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Showing posts from July, 2020

A new start

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One more vintage quilt block from Aunt Pat started.  I have covered most of it with different laces. I have left Pat's beautifully embroidered flowers to show.  They may get covered in the next step, the paint. They will stand out too much if I don't cover them in the paint.   Embroidery and beading will come after that.  This is the fourth block done this way.  I am really enjoying this process. I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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I think this piece is finished.  It doesn't look remarkably different from the last time I posted about it.  I did add some more green leaves.  I used my own hand-dyed thread.  Using my own thread or fabric always feels so good to me.  For some reason, it feels really special and unique.  It was a complete pleasure to work on this piece.  It was the third done on one of my Aunt Pat's partially stitched blocks.  I have a LOT more of said blocks and being as sentimental as I am I do want to continue to use them.   I am linking to https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/ https://www.quiltfabrication.com/

Slow Stitching Sunday

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I have started a new slow stitching project.  This fabric started out as an experiment.  I liked it but it didn't work out well for  my original idea/intention.  I left the fabric hanging in my studio waiting for inspiration to hit.  It came to me this week and I have added some more colour with Inktense blocks.  I drew in a tree outline and have started stitching inside that outline.  My first problem is that I like the colours of the tree and therefore don't want to cover it completely with stitches.  Having an area that is precious is never good for me. It is inhibiting so I will have to get over that.  My second issue is that I want this to be something.  Again, inhibiting.   I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Finished and complete

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I made this mixed media mandala a while back.  It had been sitting in a pile of work that was done to my liking but not totally finished.  In doing some tidying this week I came across a wood panel and realized it was the perfect size for this.  For a long time, I was thinking that my mandala pieces had to be 'quilts'.  Well, why?  Why not finish them off in the manner that best suits them?  If a wood panel works for mounting why not use it?   I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Journal

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I moved the large pink bead and think the cover of this journal looks better.  These fabric/beaded covers are so much fun to create!  The inside is a very colourful Gelli-printed journal.  Some of the pages fold out.  There are no words in this journal as yet.  Maybe there never will be, I don't know.   I am linking to http://minialbummakers.blogspot.com/ https://countryviewchallenges.blogspot.com/2020/07/july-2020-do-what-makes-you-happy.html

Work in Progress Wednesday

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I think my bead journal for July is finished.  I started by painting the fabric and will definitely want to do that again.  I didn't do as much beading on this one because the painted fabric was already pretty busy.  I am having an awful lot of fun with paint lately! I used the fabulous beetle wings that my sister had sent me a number of years back.  I think they look awesome.  I love the iridescence of them. I am linking to https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/ https://www.quiltfabrication.com/

Slow Stitching Sunday

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I have been hand quilting this painted piece.  I have the perfect shimmery thread for it but it doesn't show up in the photo very well.  There are lovely glints showing that really add to this piece.  Does this remind you of fireworks?  It does me.  I am debating adding beads.  Definitely leaning towards doing that.  Beads are always good. I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Journal Cover

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I have made progress on repurposing this into a journal cover.  I cut it down to size and have added lots of beading.  I think it is going to be just right for my journal.  I am thinking I need to remove that large fuschia bead (upper left).  I love the shape of it but I think it might be too big and distracting.  What do you think? I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/     

Picnic Table

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I do not consider myself a painter but I do love to use paint.  I play with it in journals a lot and I use it on fabric so I am quite comfortable using paint.  I wasn't intimidated to apply for the Explore Waterloo Region picnic table painting.  So glad that I went for it and was accepted.  I went with a crazy quilt idea as Waterloo Region has a long tradition of quilting.  I went with cheerful and bold colours as is typical of me.  I painted it last week through the sweltering heat.  ugh  The table will be placed at a local restaurant.  I hope it is one that that I like so that I can go there and eat at my table!  The table will be auctioned off in the fall.  I hope it goes to a good home.

Work in Progress Wednesday

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Is it really work in progress?  Kind of not really.  This just makes me so happy though!  A friend was clearing out her stash and gave me a box of fabric.  So gorgeous!  This is just some of it.  My granddaughter and I had so much fun going through the box.  Juniper loves the glitz just as much as I do.  Not surprising when you consider that the five-year-old inside me was doing a happy dance.  My friend has the best taste in fabric and I am so grateful that she shared her abundance with me.  I have already put some small pieces to good use but definitely need to think of more projects to use up these treasures! I am linking to https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/     https://www.quiltfabrication.com/    

Slow Stitching Sunday

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I have added some more stitching to this piece.  I think it is pretty close to finished.  There isn't a lot more that I want to add to it.  I have really enjoyed working on this one. I have a LOT more unfinished blocks from dear Aunt Pat.  I don't know that I can do this with all of them but I do want to do some more.  I love the collaboration.  Her beautifully stitched fan is a sweet reminder of her. I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/    

Repurposing

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This weird little piece isn't what I would call successful.  Not all my experiments are but the wonderful thing about that is I learned something.  Still, this piece doesn't have to be tossed.  I am planning to cut it down to make a journal cover, possibly two.  I also want to continue to add some hand stitch and some beading.  I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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This is the start of my bead journal for July.  I started with a pink and white striped fabric.  I added paints and inks to it in a random fashion.  After that was dry I started adding paint to form the mandala design.  It is very loose and free.  I have stitched on some beetle wings in the centre and will continue with the beading.  I have enjoyed playing with paint again.  So fun! I am linking to https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/       https://www.quiltfabrication.com/  

I heart Photography

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It has been a while since I posted one of my kaleidoscope photos.  They were supposed to be beaming from 'The Cube' atop our City Hall in April.  That did not happen.  Obviously, I was disappointed but I was informed that it will still happen.  City Hall has reopened and employees have returned to work.  I hope that means that my photos can be displayed soon.  I am linking to http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/

Slow Stitching Sunday

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This past week has been pretty hot.  Almost too hot to sit outside but I love the sun and the heat.  I love our new deck and that I can stitch out there.  I decided I would do bite-sized bits of time stitching time on my deck as the summer seems far too short and  I don't want to be cooped up in my house!  This piece is fun to stitch upon  I saw some dimensional embroidery that was incredible and I want to try some of that on this piece.  Mainly I have been stitching with simple stitches with which I am familiar.  It certainly wouldn't hurt to try something more challenging though. I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/      

Thinking

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I did this mixed media mandala a while ago.  I had been thinking that I would do all my mandalas in a 12x 12-inch square but the last one I finished I decided to leave in a round hoop.  I quite like it that way so now I am considering putting more of them in a hoop.  Most of them I have quilted and did my own kind of binding on but that is not the fun part for me.  Is there anything wrong with putting some of them in a hoop and calling them done?  If I ever have a solo show of my mandalas (which is my dream) would they all have to square?  Quilted and bound?  I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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My June bead journal is finished.  Usually, I turn my bead journals into small quilted wall hangings but this time I plan to leave this one in the hoop.  I think it works alright.  Why create extra work for me?  This piece is truly mixed media.  I started on fabric that was used as a cleanup cloth so already had imperfection built-in.  No need for me to be concerned about messing it up!  I added some silver leaf in the centre and then started beading and stitching.  I am linking to https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/ https://www.quiltfabrication.com/