Merry Christmas!

I've been taking a break from quilting and dyeing fabric for awhile.

Taking lots of photos


Enjoying nature 

 Taking walks

 trying to see things with new eyes

discovering

exploring new roads

Sitting in the park watching children feed the ducks

Moon gazing - that was one great
super moon!

Sometimes you have to just stop look and listen

Feedsacks Dresden Plates

Vintage Feed sacks - Dresden Plate

 1930s to 1940s - Lot - 9 pieces and more

 
Measures about - 17" round
Some are hand sewn and some are machine stitched. 
Various vintage fabrics and feed sacks
No stains or holes
Not hemmed

Some of the plates do not lay flat and would have to be adjusted.

SOLD

Dyed Sun Prints

I saw these baby deer in my

neighbor's back yard. 

They were eyeing his enclosed garden.

They're so cute!

 I was dyeing some sun prints on 

my deck when I spotted them.

Sun prints are trumpet vine leaves.

Aqua Shibori with some sun prints

with leaves. 

 Greeting Card with Fabric insert

of Sun Print of small maple leaves.

Have to take advantage of the warm

weather. 

Happy Quilting!

Dyeing Naturally - Hibiscus Part 2

In my previous post; I talked about 

Natural dyeing with Hibiscus flowers.

The results that I found after doing  a

google search; always shows the results

as pink color.

This is my second attempt.

I soaked my fabric in distilled water

and alum.   Did a quick Tie dye method

of wrapping the fabric and put it into

the pretty dark pink dye water ( after

extracting the dye from dried hibiscus

flowers)

I just heated the dye water and left

the fabric in over night.

 
 This is what it looked like in the morning.

(I took the photo on my deck; so the bright

spots are from the sun)

It's a very pretty pink!  

Dried and Ironed it.

Filled the sink with distilled water.....

gone is the pink and it's back to the grey again.

It's just not working.

If anyone knows of a way to retain the pink

color after washing - please let me know.

Otherwise, my conclusion is that hibscuis

flowers does not make a pretty pink but a 

grey.


 

Dyeing Naturally - Hibiscus

I have been reading a couple of blogs

that have dyed fabric with Hibiscus (dried)

flowers.

I loved the results that they were getting with

the pink to rose colors.

I googled to find other web sites that told

you what colors you can achieve with certain

plants, flowers et.  Hibiscus was always

listed as a pink.

I followed one blog's instruction using

vinegar to soak the fabric.

I first placed the flower heads in a

nylon stocking secured with a rubber band

at one end. This way I won't have to strain it.

I also used my tap water.

I lightly boil my Hibiscus flowers in a stainless

steel pot (only used for this purpose) and

I start to see a nice beautiful almost red

color. Now I'm excited and place my fabric;

which I just did a quick shibori tie in

4 places.

I had the heat on low for about 2 hours,

shut off and left over night.

Took out the fabric and let it dry completely

and gave it a light iron.

Here's what it looked like

 It's pretty and pink! 

 I then put it in water with a light detergent

and then my heart sunk. It had turned a bluish

grey!

 It's still pretty but not pink!

I belong to an eco dyeing group on FB and showed

the group what had happened and to ask if there

was something that I missed....??

Someone suggested that I use distilled water instead

of my tap water.  (good idea) 

My next test to follow.

My point in putting this on my blog is that you

can't believe everything you read on the internet.

(including me)  LOL

So the blogs that I saw with the pretty pink from

the hibiscus flowers probably didn't wash their

fabric. When they finally did I bet they got a

big surprise! 

Back later on this week with the results of my next test.

Shibori and Beyond

Shibori - there are traditional ways to

dye and manipulate the fabric.  Some

patterns are more complex than others.

Traditionally, Indigo dyes are used more

often than not.

What I enjoy doing is going beyond the traditional

and experiment with bold bright colors. 

Playing with a technique and reinterpreting

the design; giving it a whole new look.

 

I played around with this one - is it a Red moon

or a Blooming Flower Burst?  

There are so many possibilities!

 Change the colors and it becomes a Sunburst.

I discovered this design by just manipulating

the fabric in different positions. 

The possibilities are endless and surprising!

 The smaller pieces that I do I'm putting them in

greeting cards. The fabric can be removed and used

or just left the way it is in the card to be displayed.

All these are available in my Etsy shop.

Happy Quilting!

More Hand dye Fabric

It's supposed to be spring and

it's still freezing cold out.

