August 31, 2009 | Filed Under Technique:Finishing | 9 Comments
I often say that I love every part of the quiltmaking process but the truth is I hate doing labels. Oh I can recite all the reasons that labels are good and desirable things but still I will sometimes dispatch quilts into the big wide world sans labels rather than confront the challenges of label creation.
I have messy handwriting, which deteriorates the more I use a computer keyboard, and pigma pens seem to scratch, blotch and blob in unexpected and unwelcome ways. My inkjet printer tends to choke, jam and smear ink when presented with fabric sheets. (I don’t want to buy a new printer as I have a wonderful colour laser printer for regular use and the inkjet printer is used only occasionally.) My sewing machine has limited embroidery, alphabet functionality and hand embroidery takes too long. What to do?
I haven’t tried it yet but making labels using iron on transfer sheets seems like an elegant solution. Sandra of Pepperberry & Co’s has a Tutorial for Iron On Labels for Your Crafty Products with the following steps including getting the most out of plain old Microsoft Word:
- create your label elements;
- merge your label elements;
- flip your label;
- multiply your label;and
- print & iron.
I’d love to hear how you label your textile works.
August 29, 2009 | Filed Under Technique:Dyeing, Twelve by Twelve | 3 Comments
In my recent dyeing session, in addition to my triad dyeing exercise, I took Red MXBG + Golden MX3R + Sky Blue MXR to make a 12 step colour wheel with dark and lights:
I mixed the dyes in the following ratios:
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RED
|
YELLOW
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BLUE
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100%
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100%
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100%
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R/Y 50:50
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Y/B 50:50
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B/R 50:50
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R/Y 75:25
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Y/B 75:25
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B/R 75:25
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R/Y 25:75
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Y/B 25:75
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B/R 25:75
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The stepping is not as distinct as it could be. Partly because I did not measure very accurately and partly because the red and blue dyes overwhelm the yellow and the ratios need to be tweaked to get some of those in-between colours.
The lighter colours are created by adding fabric that has been pre-soaked in soda ash later in the batching process. You can read more about this in
Color by Accident by Ann Johnston.
On the subject of gradations, one of my fellow Twelves Terri Stegmiller has prepared a tutorial for 2-colour gradations (PDF download).
August 27, 2009 | Filed Under Technique:Dyeing, Twelve by Twelve | 3 Comments
Today I made the most of the sunshine and dyed twelve mini Radiance works. They are each designed to be six inch square finished (after hand stitching) and to be standalone works but I quite like the composite effect:
It’s interesting to see the variations between each shibori piece even though each piece was folded, and the dye applied, in the same way.
August 26, 2009 | Filed Under This & That | 3 Comments
Here’s what’s on my design wall. Let’s see what a little quilting will do:
August 25, 2009 | Filed Under Education, Inspiration | Comments Off
Intuitive Color & Design: Adventures in Art Quilting by Jean Wells is both instructive and inspirational. From her opening words to the final chapter, you can hear and see a quiltmaker delighting in the latest stage in her creative journey and calling to others to come and join the fun. Her enthusiasm is infectious.
Jean Wells has been a quilter for more than 35 years and is a well known teacher, writer and designer. Wanting to work more intuitively and to create abstract designs, Jean signed up for a five day course with Nancy Crow and discovered a new way of life exploring line, design and colour.
In her 96 page book, Jean sets out some colour and design exercises to launch you on your own adventure. There are also assignments on useful techniques for every quilter’s tool box. So, for example, if you’ve never worked without a ruler before, there is guidance for freeform cutting and soft curve piecing. Techniques for narrow insert piecing, “detail” piecing and stitch’n'flip piecing are also covered.
Given my obsession with quilt finishing techniques, I was especially interested in the chapter on “Unconventional Finishing Methods” where Jean outlines steps for:
- a facing finish with mitred corners (similar to my tutorial);
- triangle corners;
- knife-edge finish;
- pillow turn finish;
- wholecloth facing finish; and
- portrait finish.
There’s also a tutorial for “off the wall quilts”, small 3-dimensional box-like works based around 8×8 stretched canvases that are three inches deep.
For those new to art quilting, this book covers the key elements of design and color and also presents the technical information to enable you to execute your design ideas in stitch and fabric. Even for those with more experience, the book remains instructive and inspirational as Jean reminds us of the value in of engaging in design exercises for the sake of experience. As she says, “there is power in the doing”.
August 24, 2009 | Filed Under This & That | 1 Comment
I have a potential Goddess Roseus piece ready to quilt. Here’s a strip tease:
August 23, 2009 | Filed Under Out & About | 1 Comment
I will be joining the Lakeside Quilters at Bluehaven on the Central Coast (near Budgewoi) this Friday morning, 28 August 2009 and giving a presentation of a selection of my quilts. I’ve checked and visitors are welcome (there is a $6 fee for hall hire and morning tea). Come along and say hello!
August 22, 2009 | Filed Under Cot Quilts | 1 Comment
Nathan’s geese are winging their way to Sacramento:
August 21, 2009 | Filed Under Inspiration, Technique:Dyeing | 3 Comments
I’m looking forward to the inaugural International ArtCloth exhibition, ArtCloth: Engaging New Visions which opens at Fairfield City Museum and Art Gallery on 29 August and continues until 11 October 2009 before touring elsewhere in Australia.
The list of participants in the exhibition includes:
- Laura Beehler, USA
- Claire Benn, England
- Regina Benson, USA
- Jane Dunnewold, USA
- Susan Fell-McLean, Australia
- Claudia Helmer, Germany
- Cas Holmes, England
- Ken Kagajo, Japan
- Helen Lancaster, Australia
- Jurate Petruskeviciene, Lithuania
- Jeanne Raffer Beck, USA
- Julie Ryder, Australia
- Joan Schulze, USA
- Tjarya (Nungalka) Stanley, Ernabella Arts, Australia
- Norma Starszakowna, England
- Tjunkaya Tapaya, Ernabella Arts, Australia
- Annie Trevillian, Australia
- Joan Truckenbrod, USA
- Jurate Urbiene, Lithuania
- Els van Baarle, The Netherlands
- Marie-Therese Wisniowski, Australia
And while I’m not asserting that it’s in the same league, I am quite happy with this shibori effort made with some leftover dyes and using my Hills pegs that were part of my prizes from the Sydney Quilt Show.
August 20, 2009 | Filed Under Technique:Dyeing | 5 Comments
Take procion dye powders in three colours; mix and apply the dyes in the ratios set out in my triad dyeing tutorial to create six new colours; later in the dyeing session, mush into each dye container an additional piece of fabric that has been pre-soaked in soda ash solution. Voila!
The image on the left shows Red MXBG + Golden MX3R + Sky Blue MXR but they are much more interesting when you mix them up a bit!
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