A creative life is filled with challenges and rewards, puzzles and curiosities. This ongoing series of poems attempts to express the “Aha”s and “What if”s, the deep ponderings and casual observations of an inquiring mind trying to make sense of reality. May it serve, for you, as a bit of “Everyday Inspiration” along your own creative path.
We all have
Different ways
Of expressing
Our creativity—
And my arena
Of precision
Is different
From yours.
Where I am
Random may be
In loving the
Torn edge
Or the dust
On furniture—
Yours might be
In a wrinkle
Or a brushstroke—
Who knows
What is better?
Why should we judge—?
They are both
Good!
This shawl carries a dreamy, romantic sentiment, making it the perfect accessory for an afternoon wedding or a cool night on the town. Creative Troupe member Lynn Corona used TAP™ Transfer Artist Paper to embellish her shawl with sweet vintage-inspired imagery, and employed her creativity to add the choicest flair in all the right places. The final result is ultra-feminine and very pretty.
Wistful Afternoon Shawl
Designed by Lynn Corona
Materials:
- TAP™ Transfer Artist Paper
- Image (this image was color washed and texturized with brushstrokes in Photoshop)
- Shawl or large scarf (light color recommended) that is made of heat tolerant fabric
- 3/4″ sheer organza ribbon in gold metallic
- pearls and/or sequins
- Fabric glue (designer used Aleenes’s Fabric Fusion Glue)
- Soft fabric paint in pearl rose and olive green (designer used Duncan’s)
- Small cosmetic sponges
- Fine tip scissors
Instructions:
- Wash shawl or scarf to remove sizing, dry and iron flat.
- Inkjet print image on the TAP™ Transfer Artist Paper per manufacturer’s instructions.
- Trim away edges, and any extra white background up to the edge of the image. Cut away any straight edges to soften the image.
- Locate the center of the shawl and the area where you desire to place the design and iron the design in place (see manufacturer’s instructions).
- Using the cosmetic sponges, dip into paint and apply, highlighting the edges of the picture and shawl. Allow to set.
- Accent the picture with sequins and pearls as desired using fabric glue. Allow to set.
- Cut approximately 10 qty 10″ strips of the 3/4″ organza ribbon. Make each strip into a small bow.
- Using fabric glue, evenly space half of the fabric bows along the two bottom edges of the shawl.
- Using fabric glue, add sequins or other embellishments between each bow.
Beginning August 23rd and running through September 1st, 10 members of the quilt blogging community will each take a day to host new release Star Struck Quilts by Barbara Cline.
The tour will include lots of giveaways, including 10 chances to win a copy of Star Struck Quilts, fabric from RJR Fabrics, Best Press Spray, a gift certificate to Patchwork Plus, and many other surprises. Each blog host will also feature a Q&A with the author and project images.
Ready for the tour dates?
Make sure you visit each stop for a chance to win and we’ll see you on the tour!
The Junk
old candlestick
The Jewel
Elevated Felt Pincusion!
Supplies
- 12” tall candlestick – (mine was about 4.5” diameter for pillar candles)
- One men’s large sweater – felted. (You may need additional felted yardage to give you the pincushion size that you are after)
- 2 – 2.5oz roving – color doesn’t matter as it will be covered up
- Large felting needle
- Paper for tracing pattern
- Decorative pins (mine came from the scrapbook store)
- Carpet/button thread
- Tapestry needle
- Decorative ribbons
Instructions
- With roving and a felting needle, create a half ball shape a little wider than the diameter of the candlestick. Include a little felted roving around the edge of the half ball so it sits evenly on the top of the candlestick. Set on top of candlestick, glue on if desired.
- Cut sweater apart at the seams. I cut an 18/19 inch circle (the largest I could get) from the back, a 16 -17” circle form the front, a 15 – 16” circle form one of the sleeves and a 14 – 15” circle from the other sleeve.
- Layer the three smaller circles of sweater evenly on top of candlestick ending with the larger size.
- With your tapestry needle and double thickness of carpet thread sew a running stitch around the circle about 2 inches away from the cut edge. Note – as the sweater was felted, I didn’t have to worry about any raveling of stitches. If you wish, you can add a decorative edge stitch or lace at this time.
- Place largest sweater circle on top of candle stick and gather carpet thread. Cinch it tight then tie off.
- Add decorative ribbon to cover gathering stitches, tie bow.
NOTE: for more information on how to needle felt, check out C&T books A Touch of Felt and Fast, Fun and Easy® Needle Felting, both by Lynne Farris.
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Next month’s junk: vintage skirt hem marker
What will Sue make out of that?
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Junk to Jewel is a series where, once a month, C&T author and editorial team member Sue Astroth chronicles her upcycling adventures with thrift store finds.
Judi Warren Blaydon
Earlier this year I had a chance to sit in on one of Judi Warren Blaydon’s workshops while I was in the process of editing her new book Collage + Cloth = Quilt. The book (and her workshop) features a unique way for you to use your own photos to create a collage which is then translated into fabric. The book is just luscious to look at, and the process is clearly explained with lots of photos. And there is a fabulous gallery showing original collages and the resulting quilts.
In the workshop, students start out with photos supplied by Judi (so they don’t feel attached to them) and then move on to working with their own photos. Below are a few shots from the workshop where students are working with Judi’s photos.
Here are a few photos of quilts from the book…
Kerala Backwaters by Fay Martin from Collage + Cloth = Quilt by Judi Warren Blaydon
Sub Rosa: Aquifer by Judi Warren Blaydon from Collage + Cloth = Quilt
A creative life is filled with challenges and rewards, puzzles and curiosities. This ongoing series of poems attempts to express the “Aha”s and “What if”s, the deep ponderings and casual observations of an inquiring mind trying to make sense of reality. May it serve, for you, as a bit of “Everyday Inspiration” along your own creative path.
