LOTS OF ODDS AND ENDS

Okay...I finally decided how to complete this project-no mellowing for this one.  I decided not to use batting as thickness was not really called for.  I ironed some light interfacing to the painted piece (after practicing on my trial attempts).  The interfacing gives the sateen some body though the inktense and fabric medium does also.

Did you know washing removes a lot of the fabric medium so the hand is much softer.  I did not realize this would happen.

I am using Kimono silk along the seams to attach it to the background. By hand.  In tiny little stitches. Which don't show.

AND SO TO GO ON....

After completing the "secret Garden" I am going to finish a long mellowed wip.  The original pattern called for crazy quilting which was just so lovely but as I attempted to do crazy quilting, my brain failed me, telling me that for us,  crazy quilting was not in our repertoire. 

This wip mellowed for a couple years before I came up with a solution, implemented that as far as my imagination would go, then it mellowed again as I tried to put some coherence to the pattern which it lost when crazy quilting was forsaken.  I hope it will not take me more than a couple of weeks. Sigh!

This project was based on a pattern called "His Majesty the Tree" and is a seasonal pattern having a tree for each month.  It was an intricate pattern with silk ribbon embroidery, 6 strand embroidery, applique, and bead work.

LASTLY: A NEW PROJECT 

To be attempted after tree quilt is done (Ya think? who knows, I don't!)

This is some of the fabric:  Liberty tana.  This project will involve embroidery and paper piecing.

Above is what you might call "framing fabric".  The Liberty will be used solely the paper piecing. Below is the fabric to be used around the "framing".  

AND NOW...

YOUR MOMENT OF ZEN.....

These are Painted Cuban shells.  Nature does the loveliest designs

  I am linking up with the following great linky sites:

Slow stitching Sunday https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Design Wall Monday at https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/

To-Do Tuesday at Quilt Schmilt 

Finished or Not Friday at http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/ 

Off the Wall Friday at http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Frederique at https://quiltingpatch.blogspot.com/

Hope you stay well and plenty hydrated in this heat!  Or stay warm if you live in Australia and environs.

 STONEFIELDS QUILT

AKA CHUCK,SUSAN, AND ME

2016...I may have finished the blocks then and the assembly but.....I have told you of the terror in my heart when it comes to quilting.  Projects sit and mellow as I work up my courage.  I quilted this in sections (sort of a large quilt as you go).  As I look at it now I like it.  Each block is quilted differently and I used lots of different kinds.

The Chuck, Susan, and me block is in the center.  I bought the pattern for, gulp, $200 in 2015-I don't know what is charged for it now but that was a lot for me then.  After I opened and looked at the pattern I was pretty disappointed as the pattern consists of so many repeats in different colors.  I just did not see how I could make myself do all the repeats.   I have seen beautiful Stonefields but my mind does no work that way.

I had a wonderful by by Chuck Nohara "2001 New Blocks" published by Quiltmania (I miss them).  The Me part is my block designs.  The ratio is roughly 1/3 for each of us with the weight going to Chuck which is why she gets first billing.  Susan is second as the concept was her.  I am last but not least.

This quilt was my favorite to make.  Lots of different techniques were used like Broderie Perse like the 2 red vase flower blocks above.  There are mine as is the owl and the hot air balloon.

Another technique is to use the design in the fabric as the block or as an insert-for instance the pink rose block or the pink cameo block clipped from toile featuring people.

This also shows some broderie perse as well as in patterned flower fabric.  The basket is mine and was very tricky to make to get the perspective correct. 

This one has some designs from all of us.  I am especially fond of fuchsia which I designed.  Another technique used on this quilt is embroidery.

The cat in this block is one of my favorites.  The original cat was lying on a book shelve which I turned into a window ledge and made the framing out of other scraps of the bookcase.  The sun is shining with embroidered rays and the bird is b.p.
 
The fish block is mine and also a favorite. I found some fish fabric and some shell fabric and embroidered some sea weed.  I don't know if you can see it but the big yellow fish in the center is eye to eye with a fish hook on a line from an unseen boat.

Two things I especially like are both mine-the girl in the rain with the fabric forming the rain and the house block which reminds me a lot of my house: rock front, chimney gabled brown roof.

I thought the little house was an interesting use of fabric.  I built a little house for the 3 girls with pink check curtains, a gray kitty, and a stone walkway.

