Walks in the Woods - Art Quilts

Applying the Fused Binding part 1

2012-03-09T01:30:00.000-08:00

After I finished machine quilting "Woodland Treasures" I needed to put the fused binding around the squared up edges of this quilt to finish it.

I have been putting fused bindings on my art quilts for over 15 years. I started with this quilt - Waiting for Spring.

I had so many left over fused oak leaves after I finished the quilt I decided to fuse them around the edge of the quilt as the binding.

As most of my quilts are art pieces and hand on the wall, it seemed like a good idea to me. I haven't looked back.

I hope you enjoy this tutorial and will share it with your quilting friends.

Stay tuned for part two, doing bobbin work on the edge of the binding.

Susan Cleveland and WonderFil Spagetti by YLI

2012-03-07T02:34:00.000-08:00

Susan Cleveland is one of the happiest quilters I have ever meet. She exudes bubbly. Susan has shared with us some of her latest tips for using YLI thread WonderFil Spagetti. I KNOW you will enjoy this.

One of the projects in my newest book, Precision & Panache, includes bright, hand-dyed fabric and stitching with 12wt cotton thread (WonderFil Spagetti by YLI 12wt cotton) by hand and by machine.

Hippie Daisies by Susan K Cleveland, 2010, 11”x20”; This piece was made with hand-dyed fabric and it gives a groovy vibe to the piece. This little quilt makes me smile.

Glowing applique... First, to keep the white flowers white with no background showing through, I used Pellon Décor-Bond rather than traditional fusible web. This product is a heavy non-woven interfacing and it masks color under the flowers. I then stitched machine applique with WonderFil Spagetti 12wt cotton thread to give a bold blanket stitch around appliques. For a glow, I quilted around the daisies by machine also with WonderFil Spagetti 12wt cotton thread but in another color. Trippy, huh?

The white background piece is linen gauze. I starched it to keep its shape, frayed the edges and pinned it to the hand-dyed background before appliqueing daisies. Since I couldn’t think of how to quilt the linen section, I sprinkled square sequins throughout stitching through all layers. It seems just right.

I love hand quilting and especially with heavy thread. This technique was a new idea for me! With 2 strands of WonderFil Spagetti 12wt cotton thread and a 7 or 8 between needle, I hand quilted with large stitches and intermittently inserted French knots into the lines of quilting! fyi ... there is no message.

Life is too short for plain bindings. Large white ric rac seemed like the logical choice for me.

Quilt on!
Susan
Susan K Cleveland
www.PiecesBeWithYou.com

Rolling by

2012-03-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when I teach I get to drive to my destination. I have to say that I like the drives and really appreciate the landscapes I see along the way.

It also gives me uninterrupted time to formulate ideas and quilts in my head while I drive along.

I know this sounds crazy, but I love the flat farm fields and rolling landscape of the Mid-West where I live.

I will often take pictures while I am driving, just point and shot out the car window. I get some great pics this way.

I am interested in the farms and fields and like to make little and big compositions from these car shots.

I am fascinated with barns. I want one someday. I think the idea of a big space to work in is what appeals to me about barns. I suppose though that they are rather drafty.

Illinois Landscape, was inspired by these point and shot pictures. As were all the other little quilts that follow.

This little landscape is featured in the Art Quilts, Fusible Collage book with Laura Wasilowski and Nancy Zieman.

Rolling By is a stripy collage style landscape with leaves and grass cut using the deckle blade in a 45mm rotary cutter.

Sister Trees is one of those composite compositions taken from the inspiration of my point and shot pics.

On the Way Home, more fields and barns. I just can't seem to get enough of them.

2012-03-02T01:28:00.000-08:00

I first meet Ellen many moons ago. We were both members of PAQA. When I saw her quilts I was just blown away. The thread play Ellen was doing was just wonderful and she has always been an inspiration to me.
Here is my interview with Ellen Ann Eddy.
Ellen you have machine quilted and done such exciting thread play on all of your wonderful quilts.
What threads have you used that you really like to work with?

There are three basic considerations with thread. The colors have to be beautiful. There's no sense in working with bland or tired color. I also really like thread to have a shine. The quality of the thread needs to be good. That translates largely as the strength of the thread. Finally price matters, because you can only buy so much. But thread that isn't beautiful and strong isn't worthy.
There are several threads I adore for different categories of the kinds of work I do. I do not work with utility threads at all. These are all made strictly for embroidery
# 8 weight metallics: These are the thick threads you use in the bobbin. Madeira, YLI and Superior put out Glamor, Candlelight and Razzle Dazzle respectively. They are all excellent and interchangeable. Together they give a very satisfactory color range.
#40 Threads:These are thin embroidery threads. There are poly, cotton and rayon versions. I've never liked cotton. It has no shine. I have used rayon but it simply isn't as strong. Some rayon color fades as well. Mostly I use polyester. The shine is lovely. It's machine strong and good for almost all machines. I'm particularly fond of Madeira's Poly Neon. It's very strong and has a fabulous color range. Superior's Polyester embroidery thread is very good as well. Don't confuse it with Bottom Line. Bottom line is a great quilting thread, but too thin for good embroidery.
I do love the tinsel threads like Sulky Sliver. They make a fabulous eye on a creature. The sheen is great. I also like to stipple with them. I always use them in the bobbin because they are quite fragile.
Finally I dye my own pearl cottons. I want threads that will shade across a surface, not in rainbow colors. My pearls are usually mixed with complements to darken and with full color ranges to fill in space. I don't know of a commercial line of threads that does that.

And why?
What kind of problems have you encountered with all this thread play on your quilts? Do you use stabilizers and what kind?

Thread breaks, just by it's nature. Good thread breaks less. The right needle and stabilization help. I like using a Halo, a red weighed hoop that keeps the surface tight. All of that helps. And you need to watch how your thread feeds.

Moonstruck by Ellen Anne Eddy
Everything puckers. It's the nature of too much thread. Lately, I make my most heavily embroidered pieces separately and stitch them on as an applique. I make a stabilizer sandwich of stiff non woven interfacing, felt and hand dyed fabric (Put together either with Steam A Seam II or with 505 spray) and stitch on that. If it's bobbin work I have a pattern drawn from Totally Stable underneath. If it's fused fabric or sheers from the top, I have that glued on with Steam A Seam II. Either way, I do all my stitching, and cut all the ruffled edges away before I stitch it down to my top. I usually stabilize the top as well with a layer of felt as my bat and an interfacing underneath. I know what I'm making will not be someone's blanket. It's made to be wall art and I want it to have substance and a solid edge.

Daily Lily Dance by Ellen Anne Eddy

What is your favorite type of needle to use with these threads and why?
A #90 topstitching needle is my needle of choice. It has a great sharp point, lots of punch power and a a smooth larger eye that breaks thread less.
You create your own quilt and quilting designs where do you get your inspiration from?
I draw largely from the natural world. I am endlessly fascinated with things in my garden, both plants and animals.

Dragonfly in Bloom by Ellen Anne Eddy

I tend to see people as animals and I tend to quilt them as such. But I don't know who it is while I'm in process. That's not important. I see an image or get a notion in my head. I just go with it. We sort out who it is and why when I'm done. It makes for odd family reunions hunched over quilts. But they all tolerate that by now.
Lately I've been working at an intuitive method for flower applique, documented in my new book, Thread Magic Garden. Day Lily Dance is an example from the book. It's very simple shapes cut and embroidered to make fabulous flowers.

What else would you like to talk about related to thread?
The invisible factor to thread breakage is how the thread feeds. If any thing catches on it's way to the needle, your thread, or your needle will break. So check that. Use a cone holder. Make sure you use the right thread cap with your machine. Thread feeding makes a huge difference with breakage.

Thanks so much, Frieda. This was fun. If anyone has questions they can visit me at my blog or website.
Thank you Ellen as always you inspire all of us with your fun, fanciful and whimsical designs and work.

Inspired to Quilt

2012-03-01T05:23:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,

In just a week the "Inspired To Quilt" Online Quilt Expo will be opening their doors for what is shaping up to be a very exciting event for all of us quilters. Who would have thought, even just a few years ago, that something like this would be possible?

I don't think our traditional quilt shows are going to go anywhere anytime soon, but being able to meet up with quilters from all around the world; getting to participate in all of the presentations, demonstrations and being able to (virtually) stroll through all of the quilt exhibits and vendor booths...right from our homes??? That's just too cool!

Make sure you are registered so you don't miss out. The event is free to attend, you just need to sign up.

Here's the link to do that now:

http://inspiredtoquiltexpo.com/friedaanderson

See you there,

Frieda Anderson

Last Day

2012-02-28T03:51:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day to get your fabulous four gradations at the price of $20 for four long quarter yards. These packets each contain a quarter yard, of either four different blues, or reds, or yellows or browns. These are what you need to spark that creative ember in your work.

The Inspired to Quilt program starts next month. Here is a very brief promo.
Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHzimLIcTFg&feature=youtu.be
Quilter Frieda Anderson will be featured at the Inspired To Quilt online quilting expo held March 7th-10th. Don't miss this online quilting event. Registration is free. Just visit the link at the beginning of this description.

Wendy Butler Berns

2012-02-27T02:30:00.000-08:00

Wendy and I became friends many years ago and we run into each other often out there in the quilt world. Wendy teaches and lectures around the world and does so much with thread in her quilts.

Wendy you have machine quilted all of your wonderful quilts. What threads have you used that you really like to work with? And why.

I create mostly wall quilts, so the threads I like working with are the beautiful Sulky rayons with great sheen to them…. If a rayon thread is not available I also enjoy the Superior Threads trilobal polyester threads as well-Highlights… they also have a wonderful sheen that spark up my quilting designs. These threads are 40 weight and easy to adjust my tension as I work along.

What is your favorite type of needle to use with these threads and why?

I use Superior Thread monopoly clear thread in

my bobbin for all of my quilting.

The needle I stitch with the most with my favorite threads is the microtex 80/12 needle

You create your own quilting designs where do you get your inspiration from?

Can you tell us about that?

Inspirations and designs are all around us… most often I am inspired by organic shapes and lines from nature…. Leaves, vines, the texture in tree bark or the wave lines left on shore…. We just need to look more closely around us. I see shapes that appeal to me, then I spend time with my paper and pencil to doodle those shapes to figure out how I can turn them into continuous quilting designs.

What kind of problems have you encountered with machine quilting on your quilts?

Explain.

The problem I encounter most deciding what quilting designs to combine with each other and getting myself jump started to choose which ones I want to work with…. Spending time viewing the quilt, studying the fabrics I used and pouring over designs I keep in my notebook, help me formulate my plans and get me going!

Wendy Butler Berns
textile artist, teacher, lecturer
Look for my workshops and gallery- http://www.wendybutlerberns.com
Vidcast of "Out on a Limb Exhibition" http://www.bonniemccaffery.

Thank you so much Wendy for sharing with us the threads you like to use and the sources of your inspiration. You are an inspiration to us all.

Judy Coates Perez

2012-02-24T00:36:00.000-08:00

Judy and I meet several years ago when Judy moved to the Chicago land area. It has been fun getting to know such a talented quilter. Judy has a degree in graphic design and it shows in her work. Judy paints and uses inks in most of her quilts, so her take on using thread is a little different then most of us. I asked Judy if she would share with us her experience quilting on painted and inked fabrics.
Here are her responses to my questions.
Judy you have machine quilted all of your wonderful painted quilts. What threads have you used that you really like to work with? And why.
For a lustrous sheen I really like Superior Rainbows.
For a bold quilting line I like Superior King Tut cotton.
For a little glitz I prefer Superior metallic thread, it's very strong.
For general fill quilting I use a lot of Madeira Polyneon, it's strong and comes in hundreds of colors.
When I want the thread to be least noticeable I like Superior MonoPoly. I like that it comes in clear for light colors and smoke for dark colors and is very strong.
Because I hate stopping to wind bobbins, I really like Superior Bottom Line, its a strong lightweight polyester thread that will go a lot further when quilting.

Illustrated Document No 1 by Judy Perez

What is your favorite type of needle to use with these threads and why?

I use Organ titanium needles for everything. They are strong and stay sharp longer. If the needle hits the throat plate when sewing, the needle will bend into a hook shape instead of snapping off and flying through the air. Evidently titanium also stays cooler creating less heat friction so it's easier on specialty threads. Superior now sells the same needles under their own brand name.

You create your own quilting designs where do you get your inspiration from? Can you tell us about that?

8 of Cups by Judy Perez
I am very drawn to medieval floral imagery and find that I can stitch leaf and flower inspired forms to fill all sorts of unusual shaped spaces. So that is my preferred "meandering" type fill for quilting in backgrounds.

What kind of problems have you encountered with machine quilting on your painted quilts?
Explain.

Fauna by Judy Perez

Painted fabric is not very forgiving to quilting mistakes. Because the fabric has a surface of paint, the fibers are essentially glued together and can't move apart to allow the needle to slide between the woven threads, instead the needle literally punches a hole through the fabric that does not close up. With thread going over the surface of the quilt and through the holes it's not a problem, but if you stitch in the wrong area and remove the thread, there can be noticeable holes left in the quilt and there is really no way to fix that.

What else would you like to talk about related to thread?

I'm of a mind that often less is more. Like in cooking too much sauce can ruin an entrée, overwhelming and smothering the flavors of the main ingredient, but just the right amount compliments it and brings out the richness the dish.
Because the integration of thread is such an important aspect of the process, choosing the right threads for a project is so important. I'm not a big fan of what I see as the current trend of excessive quilting. At exhibition venues, I notice people are often impressed by how much thread has been used or how tiny the quilting motifs are on some work. I think the thread choice and the quilting lines should enhance the imagery on the quilt not obscure the fabric beneath, unless the work is really about "thread painting" where the thread becomes the medium for creating imagery.
I spend a lot of time painting my fabric because I love painting and the way the painted surface looks. I can create visuals that would not be possible with fabric alone. I don't want to cover all the subtle textures and details of the painting with thread, but I want the quilting lines to add another element of visual imagery to the work, that relates to the style and theme of the piece. The quilting thread should look like an integrated part of the design not like a last step in the process added simply to hold all the fabric together.

