Newest Messenger Bag

I can now post pictures of my newest messenger bag, as it has been presented to my daughter in law. This bag is padded, and has an invisible zipper pocket on the outside of the bag, and two pockets inside as well as a key fob with a brass hook.

A miracle ---i can see

A miracle - well for me anyway. I can see the top of my cutting table.

(I love how the sunlight through the curtain makes shadows on the table)
I actually got it cleaned off today. Only out of necessity though. Had to make room to square up the star block quilt I've been working on. I finished all the quilting today. ( I am so in the market for a mid arm machine and frame - 6 inches and shoving the quilt through that spec is driving me crazy) I did some free motion single line stars across the top bottom of the quilt. I also came up with a quick easy way to bind. I left one inch of fabric extra on the back. Then I folded the fabric in half and then again and finally pushed it over the from and topstitched it down. Very nice 1/8 inch binding.

Quilt label to be added tomorrow and then packing it up to leave for Florida on Friday. It is a gift fro my son. Actually he got the top last May for graduation from college and then I took it back to quilt.

3-d cube & EQ7

I've been playing around with my EQ7 and the 3-d cube. Here is a picture of the quilt I designed. It will be 50 by 78 inches when finished.

3-D Cubes -yet another project

Okay so I have at least 7 different quilt projects going, I couldn't resist this one. I am working on 3-D cubes. I have been playing around with EQ7 to try different arrangements. I even printed out the blocks in two sizes to play with. I changed the black corner to white to save on ink and so it would match my white board.
Here is picture of my completed blocks.

Here is a picture of a design made from playing with the printed squares.

Now off to our quilt guild's UFO day to try and finish the quilting on the star quilt from my son. If I finish it leaves 3 days to hand tack the binding. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Stack dyeing - amazing clear colors

This third technique used 4 pieces of fabric. The bottom layer was bathed in golden yellow, soda ash was added, then a new cloth and a new dye color, my second color was turquoise. Next was fushia and then golden yellow. The hardest thing about this technique is all the waiting. Each new cloth is added and a new color poured in. This technique results in great colors of cloth in a total surprise.

bottom layer

layer 2

layer 3

top layer

Color evaluation - low temp dyeing

The second session of the dying workshop was on color gradation. This time I used turquoise blue. The first cotton fabric was put into the dye and left to sit 15 minutes. Next a 1/4 cup of soda ash water is added and a new piece of cotton cloth. After another 15 minutes another 1/4 cup of soda ash is added and a third piece of cloth is added.

Low water dye work shop - day 1

I never expected to get to attend a fabric dye workshop while at the Cornerstone Music Festival.
Day 1 was using a single color and 3 different fabrics in a low-water immersion dye. We used Procion MX. I chose indigo for my color.

Since I folded my cloth in different ways, it is a bit hard to see the fabric differences. The edges of the white stripe fabric took up extra dye. The flannel is the lightest.

Individual shots.

All one line

Just finished a baby quilt for a friends daughter. The quilt started with crazy quilt blocks, then sashing. The back is 2 layers of flannel, no batting. Was not shire how to quilt this , but inspired by a video online and a new book, I drew my first one line drawing.

Then I drew the deign on the quilt with a washable fabric marker and quilted it on my home sewing machine. I used double thread, one rayon and one glow in the dark. The feed dogs were down and I used a darning foot.

Now off to a baby shower!