Tuesday's Tile Speaks Up

Quilter's Tile - Isabelle and the Bear

8" x 8"

Sharon V. Rotz

Do your quilts have a story to tell?

Truthfully, every quilt has a story. Most tell them quietly without a word. But some put it out there for everyone to see.

Today, I am talking about actual words written on quilts. In today's quilter's tile, I added a poem by Ogden Nash called Isabelle and the Bear. Starting at the center of the design following the curves and bumps, I wrote the words with a Pigma micron pen.

It was fun, even if a bit confusing at times as I wrote around and around. I do like how it adds a new textural element to this small piece.

Do you have something to say? Would you incorporate a favorite piece of poetry, a sentiment, a journal event, a social issue or a charged political statement?

It's a New Stitch Friday

What's hiding inside your sewing machine? (I mean, besides the fuzz and lint.)

Is there a wealth of unused stitches?

I have to admit my sewing machine has so many stitches that I have never tried. Oh, perhaps, I used some of them once to make a stitch sampler but they have long since been neglected. All of that technology being wasted.

I constantly use my straight stitch. My zigzag comes in second. But then, there is a sharp drop-off.

I have used a blanket stitch to applique on my quilts. (To me, this will always be called a button-hole stitch because, believe it or not, I once learned this as a hand-stitch tailoring technique to make a button-hole.)

But beyond my small repertoire of stitches, there is a vast selection of unused choices. This week I was determined to use at least one new option in my work.

To applique this strip, I broke out stitch number 203. I used a 30 weight Madeira rayon in a bright golden yellow. It's wonderful. Why have I been waiting? It's time to break into all of those other stitches.

Do you have a favorite stitch? How have you used it?

Tuesday's Tile - Super Moon

Quilter's Tile - Super Moon

8" x 8"

©2012 - Sharon V. Rotz

This past Saturday the world viewed the moon at it most magnificent. It was the moment that the moon was the closest to the earth and it looked bigger and brighter than normal. In honor of the super moon, we have this week's Tuesday's Tile.

Of course, because it was so close you could plainly see the man in the moon. 

As my story goes....To keep his robust shape, he nibbles and nibbles away until there is nothing but a narrow slice of moon left.

(But fear not, because the Wisconsin cows are producing the milk and the Wisconsin cheese-makers are making the cheddar and soon there will be a new moon.)

This tile is a combination of fusing and free-motion machine quilting. 

I drew out a reasonable face on paper, so I thought I would just "wing it" and quilt the face without marking on the quilt. I did quilt one side of the face without trouble but then my brain shut down. Apparently, I can duplicate a shape but reversing it (drawing the mirror image) at the machine is a problem. How well does your mind think in reverse?

I added a few chalk lines and completed the man in the moon. Of course, he was quite proud of himself, so a few beads brought out his shine.

A new thing for my to-do list:  Practice drawing mirror images.

Get Creative with a New Pattern

String Breeze

20" x 30"

©2012 - Sharon V. Rotz

I'm proud to announce the release of my newest pattern:  String Breeze

I had so much fun working on this project that I can't wait to share it with you.

The design is off-center with abstract flower shapes and the bright colors jump up and sing. You can use a variety of your favorite fabrics in the string pieced flowers. Rickrack, a sewing box standard, gets a contemporary spin as it flirts its way around the flower edges.

Quilting is done not after everything is in place but first, before there are flowers and leaves to stitch around or starts and stops to make.

The pattern is available to U.S. shoppers for $8.00 plus $2.00 shipping.

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.