Primordial Sea by Judy Perez
Thank you so much Judy. Your work is amazing and an inspiration to us all. I studied the quilting you did in this quilt and it led me to develop my own version, I call it Bark.

Jack in the Pulpits by Frieda Anderson

YLI thread

2012-02-22T01:30:00.000-08:00

I contacted YLI thread company in Rock Hill NC to tell us about their thread. Jane Garrison returned my call and we had a long talk, here are a few of the top things she told me about YLI thread.
I would like to know when and how the company got started?
YLI was originally Yarn Loft International an importer of serger threads and started in the '70's. It was sold and moved to Provo, UT where the new owners added Silk Ribbons, threads, metallics and other products manufactured in Japan. In 1996 Jim Miller and Lanny Smith purchased the company and moved it to Rock Hill, SC. Jim had been involved with sewing threads and saw the trend toward quilting and so, they added the Hand Quilting, then Machine Quilting and other products that fit into the quilting line. In 2005 Lanny Smith retired, Jim became the sole proprietor and hired Jane Garrison as Director of Education.
Where is the thread is manufactured?
Our Products are primarily manufactured in the US, Japan, Egypt and Mexico
I am interested in the quality and where you get the raw goods from, for the readers to help educate them about thread.
The products that are manufactured in Japan come from the finest sources we can find and we are simply an importer of the product. We purchase those on large cones and wind to smaller cones in our manufacturing facility in Rock Hill, NC. The products include Silk #100, #50, #30 and 1000 Denier, Silk Ribbons, Fine Metallic, Woolly Nylon, Variations, Pearl Crown Rayon, Candlelight, Jeans Stitch, Silk Floss and Jeans Stitch.
All of our cottons are purchased from the Egyptian Government who owns all the spinning mills in Egypt and are 100% Extra Long Staple Cotton. They are then brought to the US where more than 90% are dyed, finished and wound in SC, GA and NC depending on the color and process.
Our Designer 7 is a polyester serger thread manufactured in Mexico.

We also are the US importer for a line of products (Iris Embroidery Thread) from Mexico and Tentakulum Painter's Threads (an extensive line of hand painted natural fibers) from Germany.

Our Hand Quilting and Select threads are sent, after dyeing, to a facility in MA where a starch Glaze is applied. Our wooden spools are manufactured from Ash in NJ.
What is extra long staple Egyptian cotton?

Extra Long Staple Cotton by definition has fibers longer than 1 1/8" and though a small amount is grown in the US, Peru and India, we purchase our raw material from Egypt. Most cotton grown in the US is short staple cotton and does not make a quality sewing/quilting thread due the amount of lint (each end of each staple will create lint when it goes into and out of the fabric during the sewing process.) and the fact that the shorter the staple the more places there are where the thread is weaker. Longer staple fibers give a stronger finished product.

What does it mean glazed?
Most companies glaze with wax which means you should not put it in a sewing machine where we glaze with starch which adds the strength and wear resistance but will not harm a sewing machine.
There is a great brochure on the YLI site The Truth about Thread. I suggest you check it out, download it and print it for reference. There is also a chart with their thread on it and what needles to use with which thread.

What is Trilobal Polyester?
A tri-lobal Polyester literally has three lobes much like a three leaf clover. The lobes give the shine to the thread much like a rayon and so tri-lobal Polyesters are a good substitute for Rayon when one wants to be able to wash and bleach the finished product. Polyesters are also more resistant to light damage thus keep their color and shine longer than rayon's. Not every Polyester is a tri-lobal.

What is the main difference in using polyester over nylon?

Can I assume you mean the differences in the Monofilament Poly vs Nylon? YLI has manufactured a high quality Nylon Monofilament for more than 25 years. When we first began using monofilaments for quilting some companies sold basically a thin nylon fishing line that had not been engineered for sewing purposes as ours has been.
Today when you compare the Sulky or Superior Polyester to the Wonder Nylon Monofilament there is very little difference other than cost. (I cannot speak to other brands of Nylon or Polyester since we have not tested them in the lab) They all melt at approximately the same heat setting on the iron and yes, you can get an iron hot enough to melt them all. We know that our product has not yellowed or gotten brittle from the experience we have had with many well known quilters who have used the Wonder from the beginning. We have gotten tired of arguing the point and now have a Polyester that matches the other brands in quality. In general, you will pay at least twice as much for the Polyesters as you will for our Nylon so choose the one you prefer based on your own criteria!

Any tips on using the Mylar and Metallic thread?

The Mylar is flat while Metallic thread is round so the Metallic Needle was specifically designed with a rectangular eye to keep the mylar flat as it was sewn. This is the only time the Metallic Needle should be used unless no other choices are available. The best needle for the Metallic is an Embroidery Needle with an oval eye so that it will hold the thread in place and not allow it to move around from left to right and potentially cut the metal fiber that is wound in a spiral around the central filament. The biggest tip I can give for using Metallic or Mylar threads is to use a spun cotton or polyester in the bobbin. First the little texture on the spun fibers help hold the thread in place and second, if a filament polyester or Nylon is used in the bobbin it is often stronger than the core of the Metallic thread and will snap the core.
What is the difference in the weight sizes, what does the number indicate?
Most of the numbers on the spools are what someone at the company decided to name the thread with the exception of cottons.
Cottons are sold in a fixed length to weight measurement and so a 40 wt cotton has 40 hanks of cotton each 840 yds long to make a pound while a 60 wt cotton will have 60 hanks the same length. That is the first number you see on cotton. The second (ex 40/3ply or 60/2ply) is the number of those 40 or 60 wt cotton twisted together.
The higher the ply the stronger the thread and the more visually round it is. There are advantages to both 2 and 3 ply but all cottons are plied threads. Tex is another designation you will find today on many threads. It is a commercial length to weight measurement. One Tex= 1gram/1000meters and is rounded to the nearest 10 bracket thus you will find Tex 40, 50 etc. The actual size of the thread can vary greatly depending on how tightly it is twisted and what finishes are applied. Most of the domestic thread manufacturers put information on their websites regarding their threads and what needle sizes they recommend but the entire system is not standardized and very difficult to compare apples to apples.

What is your best seller?

Our Silk #100 and Machine Quilting Cottons are our best sellers. Unfortunately for us, many people using the Silk #100 are hand appliquers and are slow to use their threads!
That is not true, I use the #100 all the time to machine quilt with and I love it. It gives a fine and beautiful finish to the quilting.
I want to thank Jane for sharing so much information about YLI thread.

Inspired to Quilt

2012-02-20T04:21:00.000-08:00

I've got some very exciting news! Coming up soon on March 7th-10th
there is going to be a very special online event that you are not going
to want to miss.

Willow Bend Creations Online Quilt Expos is hosting the
"Inspired To Quilt" Online Quilt Expo. This event will bring all of the
sights, sounds and excitement of a live quilt show right into your
home via your computer.

And guess what...? I'm going to be one of the featured presentations.
I've been nominated as the "Most Inspiring Quilt Instructor Of 2011".
It's quite an honor and I would really appreciate your support in
coming out and voting for me.

This is going to be a lot of fun and it's free for anyone to attend.

So be sure to register by clicking on the link below and tell all of your friends
so they don't miss out on the fun! You can watch me make one of my patterns - Star Lillies.
Here's that link: See you there,

My buddy my pal, Ann Fahl

2012-02-17T03:58:00.000-08:00

I first met Ann Fahl years ago in a group I belong to here in the Midwest called PAQA. We have remained friends and colleagues over the years and share an interest in gardens, flowers and sons.

I asked Anne to share a few tips on the threads she uses and why. Anne has been doing thread painting for years now and has several great books out there to help all of us be better quilters.

Egyptian Garden by Ann Fahl

Ann you have machine quilted all of your wonderful quilts.
Hi Frieda, I have been exclusively machine quilting since 1988. Much of my work before that was done by hand!

What threads have you used that you really like to work with? And why. What is your favorite type of needle to use with these threads and why?
Wow, I just love thread. It makes more of a difference in the surface of your quilt than one would think. Once I discovered Sulky Rayon threads, I have been sold on using shiny decorative threads that are both Rayon or tri-lobal Polyester. Each stitch is beautifully highlighted by just a little shine on the surface of every stitch. Cotton doesn’t give this highlighting effect, it also is not as flexible as the synthetic decorative threads are. This makes for more clumsy turns and sharp curves, starts and stops. I want all my hard work to shine!

I use thread from the big 4 companies: Madeira, Superior Threads, Sulky, and YLI. When it comes to my most favorite variegated threads there are two: Superior Rainbow Thread and YLI Variations.

It’s important to use a fine thread in the bobbin. Either 60 wt. The Bottom Line or 50 wt. YLI Soft Touch. This way, your bobbin is full and will last much longer then when a 40 wt thread is used. These products will also leave less lint in the bobbin case.

You create your own quilting designs where do you get your inspiration from?
Now most of the motifs I use just happen. This wouldn’t be the case for new machine quilters. So I recommend that all quilters keep a folder or notebook that include all the different quilting designs or motifs that they like. When you need an idea, the notebook will be a handy resource.

Long ago, I found that I didn’t like using just one motif for the quilting designs, over and over again. It looks too mechanical. I like a quilting style that appears to be organic and just grows out from the subject and eventually fills the background. Essentially, I mix up all the motifs that I can easily stitch.

Can you tell us about that?

Coneflower Fiesta close-up by Ann Fahl

The more motifs that you have thoroughly practiced, and you can do in your sleep, the better you will become at free-motion quilting. An area that is a certain shape will suggest that you do one thing, and when you continue quilting you’ll find yourself in a situation that calls for a different pattern. Practice is the key. Hours, days and years of practice.
You are so right with that Ann!!

What kind of problems have you encountered with machine quilting on your quilts?
Most of the frustrations I’ve dealt with have to do with thread issues. When you can’t figure out what is wrong you want to sit down and cry or toss the machine out the window. Working alone in my studio in the 1990’s until about 2004 I’ve spent an enormous time solving my thread issues. This is why I first wrote Coloring with Thread about embroidery, Dancing with Thread about machine quilting, and now; a booklet Mastering Metallics about sewing with metallic thread. These books should make sewing with the beautiful decorative threads much smoother and more problem free! And thank you for that!

Explain please.
Every now and then, I run into a problem, that I just can’t figure out. I’ll spend days trying to solve the issue. I was getting little thread nests on the top of my quilt. Since I’ve written so much on thread, I figured I could work it out. Eventually, I took my machine in for repair. And guess what? There was a bur in the hook race. No more birds nests for me!

What else would you like to talk about related to thread?
I could talk about thread forever. It makes my embroidery and quilting look so beautiful. How could something as little as a spool of thread make such a difference in a quilt’s surface? But it does. For all of your readers - practice - make placemats or something. Go to your machine shop that carries lots of thread types. Purchase threads of different brands and styles. Experiment with each one, take notes, you’ll be surprised at what you discover. This will make big improvements in your work over time. Be a kid, have fun, and play with your thread. Collect it, store it in a drawer, out of strong light and in a relatively dust free area and it will last a long time.

You can visit Anne at her website http://www.annfahl.com

or I encourage you to follow her on her blog at http://annfahl.blogspot.com

Thank you Ann for your generosity in sharing with us your experience with thread. I know I do many of the things that Ann does and the one thing that makes all the difference in your machine quilting or thread painting is to practice and take the time to experiment.

Shiny and pretty

2012-02-15T00:18:00.000-08:00

I like shiny and pretty.
I guess I am a bit of a magpie when it comes to thread.
I started using Madeira rayon threads just about the time I started machine quilting.
I like the 30 wt thread because it is heavier and shows up more than the 40 wt threads on whatever I am quilting, it is also soft and handles easily in my machine.

I LOVE color, have I said that before and I love the gorgeous colors that Madeira makes.

These are the threads that the clothing industry uses to embroider those fun appliques on our clothing.

Shaping Nearly 100 Years of Fashion...
Founded in Freiburg, Germany, in 1919, Madeira has always been committed to the production of high quality embroidery threads.
In 1975, the company began to shift its concentration from the domestic German market to the global marketplace. Then in 1987, subsidiaries were set up worldwide to streamline the distribution process. Today, Madeira maintains a presence throughout the USA, Europe, Japan and key Asian markets.

All the Madeira embroidery threads are Oeko-Tex certified. Oeko-Tex is an international testing and certification system for textiles, limiting the use of certain chemicals. Our embroidery threads have been certified to meet the human-ecological requirement standard presently established for baby articles. Our embroidery threads fall within Class I and II of the Oeko-Tex classification system, and meet the new U.S. CPSIA law requirements.

When I first started buying the smaller spools of rayon thread from Madeira they did not have end-caps on the spools and were harder to use. It is one of the reasons I put them in a cup behind my machine. They have since changed the spools so that they look like any other threads that we buy and it has made them easier to use in our home sewing machines.

I contacted Madeira Manufactures and asked them a few questions about their thread. These are the questions and answers I got back.

I am interested in where you the raw goods come from.
Madeira is a German Based Company, the raw goods for the Rayon thread are tree pulp, but I am not sure where the trees are harvested from.
Where it is manufactured?

The thread is Manufactured in Germany.
What is the main difference in using polyester over rayon?

