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...so last week's assignment was wall art & i was very enthusiastic about this assignment because it was basically mixed media collage based (although it could be collaged digitally too) i spent one day working tirelessly on my piece, layers and layers and layers of paint & papers...ripping stuff off and changing it up constantly. we were given a few parameters in which to work - i was given the colours yellow & green and we had to include at least one word & a floral icon. i took the day off on thursday because it was my birthday but i took a quick pic of it on my phone so i could keep looking at it during the day with fresh eyes, and i *hated* it. so i came home, made another, more graphic piece then couldn't decide which one i preferred...so i put it to the vote on social media (thank you if you commented on FB, IG or twitter!) & would you believe the vote was even?! one thing i did with the new piece was add a pop of pink - so i looked at the 'old' collage and decided to keep working on it, adding pops of bright pink. and so the one i submitted is the original piece with a few additions - a lesson learnt i think, but i wouldn't have got there without making the second piece. i was thrilled when it was chosen amongst some very beautiful pieces in this week's review by lilla as a good example of low volume contrast. result! this week is all about collections...but i'm being honest, until i know what the main assignment is tomorrow, i'm having a few days off to think and contemplate... original piece - i liked it, but it wasn't quite there new piece, much busier & more graphic - see that little pink flower? improved original, so pleased with it!
I woud gladly spend a day in these gorgeous paintings by Oamul lu. Be one of the tiny wandering folks and get absorbed in nature completely.
friday morning (approx 43 x 33 inches) i have had a few days with not too much action on this...but today i'm back with a vengeance. onwards! upwards!
saturday morning (approx 13" x 10") whenever i want inspiration for a new quilt and to get myself into a mindset of a 'quilter' i often steal my mum's copy of 'nancy crow transitions. it's a big hardbacked whopper of a book, and it's full of nancy's thoughts, notes, sketchbook pages and of course, amazing photographs of her work. it's hugely inspirational and i love to get lost in her quilts. for a while now i've wanted to make a purely quilt made from plains, but i've put it off because i'm such a fan of pattern. i design patterns for a (sort of) living, so surely it's 'wrong' to want to do this? so i struggled with starting. i ummed and ahhed over my fabric stash. i couldn't cut into anything, couldn't turn on my sewing machine. i had a plan, an idea for my quilt but i just couldn't start. then quickly, on thursday night, something began to happen...i managed to sew a tiny part of my design (click here)...but then i decided it might be that i was bored of my fabrics. so i went to mum's and went through her stash and stole all her solids. suddenly, my palette had grown 75%. i had options. so i cut and i sewed last night, and this is the result. this morning, i couldn't wait to get up and carry on. this quilt might drive me nuts in the days and weeks to come, but for now, my tummy is fizzy. that means something is working. and no, i don't suffer from irritable bowel.
after a very funny conversation with my mum on the phone last night, the quilt she and i are making together will be called 'portholes'. she didn't know what glory hole meant, so i obliged by reading her her some racy stuff from google. she had no idea. haha. dad's useful contribution was "call it arseholes", but no, we decided, that's just plain rude. so, portholes it is, given that there are lots of, well, portholes type shapes in the quilt. and according to google, that's not known for anything other than a window in a sailing vessel, certainly nothing to do with public lavatories and willies, anyway. above are a few examples of said porthole type shapes (more commonly known as circles, in certain areas of the world, i believe) it's been given to mum to stitch together then quilt...am seriously looking forward to it being finished. ps...in case you are confused, i'd better just clear up the fact that the first quilt mum and i were making just didn't work...so i utilised the quilt i made for that to be seen through circles in the canvas. recycling. upcycling. whatever.
For my improv class at theis year's fat quarterly retreat blogged!
playing with christmassy ideas...blogged.
