THIS, THAT, AND SOME OTHER THING

I am happy to say that I finally worked out most of the kinks in my fabric painting ordeal.  This 12 1/2 inch block is done, and I have two more ready to paint.  I am still on a huge learning curve, but it is getting better.

While trying to recover from several failed painting blocks, I decided to try to heal my wounds with something I do know how to do.  This needs way more leaves, then lots of quilting.

Well one thing finished and another getting there so I am linking up with:

Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilts

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Busy Hands Quilts

BLUE DALIA THREE QUARTERS

I have been working a bit more on my Blue Dahlia quilt top this past week.  I promised I would have a surprise to some of you that commented on my first post about it.  Well here it is.  Not all BLUE.  The pattern called for three blocks done in a pinkish red.  No, not my favorite color or idea.  I found this perfect golden yellow to add the pop in there instead.  

As you can see it is now 3/4 of the way complete.  Guess I had better get busy and finish it off.  I plan to quilt it myself, which might be a bit of a chore.  I'm not so sure I am up to that task.  
It is still a work in progress so I am linking up this mid week with:

Sew Cute Tuesday
To Do Tuesday
Brooke at Silly Mama Quilts
The Needle and Thread Network
Mid Week Makers

PAINTING FABRIC & MISSING APPLIQUES

I made an attempt to paint my design this week with new fabric paints and pencils.  Things didn't go well.  There is definitely a learning curve on this type of fabric treatment.  I tried again with a new project, but it really didn't go well.  

While digging around in a couple appliqué  books for new paint designs I discovered this small center piece in one of the pages all finished.  Hmmmm, maybe a small diversion would make me feel better.

 It helped to accomplish something, it is hanging on the wall, I feel better.  On to the painting projects again now.  As I actually finished something this week I'll link up with:

Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilts

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Busy Hands Quilts

YES I'VE COMPLETELY LOST MY MIND

     In October I fell victim to a demo at a quilt show and purchased a Tsukineko ink set.  In January I saw several quilts using paints and decided to purchase a set of Jacquard Dye-na-Flow paints as well.  They have sat in a box in my studio ever since.  In this past couple of weeks I decided to enroll in a Craftsy class that deals with painting on fabric.  That involved purchasing Pebeo transparent paints.  Yes insane, but I am on this mission now and refuse to give up.
     I spent Saturday afternoon, watching U-Tube classes and experimenting with this new crazy idea of mine.

Try number one with the Jacquard paints.  I'm was not impressed, so read more and watched more U-Tube.

   Try number two, a bit better.  Plus I can add more color once these dry.  Also I am using Pellon 830 interfacing.  Great for raw edge appliqué as it will not fray.  However, one must color it.

Try number three, using the Tsukineko ink.  I think I like this better and will have to try a couple more color combos.

Just for fun, I painted over this batik with a light tan color to reduce the brightness of the fabric.  A suggestion from one of the U-Tube classes.  At least one doesn't have to make their own colors, but can change the color a bit on printed fabrics.  

This is what I am trying to achieve.  I took this picture at a quilt show to give me a visual image.  This gal does a fantastic job.  These leaves were done with Pellon 830 interfacing painted with I believe Pebeo transparent paints.  After watching the Craftsy class I am taking this seems to be where I want to go.  
Well it may be I really have completely lost my mind, but  I am linking up with this WIP and hopefully to really be able to figure this out.

Brooke at Silly Mama Quilts

The Needle and Thread Network

Susan at Midweek Makers

MARCH QUILT ALONG BLOCK FINISH

On the 15th of each month Fat Quarter Shop adds a Quilt Along Block.  This is March.  I have decided to do mine all in red prints.

So here we are with January, February, and March.  And this is a finish at least until next month, so I am linking up with.

Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilt

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Busy Hands Quilts

DOUBLE WEDDING RING ATTEMPT

     For several months now I have had it in my mind to attempt a Double Wedding Ring Quilt, well at least a table runner or wall hanging, lets not get too overly confident.  I order a paper pieced pattern by Timeless Treasures.  Well 28 pages of direction later, you have to be kidding, I was stumped. 
     So I ordered Victoria Findlay Wolfe's book Double Wedding Ring Quilts.  It is a wonderful book, full of inspiration, but few real directions for a beginner.  
     At last I decided to go on Craftsy, and purchase a class.  I have taken a number of classes in the past from Craftsy and they are great.   Contemporary Curves Double Wedding Ring Quilts by Jackie Kinkel is no exception.  She not only gives great directions, but also material with paper piecing templates too.  
    It took me several times watching her direction.  The beauty of Crafts.  You can watch it over, and over, and over again until ones gets it firmly ingrained in ones brain.  
    Above, my first block.  It is perfect, no wrinkles, pleats and it is the right size too.  

