New Years Resolutions

Over the last few years I have been pretty good at making and keeping some resolutions. The creation of this blog was one for this year so I thought that by going public on my resolutions for next year would help me achieve them. It will also help me to sort out in my own mind just what I want to achieve in the coming year. So here goes (in no particular order):

• Attend courses/workshops/days to learn new techniques or just to get creative amongst likeminded people.
• Go through books already on my shelf and list the techniques and ideas that I want to try. Actually get round to doing things instead of just reading about them.
• Post on this blog regularly each week, even it it is just 'work in progress' or my inspiration for a current piece of work.
• Enter work in exhibitions or contests.
• Put aside time each week to get creative.

Christmas Postcard Swap

A few weeks I wrote about the christmas postacard swap I had done with three other members of Greenstede Quilters. I wanted to share the three postacards I got in the swap as I think they illustrate just how different fabric postacrds can be.

The first one was made by Val and is her first ever swap. The photo doesn't really show up the really neat hand stitching all around the applique.

the second one was made by Jacquie and incorporated some fabric painting.

The final one was made by Jayne - buttons do it for me!

Thanks to all three of you for swapping. We must do it again sometime!

Experiments

A few month ago my daughter, Karen, went on a day course with Angie Hughes and bought me one of her kits. In a bored moment just before Christmas I remembered it in the drawer and gave it a go.

It uses velvet as the base and on to this you put bondweb. I have to admit this was a bit scary but that was the instructions! I then used a stencil I had seen Angie use at the FOQ this year to apply some foil. To this base I added some squares of organza and other shiny fabrics the topped with some organza. I then machined around the square shapes, adding more machining where I thought it needed then before finally attacking the piece with a heat gun. Just to add a bit more glitz, I added some beads and sequins.

Having got this experimental piece which I was quite pleased with, I used some more black velvet to make it up into a journal quilt, extending the machine quilting into the black velvet. I was not too sure what to do about the endging as I felt it could not take a bound edge so i just machined around the quilt and cut the edge with a wavy rotary cutter. I had some square beads which I had bought at the FOQ this year so I added these arounf the edge.

I pleasing result - I hope everyone else agrees!

Birth Postcards

When each of our granddaughters were born I made fabric postcards for family members as a way of celebrating their births. This was mainly because both of their mothers are quilters and I didn't get a look in on making them quilts. With the arrival of our new grandson in November, I've again made postcards to celebrate his birth. Each of the postcards are a little bigger than normal as they are approximately 7" x 5" but as I needed to get photo and information on them, I gave myself permission to do so. Here are the postcards for each grandchild.

Block of the Month Quilt

For the last year I have been taking part in a block of the Month challenge at my quilt group, Greenstede Quilters. Having vowed never to make a quilt again, I'm not too sure why I decided to take part but having done so I did enjoy the process although it was more like "six blocks this month to catch up" rather than "block of the month! I had a selection of blue batik fabrics which I bought on a whim at the National patchwork Championship in 2008and had had sitting in a drawer ever since. I just love batik fabrics as I feel they do all the hard work for you and as long as the fabrics go together, you can't really go too wrong.

I have to admit to cheating on a few of the blocks, especially the ones with curves! I did make a Drunkard's Path, even if it was the cheats way by appliqueing circles to a square and then cutting it up. It came out very chunky because of the bondaweb and the size wasn't quite right either (accurate piecing was never my forte). I did have every intention of having another go when I'd got over the first one, but it was never to be. I also ditched the Dresden Fan which I just don't like. The quilting is a mix of free mchine quilting, quilt in the ditch and fancy stiches.

I'm really pleased with the finished result but I have renewed my vow not to make another quilt!

Major update

Thought it was time to get some photos on this blog so I'm catching up with the Christmas Cards and Quilt that I mentioned in my last blog.


A challenge was sent out at Greenstede Quilters, the group I belong to in East Grinstead, to take part in a Christmas fabric postcard swap. Only four of us put themselves up for this challenge so well done to Jayne (who organised the swap), Jacquie and Val. As it was such a small group we all made one for each other.


I decided to have a go at making "inchies" for my postcards. I used a Christmas fabric which I bonded to both sides of some pelmet vilene for the background. I then free machine quilted over the fabric in a swirly pattern. I then cut up in to 1" x 1" squares and zig-zagged around the edges before adding beads and sequins to finish. For the postcard background I first printed some gold stars over some red Christmassy fabric and again free machine quilted, adding some star shapes to a random swirl. I finished the top by adding three of the Inchies in a row.

I also used the same Inchies for my christmas Cards this year but they were all sent before I thought about photographing them!

I have been busy!

So long since my last blog but I have been busy with various projects. I've made loads of fabrics postcards, may of which have been sent without me taking photos! Here are a few though which did get last minute photos taken. They both look very similar in the photos but in reality they were different. Yet again I've used by Needle Felt machine to incorporate fabric, felt, fibres and threads and added buttons for embellishments. These were sent to my friends Jacquie and Jayne for their birthdays.

