2024 Studio Post #31 - Random Projects

I'm posting three days early this week! I got into the studio to make a "box" for our pontoon boat for trash and recycling. (I'm going to test it out before making a second one.) I used some of the horse blanket scraps my boss gave me. It was quick and a little sloppy, but it's a prototype. 

 

I also used one small scrap of the fabric to make a little container to hold threads or other junk when I'm hand stitching. When I went to the Crazy Quilters meeting last week, I just made a little pile on the table, but I kept brushing against it. If this little thing doesn't work out, I'll just throw it away.

 

I also stitched up a pair of underpants that had a weak seam, but I'm not posting a picture of that! I think I'll bring my hand stitching bag with me to the lake and try to learn some crazy quilt stitches. I haven't gone to JoAnn's yet to buy embroidery needles, though . . .

2024 Studio Post #30 - Teresa's Brother's Quilt - Made By Their Mom

My friend Teresa lost her mom a year ago. Her mom had made a quilt for Teresa and had started to make one for Teresa's brother. Teresa asked me about it. I jumped at the chance to finish it for her brother! (She doesn't have other quilters in her life.) I've done a tiny bit of stitching so far but wanted these pictures of what she had already made. So much work went into this quilt. What a precious gift from a mother to her son.

 

After I finish stitching on the off-white, I'll find a stencil to stitch in the large open areas. I want to make sure it's okay with Teresa, first, though. Then I plan to attach the two pieces (one is skinnier than the other) and bind it. Again, I'll check with Teresa on the choice of fabric for the binding. 

 

The large green stitching is what she used to baste the layers together. I'll remove it when I'm done with the hand quilting. I've had it for a year now (almost) and I've only stitched a little bit on it so far. Time to get to work on it!

 

 

2024 Studio Post #29 - Tie Dye!

I have wanted to learn how to tie-dye for ages!  Everyone tells me it's so easy, but I just wasn't sure how to go about it. I had set aside three or four garments that had stains but I liked otherwise. I finally went to JoAnn Fabrics sometime in the past year and bought a tie-dye "kit" but was too chicken (or busy) to read the directions and try it.

Then a few cool things came together! At the Akina camp in late July, they provided everyone with black t-shirts and some foam stencils (as well as foam letters, flowers, hearts, etc.). We each decorated our own shirt, then the gal in charge of crafts - Dorenda (?) sprayed bleach water over the foam. This is how my shirt turned out:

 

 

Then the cousins organizing the family reunion asked about people's interest in shirts. Most people said not to bother, so another cousin suggested we tie-dye! Yay! I brought my garments and tie-dye kit, but there were more than enough other supplies to use there! Louie told me I could do a shirt of his first as my "trial" experience. It didn't turn out at all like I was hoping. 

 

Then I tried to do a striped-type thing on my dress. It didn't turn out as I expected, either, but I wore it. I like this dress because it's sleeveless and has pockets. I don't know what I stained it with, but I'm so glad it still fits! I was trying so hard to not be wasteful with the dye that I didn't use quite enough to really get a cool effect. Live and learn!

Another one of his cousins rinsed everyone's tie dyed garments and laundered them all, so I still have the opportunity to practice these skills. I have my kit and I can find more rubber bands. It says that the dye should be used fairly soon after being mixed up, so I'll have to find time to dye a couple different things all in one session. I still need to clean up my studio so I can sew, but I did a creative fabric thing last week!

2024 Studio Post #28 - No pictures

I meant to write before we went on vacation to Michigan, but here I am a full week and a day late, and not much to show for it.

My studio is a disaster dumping zone. I didn't even bring any stitching with me. AND I got Covid and "shared" it with the whole family. Ugh.

This entry is for Sunday, 8/11 and Sunday, 8/18. We're home from vacation and recovering from illness. I did a tiny repair job on our quilt up at the lake (in early August) but didn't take a picture of it. 

I have moved a few of the kids' games from my studio closet down to the game cabinet (to make more room for fabric). 

Oh!!! I just thought of something fabric-related I can share from our Michigan trip! New entry on its way . . .

2024 Studio Post #27 - MQ Challenge Piece

 I'm blogging on Sunday, August 4, 2024, which means I'm back on track!

I bought the $5 challenge envelope last fall or over the winter . . . I don't really remember. It was a different way to do the challenge for sure! (Usually, we get some fat quarters of interesting fabrics.) The envelope had:

• a rectangle of bird fabric with one complete bird and several cut in half
• a piece of bright orange elastic (rounded, not super stretchy)
• a piece of silvery / teal thread (from France!)
• an elongated hexie (shape had to be used somewhere)
• a piece of black fabric with a rainbow hued grid all over it

 

The other fabrics in the picture are ones I picked out to use with the given pieces. I played around on paper with various ideas. It was fun to just brainstorm ways to use these pieces! I had some fun ideas, but ultimately decided to go with the scene of a bird on a nest in a tree. I used all the pieces of bird from my fabric! I even "Frankensteined" one at the top - the beak and body don't really match. 

 

I didn't get it completely done in time. I was at the venue in Duluth stitching my 3D leaves on it, with people offering to help. I had an hour left before the deadline, but decided to say, "Good enough." It felt so good to have a challenge in the show! I wish I'd taken a picture of all of them . . . it was amazing to see what people came up with! Louise's co-chair Mary won first place. It was such a fun challenge!

 

I liked the buttons I added as "eggs" in the nest. I liked playing with the leaves - both 2D and 3D. My stitching isn't very polished, but I had fun. 

I also had fun including all the bird pieces - with two just poking their tails out from behind the trunk. 

I like the blue "sky" fabric I picked and also the collage-type fabrics for the tree trunk and branches. 

The sun and sunrise effect didn't look quite like what I hoped for, but it gave me the name "Morning Glories." I also think of how much I love to hear bird song and see sunrises. I love to praise God in the morning (and all day long) and reflect on my blessings.

We're up at the lake and I brought this with to do a bit more stitching. I may or may not update this post with another photo. I don't want to feel pressured . . . I want to enjoy stitching. That said, it's nice to FINISH projects and celebrate getting something done. 

 

You can always add more, but sometimes you recognize it's time to move on to new projects.

2024 Studio Post #26 - It's Done!

Well, technically, I still need to choose a name for it and sew a label on the back, but it's got the binding on and it's on our bed! Every time I walk into our room, I smile. It is lively!

I really like the rows of flying geese on each side. And I like the "framed" rectangles at top where the pillows are. I had fun quilting it at Rose's and am so glad I played with different techniques and words.

 

Too bad I didn't take my nightgown and books off it before taking the picture . . . 

 

This post was for 7.28.24 and I'm writing it on 8.1.24. Now I have a few days to come up with next Sunday's post!

 

2024 Studio Post #25 - Quick Carry Bag

I threw this together in about twenty minutes before going to camp with Akina. I had intended to make a whole bunch of them for the kids, but that didn't happen this year.

I have lots of horse blanket fabric scraps from my nice boss. I got a book on bag-making from the library. I just hadn't taken the time to figure out how to make what I wanted. So before going to camp, I threw this together! It's big enough for a pillow, blanket, etc. I want to make them deeper than this one and use stronger straps / reinforce them.

But as a prototype, I'm happy with it!

 

I took measurements so I can plan out the next one better, but I am wading through piles of papers so may need to come back and add info later.

 

 

Titus likes to hang out by me, but this isn't  a very good scale picture. He's much bigger than the bag!

 

 This post was intended for July 21, 2024 but I'm posting it on August 1. Trying to get caught up on lots of stuff today!