Lavender Bliss

See, I told you I might be back in... LOL!

I love the smell of lavender. It's one of those fresh clean scents I cannot get enough of. Plus, it helps me to relax. I'm smelling lavender right now, because the ladies in the row behind me are heading to Quilt Market to launch their new fabric line with Andover and some patterns with Hoffman.

Fancy that! You never know who you'll meet in an airplane.

The ladies are from the company, Firetrail Designs. Be sure to check out their new line, Lavender Bliss. It features yummy shades of purple that the flower (and luscious fields of flowers) possess. There are panels, blocks, all over prints, focus prints, and a pretty bee fabric with a country French vibe. I'm partial to the bees, as our oldest is a beekeeper.

So if you're lucky enough to be at Market, drop by their booths (at Andover and Hoffman) to say hello! Tell them the lady on the flight to Denver sent ya! For those of us who aren't at market, stop by their website to see what's coming out!

See ya later!

Latest Finish- Scallop Detailed Maxi Skirt for a Wedding

I wanted to show you my latest finish. Yes, I ventured into apparel... No, haven't gone mad.

A few weeks ago I saw a demo of the Quick Points Scallop Ruler (S1.5) at Gathering Fabrics. Lynn from Mandie and Me Designs was running the demo at Gathering Fabric in Woodinville, WA. After seeing this, I immediately figured out how I was going to make my skirt for my youngest stepdaughter's wedding. Bingo!

I purchased some fabric a month or so ago. I laugh, because there's no quicker finish than you get with a deadline looming! This weekend, I frantically put the pedal to the metal got it done.

Inspired, bought the ruler and pusher, (which you buy in addition to the ruler -- I highly suggest you spring for the pusher. This is a iron-friendly form that allows you to push out the scallops and press them into shape. Trust me, you don't want to try this without the pusher!)

For this skirt's scallop, I only made one side of the scalloped ruler, allowing some extra fabric on the straight top part to sew into the skirt. (You can see how to use the ruler here in video and written form.) I just decided to keep it quick and simple. Once you see how to use the ruler, you'll be able to pick up some really cool ways to use this in your projects. So many options! I can see it making cool oversize "ric-rac", which would be so darn adorable in a baby quilt. You can also use multiple fabrics to make the scallops.

The skirt was basically a tube skirt -- very unstructured. I just hemmed the bottom to my desired length (after sewing in the scallop and the part after the scallop. Then I added a "tunnel" to the top for an elastic waist. Then I sewed up the sides. Then I made a self-tie belt in the contrasting fabric to hide the elastic. There you have it... Easy peasy.

This will be paired with a simple tee, some pearls, and sandals. It's a casual outdoor wedding. With that being said, I've got some family business to attend to. Will take a short vacation. We'll see you in June, if not -- sooner. Take care!

Who knows, Maybe I'll pop up between now and then!

P.S. Make a trip to your local quilt shop. Attend the demos, even if the subject doesn't thrill you. Who knows, maybe you'll find some inspiration for a new or existing project.

Obsessed with a shape

Ok, so I spent last weekend at the beach, and I saw something. It was just a shape... but it has been an obsession with me all week. I keep thinking about this shape...

Did I take a photo of it? No.
Did I try to draw it? Yes, sort of.

I need to work on this... It's like those songs you listen to over and over in your head (earworm?)

Do you get this way? or am I crazy?
Be honest.

Project Reveal: Blessed

Do you remember when I asked for some creative prompts from y'all for projects? I haven't forgotten you. Here is the project inspired by Denise's prompt of Blessed.

During this past year we were blessed to be relocated to this wonderful state. I'm so loving Washington, and it's beauty cannot compare to no other. It is truly a land of diversity in people, geography, geology, and flavors!

So for this project, I took a cue from an article I read in this issue of Cloth Paper Scissors shown here and alluded to in this post.

This project was a learning exercise. For this, I purchased a pair of Converse One Stars (from Target). They had to be converse. I've also been wanting to play with gel medium and try my hand at mixed media play.

So... I used a black pigment ink pen and wrote my blessings close to the shoe's sole (close to my soul? No, I'm not tat deep, it just looks that way).

Then I took the same pen and just doodled over the canvas part of the shoes.

