The Art of Cooking

This is a quilt I made for the Fast Friday Challenge where we had to take an ad and use those colors in a quilt. I gave it to Mary who is a master chef and makes great pies.

Cyberhints

Waterproof fabric or paper with Medium-Golden matt or shiny medium instead of using vinyl.Apply with a paint brush.

Simulate a single hole plate, place a piece of tape over the hole on your regular plate and run your needle through it a few times to make a hole
... You can approximate the single hole plate by cutting a piece of clear thin plastic. Heat the tip of a nail and melt a SMALL hole into the center. Place the plastic under the presser foot and hand-walk the needle into the down position, with the needle going in to the center of the hole. TAPE the plastic to the surface of the sewing machine. Presto, instant single-hole plate cover. Just make sure it doesn't come loose, or you'll end up with plastic sewn to the back of your quilt.

Prevent color transfer:Use 1 cup Epsom Salts - - CHEAP - - - works great. Wash red, white & blue fabrics in the same load - - not a hint of color transfer.

Save the backing papers from the commercial printer fabric by putting waxed paper over the sticky part. They can be reused many times by pressing muslin to it and rotary cutter trimming the edges off.

Rinse the silk scarf in a container that allows it to be laid out completely flat (eg a bath tub, or a photography developing tray, or aRubbermaid/Sterlite storage box). Check wash fastness of the colors. Buy a couple of gallons (8 - 10 gallons) of deionized water . Lay the scarf out on a layer of nylon tulle (the fine net, slightly larger than the scarf) on the bottom of the clean bath tub a little up from the drain (drain closed). Then gently pour on the room temperature (no more than 75 degrees) deionized water until the scarf is just floating a little bit off the bottom of the bath tub. Allow to soak about 20 - 30 minutes and then open the bath tub drain and let the water drain away. Sniff the water - you may smell mothballs, dust. You probably will have to put a gloved (nitrile preferred) gently on the scarf to keep it from moving initially with the water. Definitely wear protective gloves if you smell mothballs - those chemicals are really bad for you so protect yourself. If you smelled mothballs and/or the draining water is colored , repeat the rinse process again. There is no need to add any soap, detergent, conditioner, vinegar, etc. You do not want to leave behind any other chemicals.After the last rinse, lift the scarf out of the tub using the nylon tulle and place on an absorbant sheet or fabric. Carry the lot to the drying area: clean (sprayed with very hot deionized water and wiped dry) countertop made out of formica, granite, laminate or a piece of Plexiglas/Acrylite acrylic sheet (slightly larger than scarf). Gently turn the lot over, so that the scarf is now down on the counter/acrylic piece. Spray with additional deionized water so that the scarf is floating again on a layer of water. Gently manipulate wet-out scarf with your gloved fingers, straightening and gently patting out wrinkles, creases and bubbles. When the scarf is straightened as feasible and wrinkle-free, gently blot the scarf using an absorbant sheet or fabric (straight up and down). Allow to dry in place on the counter/acrylic piece (OK to have an electric fan blowing in the vicinity). Because of the thiness of the silk scarf, it will dry within a few hours. Do not use a hair blower or other source of heat. After it is dry, gently peel off the counter. It will look like it has been ironed without exposing that old silk to the high heat of an iron.

A magnet pan at the auto supply store to hold lots of pins and the safety pins.
Or magnetic bowls for holding screws, nuts & bolts, etc
..Extendable wand with a magnet on the end to pick up pins from the floor without bending over.

Prevent thread tangling: take each skein, wind it around a 12" ruler, cut it at one end, slip a bone ring onto the threads, slip the color band on it, then braid store on shower curtain hooks .

2010 International Quilt Festival/Chicago
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
Rosemont, Illinois, USA
April 16-18 http://www.quilts.com/home/shows/viewer.php?page=SpringFestival

Tutorials including a hot glue gun bezel, beaded flower video tutorial and a couple of floral motifs created with ultrasude
http://in-the-fold.blogspot.com/search/label/Tutorials

http://threecreativestudios.com/free.htm
border designs. http://www.quilterscache.com/B/Borders.html

borders - the why and how


Quilt Top Settings; Borders; Sashing


piano key http://home.howstuffworks.com/piano-keys-quilt-border-pattern.htm

http://nyquilter.com/userfiles/file/Handout%20-%20Hexagon%20Folding.pdf
www.blockcentral.com/bom2010 Sentimental Journey
http://www.alexandersonquilts.com/misc/holiday/12days/ redwork - will do as a BOM
http://dorothybakerdesigns.blogspot.com/ Sweet Nostalgia BOM 09-10 (Sept block unavailable)(embroidery)
http://www.northwestquilters.org/bom.html A Walk Through the Garden 09-10
http://bluemountainquiltersguild.ca/block-of-the-month Border Quilt BOM 09-10
http://www.reginagrewe.de/00main/05gratismuster_e.html Mushroom BOM 09-10 (paper-piecing)
http://chasenbach.tripod.com/shop/indexeng.html Nature BOM 09-10 (experienced paper piecing)
http://val-laird.blogspot.com/ What is Love BOM 09-10 (embroidery)
www.pacificpatchwork.typepad.com Redwork Seasons BOM 09-10 (embroidery)
http://burningthemidnightoilquilts.com/block-of-the-month-quilt/ 09-10
http://www.floridacabinfever.com/ 2010 BOM (several years still available)
http://quiltinglibrary.blogspot.com/
http://www.quiltdesignwizard.com/qdw/free/archive2.asp

Fabric Warehouse Romulus and Hoover Rd. have been closed for 2 weeks now. A New Fabric Warehouse Superstore opens January 4th, 2010. Both stores, Romulus & Hoover Rd, are closed and making 1 giant Superstore now open 6 Days a Week with fabrics starting at $1.99/yd

Fabric Warehouse Superstore
1993 Tobsal Ct.
Warren, MI 48091 586-756-2117 Click here for a map of the New Fabric Warehouse.
www.fabricwarehouseonline.com

Florida trip highlights

Loved the colorful quilt exhibit, Rooted in Tradition, Art Quilts from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum at the Florida International Museum at St. Petersburg College and was inspired by a lecture by Pauline Salzman. We also got to see our snowbird friends, the Mandells enjoying retirement living. Great warm, sunny weather and an outdoor art fair in December were some of the highlights of our trip to the Tampa area.

The museum did not allow us to take pictures so, here is one of her wonderful quilts...
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1271352562051038769gzoyyU

Glass Block Lights

When we did our annual gift exchange at the American Sewing Guild, Marge So created a fantastic holiday decoration. She drilled a hole in a glass block and inserted a string of lights. She then added more embellishments. You can see the hole at the base that has the plug. We will enjoy it every year...What a clever idea!

