What Next?

...or how to incorporate all these 'little metals' into my textile work.

This has been a fun year full of mark-making, slow-stitching and now turning a wide corner with playing with metals... but, the love of silk and thread has a strong pull on my soul.

So with each group of 'little metals' I have turned to playing with fabric in ways to incorporate them or feature them in textiles. I some cases I have created specially designed canvases using Fast-Piece Applique.

 

 

 this combination became one of my favorites so far.

when using Fast-Piece Applique for these I use invisible thread and no couching... which was one of the many ways I showed in my last book.

These poppy pieces are now done and ready to prepare for hanging. Yes, this pieces are shown off in a different way and made ready for hanging in a special way as well -- (more on this tomorrow).

Besides using Fast-Piece Applique I have had a blast stitching up some great canvases using improvisational piecing which I show how to do in my first book-Dream Landscapes.

More on how these pieces are finished tomorrow.

All Day Everyday-Everyday All Day

Healing comes to each of us in many ways.

Mine began as I began making a quilt to honor the memory of 'my' Edgar. You all have heard or seen my many posts on him, now I wanted to share his quilt and some of the photos I took along the way as I was stitching.

It started with photos --
Photos that I printed in black & white, then I took a china white pencil to begin identifying various parts.
Being a black cat there was always a hard time capturing his highlights, but I think I was able to pull these out of the photos.

Next came the piecing -- using Fast-Piece Applique of course, but I felt just because he was a black cat did not mean that it all had to be black fabric.

I created Edgar on his own then selected a background fabric where I could write all his stories-journal style. Below I show a couple of detail shots showing how this was done.

Here he is -- all Edgar -- all 4.5feet of him.

 

It is called--
All Day Everyday - Everyday All Day

Grey Day Stitching

Hi All,

This winter the weather has been a bit different than the years previously. Since it is only my 5th winter here in Paducah I can barely call it strange but the temps have been up and down, and down and up since November. No snow...for it seems these have been our dry days. But there has been weeks of rain.

Today the day is gray. It has been gray, wet and cool for quite a week and we are looking at another week of the same. With the gloom settling in I decided it was time to finish up some projects that have been put aside for quite awhile for one reason or another.

I was totally surprised when I opened this first one. I was just hours away from completion.

This second one was another story. I loved using these amazing Cherrywood fabric to stitched together this HOME piece. The rich solids begging for thread play - and playful mark making. I pulled the stitching kit out and soon had a big pile of thread bits. The piece is still underway, but there are a few more gloomy days ahead -- time to get it done and enjoy the process. I do love hand stitching!

Then the projects swimming around in my head  will have a clear go ahead. Til then....

hope you are finding a bit of time to be creative.
Would love to hear what you are up to!

Shhh...

My friend Marie wanted to try and make a quilt --
for a gift, but she has never even learned how to sew.

And, she wanted it to be an art quilt....
We can do this!

So, we have been taking some stolen bits of time and going step-by-step we're heading down the 'fabric road'. It started with a bit of pattern making- but once a theme was chosen the design emerged and then the pattern. (secret stuff at this point).

Next, I gave her a bit of a crash course on the sewing machine and of course stitching. This went really well after Marie's initial fears went away. Starting first with stitching straight lines...then straight stitching curves.

 

This went really well... so, Marie quickly moved on to appling her newly acquired straight stitching knowledge to Fast-Piece Applique some practice pattern pieces together -- then how to use those special Kai scissors to trim.

We were on a roll, so next we went fabric shopping for the background pieces needed for Marie's quilt. There is nothing like fabric in hand to speed thing along, and Marie quickly had the background completed.

Since the project really is hush, hush you'll just have to believe me when I tell you that Marie is doing GREAT!

During our last time together Marie pulled fabrics for the main characters of her quilt -- Stacks of reds and golds began to pile up.. with Ralphie's help.

I'll keep you posted--but I hope you join me in welcoming Marie to the fun of quilting. She is proof that you don't have to start with traditional... you can jump in anywhere. (she's already planning out her 2nd quilt!)

Fall Roller Coasting!

Well, here is Paducah they have announced frost warnings for the weekend. Add this to the amount of leaves beginning to fall and I think it is safe to say that 'fall is here'.

It has been a roller coaster month - my darling David trip over his own feet in the middle of the night and broke his wrist. Originally it looked like a clean break, but that did not remain and he had to undergo surgery. Add in that it was his dominate hand... let's just say it is good that he is retired.

