Lots of Placemats - Christmas Projects – 2013

Documentation 152, 153 and 154

There was a lot of sewing going on for Christmas gifts this year.

I designed and made 4 sets of 8 placemats, that's 32 in all.

 #152 - Placemats - Blue Accent Stripe

Blue Accent

Blue Accent - Set of 8

  #153 - Placemats - Green Accent Stripe

Green Accent

Green Accent - Set of 8

I was in such a hurry to get one set on its way that I didn't get a picture. These were in brown and rusty orange in colour.

I dyed some brown muslin for the backs all of these, and the quilting was simply stitch-in-the-ditch and a free motion feather on the accent and adjoining strips.

Back - quilting - pillowcase method

#154 - Skinny Strips Placemats

This technique is from Kathleen Loomis at Art with a Needle.  She has a tutorial on sewing skinny strips.  I think she may call them Fine Lines.   Thanks Kathy.

I found this fun fabric for the skinny strips and the backs of these. I was intending on adding more strips but  really liked this look, so I stopped there.  

These were broken up in 2 sets of four for my two grandsons who now have their own places.

Skinny Strips Placemats

I love this fabric!

Back of Skinny Strips Placemats

Skinny Strips - Two sets of 4

I had a great time sewing with fleece, so easy! I made some neck warmers and a few kiddie scarves as well as over 20 Beanie hats, some with flower embellishments for the girls.

I also ventured into the infinity scarf world making half a dozen of those, unfortunately did not take any photos of any of the sewing projects.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas
and
Have a very Happy New Year!

Thanks for dropping by

Happy Quilting,

Terry

Linking to The Needle and Thread Network WIP Wednesday

Take a Stitch Tuesday

  Stitches 59 to 62

Four more samples for TAST with Sharon b. at Pin Tangle. 

TAST Stitches 59 to 62

Stitch 59 - Breton Stitch

I found this stitch looked a bit awkward but did like the effect when overlapped.

Breton Stitch

Stitch 60– Diamond Stitch

Had to add some french knots at the intersection in the centre area as the knots did not show very well using the fine wool.

Diamond Stitch

Stitch 61 – Up and Down Feathered Buttonhole

So far, I've liked all the variations of the Feather Stitch, including this one.

Up and Down Feathered Stitch

Stitch 62 – Raised Cross Stitch Flower

My border is the first part of this stitch. These were fun to do.

Raised Cross Stitch Flower

I'm now two-thirds of the way through the TAST Stitches, I just may get caught up some day!

I will link up to TAST at Pin Tangle

Check out the comments to see all the beautiful work going on there.

Happy Stitching,

Terry

Tango is Back!

After a year of travelling.

Tango - 28" x 40"

Tango was a semi-finalist in the Quilt category of the Creativ Festival's 25^th SILVER anniversary 2012 Designer Style Challenge, Toronto.  I did not have a problem with this, I just did not know.

It came home last week.

I blogged about making it here. 

I obviously did not read the fine print very well, as I was totally unaware that the semi-finalist entries would remain with Janome for a year when I entered this challenge.

Note to self (and to anyone competing): READ THE FINE PRINT.

Part of the letter from Janome with my returned quilt said:

We have had the pleasure of showing your quilt around Canada at various consumer shows for the past year. In between shows it's been hanging in our office. I must tell you it has inspired many people! Well done!

Nice,huh?

I'm glad it's back.

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network and Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday.

Happy Quilting,

Terry

Take a Stitch Tuesday

Stitches 52 to 58

Seven samples for TAST with Sharon b. at Pin Tangle. http://pintangle.com/tast-faq/

Stitches 52 to 58

 Stitch 52 - Triangular Feather Stitch

This is a nice variation of the feather stitch.

Triangular Feather Stitch

Stitch 53 – Herringbone Square & Stitch 54 Laced Square Herringbone

These two give a totally different look even though they start out exactly the same.

Herringbone Square and Laced Square Herringbone

Stitch 55 - Buttonholed Herringbone

This would make a nice edging. I added the French Knots

Buttonholed Herringbone

Stitch 56 – Sailors Stitch

Nice and easy, (more French Knots, my favourite stitch).

Sailors Stitch

Stitch 57 – Sailors Edge

Equally easy, you would think I could have made the centre square.