I took some leftover fabric I had ("Par Avion" from Paula Prass' Flights of Fancy collection by Michael Miller), cut up some interesting shapes. Before applying the fabric, I lightly brushed on the gel medium to "seal" the inked spots (which ended up smearing the ink), and to use as an adhesive base for the bits of fabric. Then I added some more gel medium on top of the fabric bits to seal them down.

For a shoelace, I chose a simple gingham ribbon. All in all I'm very pleased with this project. I'm not sure whether it's done yet... but for today it is. Who knows... Maybe one day I'll get some wild hair to add more. Do you think they are done... or does it need more?

Thank you, again, for those prompts. They are really helping me stretch my creativity.

Now, onto the next idea...

Mixed Media Play

I've been working with some more mediums other than fabric/quilting. Hoping these will give me some inspirations when I don't feel in the mood to sew (fer shame!).

I dragged out my bolt of Roc-Lon Multipurpose cloth the other day and used it for the very first time. First off, I made a dropcloth for my cutting/work table with a big slab of that fabric. With this fabric being quite sturdy and thick, I figure nothing will "seep through"that I will be using.

My first impression is that it cuts like a dream. No fraying edges. It's almost like a fused, almost rubbery, but clothy canvas. I know, that description packs a lotta wallop, doesn't it? My rotary cutter breezed right through it (four layers worth, I may add!).

Then I took my barrage of art supplies and and tried them one by one. Here is the result

1. Sharpie marker (with a thin layer of Golden soft gel medium in matte). The piece to the right is a small piece of fabric "glued" to the cloth with the same acrylic medium.
2. Sharpie marker
3. pigment ink pen (x2) (I learned on a later project that the acrylic gel smears the pigment ink)
4. Watercolor crayon
5. Watercolor crayon with water added
6. watercolor paint (x2)
7. Watercolor pencil
8. Watercolor pencil with water added
9. Acrylic gel medium with either watercolor crayon or pencil drawn over it.

That's a good starting part. Then I played with some fabric paints on the cloth.

This was a horribly failed stencil! The paint was too wet and got underneath the stencil. 

Just some overall play. I need to work with these paints more to learn about the correct texture. I either got the paint too drippy or too dry. But all in all, the cloth really took in the paint well. I love it!

I did love how this color wash came out. It was yellow with a dry brush of white paint (the yellow was still a bit wet). 

I promised a bit of something for reader Cheryl, who recently learned about paint sticks. This gave me a chance this afternoon to drag those out and play for a short bit in between laundry loads. 

I was trying to describe to her that you can "draw" with these paint sticks and your texture plates, along with doing the "rubbing thing" with the two. It creates interesting lines. Here's a quick piece I whipped out in three minutes. 

Supplies: Painsticks, fabric, protective surface, various texture plates and rubber stamps. Take your fabric and place it over a rubber stamp. Gently rub the oil paint sticks over the design on the fabric that is secured over the stamp.

Next take a texture plate (or another stamp) and draw lines to further enhance the design. I added flower petals to make the overall design a flower. Then fill in, if desired with other colors and textures like I did above.

While most folks won't be monogramming using these paintsticks. I figured by showing you some lines (okay, letters) and how much more interesting they look when drawn over the texture plates. Makes things much more interesting than just blobs if rubbings... I like how the color varies with the line, as do the shapes that make up the straight lines.

Here's more line work.

Please don't be afraid to play with your fabric, paints, etc. Who knows, maybe you might find out something really cool.

Another project reveal (from this post) coming soon...

I have a question for you readers out there. Have any of you used that ice resin? How does it react with fabric? Just wondering...

Ties That Bind

Sometimes life mirrors fiction. A woman leaves the place she's lived for decades and is suddenly thrust into throes of "starting over".  Sounds familiar?

When I moved to Ohio Last year from my home state of Tennessee, that was how I felt. And when we moved to Washington in January, I felt like that again, as I found a group of incredible friends in Ohio I dearly miss. One of the things that helped me through these life transitions were the local quilt shops. Bella Quilts was my home base in Ohio, and Gathering Fabric is my home base here in Washington State. These shops were/are my creative lifelines.