Focus!

Focus!


Tore out text and pictures from a medical journal and glued them onto a canvas base with diluted gloss gel medium. Also glued on white on white fabrics and scribbled with water soluble wax pastels, then brushed with water to blend colors. Also glued embossed wallpaper and sponge brushed on an additional coat of gloss gel medium on top of everything and embellished with trims.

The fabric paper collage is for my husband, a Pathologist. It also combined Ellen Lindner’s collage technique and 2 challenges. One is for the Adventurous Quilters that challenged us to use paper in our work and another for the Fast Friday online group to use microscopic images.
Ellen Lindner’s collage technique http://www.bonniemccaffery.com/vidcasts/021.html

Caution: Discard gloss gel medium in a plastic bag, or outside so it won't dry in your plumbing.

Cyberhints

Liquid Thread can be purchased on-line. Put the Liquid Thread in the Gutta Applicator bottles with metal tips from the Dharma Trading Company, and add a small amount of water (about 1/4). Use the liquid in the applicator bottle to outline your applique, then heat set it with your iron onto a teflon ironing sheet or parchment paper. Cut out or trim the applique *after* it is heat set and the edges of the fabric are sealed (no fraying). Then use the applique as usual. The hand is soft as only the edges have glue on them. And the glue will permanently bond the two pieces of fabric together, so there is no need to use a Satin stitch. I use a straight stitch around the edge as part of the quilting process. This is a real time saver. I like it better than any of the purchased fusibles.

Good success using the children's washable crayola markers. The ones I have came in a box of 8 colors and they're the chubby ones for little hands. I made a sample and used all the colors. I ironed the sample, let it sit overnight and then tossed it into the washing machine. Every bit of color came out in the wash. I've read that the skinny markers don't work as well, but I haven't tried them. I used the orange marker to mark a quilt design all around the border of a quilt and it completely washed out.

Bathroom rugs : cut two old towels about an inch bigger than the size wanted. One is for backing and one is the “batting”. Find the center of both pieces and aligned a rectangle of quilting fabric in the middle (cut the towel pieces in rectangles). Take strips of precut fabric and do a stitch and flip log cabin until nearly to the edge of the mini quilt, trim the towelling and bind the edges. A quick & easy way to make bathroom mats as the quilting is done while adding the strips.

...If you take the rubberized shelving stuff and cut a piece not quite as big as your rug and lay it on the floor and then your rug on top of this it won't slip. Also when you need to wash the rug you don't necessarily have to wash the rubber

Closing needle holes : an old toothbrush. Or scotch tape Or the blunt edge of a wooden seam presser.

Fabrico paints and"Champagne Mist" ink : instead of painting it on, mix about 1 inch (less than an ounce) of alcohol with about 4 drops of the Fabrico ink in a spray mister. Shake them up and then spritz felt. It has very fine pieces of shimmer, but is not as overwhelming and using a glitter or angelina or something like gold lame. Any rubbing alcohol is fine, but the 91% dries faster. It has less water in it and it less likely to cause your spritzer bottle to get clogged up.When you are done, let the alcohol evaporate and let the project sit overnight. Then set the ink using an iron. All of the alcohol evaporates overnight.

..Silk paints, unlike acrylics are more like inks and don't make things stiff.

Non slip Ruler : Place a drop of clear nail polish, then sprinkle salt on the wet polish on each corner. Let it dry.

The Skin Quilt Project: the influence of the African American quilting tradition in encouraging an appreciation for African American cultural heritage. http://www.skinquiltproject.com/

http://www.artchixstudio.com/create/classroom/classroomindex.htm free classes

http://www.allfiberarts.com/library/felt/blfelt.htm

http://www.allfiberarts.com/library/gallery/index.htm

http://www.allfiberarts.com/library/howto/index.htm

http://video.pbs.org/video/1239798902

http://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/media/products/techniques/shirring-free-motion-elastic.pdf

http://www.laurabreitman.net/collage/archives.html

http://enchantedquilts.com/

http://www.sewing.org/html/charitysew.php

http://serendipitypatchwork.com.au/blog/2008/02/04/free-non-binding-alternative-quilt-finishes/

http://www.quiltart.com/triple_play/works_tn.html

http://inchiequilts.com/2009/12/01/the-daily-inchie-20091201/

http://inchiequilts.com/tutorials/inchie-ornaments/

http://weefolk.wordpress.com/

http://cadouri-din-inima.blogspot.com/2009/11/fun-with-stripes.html

http://www.arizonaquiltershalloffame.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32

http://www.quiltindex.org/

http://www.jragels.com/zipper.html making bags using the glue method of installing a zipper.

http://www.nga.gov/podcasts/index.shtm

http://www.quiltstudy.org/connections/resources/podcasts_video.html

A TinyURL is great when a web address is really long and prone to break into 2 or 3 lines of text. Just copy (ctrl C) the address of the picture or website you want to send. Open a new window (new tab) and go to . Paste your copied address (ctrl V) into the box as directed...follow the directions....and you will be given a smaller link. Copy and paste the new link into your email.

.. An even easier method: put TinyUrl on your bookmark toolbar. (then when you want to make a TinyUrl, just click on your personalized toolbar button that says TinyUrl and one is automatically created. Then you can cut and paste the tinyurl into your email.)

Journal Quilts 09

http://www.quiltart.com/triple_play/works_tn.html

Journal quilts including mine...
Recession's Depression, Jai Ho and Jubilation, and Raising Kids and Letting Go

Space Shuttle experience

We experienced the Space shuttle launch earlier this week. The sound and vibrations were just incredible!

Orthopedic Surgeon Thank You Quilt

This is a Thank You Quilt for my Mom's Orthopedic Surgeon. I gave it to him today in great appreciation for all he's done. I embroidered his name,added bone embellishments and some bandaids and saws and other tools to his medical bag. The Creaking joints and other text were from a T shirt of ailments and the Joint &Bones, Fractures, Sprains and Strains were from a bandana from a national park giftshop.
I also appliqued a fabric postcard Thank You to a gift bag.

Mosaic table

This is another one of 2 mosaic tables that I created that will be in MOSAIC ART 5 that includes 1357photos of mosaics by 771 artists from 43 different countries on 2 CDs.

I cannot wait to see all of them.

More info at
http://www.mosaicrockspress.com

Cyber Hints

Printing on fabric: tape fabric (using double stick tape in certain places) onto heavyweight matte printer photo paper. It is stiffer than freezer paper and is designed to feed through the printer very smoothly and incrementally. It is MUCH quicker... just rip the fabric off, stick another piece of fabric on and am ready to go again in less than a minute. "I've found you can feed the same piece of matte paper through the printer at least 10 times before the edges start getting a little soft. Then I use it for its intended purpose which is to print a photo. I just trim it slightly so the photo has to be smaller than 8x10. I can print entire pages of print onto fabric this way.

