A New Cloth

I just finished marking a silk wholecloth that I started in a class taught by Karen McTavish this past weekend. This is my 2nd time to take this class by Karen. The first time was in 2004 and both my skills and Karens skills have grown and changed in 11 years. By retaking this class I've learned to add complexity in both design and execution. 

Another challenge for myself was to use a piece of dupioni silk for the fabric. Dupioni has flaws and small slubs, but with it's imperfection lays it's charm. It is a rich cream that was easy to mark, but doesn't photograph well. Silk refracts light so easily that no matter the different lighting I've tried, I can't get a clean clear picture. After it's quilted I should be able to get a better photo with subtle side lighting to create more shadows.

Karen is a very talented quilter and teacher and I highly recommend her. She is also opening a new store front in Duluth with 5 machines set up to teach on and for you to rent to sew your own quilts. Check her out.

http://mctavishquilting.com/

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Of course it would be super cool if you read some of my blog posts too.

Crunchy Taggies Baby Toy

A friend shared this method to make a baby taggie toy. I've chosen some fun childrens prints, piece of thin cotton batting, decorative ribbons, and a crunchy chip bag that has been washed. They are layered and stitched to contain the bag and batting by pillow casing them. Leave an unstitched spot on the side to turn right side out. Edge stitch the opening closed and continue around the entire item to make it lay flat. 

Next, test it out on a baby. 

Fresh Class Samples

Yes these are fresh class samples for my Fiber Layering classes that I'm teaching this weekend for the Mixed Sampler Quilt Guild in Siren. I've managed to make about 110 kits so there will be many beautiful works of art coming out of the classes. 

What is left of the kits will be used for summer classes that I will teach in Hayward. Have you wanted to take one of my classes? Times and dates will be posted soon.

Finished the Snow Dye Batch

These are the finished fabrics from yesterdays snow dyeing. I started with some previously hand dyed fabrics that I had acquired from a friend that needed more color. Most were pastel pinks, blues and oranges. I call it a success for today.

What do I do when most of the day is shot?

I purchased a $9.88 sleepwear cardigan from Walmart this afternoon after taking my mother to her appointments. My idea was to do a discharge treatment along the bottom. I gathered the bottom of the cardigan with needle and thread and stitched it to a plastic hanger. It was then hung over a wash tub of water and anti-chlor. See photo at the end of this post for the product I used, also purchased from Walmart.

I then put my dripless bleach in a squirt bottle and dripped it in a controlled manner over the water bath. When the discharge was to the color that I liked, I dumped it into the water bath to rinse out and neutralized the bleach.

 Here is is before drying. When dry it will look just as beautiful. I saw this bleach discharge method years back on quilted garment at the quilt show in Paducah. It was like flames along the bottom. Loved it so much.

 I also decided to do some snow dye batches since the snow is starting to melt outside and a friend gave me her left over rit dye concentrates. I beefed up the rit drizzle by adding an addition powder Procion dye. I should be able to finish them up tomorrow.

 The bleach I used for the discharge.

 Anti-chlor

Rit and Procion.

Wholecloth Design Class with Karen McTavish

The Wild Threads Machine Quilting Group are hosting Karen McTavish to teach her full day Wholecloth Design Class. This class is open to members and non-members. This is a hands on class and no machines are needed.

Date: Friday, April 24th 9-4pm.

Cost: $110, which includes lunch and space rental

Location: Hayward Wesleyan, 10655 Nyman Ave, Hayward, WI 54843 http://www.haywardwesleyan.org/

Contact: Norma Riehm, 715-634-2754 or fancyquilter@hotmail.com for more info or to sign up for class.

Supply list: 

Large white or off white fabric/cotton sateen

 (no seams) no larger than 70 x 70

Marking pens: blue water soluble marking pens such as EZ INTERNATIONAL or MARK B GONE (thick point only- no fine line)

(Pens can be purchased from instructor) 

Bring your long omnigrid rulers for this class.