Fabric Dying

Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day here in Utah, so four of us decided to spend it dying fabric. This is just a sampling of some of our creations! There must have been 15 colors to use and/or mix....whatever moved us! We used two different kinds of PFD fabric which is "prepared for dying". Of course, leave it to me to not know that I didn't have to wash it before using it, or even iron it since we would just wad it up and stick it into a baggie! But, let me just say that I'm really not that much of an air-head. When I bought the dying stuff and cloth, about 10+ yrs ago, I was on my own with trying things like that, with just a book for instruction. So, the dyes and "washed" pfd fabric were packed away when we moved out here. Thank goodness I finally found others who have a passion for trying new, or not so new, things to try. We even dyed some cotton yarn to maybe use in a future challenge. Check back to see what's next....one never knows.....just ask my family!

Stitchers Angel Update

Week two of the swap has begun! We got the second pattern yesterday and it is just darling. Had to give you a little peek at a corner of the first project (at the bottom of the photo), and a peek at some of the fabric I'm considering for the next one. It only needs 2-3 fabrics, but sometimes the fabric just begs to go home with you from the quilt shop/store. It's really hard to walk out of a shop with "just" what you need when you are a quilter or stitcher!

Quilt Fest

It is now 30 days until our annual Quilt Fest begins! The class schedule arrived last week and all of my friends have gotten their first choice of classes. Me too! I've got classes with two of the National Teachers....Melody Crust and Paula Nadelstern! Four full days of learning, luncheon lectures, lots of vendors, and seeing lots of friends. Utah has a primary state guild with charterd guilds through out the state, plus some in southern Idaho, Nevada, and I think even Arizona. There are over 1000 members, but I don't know how many come to take classes. The luncheons are limited to about 300 - 325 and people are always looking for extra tickets. There is also a wonderful quilt show.

You can go to www.utahquiltguild.org to take a peek at the classes that are being offered if you are curious.

Alien Pod??

 
 I watched this thing grow for several weeks wondering what it was.  Looks like a round brain!  See my little camera case next to the bottom picture?  Well, the case measures 4"x5", so any guess as to just how big this thing might be? I spent some time checking the internet and I believe it is a giant mushroom!  There was a baby one just out of camera range, too.  It finally split open and is now a pile of brown dust-like particles (spores?)

Had to share this.  I told you that my blog would be bits and pieces of many things.

Stitching Angel Update

Let the Stitching begin! Got the first pattern for this year's swap and it is so sweet. The theme this year is roses (which I love). I have been in touch with the gal I'm stitching for and also the gal who is stitching for me. It gets kind of crazy trying to remember which one I can give info to, and which one I have to be secretive with but still find out what she likes. What's really great is that both of them are from Australia! More later.

Tropical Convergence

Can you believe that the top for this quilt was cut and completely pieced in a 2 1/2 hr class? Kathy Porter, a wonderful local quilter, had several different kits and I think I took the one that was the most fun, and the brightest. The fused applique and embellishments were done later and took a bit more than 2 1/2 hrs. Kathy hasn't seen the finished quilt so I'm posting it for her. Yes, there are bead "bubbles" in several areas, and I fussy cut....REALLY fussy cut the ferns behind the large fish and added the seaweed and starfish. There are bubbles coming from the seaweed, too. It is machine quilted with waves in the border and sea motifs, etc. in the background. Lots of fun to make.

Caught in the act

My name is Sam. I'm really looking sad because Mom just caught me dragging the binding to the quilt she's working on. Honest, I was just taking a nap under the cutting table and this thing just grabbed my neck when I got up to see what I was missing!

A few more NPNT blocks

Nice People Nice Things Stitcheries

Even though I like to step "out of the box" at times, these little stitcheries are among my top five favorite things to do. Stitching these are very calming after a day of trying to meet deadlines (which of course I put off as long as possible) for guild projects or shop samples, along with other things that life presents. I have finished about 20 of these little darlings, so that gives me about 32 more to finish. Each one has a little verse that goes on the back, so it will be a reversible quilt.

I really think the Australian designers are wonderful. Most include a little stitchery or a bit of applique in their quilt designs which to me is a delightful change of pace from some of our "get it done as quick as you can" patterns. Yes, they do have their place, as do all the styles of quilting. That is what makes quilting so interesting. Each quilter can express her/his own unique personality.

Click on the title of this post to see some finished quilts for this pattern.

Exciting e-mail !!

Yea!! I got the name of my Stitching Angel swap partner and she is from.....Oops, can't tell you anymore than this until the stitching and swapping is finished. You'll just have to wait a couple of months to hear more.
This swap is international, which makes it even more exciting, and was started last year by Helen Stubbings from Australia. Click on the Stitching Angel button on the left side of this page for more info.

Inchies

 I just got the new book from AQS and had to try these little things!!  See the ruler?  Yes, each little quiltlet is 1" square, and embellished with beads, satin stitched and quilted!  Now I just have to get the corner stitching down pat and make a slightly larger quiltlet to mount them on.  Crazy?  Yes!!  Fun? Absolutely!!

 This is my first attempt at a fabric collage.  I'm calling it Fabric Chaos #1, because this is so-o-o unlike anything I've ever made.  It was really fun and very freeing!

Country Cottages

This is one of the quilts I entered in the HMQS in SLC this year. Much to my surprise it won a third prize in the Traditional category. It started out as a bom about four years ago, and was put away unfinished until last fall, when I heard it shouting out to be finished! There wasn't quite enough fabric, plus some of it just didn't seem quite right, so alot of it is from my stash. The gal who quilted it is fantastic and the photo below is just a sample of the detail she put into the quilt, which really made the whole quilt pop!

Whoo-hoo!

I'm scaring myself! It really worked this time! Yes, some things take me a bit longer than others, but I keep on trying.

Third time MUST be a charm!

One of these days there will be an entry on my blog! I have tried to post a hello to everyone, but they are all floating around cyberspace somewhere, or they have landed on someone else's blog. If so, sorry about that. Okay! Let's see if it works this time!