With the passing of my sweet Nikki, we had just thought about getting a kitten to keep Edgar happy -- and one just fell into our lives.... he's a little love who right now is watching the birds from a perch in the studio. Ralphie---

In between all this I have completed my latest on-line workshop with Academy of Quilting and it begins on November 6th! It took a while to pull it all together for there are more techniques on creating your own embellishments -- and how to embroidery, bead and generally use all sorts of methods to embellish these... phew.... than I can count! All my favorites, and hopefully some that will become yours, too.

Fabric'ating Embellishments

There has just been so much keeping me happily busy - while not driving me crazy.

I'll be sharing more about getting ready for quilt market next week later on this weekend, but for now I couldn't wait to share the button I've created to give away while I'm there.  Reach for the Stars!

What colors are your stars?

~Rose

Back-to-School Blog Hop -- A Rose by any other Name

It's my turn, it's my turn... and I have been enjoying all the information that has been shared so far. How about you?

My topic today is Fast-Piece Applique, and in case this is the first time we are meeting FPA is a method of constructing a quilt top that looks like applique but is really piecing and makes stitching circles and curves a breeze.

Back just before my 3rd book came out I had shared a how to YouTube video. Since then I am always asked for the rose pattern used as the sample, and finally today you'll find it by clicking here.

It was a lot of fun to put this small quilt together recently and get to finish it off so entirely different than I might have back when the video came out.
So, I hope you grab the pattern, then copy it to freezer paper and try it for yourself.

I started with silks -- what color to make the rose? Pink, yellow, red, white, purple... so many to choose from.

then came picking the fabrics for each pattern piece:
then prepping the fabrics.

Next, I chose pairs and stitched them all together just like in the video, and then on to stitching set in pieces like the one below. (there is a piecing list noted on the pattern)

 

 

 

 

Trimming everything as you go along is important, so remember to lift the paper and trim close to stitching on the top.

 

Fast-Piece Applique is one of those methods that can be used to create almost any type of quilt easily, and also be mixed with other traditional construction methods. In my latest book, Mandy Leins and I teamed up to stitch up the rose in an entirely different way -- the roses were actually not stitched but glued. Then Mandy did her stitching magic to pull it all together into a fuzzy, fantastic quilt.

If you like the idea of simplifying designs, and mixing it all up, then you'll want to leave a comment below -- then, next week on 9/15 you may be the winner of one of two e-book copies of Fast-Piece Applique I'll be giving away.

and while you're clicking and commenting don't forget to check out all the other Blog Hop stops along the way!

Sept 1: Peta Minerof-Bartos of PetaQuilts –
So, Does that Diagonal Method for a Pieced Backing Really Work
Sept 2: Cheryl Sleboda of Muppin.com – The Quilter’s Knot
Sept 3: Teresa Coates of Crinkle Dreams – The Importance of Pressing
Sept 4: Cath Hall of Wombat Quilts – Color Coding for Paper-piecing
Sept 5: Sam Hunter of Hunter’s Design Studio –
How to Calculate and Cut Bias Binding
Sept 6: Melanie McNeil of Catbird Quilt Studio – Credit where Credit is Due
Sept 7: Mandy Leins of Mandalei Quilts –
How to Keep a Perfect 1/4” Seam Between Different Machines
Sept 8: Rose Hughes of Rose Hughes – Fast Pieced Applique
Sept 9: Megan Dougherty of The Bitchy Stitcher –
The Care and Feeding of the Domestic Sewing Machine
Sept 10: Lynn Krawczyk of Smudged Design Studio – Make a Mobile Art Kit
Sept 11: Susan Beal of West Coast Crafty – Log Cabin 101
Sept 12: Sarah Lawson of Sew Sweetness – Zipper Tips
Sept 13: Jane Victoria of Jolly and Delilah – Matching Seams
Sept 14: Jemelia Hilfiger of Je’s Bend – Garment Making Tips and Tricks
Sept 15: Ebony Love of LoveBug Studios – Curved Piecing Without Pins
Sept 16: Misty Cole of Daily Design Wall – Types of Basting
Sept 17: Kim Lapacek of Persimon Dreams – Setting your Seams
Sept 18: Christina Cameli of A Few Scraps – Joining Quilted Pieces by Machine
Sept 19: Bill Volckening of WonkyWorld – The Importance of Labels
Sept 20: Jessica Darling of Jessica Darling – How to Make a Quilt Back
Sept 21: Debbie Kleve Birkebile of Mountain Trail Quilt Treasures –
Perfectly Sized No-Wave Quilt Borders
Sept 22: Heather Kinion of Heather K is a Quilter – Baby Quilts for Baby Steps
Sept 23: Michelle Freedman of Design Camp PDX –
TNT: Thread, Needle, Tension
Sept 24: Kathy Mathews of Chicago Now Quilting Sewing Creation – Button Holes
Sept 25: Jane Shallala Davidson of Quilt Jane – Corner Triangle Methods
Sept 27: Cristy Fincher of Purple Daisies Quilting – The Power of Glue Basting
Sept 28: Catherine Redford of Catherine Redford – Change the Needle!
Sept 29: Amalia Teresa Parra Morusiewicz of Fun From A to Z –
French Knots, – ooh la la!
Sept 30: Victoria Findlay Wolfe of Victoria Findlay Wolfe Quilts –
How to Align Your Fabrics for Dog Ears
October 1: Tracy Mooney of 3LittleBrds –
Teaching Kiddos to Sew on a Sewing Machine
October 2: Trish Frankland, guest posting on Persimon Dreams –
The Straight Stitch Throat Plate
October 3: Flaun Cline of I Plead Quilty – Lining Strips Up

