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Thursday, September 19, 2019

Must. Keep. Making...





   One project isn't even done before I begin another! Does that happen to you? This "Dancing Squares" baby quilt has been in process since last Spring when our guild had a lecture presented by Lynn Hagmeier. Her patterns from Kansas Troubles Quilters feature a technique she calls layered patchwork. It's an easy-to-sew method. This quilt looks like it's trapezoidal, doesn't it? Try as I might, I was unable to get a straight on photo of it. It's actually in square. Better photo and hanging skills would benefit here!



   In Lynn's method, pre-cut fabrics with pinked edges are used. In this case, it's 10" Layer Cake squares, 5" Charm squares, and 2 1/2" Mini Charms or squares cut from a Jelly Roll. Stack 'em and stitch 'em- that's the easy sewing method, so it really is a quick quilt (despite my taking a long time to finish it.) Longarm quilter Debra Johnston did the quilting. You can see the pretty swirl pattern and the pink thread she used on the back, shown in the next photo behind the pouch. This quilt will be going to a grand-niece, Nola Dawn. Isn't that a pretty name?





   Did I show you this already? I lose track, but it was such fun to make that it can't hurt to show it again in case I didn't, or you missed it. Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilts showed how to convert a candy bag into a cute zipper pouch using iron-on vinyl, a bit of fabric, and a zipper. Fun, fun.





   Our Fiber Art Bee had a fun workshop on making bird blocks from simple shapes. I used pre-fused scraps from my bin to make Mama and Baby Bird. There are decorator fabrics in the block along with cottons. I added some hand embroidery as Mama quizzes Baby on the basics of bird life. There may be more embellishment once the block is incorporated into a project.




   All of this sewing just exhausts Iggy. He's the little Silver Tuxedo rescue who's been with us for a 
year plus now. He knows how to relax!


Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Meanwhile in Other News...





Our local art museum- The Appleton Museum- held a journal making class recently. It was titled "Up-cycled Junk Journal," and we began by choosing a discarded art book to alter into a journal. All of the materials were supplied for us, though I used my ample stash of trims and  embellishments to finish the journal at home. The map canvas-fabric I chose for the cover base was a popular selection among the students. It's quite unique.



Rolls of this sticky-back pattern paper were perfect for the inside covers. It was almost like Contact Paper, but not as gummy and unmanageable. 



I think every journal deserves its own jewelry, so I made this charm which I'll add to the spine eventually. I tried to echo the colors from the map fabric in it.


Here's my work station at the museum's classroom. We used PVA glue spread with a craft stick to adhere the fabric to the discarded book.



My neighbor at the work table also chose the map fabric. But look at the photo frame she painted to add to the cover. It will create a shadow box in which she can create a 3-D focal piece. Clever idea!



Our instructor had the space well organized and supplied for everything we needed for journal making. You can see a few sample journals she shared on the front table.


What will happen inside the journal remains to be seen. But we were given some beautiful art auction magazines to harvest for images. I'm enjoying just looking through them for now. The fashion one has some wonderful women's "society portraits". I'm sure these will be very lovely and useful in upcoming journals.