The two love birds are from Chuck's book-I love them.

The wonderful sleeping cat was from Chuck's book but I added the dream.

Here are just some random photos of the quilt:

Weekly progress report on the inktense Secret Garden:   just have the hinges to paint on then ready to back and bind.  I feel some quilting will be needed to keep all the layers in place .....we will all know next week-I don't know either so it will be a surprise for everyone.

AND NOW...

YOUR MONENT OF ZEN

Here is some cool patterned cityscapes:

Amsterdam

Barcelona

  I am linking up with the following great linky sites:

Slow stitching Sunday https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Design Wall Monday at https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/

To-Do Tuesday at Quilt Schmilt 

Finished or Not Friday at http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/ 

Off the Wall Friday at http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Frederique at https://quiltingpatch.blogspot.com/

TWO NEW TECHNIQUES LEARNED ON RAGGETY RUFF'S "SECRET GARDEN"

 

First:  use of inktense blocks to create texture of wood grain.  I drew the lines of the board of gate heavily using inktense pencil saddle brown (one of my favorites) then....

I dragged the inkense block across the dry fabric to create the look of  grain in the wood

I forgot to photo the door after laying down the inktense color and then painting over with fabric medium (I sue 50% Golden GAC 900 and 50% clear aloe gel).  You can see from the photo below how the gate looks like wood. ...that is technique number one...I wish I had taken more photos.  It looks kind of crummy until the medium is on.

 For technique number two I placed the piece in my big 14 inch embroider hoop, stretching it very tight.  I wanted to paint the sky is a soft blue.

 After it was in the hoop, I sprayed it with water until it was wet. It did not matter if other painted areas got wet as these areas are already set by heat.  They can be painted over but will not bleed.  I got out my bright blue block, wet my brush and stroked it over the block,  Since the fabric was damp the inktense flowed across the fabric with the water in my brush.  (makes me want to take up water color painting-the effect was the same).  Around the edges and close to the other elements, I used a small round brush.

This is a pretty good photo of both the sky (2) and the door (1).  I had some cleanup work to do also as the 2 side panels weren't balanced and needed some elements to balance out.  I also added several long spring green curly vines as I love that kind of movement.  I have temporarily blocked out the stone pathway which I will work on tomorrow.  

If I had it to do over, I would have eliminated the seams in the center panel...oh well. live and learn.

AND NOW.......

YOUR MOMENT OF ZEN

Flower carpet in the Grand-Place in Brussels made of mainly begonias and dahlias grown in Belgium. 

A different carpet of flowers has been made every August for about 25 years.

"The Flower Carpet is 70 m long by 24 m wide. 1,680 m2 of  begonias, dahlias, grass and bark. More than a hundred volunteers  assemble the carpet in less than six hours.  The first Flower Carpet of Brussels was created in 1971 and  has been a showstopper every two years on the Grand-
Place since 1986. "

Another example:

Making beautiful things, however ephemeral, is one of the best things that makes us human.

Stay cool!

  I am linking up with the following great linky sites:

Slow stitching Sunday https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Design Wall Monday at https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/

To-Do Tuesday at Quilt Schmilt 

Finished or Not Friday at http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/ 

Off the Wall Friday at http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Frederique at https://quiltingpatch.blogspot.com/

 

AFTER THREE YEARS OF BEING INCOGNITO,

                               I thought I would catch up

This is my current project.  It is based on Raggety Ruff's "A Secret Garden" which she designed as a raw edge applique with thread painting.  Her patterns are lively and colorful.  The original which you can purchase on etsy (no affiliations-just honest praise):

Since I am not creating a background of blocks of different colors, I made a rock wall which gives my concept more coherence.

My project has a ways to go yet-lots of details and finish up.  

I took an on line class from Bethanne Nemesh on inktense, learning lots of technique ideas, about brushes, mediums.  This was a great class and I applied lots of what I learned.  However, doing is also a great source of learning.  Here is just a sample of my "learning by doing":

The stone wall was painted after other painting was done.  I drew the block lines heavily in willow.  The made some willow paint by scraping off bits from an inktense block ( most of the painting was using the inktense pencils).  After it was watered down and dissolved, I brushed it over the willow lines creating a softer line and some texture and shading as I drew out the color.  I was careful in the amount of paint/water I used and used a small round brush around the flowers and birds.  

