DARE TO BE CREATIVE!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Misty Pine Wallhanging


I purchased this pattern and fabric kit at a lovely quilt store in Montana. The Washoe Quilt Shoppe was wonderful. We stopped in on our way back to Red Lodge from visiting the museum in Cody, Wyoming. I just fell in love with the shop.

I think I may make one of these little wall hanging for Christmas using red, green, and gold. I will add embellishments to the tree. The tree is paper pieced and the swirls are fusible applique. I quilted by machine.

It will be a reminder of our wonderful trip to Montana.

New Porch Bench


Just before we left for vacation my DH finished this lovely porch bench for our front porch. I had seen a similar bench at a recent flea market here in Mesa. I came home and tried to explain the concept to my DH. He decided to go check it out himself. This is the resulting wonderful white bench that sits on our front porch. We live in an older (historic) neighborhood were many of the homes have front porches. (Yes we leave our porch light on each evening!)


The bench is made from a vintage headboard and footboard. My DH rescued the bed recently and I just loved the vintage look. I asked him to save it because I just knew it might make a great recycling project. The only expense was purchasing the wood for the seat and frame. He spray painted it with white paint to match trim on house and it looks great on our front porch. I may make a few cushions in the future. Thanks DH! Your the best.

UFO quilt finished




This little quilt has been in the UFO stack for sometime. The fabric and pattern are from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum. My friend purchased them while on vacation a few years ago. I began the quilt and then we had a family crisis. Now I've finished the wonderful little quilt.

The original pattern called for additional fabrics but I decided to make it small and use just the fabric Susan brought me. I quilted a motif on the four large squares with my Janome 11000. One square was light and the pattern doesn't show up but I still love it. Remainder of quilt is machine quilted.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Fabric Postcard from Cathy


This is my June fabric postcard from Fabric in Altered Arts 2. This lovely fabric postcard was made by Cathy. Cathy is the moderator of the group. If you are interested in a great group that uses Fabric in Altered Art, check out this yahoo group.


I love the "Let's Go Fishin" card. Cathy has used wonderful embellishments. Here is my June postcard . I made it for Norma.

Susan's Tote


I just completed this tote for a friend who is retiring on June 30th. I decided to make one of the Amy Butler Swing Bags and monogram her initial on the front of the tote. If she doesn't want to have the monogram on the outside, the tote is reversible. Both the fabrics are by Michael Miller. I love his fabric. I have a Amy Butler Birdie Bag made from the same fabrics.


I'm finally back into my studio after cleaning the house and doing laundry. The dust collects even when you are on vacation. Looking forward to more sewing next week. I purchased a mini quilt kit in Montana and I'd like to get going on that project.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Good News from Altered Couture

When we returned from vacation, I had emails from Altered Couture magazine. Two of my items have been selected for publication in their Fall issue. I sent in two items and both were selected as technique articles. I very pleased and now I have to write the techniques articles. One item was an embellished wool sweater and the other a child's denim.

Back from Montana


We just returned from a week's vacation to Utah and Montana. We spent the weekend with friends in Red Lodge, Montana. This is the view from their backyard. Isn't the view spectacular? The weather was so cool and we returned to 100+ yesterday here in the Valley of the Sun.

Monday, June 15, 2009

I won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




I (who never wins anything) has been declared a winner on Wanda's blog. Wanda had a give-away for the 100th post on her blog. I won this lovely prize. I'm so excited. Wanda and I are members of FAT (Fiber Art Traders). She does lovely work. Check out her blog. Thanks Wanda!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

House Pendant







Some of you have wondered why is this pendant called a "House Pendant". I have attempted to show how the pendant represents a house in these two photos. The scissors may obscure the idea but the front and back cover of the pendant represent the roof and the inside pages represent the house. Hope you can see it from these photos. I made this one for a Fiber Arts group and that's why it has the sewing theme. You could do pendants with any theme.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Camisole Top


Isn't this a great sketch. It's from Easy Ways to Pretty Frocks by Clark's O.N.T. Threads Copyright 1929. I purchased this booklet at a lovely little antique store in KY. It's full of great sketches.