Olá meninas! Tudo bem? Voltei para atualizar um pouco meu blog. O projeto que trago hoje são esses lindos piratinhas para decoração de fo...
box of delights! leaning tower of summersville today was the day i've been waiting for...after sending one box of handprinted samples across the ocean to moda headquarters approximately one year ago, to frantic emailing back and forth, to having samples sent directly to me from the mill then add in a month of frantic stitching with said samples and throw in one exciting trip to houston quilt market plus a LOT of waiting, SUMMERSVILLE HAS LANDED! this delicious box of 5 yard pieces and precuts arrived just as i was leaving to help out at a school function. talk about timing! i haven't had a chance to process everything yet, but when i do, i think we'd better have a giveaway, don't you? give me the weekend, and i'll see you back here on monday, okay? i've got some serious stroking to do.
it's nearly finished! just the binding to go. very pleased with this image, it shows the whole thing. blogged!
Red Fox and kit.
Today I'm very excited to share with you a new book by designer and author Lucie Summers, Quilt Improv: Incredible Quilts from Everyday Inspirations . Many of you probably know Lucie through her fabrics for Moda . I have a fair share of them in my stash and I'm constantly reaching for them
. . . . . So happy to have Crystal back today, from Stitched by Crystal! And oh my, are you guys going to LOVE today’s project! In fact, I’m pretty sure eve
during the process...blogged!
last week's theme was 'hand stitched', read more on my blog.
i am adoring making these. adoring, i tell you. and i made it for no other than to enjoy the process. i almost NEVER do that, these days.
After doing a couple of very involved pages as the first 2, I wanted to do something a bit easier for the next 2 pages. Shapes seemed to be easy so I started on that. I traced around 6 shapes onto cardboard from Chloe's Tupperware Shape sorter - circle, square, triangle, cross, star and pentagon. I used the templates to cut out 2 of each shape from material and ironed these onto some fusing to give them some strength. Onto one of each of the shapes I sewed a square of velcro (the scratchy side) before sewing the 2 pieces of each shape together with a zigzag stitch. The fluffy half of the velcro was sewn onto the calico. To create the shape to match the piece with, I painted the shape onto the calico around the velcro. To finish, even though Chloe can't read yet, I sewed the names of the shapes under each one. A bit of fusing on the back of the calico will help little fingers to pull off the shapes. Next page - colours.
Who wants to stay inside with all this beautiful spring weather?! Get the kids outdoors with this easy and fun Scavenger Hunt idea by I am Momma Hear me Roar. Cheri collected things from her front yard, took some pictures of them and whipped up this snazzy college for her son to go off of. However if you are lazy like me you might choose to just draw some pictures of things that might be found around your house (rocks, flowers, grass, weeds, etc.). And what a great idea to put all your treasures in an egg carton where each goodie has it's very own spot. I know my little explorers are going to love this!
I was delighted to run a workshop on Mother’s Day at Sophie Thomson’s amazing garden in the Adelaide Hills. The 50 guests enjoyed a garden tour, delicious afternoon tea and a relaxing a…
If you have mermaid fans at your house, they are going to love making this simple wooden spoon mermaid craft!
These beaded earrings are thoughtfully made using a brick stitch technique out of reclaimed and repurposed beads. The rectangular fringe style features flashy brass accents that catch the light, and come in lavender and melon color variations perfect for a fun summer look. This pair measures 5-1/2 in length with gold fill wire posts so even the most sensitive ears will rejoice! Handmade with love in Portland, Oregon.