So anyway, this is what I have been doing.  Since i have not blogged in 3 years, I have lots to show everyone.  But just one other project today.  

I ordered this pattern from Material Obsessions in the land of OZ,  I have embroidered since I was a girl and this pattern really appealed to me as a combination of applique and embroidery.  It is call "A stitching Story" by Karen John.  I changed it up a bit but not much.  It is a lovely pattern.

The hardest part of a project is finishing it.  I don't know what to do as a border or what best way to hang this one.  

AND NOW.....

YOUR MOMENT OF ZEN

This guy is asking my husband what he is going to do about it.  Hope everyone has a nice week and doesn't evaporate with the heat and humidity.

I am linking up with:

Slow stitching Sunday https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

To-Do Tuesday at Quilt Schmilt 

Finished or Not Friday at http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/ 

Off the Wall Friday at http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Whoop Whoop Fridays at http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com

36 YEARS IN THE MAKING

 I began this cross stitch when my daughters were 5 and 3.  My 5 year old is now 41.  Cross stitch is not my thing and really I feel like the stitcher cannot claim any credit for its loveliness except as a demonstration that one can follow instructions.  Place this x here in this color.  DROVE ME BONKERS!  That is why it took so long.  I think I did an excellent job of putting each colored x in the right place and the design is totally beautiful.  

I loved this pattern with its garden and flowers and especially the honey bees.  Honey bees are my motif and appear on most of my appliques.  My love affair with honeybees began about 45 years ago when I had several hives of bees on our zen farm.  I will have this framed and set off by some miniature skefs I have bought over the years of ceramic and natural materials.  It will make a nice display.

Here is one observation:  if one does not blog often, then one looks very productive when they post everything they have been working on.  For instance:

This looks like I have been very busy but the only addition to this applique is the center block:

This is my design which took quite a while as it was like pulling teeth to dredge this up from my imagination.  I wanted something that would represent the 4 season as that is the motif of the tree quilt.  So winter, spring, summer, fall fill out the 4 quadrants.  It is meant to be an impression of the seasons: holly for winter; acorn, wheat and orange for fall; sweet peas and new green for spring; and morning glories for summer.  Each quadrant has its own colors and shape of leaves.   I am pleased with how it evolved.

Here is a close up of the embroidery. I did the skep in chain stitch and the bees are silk ribbon embroidery

Next:  make the edge blocks which will also be appliqued I think in a vine and the top block which will be about 10 by the width of the quilt (or so? who knows) and will have a sun with rays shining on growth and the cycle of life.

The flimsy of Fields of Flora by Verna Mosquera is also finished.  Quilting is next.

This applique has about 50 different fabrics in it mostly Art Gallery and Tilda.  I think the border is a bit bland so I am thinking about quilting it in a golden honeycomb and embroider honeybees onto the comb. Here is the stencil.  Usually I free motion quilt but I think this pattern will require marks.  The individuals combs are about 1 inch. 

I bought this pattern from Urban Threads.  It is the inspiration for my border plan.  

And last but not least...A FINISH!

My version of Yoko Saito's Imaginary Garden, a Quiltmania pattern. She used blue and brown Japanese taupes but, after several different fabric line failures, this is what happened for me.  The fabric is Good Vibes by Sue Zipkin.  Here is the fabric line-I used about 6 of the different fabrics in this line to make the applique.

Here are some closeups:

So this has kept me pretty busy and having fun.  It represents about 4 months of working away.

AND NOW

YOUR MOMENT OF ZEN

Eggs are cheaper now! But I am not sure you can find them in so many colors.  I hope photo is attributed properly.  

I am linking up with these generous quilt makers and hostesses

Slow stitching Sunday https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Oh Scrap at http://quiltingismorefunthanhousework.blogspot.com/

Patchwork and Quilt at www.quiltingpatch.blogspot.com 

Design Wall Monday at https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/

To Do Tuesday at https://quiltschmilt.ca/

Monday Musing at https://songbirddesigns.blog/

Midweek Maker at www.quiltfabrication.com

Needle and Thread Thursday at http://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/

Peacock Party at https://wendysquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/

Brag About Your Beauties at https://frombolttobeauty.blogspot.com/

Finished or Not Friday at http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/ 

Off the Wall Friday at http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Whoop Whoop Fridays at http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com