Hand-Dyed Contest Winner

Congrats to Judy!

I've emailed you . . . send me your snail mail address and I will get these mailed out to you.

Project Quilting #2 Making Music

Here it is. . TADA. . my "Project Quilting" challenge entry.

The song I chose for this project is "The Music Never Stopped." The original artist is John Barlow but the version I like best is when Bobby Weir sings it from the Grateful Dead.

This is a Reversible Quilted Tote.

I used my grated hand-dyed fabrics for this tote and quilted it with my new machine using variegated metalic thread.

Here are some shots before the tote was assembled:

For the red contrasting pocket I quilted a "hearts" motif. - one of my favorite stitches.

I quilted a large feather on this side

The blue contrasting pocket holds a treble clef, and stippled background

For the musical notes I used Steam-a-Seam II light. The fabric is a fuzzy fabric I hand-dyed brown. . I used a raw-edge applique stitch to secure.

After I had assembled the sides, straps I was ready to turn it RIGHT-SIDE OUT. Since I used batting on both the lining AND the outside . . to make it reversible and have both parts quilted. . it was a bit of trouble getting it turned. This part reminded me of the old "Popples" dolls. tee hee.

Alright. . all done!

I'm not certain which side is the correct "outside" and "inside" . . But here is the RED sides:

and here is the blue sides:

Closeup of the treble clef pocket

You have until Sunday at Noon to join in the "Project Quilting" Challenge over at Kim's Crafty Apple!

Oh and BTW, go HERE to my previous post to WIN a "jelly roll" of these exact hand dyes. Leave me a comment on that post by Friday for a chance to win.

Small Giveaway - hand dyed "jelly roll"

I would like to share a small bit of my hand dyed fabric with someone.

Here are some photos:

There are about 23 different fabrics gradating from light to dark and blue to red. They are HAND-cut (by myself) into 2.5" strips. The red group of strips are a bit shorter than the blue and they are different lengths. What I'm saying is this is NOT a perfect group of strips, but I would love to see what someone else can do with them.

As you can see by the photos, the dye within each strip will be lighter on one end, and darker on the other. Some will look more solid, and some more dyed/marbled.

Leave a comment on my blog by Friday January 27th telling me what you think you could do with the strips and I'll pick a random winner and mail them out the following Monday.

Giveaway only open to US residents (I'm sorry.)

Please include your email in the comment if you're signing annonymously so I can contact you if you win.

TQuilt Finish

2nd GWHS Tquilt finished . . just stitched the last few stitches on the binding. . but wait! OOPS. . I see I missed a small grey rectangle. HAHA. . this is where I was going to put my feather. Welp.. back to the machine I go!

Another shot of the previous quilt. . where the light is right to the side it really shows the quilting

My little strip of paisleys. . so cute!

another closeup

In the black areas i did an outline stitch.

both of the quilts together

Closeup of paisleys or as someone on pinterest called them: "Melty Teardrops" LOVE IT!

Look how awesome the pebbles showed up on these green shirts!

Another photo of both of the quilts:

I just love T-shirt quilts . . it's like my canvas. Thread is my paint.

This week I will be working on a memory quilt for a lady in Texas!

I'm trying to incorporate the "TExas Tears" Quilt block in there somewhere. . just because the name is so appropriate.

Also this week. . Project Quilting's new Theme "Making Music"

SO EXCITING!

Finally got my new sewing machine working!

Here she is in action!

"Screw" IT

See that little black screw that holds the needle in on my new machine? THATS what's holding me back from quilting with it. I know exactly what size screw I need, I just have to find it. I have'nt had time to go to the hardware store and look, but I HAVE looked online and wouldn't ya know it. . they're all sold out everywhere!

I went to Mr Sewing Machine in Dunbar, WV on Tuesday. They ordered me a darning foot for this machine. They're really nice up there and he took the time to show me how to attach it how it operates. He also WARNED me that I would need a new screw for it. The screw is appropriately named . "Juki Walking Foot Screw"

I love the little greeter they have up there. This is what you see when you walk into their little shop:

So. . . what else has been going on. . .
I recently had a birthday, and my sister got me a new cutting mat! It's AWESOME. 24" x 36" Here's a photo of my OLD self-healing mat on top of my NEW one.


Also . . as a late birthday gift . . I got my HAIR done. . here's a before/after shot:


And here are just a few photos I wanted to share. .
Isn't this the cutest thing? I like to stay up late and sleep in. It's hard to get my body and mind to relax when I'm in the middle of a quilt project. But looking at my two boys so comfy wrapped in a quilt SURE helps!
This quilt is my Carolina Christmas (a Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville mystery pattern)


I was walking the other day and it had just stormed. The Sun was setting and the street lights cast this eery glow onto the building they're doing construction on down the road. I was out walking Louie and had my iphone and took some photos:





There's quilt inspiration everywhere... I only wish you could somehow take photos of your dreams.

OH! and one more thing. . . Today i finished the Top of the 2nd Tquilt for the GWHS girls. I think it turned out GREAT . but like I said. . they had VERY colorful shirts to work with.

I have the whole day tomorrow to do the quilting and should be done by tomorrow.

Project Quilting #1 Architectural Elements - "Tin Roof, Rusted"

This Quilt is called "Tin Roof, Rusted"

Yes, I know it's corny. . but I love naming quilts after songs and lyrics.

My inspiration comes from the original tin Roof in my apartment. I live and work in a 3,000 square foot apartment which is the upstairs of a VERY old building in Milton, WV. The Tin roof has the most amazing pattern in it and I have always wanted to design a quilt after it.
Project Quilting Gave me that opportunity!. . or lit a fire under my butt. . however you want to look at it!

What did I learn from this ? I learned how to do MITERED CORNERS! As many quilts as I have made in my lifetime, I have never once attempted mitered corners. This quilt has SIXTEEN OF THEM!!! The inner miters are 1/2" fINISHED. . not a good beginning project to learn . . but I managed. ;c)
The Miters took me a bit longer than I anticipated so I didn't get as much quilting in as I had hoped. I'm going to add a bit more quilting today.

this is the photo I sent in to the contest. I added a bit more quilting to the quilt since.

Here's a closeup of the added stuff:

I added some pebbles in the center squares and echo quilting around the edges.

Here's some photos of my roof in my apt.

I have just been informed that this should NOT be called a "roof" (LOL) it should be called a ceiling. BUT, I've always called it my tin "roof" so I'm sticking with it and you can just consider me blonde.

GO HERE FOR ALL THE "PROJECT QUILTING" ENTRIES:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1401824@N21/pool/with/6702466149/

They are ALL so good!!!

Go HERE for more info about Project Quilting

1 Tquilt done!

Finished Molly's T-Shirt Quilt

I embroidered the name free-motion with a wide, zig-zag stitch in burgundy thread

I used the background fabric to applique "2012" and a raw-edge applique stitch.

For the burgundy parts of the quilt I used a HEARTS quilt motif.

The light blue areas I used a paisley stitch

In the blue areas I did an echo motif.

I couldn't get a good photo of the black areas. . but I used pebbles in those areas.

I put a little feather in this area. . SO CUTE!