Sweet Tweets

Another class I took while I was in Des Moines was from Laura Wasilowski, called “Fowl Play.”  Laura makes whimsical art quilts using raw edge applique – or fused applique.

She provided some of her hand dyed fabrics with fusible web already applied, so all we really had to do was cut out the shapes and apply heat.  The picture above is what I was able to do in class.  I wanted to add a few more things to it, though.

After I got home, I added some border pieces, a few more grasses and a sun.  Then everything got a good steam press to ensure a good fuse.  And then came the fun part!

Hand embroidery!  Laura also hand dyes perle cotton threads in various sizes.  I also have a small selection of perle cotton and was able to experiment with the different colors and weights.  It’s hard to tell how much is enough, though.

In the end, I decided to do some machine quilting in the “sky” and stitch a narrow binding, and call it done!  But not before adding the final, very important, piece . . .

The Official Seal of The Chicago School of Fusing!  As a graduate and alumni, I can now display this emblem proudly!  On this piece, at least.  I guess I’ll need to take another class if I want another TCSoF label.  I could live with that!

A Fanciful Garden

One of the classes I took in Des Moines was from Karen Linduska.  She showed us how to make a garden using the stitches programmed into our sewing machines.

This is how my garden looked at the end of the day.  We had a full day of learning different ways to manipulate the stitches.  Our classroom was full of brand new Elnas with about 300 built-in stitches.  I love my Bernina, but that Elna can sure turn one’s head! 

By manipulating width and length of a stitch, as well as mirroring and elongating, we could make just about any type of flower.

There are lots of ways to make leaves, too.   I had several variegated threads and I loved watching how the patterns would stitch out.

These flowers were cut from felt and fleece and then tacked down with the button stitch.  You can see that some of my attempts were more successful than others!  But since when are all flowers perfect?

Before changing thread color, we stitched a line onto the ground area.  I decided to use the star stitch and a satin diamond shape, but I altered the size on each pass.

The “horizon” is a group of yarn twisted and couched with a 3-stitch zigzag.  I think I had four different yarns.  Karen provided all the fabrics and yarns while each student brought their own thread.

Once I got home, I squared it up and added a black border, stitched on a backing and called it done!  Now I will need to experiment with what my Bernina can do.  That should keep me busy for awhile!

Published!

Well, sort of . . . er . . . not really.

One of my teachers last week, Laura Wasilowski, used my class work on her blog.  It actually looks pretty good!  Check it out here.

Now you’ll have a point of reference when I show the finished piece.  It’s coming along nicely if I do say so myself!

Sneak Preview

I spent most of the past week in Des Moines, Iowa, attending the AQS show.  This was my first time at a national level quilt show and all I can say is “Wow!”

I took two-and-a-half days of classes, from hand quilting to stamping on fabric. 

These two photos show some of the projects from those classes.  As I complete work on these projects over the next few days/weeks/months (!) I will show better photos and talk about what I learned. 

So, this is your preview of things to come.  Now if I can just get my brain wrapped around all the ideas and inspiration that I was bombarded with!