Just Checking In!

I haven't blogged recently but I have been reading blogs and making plans to post but-----.

I am getting ready to go on a little vacation.  I am going to visit oldest son and his wife in Baltimore and while there, attend Artscrape.  I am really looking forward to the visit.  These two spoil me wonderfully!!!  Already they have schedule an afternoon at the Spa as soon as I get off the plane.  They did the same thing last year and I had to be awakened to get ready to go.  That good smelling oil, the music (with birds chirping no less) and those warm rocks are the "bomb"!  I am going to also go to my favorite fabric store and stock up on african prints.  All in all, I intend to forget I am a working woman and pretend I am one of leisure with an unlimited bank account :)!

On the quilting front---I am dyeing fabric for a specific quilt pattern.  The colors didn't come out quite like I wanted, but that is okay!  It is sorta not my usual style, but then I think it is okay to "stretch" yourself.

I am still not finished quilting Yin-Yang!  I don't know what the problem is!  It has never taken me quite this long to complete a quilt before.  I have just about 3 more passes to go though and I will be done.  I committed to making some drapes for my son though a LONG time ago and am in the process of finishing them up to take with me, so no quilting this week-end!

Well, just wanted to check in!  More (with pics) to follow!

Claiming My Blog

I thought I had already "claimed" my blog, but according to Bloglovin's directions, I haven't, so ----

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Finished Product!

Sateen

 Unbleached Muslin

Redyed Muslin

"Ice Cube" (Ironed)

I don't think I will use unbleached muslin again to dye when I want really bright colors.  The colors appear more dusky than bright.  Hopefully the unbleached will work in my rust experiment.  The sateen is wonderful though!  Really takes up the color well!  I am anxious to try the print cloth and see how that works.  

A Box of Chocolates!

Creative energy is here for me!  All I want to do is "create"---not housework (who likes to do that anyway); not cook (some people like that I know); read (I once did); knit (I once did that as well)!  I want to create fabric and so I am doing what people my age have earned the right to do----I am doing it! 

This morning I got up with every intention of going to church.  My husband and I once would spend hours talking and planning. Not so much anymore----baseball has nudged me out, but this morning he wanted to talk, and so I did!  Before I knew it it was way past time for me to leave and be on time, so after ending our conversation and when he went back to his I-pad and games, I decided to go "create".
 
Last night as I was surfing the web, I read an article about "ice dyeing" using ice cubes, so last night I went out into the garage and tried my hand at it.  I also redyed the unbleached muslin pieces since the colors weren't as intense as I would have liked.  This morning I washed the color out and saw what I had.  It is a bit like opening a present---or as Forrest Gump would say, "opening a box of chocolates, you never know what you might get".  I LOVED the ice dyed piece and then it struck me that I would NEVER again dye this exact piece.  Certainly this is a technique I will try again, but this piece cannot be reproduced.  When I look at it, I see water, and sun.  I think I am going to quilt it as a whole cloth wall hanging.  If I cut it up I would feel like I was destroying it.

I also read a article on rust dyeing.  I did it once before but really didn't follow through.  I ended up just throwing the fabric away.  I still had the rusty nails though, and I decided to try again....so out came the vinegar

I didn't take pictures as I was wrapping, but I am not going to unwrap it for at least 3 days.  I think my problem before was I didn't wrap  it in the plastic to keep it moist, nor put it in a sunny place.  I only used a yard of the unbleached muslin, since I don't have a lot of rusty stuff.  It it works, I will  purchase some steel wool and rust more.  I have an idea for this piece as well if it turns out well.

 And finally----

 

 

They are so pretty!  All the fabric is wet and so when it dries the color will be a little different, but hopefully they will still be intense.  I also washed out some reds and orange and a beautiful yellow.  As soon as they all dry and are folded I will post a "formal" picture.

 

Well, just wanted to share!  Thanks for stopping by--do come back!

 

My "AHA" Moment

I was sleeping quietly (I guess) when I suddenly woke up!  I had purchased about 7 years ago, a bolt of sateen.  When we first moved to this area from Florida, the Joanne's closes to the house was closing and having a giant fabric sale.  I purchased that fabric there for cheap -- like $2 per yard.   I don't know what I had in mind, but it was a good deal so (as most quilter do), I purchased it.  I got up this morning, looked for and found it, washed it and now my next dyeing project will be this fabric.  It has a really nice sheen and hopefully, will dye well (at least the dye references say it should).

I washed out the latest dye project this morning (forgot to take pictures but will when they dry).  This batch was unbleached muslin.  At his point it doesn't look like there is a big difference in color take-up.  What is different however is the "hand" of the fabric.  It appears much thicker and the weave is tighter.  I think it is because I wash in hot water and the fibers appeared to "puff" up or shrink.  The little dark specks that are present in unbleached muslin also adds a interesting addition, particularly in the lighter colors.  I will post pictures as soon as I finish washing and drying this batch.

