I am testing out one of my quilting designs, and decided to pull out my pigment paint to color this quilt. Here are a series of pictures:
Quilted sample featuring my design in the center:
Starting adding color. Notice how vibrant the color becomes when I add aloe vera gel to the pigment color?
Now working on the background behind my design:
This center design is available from Digitech Designs located here.
Back to coloring! Carla
I often mention in my classes that new quilters should pick up eBay quilt tops in order to practice their skills. Today, I decided to pick up a few “US-made quilt tops” and quilt them as “eBay Quilt Top” examples to show students. I guess you could say I am going to practice what I teach.
So what did I buy? Check out this log cabin quilt from eBay seller, jeano1961:
Look at all that lovely blank spaces to place some cool designs?
Here is a 1930′s vintage Dresden Plate quilt pattern using feed sack material in the Dresden Plates. This beauty is in excellent shape:
Again, can you see some stunning quilting motifs in the yellow blocks?
And here is a lovely Pineapple Blossom scrap quilt:
Can’t wait to quilt them later in the year! I will have fun designing them!
Anyone else ever buy nice quilt tops off of eBay? Take care, Carla
Santa brought me a large pack of Inktense pencils by Derwent, so I decided to stitch a block design using my new IQ, and then paint it. This is a work in progress (WIP), but I thought I would share a tutorial.
What you need:
Inktense set of pencils (comes in different sized packs. I own a 36 set and a 24 set)
Small fabric brushes (bought at Michaels. Read the label as it will say it is used on fabric)
Stitched quilted fabric design (I used a digital design by Karen McTavish, but you could stitch a stencil or any design.)
Fabric or Textile medium- I used 2 types on the sample- Aloe Vera gel and Liquidtex Fabric Medium diluted 50/50% with water (see baby jar in photo above). Jo Sonja also makes a fabulous medium for use on fabric, some with added sheen. (Google “Jo Sonya” to buy online).
Pencil sharpener
_________________________________ Let’s Begin!
Step One: Stitch your fabric first. This is a quilted project, so use any high quality fabric. I used whatever I had on hand. For the design portion, you may use any design available- either hand-drawn, digitized or a stencil. My sample uses a Karen McTavish design stitched out on my A1 brand of longarm quilting machine using an Intelliquilter (IQ).
Step Two: Using your diluted fabric/textile medium or aloe vera gel, carefully saturate the quilted fabric design where you plan to paint. I discovered through trial and error that the diluted fabric medium worked best and dried less stiff than either the full strength fabric medium or the aloe vera gel. Use what works best for you.
Step Three: While your quilted fabric area is wet, carefully color in using the Inktense pencils. I used 2-3 colors on my sample.
Step Four: Last step, you dip your brush in the diluted fabric/textile medium and carefully blend the Inktense colors. Go slow, and strive for accuracy. Once dry, the Inktense is permanent, according to the manufacturer. In the future, I plan to test this by washing and drying a test sample, then comparing to my control sample.
That’s all you do! Very easy, beginner project. Here is the finished piece:
This is just a test sample, so I think I will keep it green/white, then frame it for my studio. In the future, one of my goals is to do a wholecloth quilt design.
Final Note: In the spirit of giving credit where credit is due, the first artist to color a quilt (that I am aware of) is Helen Stubbings from Australia. Helen has been most generous to share her Colorque technique with others, many who now show and teach across the US. You can purchase Helen’s book from Amazon here.
Another shout out to Sherry Rogers-Harrison, who uses a variety of products in her Inklique work to color quilts. I hope you will visit both websites if you have enjoyed my free tutorial.
Regards, Carla
Happy Holidays to you! Today, I thought I would share my Christmas tree and all the handmade ornaments from past years. When the kids were little, each year I made them a new Christmas ornament, with their name and date.
Here is my tree. I have to confess that I still need to add the angel at the top, and ornaments, too. Plus start wrapping the gifts. Note to self- bring in the ladder!
Here is my favorite ornament, though I did not make it:
I own a few of these cute sock cows, plus some sock monkeys.
Now for the homemade ornaments:
This ornament is special as it was made by my crafty grandmother about 30 years ago.
Cookie cutter and painted dough star.
Tin punch ornament using frozen orange juice lid.
Large Jingle Bell- writing using a white paint pen. Used to have a ribbon bow top, but oh- well.
Beaded Santa. This was given to me by my MIL.
Ribbon Candy wreath.
Fabric horse ornament on a dowel.
Potpourri angel with lace and stainless steel pad hair.
Victorian lace roses.
Plastic straw ornament.
Cross-stitch kitty circa 1985 for my daughter Amy.
Amy made this cute snowman ornament when she was 9 out of painted tin can.
Anyone care to share their homemade or favorite ornaments on their blog, too? I would love to see yours. The ornaments above remind me of happy memories of Christmas past. Hugs, Carla
Thanks for all the comments regarding my last post about copyright and people who help themselves to my art work This does tell me that people like my work, perhaps I should offer them for sale as cards, framed art, calendar, etc.?
Here is a quick sketch that I do not mind anyone “borrowing.” LOL
Some days, I just have to draw, you know?
Creative wise, I think I will design a dress for my granddaughter, Kate. My dear daughter-in-law showed me a pillowcase dress she was thinking of making, but I think I can improve on the pattern and make my own variation. Here is my sketch:
So that means I need some new fabric. I have a huge fabric stash, but I can’t bring myself to use fabric from the stash. After all, what if I need them for something else- like a quilt? LOL Does anyone else think this way?
If my Kate dress comes out cute, I will write a tutorial. I haven’t written a tutorial in awhile, so I guess it is time. Off to the fabric store now!
