Now that you made it..What do you do with it!

Isn't this always the question after you try a new technique or dye a new piece of fabric?  Well since I needed a Wearable Art Show and Tell, I used the Tie Dye fabric (shown in a previous blog) for a scarf.  It went together in 45 min!  Just a simple tube with a channel down the center for some wired ribbon, plus a cool pin from the Stitches show.  It is comfortable and fun to wear.  Now I just have to figure out what to do with the rest of the fabric!

Tie Dying to Die For...

In the Oct/Nov 2010 Issue of Quilting Arts, Kathy Barinholtz wrote about her adventure with dying silk fabric with silk ties.  So last week, Cassandra, Carolyn, and I set up for our own adventure.  We were surprised with the color that transfers and pattern combinations.  The ties don't transfer exactly but often "bleed" components of the original dye.  Brown would give us orange, reds would go both bright and light, so the best part was unwrapping the bundles.  (I have not included the process here because of ownership concerns but read the article and you will find it is an easy and quick process that leads to beautiful muted shades)   The ties can be re-used so I have a full stock for the next adventures.  One note on the process - we could not find an aluminum pot but a friend's husband (a chemist) told us to line the pot with heavy duty foil.  This proved to be all that we needed.  Hope you can try this.  Let me know in the comment section how your adventure turns out! 

More Sharpie Fun

How does one out of three sound?  Yesterday I was in the mood to play with my Sharpie pens.  I had wanted to do some sun flowers with 3D leaves but I had also found a beautiful water color of a windmill.  The sun flowers did not work out.  Not enough ink but too much alcohol which caused it to wash completely out to mud.  The windmill turned out just fine.  I am going to thread paint and add the "windmill fans" in black fabric.
I am really looking forward to seeing pictures of my friend Carolyn and her friends at their recent discovery day.  Glad you had a good time with the process.  I understand that there are some other pens that have more muted colors and hold up better in the wash.  I'll pass this on when I get the information.  In the mean time, try this fun and easy process.  When is the last time you didn't have to pay a fortune for equipment for a new technique??

SAQA Whisper Quilt Challenge

Here it is, the piece I have been working on for months.  Actually a week before it was due and then another week just before the reveal.  The challenge is set up like the old telephone game, where you start with one story and see how it changes as it move around the circle of friends.  The first person in each of 5 groups was presented  with a photo to inspire a 22 x 24 quilt.  Those quilts were then passed to the next in line to inspire another set of quilts.  Last week was the reveal of over 30 quilts.  How inspiring and how funny to see how a scene of sea rocks and a crab ended up as trees, flowers, and then back to the sea.  Hard to imagine but go to the SAQA NorCal blog and see the show. I have more work to do with my piece.  First I am cutting off 2 inches on the left (as shown)  and then adding a few more leaves.   I needed to have it done, but upon reflection and some very helpful comments... I have decide to work a bit more.
 

The Istanbul Vest

The pattern for this vest is from an article in Threads Magazine  and is designed by Pat Moriarity of Plymouth, Wisconsin.  It is called the Istanbul vest but my shawl came from a wonderful trip in Spain.  These long shawls are everywhere but if you are like me (and Pat) they are hard to wear.  The pattern was simple to make and I have had loads of compliments and "where did you find it" comments.  Find the pattern in the Oct/Nov 2007 Threads Magazine.  At the end of the article is another kind of shawl pattern!  Thanks to Pat for being so generous, my only comment is that I wish I looked as good at the model in the article!!

Where does time go??

Where does the time go.... but it is fun.  I have been sewing and creating but I can't show you!  First was the whisper piece for SAQA but I can't show you until after the Feb meeting.  Next was little gift card holders, but again I couldn't let people see that in advance. Finally a really cute kitchen thing but again that was a gift.  So as it is with some of you, your art get set aside for the excitement of Christmas.  I'll be back in the swing before long and promise to return to my blog update schedule.  I wish you the most enjoyable Holiday possible and a super creative New Year.

More Sharpie Fun

My sister-in-law Carolyn, and I had a great day last Wed.  We went to both my Knitting Group and the GNO (Girls Night Out) where we had loads of fun.  Thank You to all who made her feel so welcome.  Later in the afternoon we played with Sharpie pens.  As I have explained in older blogs, Sharpie pens can be used to dye fabric.  We have all used them for marking camp clothing etc but when you layer the colors and then spray with alcohol... well then you have a whole different thing.  The alcohol mixes the dye and it often looks like watercolor.  Here are the some pictures.  Carolyn is going to go home and try her own ideas and I'm sure she will come up with something unique!
The top two are Carolyn's.  She started with circles but then laid the silk fabric over bubble wrap before spraying with alcohol.  For awhile it looked like a mistake but then as it dried....  Mine was a little less successful but I think it will become a great landscape.