January 31, 2013
bought some new fabric the other day cause just don’t have anything in my stash for this one. not been anything available lately that turns me on enough to buy a whole bolt! i love these colors – hope someone else does as well. ^_^
i’ll be in watsonville, ca end of this month – stop by if you’re in that area. show is at the santa cruz fairgrounds, feb 23,24
November 16, 2012
well, not really sunshine – just a bright sunny yellow. ^_^
i worked really diligently the other day- the last day i had tv, which helped to keep my butt in the chair and needle and thread in my hand – and finished the blossom for the ‘petite’ susan. i still have the second leaf to do, but thought i’d share anyway – cause it’s a little dark and rainy here today.
obviously that’s not really a ‘petite’ flower! this is just the 3rd of the 4 ‘abbreviated’ designs i have done – which are the start of a new series called “La Petite Nearly Nouveau”. Each one will be a single blossom and couple of leaves, minimum. the hibiscus also has a bud. i have just gathered the fabrics for the cone flower and the single tiger blossom is also waiting. ^_^
these babies will be totally different from my usual fare – as there will be no framing circle – each rests within an 8″ square. you can do them as individual ‘mini’ wallhangings – or combine them to create a larger piece – perhaps with some ‘pieced’ blocks in between?? as with all my patterns, my intention is to provide you with something that sparks your imagination. ^_^
the other thing these are ‘for’ – while they are ‘small’, they are not what i would call ‘simple’ or ‘beginner’ – they are just a smaller project, one that should feel a little less daunting, yet still allow for you to stretch a little – i think they might call it ‘growth and development’??? ^_^ well, i like to think so, anyway.
November 9, 2012
first, will speak of a new idea i just had and have already begun! i wanted to offer the tiger lily in yellow, but wasn’t too keen on doing a whole new sample, even if i cheated and just fused it. then thought, well, maybe just the one blossom?? and that led to – hey, maybe a new ‘mini series’ – as in – some 8″ squares with just one blossom and a couple of leaves?! so, now have those drawn for the tiger and the susan!! tried to take pictures – camera battery dead. rats. have my eye on the hibiscus as well – then, who knows. they will be offered as kits only – kind of like the beginning ones. haven’t yet calculated the price – off top of my head am thinking around $10?? could end up more?? fabric will include enough for binding, so you can actually create a ‘mini’ wallhanging. ^_^ do a few and hang in a group??
so, for the color on this rainy day – thought i’d post a couple of the samples i did using tammy’s hand dyes. these are available on the webpage for $16.50. if you love and you already have the pattern – fabric would be $8.50. ^_^
November 5, 2012
well, even tho i posted that picture of the tiger lily and called it “complete” – alas, that is not the case. it was bugging me – something just not exactly right. i have thus, decided to move the top and bottom borders in just a ‘skosh’. not a task i’m looking forward to as this time those mitered corners gave me fits. 😦 i have the top one nearly completely off. hopefully can push myself thru it today. it probably won’t look much different to ya’ll – will just make me feel better. ^_^
and just so you have something to look at – here are pictures of the mama and baby dogwood trees in fall color. ^_^ little one complements of the birds. ^_^
October 23, 2012
a few days ago, with the urging of my good friend tammy, i finally forced myself to pick up pencil and apply it to paper. it was scary and i expected the finished design to take several day. amazingly, the drawing was essentially finished in that first day. the following day, i finalized, retraced in ink and added numbers. also chose the other fabrics – that is, other than the flower petal ones. those had been chosen and dyed by tammy some time ago – the reason she was bugging me. ^_^ i even got the loooong piece of stem made – my way (which you can see in the blog entitled “skinny stems”). it will be enough for all of the stems – i will just adjust the width as required. and late that same day, sat down to stitch!!! didn’t get much done, but was at it the next day – which i am calling “day 1”.
so, here are pictures of the drawing and where i was after ‘day 2’ – am now in ‘day 3’ and moving right along!!
well, can’t seem to get them separated here – on well, guess you can see well enough. while i like the fabric i’m using, ‘ok’, i have just ordered something that might look even better?? if i still think so when i see it for real – will have tammy dye it this same color and will use it in the kits. will also, then, probably sell this one as fat qtrs – for those who prefer it. i realize you can’t see that fabric much yet – stay tuned. ^_^
October 8, 2012
i am now down to just 2 full days before i leave for “the big show” on wed. am i ready?? nearly. should be able to complete all the patterns and kits today and regain possession of my bedroom! full of tubs at the moment. then i will tackle those jackets again – i have 4 ‘in process’ – 2 of them ready for the final step=hemming. the 3rd one gave me all kinds of fits and i eventually had to just give up. will finish the last one before i go back to that one! not sure what the heck i’m doing “wrong”, have never had this much trouble with that neck trim piece. grrrr
oh, so what’s the show, you may ask – it’s Pacific International Quilt Festival. (aka PIQF) if you live anywhere ‘out west’, you’ve probably heard of it. a really wonderful show – amazing and true ‘art’ in the quilts and lots of great vendors – like me. ^_^ you need at least 2 days to see and appreciate it all – more if you take advantage of classes and/or lectures. i did a couple of those before i was a vendor – very enjoyable and informative.
i don’t have much in the way of new designs, but do have some new samples – as i posted last time – using my friend tammy’s hand dyed fabrics. check her out at alwaysuniquefabric.com and here’s one of the samples – there’s also one of these in ‘purples’ (just as there are both in the commercial fabrics.
hope to see you there – stop and say ‘hi’.