In traditional embroidery, you never use a knot to anchor your thread. The threads are too slippery and the knot always comes undone, or shows through the cloth. You put a temporary knot in the end of the thread and anchor it a few (3 or 4) inches away from the beginning of your work. Take a few large traveling stitches to get where you want to work. After you have embroidered a while you trim off the knot, pull out the tail, thread it on a needle and weave it through bottom of the stitches on the back side of the work. You only have to do this for the first part of the work. Once there are some threads laid down, you just weave the new thread through the back of what is already there.

http://www.needlenthread.com/2008/09/starting-thread-away-waste-knot-photo.html Thread-away-waste-knot

Mr Clean Magic Eraser will remove dye from your skin, shoes, etc without being too abrasive on the skin. It's the only thing that removes the iron/manganese from vinyl bath tub and shower and it makes suede look brand new. It works to remove crayon from computer screens and magic marker from upholstry . Cleans the iron .

Beading

Silamide beading thread by YLI is great. Many colors, and you can use a length three yards long and there will NEVER be a knot and it will not fray EVER. It comes on 40 yd travel cards, 100 yd spools and jumbo 900yd spools.

Cut thread on a angle and thread before you cut it . Place a piece of white paper behind the needle so you can see the hole in the eye.

Nymo thread is thinner, basic sewing thread is not good but you can use hand quilting thread.Thread the needle before you cut it off . You do this because all threads have a twist to them and if you thread against the twist it will fray and may cause tangling and breaking.

You can easily use a size 11 sharps needle with size 15 beads. While the hole of a size 15 bead is the same as the hole of a size 11 Czech seed bead, the Japanese Delicas (also size 11) have a bigger hole and you can use a crazy large needle on them except if you want to pass the needle through many times.

Fireline will melt even when you have a teflon sheet and fabric between it and the iron.

for a size 15 seed bead you can use any fine needle in your stash. A size 15 seed bead has the same size hole as an 11 seed bead so you can use the same size needle. John James needles (size 11 short) and Silimide thread or Fireline. The most common thread used today is Fireline 8lb or 6lb obtainable at fishing stores & Wal-Mart, available in smoke or white. It stands up well to the sharp edges of bugle beads and crystals

If you use Japanese seed beads you can use a 10 needle and for attaching to fabric by John James beading needles and then you will not need to use the long ones. With many beads, except size 15, you will be able to use any fine needles in your stash.

There are #10 and #12 sharps needles that you can use (#12 for size 15/o beads). They are like regular beading needles, only short.

Threading beading needles: Direct lighting on your working area. Use thin thread; Fireline or SoNo work well. Get a desktop Ott lamp with the 2X magnifier included. Cut the end of the thread at an angle or straight across (I pinch the end as flat as possible). Usually, people recommend moving the needle eye to the thread instead of trying to push the thread through the needle's eye.

Thread as many needles as you have with different thread colors Store the threaded needles in a felt sandwich, wrapping the thread around the bottom piece of felt and then covering it with another piece of felt.

Colorhue dyes: only work on silk, wool and linen. They come very concentrated in a liquid form. You add a few drops to water to get a medium shade. Instant gratification! http://www.photoezsilkscreen.com/dyes.htm

Choosing the ultimate photo printer: Go for a printer that uses pigmented ink, as opposed to dye-based ink. Pigmented ink lasts longer. Your prints will be more water resistant and won't fade as fast.

Clover cheater needle is a self-threading hand needle. It has a open notch in the top of the eye so you can pop your threads into the eye easily. They are much faster to thread. Once you're finished quilting, use it to thread those loose threads quickly and pass them through the middle, batting layer of the quilt and clip them off. This leaves no visible sign of where you started or stopped quilting on either the back or the front of your quilt.

Liquitex makes an acrylic medium that is called "iridescent tinting medium". It's primary purpose is to be used to mix with acrylic paints to make any color pearlized. But you can use it by itself and it will dry clear, just leaving the sparkle. Do not want it on fabrics that would see a lot of wear, as it tends to flake off a bit, if you don't have the supporting binder from the paint.


Quick gift ideas:

Easy felt ornament. Use purchased felt or make your own by shrinking an old wool sweater in the washing machine. Use cookie cutters as patterns to cut out simple shapes. Blanket-stitch the edges, add rhinestones or embellish with easy embroidery.
Gift ideas, many different crafts http://sewmamasew.com:80/blog2/

use microscope slides and sandwiched photos of people (or transparancies) and soldered them as ornaments. Some were single images and some I put 3 or 4 together, like panels, and sometimes added a bit of colored glass with those. ..made a 4 generation piece

bracelet. Use alphabet beads to spell a child's name. If you know the child's birth month, use birthstone-colored crystal beads between the letters.

Personalized frame. Use alphabet stickers to add the recipient's name to a purchased frame. Choose stickers that are slightly smaller than the frame's border.

Wire-wrapped candle. Dress-up a candle jar by adding wire and beads around the neck. Twist the ends together and bend the wire into loops and spirals.

Grab-bag toys. Stitch a simple drawstring bag from holiday fabric. Place small toys like bouncy balls, plastic dinosaurs and temporary tattoos in the bag. Vary the contents so each bag is a surprise.

Scrumptious snacks. Use your favorite recipe or download a recipe from www.MyFreeRecipes.com to make a tempting treat. Wrap it in a pretty tin or box for a gift that always fits. No time to cook? Put together a collection of your favorite teas.

Create a wintry candlescape : Place a medium-sized glass candleholder inside a larger glass globe. Add Pour beads or marbles into the large globe to reflect the candlelight. Surround the centerpiece with small glass tea-light holders.

Pine posy : by tying a few short pine branches together at the ends. Hang the swag from a doorknob to make your home smell like the holidays.

After your Thanksgiving feast, clear the table and share a holiday craft. One year, my family made easy polymer clay ornaments to keep and give as gifts. Choose a project that appeal to boys and girls so everyone can get in on the fun.