Look who I saw in my backyard

I couldn't get a better photo; I was

still in my PJ's.  He was probably 

looking for fish in the creek. It

was breakfast time. 

Working to build up more inventory

in my shop.  Here's the latest

 This is one of my favorite techniques
that I developed. I love this!
All of the ones that I had listed
sold out!  More to come.

 Brown and beige shibori - good
for trees or landscape fabric.

 Sunset and sky fabric.

 More Sky fabric - done shibori pole
wrap technique.

 More Sky Fabric - I really love
the way this one came out!

 I also added a couple of scrap 
packs with shibori and textures.

If you're interested in any of these;
head on over to my etsy shop - See
side bar.

Happy Quilting!

Hand Dyed Fabric

It's that time of year!

When I start to dye fabrics! YAY!

And I love experimenting with new

ideas and techniques!

One of my favorites - Tree Bark!

 And Sky Fabric in different colors!

All are available in my Etsy Shop.

Happy Quilting!

 

Patriotic Table Runner - UFO finish

Going through my fabric bins and

closet to find more UFO's - I can't 

believe that I have so many! But I 

don't feel so bad after a quilter on Facebook

admitted that she had over 100!  Oh My!

A Patriotic Table Runner 

  
Measures 14" x 33"  A nice size to use

on your tables - Kitchen, dinning, or coffee.

For Sale in my Etsy shop.

I don't know which UFO will be next....? LOL

Happy Quilting!

UFO Finish - Improv Quilt

Well I finally finished another UFO 

that has been patiently waiting it's turn.

 I used all the left over fabrics from other 

projects that I had made and just improvised.

What is an Improv Quilt? 

Taking Fabrics, cutting pieces and sewing them
 
in an artistic manner through a creative impulse.

Exploring new designs without a written or visual 

pattern to follow.

I hand quilted in the big stitch style

using different color threads  in circles.

 I also cut out some flowers and circles  with

steam a seam and fused them on.

I love the wonkiness to it and also the bright

colors!  I think it would fit in nicely in a nursery

or child's room.

I do have several more UFO's to finish!  

Happy Quilting!

Decorative Stitches

I have been using the decorative stitches

on my sewing machine more and more.

Instead of using free motion or straight line

quilting on a quilt; I'm finding that the use

of decorative stitches gives the piece a very

different but pretty finish.

 On this batik table runner; I used a leaf design

with green variegated thread all along the

sashing lines. (in the ditch)

I really like the way that it came out!

 On this crazy quilt; I used the decorative 

stitches right in the middle of the sashing and

also on the pieced crazy blocks.

 I also used the letters on the machine to

write the animal's names on this Kid's snack

mat. 

 Another great idea is to use this decorative stitch

instead of trying to free motion some wavy lines!

I love this stitch!

Happy Quilting!



 

Winter and a Memory Pillow

I'm one of those people who really really 

don't like winter. 

 I don't think birds like it either - no food.

 I try to throw some seeds on the frozen snow.
The stupid squirrel broke my hanging feeder.

 Trying to find my steps and walk way.

But I'm  happy now that it all melted - well

almost. And yesterday I saw some life!  The

crocus is  starting to make it's way  up through

the soil! YAY  Only one more month and it's

spring!

I did some baking; which I love to do in the winter

months.

Banana Walnut Cake - one of my favorites and

easy to make besides being delicious.

I was rummaging through my closet the other

day (I was supposed to be cleaning) and found

a couple of my husband's cotton shirts that I

had kept. (he passed away 5 years ago) 

I had saved the shirts thinking that some day 

I would make a quilt out of them but then I saw

on Facebook that someone had made a memory

pillow out of one.  So,  I washed the shirt and 

Ironed it and looked for a tutorial. I found a

couple to get a general idea and then did it my

way in the end.   

It felt kind of weird to be cutting the shirt; I 

can't explain it. I felt like I was committing a sin.

I know that probably  sounds silly. 

My husband worked for Verizon for over 27 years and

I  found an anniversary pin, what year I don't know

but it was when Verizon was called N.Y. Tel.

I put it on the pocket. It felt so sad and happy at

the same time. 

I then packed it up and as a surprise; mailed it to

my daughter who lives  on Long Island. She was

so overjoyed and surprised!  

I have some pieces left from that shirt and  am

thinking of some some  items to make with them.

I  also have two more shirts left. I might make

another pillow for myself.

I'm so happy that I saved them. I only wish that

I had saved more but I donated them.

Happy Quilting!