The Polyester is made from man made materials, it is petroleum based. The Rayon is made from tree pulp; it is a natural fiber and is a little more sensitive than the poly because of that. The Poly is a little more abrasive on the machines because they need to be run with a higher speed and tension than the rayon, which is why it is more abrasive. The rayon has a deeper/richer color than the Poly.

Are all the colors, colorfast?
The Polyneon is color fast. The Rayon, because of the dye process and the material it is made of, cannot withstand the bleaching process. The Rayon will hold it's color when washed in warmer water, but if there is chemicals in the wash it will dissipate the color.

What is the life expectance of the threads?
Our thread can "live" for about 7-10 years if stored properly. It needs to be stored in a cool dry location away from any direct light.

What is the difference in the weight sizes, what does the number indicate?
The weight of thread designates the thickness of the thread. The 40 weight is the standard. All Embroidery digitizing is done in the 40 weight thread, unless other wise designated by the digitizer. The 60 weight is a thinner thread, typically used for fine lettering and details; if you were to use a 40 weight where a 60 weight is needed the embroidery will look fuzzy and blocky. The 60 weight will give it a crispness. The 30 weight is thicker than the 40, this is used where there is a lot of fill to try and make the embroidery less bulky so it will not buckle under the weight of the design. The 12 weight thread is the thickest thread and it typically used in Chenille and Marrowing machines.

What is your best seller?
Our Best selling threads are our Poly and the Rayon thread.

I have been very happy over the years using the Madeira 30weight thread to machine quilt my designs and will continue to use it because it is a natural fiber, flexible and comes in beautiful colors. I don’t ever intend to bleach any of my quilts, nor do I intend to wash them with harsh chemicals.

Love and Kisses

2012-02-14T00:27:00.000-08:00

Every year I make home made Valentine Cards for all the woman in my family. I guess this started way back when my kids were in nursery school and the kids and I made Valentine Cards to give to their friends. I made ones to give to my sister and mom.

Each year I come up with a new design and the process of finding designs is always on going. When ever I see a design that I like, I copy it and put it in a file on my computer. I wish I had thought of the idea of Pinerest, I have been doing that idea for years, only on my computer.

Anyway, here is this years Valentine along with a little tutorial. Happy Valentine’s to YOU, dear reader. Love and Kisses from me.

The years card is a take on “paper cut” designs. I found a design that I thought was fun, I had to alter it a bit as each of the centers of these cards is only 3.5” x 3.5”. I used all my gorgeous hand dyed fused fabric scraps to create 12 cards this year for the woman in my family. I have a special on the website with four of my favorite red fabrics. I hope you check it out.

Fused fabric “Paper Cut” Valentine Card

1. Fuse fabric scraps using WonderUnder #805.

2. Peel off the release paper from the fused fabric. Use the release paper and an extra fine sharpie marker
to trace a pattern to cut.

3. Place the marker side of the tracing on the fused side of the fabric and press with a hot dry iron.

4. Fold the fabric in half at fold mark and cut out a rough heart shape slightly larger than the design.

5. Place a rolled up piece of scotch tape between the two sides of the heart to hold them together while you cut out the design.

6. Using VERY sharp SMALL embroidery scissors cut around the design on the release paper. (Usually I take the paper off before cutting, the marker will transfer to the back of the fused fabric, but because the design is so intricate it is easier to cut with the paper on.)

7. Peel the paper off of the cut heart shape and open it up. Place the cut heart shape on top of another piece of fused fabric that is a different color.

8. Fuse the cut out heart shape to the second fabric.

9. Fold the second fabric in half and cut it out in a heart shape about 1/2 inch bigger than the cut design.

10. Open up the second heart shape and place on the backside of a rotary mat, using a decorative blade in your rotary cutter cut around the heart shape to give it a decorative edge.

11. Place the two fused together heart shapes on a preprinted card and press with a hot dry iron. (My cards are 4" x 6” the same size as the slot in my printer for photo paper. I used word to create word art that I printed onto the cards before I fused the hearts to them.)

12. Cut around the outside edge of the card stock with a decorative blade in your rotary cutter.

13. Sign the card and place in an envelope and mail to your special Valentine.

XX00
Don't forget to become a blog follower. Just click on the link at the top right to follow this blog and get a free pattern this month.

Madeira Rayon thread

2012-02-13T02:37:00.000-08:00

CLASSIC RAYON NO. 30, available in 714 yard spools and 3,300 yard cones A thicker viscose rayon which fills in quickly and reduces the stitch count and production time in large designs.
Advantages Of Madeira Classic Rayon Include:

Brilliant color with a silky luster
Smooth running and knot free
Available in 12, 30, 40 and 60 weights
Available in solid, shaded and multi-colors
Colorfast with high tensile strength
Maintains its soft "hand" even when the stitch count is high
Excellent washing and dry cleaning properties

This is the thread I like to use the most in my quilting. I came from a background of garment making and when you added top thread to a garment you wanted it to stand out. I have always felt that if I put that much time and effort into my quilting I want people to be able to see it, so I use a 30wt rayon.

It also comes in such yummy colors.

Notice that I use scotch tape to keep my thread from spooling out all over the place. I have tried all kinds of things to keep it from unraveling and this works well for me. I do use my threads all the time so the tape doesn’t get gummy and each time I put it back I use a new piece of tape. Scotch tape is pretty inexpensive to have and use.

When I quilt with this thread I use a size 90 embroidery needle.

I also don’t have this thread standing or laying down on or in my machine. I put it in a cup that sits behind my machine and then feed it up through the thread guide. Why you may ask do I do this? I started doing this a long time ago before my machine had a thread feeder and have gotten in the habit of doing this, I fine it lets the thread feed naturally and never puddles or tangles when I am quilting.

I used the 30 weight thread to outline all the design elements in this quilt. I used the 30# to do the feathers and the detail on the Jack in the Pulpit.

Thread Painting with Terry White

2012-02-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

Terry and I have an interesting history.

We ran into each other about five years ago at a small quilt show in Indiana. We were introduced and it turns out we attended the same high school. I was a few years OLDER and Wiser than Terry. Her brother was in my class, I really didn’t remember Terry, but she insisted she remembered me.

But what I find most interesting is that we both are working with fabric. Was it in the water where we grew up or what?

Terry you have developed a unique style in quilting. You make such beautiful thread painted images.
Thank you, Frieda. I do agree that you are much older than me…..okay, and much, much, much wiser!

How and why did you get so involved in drawing with thread?
Hand embroidery had been a part of my life since I was a child. I also would draw all my designs for embroidery, whether it was crewel, needlepoint, ribbon work, quilting or mixed thread techniques.
About twenty years ago, I developed “carpal tunnel syndrome”. It was pretty devastating. I couldn’t do hand needlework anymore. I couldn’t do too much drawing, either.
I was online and saw Ellen Anne Eddy’s work.

Yes Ellen is an inspiration to us all. I have an interview with her later in the month.
Then, I remembered that I had taken a class many years earlier from Lois Smith and I was pretty good at free motion work. So, I bought a sewing machine from a friend, Nancy Martin, and she showed me how to set up for thread painting. I went to using a straight stitch after she showed me a zig zag stitching technique. I like the straight stitch because then I could make the lines any way I wanted to. I found that hooping the work made it very easy on my hands so I could do intensive and intricate embroidery without hurting my hands. I can draw in short spurts without too much hand fatigue, so most of my drawing is for my machine needlework.

Detail of Run Rabbit Run, by Terry White

It took me about a year after doing a lot of experimenting before I did anything “Good”. I had a lot to learn about threads, stabilizers and fabrics and how they worked together. After a couple more years of experimenting and winning an award with my work, I was ready to teach. However, I still had a lot to learn.

You create your own designs where do you get your inspiration from?
Mostly nature. The wonderful lines, forms and colors found in my backyard teach me design. I also discover wonderful wrapping and other techniques by looking at the way things grow. I also am inspired by poetry, words and thoughts and funny things that happen with my family. Some of my works are visual jokes for my family and friends.

February Sun of the Month by Terry White

This is a great design, I wish I had made something like it. I love the weepy hearts.

You have been active in designing a new thread line with Coats and Clark, can you tell us about that?

My Stars thread line by Terry White

This is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I designed 24 multicolored Star Cotton threads for Coats & Clark! Wow, I have used Coats & Clark yarns and threads since I was a child, so this was a huge thrill for me. C&C also commissioned seven thread painted quilts which they have been using in their print advertising for the past couple of years. I also designed seven free projects for their website. star.com

What is your favorite type of needle to use with this thread?
I like to use a 90/14 machine embroidery needle. Whether I’m thread painting or using programmed decorative stitches, this needle lasts a long time and pierces the fabric in the right place for a neat, clean embroidery stitch.

Do you use stabilizer when you are thread painting? What kind do you like and why?

I use different stabilizers for different projects. For example; if the fabric is lightweight and the design is open, then a lightweight stabilizer is needed. For most of my dense work, I use three layers of lightweight interfacing and the interfacing is left in the work. It becomes part of the stitch structure and needs to stay to keep the stitches from distorting.

I know you have a book out with AQS, do you have any other products? Explain.
My first book with AQS is “Thread Painting Made Easy”. It is the culmination of my experiments and 10 years of teaching and learning. I wrote everything I know about thread painting in this book.

My second book with AQS is called, “All Beaded Up by Machine”. Hand beading was always a feature of my hand quilting and hand embroidery. I was determined to find a simple method for beading with the sewing machine that did not entail putting the needle through the bead. I did it! I developed seven different techniques for this process and wrote the book.

I had to invent a little notion called, “The Beadle” which helps to hold the beads in place as I couch over the bead string.

My third book with AQS is called,” Enhance Your Quilts-Embellish!”

Embellishment was always a feature of my hand embroidered and quilted projects. When I bought my first really good sewing machine, I began to explore all the possibilities of the decorative stitches and feet. Along with the explosion of cool novelty threads, yarns, beads, buttons, charms, fabrics, dyes and trims, there isn’t even enough time in this world to put together fantastic mixes to create embellished quilts. So, I tried to do some; based on classes and projects I’ve done in the past 10 years.

My silk ribbon would look great in your projects, I will have to send you some.
Scot (my husband) and I also produce teaching videos based on my work and classes. Some of the videos are companions to my books.

What else would you like to talk about?
I am a Bernina Artisan and I work with Havel’s Scissors. Yes, I like these too.
These are two companies providing beautiful products and also teaching the quilt world. Their websites have lots of free information and free projects.

Currently, I’m learning a lot about my Electric Quilt Program. I have patterns for sale on my website, but I’m focusing more on my design work to create a world of patterns for appliqué quilts. I’m also working with Seminole Patchwork patterns.

detail Bird Walk by Terry White

I’ll be teaching this year in Lancaster Pennsylvania at the AQS show. Oh too bad, I won’t be there but I will be at the AQS show in Paducah and Grand Rapids where I’ll have a booth and teach a class.

I’ll be at Quilt Market and Festival in Houston. I’ll be in Houston too, so I’ll see you there.
I’ll be at some other places teaching, too.

I have a couple of blogs, one on my flea market finds and the other on stitching projects.

So, I’m looking forward to the future and what I can contribute to the stitching world.

I’m thinking of my next book, I’m thinking of calling it, “Thread Painting Made Difficult”. What do you think of that, Frieda?

It sounds great Terry I can’t wait to see it and try out the techniques. Thanks so much for sharing your talent with all of us. You know I love you.

Terry’s designs are so whimsical and fun, a real feast for the eyes. I hope you will visit her website and become a follower of her blog.

Next week I’ll be talking about YLI thread and have an interview with my buddy Anne Fahl, so be sure to check back and send your friends over to take a look.

Whispering in your ear

2012-02-09T01:24:00.000-08:00

I have been talking about threads so far this month and will continue to share thread ideas and information with you all month. I just want you to understand that the opinions stated in this blog are my own, and – I approve this ad.

In other words I am sharing with you what I LIKE and use. You really have to try these products out and see if you like them too. There are lots of other products out on the market that are great.

I just don’t use them.

I wanted to share with you some of the places that I use the different threads I have talked about and will be talking about.

I have used a variegated Aurifil thread on the inside of the Pine boughs of Whispering Pines.

I used my favorite 30wt rayon on the silk in the background behind the Pines and then I again used the solid color 50wt Aurifil cotton in the border areas of the stripy units of this quilt.

Three different threads for three different results.

This quilt won Judge’s choice at IQA in Houston 2007. It is made with my varigated hand dyed cotton and silk charmeuse fabrics. As you can imagine, I was so happy.

Woven Heart Basket

2012-02-08T01:25:00.000-08:00

Woven Heart Basket

I first made these twelve years ago.

I got the idea from the paper heart baskets that the Scandinavian's put on their Christmas trees. I thought why can't I fuse the fabric and make these out of fabric. So I did.

This is a fun, easy project for you to make. You can down load the pattern here. if you sign up to follow my blog. Just click the link at the top of the page on the left side. Thanks

Make this for your special Valentine. You still have time.

Aurifil

2012-02-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

Here is my internet interview with Alex Veronelli, the USA representative of this fabulous thread. I first discovered Aurifil at the Chicago IQA show many moons ago, it may have even been in the year 2000. I have been using it ever since. It comes in rich yummy colors that I just can’t resist. Have I said before I LOVE color.

I AM a little bias, sorry. I think it is the way that it is displayed on the racks at the shows that just grabs me.

When and where was the company started? and by who?

Aurifil was founded in Milano by my Father and Mr Gregotti in 1983 on the idea to produce high quality threads and accessories for Italian Fashion Clothing and the High quality Bed Linen industry mainly. In 2000 my vision to open to new markets drove Aurifil into the Quilt & Patchwork World

Where does the cotton and wool come from?