Host a holiday cookie exchange. At the last cookie exchange , each participant brought two dozen plain sugar cookies cut in a holiday shape. We spent a fun evening decorating the cookies and visiting with each other; plus, we each brought home a bunch of decorated cookies to freeze and use for holiday get-togethers. If cookies aren't your bag, host a cardmaking party instead.

http://www.popularpatchwork.com/news/article/mps/uan/223/v/1/SP/338955610572268525674 advent Xmas tree

http://www.twelveby12.org/theme.html
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYub-vALWdtfkDbCuvATjpACCHC9TbM7ytt391zcasJtRfag8KgzOkwNrvXLz8Fiq5VBiNqslgi-0YYxgNuvdOdFSIBT_DFvaYc7YKtYI9xhy30TuSznQHrL969JB2EJsKbUQr4QQDAI/s1600-h/000_FortMorrisonJerseys.jpg
http://www.hgtv.com/videos/super-fast-rotary-cutting/4431.html
http://web.me.com/bluebird47/Heartland_Quilts_and_Birds/Quilts_For_Sale.html#16
http://www.studiokatdesigns.com/freepatterns.htm
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71LzSAKDmd1_An3FpLDjqg332BOy9j8sXwOGY65lqwIpZppop17kxRifOd9M-ZUaMvC1I3ZHc0p0t_IaNvGh6RmT_lBdoJJC18ag4MldTNDqiQdcy9hLGzCqpadbzvqkihZcWPhmlq6aX/s1600-h/Christmas+quilt+ginko+tree+Ann+Fahl+2009.jpg
http://forums.fabric.com/blog/tutorials/
http://www.sissonfamily.com/Sewingroom/images/2006projects/thesnuglet.pdf
polar fleece socks pattern www.cedesign.com/familyphotos/sewing/holidays/fleecebooties.pdf
http://www.instructables.com/id/Socks/
http://www.classiccottons.com/t-freequiltpatterns.aspx
http://eyesaflame.blogspot.com/2008/06/demo-flour-paste-batik.html
http://zentangle.com/gallery-neco.php
http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.html

Check out this donation quilt by Hollis Chatelain - you can enlarge even the detail photos: http://www.alzquilts.org/lt0255.html

http://marcusbrothers.com/makeit/projects/eight-pointed_civil_war_buckshot_pincushion/civil_war_buckshot_pincushion.pdf

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=clip+art+Trees&FORM=MFEIMG&PUBL=Google&CREA=userid174368afa70beb08a2b3b889eb183ef1924fc#

http://crafts.kaboose.com/mitten-bookmark-clip.html

Day of the Dead quilt

The quilt which honors my father, Great Visions, Great Life, is part of an exhibit, DAY OF THE DEAD: Art & Culture in the Americas at the Everhart Museum in Scranton, PA September 25-December 31, 2009

Spectacular topiary gardens

http://www.pearlfryar.com/subtemp.asp?cat=2&id=5

This was an unexpected treasure we saw in Bishopville on our recent trip to SC.
Pearl Fryar created them in an area that had cornfields all around his house and are a living work of art! It is so awesome in person.

Operation Quiet Comfort Greeting Card Project
questions regarding cards. (diane52381@nc.rr.com)
All cards are mailed to:
D Schneider
6305 Cape Charles Drive
Raleigh, NC 27617

The type of cards should be:
Thinking of you
Patriotic
Thank you
Cheerful Card

SIZE: Approximately 4x5 or ½ sheet of cardstock to fit into a quart size baggie, which is how we ship them.
** NO GLITTER or LOOSE EMBELLISHMENTS ** This is at the direction of the medical staff.
Every card we send -- whether in a Go Bag or a staff shipment -- must have a personal message written inside. Start off with “Dear Hero” or something similar. This makes it appropriate for any military unit service member.
The message can be a simple “thinking of you”, “thank you for your service” or a letter describing yourself, your family, your town. Write from the heart. Sign with your name/city/state. Ask family and friends to sign cards too. We like to have cards from many different people from all over the United States.
If you do not know what to write, OQC has members willing to fill your blank card with a heartfelt message.
We also welcome cards from children that follow these guidelines. ** NO ENVELOPES ARE NEEDED **

Operation Iraqi Freedom as reported for October 6, 200917,652 Wounded and Returned To Duty Within 72 Hours13,875 Wounded and NOT Returned To Duty Within 72 Hours======31,527 TOTAL<32> Increase from the previous monthOperation Enduring Freedom as reported for October 6, 20091,688 Wounded and Returned To Duty Within 72 Hours2,510 Wounded and NOT Returned To Duty Within 72 Hours=====4,198 TOTAL<391> Increase from the previous month These men and women don't want our pity but they do want and need our support! Please help if you can and take the time to extend the opportunity to others.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fall Freedom Fling is on Saturday, October 24 at theYpsilanti Moose Lodge #782 5506 Stony Creek Road, Ypsilanti, MI - .
Dinner, dancing, snacks and a great evening out and all proceeds will go to help OQC continue to care for our wounded
Tickets to the Fall Freedom Fling MUST be purchased in advance . Individual price for tickets is only $20 per person or $30per couple.A **TICKET SPECIAL** is now being offered - you can purchase a table of 10 tickets for only $120!! ALL 10 TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED AT ONE TIME. AWESOME raffle prizes - from the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons/Shock, two - 1 hour massages, dartboard in cabinet, and MANY other great items.This event has been organized solely by OQC volunteers, Order your tickets online now at : http://www.operationquietcomfort.com/NationalNews.html You can also send a check to PO Box 263, LaSalle MI 48145.

313-414-7950 questions

Student quilt

I am so impressed with Nancy Butler's quilt , one of my student's from a class at QU this summer.

I love her interpretration of texture, the colors and the assymetry of the quilt. as well

cyberhints

white elephant swap: flat rate box filled with magazines, notions and fabric that was still good, and usable but not something they wanted anymore, and sent it to a person on the list.The person then took what they wanted out of the box, and put something of equal value in the box, and then send it to the next person on the list. It keeps going around, until it gets back to the person it started. a good way to get rid of some of your stash, and get new stash at the same time!

Check out these two art quilt exhibits in person...
Michigan Quilt Artist Invitational: The Art of Nature
2009 Nov - Brandon Library, OrtonvilleDec - Ann Arbor Library
2010 Jan 1-14 - Ann Arbor Library Feb & Mar - White Lake LibraryMay - Art Reach of Mid Michigan, Mt PleasantJune to Aug - Les Cheneaux Historical Museum, CedarvilleSept & Oct - Marquette Library2011 Jan - Romeo Library Feb & Mar - Oakland County Gallery, PontiacApr to June - University of Michigan Hospital July & Aug - Charlevoix Library

Michigan Quilt Artist Invitational: "Ciao, Italy"
2009 Nov (Part 1) - Livonia Civic Center Nov (Part 2) - Providence HospitalDec (Part 1) - Waterford Library Dec (Part 2) - Providence Hospital
2010 Jan - Romeo Public Library Feb - Oakland County Gallery, PontiacMar - Belleville Area Historical Museum April-June - U of M Gifts of Art, Ann ArborJuly-Aug - Charlevoix Public Library

http://www.daystyledesigns.com/365project.htm
http://www.greatamericanquilt.com/pdffiles/embellishments.pdf
http://quiltingonabudget.blogspot.com/2009/04/using-glad-press-n-seal-in-your.html
http://www.connectingthreads.com/images/pdf/991415.pdf
http://www.jeririggs.com/
http://usaapp.husqvarnaviking.com/education/americasews/projects.html

