Find Your Joy

Are you bustling with holiday spirit?  Even your sewing studio can have a simple festive look. 

I've covered my small cabinet with a miniature Ohio star quilt to brighten my day as I work on Christmas gifts. This piece reminds me of days when I first started quilting, (many of you may recognize several of the fabrics) and brings to mind the joy I have found in my sewing studio.

  

One easy and quick project is to make your own Christmas greeting cards.

I started with scraps of fabric that I laid on a thin batting and machine quilted.

From the quilted piece, I cut out letters and stitched them onto card stock (yes, probably not so good for your needle, I used on old one.) The fabric was loosely woven and the edges are raveling but it wasn't a concern.

Today, the JOY is in creation

not in perfection.

Tuesday's Tile - Constellations

Quilter's Tile - Constellations

8" x 8"

©2011 Sharon V. Rotz

And then the little angel flew off to the stars

 where she lived with Greater Bear, Smaller Bear

 and all of her other animal friends.

Looking through my sketchbook, I found this little angel and she was the inspiration for this whimsical quilter's tile.

My first step was to draw the angel's shape unto white muslin and used fabric markers to add color.

My little angel seemed upset with her surroundings, and I wasn't happy with the blue pencil that I added below the skirt. 

New plan: Applying fusible to the back and cutting out the angel. She was much happier freed from her background. Obviously, she wanted to fly. I thought I would try something new. I fused the angel onto a thin polyester fleece type batting and trimmed her to shape.

This blue background seemed to suit the angel and I  machine quilted her onto the quilt sandwich, leaving the edge of her wings free.

I used purchased single fold bias tape for the binding. Quite a challenge, as it was very narrow and hard to pull around the edge. It did look nice, like piping on the edge, but I don't think I will do it again.

Are you in the Christmas mood? Have you been busy running from shop to shop as you search for the perfect gift? Is you home beginning to take on a festive air?

As we put away Thanksgiving dishes and cleaned up from our holiday visitors, I gathered Christmas quilts to use in decorating our home. Often we face the dilemma of how to use a quilt which isn't sized for  our bed.  One of my favorite red and green quilts is smaller than my bed so I simply wrapped a coordinating sheet around the mattress and centered the quilt on the bed.

No, pillow tuck? Another quilt, lap size, covers the pillows. The red backs of my decorator pillows add a splash of color behind two muslin quilted throw pillows.

Instantly, we have transformed the room into a festive retreat for our next guest.

Tuesday's Tile - White on white

Quilter's Tile - White on White

8" x 8"

©2011 Sharon V. Rotz

Floating on a cloud

Peaceful, gentle breeze

This week's project is one that enabled me to enjoy the gentle art of hand stitching. Everything here was done with a hand needle, a spool of thread and a bit of heavier pearl cotton thread. 

Also, my color muse was on vacation and I only used white muslin. This was a stretch but I do like the result.

I had the opportunity to play with yo-yos, different sizes, shapes and applications. Some were appliqued around the edge, and some were attached just at the center. 

To make a yo-yo, a row of hand stitching is done on the edge of the circle.

The thread is pulled to gather.

The yo-yo is complete with the gathering centered.

The fun begins as you change where the gathering is located.

As these off-centered yo-yos are placed, the fabric starts to balloon. Therefore, the large ones were furrowed, a method where the ballooning fabric is tacked to make a lovely, textured surface.

Tuesday's Tiles - "Did You Hear......."

Quilter's Tile - "Did You Hear...."

8" x 8"

©2011 Sharon V. Rotz

For today's Quilter's Tile, I tried an idea I saw on the Pink House Studio blog where paint blobs on paper were folded to get the reverse image.

Of course, I had to try this on fabric using textile paint. Using red paint, I blobbed, folded, opened and let my fabric dry. Then my imagination went to work. How was I going to take my blobs and make something out of them???

Digging through a drawer, I found fabric markers which were set aside and forgotten. The colors seemed a bit bright, but, until you try, you don't know. And, they weren't dried up, the color flowed freely. My Quilter's Tiles are a chance for me to experiment and investigate ideas, aren't they?

I used the orange to draw around and over my textile paint blobs. Little creatures were taking shape. 

I don't know what I was thinking when I picked up the turquoise marker, but suddenly my creatures were surrounded. Were they now in a fish bowl, or pictured in an elaborate frame? And, what were they saying, already gossiping??? Were they telling stories about ME?

Layering and backing my mini quilt, I was off to my sewing machine. Free motion quilting added detail and texture (as it always does). 

Now that I'm ready to finish off the edges, I realize that I was way to close to the edge with my markers and I would be trimming off the design or covering it up with any of my favorite binding techniques.  Now what?

I tried zigzagging the edge with white thread. This didn't cut off any of my design but it seemed to stretch the edge. Guess I'm not done yet!

Another trip to the sewing closet. I dug into my trims and found this narrow rickrack which I stitched onto the edge. Keeping it taut, the rickrack drew up the stretching and the edge is flat and finished.

Lesson of the week: Remember to leave room so you don't get pushed off the quilt.