The raw cotton is from Egypt where the weather conditions and the rich soil enabled the production of a better cotton. The term “Egyptian cotton Mako’” is usually applied to the extra long staple cotton produced in Egypt and favored for the luxury and upmarket brands worldwide. The limited production of extra long staple cotton, particularly the one suitable for cotton Mako, increases its exclusivity. The annual production of cotton is of 100 million bales. The long staple cotton produced each year makes 3 million bales, of which only 1 million and 200 thousands are exported!

Our Wool comes from Australia from the quality called Merino. Australian Merino is regarded by many as the finest and softest wool produced anywhere. It is a unique fiber, loved by fashion and apparel designers for its quality and versatility. Nothing else feels like it, looks like it, or wears like it.

I have been to Australia and the sheep look just like this. I think I probably saw this exact pair. Oh wait that might have been in New Zealand where the sheep outnumber the people!
Where is your thread manufactured?

I am proud to say 100 % made in Italy, after the raw material is imported : spinning , twisting , dyeing and rewind processes are made by a network of 4 small companies owned now by a 3rd generation of specialists and located all within 15 miles, each one spearhead in one of the steps, this is the base of Italian quality in textile.

What are your best sellers and why?

The 50wt cotton, thinnest of my threads (and my favorite!FA). Thinner thread means flatter seams and less bulk when multiple seams come together. It’s strong and doesn’t give off as much lint as others, Fine thread will emphasize your fabric choices and quilt designs. Quilters love it also in the bobbin. (YES this is where I use it all the time FA.)

What trends do you see happening in sewing today and for the future?

Even if I just decanted the deeds of the thinnest weight, I must admit I am taking consciousness that Crafters want to show more of their stitches nowadays : “ let your stitches be leading actors “ . For this reason I based all my 2012 Designers of the Month program http://auribuzz.wordpress.com/category/designers-of-the-month/ on my 12wt cotton that is the thickest of my threads .
Any new products on the horizon?

For the most no, I decided to focus the investments in research & marketing on the products already available on the market with the target to improve them even more, of course I am going to enlarge the actual range of 252 colors with new shades, keeping the card updated with the new trends of fabrics.

But I wish to uncover that a start of studying in order to develop a polyester thread is already on my timeline.
That was so informative and great of Alex to share with us his knowledge and information about one of my favorite thread companies.

I would be so happy if I had this case of thread in my studio!!

I am now carrying Aurifil 50wt cotton thread to match the colors of the ten rayon threads I sell on my website. I hope you will go check it out.

Bobbin, bobbin who’s got the bobbin

2012-02-03T13:03:00.000-08:00

What kind of thread do you use in the bobbin?

I’ll bet you don’t think about it that much, but it can really make a difference in your machine quilting experience.

Superior threads makes something called the Bottom Line. Designed by Libby Lehman for quilting, embroidery, bobbin, binding, and applique. 50 original colors and 5 NEW colors of 60 wt. lint-free polyester.

It is important to use good thread in your bobbin area to get good, clean and even results.

I think it is important to use a thinner weight thread in the bobbin. It does a couple of things to help you with your machine quilting. It keeps the bobbin thread on the back of your quilt because it is a thinner thread, and it makes the quilting lighter.

I always like to match the color of my bobbin thread to the color of my top thread. That way if I have any tension issues the thread colors will be the same.

Recommended Needle to use with The Bottom Line

Topstitch #80/12 or #70/10
This is a high quality thread that works well for machine quilting.

There are three main advantages of a Topstitch needle.
1. The point is sharp, but not razor sharp. It has a very slightly rounded sharp point with allows the needle point to penetrate without cutting the fibers. Many needles have a similar point.
2. Wider and deeper groove. All needles have a groove which runs up the shaft of the needle. The thread lies in the groove rather than along the outside of the needle. The groove on Topstitch needles is wider and deeper than most other needle styles. This is beneficial especially for medium, heavy, decorative, and sensitive threads.
3. The favorite feature of the Topstitch needle is the extra large eye. It is twice as large as most other needle styles. The large eye gives much more room for thread as it moves through the needle and greatly reduces stress on thread. From the Superior Newsletter.

Next week I am going to feature Aurifil Thread and show you examples of where I have used it in my work, as well as an interview with Alex Veronelli the US rep. for Aurifil. Stay tuned and tell your friends.

Gotta have it! -Thread

2012-02-02T01:35:00.000-08:00

What kind of thread do you use?

Do you machine piece and machine quilt your quilts?

I do.

Over the next couple of weeks I am going to be talking about thread and what kinds I use and what kinds some of my fellow quilt friends use.

I have also talked with several thread manufacturers and will share what they have to say with you as well.

The thing about thread is you need to use it and see if you like it. I have a big investment in thread and enjoy using lots of different kinds and colors. Have I said this before, COLOR is a big deal for me, I just LOVE IT.

Superior Thread is a great thread and thread information source.

I use several of their products.

They also offer a terrific newsletter with lots of wonderful information and resources.

This is a tip they shared in their newsletter. They gave permission to share it as long as I mentioned where it came from.

If you are using a top quality thread and the thread is fraying, shredding, breaking, or creating a lot of lint, either the needle is too small or the tension is too tight. It usually is just that simple.

I used Island Batik fabric to make my pattern Petite Dandelions that was featured in Quilt magazine in 2009.

I used Superiors Rainbows Trilobal Polyester 40 wt. high-sheen premium trilobal polyester thread with a one-inch color change interval. For embroidery and quilting.

It is hard to see the quilting in the dark green, but I think you can see color #820 on the inside of the oak leaves, and color #551 in the background behind the Dandelions.

You can see it tells you want kind of needle to use right on the end of the spool. It was a dream to quilt with.
I use a 50 weight cotton in the bobbin when I use this thread.

How do you know what needle to use for quilting, sewing, embroidering, and piecing?
From the Superior Newsletter

Topstitch style needle for nearly all applications including piecing (#80/12 needle), embroidery (#90/14), quilting (needle size depends on the thread size), general sewing construction/crafting (usually #80/12).

Top secret revealed: The bestselling brand of home machine needles puts the exact same needle in the Topstitch and Metallic needle package. It's the same needle. One needle, two packages = double the sales. Save your money. You do not need to buy both. This explains why we no longer sell metallic needles. The Topstitch style is the needle preferred by the professionals.

The one thing I know for sure is you don’t want to use OLD thread that you might have picked up at a garage sale. Treat yourself to new improved threads. And put in a new needle, you will be so much happier.

Love, Love, Love

2012-02-01T01:21:00.000-08:00

All you need is Love.

February is the month of Love.

Do you think that is because there is nothing else going on in the month of February?

Why not make this Valentine wall hanging to brighten up your space.

You can down load a free PDF pattern here. Have fun.
If you want to make it just like mine I have a fabric kit for you - 3 quarter yards of hand dyed fabric for $15. Order Here.

Are you a Dandelion?

2012-01-31T01:22:00.000-08:00

Doing something that not everyone understands.

I have long thought that the lowly Dandelion is much maligned as a flower. It is one the prettiest yellow flowers that exist in nature and it’s bloom is so sunny, velvety and bright.

I found this on the internet about Dandelions and if you want to read more about the Dandelion you can here.

Dandelion Overview:

While many people think of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) as a pesky weed, herbalists consider it a valuable herb that can be used as a food and medicine. Dandelion is a rich source of vitamins A, B complex, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc. Dandelion leaves are used to add flavor to salads, sandwiches, and teas. The roots are used in some coffee substitutes, and the flowers are used to make wines.
Traditionally, dandelion roots and leaves were used to treat liver problems. Native Americans also boiled dandelion in water and took it to treat kidney disease, swelling, skin problems, heartburn, and upset stomach. In traditional Chinese medicine, dandelion has been used to treat stomach problems, appendicitis, and breast problems, such as inflammation or lack of milk flow. In Europe, it was used in remedies for fever, boils, eye problems, diabetes, and diarrhea.
So far, there have not been any good quality scientific studies on dandelion. Today, the roots are mainly used as an appetite stimulant, and for liver and gallbladder problems. Dandelion leaves are used as a diuretic to help the body get rid of excess fluid.

Plant Description:

Hundreds of species of dandelion grow in the temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. Dandelion is a hardy perennial that can grow to a height of nearly 12 inches. Dandelions have deeply notched, toothy, spatula-like leaves that are shiny and hairless. Dandelion stems are capped by bright yellow flowers. The grooved leaves funnel rain to the root.

Dandelion flowers open with the sun in the morning and close in the evening or during gloomy weather, just like ME.

I was still piecing many of my quilts when I made my first fused art quilt - Dandelions.
Because I used the natural colors of the Dandelion I wanted to use a color behind them that would really make them pop and wow. The purple was a beautiful choice.

Dandelions greet me almost 9 months out of the year when I go into the woods near my home. My little woods is a natural old oak savannah so everything that grows in there grows up out of a bed of old dead oak leaves. Therefore I had to put the Dandelions on a bed of oak leaves. I like the idea that the leaves are not “brown” and dead looking. I feel as if the oak leaves are giving LIFE to the new Dandelion plant that is popping up out of those leaves.

I like to put borders on my quilts. I am influenced in my choices by liking traditional album style quilts. Many of those traditional quilts have flower or leaf borders. My border of oak leaves is just a little more modern.

Dandelions was the first quilt I made into a pattern. Since the original quilt was large at 40” x 50” when I made it into a pattern I called it Petite Dandelions. It seemed appropriate to me at the time.

This little quilt is made with one yard of my Rainbow stripe fabric.
You use different sections of the fabric for all the different parts.
I used the pink to purple part in the middle of the fabric for the background behind the dandelions.
I used the green end for the border fabric, leaves and stems, and I used all the other colors for the colorful oak leaves in the border.
And of course I used the bright yellow for the sunny dandelions themselves.

Darling Dandelions is the pattern that is in my book Fun Fast Fusies. I used the wavy decorative blade to make the two tone leaves in the middle of the quilt behind the more abstract looking Dandelion flowers.

Are you a Dandelion? Doing what everyone else thinks is out of place? I like that I am a Dandelion.

Be sure and check out Laura's Nancy's Notions E-book tablet keeper. It is her turn to reveal today.

Today is the last day to receive a free quarter yard of fabric for signing up to follow this blog. Tell all your quilting friends.

Small Autumn Mums - a fused collage class

2012-01-30T01:52:00.000-08:00

I just returned from teaching near Grand Rapids MI at the Western Michigan Quilters Guild.

I thought you would like to see a quick tour of one of my fusing classes – Small Autumn Mums.

A quick view of my fused collage class–Small Autumn Mums

Those quilters in Michigan sure do know how to have fun, and we had a fun time making the smaller version of my pattern Autumn Mums. A fused collage quilt.

20% Sale–Last Week

2012-01-27T02:07:00.000-08:00

May you always continue to find both the inspiration and the time to create!

For the month of January I am offering 20% of all fabrics, patterns, and notions!! This is your LAST WEEK of the sale!

What better way to start the new year than buying some special fabric for that new project. Prices haven't been this low since 2007.

Spend a little of that holiday loot on something YOU really want. Luscious luminous hand dyed fabric, books, patterns and notions.

Getting you in Shape to work

Get your studio in shape to be creative this year.
Keep and buy the things you need and clear out the stuff that you don't.
I have been cleaning, organizing and DE cluttering my studio space. If you missed it last week I did a tour of my studio.
A big part of this is letting go and getting rid of as much as I possibly can. It feels good. I have had a few good purging sessions, and what a difference it makes. It feels so nice to have a fresh start for the new year. I am dreaming of what I want my creative space to look and feel like. Change is good, and it is time for some change.

Here are a few ideas to get you started-

- reflect
What it was you did over the past year. I try to journal (not my favorite thing) and look at my goals regularly
Make that list of goals & to dos but be specific about it.

- Define success
What worked for you last year?
What didn't work for you?

- Commit
List four projects that you want to get accomplished
Set a time map for doing these projects. Write them on a calendar or create Pinterest account to guide your vision for creativity for 2012. Work on this over a period of time, say10 days, letting it morph and then develop it into an action plan.

- Go for itDon't wait for inspiration to strike. JUST DO IT!

- Identify and personalize strategies
Schedule regular time in the studio.
Turn off the phone and computer for at least an hour a day so that you can concentrate on your art.

- Create good habits
I look at creating art as my job and I treat it that way.
I keep regular studio hours

- Release what isn’t serving you
This is a hard one, as change takes effort. But if you can identify what isn't working and make a clean break, then do it.

- Set boundaries

ART Quilts - Fusible Collage
This past year Laura Wasilowski and I filmed three new episodes with Nancy Zieman of Sewing With Nancy.

These episodes are now airing, but you can have them right in your own home by owning the DVD.
Along with the TV series is a great new book from Sewing with Nancy called Art Quilts - Fusible Collage which is co-authored by Laura Wasilowksi, Nancy Zieman, and myself. It contains several great projects as well as all of the different collage-style methods of fusing that Laura and I use.

Order the book today. It is a 3 ring binder with laminated pages that you can pull out.

The Best of Quilting Arts
Quilting Arts has come out with a fantastic new book, The Best of Quilting Arts. It celebrates the first 10 groundbreaking years of QUILTING ARTS magazine with a collection of its best articles, projects and techniques including:
• quilt art techniques from fabric collage and appliqué to resist dyeing, stamping, and foiling;
• machine-stitching and thread-painting tips and tutorials from award-winning art quilters;
• ideas and advice for the professional quilt artist;
• an array of binding and stitching techniques to make your art quilt stand out;
• methods for making realistic representational art quilts, including portraits of pets and people.
And, I'm on the cover as one of the cover girls with my quilt Dancing Trees. Such an honor!!

Work Schedule
I am working all over the world again this year. You can see if I am close to you by looking at my web site under schedule. If you are close to any of these places, please stop in and say hello. I always love seeing, meeting and sharing with my quilting companions. Or ask your guild to bring me there to teach or lecture, I love to travel.