How to Convert an Old Sewing Cabinet or Table to Hold a New Sewing Machine:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5395531_convert-hold-new-sewing-machine.html

a free program that lets you convert a photo into a design Quilt Assistanthttp://www.cosman.nl/software_en.html

http://www.quiltposium.com/ free quilt magazine

http://www.quilterswarehouse.com/P-7286-hankie-quilt-by-virginia-may-patterns.aspx
hankies in pockets

http://www.webshots.com/search?query=hanky+quilts&new=1&source=chromeheader

circle mosaics

Finished grouting my circular table with circles :)

Raising Kids and Letting Go..JQ3

Raising Kids and Letting Go ....Expectations, Emotions and High Hopes .

We have high expectations from our kids and hope for the very best for them. This is my third journal quilt for this year.

Cyberhints

Paint Lutradur The 100 wt doesn't bleed through quite as much and the 70 wt. Place a large coffee filter under my work or anther piece of lutadur or some water color paper. This way you get a two for the price of one materials to work with.The colors bleed through both pieces and more to create art with. Use an old plastic table cloth underneath

Hobbs Heirloom Fusible batting 80/20 heirloom batting, with fusible on both surfaces that is heat activated.


Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel: melt it in a small dish in the toaster oven. Just keep an eye on it as the longer it heats the darker (amber colored) it gets.

Rolled beads : Use Clear nail polish, Diamond Glaze , Paper Glaze , or UTEE, use gloss mediums including Liquitex gloss gel varnish . Use multiple thin coats, completely dried in between layers.


paper piece on phone book paper: strip piecing "flip-and-sew".

Use old CD jewel cases for storage/ organizing small items including embellishments and onto a CD holder
If you use a heat gun, be sure it is stuck to something (embossing ink, glue, etc) first or it will blow all over the place!
Fabric-grade Tyvek by the yard :
Maurice Horan & Co.
122 Western Ave Bldg B
Lowell, MA 01851-1434 Phone: 978-454-1971


http://www.quiltposium.com/ free quilt magazine

http://www.quilterswarehouse.com/P-7286-hankie-quilt-by-virginia-may-patterns.aspx
hankies in pockets

http://www.webshots.com/search?query=hanky+quilts&new=1&source=chromeheader

http://www.chicaandjo.com/2008/05/08/magic-folding-wooden-photo-cubes/
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=fiberart&form=QB&qs=n#
http://translate.google.com/translate_t#
http://www.joggles.com/tutorials.htm
http://www.victorianaquiltdesigns.com/VictorianaQuilters/PatternPage/MySchoolYears/MySchoolYears.htm
http://www.freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/
http://www.daystyledesigns.com/freemotionquilting.htm
http://www.alexandersonquilts.com/podcast/

more mailbox views

Here are more views of my mosaic mailbox . I still have to grout and seal it but do like the way it is turning out

Mosaic mailbox

This is one side of a mailbox I am working on.

I have been glueing glass and tiles and am adding embellishments as well.

This will be a 3 season mailbox as I don't think it will withstand Michigan winters even though I used all materials that were recommended for the climate.

This is one of several projects in progress including several tables .

I will grout them all at once when they are ready.

Trip to QN with CCC

CCC went on another fun trip .. this one to Quilt National in Athens, Ohio to admire some very contemporary quilts. We also saw the wonderful musical, The Quilters , and stopped at several quilt shops along the way. We added some treasures to our stash, shared lots of stories and enjoyed great friends.

Cyber quilting hints

Make your own jelly roll form your stash 2.5 inchs x width, about 40 strips
1 lb of quilting fabric is equal to 4 yards .. 1 yard is approximately 4 ounces
Project Runway begins on August 20 on Lifetime

Clean the iron by ironing hot over a wet Mr Clean magic eraser..Works great, no fumes, no mess.

Dritz self-threading needles: Pop the threads down through the top slip and then work the threads into the quilt.

The U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, is hosting a quilt exhibition in November, 2009 To create the exhibition, which will be held at UN headquarters here in Geneva, the quilt challenge is on the theme "Making a Healthier World for Our Children." Once the exhibition finishes in Geneva, it will be shipped back to the U.S. for touring at regional quilt shows in order to educate Americans on the vital work of the Global Fund in addressing these three major diseases - AIDS, TB and Malaria -- diseases which strike mothers and children disproportionately and are so disruptive of development and education for children. We are seeking American quilters interested in submitting a quilt for the exhibition via a challenge competition. Quilters and guilds which do not choose to participate in the quilt challenge may also support children's health programs by donating quilts of any kind to the U.S. Mission for sale at the annual UN Women's Guild bazaar, which yearly raises nearly $500,000 for children' charities around the world. Quilt guilds are also encouraged to adopt the Global Fund as a charity and donate to the Fund via the UN Foundation. Entry Requirements :
Theme: The aim of the exhibit is not only to explain the devastating effects of these diseases, but also to spotlight solutions and progress being made in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, particularly in relation to children around the world. The exhibition would be comprised of challenge quilts submitted to the U.S. Mission and photographs and informational panels provided by the GlobalFund. For those with older children who are studying international relations, this project presents an excellent opportunity for parent-child (or grandparent-grandchild) collaboration.
1) No size limitations. All quilts must include a 5” sleeve for hanging on the back.
2) Sew a label onto the quilt with quilter’s name, home town, year made and quilt title.
3) Fill out the entry and donation form, attached to this page, on the Challenge website. http://www.quiltchallenge.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/quiltbrochure.pdf
4) Provide a statement explaining the concept of your quilt and linking it to the challenge theme.
5) Group quilts are encouraged.
6) Finished quilts should be mailed by September 25, 2009 to: Dick Wilbur,Deputy Public Affairs Counselor,5120 Geneva Place,Dulles, VA 20189-5120

http://www.harperhousestudio.com/CanCards01.html popcan postcards
http://www.cddesigns.com/AfternoonProj/index.html
http://www.diamond-needle.com/pdf/EN-04.pdf
http://annemaundrelldesigns.com/wordpress/
http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/templates.htm
http://www.eyfellsandeyfells.com/eyfells-k-portraitsandpaintings-celebrityportraits.htm
How to remove rust http://www.ehow.com/how_18793_remove-rust-fabric.htmlhttp://www.atcsforall.com/forum/gallery/index.php?
http://www.thefrugallife.com/rust.htmlhttp://www.wisegeek.com/how-can-i-remove-rust-stains-from-my-clothes.htm
http://www.xl-wip.net/15filidoro/ various Italian quilt shows
http://needlemarket.com/quiltedmoments/michigan-quilt-shops
http://pbtex.com/MARC_skirt_rayon.pdf reversible wrapped skirt
http://www.lmpoole.blogspot.com/
http://www.tanyabrown.org/10Months.php click on details of eyes and hair
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=altered%20art%20shoes&w=all

Teacher's exhibit self portrait

Am teaching a class on textures at Quilting Unlimited, a retreat for the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild. I chose this quilt for the teacher' exhibit.

