One Lizard, Then Two, Three, Oh My!

Linda bought a new piece of jewelry, a charming lizard pin. 

Her friend saw it and bought her a second lizard 

and the ball started rolling. 

Now there are lizards on Linda's walls and framing her door. 

She even has a new lizard nightgown.

It seems everyone has a collection. 

Mine seems to be rickrack. 

I started like so many others with a package or two in my sewing studio. 

Then my mother cleaned out her sewing area and gave me a good supply. 

Hoping to use it and not store it, I incorporated it into some projects.

There it is, 

the suggestion that I love rickrack. 

I'm not saying that I don't. 

It has a certain appeal to me.

 But, the ball is now rolling. 

My sister, knowing that I found uses for rickrack gave me a box full.  

Maybe I shouldn't have used any of it, but I did

 and now received a bag full from a friend. 

 It is growing on me. 

Perhaps soon they will be calling me the Queen of Rickrack.

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

Double Pop

After making my poppies, I tried them on my busy background. The light reflection of the satin weave fabric along with the large area of solid color seem to outshine the background. I think this will work. At least, I will continue on.

I also tried narrow strips of fabric that I printed with a handmade stamp. I like the balance and the interest that these bring to the project.

To add life to my flowers they needed to be connected to the earth. Of course, stems could be drawn out and carefully planned. Or you can fly free and simply cut.

This will work.

Adding the stems and buds and appliquéing them in place.

My completed project. 

Did I accomplish my mission to subdue the diva background?

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

Poppies Popping Up

Working with my vivid background, I felt anything that I put on it would have to be strong. 

I chose the bright pink because I could see large poppies "popping" up.

I used paint to add detail to the center. 

I know this doesn't look like much and I questioned if I were just ruining my fabric.

After I added a gathering stitch close to the center, poppies were starting to emerge.

Maybe??

Please, come back and see what happens next..........

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

Growing Golden Roses

Today there are roses growing in my studio. Golden Roses, of course.

Yes, these are fabric roses, made from a folded strip of satin weave, capturing-the-light, Radiance silk blend (by Kaufman Fabrics).

I turned in the raw edges of the fabric ends and hand-stitched the edge with large stitches.

Turning and shaping, a rose grows before my eyes.  These roses will be added unto the golden scarf that flows over my wallhanging. 

Soon they will be climbing to the top shimmering all the way.

If you are looking for a unique Christmas gift for someone on your Christmas list, I invite you to visit my Gift Shop.

Treasure Hunting

So, I'm in my fabric closet and jammed on the end between tubs of fabric is a small white box.
 I wonder what is in there?

Out it comes and I open it to find appliqued blocks.

Oh, these are nice. Why didn't I finish this project? What caused me to wander away? In the box is the book with instructions for a large appliqued quilt but only two blocks are completed. Was it too big of a project to keep my interest or did other things crowd in?

A third block is started. Should I fall back to the original plan? The fabrics are there. The threads are there. The patterns are there.

But, on second thought, if I didn't finish it then, would I finish it now?  Maybe I could use the blocks on a smaller version of the large quilt. Or maybe I should just finish them individually and be done.

Do you have hidden treasures buried in your closet?  Happy hunting!

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

Tulips "Springing" Up

In the year of the un-ending winter in central Wisconsin, I feel that my only option for seeing spring flowers is to fall back to those created from fabric.

These three-dimensional tulips are made on my serger using the rolled edge stitch. The background detail is created using a flat lock serger stitch. 

This pattern "Down the Pathway" can be found in my book, Serge and Merge Quilts.

On this dark day with the prediction of yet another snowfall, I have a bright and cheery garden inside my home.

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

Looking at Cattails

Dappled

©Sharon V. Rotz

I enjoy being outside and spending time near the water. The reeds and cattails near the water's edge often catch my attention and inspire my artwork. In "Dappled" the cattails are made from strips of leather and machine stitched to the quilt top.

Red Skies

©Sharon V. Rotz

In "Red Skies" the cattails stems and reeds are pieced into the top and the three dimensional cattails are hand appliqued to the quilt top.

A simple idea interpreted in different colors and with different sewing methods.

How do you interpret your favorite subject?