My thanks
Thank you for being a loyal customer and friend. I hope you will share this blogpost with your quilting buddies and become a follower on my blog too. It is free and will give you daily tips, techniques, and information that you can use in your quilting adventures. Everyone who signs up for my blog or gets a friend to sign up for it will receive a free 1/4 yard of my gorgeous hand dyed fabric. Just send me your name and address.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012 and add a little color and excitement to your daily grind, treat yourself to my 2012 Calendar.

Use it or Lose it

2012-01-26T01:56:00.000-08:00

I have three goals for myself as a quilter.

1. I want to someday make a Lone Star Quilt.

I will get there, just not right now. I have thought about the color choices a lot already.
I did do an eight pointed star in a few early quilt design.

This is a pieced quilt called “November, December, January and February. It is 82" x 82"
See that center eight point star and the chevrons that divide the squares, very Lone Star, don’t you think?

2. I want to use up all my fabric before I die. If I don’t use it someone else will. I don’t want all my fabric and quilting equipment to go to the Good Will or for my kids to have a big sale with all my sewing stuff. I want to use that fabric that I dyed or bought. I know I will find other fabric or dye another gorgeous combination that I will love just as much as the stuff that I am “Saving” for something special right now.
USE IT OR LOSE IT

3. I am not sharing my third goal with anyone, not even my DH.

Spring is just around the corner

2012-01-25T23:45:00.000-08:00

There was a TV commercial on the other night that used as it’s hook that spring was just around the corner, I looked at my husband and at the same time we both rolled our eyes.
Come on, spring is a good eight to ten weeks away.
But it got me thinking about spring. It is one of the reasons I made my Paper Keeper for Nancy Zieman using my Trillium pattern design.
I often hear in class where do you get your ideas? And I have shared with you over and over again where I get my ideas – from everywhere.
My pattern Trilliums is a perfect example of that.

Trilliums are some of the first wild flowers to bloom in the woods. I discovered that the Trilliums in my woods are the most common red kind, but there are all different colors of Trilliums. Years ago I saw huge Celadon light green ones when I visited Spring Green, WI. I would love to have those in my yard.
Trilliums was one of my first fused quilts. It measures 30” x 40” .

If you notice theseTrilliums are growing up out of a bed of dead old last year oak leaves, so when I designed my quilt I wanted to incorporate the oak leaves in the design. They have now become one of my favorite things to add to my quilts.

When I first made this quilt I didn’t want to use all “realistic colors”. I certainly used the green and deep pinks for the flowers and leaves, but then I needed something to set them off and let them show up on the background.
After “auditioning” many colors the blue seemed to be just right.

When I added in the first border I picked something that would make the background pop, my all time favorite neutral – lime green.

I have always loved the blue/green/aqua color combination. I think that stems from loving sky, grass and trees.

But when I went to add in the leaves in the outside border I choose to use the complimentary colors of green – pink, purple, and magenta for the oak leaves. I changed the scale of the leaves to give them more drama and because they needed to be big to even out the composition.

When I started making patterns I made a small version of Trilliums and called it Petite Trilliums. By the time I started designing patterns I was also producing my own hand dyed fabrics.

I used one yard of my hand dyed rainbow gradation to create the whole petite quilt top. The only colors I didn’t use where the yellows on the far right.

You can see that I used the middle section where the purple, magenta and fuchsia come together for the outside border. I used the area where the turquoise and blue merge to create the background behind the trilliums and I used the greens at the far left for the Trillium stems, leaves and beards. I used complimentary colors for the oak leaves and placed them against their compliment on the outside border.

This is one of my favorite patterns and quilts, I think because I get to see the Trilliums every year and they represent spring, but also because the colors are so clear and happy.

Step by Step

2012-01-23T02:00:00.000-08:00

Friday I showed you the Paper Tablet Keeper I made using Nancy Zieman’s Trace N Create templates.

Today I wanted to show you the steps to make it. It really was fun and easy and a nice change a pace from what I normally do.

The first step for me is always to find the fabric.

Look at all those gorgeous wicked fabrics. It was hard to pick just one.
One of my goals for 2012 to use as much of this fabric as possible.

The green really caught my eye. I thought it looked mottled and interesting woodland like the area the trilliums grow in.

I had already decided to use my pattern Petite Trilliums for the cover design.

After ironing and sewing two of the fabrics together to make the cover piece I also fused the back of the cover fabric.

The directions tell you to use a medium weight interfacing but I like the idea of the fusible web. I normally fuse my fabrics anyway. I used the template from the pattern to cut out a slightly larger than the template size background area to create the design. I knew I was going to machine quilt it and the quilting would shrink it a little so I made it bigger and trimmed it to size when the quilting was done.

To trace the design from the pattern I used the release paper that peals off of the fused fabric. I always use
WonderUnder #805 when I am fusing and a Sharpie extra fine black marker.

I used the Sharpie extra fine marker to trace the design. Once the design is traced I placed the marker side of the traced design against the fused side of my fabric and pressed with a hot dry iron. I will often cover it with another piece of release paper to protect the exposed fused areas on the rest of the fabric.

I always let the fabric cool down and remove all the release paper before I and cut out the design on the line that is transferred to the back of the fused fabric.

It helps if you use VERY sharp scissors so you get a clean crisp edge.

Once I had my design finished I added in a layer of Fairfield batting to the back, instead of the extra firm stabilizer that the directions call for.

One of the things I did as I was working with this pattern was to highlight the areas in the pattern that refer to the Paper Keeper part of the design.

The pattern has directions for several different applications and it just made it easier for me to keep track of what I was doing if I highlighted my parts.

Ok that’s it for now, I will finish up this project tomorrow.
See you then.

Paper Keeper Project

2012-01-23T00:22:00.000-08:00

Machine quilting the paper keeper cover

I hope you enjoyed the video. Please pass it on to your quilting buddies.
After I finished the machine quilting, I squared up the top to the exact size by placing the plastic template back on the front and trimming it to size.

I found it helpful to put a piece of doubled scotch tape in the corners and then place my ruler over the template and use my rotary cutter to trim up the sides.
Next I needed to add the snaps and create the tab. I had never used these magnetic snaps. I found them very easy to put in.

You mark where you want the snap to go and then cut two slits and fit it through. I added an extra piece of very stiff peltex to the underside to give it more strength.
Pay attention to what you are doing, because I cut on the wrong side of the tab the first time and had to add in another design element on the front over my mistake!! The second side of the snap goes on the inside of the tab.

Once you sew on the side tab and add in the inner fabrics with pocket you run a stay stitch around the whole outside to hold it all together so you can add your binding. This project called for a traditional binding but I made my a fused binding.

You can see a tutorial by pressing the tab that says FUSED BINDING at the top of my blog.

Once all the bindings are added you slip the plastic precut shapers inside this makes it a very sturdy tablet or paper keeper.

A pretty quick and fun project. I hope you all make yourselves one.
For more ideas and inspiration, I invite you to become a follower of my blog. Just click on the link to the right that says join this site.
Happy Sewing

Woodand Wonder

2012-01-19T12:25:00.001-08:00

I happen to run into Nancy and her assistant Deanna Springer at the Houston Quilt Market, and we had lunch. Poor Nancy and Deanna, I was getting sick and ended up with Streep Throat and they had to sit and share lunch with me, but don’t worry I didn’t kiss or hug them or anything like that.
Anyway, during lunch they were telling me about their new product and I of course had to get in on the action.
My version of Nancy’s Notion E-Tablet and Paper Keeper project.
I have said this many times before, I love Nancy Zieman, she is the nicest person in the quilt industry. Nancy is doing a blog tour of the Tablet Keeper makers. You can visit her site and sign up for prizes from Clover.

NancyZieman Trace n Create templates from Clover. This is for either an E-tablet and or Paper Tablet Keeper. I don’t own an iPad because I think it is redundant - I have an I-Phone, it can’t really do much more than my phone can the I-pad is just bigger.
I made my version of a Paper Tablet Keeper. I used my pattern Petite Trilliums for the jumping off point.

I have been making this really cool fabric lately. I want to use it in everything I make. I call it wicked fabric. I don’t sell this stuff because each piece is so individual. I really like it. and I am not ready to share it yet.
But I wanted to use it in this project. I thought it looked like the wooded areas where the Trilliums grow.
These are not the colors I used, but aren’t they great, I used greens and teals instead.
Initially I thought I would do earth tones like this little quilt.

Tiny Trilliums mounted on a peltex frame.
But as usual the whole opposite color combination theme really caught my eye when I was sorting through fabrics to use and so I went with deep teals and hot pink for the stems and flowers on the green background.

I just couldn’t resist using the deep purple and fuchsia for the oak leaf border.
An aside. My DH came down and wanted me to sign something while I was working on this. He placed the paper down and then looked at the project and said, I quote, “oh that’s really nice”. I nearly dropped over, he never comments, let alone says anything is NICE.

I love the inside too, I think it is so cool, it is also made using some of the wicked fabrics. I love the combinations that I choose, the blues and greens. They look like water don’t they?
I had a good time making this project and I will share with you the steps that I went through next week in a video.
Thank you for stopping by today to see my creation! For more ideas and inspiration, I invite you to become a follower of my blog. Just click on the link to the right that says join this site.
A big Thank You to Clover for providing the templates, shapers and hardware to construct this project! And don't forget to enter HERE for Nancy's drawing to win these great products from Clover:

Tomorrow’s big reveal

2012-01-19T04:19:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a project all week.

Here is a sneak look.

All will be revealed tomorrow.

Walk every Day

2012-01-18T02:11:00.000-08:00

I walk every day. Rain or shine, sleet snow it doesn’t matter, well I won’t walk when it is lightning out.

I have a little dog, George, and he needs to get out. I find so much pleasure and inspiration from my daily walks,and I miss them when I am on the road.
I know that I would not have that motivation to get out there everyday if it wasn’t for George.
This past summer I started walking around a man made thermal pond that was built to generate electricity for the new hospital that sits right beside the woods were we normally walk. And that definitely inspired me to make some new small art work.

My new series on Cat Tails and Prairie Grass were taken from these daily walks.

Walking everyday gives me topics to put into color and pattern. I love it.

How to be an ART Quilter in 7 easy steps

2012-01-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

Ha – got ya.

Step one – Find something that excites you. Working in a series is just repeating the same idea over and over again.

Do you like trees, dogs, cats, houses, sunsets, round things, square things, triangle things.
What ever it is start saving images of it.
Take pictures or sketch's of ideas that you have, or use Pinterest to keep track of the images you find that you like.
USE those empty notebooks, they are yours and NO BODY but you has to see what is in them. Then when they are full you can buy new ones

Step two – Start making thumbnail quilts. Little quilts that only take a day or half a day to make. Use fusible web. I like Wonder Under #805 and keep several bolts of it in my studio to work with. It is cheapest at Wal-Mart, if your Wal-Mart still has fabric or with a coupon. The stores always have coupons on the computer to print off.

Step three – Have lots of color choices to work with. If one color doesn’t work find another one. Get out that color wheel and play around.

Step four – Go out and see stuff, not just quilt shows, go to art exhibits, museums, public gardens. Take a walk, or a bike ride or a car drive. Turn off the TV and go to the library, go visit your favorite store and just wander around. I get great ideas just looking in the new book section of the library, or seeing design at Crate and Barrel or Ikea. PLAY!!!

Step five – It’s ok to steal ideas. Nothing comes from no where, BUT change the idea to make it your own.

Step six – Do the work, if you make it once and it doesn’t work out, rework it and make it again until you are happy.

Step seven - Believe in yourself - because if you don’t – No one else will.

We make our own destiny we don’t wait for it to fall in our laps.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness

2012-01-16T01:16:00.000-08:00

It is not often that my studio is presentable.
Laura and I have started to film a series of “How to Videos” and I had to clean my studio space.
I might as well show it to you while it is clean because who knows when that will happen again.
Enjoy.

Frieda Anderson Studio space

A guide to color talk

2012-01-13T02:13:00.000-08:00

Talky talky talky – words always come out of my mouth mangled. I wonder if I have a disconnect in my brain. BUT images stay there a long time. I try to connect an image with a word when I really need or want to remember it.

Here are some of the words used for color.

Hue – That is just another name for color; red, yellow, green, orange etc.…

Tint – Color +WHITE while pink is a color all it’s own it is a tint of red a lighter version.

Tone – Color +Black, I add black to my hand dyes to create what I call blackened colors.

This is my Blackened Rainbow gradation.

Key color - Dominant color in a color scheme or mixture

Neutral – Grey a combination of black and white, or any color that is non descript.

I like to call Frieda Green a neutral and I find it often works that way for me.

Intensity or Chroma - the brightness or dullness of a color

Rainbow Gradation are all bright colors, there are 14 bright full strength colors in this gradation.

Value - the lightness or darkness of a color

The values in Winter Sky go from black to light grey.

You can keep these words in your brain and associate the pictures I have provided.

Have a great weekend.

And then there was color

2012-01-12T02:48:00.000-08:00

Finding different color combinations can be very easy.

On the back of your color wheel there are already defined sets that you can follow.

Mono-chromatic: Using any shade, tint or tone of one color. This is one we all do all the time and in fact is one of the things I do with my fabric gradations – Raspberry, Pine Green, Mulberry Blue and Ochre are all monochromatic gradations.

Analogous: Using any shades, tints or tones of colors that lie adjacent to each other on the wheel.

I already showed you my pattern quilt Duluth Trees that was made using analogous colors, but here is another quilt

Hidden World that is a pieced quilt with an analogous color theme of blue, green and blue/greens.

Split Complements – Choosing one color and using the color on each side of its complement on the color wheel. Red and Green are complimentary colors, if I choose green then the the colors on either side of red are red/violet and red-orange. See the triangle there in the middle of the wheel it is pointing to green and then on the other side of that triangle are the colors red-violet and red-orange.