Time Flies When You are Having Fun: A Quilter’s Journey 24 x 30 inchesSeptember 2006
Thread sketched caricature; Washers, fiberglass window screen, charms, credit card signature.
“Superman” from Pepsi Can because I feel great when I finish my quilt

John Donelson's graduation quilt

Turned many of my nephew, John's clothes including overalls, Tshirts, and some photos into a memory quilt for his high school graduation. It includes his vital statistics at birth, schools, jobs, clubs, and travels. Many of the pockets hold assorted items including a pair of socks...his mom always gets him socks for him at Christmas. I even cut apart a shoe and sewed it in.

Peacock quilt

We created the main peacock in one weekend. Sucheta and I made duplicates of the same peacock in one weekend with Aai's help. I added mine to a watercolor quilt I had made many years ago.

I added a couple more peacocks because I thought he needed more company.

popcan postcards

These are my popcan postcards for a Fiberart Traders swap.

Some of them were crimped and beads , doilies and charms were added for embellishments.

Cyberquilting hints :

Blue gel glue as resist just soak the piece in room temp water for about 10 - 15 minutes & the glue melts out.

Solid-colored shower curtain: soft, flexible and easy to sew through. Uses: totes, purses.

Before covering your design wall with white flannel, draw a giant grid with a Sharpie. This shadows through the fabric just enough to act as a guideline for squaring and blocking.
..or use 1" fusible gridded interfacing for your design walls

Ribbons and rosettes from horse/ dog shows: apply velcro dots on the back of the ribbons ..hang and move them easily.

To square and block on a carpet, first lay the quilt on the carpet and start with the top edge. Pin one corner, then smooth it out or tug a bit until the other top corner is right. Then securely anchor the whole top edge with plenty of pins. Now pull the rest of the quilt gently into what seems to be approximately the right shape. Put a pin in each of the two bottom corners. Measure. If the dimension across the bottom matches the top, you are getting there. Check the side dimensions to see if they match each other. The really important measures are the diagonals (top left to bottom right, and top right to bottom left). When they are identical, you know you have a perfectly squared quilt. Just keep adjusting the angle and amount of tension by re-pinning the two bottom corners until you have matching dimensions. Then you can pin it securely all round. You can make sure the edges are straight with a long straight edge of some sort if you have one. If you don't, pin a piece of string to one corner and stretch it taut to the next corner and use it as an adjustment guide down the edge to
be sure it is straight.

Prewashing with Synthrapol helps remove excess dye. If a quilt is constructed without this pre-treatment, use Retayne to stop the fabric from bleeding, particularly when a dark fabric is sewn to a light fabric. For future washings, use Woolite's Dye Magnet or Shout's Color Catcher, which resemble dryer sheets to pick up any renegade dyes in both the washing and drying cycles.

Children’s quilts:
...use alphabet blocks to spell a childs name and applique blocks of favorite toys.
... blocks in the colors of the parents favorite teams

Angelina in needle felting: combine some of the Angelina fibers with either wool or silk roving. The Angelina will blend into your piece with the natural fibers you combine it with and leave a nice sparkle. This method also dilutes the Angelina so it is not as intense as applying it by itself.

fabric /mousepad.. Just make it like a slip cover, with elastic around the edges and put it over the mousepad...It works just as well and can be washed.....

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_linens_fabrics/article/0,,diy_13765_3558619,00.html or use heavy duty double sided fusible
Felting tutorials http://www.tryourdesigns.com/FreeTutorials.htm

http://www.marcusbrothers.com/makeit/ideas/creative_fabric_panels/index.html

http://www.freequiltpatterns.info/QuiltCategories/FreeBabyQuiltPatterns.htm http://www.forevergreenquilts.com/baby_quilts.html http://home.howstuffworks.com/flying-geese-quilt-pattern.htm http://www.stitchinpost.com/freepatterns.html http://twelveby12.org/theme.html
http://quiltersguildnsw.com/quiltshow/
http://www.fiberarts.com/back_issues/Summer-2009/mixed-media-with-beads.asp
http://thegoldenthimble.com/pennypenquin.pdf
http://www.krazydad.com/kaleido/ make your own kaleidoscope

http://www.robertkaufman.com/quilting/quilts_patterns/imperial_garden/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/truvy57/sets/72157619967810794/show/with/3643650189/

Diya

Worked with 11 year old Caitlin on a quilt, Diya.

She did used beads, sequins , shisha mirrors, trims and did such a great job!

Michigan Invitational Art Quilts

The challenge for this year is The Art of Nature.

My quilt is called Earth's Dynamic Organic Art and is 20x24".

Magnet swap

These are my magnets for the Moo Moo magnet swap with Fiber art traders .

I can't wait to see what I will get back.

Cyberquilting hints

Interesting tidbits I learnt from the internet ...

Foiling: with Misty Fuse .. so fine , and you can paint or otherwise color it before foiling as well. You can also just use the sharp side of your iron to get little 'stripes' of foil.

Pitt Pens: are India ink pens and don’t dry out so fast as the pigma pens..also the tips seem more indestructible....the ink so far has passed the soak it in water to see if it runs test...they also come in a wide range of tips and colors.

Teflon pressing sheets/ substitutions:
.... Reynolds parchment paper
... NON-stick Reynolds aluminum foil

If you have some extraneous paint stick paint on your cloth, you can use a piece of masking tape to get most of it off if it is fresh
.. You can also use the slick side of freezer paper as a palette. Load some color on it (mix colors if you want) and then dab the stencil brush in the paint

Sign with free motion stitching. Straight, not satin stitching. .do it fairly large - about 1" high, which makes it easier. Draw top and bottom horizontal lines with painter’s tape, as a guide
.. Thicker thread shows up better if you're looking for contrast. Print out your words in strips if you need to have everything spaced exactly so that you can use the strips as guides.