November 30, 2011
have now cut the pieces for the next jacket. you must create a little patchwork for each section of the jacket and from those you then cut the actual pattern pieces. once again, was able to use fabrics (long time) on hand and only had to purchase a trim (which isn’t shown in this picture – it’s just a solid olive). i think this one and the blue & yellow will be priced at $100, since used fabric from my ‘stash’. not sure about ‘new fabric’ ones – at least $125, maybe $150. always tough for me to include a fair cost for my ‘labor’. ^_^ ok, can’t even, really. no one would pay that much! hmmm, perhaps my conversation could use a little ‘tweaking’??
this just shows the fabrics and how they will be arranged on the back – no sewing done yet.
took this picture some time ago – all those leaves are now gone. it was the view from my front window. the dogwood was brighter red this year – at least according to my not so reliable memory. ^_^
ok, enough of this fooling around – have a lot to do – including ‘santa work’!! time’s a’wastin’
peace, love and beauty http://www.artfullyapplique.com
August 22, 2011
so here’s the fabric i think looks better for the wallhanging – it’s the same one i used in the sample quilt – which quilt will soon be back home and finally ‘quilted’!! can’t wait to see it!! wonder how long it will take for me to get the binding on!!! ^_^
that really is green – just very dark. i think it makes the flowers pop much better – and having never been a big fan of ‘spon
ge ‘painting – like the ‘texture’ much better. here’s the other one again.
oops, forgot to crop it when i saved it. and didn’t get quite as close. dang.
peace, love, and beauty http://www.artfullyapplique.com
August 21, 2011
this won’t be much – just a picture of the first two, totally finished blocks – placed on top of the potential surrounding green. we shall see – very poor lighting where i took this, so not good for comparing those greens. just kind of recording my progress here. ^_^
and now i shall get back to being productive – somehow. onward & upward
peace, love and beauty http://www.artfullyapplique.com
August 20, 2011
as i have been pondering the green thing with regard to the quilt i am making – there was a narrative nature to my thoughts and i felt compelled to sit and compose another post. i found myself thinking back – for those who are as old as i, you will recall when the pairing of blue and green was a fashion and decorating ‘sin’. even as a small child i had to wonder – i mean, clearly God had not gotten the memo! how could He/She have chosen that lovely blue background on which to place all those beautiful green trees?? and, exactly who were these folks and where were they. obviously cloistered in a room somewhere – with no windows! and probably across the hall from the ones who were telling me how long (& then short) my skirt should be. oh, and at the same table with the ones who declared i must never wear my plaid shirt with the stripped skirt i just got! lest someone might think i was either mentally retarded or a begger! was that a covert way of putting those unfortunate folks in ‘uniforms’?? you know, to keep the rest of ‘us’ safe??
i clearly remember the day we went to see uncle dick’s and aunt mae’s ‘new’ house. oh, YES, i thought when i saw the kitchen – i love it!! and finally!! i seem to recall my mother’s opinion a tad different from mine. ^_^ it was turqoise and olive green and beautiful to me. i was in my teens.
and now, we flash forward to today. much has changed in the world of color and pattern and print – a very gross understatement! ^_^ and here i am fully engaged in the world of color as it applies to fabric and quilting. a small world in which i seem to have acquired a reputation for having “a good sense of color”. hmmm i think what that means is – for the most part, what i do/how i combine colors, appeals to most people – even when it tends to push them a little outside their comfort zone – “i never would have put those together, but i really like it/love it”. i have never taken a course, have made a point of not learning the proper terms with regard to the words folks who claim to know use – shade, hue, tone – etc. oh, and then there’s the handy dandy color wheel thingy. not for me!! truth is, don’t want to interfere with the natural process! those who know me know very well i am a control freak (the nicer term) ^_^ i prefer to keep my mind/brain out of the process and just let my heart/gut/feelings run the color show!! so far, so good. ^_^
so – my concern about that green is not about the current rules – i just can’t do what doesn’t feel good for me. seems a good way to live in many ways – maybe??? i am confident my client and i will reach a mutual agreement. i know the finished piece must both please her and fit within her home ‘decor’ – it’s not something purchased as a wal-mart special. if you spend good money, you need to get something “good” for you!!
