Dying and Re-dying

After getting everything cleaned up from our fabric dying day, I had a little bit more dye mixed up.
We decided that we each needed a larger piece of purple.  So we made these:

Then we decided to over-dye two of our squirt dyed pieces.  Here are the pieces we started with:

and what we ended with:

Then we decided to "enhance" our clean up cloths.  Again, here are what we started with:

...and our final product:

I think we learned something in the process.  I know we had fun.  Now to contemplate the cutting...

Fabric Dying

I have been fortunate enough to dye fabric a few times under a good friend.  After the last time, I decided to try going solo and doing the fabric dying myself.  So I started gathering in the necessary supplies.  I also convinced my mother to try it with me.  Here are our results:

These are Mom's 24 - 1/2 yard pieces.  That's 12 colors in a bright and a lighter version.

After we got our 12 yards dyed, we tried a few pieces on the table, squirting dye onto the fabric.   Here are Mom's:

Here is Mom's clean-up cloth:

 Here are My 12 yards (pictures are 4 brights, followed by the 4 lights in the same colors):

My squirt dyed pieces (done with the help of my daughter):

 Our clean up cloth and 2 t-shirts:

Mom and I also joined together and dyed 12 yards of various white on white fabrics.  This is what we ended up with:

We ended up with a few extra pieces that were squirt dyed:

In this case we liked the back of the last fabric better than the front.  Here is a picture showing the back:

Will I do it again?  

You bet.  

Stay tuned, I have a few more pieces in the last of the mixed up dye.  

Washing day is tomorrow.

One Block Wonder - a bit of history

It was quite awhile ago that I worked through Maxine Rosenthal's book, "One-Block Wonders".  I realized recently that I have not blogged about this project, and since it is an interesting one, I am blogging it now.  I did this along with an online group that I'm in.

You take one fabric, stack six repeats together and slice it and make blocks out of each stack.

Here is the fabric I started with:

My first layout didn't really work for me:

The photo is muted, but the colors seemed all over and didn't really flow for me.

Another try left me hating the orange and pinks in the fabric.

Finally, with the help of my family, we found something that we really liked.  It is worth it to take your time and really find a layout that you are happy with.  Be brave!

I found the prefect border fabric and finished it.

Stitched With Prayers

My most recent quilt was made quickly for a classmate of mine from high school.  He was diagnosed with a rare appendix cancer.  As I made quick work of this quilt, I spent much time praying for him and his family.  I pray that he will find comfort during treatments and healing.

I used Gyleen Fitzgerald’s pineapple block ruler.
It uses 1.5" strips and a 2.5" square to make these 8.5" unfinished pineapple blocks.  


I then used the "Fun and Done" quilt as you go method for finishing off the quilt designed by Prairie Sky  Quilting.


I highly recommend both techniques.  Although it is easier to do the "Fun and Done" quilt as you go method in the smaller block that the ruler is designed for.

Challenge to use Orange, Purple and Blue

I was able to join a small group of quilters who participate in several quilt/art challenges each year.

This was my first challenge with the group.

When I found out what this challenge was, I immediately knew this would not be easy.  You would know that orange is my most challenging color to use - my orange section in my stash only consists of 4 or 5 fabrics.  

For this challenge, I turned to a pattern that I've been wanting to try, Ricky Tims' Caveman Quilting, the Chantelle Tulip flower.  My roots are in traditional quilting - so free cutting curves and making things uneven was a step out for me.  Though the picture doesn't show it, I quilted the center of the quilt with orange thread and the borders with purple thread - thus challenging me to be bolder in my thread selection.  This measures about 14x22".

I've decided I need quilts for my front door for each season (at least to start).  This quilt has replaced my snowflake quilt and will remain on my front door for the spring.

Seasonal Quilts?

I hung my Christmas Wreath quilt on our front door at the beginning of December.  It felt so nice to approach the house and see my quilt each time.  I've become inspired to make - seasonal quilts to there is always a quilt on my front door.  Secretly, I'd like monthly quilts, but I'm starting somewhere.

We've had a lot of snow days this January.  So I put aside my other projects and decided it was time to start my Winter Door Hanging.

I've been keeping a December issue of Quiltmaker Magazine from 2003.  I've used several of the patterns in this magazine, but I've always wanted to do the snowflake quilt.  So my Winter quilt, is one of the snowflakes from this magazine.  My children were home from school due to ice/snow storm for two days straight.  At the end of the 2nd day, I had this finished quilt.

There has to be something good about all these snow days from school, right?

Finally Finished it!

When my children moved into twin-sized beds, I decided they needed quilts made by me.

My son's quilt was finished in October 2009, see archives or key word - jungle quilt.

Now, I've finally finished my daughter's quilt.  She loves yellow and wanted a yellow quilt.  I found a pattern by Evelyn Sloppy from her book "Log Cabin Fever".  I've adapted it to make it a twin sized quilt instead of a lap quilt.  My daughter is quit happy with the quilt.

It feels good to know that they now have quilts made by me on their beds.  Now onto new projects!