Sailors Edge

Stitch 58 – Woven Detached Chain Stitch

A little time consuming but I like the effect.

Woven Detached Chain Stitch

I will link up to TAST at Pin Tangle

Check out the comments to see all the beautiful work going on there.

Happy Stitching,

Terry

Fern Study 3, 4, 5

Quilt Documentation # 146, 150, 151

This all started when we did some plein air printing during our summer retreat.

The ferns were used as a stamp as well as a resist and I experimented with different techniques over the prints.

See Fern Study 1 and 2 here and Fern Study 3 here.

Fern Study 3, 4, 5 separated

Fern Study 3, 4, 5 zipped together

This is what these 3 prints looked like prior to embroidering.

fern prints

Fern Study #3 was hand embroidered using sashiko thread.

Fern Study 3 - hand embroidered

Fern Study #4 was thread painted on the machine and I outline stitched the ghost print with yellow thread.

Fern Study 4 - thread painted

Fern Study #5 was a ghost print that I outline stitched with metallic thread and then painted with Tsukineko Ink.

Fern Study 5 -stitched and ink painted

This is what the back looks like and I haven't added any sleeves yet but I might.

backs

Do I want these as wall quilts????

 OR........looks what happens when they are all zipped (zippered)?  together.

All 3 panels zipped up

OR maybe separated them like this.......

One and two

OR like this..........

Individuall

OH WAIT!  Look what fits perfectly inside ......

Perfect fit

So much fun!!! 

Still not sure what I will do with them.

Each quilt measures 10" x 14".

Linking up to Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday and The Needle and Thread Network.

Happy Quilting,

Terry

NOFA Meeting – November 9, 2013

Northern Ontario Fibre Artists had their fall meeting yesterday, November 9th.

Marie's workshop was a Maggie Grey technique using plastic canvas, string and tissue paper. Fun project.

Here are some of the projects completed since our last meeting, work in progress and experiments from our Show and Tell.

A recent workshop by Catherine Cribbs by the Englehart & Area Artists produced several collages.

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network - an all Canadian blogger site.

Happy Quilting,

Terry

WIP by Jane

Marnie's bead encrusted quilt purchased on a recent trip to Israel 

detail

detail

Runner by Marnie (it is draped over the edge of counter
 - it really does have straight edges)

quilt over art canvas and collage by Terry

collage by Kit

collage by Marie

collage by Marie
crocheted pots by Silvia

collage by Karen

framed quilt by Karen

 brown bag guild challenge by Marnie
- could only use what was in the bag

fern study by Terry

Take a Stitch Tuesday

Stitches 45 to 51

Three samples for TAST with Sharon b. at Pin Tangle. http://pintangle.com/tast-faq/

Stitches 45 to 51

Stitch 49 – Knotted Feather Stitch

I really like doing this variation of the feather stitch.

Knotted Feather Stitch

Stitch 50 Inverted Feather Stitch

This one, however, gave me a hard time as you can see from the border. I also used it for the windows and the fence. By the time I got there it was getting slightly better.

Inverted Feather Stitch

Stitch 51 Raised Herringbone Band

I like the looks of this one but have trouble keeping the satin stitch the same width.

Raised Herringbone Band

I will link up to TAST at Pin Tangle

Check out the comments to see all the beautiful work going on there.

Happy Stitching,

Terry

And The Beat Goes On

Documented Mixed Media #5

And The Beat Goes On - 12" x 16" canvas 

This past Saturday, I attended a Collage Workshop with well-known Timmins artist Catherine Cribbs.

We used recycled canvases, papers and prints from the teacher's stash as well as any of our own decorative papers and supplies.

These included Cathy's stamped papers and several type of prints, some of my own paper fabric, cheesecloth, scrapbook paper and previously painted paper and dyed paper towels, sparkles, ink, fabric and threads.

For inspiration, Cathy had us pick phrases and quotes from an envelope.  My was “And the beat goes on”.

My take was to go with repetition and hoped for some rhythm.

The morning was spent making large sheets of papers from tissue paper and a variety of papers and other items.  They were not dry enough to use then but can be cut up for  future collages.....or very possibly fibre art!

papers onto tissue

layered tissue paper 

detail

detail

detail

This was an informative and very fun workshop.

I will certainly be making more of these.

Linking up to Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday.

Terry