      Block number two, just the two outside white newsprint to sew on, but that is not going to be an issue; I've got this now.  
     This is a WIP, but I can see a table runner, wall hanging, and oh who knows maybe a quilt in the near future.

So I am linking up with:
Young Texan Mama

Brooke at Silly Mama Quilts

The Needle and Thread Network

Susan at Mid Week Makers

AMY BUTLER MIXED BAG

This project has been hanging around for several months.  I decided to try to finish it off and get it off to the quilter.  It has a couple of Amy Butler fabric lines that I made some sampler blocks with along with some Oval Elements in different co-ordinating colors.  

I did not have enough of Amy's fabric, but found this border that I figured didn't look too terribly off base.  This is a finish and will go to my guild's charity project.  Last year we gave away 220 quilts to various needy agencies.  

It should find a good home so it is a finish:

Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilts

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Busy Hands Quilts

  

PURE

A week or two ago I made some pillow cases for children that are hospital cancer patients.  I have lots of children's fabric.  With three daughters that grew up in our neighborhood with lots of other playmates there came a time when they and all their friends began their own families.  I made lots of baby quilts.  Well that era has passed on and all the babies are grown up and few baby quilts are needed any longer.  

   I made a rather tangled mess of my children's fabric stash. However, I discovered some real treasurers.  As is my usual operational style, at least a couple were cut out with patterns or at least a photo of the idea and set aside when I moved on to other projects. 

This picture of American Jane fabric right above has a wonderful baby quilt idea, and it is started too.  I'll post that one next week.  This project below was all cut out and ready to go.  No pattern just a picture of an idea.  The idea seemed doable with what was ready to put together so I took the afternoon and decided to finish it up.

Well here it is, the fabric is Pure by Sweet Water.  It is ready to get quilted too.  I think I will quilt this one myself and who knows maybe someone will need a baby quilt in the near future.  

So it is still a work in progress so I am linking up with:

Brook at Silly Mama Quilts

The Needle and Thread Network

Susan at Midweek Makers

THINKING AHEAD

While digging around in my studio I dislodged this runner started sometime ago.   International Quilt Festival 2014/2015 magazine along with the fabric was tucked away in a bag, and several of the appliqués were complete as well.  I hope I am not the only one that starts things like this and then stashes them away.  Maybe I'm related to a squirrel.  Never the less, here it is asking to be finished.  
My youngest daughter is a real fan of my runners.  She has a large dining table so likes large runners.  This one is 24 by 48 inches.  I'll finish it off with some quilting and stash it away as a Mothers Day gift along with a purple candle to go with it.  

It is nearly a finish so I'm linking up with:

Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilts

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Busy Hands Quilts

  

BLUE DAHLIA

One of my very favorite quilt magazines is Quilts & Crafts Simply Moderne.  The most recent issue #8 arrived this past week.  I fell in love with their pattern Blue Dahlia.

The applique pieces have a somewhat different process of doing them, but I am always game in learning something new.  First you draw you appliqué pattern on the non fusible side of Pellon Fusible 911FF then with the fusible side on top of the right side of the fabric you sew all around the appliqué pattern line.  You then slit the Pellon and turn your appliqué piece right sides out.  

Now my appliqué pieces are ready to fuse to my background.  It is important to follow the directions on the Pellon Fusible to get them to adhere properly to your background.  

And the start of my quilt top.  I did sew my appliqués down with Sulky Polyester invisible thread using a hemming stitch.  You can hardly see the stitches they blend in so well.  I did figure out that a 65 size sewing machine needle works best with that thread.

On Saturday afternoon I got the first quarter done on the quilt top and have started on the second.  Such a fun project and I learned a new technique as well.  It is a start so I am linking up with:

Brooke at Silly Mama Quilts

The Needle and Thread Network

Susan at Midweek Makers