Flower Power and Teaching in NYC!

I have a couple projects in this year and I am dancing on the rooftops about it, because my work hasn't been in this particular magazine in a long time.  Here is the link

and it's all about these flowers!  Cut out on a Sizzix die cutting machine - The Big Shot for the Fabi.  I have a vast collection of flower dies.  I used Weeks Dye Works Wool and they came out beautifully.  Hand sewn with #8 perle cotton thread

Here's a nice stack of Weeks Dye Works Wool in solids and heringbone

This is the start of the small scarf that is featured in this issue as well.  I used Sizzix die cuts in hexagons and hand sewed them to another layer of wool by hand. You'll have to take a look at the issue to see how the flowers were incorporated

I got a little obsessed with making these flowers. I think they add alot to these felt stitchings.  This is a class that I teach called "Zen Stitching."  I am teaching it at the Quilt Alliance event in NYC in September for Quilters Take Manhattan.  This will be a very fun and relaxing 3-hour class!  I will have kits available to purchase. Here is the link

I am using #8 Perle cotton thread to hand sew

A variety of fabrics will be in the kit besides wool blended felt - some pre-fused sheers, commercial cottons and felt hexagons for some added fun!

These have been so relaxing to create.  I hope you will join me in NYC when I teach this class at City Quilter on Friday, September 25th

Best Wishes Book

My sister asked me to make a book of hand painted tags for her daughters wedding shower.  The idea is for guests to write their good wishes on the tags.  They would be tied into a book for the bride.

I started this by drawing small designs on the end of Uline tags with a Sharpie pen, then hand painting each one with watercolor paint

Here is the Uline tag.  It's a nice size 6-1/4 x 3 and white #S-2416-W.  One side is slick, and not good for painting, but the other side is slightly less slick.  The paint kinda pools on the tags, which I really like.  It was a little daunting drawing all of the designs.  When I got 30 done, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I used Grungeboard to make the front and back cover

Back

A variety of colorful designs

I made about 60 tags, a true labor of love

They are all pretty different, and I wanted each one to be bright and cheerful

How long did it take?  Hours and hours, days to design and paint!  A lovely handmade gift that I hope will give them joy for years to come! 

Artful Valentines

While working on another project for a Sizzix Blog Hop, I received this great flower #658680 to work with.  It is huge and only works on the Big Shot Pro. There is a button in the right column if you want to see what Sizzix is all about.  I thought to myself, 'what if I folded in half and then again, what would it look like?  Funny thing, it makes four perfect hearts. 

So, I gathered up some pre-fused with Mistyfuse fabrics, from my lines, and some Hoffman Batiks and hand-dyes

I made a little collage of fabrics

and another one

Then I got this brilliant idea to have two girls heads on some valentines, because this special day can be about the great friendships you have in your life.  The girls are from my Heart and Soul Sisters line with Hoffman Fabrics

This grid is from my Heart and Soul Sisters line with Hoffman Fabrics, however these are fussy cut out, well, the girls have been cut out, and the grid put back together another way

Okay, this is pretty fun!

And I am pretty happy how this one turned out

And the girls, cut in quarters

I pressed them all on pink wool blended felt, and cut them out, heart by heart.  Put them on another layer of felt and free motion machine quilted each one.  The wool blended felt on the back just gives the hearts more stability!

I think they look pretty great!

and the girls are adorable

Four more

You can see the quilting from the back.  And one with lime green backing.  I cut all of these out with pinking shears by Havel's Sewing.  They made the best scissors!

Then I decided that I wanted some larger hearts.  I didn't have a big heart die, so I improvised by using the large Melon die #660198 from Victoria Findlay Wolfe's collection at Sizzix, and you have to have a Big Shot Pro to cut this die.  I folded them in half length-wise and cut the heart.  They are kind of wonky, but I think it adds to the charm of them.  I used my Heart and Soul Sisters fabric line, and some from Home is Where Your Story Begins.

I fused them to red wool blended felt

and backed them with this beautiful pink. Wool blended felt by National Nonwovens TOY002

I made this one for my daughter who is celebrating a birthday this week!  Her heart has a red scalloped border. The hearts are about 9" high by 7" wide

And here is the result of all of the heart bunting that I made.  I am pretty darn happy with how they all came out.  Happy Friendship Valentines Day!

Handmade Gifts for Christmas

I love making handmade gifts, but I don't always have time to make them.  This is an ornament made with wool blended felt.  My friends initials, hand sewn onto a brightly colored background in a complimentary color.

The small 'a' - the letters were cut on my Big Shot Pro and a Sizzix die.  Link to Sizzix in right side bar.

Two friends from my monthly dinner group, whom I met in Girl Scouts, when we served on the Fund Development Committee for our local council.  We have known one another for years, and they have supported me in my artwork with my girls, for Girl Scouts, and now in a line of fabric.  They have been there for me through thick and thin.  These are about 10" square.

detail.  I used the Big Shot Pro machine #657600 and the large circle #659163 to make this ring with a die cut

Another color way

detail

In our family, we draw names.  I was lucky enough to draw my sister in law's name.  She loves quilts, and has many displayed in her home, including some of mine.  Always so honored to make her a work of art.  She gave me a photo of she and her daughter wearing wreaths on their heads for Summer Solstice in Sweden.  This is the details of my SIL, Anne.

Detail of Sara

This is the quilting on the back of the art quilt, which I think is so fun!

Summer Solstice / Mother and Daughter / Sweden. I had a a-ha moment. I am so pleased with how it turned out.  My version of faces. 12 x 24"

Fit for a Birthday Queen

The making of the birthday crown.  I cut 2 long narrow pieces of wool blended felt and fused them both with Mistyfuse.  I did this so they would bond extra well to one another.

I made a very basic pattern of hills and valleys on two pieces of graph paper taped together

Pinned the pattern to the felt and cut with a pair of Havel's very sharp scissors

I cut circles, flowers, leaves and hexagons on my Sizzix Fabi Die Cut Machine in fabrics, as well as, wool blended felt, and fused them to the crown.  I am building up my canvas for sewing it together and hand sewing.  The felt is all by National Nonwovens #TOY002.  Some felt pieces were from previous projects where I actually washed it to fluff it up.

Here is the finished masterpiece.  You can click on it to see it larger.  I envisioned it to look like a fiesta, with bright colors, and elements that the birthday queen would like.

Scissors in the middle, since we sort of run with them in our studios.  I also cut wool felted balls in half and built some dimension.  I enjoyed how relaxing it was to have a project that I could just hand sew at night and on the weekends. This was great fun to create.

Side detail.  I used #8 perle cotton for the hand sewing.

Other side detail

Then after I tried the crown on a few times, I realized that it could be pretty hot, because of the wool felt, so I lined the back side with cotton, and sewed it into place.  I used black velcro in longer strips, so that it could be adjusted for any size head.