Work in Process Wednesday

Here's this week's update on Stars in My Garden.  My youngest was home sick for a couple of days, so I colored. It's coming along!

 

 

 

Stars in My Garden - The how-to!

I've been asked to explain how I'm doing the coloring on "Stars in My Garden".  The left side shows how the quilt looks after it's been quilted and before coloring. To the right is an area that has been colored.



















I'm using Pigma pencils for the colors, then sealing the coloring with Jacquard Textile Color,  #100 Colorless Extender.  I've seen the pencils at Michaels and JoAnn.  I bought the Extender at dharmatrading.com.  I'm sure it's available at other places.

Use the pencils to color the area.  It's best to use lots of light strokes to add color, not heavy strokes that could later flake off.  Work that pigment into the fabric, shading the edges and veins.  Use more than one color - nothing in nature is just one color!  I even throw a little purple or yellow into the leaves.  Once an area is colored the way you want, use a small paint brush to apply the color extender.  You only need to put this where the fabric has been colored.

I did a video but it won't download.  I'll keep trying, but I wanted you to have the information you asked for.

Just quilting along - LOTS of pictures!

I have got to post more often!  I didn't realize I had so many that I hadn't shown you yet.

First up is Kim's appliqued Log Cabin.  This is a mid-range custom quilting.  Some ruler work was involved, and I outlined the applique, and in some cases, went over the applique with matching thread so there wouldn't be big, unquilted areas.  There were also some too-big areas of white, so I added some little doo-dads (how's that for a technical term!) to fill in the areas.  For the feather wreaths, I used a King Tut thread (I think #610).  I call it poopie-green, but it reads gold-ish, and works so well! 

 

This is Mary's Triple Play.  She said this goes together a lot like a log cabin block.  I think I want to make this one!  What a great way to use up some of those skinny scraps!

 

Here's the back.  Mary always uses flannel sheets. I HATE percale sheets for backs, but I love how these flannel ones quilt up!  We used the panto "Cutie Patootie" for this.

Sue brought in this Card Trick quilt.  This is also a great one for using up those scraps!  Her's was made from batiks.    This one has the panto "Simplicity" on it.

 

This is Marge's Wagon Wheel.  She said this was made with a jelly roll.  We used the panto "Flowering Fern".  I also used the poopie-green thread on this. 

 I have more to post - and possibly - a video!  Stay tuned!

Ami's Thirties Fans

Here's another class sample for Wild Flowers Quilt Shop in Ritzville.   I just took the "Quilt Whisperer" class on-line, and I used this as my class project.  Ami wanted something not too heavily quilted.

Thanks, Carla Barrett, for a great class and the ideas for this quilt!  Carla's blog is here. What a talented and sharing lady!   I think I just multi-multiplied (is that really a word?) the tricks-up-my-sleeve!!

(edited to actually add the pictures.....duh!)

 

 
 

  

  

 

 

Coming up for air...

I know, I know.  I said no quilting until February.  But I just couldn't help myself, and I did get the bookkeeping done first.

I warmed up with a charity quilt.  It had been a month without touching the machine, and the panto "Cutie Patootie" is my favorite for getting the quilting mojo going.

 

Then I moved on to the Creston 2010 Alumni Quilt.  This will be a work in process for a while, I'll be coloring in the flowers and leaves.  More on the story of this quilt as I work on it.  And there will be pictures of the whole quilt, too!

Then, fully warmed up, and getting close to that February date, I quilted this for Ami.  Simple clamshells for a sample for an upcoming class at Wildflowers Quilt Shop in Ritzville.  This quilt is perfect for a beginner, as it is the fabric that makes it look complicated.  The busy squares and the border are actually a printed fabric. 

 

It's actually February 1st, and I'm 'officially' quilting again.  This is Marge's quilt.  She chose the panto 'Primrose Swirls', and it looks wonderful on this quilt.  I used a really soft green thread, like newborn baby green.  This is a variegated thread but the color changes are very, very subtle.  It looks wonderful on the fabrics in this quilt.