The Wisconsin Quilt and Statewide Shop Hop

The Wisconsin Quilt

48" x 48"

©2012 - Sharon V. Rotz

Capture the beauty of Wisconsin as you quilt your way

 through curving roadways, amid rustling leaves and flowing waters.

Join in the fun of the Wisconsin Shop Hop

June 8-24, 2012

With over 70 quilt shops participating, you have destinations both far away and close to home. There are specials, prizes and fun for all quilters.  Holly Taylor of Moda Fabrics has a designed an exclusive Wisconsin Fabric Line to celebrate the event and I have designed a new pattern especially for you to use this new fabric line. (This pattern is now available at Antoinette's Quilt Shop in Plover WI.)

Choose the Moda Wisconsin Fabric panel and a quarter yard of each of the 15 coordinating fabrics (plus a bit more for binding) and you are set to create your own Wisconsin Quilt.

Quilters, start your engines for  a memorable trip through Wisconsin. Sharpen up your rotary cutters. Oil up your machines and sew away!

And, please, tell me of your Wisconsin adventure and your favorite shop in the comment section below.

Tuesday's Tile - Hybrid Flowers

Quilter's Tile - Hybrid

8" x 8"

©2012 - Sharon V. Rotz

Inspired by a new seed catalog, I had thoughts of flowers running through my head. Although I love flowers, my garden never seems to live up to my expectations.

So I turn to fabric. With a ruched flower made from a yellow and purple striped fabric, I set out to create my own flower garden.  (Step-by-step instructions for ruching were given in a previous post.)

I tried stamping some leaves on a white muslin background and they will become the background for my ruched flowers. 

The stamped background was zig-zag stitched to a striped square of fabric which will become the borders. Underlining (adding an extra layer of white fabric under the leaf fabric) kept the stripes from showing through.

A bit of rickrack adds a decorative fence around my garden. And remember from a previous post, I have a large quantity of rickrack to choose from.

The ruched flowers were hand appliqued onto the leaf background and beads were added to the center. I chose a large yellow bead with a lavender seed bead on top.

Instead of binding the edge, I decided to wrap this Quilter's Tile around an artist's canvas. Here it is, ready to be stapled to the back.

My garden is ready to go, no watering, and no weeding.

Raising It Up to a New Level

detail from Broken Star in the Garden

You can add eye-catching appeal to your quilting project with ruching. This is one of my favorite techniques for three-dimensional accents. 

It is easy to do with just a folded strip of fabric and a needle and thread.

Fold and press a straight grain strip of fabric (as you would fold bias tape). The width of the fabric determines the size of your ruching. The size of your ruched strip is approximately 2/3 the size of  the strip that you start with. (For example: 1-1/2" starting strip = 3/4" folded strip = 1" ruched strip)

Mark one edge of the strip for your stitching. Because you are making 90 degree corners, your marks should be equal to twice the width of your folded strip. (For example: 3/4" folded strip = marks 1-1/2" apart.)

Mark the second side of the strip with marks midway between your first marks.

Starting on one end, stitch from mark to mark making sure the thread goes around the edge of the strip.

Draw the thread to gather the fabric.

The ruched strip

To make a flower, stitch the ends of the ruched strip to form a circle.

The ruched flowers are ready to be appliqued unto your quilt. In this quilt, leaves are added and french knots enhance the center of the flower.

Have you incorporated ruching or other three-dimensional accents to your quilts? Please share your results.

RickRack Out of the Box

La Bohemia

51" x 51"

from Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude

by Sharon V. Rotz

As a previously posted, I started with a collection of rickrack from my mother and my collection has grown from there. I questioned whether to use my vintage rickrack but I have grown fond of this zigzagging little trim. I found my local store can keep me supplied so on my quilts it goes.

In La Bohemia, I went all out incorporating rickrack in many areas of the quilt. It added detail between appliques flowers.

It was used to made three dimensional centers for the flowers.

Rickrack created a wing for the bird.

By inserting coordinating rickrack in the seam, a subtle detail is revealed.

A contrasting rickrack adds to the bound quilt edge.

The pattern for La Bohemia and other quilts (many with rickrack details) are found in my book, 

Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude.

Available for purchase.

How have you used rickrack or other trims in your quilts? Have you opened up this world of opportunity?