Close to Ready.

This is an update on my Foundation of Colour Quilt.I have now added BLUE so all three primary colours are representd, I also added fill in pieces in any colour as most colours have the three primaries in them and therefor they would all fit. Next came the backing and wadding/batting, the wadding was fine quite easy to cut the backing however took a little thought and I decided to cut backing fabric (black) on the BIAS for the curves to make them stand alone, as it were, then I used the pillow method to back the main body of the work.This worked out well and I hand stitched the backing fabric where the straight met the curved piece, this also helped when it came to quilting.I decided to use F.M.Q. all over this quilt and have never quilted a piece quite so much, another first, and have found it has become quite stiff.I also decided to use the colour of the fabric in the bobbin thread to add colour to the back, another first, and it also shows the curves of each colour.I still have a way to go but can now "see" it  all coming together. I still have a stash mountain and have enjoyed using the rulers and may do another quilt in another size, thinking cap firmly on! Hope you enjoylooking and please leave a comment I do not take offence as often others "see" things I have missed.
Take Care
Janette

Work in Progress

I am part of an on line group Stretching Art and each year there is a new "theme", the theme this time is Foundation of............The group show the quilts in a quilt show not a virtual show so there is a  of work done behind the scenes by the two quilters who organise and co-ordinate  they also choose the theme.There are no rules in that you can interpret the theme in your own way the only restrictions are size and deadlines so the variety of work is exciting to see (for me, on line)The show is in the U.S.A. so I have to thank the others for the photos they post.As I said this years theme is Foundation of..... and I have chosen  Colour.This is something we as quilters use all the time and we see, think and even dream in colour however my problem was how to interpret this in fabric.Some years ago on a wonderful visit to Quilt Show in Houston I bought Marilyn Doheny's wedge rulers (a must have after  seeing the demo!) but I had never used them, UNTIL NOW.Another problem for me is where I live, on the Mull of Kintyre, very beautiful but also very remote so no quilt shops or even fabric shops close by the result is I jumped into my stash and used what I found, the photos are the work so far Please leave a comment as the eyes of other quilters often help me "see" things I had no idea was there.
Take Care
Janette

Hello 2012

I have not had much time to sew in the last few months but dicided to just stitch stirps, any size, and stick to blue's and green's mainly because I have rather a lot of blue in my stash but also because I like green and I think these two colours work together. I work quite small these days, no more bed size quilts, usually within the min. size for shows and I am trying to use what I have in my stash. I also want to broaden my work but stay within "tadition"ish as here in the UK tradition still rules more or less anyway thats part of my reasoning. I will enter a few shows this year and plan to work work work as for the past tow years I have not really had a work ethic re sewing but now feel I need a more organized approach.I will post photos of the work in progress.
Take Care
Janette

What I'm Working On

When my entry into a quilt show arived back enclosed was an entry form for next year!!!! now I'm not usually planning that far ahead but something clicked and off I went. Not with just one idea but with two wnich is another new field for me, but they both have the same "theme" spirals and as I said I have a year to work on them.However life has got in the way a bit and so I decided to post the work in progress photos and look for input, ideas etc.I should say they are two sizes, the smaller one has only one spiral while the larger one has two, they have free cut shapes appliqued to the background fabric ( plain calico) and the larger one I intend using couching, vibrabt thread, and also black thead, at present I still have to dicide what, how to quilt the smallr one. Thank you for looking.
Take Care,

Janette

Hello it's Been a While.

Well Fishy Fantasea has been away to a show and is now safely back home.When it came back it had an entry form enclosed for next year this time the theme is Spirals (I think) anyway I put my thinking cap on and have started two quilts with this theme (loosely) One large and one small, both applique both free cutting the fabris but the smaller much more restraint in design.I will take some photos of work in progress and have even thought about the quilting thread colour I will use on the larger quilt which is a first as that is more like an afterthought then part of the "plan"  design.I have also recently made a bag from Harris tweed fabric and now Kathleen and Robert have it to sell, if it does not sell I will be happy to have it back as I like it a lot however I forgot to take a photo before I gave them it.I,m glad I have been able to post as the last time I tried there was a problem.Thank you for visiting.
Janette

Fishy Fantasea is Ready.

This is my entry into the themed category of  The Great Northern Quilt Show, Harrowgate, England. The theme is Beside the Seaside and my entry is Fishy Fantasea. The inspiration came from a trip to Barbados and going underwater to sea the marine life in all ita colourful beauty however I am not good at realism so my tropical fish went funky and I had lots of fun making this quilt.
Tha background is pieces, the "fish" are appliqued, as is the seaweed, the eyes are vintage buttons  and the shells are real shells from Turkey (another trip) held in place with beading.The quilting is machine quilting FMQ and there is a little hand embroydery on the seaweed.

I would really appreciate any comments and I will not be offended by anything said. The photos are not very good but then I am not a hphographer I just hope you  enjoy looking.
Thak You For Looking
Janette

Random Thoughts and Other Finds.

People have been very kind to me in the last few weeks and I find that very hearwarming given life in todays world.I can still look forward to my SAQA journal as I have received help with my subscription, I thought I would have to stop this wonderful,  infomative, and inspiring publication but thanks to the european rep. and her kindness I am still a memeber.
Other finds, well I am still unpacking my studio stuff, I know, I can hear you say"Just how much stuff did/do you have?" and the truth is LOADS some of which I had forgotten about.These forgotten finds are now new again and I hope to have fun USEING the where as before they were "must haves" that I really did need, and were not really  must haves at all however now that we are broke my over stashing has come to the fore.One of the forgottens were a set of  Tsukineko inks, I had never even opened the little bottles. so have tried them out, I'm not a painter so need to practice with them but I did try them by really wetting cotton the useing the ink very much diluted, leave it to dry and it gave a lovely frilly edge.I also discovered that once the ink is on and dry you cannot dilute it its permanent, someting else to take note of. I also found class samples and the hand out from a class I took with Evelyn Ramsay, she uses transfere paints, layers sheers, and the end result is/arepopies, when I took this class I was happy to continue afterward and have made a small wall quilt.It hangs at the top of our stairway.So another avenue to visit but with paint this time.
I miss my friend Linda lots, we talked textile all the time, bounced ideas off each other, gave and asked for advice on textile stuff and were just best friends, something that cannot be replaced.I cannot use the enbellisher she gave me at present because it reminds me of her and my mind goes blank and I cant do anything at all.
These were random thoughts etc.nice talking to you and do call again.
Janette