I got the idea from Marie Bostwick's Cobbled Court series. I love them. These novels hold a VERY special place in my heart. As of today this series contains five titles:

• A Single Thread
• Thread of Truth
• A Thread So Thin
• Threading the Needle
• Ties that Bind

Ties That Bind is the latest installment in the Cobbled Court series. This week I was one of the lucky recipients chosen to receive the book through the premiere blog hop sponsored by the author, Marie Bostwick and various quilting bloggers. Huge heartfelt thanks to Victoria over at Bumble Beans for drawing my name! I truly appreciate this prize. (My rule is that I never enter a giveaway unless I sincerely and truly want to win that prize and have a true use for it).

What I love most about Cobbled Court series is the incredible and unforgettable characters. Marie Bostwick weaves together such a diverse group of incredible people. (I know they are fictional characters, but I can "meet" them through people I know -- they are that real.) The books are positive, showing that such a diverse group of characters can find support, respect, and artistry through a common bond -- quilting.

Many of the characters find their way to the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop in one shape, form, or the other, and come out a member of the shop "family". Much like the wonderful local shops we visit in real life! The storylines weave characters through their creative process, life situations, the building of quilting skills (paralleled by building of friendships), problem-solving, unfinished "life" (and projects!), and applying these life  life (and quilting) lessons in a positive way. Whew, that's alot to say in one sentence, but you know what I mean.

The books are great. They don't necessarily have to be read in order. But trust me, if you start with the first book, you'll want to read them one after the other (under a comfy-cozy quilt, I may add!). They are quick, easy reads. As my stepdaughter would say, they are book-candy. Kinda like the premium chocolate bars of novels... LOL! I just love em and eagerly look forward to the next installment. 

Thanks so much  to Marie Bostwick, Victoria, and the other hop participants for this giveaway. And if you've never read this series, I sincerely urge you to give it a try. 

Free marketing advice from a former marketing professional -- me.
If you're a local quilt shop owner, I highly suggest you read this book series. This is ideally what a quilt shop should be like. It's a great study in how to run your business. Quilting is not a solo sport. It is fueled by diversity, customer service, and building relationships. It is the relationships that bind the business loyalty -- pun intended. (Yes, I'm asking you to read a fictional novel to give you business cues... trust me on this one).

Start a book club with this series. You'd be surprised with what you learn from this. Everyone can bring a hand sewing project, or take a cue from the books' story line and offer a short class to go along with what's in the story line. The benefits can be many. You can use this book series as a basis for a focus group, whether it be for classes or programs to a "business check up" to see how you are doing. You'll be surprised what you'd learn from a discussion about this series. 


I can't wait until my book arrives! This saves me a trip to the bookstore.

Thanks again!
 :-)

Thanks, I needed that...

Have you ever had a morning when you woke up and you felt like it was going to be a crappy day? That was today. Sort of.

It started with me sleeping in the guest room last night. No, hubby's not in the doghouse for anything. He was just dead tired, and I didn't want to disturb him by staying up and reading a book. I will say, however that he did roll over quite a bit onto my side, making the comfort a bit less comfortable. LOL!

It also doesn't help that I wake up totally confused as to where I am. "Ok, this is my alarm clock, but this is a different bed, different room..." This is on top of my normal confusion. You would be confused, too --  if you spent a year in an RV, then moved, and moved again the following year.

So I get up and walk to the master bedroom to wake hubby to start the day. Don't worry, there's no visuals to be had there. Trust me when I say that 4:47am isn't a pretty time in our household. And this morning was no exception. I had a pounding headache, which later resulted in me tossing some charm packs (in the figurative sense). Well, you catch my drift...

I kept a low profile today, just playing in the studio. I will post on that next week. I need to include some special play to show a reader a technique I learned while playing with some fun art materials. (Hi Cheryl!)

So let's cut to the chase. Today was the quilt guild's meeting. As you remember, I'm a newbie at the Stray Threads Quilt guild that meets in Woodinville, WA (the wine country!). I've also been struggling a lot with my "art" and am desperately trying to find my voice.

The meeting saved me. Now I'm not trying to go all drama queen on you (okay, so I am). It really did save my day. In fact, I almost didn't make it to the meeting. After a second headache in the afternoon, I told hubby I should just stay home. But I'm glad I didn't.

The guest speaker program today was Lorraine Torrence, author and quilt artist, who spoke on "Finding Your Voice".

Kismet, eh?

That's fate for y'all who don't speak Bugs Bunny. And one of the things she mentioned that totally stabbed me in the brain was about working in series. Trying something more than one time, giving a technique or subject matter repetition will help you find your voice.


Thanks. I needed that...