Japanese Meshwork Placemats

I thought I would share this photograph sent to me by Alison who attended one of my classes last year.

Great use of colour.  Placemats make great gifts.

Shirls

Playing around with Fabrico pens

I have taken a couple of days off work to spend time catching up with UFOs (unfinished objects), WIPs (works in progress) or PHDs (projects half done) in my sewing room.  Total bliss.  BUT I have got distracted and started making two new dresses for this summer and an evening bag using my stacking bowtie technique.

I have had this idea (inspired by all the adult colouring books) for a while to colour in fabric for a dress.  The fabric I have chosen is Parisian by Riley Blake Designs.  The fabric pens I am using are Fabrico (the only available product I could find in New Zealand).   Here's my progress so far.



First step sample pens on my fabric

 

Second step - Iron to set colours.

Third step was to wash the fabric.
Note - cold wash only.



This is the front of my dress. I have added the darts
and now will place markers onto the flowers I intend to colour.

So I now will turn up the music and spend the rest of the day colouring in.  Just a bit early for a glass of wine.

The start to my doodling. :)
 

Will update this post with dress completed.

 

Hawke's Bay Patchworkers Exhibition part two - Challenge quilts

The number of challenge entries was pretty impressive.  I was unable photograph quite a few due to glare.  The identifying cards listing the quilt names & makers were not on the quilts but attached close  by on posts.  Some were easy to figure out, others not so I have left these out to prevent me miss representing them.  Apologies to those I have missed.

Challenge details :

Tucks Corner by Lynda Vidulich

The Overall winner.

Moonshine by Vivienne Frankly.  1st mixed technique

Pukeko Paradise by Joan Bolton.

Lillies by Pam Vidulich.

A modern challenge by Vivienne Franklin

Who's the pretty boy then? By Judi Schwass

Bird of Paradise by Wendy Tavendale

30 butterflies for 30 years by RobynAnderson

Happy birthday by Kay Memmott

Desert Life Santa Fe by Bev Bosenberg

Early Morning Call by Lorraine Fenwick

Springing to life by Do Adams

Birds of paradise by Neddie Clark

No title by Ros Lusk

Stop pinching our stash bu Brenda Meilink

Deep sea diver by Norma Moody.

Insects in my garden by Al Lewis.

The arts and crafts centre made for very enjoyable viewing with lots of natural light.  It was also lovely chatting to quilting club members.

Shirls

Quilt as you go class.

At Sawmillers Quiltery this weekend I ran two Quilt as you Go classes.  It was great seeing the different colour combinations forming.

Alternate layout.

Thank you ladies, was a great weekend.

Shirls

Spinning Stripes update

Wendy presented her quilt at our recent Capital Quilters club day. It is one of her two quilts she made in my class earlier this year.

It's not just about the stripes and layout.  The quilting using various coloured threads to enhance, makes this technique exciting.
Visit Wendy's blog to see her other creations. http://wendysquiltsandmore.blogspot.co.nz/

 

 

Add caption

 

 

 

A Rachel-Mary attended my spinning stripes class at Coastal Quilters  She bought the same fabric as my class sample.  She has completed her quilt and it hung in an exhibition organised by a small quilting group she used to belong to called Quiltessentials in Sherborne, Dorset, England. 

The exhibition was held in a Church hall in Longburton as part of a fundraiser for the hall, on 21/22 August.

Shirls

Stacking Bowtie - todays class

We only had a small class at Sawmillers Quiltery today - however it was a very productive one.
This is a technique class and from this, the participants can either make a cushion, bag or include it as a block in a quilt.

Wanda's block

Linda's block

Anne's block

 

Before quilting if you are unsure which thread to use I always audition my threads.
Unwind the thread and lay it onto the quilt top. Thread always appears darker on the reel. In this case (yes a little hard to see) the rust was the winner.  The blues were to controlling and Linda wanted a subtle look.

This will be the back to Linda's cushion.  By moving her square ruler, she trimmed her fabric so that the center point is now off center.   I think this adds interest.

Side profile of Linda's block.  Very 3d and tactile.

Great class.  I am looking forward to my next stacking bowtie class at Krazy Cow next month.

Four Sided Kaleidoscope Needs List

Four Sided Kaleidoscope quilt

In this one day class students will be shown how to create kaleidoscope blocks using one fabric using a four pattern repeat.  No block is alike.  Think of this quilt as a mystery quilt.  You have no idea how it will look until you have sewn all your blocks and laid them out.  Watch your blocks spin.  Every block has three different individual looks that you can choose from before it is sewn.

Original Fabric

Transformed into this

Benedictus Tiles

City Scapes

Needs List

Sewing machine:     ¼” sewing foot  
                                    New needle + Spares
                                    Bobbins
Quilt tools:                15” long clear ruler (usually 6 or 6.5” wide)
                                    Square ruler (any size between 6”& 10”)
                                    Rotary cutter and cutting board                             
Other items:             Quilting pins
                                    Quick n pick - unpicker
                                    Scissors
Optional - Large sheet to lay out & pin your blocks (if there is time)

Thread:                     Thread to blend with purchased fabrics for piecing.

                                   (I usually use a standard mid grey or mid beige thread)

Fabric:                         Make sure the fabric you purchase is in one continuous piece.  Fat quarters and                              off cuts will not work.

In my experience the smaller the print designs the more likely that each repeat may not be precise.  Look for a medium to large print with a variety of colour or depth of colour with interesting shapes.  Make sure you love it.

Avoid: lots of straight lines, lots of circles and blank spaces.  Check that there is the correct number of pattern repeats when buying your fabric.

You will require 4 repeats of a pattern of your chosen fabric.  When shopping for your fabric,

take your measuring tape.  Most patterns are repeated approximately 24” or 12”.

If 24” you will need approximately 2.5 metres.  I recommend purchasing 3 metres.  This gives you a little extra fabric to accent borders or for binding
If 12” you will require approx 1.3 meters (I recommend 1.5m). Double this quantity for a larger size quilts i.e. approx 3 metres. 
I’ve started to purchase an additional metre for each kaleidoscope quilt I make and sew it into my backing fabric of the quilt as a reminder of what the original fabric looked like.

  

Shirls