Studio rearrangement

Was cleaning my studio and my small peg board fell off the wall.  This lead to a major overhaul of the entire room.  The last picture is of the treat box and pocket that my daughter made for me to check each day.

[gallery link="file" orderby="ID"]

Studio Remake

I was to be working on Christmas presents this weekend, but decided to clean up my studio first.  Big mistake!
After a lot of sorting I started handing all my tools up and the peg board pulled out of the wall.  Then I decided that I wanted to rearrange things anyway,  I measured and drew a scale model.  This morning I started on the furniture.  Looks like it is going to work great.  My husband put up a larger peg board with wall anchors so it won't fall down.  I've worked about 9 hours today.  I won't take pictures until I finish sorting all the small scraps and putting away projects.  Oh! this will be the first time I have hung a lot of my work.  I have most of one wall now and am very excited.  Will post pictures soon.

Flynn frame

My husband purchased some new rods for my Flynn frame so I can work on different size quilys.  Need to finish adding the muslin to the rods and marking it.  Only ran into one snag, my studio.  I got distracted and started sorting scraps and the got out my UFO's.  Then decided to organize my quilts and tools.  Now the studio is a disaster and I decided to rearrange the furniture and storage units.  Ahhhhh!!!!!

So much for making Christmas presents this weekend.

Journals Covers for Relay for Life

I just finished my first two journal covers for Relay for Life.  The proceeds for these books will all go to our relay for life team in Lincoln County.  Journal covers can be taken off when filled and put on another book. When I finish mt 5 sample books we will begin taking orders.

Pictures are of the fonts and backs. Front includes bookmark  Last image is journal open so you can see spine.

Some Rust Dying Results

These are some of my results from my rusted object fine.   I wet the fabric in vinegar and water and covered it with clear plastic.  The gray fabrics were then tea-dyed.

[gallery link="file" columns="2" orderby="ID"]

Objects for Rust Dyeing

I was very lucky this morning.  I found all the objects in these pictures at a yard sale this morning for about 6 dollars.  They had so much stuff, it was hard to choose.  I can't wait until I have some time to dye again.

Betrayal

I finally finished the thread painting on the faces and hands. I also added rope for a border. This was a new white nylon rope. It was tea dyes, scuffed up on trees and then burned over a candle to look old.

Grace

This is one of the quilts I am currently working on. I have just started stitching by hand sun rays and will be adding bead work.

Grace

This is one of the quilts I am currently working on. I have just started stitching by hand sunrays and will be adding bead work.

Flynn Quilt Frame

I apologize to those of you who were wanting to know more about  how the frame worked.  It's been a busy summer and then lots of computer issues.

Here is a picture of my quilt in the frame at the machine.

[caption id="attachment_527" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Flynn Quilt set up"][/caption]

This piece is still unfinished.   I must continue thread painting on the faces and hands.  But with the other quilting done it is making in very easy to work with.

[caption id="attachment_528" align="aligncenter" width="197" caption="The Betrayal"][/caption]

The background circles for this piece were quilted on the Flynn frame.  Most machines have between the have from 6 – 9 inches of space between the needle and the back post of the machine.   Although my machine has a smaller amount of room and I only had about 4-41/2" of quilting space it still worked quite well.  I was able to quilt small circles across the width of my quilt and then roll it to the next section and keep going.

I found the frame very easy to adjust and easy to control.   I was very pleased with how flat and nice the back of the quilt was, not puckers at all.

One thing you need to make sure is that your batting is at least two inches more than the quilt top all the way around and that your backing is also around 6 inches longer on each end of the quilt to fit in the frame.

This was definitely a great buy for those of us who are on a low budget.

More Rust Dyes

The following rust dyed pieces were done on PFD fabric. I wrapped the cloth around old horse shoes. Then covered in vinegar and water and let set for a week. I also learned a very important lesson with this set. Never use an aluminum foil tray with this. We were gone for the week and when I came back my tub was coated in black sludge and rust because it had eaten through the pan.

Rust Dye Pictures

these first two scraps of fabric are from an old white sheet. They where soaked in vinegar and wrapped around a pole on the roof. Next I tea dyed them. After that I put them in a bag wrapped around some small poles and poured vinegar and water on them to soak. After two days I removed them and tea dyed them a second time.

Well, I have finally gotten cloth wrapped around my rusty horseshoes and soaking in water and vinegar. I did another cloth with lots of found objects. For my third experiment I soaked my cloth in vinegar and water and climbed out on the roof. I wrapped it around an old antenna poll and then squished the cloth together. Finally I wrapped a plastic garbage bag around it and tied it with string. We are going to begone several days, so they will have several days to set up. I can't wait to see them.

I wonder what my son will think when he sees the messy experiment in the bathtub and the bag wrap when he looks out the window. we will begone before he gets home.

Quilt Damage

We got back from our week of camping at the Cornerstone Music Festival.  I took along a quilt to do hand quilting on the 8 hour drive to and fro.   I carefully folded my quilt in the front of the van to keep it clean.   Sunday morning I went to get my new shoes out and the laces on one was shreded.  When I  put them back in the car I picked up my quilt.  Low and behold it had mouse droppings on it.  I opened it up and the back has about 6 by 8 inches of damage where the mouse chewed it.  (Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!) I knew I hated rodents.

Flynn Quilt Frame

I just got my flynn quilt frame and was really surprised at how great it handles.   I only put a small scrap piece in to try it out so I couldn't stretch the sides correctly.  The frame only allows about a 4 inch depth on my machine, but you can quilt from left to right over the entire quilt.  I love that it holds the backing rolled up as you need it.  No more wrinkles or caught pieces from trying to squeeze my quilt through my home machine.

