Flower Wheel small quilt in process

Scrappy strip sets of assorted widths with the 18 degree, 8" long wedge ruler, ready to cut 20 wedges to make this circle/wheel block!

I used men's soft cotton dress shirt fabric ( yes, I cut up a shirt from Goodwill!) for the background.

Since I don't want a target or dartboard looking block, I moved the circle off to the side, and added a flower panel of Anna Maria Horner fabric...warm saffrons and red!

It is ready for the appliqué center, and hand quilting!

The backing is a print of hippy- dippy beads on purple! Hopefully, the Bohemian vibe is coming through on this one!!!!

Once it is quilted, I can bind it and embellish it, maybe beaded fringe...???? We'll see!

 

It may become a donation to our guild's small quilt auction, or for sale on ETSY!

 

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"Quilting is a white woman's way of singing the blues."

This quote is from Jo Packham, who says it comes from the book about the Gee's Bend quilters....interesting....

Here is a crib quilt for the newest baby in our family. It was started before he was born, and before my mom ( his great grandmother) went into long term care. she helped to piece the blocks! Here she is back in February , making a block on the little featherweight machine!

Missing you, Mom!

Here is the label,for the quilt....and really cute backing fabric of farm animals, including alpacas!

Other quilts I have worked on recently include this one made with scraps from another quilter's stash.

The fabrics include some designed by Cath Kidston and Laura Ashley....red and pinks, soft greens and lavenders. A touch of yellow....irregular size scraps, pieced together as well as possible without much trimming.....making a bit of a wonky, but loveable quilt! It is hand quilted in utility stitches using rosy perle cotton and a chenille needle.

I have plans for (and fabrics for) more low-volume, pastel quilts.

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Also plans for a more bright, saturated, scrappy quilt of pieced wheels or circles....sort of like this one from the owner of Peppermint Pinwheels ETSY store. I have ordered a 10 degree wedge ruler to help cut this scrappy wonder!

 

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Welcome Wonderful Autumn! Projects for today....

Yesterday, two friends and I set out to visit our mutual friend, Lizzie, in Carthage, Mo.

A lovely "small town America" destination!

Above is the courthouse.....the town has many Victorian houses from it's glory days when zinc mines brought wealth and made millionaires.

Later, Route 66 added to the retro charm of the area!

However, we weren't there for those points of interest, more just to hang out and visit, to sit around Liz's living room catching up with each other's news, to "do lunch", to have tea and homemade coconut cream pie...! Our time there did include a trip to a flea market, and a couple of purchases!

First, another silver ring,....not sure what the stone is....dark amber in color. What can I say? It just caught my eye and now is on my hand! LOL!

Today, I will put these hands to work on a couple of projects....chalk painting this chair, ( my other purchase from the flea market, yesterday) and quilting this scrappy little quilt! ( made from leftovers from a "real quilt")

Back with finished project photos soon.....ha!

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Here, on a different chair, is my little wid quilt. A thread scribble! It would be cute in the center of a table, or on a wall! Now to get it on ETSY!

 

It is uneven, unbound--I used lots of zig-zag stitching with variegated thread as an edging. Free-motion machine quilted with red variegated thread. Love it!

 

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My messy world...so be it!

Someday I hope to get this sewing studio under control.....but for now, every time I start to organize and put things away, I am sidetracked by the urgency of some project! AND I have a lot of projects. they are my addiction....

Here is a quilt for my six month old great nephew....waiting for my machine quilting (on my antique Singer) and then the black striped fabric will be the binding!

This beautiful 2 yard floral fabric will be cut into long strips while I insert the pieced strips of "Chinese Coins" in fabrics which loosely coordinate with the blue and red floral! This quilt top will be about 60x72 when finished.

Below, sewing machine table with piles of scraps, and the plastic tubs into which they SHOULD be separated by color and size....hmmm....

Over on the cutting table I have pulled out ( from its cubby hole) fleece remnants, buttons and the pattern to make 2 small cuddly jackets...soon!!!!

The mess and projects don't end in the sewing room...

At the moment our living area is cleared out for a painter to do the ceilings.....which means lots of stuff now sitting out here in the art studio! Including this set of old nesting tables which may need to be "chalk painted" in a deep dusty aqua from Martha Stewart. A color called.......

" Hummingbird Blue" !

Now, I have to MAKE myself leave this creative madness and get to yoga class! I NEED it!

because In our mailbox today after class , i will find even more wonderful possibilities.....several yards of fabric by Kaffe Fassett ! [I found them in sale with CRAFTSY!]

 

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Watercolor bouquet

Out in the studio, the morning was cool, but now the air conditioner is needed!

This is the bouquet I picked this morning, in an antique Ball mason jar!

I have added two beautiful red pears that I bought yesterday!

Start soft, wet into wet. Add details and more intense color......

More detail and a white pitcher with my brushes begin to emerge. It is so helpful to photograph and see this on the computer screen.....sitting quietly, I can see areas I want to work on next!

But it is lunchtime, and I think I will wait until the sun is less intense to finish this.....even though it is wonderful out here and I am listening to this very good book on AUDIBLE.

This painting is complete!

 

 

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Back to chalk painting!

Last week I found this old office chair at a thrift store. It rocks, swivels and rolls..I think it might work well at either the easel or the serger! Not sure, but it is worth trying in different places!

But of course, it is very homely now and needs to be transformed! ....I thought about a bright aqua paint but settled on "tangerine" by Behr.

Behr makes a paint with primer included, I add calcium carbonate powder ( 2 parts paint to 1 part calcium carbonate) to make it into chalk paint. One small sample size jar-- cost about $3.00-- will paint almost any average wooden chair.

Here it is in the bright sunshine! Needs its coat of Minwax finishing wax and it will be ready!

Hmmm, perhaps a nice colorful cushion too!

When I remember that these chairs from Pottery Barn ( below) are priced at $399.00, I feel REALLY good about my new chair!

 

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