well, after the excitement of yesterday's blog hop (hello to any new followers) i'm going to try and keep the mood high with a tutorial...this isn't a photo rich tute, sorry about that, but i will try and explain each step as best i can. i made this recipe book cover to take to houston to the quilt festival, but forgot to take it, what a wally. i came across it during my big studio clean up and thought it might make a nice gift for a clever cook. this tutorial assumes you can use a sewing machine and you have basic hand stitching knowledge. so here you go... you will need a hard back notebook or sketchbook 4 x 6 inches 10 x 6.5 inch piece of thick wool felt OR if you don't have wool felt, normal craft felt is fine, but double it up and use fusible web to stick it together, this is the felt cover 2 pieces of thin craft felt 3 x 6.5 inches (this can be any colour, can contrast or blend with the felt for the front) these are the felt flaps that hold the book in place scraps of quilting fabric in different designs and colours for the fabric circles cardboard circles (i used a couple of craft punches in 2 different sizes, 1.5 inch & 2.5 inch diameter) 9 inch length of thin ribbon or linen thread for the closure 1 button, any size for the closure water soluble pen for the embroidered fabric circle general sewing kit (pins, scissors, sewing thread, few strands of embroidery thread, needles, you get the gist) sewing machine iron spray starch (useful but not essential) 1. take the cardboard discs and draw around the fabric scraps on the wrong side. cut out each circle, leaving a generous seam allowance. do this so you have around 6 or 7 in total. 2. choose a plain fabric for the stitched 'recipe' circle and write a word ('recipe', or 'cooks notes' or just 'notes', whatever you fancy) on the right side of the plain fabric with the water soluble pen. 3. use the embroidery thread to embroider over the written word. the easiest stitch for this is back stitch, keep it as small and neat as possible. 4. do an even gathering stitch around the fabric circle in the seam allowance. before gathering, pop a cardboard disc in the back to gather around. remember to make sure the embroidery is in the centre of the circle) pull tight and tie a knot, and then iron with a hot iron on both sides so you make a perfect circle. spray starch might be useful for this step. 5. cut the threads and release the cardboard disc. pin the fabric circle to the thick felt, (make sure that when you close the cover, this circle is on the front) but not too close to the edges (at least .75 inches away from edge) 6. do the same to all the fabric circles, and pin in a pleasing composition on the thick felt cover. when happy, use small over stitches to secure them to the felt cover. 7. turn over the thick felt cover, take the felt flaps and pin one to the very left hand edge. 8. do the same to the other felt flap on the opposite side, but this time trap the ribbon or thread between the thick felt cover and the flap. pin into place. 9. use a sewing machine to stitch all the way around the felt cover using a 0.25 seam allowance, making sure to catch the ribbon or thread in the stitches. make sure the book fits - you're after a snug but not overly tight fit. adjust if necessary. 10. sew the button centre right on the front felt cover, then twist the ribbon or thread around the button to close the cover securely. step back and thoroughly pat yourself on the back for a job well done! if there are any points that are confusing/or you just don't get, let me know...i'll answer any queries with updates in this blogpost - i'll colour them in red at the end of the post as they might help others...! if you simply can't be bothered to make this yourself, then don't worry! i'm giving away the recipe cover with plain hard backed book - ready to give to a friend/loved one/your neighbour/your cat/your window cleaner. there are 3 ways you can to win: 1. simply leave a comment now telling me your favourite ever holiday recipe, not details you understand, just the name of it and what it is! ;) 2. tweet a link to this tute and leave a comment 3. become a follower of this blog and leave a comment i will send the book anywhere in the world, BUT (i cannot stress this enough) YOU MUST LEAVE AN EMAIL where i can get hold of you. if i have to go searching for you, i'm afraid i'll pick another winner. DISCLAIMER: i agree this would make a very fetching holiday gift. but if the winner happens to be overseas, i will wait until the holiday postal madness is over before sending, which means this won't go in the post until january. i also cannot take any responsibility if this package goes missing in the post... thanks for your understanding!
yesterday i forgot to post a pic of my selvage! there is something pretty exciting about seeing your name on the edge of a piece of fabric... so, i've been slaving away all day making blocks for my new quilt, it's a twist on a string quilt - (summersville strings?) - i've never made one before. i love the look of them but me being me couldn't make an ordinary one, oh no, i have to complicate things. that's just the way it is. that's how i roll. i roll in a complicated manner. anyway, doing it this way leaves lots of lovely space for mother spencer to work her quilting magic...i'd better inform her she's got work to do... i've been overwhelmed with the comments here, on twitter and on flickr about the summersville line - i've been practically reduced to tears with the sweet messages of goodwill (not that it means much - i cry at diagnosis murder, remember haha) thank you SO much, each and every one has been read, and laughed over and cherished. thank you. x