Word Teasing Continues

Ok, I admit it....
I have been having too much fun!

Work on my Creative-Design-Alphabet(CDA) has been calling my name over the last few weeks. It's coming together nicely, and I'm excited to report that it is ready for it's debut during Quilt Week here in Paducah.

The CDA is just what is says -- a whole set of letters along with directions on how that you can creatively use the set to add YOUR words and design your own 'wordy' stitching projects.

When constructing my own own 'wordy' projects, I like to use the letters along with Fast-Piece Applique (of course), but if you love needle-turn applique or fusible machine applique the letters are perfect, too!

I have two quilts up on the wall ready for couching and quilting, but by the time I begin demo'ing the CDA how to's at Ephemera I hope to have another two done.

What word or words would you like
to add to your next stitching project?

The Lucky Winner Is!!!

Hi all,
My time zone awareness is a bit out of wack.
& if you follow me on FaceBook you may already have heard of my travel difficulties on Monday --

BUT, I am now happily home with my kitties around me.
both Nikki and Edgar are sticking pretty close.

come on mom, it's time, it's time!

Home, sunshine & mom....
I think Edgar is really just anxiously awaiting the announcement of the winner from my own Blog Book Tour Give-Away....

You, too?
I want to thank everyone who took part in the tour -- it has been grand and I wish I could give you each an e-book/ but there can be only 1 winner....

edgar is pleased!

Who's Won?

CONGRATULATIONS
JODI!!!

Fast-Piece Applique: Blog Tour Day 9 TAFAlist --- SING

Today I have invited my good friend Rachel Biel to join the fun on the blog tour for Fast-Piece Applique (The Book)! I have to admit that she is one of those people I have met on-line and always wanted to meet in person…(little did I know that we would be neighbors-literally walking distance).

Rachel is amazing in the energy she puts in to making the world a wonderful place for textile artists, and I was/am always in wonder on how hard she works to pull the TAFAlist together/keep it going & growing. When I decided to move to Paducah she was the first person I contacted here. She helped me find my way early on. Now I am always trying to find ways to drag her away from her computer for other fun things.

What is TAFA?

TAFA: The Textile and Fiber Art List is a membership association of handmade traditional and contemporary textiles and fiber businesses. TAFAlist has over 500 members from 44 countries that either exhibit, sell, teach or all of these.

There are categories for Vintage, Fair Trade, Fiber Farming, Paper, Sewing, Mixed Media, Supplies, Printed, Weaving, Dyed-Painted, Cultural, Recycled, Embroidery, Felt, Crochet & of course my favorite....

Members are showcased in portfolios with information on what they do and where they are on the web. The List is a visual treat for any lover of textiles, and a must if you make textiles your business.

Rachel's choice for the #loveletterhearts word is SING.

So you'll want to click over and enjoy Rachel's post for the day-
sign up to win an e-copy of my new book
& pick up your free pattern for SING.

Rachel Biel-TAFA
http://www.tafalist.com/blog/


It is truly an honor to be part of TAFA and know Rachel!

Tomorrow it all comes back around to me...
see you then!

~Rose