The center part of the wheel rotates around so you can choose different colors to work with.

Triad – using three colors equally spaced from each other.
Tetrad – a contrast of four or more colors on the wheel. There are two sets of tetrads one rectangle and square.

I just love playing with color and having lots of color choices.

Go get that color wheel and start fooling around. You can have color too!

Fun and Games

2012-01-11T00:18:00.000-08:00

I found a really fun and I think useful new website. When I say new I mean new to me.

Go to Color Scheme Designer three and check it out. I had a ball just moving the little dots around inside the color wheel and looking at the color schemes change on the right side of the page. I will definitely go back again and again and use this site. I hope you do to.

This site lets you play with color just like you would with a color wheel only more so. The site illustrates well the principals I was talking about yesterday and in an interactive creatively fun way.

Good enough to eat–Color

2012-01-10T02:39:00.000-08:00

Color is like chocolate, you just have to have it.

It’s one of the reason I enjoy hand dying my own fabrics, to get rich yummy color.

I love working in COLOR, it always makes me happier, I don’t know about you but for me, living here in the mid-west where winter is long and cold and grey and dreary, it really helps to play and work with bright things.

When I am teaching I hear the students say they don’t know what colors to use. I think this is a common problem.

I have several basic and simple ways that I work with color. If you are any thing like me you like to know how other people work so I’ll share my process.

Color theory can be learned and practiced just like everything else. You just have to keep trying. Placing different colors next to each other and referring to the wheel. If you don’t have a color wheel it is well worth the little money it costs to get one, they are not very expensive.JoAnn’s, Dick Blick and all the craft places carry them.

The first way I often work with color is to use complimentary colors.

These are the colors that are opposite from each other on the color wheel.

You can see that Yellow is opposite Violet, and Blue is opposite of Orange, and Red is opposite of Green.

Just picking those colors you already have a successful color combination.

If we flip the color wheel over to the other side you can see the two triangle and two rectangle guides for relationship choices, as you turn the wheel the arrow points to a pure color in the outer row and then the split complementary color choices or the tetrad color choices. It makes it pretty easy to decide on what colors will work well together.

Complimentary color - In my award winning quilt “Dandelions” I used those opposites on the color wheel to help make this quilt POP.

Yellow and purple are the opposites on the color wheel. That was an easy choice. I know I was going to make the Dandelions bright yellow and placing them against the purple made a dramatic statement.

Analogues Colors - And then for the border I used analogues colors – using any shades, tints, or tones of colors that lie adjacent to each other on the wheel.

Also a no brainer because it didn’t distract from the center of the quilt, but carried out the color theme in still a bright and fun way.

My hand dyed fabric combo – Purple Pulp has pink, purple and magenta in it in different tints; color that is lightened. That makes it easy for you to use them together in a quilt.

Appy Appy Appy to annouce

2012-01-09T00:31:00.000-08:00

I really like Nancy Zieman. There is no body in this business who is nicer!

Frieda, Laura and Nancy this past month doing the pledge drive.

And I am so happy PBS has announced that Sewing With Nancy has been chosen for a PBS app for Apple products—iPad, iPhone, and iPod. Still in the trial stage, the app is available through the Wisconsin Public TV site.
Here are the directions to use the app.

Watch Sewing With Nancy on your iPad, iPod or iPhone!
I’m happy to announce that we’ve partnered with PBS to bring you Sewing With Nancy on the PBS app for iPads, iPods, and iPhones! The app is free, all you need is an internet connection to watch the latest episodes. The videos have been specially built for the iPad screen; we hope you think they look terrific.
The initial setup process is a little wonky – it requires you to “localize” the app to Wisconsin Public Television, where I film the show. We’re working with PBS to make this better, but for now here’s how to get my show on your device anywhere in the U.S.:

iPad users can download the app here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pbs-for-ipad/id398349296?mt=8

After you’ve installed the app, in the upper left corner click “select station.”
Select “Find by Zip” and enter 54481. (This may not be your zip code, but please enter this number.)
Select “Over the Air” and then click the Wisconsin Public Television logo.
In the left column menu, choose “Programs” and scroll down to Sewing With Nancy. You’re all set!

iPhone or iPod touch users can download the app here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pbs/id410053365?mt=8

After you’ve installed the app, in the bottom right corner click “More” and then the “Settings” tab at the top.
Click “Select New Station.” In the upper left corner you’ll see a link titled “Location.” Click that.
Click the “Find By Zip” link and enter 54481. (This may not be your zip code, but please enter this number.)
Scroll to the bottom to select “Over the Air” and then click WPT 38.
In the bottom menu, choose “Programs” and scroll down to Sewing With Nancy. You’re all set!

You always have the option to remove the WPT localization, or choose your local PBS station. Please give it a whirl and let me know what you think!

This is our latest project with Nancy, the book and DVD are on sale this month on my website for 20% off, just in case you don't WANT to down the app but would rather have us all to yourself!

Some things are just meant to be - 35 year anniversay

2012-01-08T02:31:00.000-08:00

Some times I think things are just meant to be.

Me at 4 years of age one Christmas morning. Gun belt, Barbie doll and suit case, oh yes gloves?

My husband Brett one Christmas at about 3, Cowboy outfit, rocking chair and teddy bear.
Some things are just meant to be.
35 years together today.

The emphasis is on Unity

2012-01-06T02:11:00.000-08:00

Emphasis - Force or intensity of expression.

I hate unfocused work. When you look at something you shouldn’t have to wonder,
“Where is the focus?”

The focus in Organic Leaves, one of the projects in my book Fun Fast Fusies, is in the leaves. This whole quilt measures 24”x24” and was constructed using ONE yard of my hand dyed rainbow fabric.

This was easy to do because I used contrasting colors to create the focus of the piece, orange on blue or pink on green, and all of the colors I needed to that were in one yard of the hand dyed rainbow fabric.

Of course this is a fused wall quilt, but you could also make it as a pieced quilt if you like to work that way and really my table runner which is pieced, Aspen Leaves, is just a variation on a theme.

Instead of all the colors in the rainbow I restricted my color palette to browns and oranges with an accent of blue/green (orange and blue are opposites on the color wheel).

The background fabric on this project is one of my gradated fabrics similar to Pumpkin Patch or Forest Floor. The kit for this pattern has the exact fabric you see, a gradation from navy to orange.

Something else that needs to be considered when working free style like I have in Organic Leaves and Aspen Leaves is -

Unity- Coordination of the parts into a complete composition.
This is a question you should always ask yourself when you are working on a new piece, is there Unity?

The unity of Laughing Leaves and Aspen Leaves also lies in the use of similar but varying leaf shapes. Repetition

But for Aspen Leaves there is also a unity of color, the color in the background and the leaves moves through a range of one color to another so that there is a “smoothness” in the movement or a unity.

Sometimes I think people just slap thinks down and think they can call it art.

NOT

Take your time, be proud of what you make and always, always sign your work.

Harmony–do you have any?

2012-01-05T02:51:00.000-08:00

Contrast, harmony

Oh those words frighten me. They seem so vague and non solid. I like words that describe things. But these words can help you with your design work.
Contrast -

Two opposing elements, opposite colors, contrast in value, contrast in direction or contrast in textures.
Try to use all of the above ideas when you are working on your quilting. I do.

In my Star Lilies pattern, green and pink are opposites on the color wheel, so the flowers literally vibrate with excitement.Same idea with Field Poppies, Red, a dark version of pink, and green are two of my favorite color combos for drama and attention grabbing appeal.

I LOVE to use opposing colors on the color wheel. And you should too, because they will make your work vibrant and interesting. This month all fabric, notions and patterns on my website are 20% off.

You can start the new year right with fabulous color or design. Don’t wait to try something new.

Harmony-

Is the visual effect of using similar and related elements.

Because I limited my color choices and used what are called “analogous” colors on the color wheel; blue, aqua and green, colors right next to each other, Duluth Trees has a harmonious feel to it. And because I added a “punch” of bright lime green this quilt pattern glows. It would be perfect in your cabin or friends cabin, or really any room of the house. It has a very elegant modern appeal.

You can buy similar gradation fabrics on my website.

I just dyed a new batch of Blue Sunset and Easter Egg, each would work to make your own version of this quilt in a slightly different but similar color combination.

Because my fabrics are gradated one color to another on the same piece of fabric, they give you so many more choices to work with. Or of course you could just buy the pattern and kit at a 20% discount this month.

Tomorrow Emphasis and Unity.

Where is your balance?

2012-01-04T02:15:00.000-08:00

The Principles of design can be thought of as how the elements of design are combined in a composition to successfully bring it all together.
Yesterday I wrote about basic marks - point, line, shape and direction that could help you with your designs.
Today let’s look at balance, gradation and repetition.
Balance is -
How the weight of each block or element is distributed in the the composition.

The balance in “Dark Sister Trees” comes from the trees and hills. The trees are centered in the block and take 2/3 of the space, while the hills are the bottom 1/3 of the space. The balance is also achieved by using dark and light colors.
Gradation-
Gradation of size and direction produce linear perspective. The placement of the hills and trees.
Gradation of color from warm to cool and value from dark to light produce aerial perspective. The warm hills on the bottom and the cool sky behind the trees give that perspective.
Gradation adds interests and movement to shapes and can direct or control eye movement.
The gradation in “Dark Sister Trees” is used in all those ways.
Repetition -
Variation can be interesting, repetition without variation can be static. Repetition can create Rhythm.
I created rhythm with the repetition of the trees and the hills but because they are not the exact same shapes they are not static but interesting and eye moving. You want the eye to move across the plain of the scene.
You want to create interesting quilts. Understanding design can help you because you will feel more confident in what you make.
Tomorrow we will discuss more ideas about design.

Design–Point, line, shape

2012-01-03T00:05:00.000-08:00

If you have never taken any kind of art class, it can seem over whelming to understand when people talk about the principles of design.

The principles of design can be thought of as how the elements of design are combined in a composition.

Let’s review some of the principles.

1. Point – the smallest bit of visual information.

In my quilt “Spring Rain”, it is easy to say the points are the red buds on the trees. They are the smallest bits of visual information on this quilt.

2. Line – A point in motion, marks made with a tool or a finger, on the edge created when two shapes meet.

In my quilt “Beyond the Hill” the line is easy to define.

There is line where the elements all meet between the colors of the hills and sky.
There is line in the grass in the foreground.

3. Shape – A shape is a self-contained area of geometric or organic form. A positive shape in a composition creates a negative shape. Shapes have mass and volume.

The shapes in this composition are the hills, the sky and the trees. Of course the grass are also a shapes since they have some mass.

4. Direction – All lines have direction – horizontal, vertical or oblique. (Having a slanting or sloping direction, course, or position; inclined.)

By changing direction of the grass in the foreground of “Beyond the Hill” I have created the illusion of movement in the design.

Heavy Metal

2012-01-02T01:49:00.000-08:00

I gave up using metallic threads YEARS ago. They were too much trouble.
But now I know how to deal with them.
My friend Ann Fahl has written a great little guide to help all us metal head wanna be’s Master the Metallics.
If you have ever tried to use Metallic thread in your machine quilting and been frustrated, then this guide is the ticket for you.
I believe you will be truthfully guided to success using Ann’s advice.
The table of contents list -
Using Metallic thread

programmed stitches
free-motion embroidery
free motion quilting

Twisted vs. flat
More tips
Check list
Resources
and much more.
Machine Quilting using Metallic thread, on my hand dyed fabrics would dazzle and delight all who gazed upon it.

The New Year begins

2012-01-01T05:30:00.000-08:00

From our family to yours have a very happy and productive new year.
I hope you make a small list of things that you would like to get accomplished this year.
I hope YOU make that list happen.

Lo and behold A Cover Girl

2011-12-30T01:18:00.000-08:00

Quilting Arts has come out with a fantastic new book - The Best of Quilting Arts - Celebrate the first 10 years of groundbreaking QUILTING ARTS magazine with a collection of the best articles, projects and techniques.
• quilt art techniques from fabric collage and appliqué to resist dyeing, stamping, and foiling;
• machine-stitching and thread-painting tips and tutorials from award-winning art quilters;
• ideas and advice for the professional quilt artist;
• an array of binding and stitching techniques to make your art quilt stand out;
• methods for making realistic representational art quilts, including portraits of pets and people.
And I'm on the cover as one of the cover girls with my quilt Dancing Trees! Such an honor. Of course this quilt is made with my hand dyed fabrics.
Quilting Arts is one of my favorite magazines.
I have been fortunate enough to have several articles appear in this publication over the years.
My article on machine quilting is the second article in the book.

You really need to get this one.

Sketchbook ideas

2011-12-29T05:37:00.001-08:00

Besides sketching in a sketchbook I also paste in a design book.
This is something we were encouraged to do in art school. And I like the process of doing it.
Here are a few examples of pages of images from magazines that I have in binders.
I now have about four binders FULL of images that some how caught my attention.
I buy clear plastic pages and just keep adding images that I like.
I go through these binders when I am stuck for ideas and am looking for inspiration.
Inspiration and ideas have to come from somewhere they don’t just POP into your head from nothing.

Take notes while you learn

Always be taking notes, whether you're reading, listening or watching. I keep notes when I am hand dying my fabric .
Center your notes around your goal.
Taking notes helps you engage with the material: you'll remember more of it.

Calendar 2012

2011-12-28T01:46:00.000-08:00

A new year.
A new calendar

January – Illinois Farm fields

February – The Drive Home

March – Sister Trees

April – Jack in the Pulpit

May – Iris

June – Cat Tails 1

July – Wisconsin Farm fields

August – Prairie Grass

September – Fall Sister Trees

October – Prairie Moments

November – Storms coming

December – JOY

Something to brighten your walls all year long.