I also investigated dyeing indigo and I think I might forgo that for a while.  It seems very complicated and  I am not quite ready for that this summer.  I do plan however to dye batiks, do some resist dyeing and make some special editions.  I have to give my hands and back a rest though.  They are both really sore, especially my hands from wringing out the one yard pieces.  They actually are hurting!

Now for pictures of my veggie "garden":

 



 Not a veggie, but isn't this fern pretty and healthy!  It was on the front porch, but I think it was getting too much sun!  I have another that is just as pretty! Excuse the basketballs---Grandson's store them there after "balling" on the goal in the driveway! 

 

 

Nothing going as well with my peppers, but I am gonna have some great tomatoes! 

 

Well,  "talk" to you later! Thanks for stopping by!

 

What Cha' Think?

All washed and dried!  I still need to starch and iron, but they look pretty good (the picture is in front of a window so the colors are a little washed out).  No wonder it took me a while, I actually dyed 15 one-yard pieces and 11  quarter-yards.  Whew!  They were having a 50% off muslin sale at Joanne's so I purchased 25 more yards.  I will wash tomorrow and tear into   pieces for dyeing later.  My back is a bit stiff, so I am gonna relax for a couple of weeks---LOL! 

Although I wanted solids, I actually got some variation which is fine with me.  One color (right under the turquoise piece) is a strange khaki color---but has some interesting variations.  It isn't my favorite but who knows, it might be perfect for something.

Just wanted to share my product.  It is just Coal and I at home---the hubby and GS are at a baseball game....so I am folding clothes and surfing the web when I get bored.  I was once a wonderful housekeeper, now not so wonderful!  I would rather be quilting!

"See" you later!

 

Let the Dyeing Begin!

Today was an absolutely perfect day for dyeing fabric!  Warm with low humidity!!  Last year I did very little dyeing for myself so I have just a few odds and ends.   I have found also that I really need to dye in 1/2 yard lengths at least to ensure I have enough fabric in the same dye lot for my quilts.  The larger the piece of fabric though, the more difficult to get consistency.  This time however, I decided I would dye one yard pieces.  I purchased a couple of those large plastic Glad bowls to use in conjunction with my gallon plastic bags and dyed 15 one-yard pieces.  This time I did bright solids but plan to do another batch of mottled fabrics. 

I have to tell you though, it is truly work/time intensive.  The more I dye fabric, the more I can appreciate the $25/yard costs of some you buy.  If it is "truly" hand dyed, it takes a little over an hour just to prep; then you have to mix each of the dyes wearing a very uncomfortable mask; then you have to measure in each "recipe", and if you are doing solids, you have to work it into each piece of fabric; then you have to box that piece; clean up to for the next color and start all over.  It took me all morning (about 3-4 hours) to dye the 15 pieces and the work isn't over yet.  This morning I have to go out and rinse EACH piece by hand, and then machine wash, dry and iron.  Whew!  Maybe I need to surf some hand dyes and push a couple of buttons (LOL).  If you get a chance to buy hand dyes just don't get your nose bend out of shape if they are not $5/yard.  Appreciate all the work that went into making that beautiful piece.

Indigo and batik are on my list to try this summer! Hope I find it as enjoyable!  I am on the look out for a inexpensive electric skillet to melt my wax.  They have wax pots, but they seem a bit pricey when a electric skillet would do just as well.  I will investigate more!
 

I am also busy quilting Yin-Yang.  It is closer to a king and so taking a little longer.  Actually, I could really have finished it, but had some problems with tension which made me just walk away.  After a deep breathe and a couple of blue labels (Pepsi's), I came back and all I needed to do was to move to a bigger needle.  How simple was that.  I am using a rather complex panto of feathers, so the going is a little slow.  I am not sure I really like the top thread I choose (a dark beige), but at this point, I am NOT going to change it.  The back thread matches perfectly with the muslin back, and I am sure once it is washed, the crinkles will mask any "issues".  At any rate, it is MY quilt and so I am less anal if it belonged to someone else (another reason for not quilting for others---I get so stressed).

Next week I will be at a conference where I can just sit and listen!  Looking forward to that!  My flowers and veggie "garden" are all doing well in spite of the frequent thunderstorms we have been having.  I will have to post some pictures.

All is well on the home front and for that I am eternally grateful!  Have a wonderful Saturday and I will "talk" to you later!

I'm Back!!!"

I have been away from blogging for quite a while.  No real reason other than "life gets in the way sometimes".  I have been quilting and thinking about you all daily, but just didn't have the energy or time to really sit down and write.  Hopefully I can do better in the month of June.

So what have I been up to:

• Poor Coal had "the" surgery.  He really had a hard couple of days.  I put the "lamp shade" thingy on him and he had a meltdown and stopped drinking water and eating!  I finally took it off and just watched him closely.  He is back to his old self although he is so spoiled now!  When he gets to the stairs he sits down and waits for someone to come and pick him up and carry him.!!!  Such a sensitive "guy"!

