Monochromatic Challenge

 I can finally post my finished my piece for the Art Quilters Around the World blog challenge.  I finished it the end of August but I was not able to post until now!

This did turn out to be a fun piece to do...even though I'm not found of working only with one color.  Just to make something different, I thought I'd use the technique shared by Laura Kemshall (DesignMatters TV).

I started off with a piece of hand dyed lime green fabric, which I free motion quilted...you can see somewhat of a plant/floral design in the quilting.   Look hard!  It's there...ha  I also use a darker shade of green so it will stand out.

Next, I took a gallery canvas (from JoAnn's) and painted Gesso over the entire front. This is just a precaution...as you'll see later on the process.  Let the Gesso dry then we're onto the next step!

Now, cut to size your quilted piece keeping in mind you need to keep at least an inch border of the canvas.  You need this space to be able to sew through to the other side to attach your quilt.

Glue the cut quilted piece onto the canvas and then stitch through the edges to attach.  I used 12wt Sulky thread to attach, just because that was the color of green I wanted.

Next up, and this can be the scary part!!....you take acrylic paint and using a brayer, roll paint over the entire quilted piece...even onto your sewn edge thread.
Once your piece is dry then the real fun begins...you start paiinting in areas with the original color of your piece.  In my case, the original piece was more of a dark lime green.  I just happened to have on hand some lime paint.  I actually love this part...it's very relaxing to just paint!!

You can see the part(s) that I'm now painting.

Next, I want some of the leaves to fall onto the canvas so I take a pencil and draw the placement I want.  This does take some time and I find myself erasing a lot until I get what I want.

If you find your pencil marks are  causing some dark spots, just paint over those areas with Gesso.  And...if you find your painted marks aren't excact you can use Gesso to cover your painted area or to  clean up an area.  Gotta love Gesso!!!

Just another picture of the edge...actually, this picture should be turned!  This is the lower left edge on my piece!

So that's the process...that's my challenge piece!!!  I do love attaching pieces of quilts to canvas.







I have made several of these and enjoy the process...here are a few more that I've made.

This was for a fiber group challenge.  

This was a wedding gift for my great niece.
It was a picture I traced from
her wedding invitation.

This was the very first one I did.  Lots of fun!!!

Hope you get to try this!  It quite a lot of fun...scary at times...but heck...you can always start over!!!

Happy Birthday, Nick!

 Nick's BD was last Friday, but the family celebration was held yesterday!  As usual, Kris and Darrin put on a feast as always!!!  It's always so nice to have the family together!!  Dawn just returned from a week out west, having a spa week with her gal pal! Great she and Jeff were both in town!

 Grandma Nancy made another one of her famous cakes!  Each BD 'person' gets to pick their cake and Nick wanted confetti!  Grandma even made these tie dyed cookies to put around the cake.  Nancy always out  does herself with decorating!  And the cakes area always SO good!!!

I don't remember the name of this tablet Nick got from Grandma Nancy!
He was SO excited!!

Auntie got Nick his Lego set!  Although, Nick did get to
carry it around the mall the day she bought it!  And she
wrapped it up for him to open.  We all made him work
for his gifts this year!

Nick had requested a Ripster (like a skateboard) from us ...but I told him they sold out so he'd have to buy it himself.  So what did he get from grandpa and I!  A pooper scooper!  HA  Nick is in charge of Brody's daily 'output'!  He thought the box contained the small Ripster!  Fooled him!

As I said, we wanted Nick to work for his BD presents this year.  I had cards made up and the first one told him he had to go on a scavenger hunt.  Amber handed him the 1st few cards and he had to read out loud.  Each card gave him a hint as to where his next card was hidden!

Nick's first card said "where do I have you go before you have a snack after school?"

Of course, he guessed it right off..."the bathroom to wash  my hands!" he said!  So funny...

His next card was "go to the room where the desert animal lives under a blue light."  Well, that's his bedroom where Spikey the lizard lives with him!


That card told him "go to the room where you 'google'".

So that was the downstairs computer area.  And yes, that large (understatement!) cage (right side) belongs to Brody!!

That card read "where does the UPS man leave packages?"

Of course, that was the front porch, where grandpa had already put Nick's gift!

Finally, Nick got to open his Ripster!

We were shocked that Nick could get up and ride this bugger!  It really is cool!!  I did try to stand up on it...but that was all I could do.  Must have been the sandals!  Next time I'll wear sneakers!  HA







Here's a video of Nick on his Ripster (which I'm sure I'm misspelling!).  Anyway, it was a fun day and great day for eats!!!  Thanks, kids!!  Hope you had as much fun, Nick, as I did!

Yours, Mine and Ours!

No, I'm not talking about kids...I have so many 'little' quilts in my quilt stash.  Some are blocks I made as samples for future projects and some are actual blocks that are part of a block challenge I received from others.
So instead of them just laying in my quilt cabinet where I can't see them, I decided to put small D rings on the corners and put them in a book!  I made a larger 'book' of some quilt squares (18"x18") a few years ago (you can see the front cover here) so now I have a smaller 'book' of 12" squares!

It was such a nice day out today so I sat out on the deck and sewed on D rings!!

 I attached D-Ring's to each side of the squares.

I happened to have on hand these large rings with a closure. Worked perfectly...one at each end to hold the 'book' together!

You can see the larger rings on the left side. This allows the 'book' to open.

This was my 12" block I made last year for Tommy's block exchange

This is Tommy's block...see the back of my quilt on the left and Tommy's quilt on the right.  I think I put his quilt  in sideways!!!

Gayle's block fro last year.

