Will You Be Pretty?

Go  to this site and watch the video.. it is completely moving, and only 2 minutes long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6wJl37N9C0

Fun Finds and FMQ

I am working away on my latest art quilt, there is so much free motion quilting on it, that it will be fun to look close up at.   I have finished the body of it, now I have to figure out how to do the sun with some fun ricrac and lace I picked up while in Toronto.  

I purposely left this wrinkled, so you can be astounded when I use it.  I was at our local church's rummage sale today and yesterday, finding some great treasures.  This little bird was $.10!   I belong to an online challenge group, and our first project is due November 1st.  I am thinking of using this little gem in it.  Below is a dress, well the top part of a dress.  No, I am not going to wear the dress.  But wow, can you see cutting those gorgeous beads out and putting them on a quilt? 

I also picked up a black trench coat.   When I was away, we wandered into this designer shop.  There was a trench coat with scraps of fabric and yarn couched and sewed onto it.  Now it was gorgeous, but the price tag said $450.    I think I can make one for cheaper.  So far my expenses are $2.00 for the coat.   Will keep you updated on the progress of that one. 

Back from the Creative Festival

What a great weekend!   4 girls, Creative Festival, shopping for 2 days, and yummy food.

I just returned from Toronto, where the Festival of crafting took place.   There were some great seminars, the one on needles was so informative.   I will actually think a bit more about my needles before using them.  The other two seminars were  on art applique and  the many ways to embellish. 

  The vendor market was something else.   I found that the quilting booths were not as plentiful as last year, but I still managed to find a few gems.   The Janome 7700 was something I had wanted to see for a long time.  This machine didn't disappoint.   It was amazing.  If any of you have one, please share your comments about it.   And I finally  have a good colour wheel and a teflon pressing sheet.  

I also purchased some yarns/threads in a bundle for an upcoming art quilt.  And those little round things, those are silk cocoons.  I have heard so much about them, I have no idea what to do with them, so would appreciate any suggestions.   I also bought some delicious looking thread and a thread card, which I think will turn out to be very helpful. 

On the following day, we hit Queen Street.  This is known as the fabric district and it didn't let us down.   The bottom picture is a few pieces of silk dupioni and fabric for making a few scarves.   I absolutely love silk dupioni.  

I also purchased quite a few beads, large enough for pendants.  

All in all, it was a great time.   And I can't wait to start sewing some new tops with my fancy fabric.

As Promised

Here is a shot of some fmq I have been doing on my latest art quilt... it is coming along nicely.  

I had to take a quick break from it today to make 2 Jalie tops out of some knits I forgot I had bought.   I will show those next week.  

With this quilt, I have made a resolution that there will be no stippling in it anywhere.  That is making it challenging as the areas are not simple squares or lines, as you can see even in this tiny snapshot of it.  So far, I have not been stumped for too long without thinking of a design to fill in a space.  We shall see as I head out to areas that are more open and difficult. 

Quilted Note Card

A friend of mine is doing me a very big favour, and I wanted to say thank you in a quilting kind of way.   I made these little note cards for her.   I bought some blank note cards and envelopes and then cut out some fun designs and glued them on.   I then proceeded to do a bit of free motion on each of them.  I hope she likes them.  

I want to get note cards with different quilts of mine on the front.  I would like to order them online, where I can pick out the cardstock and send in the picture and they do the work.  I don't think my printer is good enough, and even if it was, I don't have a program that will allow me to do this. 

If any of you know of a website that does this, please leave a comment and let me know. 
Thanks.

One more thing, can everyone send super positive good luck thoughts tomorrow (Tuesday) for me?

Embellished Pillow

I know, I told you that I would post some free motion quilting of my latest art quilt.  Instead I am showing you a comforter?  Let me explain.  

Last week my niece was hit by a car on her way to school.   Two days ago, they had to operate on her ankle and do some major repair work.   Throughout this totally chaotic and stress filled time, her mom bought her the beautiful comforter for her bedroom to cheer her up.   Although she can't go up the stairs for another couple of weeks.   Anyway, a funky pillow was needed.  In comes super auntie=)   I had this fab Michael Miller fabric that hadn't been cut into, and what better occasion to dive into it.   Now the comforter, has lime green and turquoise in it.  And although hard to tell by the colours produced, this pillow has those colours in it too.  Just to tie it all in, and to make sure there was some 3D embellishing on it, you can see some purple buttons sewn on.

I hope she likes it.  

Welcome Karen

Hi Karen;
Thanks for being a new follower... looking forward to getting to know you.  

I got quite a bit of free motion quilting done today.  Will get a pic up this weekend to show you.  

I have just been asked to pattern test again, with a deadline of next week, gulp.  I will try and get that done this weekend, it is a cute pattern and this gal has just released her new fabric line 'Sweet Divinity', that you can check out here.  And for testing her pattern, I am going to score some of this sweet fabric=)

Okay, gotta go quilt.

Progress

Yesterday I started quilting.   I had forgotten how unpleasant it was to try and get a large quilt under a domestic sewing machine.   I realize that I do need a sewing table that allows the machine to sink into it, so the table is flush with the sewing surface.  

I have chalked out much of the design, and there are several leaves to be quilted, so I have started there.   Then I will go back and fill in all the areas with different thread and designs.   So far my Tutti Frutti 50 wt cotton by WonderFil is working out great.  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

To all my fellow Canadians, have a great Thanksgiving weekend.

Finally Something New

The last two months I have been busy doing some other stuff and finally I was able to bring this back to the forefront.   I am ready to begin quilting my latest top.   I have a few more pins to put in, and then off it goes under the machine.   Do you pin your whole top, or baste it?  Please tell me what you do to secure the 3 layers for free motion quilting.   

I am going to try many different free motion designs and use a variety of colours.  That is my goal, anyway=)

This particular top has been hand dyed, stamped, fused and pieced.   I am pretty sure there is some couching going to take place after the quilting, and there is some very big 3D objects going on this art quilt near the end of the process. 

I know how I want it to look.  Mow I just have to quilt it and hope my vision in my brain, gets relayed down to my hands, and they have some clue as to what they are doing.