Monday, August 27, 2012

Quilting Arts Challenge

I have decided to try and enter more challenges this year.  One that came up is the Quilting Arts challenge.  I am an avid subscriber to their magazine and enjoy all the different opportunities they provide in their magazine.     This challenge is to produce an ATC - artist trading card.  The theme is 'What's In Your Heart' and it must be 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" and it will be swapped with another.

I have never made a quilt that size before.   I do know they like embellishments on their challenges, so I raided my kids tool boxes for unique embellishments.   Don't even ask if they are 3D, you know the answer=)

I started by cutting and stitching, recutting and more stitching.  I cleaned up the edges too.   How do you finish a quilt that size?  Please tell me that you don't actually bind it?

Then added my bling.
What do you think?   It is copper wire and copper looking beads that are attached to it.




Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Playing With a New Product

I got an email last week from a colleague asking me about using Fabric Magic by Pellon.  I had a package here, but did not have a chance to open it till then.    Have you heard of it?  It is a brand new product of Pellon's.  Here is what they say about it:

Picture of Fabric Magic™
Picture from Pellon

I decided to give it a try.  The material is like a thin plastic that you can trace onto, and then sew to the back of your fabric.   
It is set by steam from your iron.   You hold the iron about an inch above the Fabric Magic and it shrinks it up.  Although it doesn't look like the plastic is changing shape at all, wait until you turn it over to look at the fabric!   Total shrinkage.

The more quilting or stitches you make in it, the more it shrinks up.   If you sandwich batting between the fabric and the Fabric Magic, it gives it even more of a 3D look, and we all know how I like my 3D embellishing!


Here is a little peak of a project I have made.  I can't reveal it yet because there is some exciting news to go along with it, but just to keep you interested....







Friday, August 17, 2012

Cupcake Pincushion Tutorial

Riley Blake Fabrics has this fantastic section on their website where it is all pincushion tutorials!
How totally fun is that?   What a fantastic gift to make that special quilter in your life.  In my case, I would probably just make one for myself.  Kidding, okay not really, I guess I would probably make one for my mom too.

Why am I telling you all of this?   I made a special pincushion for Riley Blake's tutorials.
You can see all the instructions here.


Don't you just want to go right out and make one?  I had to satisfy my sweet tooth and my cravings for embellishments while making this pincushion.   How did I do?





Monday, August 13, 2012

Charity Quilt Meets Ric Rac

I must confess, I don't have an iron at my vacation spot.   I am looking for one!   You will just have to bear with me and my wrinkles in my latest charity quilt.   I still had to add the center of my flowers, but realized I couldn't go crazy with embellishments as this quilt is headed to a child with long term illness.   Yet it still needed a bit of bling!   I grabbed some bright fabric and some soft cotton ric rac and here is what I did:




All that is left is a little work on the borders.   What do you think so far?





Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Winner and Newest Quilt

Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner, I went out of town for the weekend.
Here is the lucky gal to win the FQ bundle:
 Bonnie58 said...
Hi Jackie. We call Saskatoon, Sask. home. Red licorice is my downfall, fresh, old, or inbetween - it's all good...... Love the quilts and a Great giveaway.


Now, I gave a great deal of thought to all your comments regarding my strip piecing quilt, and Dana said this to me:


 Dana Gaffney said...
The last (and only) time I made a strip quilt I felt like it needed a little something, so I appliqued big funky daisies,


So I did this:




I am still not done. I am going to use more of the blue/green strips on the borders, that are in the stems and leaves.  The center of each flower is not complete as I have to embellish it some way.  It can't be with hard embellishments, as this quilt is going to a child with a long term illness.   I am thinking ric rac=)

Stay tuned.