My sister and I are collecting images for a altered fabric book that we plan to begin in a few weeks. We've made fabric books in the past and they have been wonderful. This one will have a sewing theme. We will use vintage pattern envelopes, vintage fabric, and vintage sewing notions. I thought we might be able to use some of these images. We have a great photo of our grandmother with a hair style similar to this one.


I'll keep you posted on the progress of our altered fabric book. I'm currently scanning vintage pattern envelopes and other vintage ephemera. Next up is to select family photos and scan them. Our goal is to have a disk of images that we can print onto ink jet printable fabric.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Mini Housebook Pendant






This is my mini housebook pendant for a trade on FAT (Fiber Art Traders). Leilani is hosting this trade. We were to make the front and back from an old book cover. I used an old dictionary from 1953. These are the house roof. The rest of the house is made from three mini pages. I made mine from Timtex.



Three of my pages are fabric designs, one a scissors, a button, and a quilt square. I also used the words: pendant, fiber, and art on the covers.

June Fabric Postcard


This is my June fabric postcard for a swap on Fabric in Altered Arts 2. Norma hosts the swaps each month. I had fun with this one. Strips were leftover from a previous project. I then added the decorative stitches using my Viking Lily.

Lily is in my studio waiting to return to our vacation home in Kentucky. She traveled to AZ this spring for a good cleaning and service. So I'm making sure everything is in order before she goes back to Ky.

The owl image is from an old greeting card. I then added the words and printed on ink jet fabric. Last I added a little sparkle on the leaves. Hope my partner enjoys this little card.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Angel Quiltie


The Fabric in Altered Arts 2 group has decided to use the alphabet as a theme for the monthly quiltie swap. June is the first month and of course, the letter A. I chose "angels" as the theme for my quiltie. The vintage lace and feather are from my studio. The image is a free image I found on the web. Fabric scrap is from the backing of a quilted wall hanging I finished recently. I'm quite pleased with the quiltie.

Grids and Grommets Tote



I worked this weekend during the horrible Diamondback games making this Grids and Grommets Tote. The entire exterior is quilted using a fusible quilting grid. This was my first time to use grommets and it's scary cutting holes in something that you have worked hours to complete but it worked out. They really were quite easy but probably would be easier on a thinner fabric. This tote has two layers of fusible fleece which make it bulky.
The fabric for exterior and lining are by Michael Miller. The tote is large and roomy. It may become a retirement gift for a friend. Not sure yet. Pattern is from Indygo Junction.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Altered Puzzle Piece Swap

Mystic Paper in downtown Mesa is having a Altered Puzzle Piece Swap. This is my first try at making an altered puzzle piece. I'm not sure this is the final example. I had purchased a box of large puzzle pieces some time ago at the thrift store. I covered the piece with fabric and then added the embellishments. I used a gold pen to color the edges of the puzzle piece.


Wednesday, June 3, 2009

More Flowers in the Sunshine



I took my Flowers in the Sunshine outside and tried to get a photo of the sparkles. Hope you can see all the sparkly threads and angelina fibers.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Flowers in the Sunshine


I signed up for an online class Flowers in the Sunshine. This is my flower in the sunshine. The "shine" doesn't show up well in the photo. The base is felt with fusible web, fabric paint, angelina fibers, and silk flower parts. Piece is stippled with metallic threads.

Posh Pink Backpack







I just finished this lovely backpack yesterday. I purchased the pattern from Hope Yoder and the fabric is from Quilters Ranch in Tempe. I was able to use some of my stash for the covered button and the tassel. I loved making the backpack. I was able to use many of those feet that I purchased for my Viking Lily a few years ago. I used the following feet: piping foot, 5 groove pintuck, edge joining, and open toe foot. When I purchased the additional feet in class, I wondered if I would even use them. This little bag got me excited about experimenting with them again after a few years. My Viking Lily is usually in our vacation home in Kentucky. I brought her back to AZ this spring for a cleaning and servicing. She worked perfectly.

I've very pleased with the backpack and was glad I was able to find pink fabric at a local shop instead of ordering online. In this economy, I think it's very important to support our local small businesses. To see Hope's backpack click here. Mine is very similar.

As I was searching in my stash, I found some vintage laces in ivory color. I may make another one using ivory laces. Hope has another bag on her site that I just love. Maybe I'll try it.