Can't wait to try it on some of my quilt tops.



[caption id="attachment_504" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Trying my new frame"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_505" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="My first attempt"][/caption]

Rock On Challenge

I almost forgot, my "Rock On" challenge piece, "Chuck E's in Love" was published in the June/July 2009 issue of Quilting Arts magazine.

God's Grace

This is my unfinished quilt on God's Grace.  The stairs are white fabric that was painted increasingly darker.  Strips were pieced with a blue organza fabric over the stair fabric.  This would have been so much easier if I made a template or used freezer paper.  I just eyeballed it and if it didn't match my picture I unstitched and adjusted the angles.  Oh well, I learned my lesson.

Now, I just can't decide how to quilt it.

Horse Quilt

I took some pictures of a friends horse and then turned it black and white.  I drew it and simply numbered the color values 1-6.  Next I made 6 piles of brown fabrics for the 6 values and began to cut out all the shapes for this quilt.  I tried to turn under most of the shapes.  I think it looks like a paint by number.

Click thumbnails for close up of stitching.

Studio Mess

It took only a few days to completely trash my studio with new projects.
Horse Project 

Beach Quilt - tight squeeze

Design Wall overflow
My cutting table 
What a mess! 

What am I doing?

I have been working hard, but seem to have little to show for it.  I have been making quilted journals and giving them away to friends.  I am also continuing to work on my stations of the cross series.  My main endeavor is working toward having everything ready to be juried by KY Crafted next month.  Wish me luck.

I am also trying to organize a portfolio of my work so I can start finding a venue for sales.  I did get my business license and tax id.  Now what?

Horses -- With the equestrian games coming I am trying to work on some horse ideas.  I have one designed, but it is very complicated and slow work.

"To accomplish great things we must not only act but also dream, not only plan but also believe." Anatole France

Last evening instead of repainting horns made by the children in our co-op, I ended up having to remake them.  (mold - yuck) One of my friends is in charge of a play and the horns are for the march around Jericho.  So instead of quilting, I spent the evening on the porch covered in paper mache.

It was a beautiful spring evening in the company of my daughter and serenaded by twitterpated birds.

Updates on Ezekiel's Dream

This is the eagle face with the thread painting for feathers.  I still need to do the beak.  Below is a color tryout for the round background.

Ezekiel's Dream

I've started another quilt called Ezekiel's Dream.  Posted are the four faces and one of the feathers.  I will be thread painting the faces and have about 100 feathers to sew.  The background of the quilt is a large circle made with a 12 inch wedge.

Quilted Journal Covers

I've been working on some quilted book covers.  I gave several away before I thought about photographing them.  Others were photographed before all the beading and extras were added and given away before I rephotographed them.  Hope you enjoy!

[gallery link="file" columns="2"]

My Studio - On a shoestring budget

I know a lot of people have been posting pictures of their quilt studios.   My ideas may help those of you who don't have a lot of money to spend.  I have been lucky enough to take over my college son's bedroom.  Just a little bit of muscle changes my cutting table area back into a bed.  I have use the headboard and two saw horses to make my cutting table.  A 4ft by 7ft piece of marker board was glued to the same size piece of plywood.  This makes a great top to draw on or for working with paint.  For Christmas I had a mat-board custom cut to fit over this.  My tools are kept on the wall on scrap pieces of peg board.  I didn't even have to throw out my son's teddy bear collection or gymnastic medals





My storage system has just been plastic stack drawers that I try to get when I can find them on sale.  I use them as the base for my pressing table.  The top is again plywood with cotton batting and muslin stretched  over it and stapled on the back.  I removed the closet doors and added boards for shelves and more storage bins.   An empty dresser and two night stands stacked serves as extra storage.

My biggest challenge was for a sewing table.  I had a folding table just the right height  but I wanted my machine set down in like a "real" sewing table.  We went to Lowes to find some 1/2 inch wide smooth wood.  We couldn't find anything suitable, but it was suggested that we as in floor tiles because the boxes had smooth boards in the top for shipping that are thrown away.  We found two that were perfect size.   My husband traced my machine and cut a hole in both boards.  Then we glued them with wood glue.  A frame was made using 2 by 1 inch wood.  Finally a notch was cut in the frame so I could load the bobin without lifting my machine.  It may not be fancy but it sure works great.

My design wall was made with white flannel over fiber board.

The last wall of my studio is where my daughter's sewing machine is and of course a few more storage boxes.  You can see the corner of my pressing table on the left.

School Block Challenge

The National Quilt Museum sent the results of the Moda School block challenge Monday.  My Daughter won 2nd place in the 5th-8th grade division with her block "Show and Tell"  One of the 5 year olds in our sewing/quilting group won honorable mention in the preschool to 4th grade with her block "Swans."  Scroll down the page  to Recent Projects to see pictures.  The blocks will be on displaya the museum in Paducah from January 16th through March 10th. Winning blocks will stay up longer.

What I'm doing now

Christmas is over and it's back to home schooling.  I am working on a small quilt for the QA magazine challenge on Rock and Roll.

The quilting on the beach quilt is taking forever.  I wanted the sand really densly quilted and I seem to not be getting vey far.

I have been sorting all my scraps again.  I have my fabrics sorted by color in drawers that make up my ironing board stand.  Then I have other drwers sorted by color for pieces smaller than fat quarters.   Now I have small drawers for smaller colored scraps all sorted.  I still have my snippet box as a big jumple of pieces.

Family Tree

Make a Smilebox photobook