• This quilt was in the latest Kaffe book of quilts.  It looks really southwestern doesn't it.  The fabric is linen and a twill like stripe.  It is for my grandson to put on his bed at his mother's house.  It is twin and the picture doesn't really do it justice.  It is a really "man quilt".

• I planted my "crops".  Three tomato plants and two peppers.  As you can see, I am utilizing fabric strips to tie them to the poles.  I got brave this year and actually planted them in the ground.  I am afraid of crawly things and always have heard that snakes are around tomatoes, but I have decided to keep the ground around them clear of everything so I can at least see what is there as I pick my crop. The container tomatoes were just so small---hardly worth the effort it took to grow them.

• I finished Yin-Yang!  It is pretty big and so I wasn't able to lay it out completely but you get the idea.  I started quilting it, made a "oopsy" and so now am in the process of "unquilting" a section, which is a pain to say the least.  Hopefully I will be done with that soon.  I really like how it turned out though.  The border is purple batik with some of my hand dye as a small border (the orange).

Well, as you can see, I have been busy!  As I said, I really will try to be more diligent in posting, it is just that "life gets in the way".

xoxo

Progress!

This is my progress so far on the Ying/Yang quilt.  I am using a batik jelly roll that I purchased last year at AQS.  It is interesting that it was a predominate purple one, yet there were yellows and beiges in there as accent pieces.  I am making a queen size with unbleached muslin as the background.  I am going to border it so it should (hopefully) be large enough for my new BIG bed!

Last week was AQS in Paducah.  Diane came up and we went for two days.  I have to tell you though, it was COLD both days we went.  The second day (Saturday) it was rainy all day.  I really believe that had we not been going on a bus, we would have bypassed the trip.  The quilts were beautiful and except for a few, I was really inspired!  To clarify, I am only inspired by quilts I feel I would be able to make myself.  The very intricate ones that look like they were made by a machine, although beautiful, do not inspire me to quilt, but rather make me feel defeated since I could NEVER make anything like them.  This year there were more quilts that I think, given a perfect alignment with the stars, I could possibly make myself!

Both Diane and I were very selective about our purchases this year.  For seven years I have been looking for Kaffe strips to make a quilt I saw in a magazine and later in a book.  This year I purchased those strips (15 half-yard cuts) and some shot cotton.  I also found some strips and fats at Hancock's, although I didn't see a real SALE on fabric, although I got some patterns 50% off.  I got a ironing board cover (which I put on and am very disappointed with), but all in all I stuck to my list.  I did have two impulse buys---two cute little magnets that hold scissors and pins and some inks to dye fabric.  This isn't all I purchased (of course), but the highlights.  Next year they will add a show in Chattanooga which is only about 1.5 hours away from my home.  Great fun!  Diane will not be able to come again for that one, so I am going to scoop it out and see how it is.

At any rate, I had a great week!  Only wish I had won the lottery, or found several thousands of dollars to add to the joy!  Now I need to get busy and use up that new fabric and those patterns.

Thanks for stopping by!  "Talk" to you soon!

Ying and Yang!



 

I was making the "Scrappy Trip" quilt---and still have every intention of completing it, but I have gotten TIRED of it.  I need to cut more strips and just wasn't "feeling it" anymore---so into the "to be picked up later" pile.

 

I looked through my pile of "to be done eventually quilt patterns and found the "Ying/Yang Quilt".  It is funny, I didn't want to cut out more strips, but I cut out enough parts to make 160 blocks---6.5  inches.  I have completed the "Yang" side (90 blocks) and am in the process of completing the "Ying" ones (70).  I used up some of my stash---a jelly roll and about 4 yards of unbleached muslin.  I am also adding a couple of borders---again from my stash.  Should be a nice BIG quilt for my BIG bed.  It is (thankfully) going relatively quickly so if I stay on target, I will have all the blocks completed and will start to put it together next week.

 

 

Tomorrow Diane gets here!!!!  Lots of fun planned ahead!  It is our annual trip to Paducah and the show which we both look forward to.  We have vowed to both be more selective in our purchases and even have lists.  We will see how focused we stay.  It is great to hang out with such a close friend.  We have had some stressful times in the last couple of months so we both need this to "recharge" our batteries.

 

What else is going on-------I am playing with purchasing a loom!  I have always been interested and have been doing some research on-line.  Going to a yarn shop is on the list of things Diane and I will investigate---so I may have yet another "hobby" to add.  Since I quilt, and dye my own fabric, it only makes sense I would think about truly "making" my own fabric (at least that is my reasoning to the hubby).  We will see.   While the looms themselves don't seem really expensive, particularly the starter ones, the accessories really are.  I could not be looking at the right things, and because I am so new to this, hopefully I am misinterpreting what I am reading....hence the visit to the shop.  I am not sure I want to invest a LOT of money to another hobby-----quilting is pretty expensive all by itself.  I could end up with not only a fabric stash, but a yarn stash as well.  At any rate, I am enjoying the research part of this, whether I move forward or not, I am learning a lot.

 

I will keep you informed as I begin yet another adventure!  

 

Thanks for stopping by!