Dream a little dream for me

2011-12-27T01:02:00.000-08:00

I am a dreamer.
In many ways I am a dreamer.
I day dream all day long when I am working in my studio. Do you?

I dream about the quilts I want to make and design them in my head over and over again.
I also have very vivid night dreams.
The other night I dreamed about a quilt. I haven’t done that in a long time.
I try to keep a notebook by my bed so I can make a quick sketch before I lose the images.
Do you keep a note book or sketchbook?
You should!!
No one has to see it but you.

Some times when I feel stuck or uninspired I can leaf through my notebook and ideas start to flow and before you know it I am off and running and working on a new project.

Go get a brand new sketch book for the new year. Write 2012 on it and start dreaming the new dreams.

Passing the tradition

2011-12-26T02:49:00.000-08:00

My husband’s grandmother was Norwegian.
When we were first married she and I made these traditional Norwegian cookies together.

I can still see this little 80 year old woman who lived alone in the same house she was born in, whipping cream by hand for the recipe for these cookies. Her little body moving a mile a minute. She was so happy and cherry.
I love traditions and hope that this one will continue.
SO I bought one of my new daughters a new “electric” KrumKake iron and hopefully we will continue the tradition.

Deck the Halls

2011-12-25T01:08:00.000-08:00

My sister in law sent me this. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
My husband is from Minnesota.
The first year we were married we lived in Mpls while he attended graduate school at the UofM.
It was the coldest winter I EVER experienced.
ENJOY

MERRY CHRISTMAS

The Gift of Generosity

2011-12-24T04:30:00.000-08:00

The True Meaning of Generosity

True generosity arises out of unconditional caring and compassion for another. Each of us is dependent upon others for our blessings. We flourish or perish together through interwoven acts of generosity arising from the benevolence and integrity of others, many of whom we shall never meet. This is the power of generosity. When we mindfully practice generosity, we come into contact with its joyful, healing power.

Practicing generosity is the intention to find release from attachment to gratifying our ego needs by giving freely of what we have that is of value.
What we have to give may be material in nature, or it may be our time, energy, or wisdom.
We practice generosity to eradicate the attachments that come from our feelings of scarcity and separateness.
The practice of generosity allows us to see the world from the point of view of what we have and what we have to give, instead of seeing it from the perspective of what we don’t have and desperately want.

For your reflection:
During this season of gift giving, reflect on how you might practice generosity throughout the year. There are many ways to cultivate an attitude of generosity in daily life. Here are just a few that I hope will be easy to remember:
Be generous with your attention when you’re listening to someone.
Be generous in celebrating another person’s happiness.
Be generous with your sympathy toward someone who has experienced loss.
Be generous with your compliments and praise of others.
Be generous with your unconditional respect of others.
Be generous with your willingness to be helpful.

Visit www.dharmawisdom.org
for additional articles, talks and meditations

I wish you and yours a happy and healthy Holiday Season.

Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing…

2011-12-23T02:38:00.000-08:00

I love the angels in my collection. Yes another collection, I guess I have a few.
Each is so special. I don’t tell people I collect angels because I don’t want people giving me any old angel.
My mom gives me some though.

This is our Christmas tree. That’s my Tree Skirt from the Quilting Arts Gift Issue!! Yummy isn't it. It is made with my Winter Reds, and Grass Green gradations.
This is the size tree I am going to have from now on. It is perfect, easy to get and FRESH. I refuse to have a fake tree.
I only put angels on my tree.

Felted angel made by my friend Randi, so sweet.

Scherenschnitte - Paper cut angels, made by my friend Kirsten.

Lois gave me this one last year, made from a tatted hankie.
This one is extra special because, you know that is my other real obsession, collecting tatted hankies.

Santa of the Year

2011-12-22T01:49:00.000-08:00

2011 Santa of the Year. Made by artist Jamie Young.

And his reindeer.

Santa Claus is REAL

2011-12-21T01:10:00.000-08:00

Nothing says Christmas like the perfect Santa.

I collect Santa’s.
I collect many things but Santa’s is one of the happiest collections.
It’s a fun collection and it promotes such happy memories when I begin to unpack them each year for their yearly trip into the real world.
Here are just a few of the Santa’s I have in my collection.
Do you have a collection? I'd love to hear what it is.

I stated collecting Santa Clauses a long time ago, probably when we first got married. I just love the imagery of a jolly fat man.

I like to treat myself to a new one each year.

I usually like ones that are kind of quirky.

It becomes a great treasure hunt to find one that appeals to my sense of humor or style or whatever it is I can’t explain. I really don’t like people to give me Santa’s, because I like to pick out my own.

The one on the far left is from my oldest son.
In the last month of my pregnancy of my eldest son, I had a dream that as I was leaving the hospital with him in my arms he turned into a monkey and leaped out of my grasp, scampering down steep steps that loomed ahead disappearing into a sewer drain. I know bizarre.
I tell him this story from time to time and we all laugh, we was born in the year of the Monkey according to the Chinese Calendar.
Last year he found that Santa with a monkey made out of wood. It was his Christmas present to me. No one else I think would really appreciate it.

I made this Santa in 1992. His robe is made of silk jacquard. It has a beautiful piece of tatted lace running down the center of it.
White Mink trims the cuffs and hat of his costume. My mom had a white mink coat and I had the trimmings from it.
His beard is made of 100’s of white buttons crocheted together. Many from my grandmothers button box.
I just love him.

This guy is a real hoot. He is made of paper Mache and riding on a cow. The artist also had one riding a pig and I would have loved to have that one, but the pig was just too pale in color and didn’t really look as fun.
Check out his face, he looks so excited.
Santa is REAL.

It’s a Happy Holiday

2011-12-20T04:53:00.000-08:00

Don’t you just love getting out all those ornaments. I mean it is a chore and it takes time, but putting on the Christmas music and unwrapping each one brings back such memories.

Like who was born that year, and what the kids gave you. I just love it.

These are just some of my decorations this year.

I have been collecting Oreforr Ornaments since 1985.

I do like them.

They always look so pretty in the window, they are really too heavy for the tree.

Just do it

2011-12-19T05:50:00.000-08:00

Just do it -

Carve out an hour today (ideally, that starts right now. Don’t tell me you can’t — you were going to spend the next hour reading blog posts and twitter anyway) and work on the Big Uncomfortable Important Thing.
If you don’t have an hour, spend 20 minutes. And put an hour in your schedule for tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that.
Use a timer. Work up to the full hour if you have to.

Because Big Uncomfortable Important Things are uncomfortable, you will immediately be tempted to go complain about something on Google+. Therefore, you need to turn off your distractions of choice.

Not all day, don’t panic. Just for an hour.

(Yes, your mobile, too. If you are not a brain surgeon, they can wait for you for an hour. Tell them you were in the toilet.)

Here is my original sketch for what I call “lemon tree”

This is the fused quilt I made from that sketch. And NOW I am working on a pieced version. It will be my big uncomfortable thing today.

Here is that quilt on the cover of the new
the best of Quilting Arts. You can get this book at Amazon or Quilting Arts.

I have a very nice article about machine quilting in the book.

That is Melody's quilt on the top there and she has a nice article about design.

Laura and Judy have articles in there too.

Treat yourself to a really good resource book for your stocking today.

I’m singing and dancing in the snow

2011-12-18T02:33:00.000-08:00

Just singing and dancing in the snow, da ta da da, da ta da ta da da …. Sarah will be singing and dancing in the house when she gets this package of goodies.

Random number # 316

sosarahsew has left a new comment on your post "The ZEN of winning":
One of my goals this year is to make a crazy quilt. I have been saving all kinds of things like Minky, corduroy, flannel-backed satin, scraps from Texture Magic projects, chenilles. I would love to add your collection to the mix. Thanks for the chance to win!

Sarah you will be able to complete your goal for next year. The treasures in this package are right up your alley. I want to able to post what you have done with all of this by the end of 2012, so get busy.

MERRY HOLIDAY SEASON to all of you!!

And thanks everyone for stopping by and leaving comments.

The ZEN of winning

2011-12-17T02:12:00.000-08:00

Take a deep breath and exhale -
I will win
I will win
I think I can
I DID!!
I hope you all win, but in reality I only have one big give away.
It is …TA TA TA DA

12 over dyed white on white fat quarters in a rainbow gradation
1/2 yard piece of silk organza in Christmas green
1/2 yard piece of silk/cotton blend in Christmas fuchsia/red
10 yards of 4mm silk ribbon in Christmas fuchsia/red
AND a gorgeous fat quarter of silk/rayon velvet in green – this stuff is to dye for!

You can make some fabulous stuff with all these goodies, and I expect to see results from some lucky winner, so leave me your comments and GOOD LUCK .

I have had a blast putting this all together and reading your comments. I hope you will all come back often and continue to leave me your thoughts.

I love hearing what you have to say and I have learned a thing or two in the past week. Remember if your not having fun, don't do it.
ooops yesterday's winner was random number #20 -
Jean said...

Once again, another beautiful array of color! I just love those shades of purple!

Is your stash in danger of being colorless?

2011-12-15T23:07:00.000-08:00

Well we will fix that TODAY.
Today we are giving away a 7 step gradation from yellow to magenta!!
There is no lack of color here.

These colors will pop out and grab you.
Look OUT!!

What does this color combination remind you of?

Yesterday’s winner of Lavender Love random number # 13 - AnnMarie.

I can only hope that this little bundle will be as loved by you as it has been by me.

Tomorrow is the big day Ladies and Gents. THE BIG give away.
Here is a little sneak peek at what you will be vying for tomorrow.

I hope you will leave a comment about sharing,
Pass me off to a friend and
Join my followers on the blog.
Then we can all have a very merry holiday!!

Lavender LOVE me now

2011-12-15T02:02:00.000-08:00

I love the smell of lavender in my garden, bath and drawers.

It is so French.

Can’t you just see yourself in the south of France, eating cheese and drinking wine.

I know I can. I’m ready to go who’s with me, raise your hand?

This four step fat quarter gradation packet – Lavender LOVE- is your ticket to paradise. I’ll even tuck in a little lavender sprig from the garden to make you feel ready for the trip. .

Tell me what you think of when you smell lavender

My quilt Iris in my my book Fabric To Dye For. Such a wonderful use of the color Lavender LOVE.

Yesterday’s winner of In search of Brown- is Cedar Ridge Studios. Woo Woo, send me your snail mail address so you can start using those fabrics in a fabulous design.

I would love it if you would click the followers button on the right and become a faithful follower.

In search of Brown

2011-12-13T23:25:00.000-08:00

Let’s start with the most important part of the day – who won yesterday!! Raspberry Splash will be going to Randomnumber #28 – sue viall said...
Omg I pressed the wright button,it was not a raspberry colored one that's why I couldn't find one !!! I love that color,my nails are purple. Let’s see how splashily you can make use of these raspberry colors!! email me your address frieda@friestyle.com and I will send this packet to you.

I have spent a lot of time in search of the perfect brown. And what I have discovered along the way is that 60%orange and 40%blue is the perfect brown. While I am not a brown kinda gal, I do love to use it especially in the winter.This combo is is a seven step fat quarter gradation from Orange to Violet with some really pretty browns in the middle. All you brown and blue people should love this.
Leave me a comment today about brown.

Why you like brown
How you have found it helpful in your sewing room

Pine Trees
Notice the Brown behind the Pine Trees!

Warning - Color Ahead

2011-12-13T01:29:00.000-08:00

This has been really fun. Yesterday’s winner of Limey Avocado Dippity Do Da is randomnumbr.com #9 – Wanda Hansen. Email me Wanda with your snail mail frieda@friestyle.com

Raspberry Splash is today’s special. You could serve this over ice cream it is so rich and delectable.
Some things you need to do today are -

Leave me a comment with your favorite raspberry item. I don’t care what it is, fruit, jacket, sweater, boots what ever you have that is raspberry colored that you really love.
Two sign up to follow me on the RSS feed. That is the button on the left that says followers.

Don’t worry you won’t get any emails it just posts to your blog reader and boosts my ratings.

Prairie Moments I

I have finally decided what the big Saturday give away will be. It is nice and I think you will be happy you have been playing along.

So be sure to keep coming by and leaving comments and don't forget to pass this blog along to more of your quilting friends.

Clarification

2011-12-12T05:45:00.001-08:00

Blog Hop giveaway here on Walks in the Woods. There has been some confusion about the comments that people have left so far concerning the fabric packet give a ways.

Each day until Saturday December 17th will be a different fabric packet give away.
In order to qualify for that day’s fabric packet drawing you need to leave a comment on that day.
All comments that do not win on a given day will be entered in the final drawing which will take place on Saturday December 17th for the grand prize.

Good Luck

Limey Avocado Dippity Do Da

2011-12-12T01:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterdays winner of Yummy Yellow is randomnumber.org pick #22 -
Linda said... yes yes yes to yellow...........i love your fabric, quilts and you!! - send me your address so I can send these on their way.

This is the fourth day in the Blog Hop Give Away. Limey Avocado Dippity Do Da is the pick today.

At the end of today this six fat quarter fabric packet that grades from lime to purple will be given away to one commenter picked by random numbers.com. All commenters will be added to the grand prize pick that will happen on Saturday. I still haven’t decide what to give as the grand price. Please help me decide.

I love to use green and purple in my work but tell us what you love about.
Tell me what I should be giving away as a grand prize.
Remember to pass this on to your quilty friends.