The best way to raise the table ( if it has 4 legs) is to go to the hardware store and get 4 lengths of PVC pipe......measure the length of the legs and add 6 inches (or however high you want the table) and slide the pipes up over the legs. Be certain that you purchase PVC pipe that is just a little bit bigger in circumference so that it will slide up over the legs. When you are finished..just slide the PVC pipe off the legs and resume as normal
.. Go to your local hardware store get 4 pc of pvc pipe about 2 " SO IT WILL GO AROUND YOUR TABLE LEGS and 10 - 12 " so it will fit YOU Then get 4 caps so the cut edge will not hurt your floor with help get them on one end then the other your done and take off when not in use WORKS SO WELL and so budget friendly

Make all test blocks out of Christmas fabric. Then when I need a quick gift, they zip together for a scrappy sampler.

You can order black canvas or already stretched black canvases from Dick Blick. The already stretched canvases are not gallery wrapped. I have purchased white stretched gallery wrapped canvases and painted them black. I went to Lowe's and had them mix flat black wall paint for me. My regular framer was even impressed with how great my fiber pieces looked mounted on the black canvas.
..But, house paint on canvas is not archival. It will eventually come off. Raw canvas needs to be primed for oil paint. Acrylic paints act as a ground instead of gesso; there is acrylic gesso. When making fine art, destined to hang in a gallery, the archival quality of the substances used is imperative.

A facing for the edge of my quilts, just for a different look from a binding. Cut a two inch strip and sew it to the front, right sides together. Then turn and iron it and iron the edge so it looks nice and clean and iron the facing to the back. Iron under a 1/2" fold on the facing so when I turn it to the back, there's not a raw edge. Then , hand stitch it down on the back. Do two sides even with the quilt edges, and on the other 2 sides, I make the facing an inch or so longer so I can fold it in and make it neat when I turn it to the back.
.. Once I have turned the facing to the back, I run a line of machine stitching just 1/8" to the outside of the seam line, taking in the facing and quilt layers in that seam allowance area - press it and then turn the raw edge of the facing under and then slip stitch down.

Irregular shaped top: during construction it is possible to build in serious stiffening and then at the level below the lowest point on the shaping attach a regular rod sleeve. This needs to be planned in advance, and is not something you can do at the last minute when you find you have ended up with something 'irregular'.
.. attach Velcro at intervals along the shaping, and then cut a board (marine ply or heavy duty foam core) shaped similarly, but a bit smaller than the outer edge of the quilt-- drill two or more holes to slip over screws or picture hooks, and on this board place Velcro all round the edge to correspond with the Velcro on the quilt's edge. When the board is properly placed, press the quilt onto it; adjust for straight drape
.. If you are wanting sticky-out bits down the side of the quilt, these
Too need to be planned for and coped with during the construction phase
Rather than attach another sleeve and rod partway down.
Hold a pattern steady while tracing and cutting it by filling film containers with sand and using them as pattern weights.
Easy baby rag quilt: cut squares of muslin and leftover material into 7" squares. Pair them up with wrong sides together and stitch them any way you want - this will be the quilting of this quilt. Sew them on the diagonal, on the perpendicular going through the center, a square 2" in from the center, a heart, you name it. Once these are done, pair them up with fabric sides together (which is the top/muslin is the back) and sew together using a 1/2" seam. Sew two pairs to another pair and you have a foursome. Make 12. Lay them out 3 x 4 and sew those together. All the seam allowances will be on the front. Now clip all the edges with scissors every 1/4" on all edges, wash you quilt twice and you're done.
The owner of Superior Threads about all things thread, said that the restriction against using polyester threads with cotton was just an old wives tale--like the one that says we should only make quilts with cotton fabrics or that the only TRUE quilts are all hand made. He said that they had done extensive testing and found absolutely no evidence that polyester threads were any more likely than cotton to tear the fabric. The only threads any warnings about are those gorgeous rayons, which evidently lose their color over time, and weaken with age.

Clean brushes after acrylic paint dries It is expensive to buy the acrylic cleaner... a wonderful, inexpensive substitute: Lysol pine scent cleaner. It actually emulsifies the paint and the brushes come out like new. It also gets the dreaded acrylic out of clothes very nicely and doesn't harm the material.

Great ideas and inspirations from books at our local libraries:
Painting trees and landscape in watercolor Ted Kautzky 751.422 Kau
Fabric Painting Ginny Eckley 746.6 E
New Creative Artist Nita Leland 701.15 L
Feathered motifs http://www.forestquilting.com/freemotifs/freemotifspageone.html
http://www.artincontext.org/image/default.aspx?Disc_ID=14
http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/tvt018.asp burn synthetics Wood-burning tools and some fine-tip soldering irons can be used on nylon and polyester to cut and finish the edge,
Scraps http://tipnut.com/scrap-happy-update-more-fabric-scraps-remnant-ideas/
http://www.thebrush.org/Quilt2007/qshow2/index.htm
http://www.howtopedia.org/en/How_to_Dye_Fabric_/_Textile_with_Natural_Colors%3F
http://www.equilters.com/library/techniques/slashstars2.html
http://cynthia-stcharles.blogspot.com/
http://quilts.com/sqf08/enVivo/videoClips/video-DyePaint.html
http://www.canadianquilter.com/events/index_events_ttc2008.htm

The big picture..Free program for poster printing/enlarging; then click on Download:
http://www.tml.tkk.fi/~tmakipat/thebigpicture/thebigpicture.html

Printer’s option... prints, and then click on PROPERTIES. Choose how many pages it will print on, from 2 to 16. Use this for making posters for speaking engagements so that people in the back row can see.

Dyed towels or any sheet type paper product can be turned into fabric-like
material quite simply. All you need is a water base glue such as white craft glue or carpenter's glue or some of the Aleene's glues, etc. I like to use the ones that do not dissolve after drying. That way your finished item can be washable if you want.

Dilute the glue 4/1 that is 4 parts water for 1 part glue. It will look like diluted milk or rice water. This measurement can be altered to suit also as glues are quite variable in consistency but it needs to be very watery not thick in any way.

Paint this watered down glue onto a light piece of cotton fabric placed in the bottom of a tray of suitable size and which is waterproof. Continue adding watered down glue until the fabric is totally drenched.

Let this wet glued fabric sit for several minutes so that the watered down glue can really soak into the fibers of the cotton. It needs to remain looking really drenched with the watered down glue. Add more glue water if needed. Some of the watery glue can even be puddling out of the fabric. Then lay the desired piece of paper (in this case the colored
paper towel) onto the surface of the wet fabric. Use a brush or your fingers to press the paper into complete contact with the soggy wet glue soaked fabric. You want no air bubbles between the paper and the fabric. The paper will soak up lots of the watery glue. I find the bristles of a stiff craft brush works good for this pressing down stage as some papers get very fragile when wet. The finished paper/fabric item needs to be still dripping wet when finished at this stage so add more watered down glue if it is needed. The amount of watery glue varies with what fabric and what paper is used.