With my 3 week long Quilt Whisperer 101 Online Class wrapping up, I have the free time to blog again! I am happy to report that the class went well, and the live meetings were fun to do. Thanks to all the students in the July QW Class for your hard work and for taking my class.
So what’s next? Next up is a Tablet Design Class, which is already written. However, I still need to shoot and edit the videos for the weekly lessons. Here are examples of what the class will teach. How to draw a wholecloth quilt using a tablet:
How to design quilt tops using a tablet. Here is the before:
Quilt top by Debby B.
Here is the designed quilt:
(Thanks to Debby B. for allowing me to share her lovely quilt top)
The class teaches many other skills, too. How to design Edge-2-Edge designs and pantos, and how to PPP with your tablet, and more!
Once I finish my videos for this class, the class will be announced and my mailing list notified by an email newsletter. If you wish to be on the class list, just post a reply here- or on my class page.
Other news: With an adorable grandbaby in the home, Joe and I lives are enriched! Ethan is now 3 months and is so cute… a Gerber baby really! He is a good natured baby, healthy, and even sleeps through the night! He is a precious gift.
My next speaking and workshop is scheduled for September in Phoenix, Arizona. I am honored they asked me to come. I will be giving a lecture on Quilt Whispering, and my workshop will be my Doodle Art Fill Class. Students will go home with their own original doodle art quilt to later quilt:
How have YOU been? Happy Summer, Carla
I am pleased to report that the class is now half full! Registration continues until the first week of the class- usually I close it on July 15th, 2011. For more info, here is a link to the class description.
This class has a wonderful mix of all types of quilters. From domestic machine (home sewing machine) users to professional quilters. Plus some art quilters, too. Thank you for signing up so quickly!
WIP stands for “work in progress.” You all know I always have several projects going on at any given time. Quilty wise, I am working on a special “story quilt” for a friend, Virginia. What makes this quilt special is that it memorializes her husband, who passed away about 2 years ago. Virginia took a class from Mary Lou Weidman, who is known for her whimsical story quilts. With Virginia’s permission, I will show you the quilt when I am done.
Other news: Congrats to Jayne Moore, who won “Best of Show” at the local Fair show. You all might remember Jayne’s quilt, which I quilted last year:
Here is a close-up of a random block:
Apparently, it won a first in the “professionally quilted division,” so I get a ribbon, too!
That’s all for now! What are YOU up to? Carla
I stumbled across the best idea I have seen in a long time from a blog called, “Stop Staring and Start Sewing,” turning an inexpensive t-shirt that I would never, ever wear into a cute top. Can you believe this adorable shirt started life as a unflattering tshirt from dare I say… Walmart?
JonaG also offers a mini tutorial on how to refashion this t-shirt. The only change I would make would be to create buttonholes or use grommets instead of the slits she cut under the chest to gather and tie the center pleat detail. Anyway, I thought it would be good to share this since I am planning to make one eventually.
While you are visiting this site, be sure to notice all her other tutorials, too.
I decided to search the web to find fun and interesting projects or tutorials to do with fabric scraps, strips or leftover fabric from other projects including this fun one called Bunny Bowling by thelongthread. Bowling with Bunnies? What a fun idea!
Misc. Fabric Items Tutorials:
Inchie Tutorial by Feathered Fibers
Fabric Chain by Moda
Microwave Potato Bag by Feathered Fibers
Blossom Pincushion by Running with Scissors
Garden Fabric Crafts Tutorials:
Fabric Flowers Tutorial by Simply Vintage
Garden Flower Tutorial from Sewritzytitzy blog.
Fabric Scraps into Jewelry Tutorials:
Puppy Necklace by Hillary Lang
Fabric Flower Brooch by Gonetoearth blog.
Fabric Bead Necklace Tutorial by Froo Gal
Fabric Strip + chain= cool necklace! by Love, Meaghan
Bead & Knot Necklace by See Kate Sew
Fabric Embellishments Tutorials:
Yo-yo Heart by GonetoEarth
Fabric Scraps Wearable Fashion Tutorials:
Fabric Crochet Purse by Feathered Fibers
crochet purse
Rose Petal Tee by Jennifer Causey
Fabric Flower Pin by Amelia Strader
Crazy Bag by mad quilter
Fabric Scrap Applique Belt by BH&G
Fabric Rosette Cuff by see kate sew
Fabric Scraps Toys Tutorials:
Puppy Necklace by Hillary Lang
Fabric Nesting Dolls by madebyjoel
Balloon cover by mad quilter
Babooshka Doll by mad quilter
Bunny Bowling by the longthread
Angry Bird Plush Toy by Obsessively Stitiching
Angry Bird Pig by Obsessively Stitching
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I hope you will check out these tutorials if you have some free time on your hands. One of them is sure to catch your fancy! Happy New Year! Carla
My latest free tutorial, a handy bedside organizer, is both functional and attractive. I designed this to hold my glasses, my ipad, phone, TV remote, water and/or other items that I need close at hand. Here is my bedside organizer, hanging in place on the side of my bed:
To help you visualize this project, here is a sketch:
For this project, I simply dug in my stash until I found some old flannel, about 3/4-1 yard. Then I needed a matching smaller piece of fabric (12″x16″) to use as the front pockets. As an option, you could also substitute quilted fabric in place of the flannel.
Besides the 2 fabrics, you need thread, your sewing machine, rotary mat, cutter and ruler. Here are the supply list sized to be printed out for your convenience:
Directions are pretty straightforward. Again, I wrote the directions and sized it to be printed out:
This is a fast project, I made it in less than an hour. I actually love that it is now hanging on the side of my bed and allows me extra space to store my books, nick-knacks, etc. Here is a picture I took just before I tucked it between my mattress ad box spring:
As always, if you make one using my free tutorial, please send me a comment or picture. Happy New Year!! Carla