My quilt Beyond the Hill

A Black and White Tale

2011-12-11T12:33:00.001-08:00

There is a neat little gift item out there for quilt and cat lovers. A Black and White Tale is a book full of Ann Fahl’s quilts about her cat Oreo, in delightful color. There is still time to order it from www.annfahl.com or amazon.com. Thirty four quilts illustrate the light verse written by Jacquie Scuitto is perfect for yourself or sharing with a child. There is a special section in the back of the book giving the back stories of each quilt pictured in the book. It’s small in size but big in color and is sure to delight anyone that opens it!

You can read more about it at http://www.annfahl.com/ann2/blackAndWhiteTale.php

Orders received by Dec 16 should arrive for the holiday.

Yellow will brighten your day

2011-12-11T02:22:00.000-08:00

This is the third day in the Blog Hop Give Away.

Today’s give away is yummy yellow, this is a five step gradation ending with my favorite pucky green. Pucky green is what you get when you add black to yellow in the dye process, one of my all time favorite combos.
This packet will definitely brighten your day, especially if you live in the Midwest where it is grey 80% of the winter. In fact this packet could keep you from going insane this winter, just saying.
I will pick the winner at midnight tonight by doing to random numbers.com, so be sure and leave a comment about why YOU deserve this yellow packet and don’t forget to tell a friend about the blog giveaway.

Yesterday’s winner of Orange you glad you like fabric is – Karen - Orange is my favorite color, it is so happy. Two of the walls in my studio are orange, there is orange in almost every quilt I make. People who know me always identify my quilts because of the orange.

I am divinely giving away fabric packets and seven of you bloggers out there will feel blissful at least once in the next seven days.
For the next seven days someone will receive one of my hand dyed fabric packets. Each day will be a different color packet.
To be part of the fun will require a little effort on your part.
Be sure and visit my website while you are on line and do a little shopping for yourself!!

Orange you glad you like fabric

2011-12-10T02:46:00.000-08:00

Today’s winner of the seven step fat quarter packet gradation from fuchsia to lime green is – #9 comment - blissful Diane who is giving a lap quilt to her husband for Christmas. It's made of wonderful fabrics I fell in love with at the quilt expo in Madison. It's the first quilt that I've free motion quilted myself. I'm proud of it. Even better, I've managed to make it on days that he substitute teaches so it will be a total surprise! DIANE please email me your address so I can send you the goodies. frieda@friestyle.com
These are my favorite colors. I know you will enjoy using them to make something festive.
Orange is the kind of color that takes real courage to work with. Do you feel courageous? Tomorrow’s gradation special is all about orange. It is a five step gradation from brown to melon with ORANGE in the middle.

This little landscape was made with a five step gradation from blue to orange, it is featured in my book Fabric to Dye For. The trees are the color of fall.
To enter today’s drawing you need to do two things.

Tell us why you like orange
And Tell us what project you have used the color orange in.

At the end of the week I will give away a grand prize pulling the name from all the comments entered over the week. So be sure to enter often. Don’t forget to visit my website and treat yourself to something special.

You can view the rest of the Blog Hop participants here.

To receive is bliss to give is divine

2011-12-09T04:55:00.000-08:00

To receive is bliss to give is divine. Blog Hop Give Away.

I am divinely giving away fabric packets and seven of you bloggers out there will feel blissful at least once in the next seven days.
For the next seven days someone will receive one of my hand dyed fabric packets. Each day will be a different color packet.
To be part of the fun will require a little effort on your part.
To become eligible for the give away you MUST-

Leave me a comment about a favorite present that you gave to someone -
And you must email my blog address to a quilting friend. The more the merrier.

Number 1 will be easy for me to verify
Number 2 is on the honor system.
You can be trusted I know, you’re a quilter.
Happy Holidays and happy giving to all.
So here we go.
First give away is -

A seven step fat quarter packet gradation from fuchsia to lime green. These are my favorite colors. I know you will enjoy using them to make something festive.

At the end of the week I will give away a grand prize pulling the name from all the comments entered over the week. So be sure to enter often.
You can view the rest of the Blog Hop participants here.

I won I won

2011-12-08T02:14:00.000-08:00

The winner of Today’s Thankful Thursday is ….
Joyatee
Please send me your address - frieda@ friesstyle.com -and all these goodies will be an early Christmas present to you.
There is going to be a week long give away starting Saturday. So everyone has a change to win.
All orders over $20 on my webpage for the rest of December will receive along with the free scrap purse pattern a fat quarter of hand dyed fabric. Now isn’t it time to get yourself a little something for under the tree?

You need these

2011-12-07T05:50:00.000-08:00

Tomorrows thankful Thursday give away.

You need these items in your sewing studio.

Leave me your comments for a chance to win!!

You are not alone

2011-12-07T02:45:00.000-08:00

Where do you start? How do you decide what to make? Where does that inspiration come from?
Do you keep a journal or notebook with ideas?
Do you take pictures of the things that interest you?

Do you jot down notes and sketch's on paper napkins?

These are the places where ideas are born.

Nothing comes from nothing everything is sparked by something else.
Keep a camera with you all the time, either a small digital camera, or a phone or sometimes I am even aware enough to take along my big digital camera.
Keep a small note book in your purse and a larger one in your car or carry bag so that if something really catch's your eye you can make a quick note of it and sketch it along with color ideas.
Keep a journal of pictures and ideas. Cut out pictures from the newspaper or magazines and paste them into a notebook. I just use an Elmer's glue stick you don’t have to be too fussy. Then when nothing seems of interest get out your idea journals and start looking through them, before you know it something will have sparked your interest and you are off and running.
Print out and put those pictures in there too.

Don’t forget Thursday Giveaway. If you haven’t already left me a comment about your favorite ruler. Do so now, so you can have a chance for a free give away.

Fa la la la la la RED

2011-12-05T03:03:00.000-08:00

Quilting Arts - GIFTS

Tis the season to be jolly and Christmas Red is the color way to have. This is the color way – fuschia to red- that I used to make the tree skirt for Quilting Arts Gifts.

In the 2011/2012 holiday gifts issue of Quilting Arts, I have contributed two new holiday projects - a fun and easy Fire Screen along with a vibrant and easy Tree Skirt. I hope you will enjoy making these projects for your home which you can use year after year.

I love going into my studio and working with the colors of the season.

Plum Pudding - warm fuschia to plum
Christmas Red - fuschia to red

You can purchase these new colors individually, in yard pieces or, as my special for the months of Nov/Dec, buy them as a two pack - fat long quarter yards of each color - for just $10.00.

I also have five new patterns for you to play with. They are: Holiday Moments, a collection of small wall art for your holiday pleasure; Christmas Morning, a fun little project to decorate your holiday house; and Sister Trees, Star Lilies and Field Poppies, outdoorsy scenes to brighten your home for the rest of the year. You will enjoy making all 5 of these projects.

Nov/December Special

I love sharing ideas with my students on how they can use their left over fused scraps. I have made a small pattern for a scrap purse that I show at the end of each of my fusing classes. As a very special offer to my customers through Christmas, I am giving this pattern away with every order over $20. This little pattern would make a perfect gift to that special quilting friend, so take advantage of this special offer.

ART Quilts - Fusible Collage

This past January Laura Wasilowski and I filmed three new episodes with Nancy Zieman of Sewing With Nancy. These episodes began airing this fall. Look for them on your local cable channel. Along with the new TV series is a great wook book from Sewing with Nancy called Art Quilts - Fusible Collage co-authored by Laura Wasilowksi and myself with Nancy Zieman. It contains great projects for you using all of the different collage-style methods of fusing that Laura and I use. You can order the book or DVD here.

Laura and I were just up in Wisconsin this past Saturday filming a pledge drive with Nancy. It is always fun to work with Nancy and all the people that put her shows together. I think she should be featured on The Big Bang TV show. Those guys are always talking about sewing and you know they had to watched her on TV!

And the winner is!!

2011-12-02T04:51:00.000-08:00

Susan won this weeks Thankful Thursday giveaway. YEA

There will be another one in two weeks on December 8th. Keep commenting on your favorite rulers to be eligible for that one.

I am also participating in the Quilting Gallery Blog Hop -
http://quiltinggallery.com
That starts December 9th. I hope you will participate. I haven't decided what the give away will be yet.

Helpers

2011-12-02T04:45:00.000-08:00

Some of the things I do to help me be more successful and organized while I am sewing or quilting involve visually knowing where things are. Organizing is really not my thing, I just like to make stuff, but if I don’t stay organized I do go a little crazy trying to find stuff. I realized a long time ago that I am a piler not a filer. This helps me know what kind of organizing will work for me. If I file something away I can’t remember what I filed it under, but if it is in a pile somewhere I seem to know just which pile it is in and can go right to it and locate the thing I am looking for. I guess I am just a very visual person.
Same thing goes for my sewing supplies.
So while I am working on projects it helps me if I store the threads I am using like this.

I keep the thread that I am using along with the bobbin thread in this little basket that a student gave me. It fits on top of the drawers right next to my sewing machine and is in easy reach.
What helps you stay organized. I hope you will share your secrets with us.

Thankful Thursday

2011-12-01T04:35:00.001-08:00

Today’s give away.
What are the things you give thanks for everyday? I wake up and start thanking that I wake up, that I have a warm house – in the winter, that I have a healthy family, that I have food to eat, that I have a bathroom just steps away, that I am happy.

Today’s thankful Thursday give away are items that I received as freebees for being a teacher in Houston this year.

I picked out all the stuff I knew I would use in my own sewing room and now I am giving the rest to you guys. If you haven’t already left me a comment please do so. The give away will happen at 5 p.m. tonight. I will go to random numbers.com and let them pick a number from the number of comments that I receive. Good luck.

.

Here is a picture of Thankful Thursday give away for December 8th. Leave a comment and share with us your favorite ruler.

Storing thread

2011-11-30T03:44:00.000-08:00

I just recently visited some one’s blog who was showing their studio space. It looked so gorgeous and white, and I noticed that they had all the pretty colored thread on one of those thread racks. I used to have four of those thread racks for storing and displaying my thread, but what I discovered was that my thread got “dusty”. Some threads you just don’t use that often and especially those threads were really dusty.
So when I moved to the basement of our home for my new studio.

I moved all my thread into plastic containers. I now have it sitting under my sewing table and to the left of where I sit. This affords me easy access to all my colors as well as keeps it out of the sun, and dust.
I have it organized by weight. I like to use different weight thread for different effects, so my thread is sorted into silk or thin thread, rayon or heavier weight thread, cotton bobbin thread, cotton heavier weight thread and variegated thread.

Here are three of the units that store my thread. The top one has one color of silk thread, the four drawers
have different colors of silk thread and the bottom larger drawer has cotton bobbin weight thread in large spools.

This little three drawer chest has small spools of bobbin weight thread and polyester weight thread.

There is another chest under the bobbin weight thread that has three larger drawers – the top picture- and each drawer has a different kind of thread, rayon, variegated cotton, and really heavy cotton hand dyed and other heavy thread.

I also have a small five drawer chest where I store my different size and types of needles. One drawer has universal needles for piecing, three draws have different types of machine quilting needles, one for microtex needles that I use when machine quilting with silk or monofilament threads, embroidery needles when I machine quilt with rayon thread and quilting needles for machine quilting with cotton thread. The bottom drawer has miscellaneous needles.

This keeps everything close by, clean and easy to find.

Organizing is not my forte but it really helps to know where stuff is.
Share with us how you store stuff.

Thanksgiving Day fabric

2011-11-29T09:30:00.000-08:00

Dyed on Thanksgiving Day.
I love these multi colored fabrics. Each one is ONE OF A KIND. I can't really post these on the website but if you would like this one click the button. $20.00.

Thankful Thursday give away

2011-11-29T06:12:00.001-08:00

I am thankful everyday that I am a quilt artist and teacher. Being a quilt artist, teacher and fabric dyer brings me so much pleasure and happiness AND lots of new friends all the time.

As a teacher at the big quilt shows we receive many new products and freebies from the sponsors who support the shows. I can’t possibly use all of them. I decided a long time ago to concentrate on the things that really grab my attention and not be distracted by all the great things to do out there. I would never get anything done.

SOOO this Thursday I will ship off this little packet of goodies to a reader who leaves me a comment. There is a free sample of Steam a Seam 2, two iron on RhineStuds, A sample of American spirit batting, a pillow corner template – oh I would love to make some new pillows – and a pair of cut and clip scissors.

I know you could use all of these so leave me a comment any time through the end of Thursday to receive this nice gift package.

Signature quilt and hand dyed fabric.

2011-11-28T02:14:00.000-08:00

My oldest son was married a year ago. I showed you in an earlier post the beginnings of quilting the quilt his mother in law and I made for the happy couple. We made this quilt with my hand dyed fabrics. I designed it on EQ7 and Linda pieced it. Now it is my responsibility to quilt it. I would like to give it to them for Christmas so the race is on to finish it.

After doing all of the stitch in the ditch on the inside of the quilt that I want to do, I have begun to add in the quilting on the borders of the quilt. I drew templates for the oval shapes I wanted in the first border in Illustrator and cut them out of paper.

I spray basted them with 505 spray to hold them in place while I traced around the outline with a clover marking pencil. I have since quilted that shape and echo quilted inside of it twice. I quilted this shape with silk thread so that it would sink into the fabric rather than stand out. I wanted the writing from the signatures that people signed on the front of the quilt to stand out instead.
On a different note, this Thursday on Thankful Thursday I will be giving away a package of products. When you are a teacher at some of the big shows many of the sponsors of the shows fill our bags with wonderful goodies. Many of these goodies I use, some of them I don’t and some of them I already own. So I thought I would pass on the bounty.
Leave me comments through out the week to be eligible to win the first of these drawings.

I dye a little every day just for you. This is one of my “Mystery Fabrics” no two are alike and I can only sell these in person but today I am offering you the chance to purchase this gorgeous fall medley. If you are interested in purchasing this multi colored brown, purple and lime green fabric it is $20. Email me and we’ll arrange something.