Let dry laying on the tray for a day or two, it may curl up around the edges a bit.When dry peel the fabric off the tray.
Admire your new piece of material. It can be pressed with a medium iron and used in any way you would use fabric.

You need the watered down glue to really soak well in to the cotton fabric and into the paper item with no air bubbles remaining. You do not want a high ratio of glue or the finished fabric will be very stiff.

This trick can be used for brown paper bags and dinner napkins and tissue paper and wrapping paper, and even recycled coffee filters. If the coloring of the paper is not color fast then some of the colors will migrate with the glue and water.

If you want to make a water proof item out of this new fabric, such as a purse or raincoat or hat, just paint it with one more layer of this watered down glue solution when all the work and stitching has been completed to seal stitching holes, threads and seams, etc.

sharpie tie dye: http://blog.sharpie.com/2008/11/sharpie-to-tie-dye-for/

skipped stitches are usually due to the needle you're using. Try moving to a larger needle since the painted edge may be making it harder for the hook to grab the thread since the thread is being held tighter to the needle. Also, make very sure that the needle is fully inserted and is facing the correct way when you install it. Just a smidgen off in any direction can cause skipped stitches. If a Sharp needle isn't working for you, switch to a Universal and see if that helps. On occasion you can use a size 18 needle when working with embellished fabrics. www.marathonthread.com and usually buy just the Sharps without the fancy stuff like MicroTex, etc. The brand I like is called Organ and they are made for high-speed embroidery machines so they don't respond to heat like some of the other brands do.

..use Kaufman pimatex, a very tight weave, dense fabric (maybe similar to sewing on painted fabric although not that dense) and even with the right needles my machine will skip when adjusted "normally" when sewing this fabric (pfaff 1475). So when I take it in for service I always bring in a sample of the fabric and they adjust the hook to be closer to the needle

made entire tops out of paper towels! Used gloss medium on the towel. Two coats. Also iron the towel to make it flat. I have a whole cloth quilt waiting for me that is just paper towel. I've quilted on copy paper, other high-end papers, even watercolor weight paper. I have no suggestions for using it bare. But what you get with your paint rags can be neat.

..they are very fragile so either put organza on top before stitching or a gel medium after.

.. for collages, and could probably be attached to thin fabric with gel Medium

A creative re-use center in Durham, North Carolina, The Scrap Exchange, http://www.scrapexchange.org.They opened in 1991 and it is an amazing place to go. They do community events, have in house classes, and they have an Artist gallery. It is definitely a place to visit if you come to the area.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24065392@N03/
ladybug http://goodygoody.typepad.com/goody_goody/2009/05/bitty-bug-pincushion.html
http://www.fiberartalliance.com/links.html
http://sylviasquiltdepot.com/schoolhouse.htm#wallhangings
http://beesquarefabrics.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-make-zig-zag-quilt-without.html
http://www.jinnybeyer.com/quilttips/index.cfm
Here you can get Best, Good and Free Designshttp://www.bestembroiderydesign.snble.comhttp://embroideryfiles.snble.com
http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/projects-ideas/table-toppers-runners/summertime-table-runner_1.html

How to Create a Tile Quilt Mosaic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0JkHMRVhJA&eurl

machine or serger cover. http://sewing.about.com/od/freeprojects/ss/machinecoverins.htm
http://www.quiltwarehouse.com/Jan%20Designs/wire_quilt.jpg
http://quiltmaker.com/currentissue/qat17/retiringtiesextra/
http://www.denacrain.com/blog/?page_id=547

Fire

This is the picture of the fire that was right next to the place my daughter rents.
She heard an explosion next door, saw the flames and rushed out the door and locked her doors behind her around 10 pm. It seems someone next door had been using a gas grill for dinner. The firefighters broke her doorframe to get in after she left and we had to call someone in to board up the windows that had cracks and to reinforce the door frame around midnight.
The vinyl siding on the side of her house looks terrible in daylight. They say it is structurally sound but there will be lots of work left
to do at her place as well.

She said the firemen arrived very quickly.
Luckily everyone in the neighborhood is fine.

She had a skunk that loved to live under her front porch. The fire smell got rid of the skunk smell!

Fabric microscope covers

Made 11 fabric microscope covers for the Cytologists at St Joe's Hospital, Ann Arbor. The occasion is National Cytotech Day on Wednesday. Ten and the same fabric and one is a golf fabric for an avid golfer.

Check out this article about my friend, Cyn Geist in the Detroit News:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090508/METRO04/905080376/1409/METRO/Genoa-Township-resident-paints-her-politics-on-garage-door

I feel the same as Cyn about the government spending .
My Journal Quilt about it is on my feb blog.

Way to go Cyn for expressing your views so publicly!

Recycled Art by Jean Shin

Saw a great exhibit of Recycled Art by Jean Shin at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC at 8th and G St NW. She used many items one could consider garbage such as old ties, pill bottles, computer keyboards, unravelling yarns.
we were not allowed to take photgraphs.
check out her work online..
http://images.google.com/images?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS311&q=jean+shin&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=1ncBSoG8I5PkNbbdmPwC&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title

It is definitely worth a visit if you are in DC . It is available till July 26, 2009

Bottle collection

A new home for my bottle collection.
Love those colors and shapes.

Embellished Top

Originally, this purchased top had too many beads and stones. Removed about half of them, and added them to my embellishment stash for future projects.

rugs from placemats

Zigzagged two striped placemats along the long edges while butting them side by side.Then zigzagged the floral placemat in the center for a quick kitchen rug!

All 3 were finds at a garage sale.

Guitars: A Study of Colors, and Actual Transparancies

Detail, A gift for my music loving daughter

Autumn Textures

Created for a class on Textures : Quilting Unlimited for GAAQG this summer. We will be working with over a dozen techniques including burning holes in sheers, layering with synthetics , mini scraps under net, steam shrinking threads and heating Tyvek.

The Seasons ..Quilts x3

The girls and I each worked on a separate quilt background. Each of us cut leaves and shared them to create 3 wonderful quilts.

I found this mat after we made all 3 quilts..what a coincindence!

International Fiber Collaborative (W.R.A.P)

This the my leaf contribution to the International Fiber Collaborative.
Participants will create a full-sized tree for display in April 2009 at Big Springs International Park in Huntsville, Alabama. Here are some of the other leaves.
http://www.internationalfibercollaborative.com/html/gallery.html

south carolina trip

A beautiful sunrise!

Enjoyed the art museum with an interesting exhibit of Tools.

The Wild woman is for a friend.

This fiber postcard is for Kim Ritter's art car. She would like symbols of Peace for “The Peace Expedition”. For once I finished before the deadline!