This is a sample block I made in 2007...I was playing around with Tyvek (that's the red areas) and of course some beading...suppose to represent underwater and coral.

This was a piece I did in 2003...it's weaving larger strips and some couching of threads.

I dye painted this bird in 2004 then hand appliqued it to the background fabric.   This is a simple block but I've always been fond of it.

This was my first attempt at using oil pastels and freezer paper back in 2002.  I ended up teaching quite a few classes on this technique.  I'll still use oil pastels from time to time.

I am usually so good about dating all my work but I can't find a date on the back of this square.  I cut the ends off just so it wouldn't be square.

I was really happy with my free motion work on this piece...which was a hand dyed, screen printed piece.  I was also playing around with circles (using the 'tack' method on your throat plate, which worked pretty good!).

This was my piece for this year's 12" block challenge. I posted the other blocks I made on my blog here.

And this is Gayle's (Kush) 12" block from this year!  Now I can't wait to add the other two blocks when I get them in October!

They'll have a good place to 'rest' in my quilt book!!  Bob thinks I should keep all my blocks separate from the others but I don't have many from other folks, except the five from last year and I'll have 3 from this year...guess I could..maybe...

Today was Nick's 11th BD!  Tomorrow is his football game and Sunday is his party with family.  Can't wait for Nick to 'work' for his gift!!  Should be fun...I hope!!!  I'm making Nick go on a scavenger hunt to get his present from grandpa and me!  I love being grandma!

12" challenge

I'm in another challenge with three others (Gayle, MaryAnn and Tommy) where we create 12" square blocks to exchange.  They can be the same, different, whatever...we did this last year (you can see last year's here).

This is Gayle's that I received this past week!  Isn't it cool!!!  She used silk dupioni for the little squares and I love her quilting!!!   It is really a cool piece!!

I love block from Gayle!!!  BTW....I have so many 12" blocks from this exchange, last year and just some that I've made as practice pieces for larger quilts, that I am putting in a 'book' using D rings on the edges.  I did this a few years ago with larger blocks (check out posts here and here to get an idea).  Anyway, I digress!!!

Here are my finished blocks I put in the mail today!  Each block is a hand dyed piece of fabric that I stamped (using one I made from cardboard and foam), then hand stitching and of course some bead work!

closeup of beading

Blocks are similar as far as fabric and beads used but different stitch patterns.  Some blocks I stitched with brighter orange or darker blue embroidery threads (3 strands).






This next piece was the first one I did and I'll keep it.  I wanted each of the ladies to a have the same color fabric because I couldn't decide what color to send to each....so they all got the same color!

You can see the stamping better in this piece, as the background is lighter.

Our blocks aren't due until the middle of October so I'll be anxious to share the other two!!


Rib is feeling better...unless, of course, you move wrong!  Which seems to be often!  UGH...I do keep an ace bandage wrap on most of the time, which seems to help (as long as I don't wrap too tightly).  Such a dumb thing but I am starting on my Bonevia and I've been taking my calcium, D3 and other vitamins.  It won't repair the damage but will help my bones from becoming like a 100 year old vs an 80-90 year old!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

It's so hard to believe my first born is having her BD today!!!!  Love you so much and have a great trip!  She's headed out west with her girl friend for a week at a spa!!!  Enjoy...relax!!!!  Love you!!

My Beautiful Baby!!!

Snap Bags

I still have to finish the binding on two of my 12" inch challenge blocks, which I'll do tonight watching TV...but I  had a 14" square piece that I used as a practice block.  So, what to do with it!  Snap bag time!  I needed a few bags to have for gifts so this quilted piece worked great!

1st bag, back

1st bag front

 I love using my snap bag, which holds my coupons and stays in my purse.  Of course, then I think everyone wants a snap bag!  HA

These are handy little buggers...and they wash up nice!

2nd bag back

2nd bag front

These are so easy to make.  I started out with a square piece that I cut into 7" x 14" lengths.  You can make any size!

Of course you have to add beading to your piece!!!

Next up I cut/fused backing to cover up the stitching so it won't get caught on coupons/papers or your fingers as you put items in the bag.

I also kept the backing 1/4" from the side seams.  There's too much bulk to sew and turn.

Next I cut fabric for the sleeve for inserting a piece metal tape.  You need to steel one your hubby's  tool shed!  But don't use tape that is over 1/2-3/4" wide.  Depending on the size of your tape you need at least 1 1/2" - 2" strip of fabric.

Sew the strip right sides together to the backing first, then press 1/4" on the unsewn side.  Fold over to the right side of the bag and stitch.  I like to use a 12 wt or decorative thread for this part.

Next up you'll cut a piece of metal tape at least 1" smaller than your bag width.  You need to make sure the tape is inside the seam line or else you end up sewing over metal...which isn't good!
Also, round your edges of the metal tape measure and cover with a piece of masking or scotch tape.  This will prevent it from poking through the sleeve as you use it.

Slip your metal tape into the sleeve....place the number side of the tape facing inside.  This is different from how I was told to first make them (Thanks, Galye!) but it works so much better this way.  Really does 'snap'!

I have made all different sizes using left over scraps from quilts.  You can see a smaller size on my post here.  

Oh, just had a call from the Dr. and I have a cracked rib!  Go figure!  And all I did was pick up a dog that weighs less then Kalle!  I actually did this two weeks ago but finally got to see the Dr. today....oh well...these old bones are quite brittle but who knew how brittle!  No more running around the bases with grand kids.  But my grandson did tell me I could still pitch!  Go figure!  Off to get some Advil or more wine!  Lots better than Oxyi!