Love Those Skills

The wonderful part of learning sewing and quilting skills is that you can use those techniques in so many different ways. Aside from the wall art that I have been making, I can travel off in another direction at a blink of any eye.

I layered a lovely green batik with a piece of batting and a backing 

and set up my machine for quilting.

After quilting the fabric, I cut it into pieces for a small purse. 

I adapted the directions from quilting instructor Wendy Rieves' pattern 

for "Wendy's Essentials Purse". 

I used the batik for the back of the purse.

The front was cut from a hand-dyed fabric. 

There was a soft image on the hand-dyed that I enhanced 

with quilting and then added the beading.

Now I have the perfect little bag to match my wardrobe. 

My walls won't be the only thing with a new spring look.

Working Small

What could these two unrelated fabrics possibly have in common?

It turns out that they both contributed to my latest project. 

As my hands were busy fringing the edges of the circles for one project, my mind was also busy. Look at the growing pile of silk threads. Should they simply be discarded, the logical choice, or could I find a use for them?

A piece of scenic printed fabric (similar to the first photo) provided a resting place for the threads.

I trapped them under a netting and added a bit of machine quilting and a good amount of hand stitching.

I also trapped wool roving on the mountain tops to give them a misty look and added more embroidery stitches.

My favorite french knots were added to the bottom for a bit of extra detail.

My completed mountain mini measures 7" x 9".

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

Is a Little Thing a Big Deal?

I was searching for a large pin, button, or clip to decorate a piece I was working on.

Nothing!

Nothing I had matched the picture in my head.

When I was digging through my button box, I came upon this large button. It was the right size but not very eye-catching.

Then I found this smaller button that just fit into the center of the large button.

Now where can I go?

A piece of matching fabric could help.

I covered the smaller button and placed it onto the large button.

Then I stitched and glued a small stone in the center. (I didn't think the glue would hold and the stitching left the stone a little loose, hence both stitching and gluing.)

Perfect!

Yes, a little thing is a big deal. 

I'm smiling!

Linked to Off the Wall Fridays

Tuesday's Tile - The Walk

Quilter's Tile - The Walk

8" x 8"

©2012 Sharon V. Rotz

This week for my Quilter's Tile I used many of the same products and techniques that I used last week for a totally different result. 

Starting with white muslin, I painted the background with Dye-Na-Flow paints. I added the blue Lumiere metallic paint using a credit card as my brush to create large areas of color. The edge of the card was used to make thin lines for my trees. To create thin, delicate branches I used a Micron Pigma 01 pen. This was a new effort for me and I really liked the results. I'll do this again.

Because I find hand embroidery relaxing and gives me time away from my machine, I made joyful little french knots with DMC embroidery floss. Using all six strands made heavy knots, while three strands made smaller knots to create a feeling of depth.i

This walk is a definite contrast to the scene outside our window today. We awoke to a snow covered winter wonderland. The white blanket of snow was breathtaking. Who knows, today's walk may lead to a new Tuesday's Tile. Check back next week to find out.

Join Me in Madison, WI

Puffs, Tucks and Pleats class

Sharon V. Rotz

Join me in Madison, WI for the Quilt Expo on September 8-10, 2011. This is a marvelous opportunity to meet quilters, take classes, view outstanding quilts, and learn fresh ideas during lectures with top quilting teachers.

I have the privilege of sharing with you through a class "Puffs, Tucks, and Pleats", full of ideas for adding three-dimensional details to your quilts. 

Looking for new ways to use your serger? Join me at a Stage Presentation as I demonstrate ideas for using your serger as a quilting tool. See quilts from my book "Serge and Merge Quilts" and new ideas that have popped up since publication.

We are not always ready to jump into making a large quilt. I have had so much fun making smaller projects and I would love to have the chance to share these with you. We will have fun digging into my trunk show of small quilts in my lecture "Not Bed Size".

It's not too late to be a part of the action. See you in Madison.

Look for me and stop and say "hi". I would love to have the opportunity to talk to you.

Carried on the Wind

Quilter's Tile - Blue Leaves

8" x 8"

Sharon V. Rotz

This past weekend, we had some of those dreadful spring storms and overflowing river banks in our area.  I was watching the wind bend the trees back and forth from my studio window. It was a good day to be inside.

As a diversion I started playing with bits and pieces of techniques I had tried. One day in the past, I had fun marbling fabric with Dye-na-Flow paints swirled on shaving cream. I decided to use one of my uninspiring efforts as a base and keep building on it until I was happy. I added some brush strokes of acrylic paint and let it dry. Still nothing of worth.....

As those winds continued to whip the trees, I was thinking how lucky the trees didn't have the added weight of leaves to put at them. With that thought, inspiration started to flow and I started cutting leaves from blue fabric to fuse on my background. The leaves became more interesting when I had the courage to cut holes in them giving them a sheer lace-y look. A bit of pink swirl fabric found in a scrap bag became the swirling wind. 

A border of narrow strips of wool and a binding of striped pink and blue completed the project. I'm glad a pushed myself to continue. Finally, out of flat, unworthy beginnings, I have achieved something that brings me pleasure. 

Merry Christmas cards

I'm not really good about sending out Christmas cards, but this idea is so much fun that maybe I'll be motivated -- at least to make them. Still don't know if they will get in the mail.

I was inspired by a post on the Quilting Arts blog. Every card will have its own personality as you cut and stitch. You can use up scraps and creative bits from your studio. Each one becomes a miniature work of art.

Now that I've reread the instructions, I've found that I followed them, could you say, rather "creatively". It was the idea that started me going, yes, going off in my own direction as usual. But, of course, it doesn't matter where our creativity, our art leads, we are here for the excitement of the experience.