cover stitch machine

I don't really enjoy dress making.  When it comes to making my own clothes my success rate isn't great - they usually end up to small or to big.  Starting a frock before the Christmas break and expecting it to fit now - I should have known better!!  However this is an area I intend to work on over the next year or so.  Maybe one garment per 20 quilts  HA!

I bought a book by Nancy Bednar & Anne van der Kley called Creative Serging .  My intention is to explore creative stitch work using my over locker and cover stitch machine.  Here's my first sample - made into a cushion (recycled woollen Japanese Kimono).

Happy stitching Shirls

NZ New Years Honours list for 2014

CONGRATULATIONS to June Nixey and Janet Forbes who have received Queens Service medals in this years Honours list for Shut In Stitches (teaching prisoners at Aroahata Prison to quilt).

Just fantastic.

4 Sided Kaleidsoscope

In my previous post (15th December 2013), I talk about my exploration of working with one fabric quilts - in this case 4 sided kaleidoscope quilts.  I posted a picture of my next fabric challenge.

I started cutting yesterday and I'm very excited about how this quilt is progressing - so I thought I would give you a sneak peek.

Love it when new projects start coming together.

 

Happy stitching 

First quilt for 2014 finished

Happy New Year to you all.
July last year I attended Jenny Bowker's Simmering Triangle class at NZ Quilting Symposium in Taupo.  I donated the blocks I made in the class towards a charity quilt and started again.  My quilt is a slight variation to Jenny's as she alternate her four patch blocks with one large piece of fabric. 
I definitely had to use a design board and layout colour ways before sewing them together therefore taking quite a long time to make.  Here's the result.

Shirls

working with one fabric - four sided kaleidoscope blocks

Fabric designers spend hours coming up with their unique fabric designs for us quilters, crafters and dressmakers to ooh and ahh over before purchasing.

I have been doing a personal study over the last couple of years making quilts from one fabric.  Basically I chop up a designer's fabric and re sew it making up a different look.  I have used 6 sided kaleidoscope blocks to create these.

Kay Nickels wrote a book years ago about making four sided kaleidoscope blocks from border fabric.  Using her idea of using border fabric and cutting the fabric in the same method I use in a six sided kaleidoscope,  I created  the quilt below (it is finished - but unnamed). 


Border fabric is the fabric used for the center of this quilt.

I wasn't overly happy with the result.  It was ok but I didn't consider it to have that WOW factor.  So I tried again.  This time using fabric from Christine Graf's Sausalito series.



Christine Grafs border fabric from her 2012 Sausalito Series

There is a lot of variation in the design and patterns and the final outcome did have the WOW factor (well I think so :))


Madeliefje

So my next idea is to experiment using this technique on fabrics that are not designed as borders.  Would it work?  My first attempt failed.  In fact I cut up the fabric and could see as I placed the blocks onto my design wall that it wouldn't work.  No point sewing the blocks together.

I had a hunt around Thimbles and Threads recent sale and bought "terrain" by Kate Spain.  Cut it up and this is the result:

I can't seem to turn my photo to the right direction.  Anyway, the fabric in my border is the original design.  Although it has worked and looks ok I wouldn't call it an overall success (I'd rate it 6 out of 10).  Its pinned ready for quilting.

So my next attempt was with a beautiful border fabric (Savonnerie by American Jane for Moda which comes in three colour ways) that can be found at Sawmillers (Yvonne imports direct from overseas).  I chose the cream background as a personal challenge (I don't tend to work in cream).  It seemed a real shame to cut it up - but I had to see what it could do.

Now I bought about 2 meters and unfortunately what I had hoped would work didn't.  The narrow border created strong lines which dominated the overall design.  So in this case, I had to cut the fabric into three different sizes to give this final look.  Final outcome is interesting, possibly 8 out of 10 in my WOW factor gauge but for the amount of fabric bought, I have a small quilt (lots of wasted blank space).  Does have a Christmas feel about it.

So what next?  I'm still not quite finished exploring the four sided kaleidoscope.  On a road trip last week I found this fabric at Krazy Cow. Its called Hotflash by Luella Doss and Andrea Schuster.

Will be interesting to see how this fabric will work.  I'm attracted to the various random shapes and although the colours are the same depth  - there should be enough busyness to make this work.


 In the mean time, hope you all have a merry and safe Christmas.

Happy quilting. Shirls

Photo Interpretation Class

I haven't been hiding - in fact I'm snowed under doing various creative things that will be revealed next year.

But on Saturday - we had some fun in my Photo Interpretation class.  Students are encouraged to choose a very simple image but as always  - there is always one who tests her boundaries.

Check out these photos.

Making an animal or human image is incredibly tough.  Not bad for first attempt.



More detail appears once more infill stitching has been completed.  You can see the start of the leaf formation happening here.

Lotus flower - unfortunately I couldn't turn this photo around.  The detail of this flower is stunning.  

Close up of the lotus flower

Shirls

Singer Assignment

Earlier this year I was asked to make a "story" (display) for Singer Sewing Machines to be used as a display at trade shows and fairs.  A story is a collection of items that are related either by fabric, colour, appearance or subject.  One rule.  Items must be made using a Singer Sewing Machine.

My theme:
I used Singer's brand colour - Red (for impact) and my fabric choice was Dupion Silk.  I prefer the rough texture of dupion as opposed to flat silk. Silk doesn't fade and the colours are always rich and vibrant.
















I used Simplicity 2478 for the Evening Jacket.  On the Lapels I embroidered a red rose from the Singer Future Lace Embroidery Collection.

To compliment the jacket I made a fascinator using Clover's "Sweetheart Rose Maker" (Art no. 8472) using the same red dupion silk.  Added to this I added a comb, printed mesh and silver thread.

To complete the "First Story" I made a clutch bag using a range of dupion silk colours and braid.  This clutch is my own design with a covered button and machine embroidered flowers completing it.

My second "Story" is a range of masks all made from dupion silk and using various machine embroidery lace designs.

To give the masks shape, I used black wool batting soaked in Powertex Product, moulded onto mask moulds and left to dry for several days.

To secure the mask backs to fronts I used small pieces of Velcro.

 The third story is made up of the Evening Jacket, Fascinator and Red Mask

 Hopefully I will get pictures of these pieces on display at the next craft fair.
Shirls