rules.  (tonight spell check is not working.) here is my take on making a crazy looking quilt block without measuring or cutting blocks or being anal at all. step 1. pull out some of your crap fabric scraps. get your iron going, close to you if you can. fold a square piece of fabric in half and then half again - iron the piece - open it and poof! use those iron lines to cut out 4 squares. (see my squares, iron and scraps?) step 2 pick out color and sew it right side down, if you want to center your block - sew the seam in the center.. but who cares where it is at. blocks look best messy. step 3 flip the piece over with your iron and iron it flat. step 4 pick put the next color, place it on the unsewn side of the first fabric (right sides together) and sew a seam. Take the block back to the iron and flip the new piece over and iron - repeat repeat repeat in circular motions or however you want until you finish your bloc...

the table cloth quilt made it to its new home. this is all made with applique and scraps. the batting is my radical recycled batting and the back is some thick old polyester i found. there is free motion quiting in every block - the straight stitch machine did all of the work with no problems. a standard domestic could not have done some of the thickness.

woah. my feet are sore.