Daily life
Is a dance,
A rhythm.
Perhaps
By the time
You die
(If you’re lucky)
You’ve learned
The footwork…
The beauty of this Monarch Butterfly Collage wall-hanging created by Creative Troupe Member Heidi Rand is the combination of silk and Ultra-Light Lutradur® and how they convey the rugged delicateness of the subject itself. If you haven’t worked with Lutradur this project is sure to please. Pick an image, Find some scraps of gauzy or silk fabric, and have fun with this new product!
Monarch Butterfly Collage Wall-Hanging Project
Designed by Heidi Rand
Materials:
Instructions:
- Apply 2 coats of Liquitex Matte Medium with a foam brush to one side of the Ultra-light Lutradur. Allow to dry thoroughly between coats.
- Tape coated Lutradur to copy paper for a backing to get it through printer.
- Print your chosen image onto Lutradur using ink jet printer. Remove tape and paper backing.
- Using a heat tool, curl and melt edges of the Lutradur. Hold heat tool a few inches from the edge of the Lutradur. Melting will occur quickly, so move tool in slowly to avoid over-melting. Do this in well-ventilated area, or use protective mask.
- Cut your fabric backing to desired size larger than Lutadur.
- Free motion stitch around the design or at random, stitching Lutradur to the fabric backing.
- Stitch around fabric backing, to prevent fraying.
- To hang: Cut fabric tabs for hanging apparatus, loop over and stitch to top of fabric backing. Cut or break twig to size, place through loops to hang. Experiment with hanging in window to emphasize translucence of Lutradur.
- If darker image is desired, paint back of Lutradur with white Liquitex acrylic paint before applying matte medium or use lighter fabric backing.
For more information about the C&T Publishing Creative Troupe, click here.
Judith Baker Montano's Embroidery & Crazy Quilt Stitch Guide—Beginner's
Our new iPhone App, Judith Baker Montano’s Embroidery & Crazy Quilt Stitch Guide — Beginner’s, is now available for $4.99 on the iTunes App Store.
There are more than 50 basic embroidery stitches such as the backstitch, chain stitch, satin stitch and the lazy daisy included in the app. You’ll also learn 10 combination stitches, along with handy tips for choosing needles, tools and fabrics for your embellishing projects.
The app we launched today is the first in a series of three iPhone apps that combine the how-to illustrations from Judith Baker Montano’s Embroidery & Crazy Quilt Stitch Tool with instructional video clips from the Judith Baker Montano Teaches You Crazy Quilting DVD. Together, all three apps show you how to create over 180 stitches and stitch combinations.
The next two apps in the series are in development and will be announced soon:
- Judith Baker Montano’s Embroidery & Crazy Quilt Stitch Guide — Advanced
- Judith Baker Montano’s Silk Ribbon Embroidery Stitch Guide
Since The Quilt Show launched a few years ago, more than 25 C&T authors have been featured guests. We have teamed up with Alex and Ricky to celebrate this milestone with a fantastic giveaway for five lucky C&T blog readers. The prize packs include:
For those of you who are members of The Quilt Show, here is a list of episodes featuring C&T Publishing authors. And for those of you who aren’t members yet, good luck winning this giveaway! And if you don’t win, sign up anyway!
Episode #208 Jane Dávila
Episode #210 Beth Ferrier
Episode #211 Beth Wheeler
Episode #303 Laura Wasilowski
Episode #307 Paula Nadelstern
Episode #401 Margaret Miller
Episode #403 Ricky Tims
Episode #404 Elly Sienkiewicz
Episode #405 Valori Wells
Episode #408 Alex Anderson
Episode #412 Susan Schrempf
Episode #502 Anelie Belden
Episode #506 Jan Krentz
Episode #508 Paula Nadelstern
Episode #511 Terrie Sandelin
Episode #602 Carol Doak
Episode #611 Becky Goldsmith
Episode #612 Gloria Loughman
Episode #702 Lura Schwarz Smith/Kerby Smith
Episode #705 Frieda Anderson
Episode #706 Camille Roskelley/Susanne Woods
Episode #707 Judy Mathieson
Episode #709 Marcia Stein
Episode #710 Laura Nownes
Episode #711 Jennifer Chiaverini
To be in the running for The Quilt Show Summer Giveaway, leave a comment here or on Facebook telling us who you’d like to see on an upcoming episode of The Quilt Show. Comments will be closed at 9am PST on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 and five lucky winners will be announced later that day.
Extra comment entries are available to you if you want to maximize your chances at being the giveaway winner! If you take one or more of the actions listed below, enter an extra comment for each, and in that comment tell us what you did and link to the proof where that’s possible.
- Place one of our blog badges on your personal blog (make sure it includes the html code that links it to our blog)
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- Subscribe to our Newsletter
- Tweet a link to the giveaway & mention our twitter username @ctpublishing
Congratulations to Kathleen, lucky winner of the Sally Collins Prize Pack Giveaway! This is the comment she left:
Thanks for a great giveaway. My favorite quilt is an applique quilt of leaves picked in my mother’s yard where I grew up. I was inspired by a quilt made by an unknown quilter in the mid 1800s. Tho I love applique, my favorite pieced quilt is a small New York Beauty quilt. I could certainly use advice on piecing, borders and bindings.
Thanks to everyone who left comments! Be on the lookout for the next giveaway to be posted today.
