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No fabric in this week.

The sewing room declutter continues. Last year I let go of lots of fabric scraps, but this year I’m ready to part with some yardage. I’ve only gone through one drawer so far. There are several more drawers to go.

I spent most of this week working on a second heart block. The three hearts are an adaption of a motif in a book. It isn’t clear in the picture, but there is a design under the hearts that I plan to embroider.

Here’s a picture of the first block.

I ...

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For something different, I experimented with Sharpies and alcohol. I saw someone on YouTube do this to decorate clothing. That didn’t appeal, but I wanted to try it.

I started with the moth, using blue, magenta and black fine point Sharpies and rubbing alcohol.

Such a hot mess. The blue was out of control. I learned you can take a paintbrush and move the color around when the fabric is wet. Then I tried again with the flower shape (upper right) and the blob (lower right). I used a lot less alcohol on the ...

No fabric in this week.

Some fabric out as part of the ongoing sewing room declutter. I haven’t finished going through my fabric, and I still have to go through my scraps. I expect more will go before I’m done.

I’m working on the next challenge quilt. I wanted a background of either aqua or aqua green, but had neither in my stash. Hard to believe any color is missing, but there it is. Instead of shopping to find something, I decided to paint white fabric.

I layered turquoise paint over green airbrush ink because I didn ...

My September OMG was to finish the challenge quilt, which I called Still Life. The photo doesn’t do justice to the background fabric.

Except for the veins in the leaves, I either dyed or painted all the fabrics. I learned the free form piecing technique at a class I took at Guild several years ago. The quilt is the size of a cutting mat.

The inspiration for the next challenge is hanging on my design wall, where I can listen to what it has to say.

Visit Stories From the Sewing Room for all the other OMG finishes.

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I spent most the week painting interfacing and tablecloth lace. I can go far down the rabbit hole when I paint, layering colors and using different brushes for different effects. Then I remembered I had a deadline and picked up the pace.

I apologize for how distracting my paint board is with all the old dried paint on it. The current pieces are red, orange, pink and green.

I started with these three.

Then I picked up the pace and painted all the rest at the same time.

Here they are on the background fabric ...

June was a productive month. I finished two stitches, Floral Butterfly and the star ornament. The ornament wasn’t on my June list.

I started The Short List many years ago to create goals to work toward and a way to focus. I change things up as my goals and interests change.

Project 1 (stitching): Words of Joy Tree, pattern by Ursula Michael. I’m stitching this on red 14 count aida with DMC white, all from stash.

Project 2 (UFO): The membership quilt. The two sections are complete and ready to quilt.

Project 3 (original): The challenge due in ...

When painting fabric, I gravitate toward blues and purples because they are my faves. I know those paints, how they mix and play with each other. We are besties.

The inspiration for the challenge quilt due in July has a much warmer palette, filled with yellow, pink and orange. I am less familiar with those paints, although the stash contains many of them. The deadline doesn’t leave time for a lot of trial and error. I needed to understand the warmer paint colors.

The solution was creating a paint chip palette in my sketchbook.

In hindsight, I wish I ...

This week I have some usage because I finished Shikishi. The quilt measures about 23 x 24.

The design came from a sketch I did probably 15 years ago that has hung on my inspiration board ever since. No good reason exists for waiting so long to create it.

I painted the cheesecloth for the background squares. The leaves are reversible and positionable. I used two layers of fabric right side out with wire and fleece between them. They are sewn around the edges to hold everything together. The leaves are tacked to the quilt only near the stem to ...

For the project inspired by another quilt, I decided to revisit a weaving technique I tried several years ago. This is the small project I made with that technique.

Here is the book with the idea.

The first time I used rug canvas as the base for the weaving. It was way too hard on my sewing machine, and I had to finish the stitching by hand. This time I used this canvas I picked up at the thrift. It’s much softer and more pliable.

Last time I left the canvas white, but for this project I wanted it ...

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All the borders are on Remember Me and it patiently awaits quilting.

I shifted back to the quilt meant to get passed as part of the Art2Quilt challenge. Since I ended up passing a different quilt, I’m OK with showing it here.

The idea came from a sketch I drew a long time ago. If I had to guess I’d say 10 to 15 years ago.

I used the cheesecloth I painted for the squares. I wanted those squares to have texture and an organic feel to them. Fusing fabric squares would have ...