I'm also taking part in a Birthday Card Swap with Yahoo group Trading Fabric Postcards and these are two that I sent recently. They were collages of different lace and shiny fabrics all kept in place with netting with buttons added.

Also been busy working on christmas cards and finishing a mystery quilt for my quilt group so as soon as I have photos, I will add them.

Time to catch up

I can't believe how long it is since my last blog. That's what happens when a working girl goes back to work!

I have had some creative moments in between time, mainly taking part in postcard swaps.

The first was "Primary Colours". I've always enjoyed working in primary colours. When I look back over the years, when I'm stuck for ideas I resort to wokring in these three colours. I added in the black to give some good contrast. They'll be in the post tomorrow so I hope they are enjoyed by their recipients.

The second group of postcards was for a swap entitled "Old Victorian Style". As I had some Victorian photos of some family members, I decided to include them in the designs, printing the photos on to fabric and incorporating ribbon, buttons and lace.

The final group was a swap called "Opposites Attract". I have to admit I was a bit stumped for ideas when I first saw the title but then there was mentioned black/white so I went with this theme. I had some fabric which I bought some time ago as I was attracted to a black/white theme and as some of the fabric had circles and some had lines, I thought this was another 'opposite' too. I resisted the urge to add some colour!

More Postcard Swaps

My latest swaps for the Fun Friendly group I belong to was entitled "Leaves are FALLing" I just love the Autumn (Fall), probably because I was born bang slap in the middle of the season. I have created many pieces in the past based on Autumn colours so I jumped at the chance for this swap.

Yet again I started with Needle Felting, this time on to a batik from my stash with a leaf design in autumn colours. I felted fibres, felt, and fabric plus a bit of Angelina which didn't really turn out as I had wanted. I then made some leaves by sandwiching Angelina between two layers of organza, machining the leaf shape and then cutting it out. I then machined them over the felted background. Just had to add a few buttons - my work isn't complete without a button or a bead.

Creative Sketchbooks

Last month I finished a City and Guilds Creative Sketchbooks course with Janet Twinn at Leatherhead. And what a great time I had!

I decided to do it as I would love to design my own art quilts but thought I lacked the artistic skills to do so. The course included many materials, media and techniques which were new to me and hopefully have given me the knowledge on which to build into my own designs.

Here are some photos of one of the Sketchbooks which had to be Freestanding with some 3D construction. The photos show the sketchbook closed up - a greenhouse full of cacti and succulents which were the sources for my designs. Another photo shows it opened out and then there are some of my favourite artwork. I also used up odd pieces of painted paper by making little seed packets based on the real thing.

More Journal Quilts

Had a productive few days catching up on more Journal Quilts and have finished June and July.

June's theme was "Decorative Stiches" but as I don't have a huge range on my machine, I only inlcuded a few. I used some fabric I dyed a few weeks ago and went for the yellow and orange to represent the heat wave we were having in June. It now turns out that was our summer!

The July theme was "Thread Painting" so I used my new needle felt machine to felt some dyed felt scraps on to a base of batik fabric and then free machine stitched in matching thread. I then added a'bead soup' to the central area.

Inspiration

I've had a busy few days as our eldest Granddaughter Eloise has been to stay. Not much creating going on but I managed a few photos from the beach which will hopefully be an inspiration sometime in the future.

Also finally go round to rinsing off some fabric I had left "rusting". A friend of mine found on a beach what we think is a metal band from an old groyne. I wrapped some fabric round it and wet it with a vinegar/water mixture and left it to rust for several days. Also left another piece of fabric rusting with some iron filings and other bits of rusty metal. Not too sure what to do with them yet but I will post any creations as and when they materialise.

This is the metal band

Fabric wrapped round band Fabric with rusting metal

Journal Quilt

Earlier this year I signed up for a Journal Quilt challenge on International Friendship Quilters - one a month with a specific technique. Everything went well from January to April then I hit a busy patch and didn't have time for the Journal Quilt, although it was only A4 size!

I've now got the time so I will be catching up on my missed months. The challenge for May was folded fabrics and this was my offering.

I've done various pleats which were twisted and stitched, use a twin needle to give a slight pleat, a piece of fabric chenille and finally praire points. All the fabric was batik which I always feel does the work for you. Now on to June - Decorative Stiches.

Needle Felted Postcards

I've recently bought a Husqvarna Viking Needle Felting Machine and have had fun experimenting with it. With the fibres, fabric and felt I bought at Stitchfest I created these postcards for a swap I am taking part in at the moment with FunFriendly. The theme is Applique so I hope they meet the mark!

Another resolution to tick off

Well! I've finally gone and done it! I have been planning a blog for some time now and here it is.
This is where I will be sharing my creative moments in a busy life.
As a start here are some of my purchases made at Stitchfest a few weeks ago. So far I have created some postcards which I will post as soon as the photos are taken.