While many many many are dying of COVID, I am remaining as safe as possible.  However, my creativity has suffered.  Today I got inspired by the Gee's Bend quilts.  I've seen some before.  Yet, today the stories penetrated my heart.  Hope they will do the same for you.

https://www.soulsgrowndeep.org/gees-bend-quiltmakers

You also might want to view the video here

https://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=851

Quilt Photo Year 7 in Review

This is a really late post.

My quilting year goes from the first of October to the end of September.  I usually post in October. This is because of when I started to blog. Obligations and necessities took over + Festival.    I knew I had 5 months of personal business that occupied all of my time.  However, I could not figure out why I had such a little bit of output for the other 7 months.  Then, as I was looking at last years calendar to update to 2015, I found the reason.  I remembered that I put a LOT of time into this quilt.  Did not realize how much until I looked at my calendar notes. My calendar notes revealed the whole story.  I started sketching this quilt on 24 January; finished piecing 21 March; just made the photo deadline on 2 May.  I know that later I had to do all of the back finishing, including putting on the sleeve.  I also know that my hands were in too much pain from arthritis to even think about doing hand work.  Therefore, following advice from my very supportive Quiltart group, I did all of my finishing with glue, namely 'liquid stitch'.  It worked wonderfully.  

Blue Rose

Blue Rose center

Chair Bag for Festival 2013

This worked GREAT!  A few folks did notice that I was from quiltart.  However, the biggest use was for storing stuff collected/purchased during the show.  Big stuff of course was shipped.

Butterflies for mobile

This was a Fast Friday Fabric Challenge.

Mobile in Motion

Chemo Quilt

Chemo Quilt

Chemo Quilt

Quilt of Honor

Drone Quilt block

This has become part of a quilt protesting drones.

Star for Houston

too small

Star for Houston

too small

Star for Houston

Frustrated with my pieced stars ending up too small, I used a large piece of yellow linen as the backdrop for this GLITZy star.  What FUN to find it in one of the quilts in Houston commemorating time in the space station with astronaut Karen Nyberg.

Fun Wear

I received the bath robe and a  long night gown as a gift from my cousin Carla.  Not one to wear long gowns, I did a major remake.  I added/revamped the robe belt with a quilted one.  After making a shorty top [with added fabric to trim the bottom] from the night gown, I used the fabric to make PJ shorts, mini top for really HOT weather [that did not get much use] plus made some coordinating short pants and added trim to a Salvation Army collared knit top to complete my night wear ensemble.

This review is NOT in any special order.  The photos are in the order that my program uploaded them.  However, basically, it is what I created during this slice of time.

Fun Wear

Fun Wear - Pajamas

For the top I used a knit top I already owned.  So, I would say the top is 'embellished', not created. 

However, for the bottoms, I started with a pattern I altered for myself many years ago.  I eliminated the side seam, lengthened the legs, then added a band at the bottom.  This way, I could make the legs long enough to cover my ankles when sitting, yet keep them off the floor when standing.  The placement of the pink pocket was dictated by a flaw in the fabric.  The others were added 'just for FUN'.

Continuing the conversation, since I started with a pattern, is this an original design?

PS.  All of the fabrics, pattern and the top were items I had 'on hand'.  Nothing was purchased for this specific project.  I usually have lots of flannel around since I use it to back my Chemo Quilts.  Of course I always have lots of cotton fabric.  I've used this pattern before, but never in this particular way.  I made them now because I wanted more 'Warm Wear' + I wanted it to be fun to wear.

Water Lily Purse

 

 

Water Lily Purse

13.5" wide x 11.75" tall + handles

 

I got these handles on the free table at my last guild meeting.  I was so excited, because I had a plan.  Cut the old fabric off, sand and refinish the handles, then make a purse.  I have been collecting sample fabrics for many years.  Lately, I have been thinning my stash.  While going through this process, I pulled out several pieces that I particularly liked.  This is one of them.  I first used one layer of batting and backing under the flowers and bud.  I cut away the excess before doing the all over quilting.  The flowers and bud stand out a bit more.  Everything is rather subtle.  Rather elegant for a wood handled purse.  Of course I painted gold on the edges of the wood for a little extra glitz.  This also covered up the plywood edge.

 

 

Water Lily Purse, detail

 

I quilted everything at least once in gold thread.  I found the only way to keep it from shredding, even using a metallic needle, was to go at the tortoise speed on my machine.  Around the leaves and flowers, I sewed three to five times.  I am very happy with the way it came out.  I tried several brands of thread.  I had the best luck with Sulky Metallic.  It is a very fine thread, so that it way I had to go over the stitching many times.

 

 

Inside Handles and Purse

 

Inside Purse

 

I used raw, washed canvas on the part of the purse next to the handles because that area will get a lot of abrasion.  The lining fabric is polyester for its' strength and softness.

 

 

Purse Back

 

I quilted this in a wavy cross hatch pattern using the gold thread.

 

 

Original Purse

 

I mistakenly cut the fabric off the handles as soon as I arrived home.  As I was taking the purse apart, I noticed how lovely it was and regretted taking it apart so carelessly.  The fabric is a hand woven wool.  After I felt it, it will become part of my felted wool stash.

This is seventy, number 17

For more information on "seventy", please see the post below.

 

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2013/01/one-black-square.html

 

Original Purse Fabric after Wet Felting

 

This shrunk more than anything I have ever wet felted.  Apparently it is not a good idea to felt hand woven fabric.  Look at my mistake and learn.  It is just a thick blob full of bits from the other things in the same load.  Needless to say, it is very disappointing.