It’s been all about cheesecloth this week.

I added dark blue and purple paint to the blue cheesecloth from last week. I’m much happier with it now.

I also cut up the rust cheesecloth and did some experimental stitching.

I liked the zigzag stitch (top), but it wasn’t the look I wanted. Below that I tried a straight stitch. The thread matches the fabric making it hard to see.

I ended up using the straight stitch for the current project. I expect the zigzag to make an appearance in the future.

I’ve decided not to show ...

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Yesterday I painted cheesecloth because sometimes a girl just has to paint fabric.

The rust version was intentional, the pink an unexpected result of color mixing and the blue both intentional and unexpected. That one will get additional colors added so that it fits where I plan to use it.

I am still behind on responding to comments and viewing links. I often do that very early in the morning and had another day of Blogger refusing to post comments. I am amazed at how much fabric some of you have used this year. You ...

My OMG for September was to complete my Art quilt Group’s improv challenge.

I started with white fabric and added glue as a resist.

Then I painted it.

Then I washed out the glue and added texture with paintstik over a rubbing plate.

Then I added more paint.

To make it useful, I turned it into a project bag.

I had a lot of fun returning to my surface design roots. The challenge is to do something with the fabrics. This time around I’m committed to using it as I create it.

Visit Elm ...

We left off with the resist piece here.

Then I added a little bit of silver paint. It didn’t show up so I changed to silver paintstik. Next came blue paintstik over a rubbing plate.

I still wasn’t happy with the silver. My philosophy with paint is to go big or go home. It’s only fabric. I added more silver paint, and then added purple paint with a sponge (in the circles) and a brush (background).

I would normally keep adding layers, but this fabric will become a quilted project and I want the quilting to show ...

My OMG for September is an improv painted piece. I started with glue resist on white fabric.

Once the glue dried I added paint.

I painted splotches, thinned the paint, painted more splotches, thinned the paint, etc. The glue has been removed and the paint heat set.

Some of the shapes came out as intended, others not so much.

I think it needs touches of another color to liven it up. Stayed tuned for phase three.

It’s hard to believe it’s September already. Fall is definitely in the air here. We’ll have more hot weather, but we haven’t seen much of that lately.

I didn’t finish anything last month. I have way too many projects going for my taste. I’m revising the list to change my focus.

Project One: I’m very close to finishing My Sewing Treasures by Bobby G Designs.

Project Two: I signed up for the Tiny Modernist Holiday 2022 SAL. The SAL runs for three months. Rough start with the white floss not showing up against ...

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A busy week of meetings and household tasks kept me out of the sewing room. Next week should be calmer.

Last weekend’s quilt show inspired me to order some new dyes and paints.

A few of the dyes look gray but are not. I will have to give everything a try to see what I get. It’s always fun to play with a new palette of colors. All were purchased with a project in mind.

Fabric In: 0.5 yards

Fabric Out: 8.875 yards

Net Fabric Out: 8.375 yards

How did ...

First, the good news.

Our Art 2 Quilt group’s challenge quilts were accepted into the Ultimate Guild Challenge at AQS Grand Rapids (August). We were all very excited! More on that once the show is closer.

The other news is the book that inspired The Wall Quilt blocks came in at the library. The not so good news is that it didn’t jog my memory. I have a rough idea of where I was going with the idea, but I’m basically starting over.

The book contained detailed instructions on how to build stone walls, steps and patios ...

The new month came quickly, leaving me scrambling to figure out the next projects. So many choices, limited time.

I met my goal last month of finishing the Pumpkin Patch top, and then finished the quilt shortly after. The next project on the mindless list is a quick sew.

Project One: I’m still stitching My Sewing Treasures by Bobby G Designs.

Project Two: I haven’t worked on the band sampler. I’m debating if I stitch the rest of the bands or just the final colored band to balance it out.

Project Three: I’m sewing a simple ...

It has been another challenging week here with lots of places to be and things to do and not a lot of creative time. Regardless, I did get out the paints and darkened both the upper corners of Open Dialogue.

I’ve moved on to planning the quilting design. The original idea didn’t work out, nor did plan B. I have a vague concept drifting just out of reach, like a dream you can’t quite remember once awake. Hoping the weekend will provide the time and space to finalize a plan and start quilting.