Paper-Pieced Table Runner

I am going through a slow process of organizing myself and my work area. It was looking like a hurricane hit it. Little by little I am (with my husband’s help) picking up everything. One of the things that I have to do is complete the multitude of unfinished projects (UFOs) that I have. Some are from when I was going to teach and I was in the process of making samples for that class. Others were me trying to learn art quilting and just gave up on it and moved onto another project. Kind of a “Shinny object” disease (new things always catching my eye and interest).

The first one that I am working on completing is this table runner. I designed it and it was suppose to be a class until Covid hit and my plans were altered. So once it is finished I’ll add it to my Etsy list or in one of the shops (haven’t decided that yet).

After I designed the table runner, I print a piece of paper for each square I need. In this case 12.

Then I sew on the pieces of fabric on. Actually, each piece of fabric is sewn on the paper side for accuracy. I’ll have to do a video another date showing you that process.

This is one of the squares with the paper still on the back and all of the fabric sewn.

Now the fun part comes!!! All of the squares are sewn together and I get to pull off every little piece of paper!!!!

It’s all ready to layer, quilt, and add a binding! WooHoo!

Hope you enjoyed this blog! Have a wonderful day!

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Guild Competition!

This week I’m starting on a challenge that is through one of my Quilt Guilds. Their challenge is to choose an envelope that had two crayons (I did not know what colors I was choosing). Create a quilt using these two colors and add up to four more colors.

I received BLUE and BLUE/GREEN.

I came up with drawing rings on white fabric, add designs in the rings, painting the fabric with the colors.

And the following photos are my process thus far. Quilting will begin tomorrow. It’s due December 4 at our Christmas party.

Enjoy the photos!

Still Painting Papa’s Door

I just finished the door today.  There are stairs, ground, and bottom of building to paint.  The bumpy knobs on the door I feel turned out the way I wanted them to!  I took a lot of squinting and using the camera on my cell phone to make sure I got it right.  I could not get it like this without the modern tools.

Why squint and use the camera?  When I am painting, I am right on top of each stroke and don’t tend to see the results of my painting from a viewers stand point.  There are many ways to view the art in progress in a “viewers” eye.  Squinting is one (be careful of this, I have a headache and eye pain which will go away with some well deserved rest), cell phone camera, and step back from the art piece about 20 feet.

Hope you enjoy it!

Beginning of Papa’s Door

I’m starting a new quilt which will hopefully accepted into a National Quilt Show (s) this year.

I’ll share the story behind the quilt when I finish.  This blog is to show you my process and my thinking.

Papa’s Door will be a painted whole cloth art quilt.  I started with a traced image as my usual process and added the squares around it to resemble Italian tiles.  The original photo was a plain stucco wall.  To add interest to the quilt, I decided to add the “tile” look.  Frixion pens are my favorite fabric marking tools.  They stay on for as long as you want, thin line is formed, and iron off easily.  I have found that on dark fabric the pen leaves a white line which can be removed with laundry soap quite easily.

 

I started painting the squares (tiles).  It took me two days with a total of about 10 hours to finish painting the tiles.  Very peaceful and relaxing to do!In the bottom right of this photo, you can see that I ironed some of the marks away.  The bottom photo shows more lines being removed.

I am still working on the painting part of the fabric, so I was afraid to iron more of the lines and have my lines disappear!!  YIKES!!!

I don’t know if this technique is out there, but I love doing it!  I would love to read your comments!

Monofilament Thread

Wanted to share a little tip I was told the last time I brought my machine in for repair.

I use monofilament thread in my bobbin when I am doing my quilting art.  This allows me to change the color of the threads continually without having to change the bobbin all the time.  It also prevents the bobbin thread from peeking through to the top of the quilt.

Using the wrong monofilament thread in your machine will actually ruin the sewing machine tension.  Most of these types of threads are stretchy and will thin out when it goes through the tension discs and keep changing thickness.  Plus, if left in the bobbin as I do, the thread will warp your bobbin making it unusable.

The brands that don’t stretch are Aurfil and Superior.  These are better for your machine (and mine too!)

I could not believe it when I held both types of monofilament in my hands and pulled.  I could really feel the difference!  I use Superior threads for most of my work anyway, so I am not straying from that brand anymore.

Good quality thread is better for your machine and will hold up better in your projects.

Try the monofilament test yourself and tell me what you think.

Thanks for reading!

Chair at Canalside – Buffalo, NY

This is a little slide show presentation showing how the painting process changes the quilt and brings it alive.  Hope you enjoy it!

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If you would like to purchase this item, click here.

Table Runner Quilt Patterns

These are my first two patterns!  I’m really excited to present them to you!  These are table runners with full instructions and templates for traditional piecing as well as foundation piecing.

If you are interested in purchasing one of these patterns, please press here to go to my Etsy.com site.

Thank you for supporting me!

 

Michigan Street Finished!

I’m very excited to present to you my first piece in the Buffalo/Niagara Region Series.  This is Michigan Street.  It is mounted onto a painters canvas and has a hanging wire for easy hanging.

I am working on three other quilts at this time to add to this collection.  In 2017 or 2018, I hope to have an exhibit at the Carnegie Art Center in North Tonawanda.  More information on that will follow!