Fluffy and Lacy with Free Motion Mavericks

Welcome to the Free Motion Mavericks link-up (week 234)

Fluffy and Lacy

Last week at Quilt Canada, I took a great workshop with Amanda McCavour. She's a Toronto based artist whose textile art is generally beautifully light and lacy. She really is an expert at working and teaching with Sulky Solvy products.

During the workshop, I worked on my first two panels. The first one was more fluffy and included layers of thread, embroidery floss, yarn, ribbon and wool roving with an organza backing. I attached all of this with some meandering FMQ.

Top layer of the first panel

The meandering FMQ to hold it all together

The second panel was much more difficult to make. It consisted of strands of yarn. I don't do  minimalism very well. This panel really highlights the thread work. The top third of the panel was sewn densely, both horizontally and vertically. The middle part was very loosely sewn diagonally while the bottom part was only sewn horizontally.

Variations of lacy threads

I made the third panel the evening after the workshop. I guess I still had some creative energy in me.  I wanted this one to also highlight the threat, but this time between thin strips of fabric. Isn't the fabric yummy? 😊 I cut the edges of Elaine Quehl's hand-dyed fat quarters. That also took a lot of courage!

I couldn't just place them all vertically, so I wove some strips together with bits of batiks. I used my regular sewing foot to sew these together, between the layers of Sulky products.

Colourful strips held together by threads

My plan is to make 4 panels, but who knows, I do have enough Sulky Solvy product to make up to 8 - so I'll see where this takes me. I want to try the different techniques but I also want to make a cohesive piece. It's also possible to embellish all of these, so there are many possibilities!

What I learned

• I really enjoyed making these panels. It was pure play, so I want to make sure that I don't overthink the rest of them.
• I just love the different techniques and weights of these panels. This is a truly versatile technique.
• I've been wanting to make transparent textile art for a while, so now that I've found this technique, I'm going to have to think about it.

Related links

• Quilt Canada in Ottawa, June 17, 2019
• Amanda McCavour
• Elaine Quehl's hand-dyed fabric

Linky parties

I will be linking up to many fun link-ups. Why not check some of these out? Midweek Makers, Let's Bee Social, Needle & Thread Thursday, Moving It Forward, Tuesday Colour Linky Party, What I Made Monday, Off The Wall Friday, Friday Foto Fun,  Finished or Not Friday, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop?, Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, 

Free Motion Mavericks

Thank you Gail for linking up her Daisy Chain quilt - it really is wonderful! 

And I can't help it, I love, love toads and frogs and all things swampy! So if you haven't seen and read about Dione's great "Hop to be Square meets Tic Tac Toad" quilt, you have to check it out!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

June Beginnings

My life is overflowing with quilting, embroider, EPP and other fibre art projects. I love it, especially since there are no real deadlines. Here are some of the things I've been working on this week.

Connected by a Thread Art Quilt

The Out of the Box FibreArtist group has a challenge so that we can eventually create a body of art for an exhibition. It's really weird working on a piece for eventually. It's also really nice since I get to explore without a deadline.

Trying out some stitches on felt

The theme is Connected by a Thread and the size is 11" x 14". I had many ideas for this project, each one more complex than the last. I finally put a stop to all of that and decided to create an abstract piece (something I very rarely do) with my hand-dyed fabrics from last summer. I'll be incorporating a whole bunch of techniques that I'm presently learning 😊 It's going to be organic and improvisational (i.e. winging it!)

I'm only going to show you elements of it since it's got a long way to go. Eventually the task will be to make sure that it's cohesive.

The first image is a layered circle. I started with a circle of hand-dyed fabric cut with pinking shears. I layered the circle and embroidering it following some of Sue Spargo's techniques from her Craftsy class, Embroidery Texture & Dimension by Hand.

The layer on top of the fabric is green pre-felted wool, attached with a whip stitch. This layer is surrounded by Pekinese stitches in 2 shades of green embroidery floss. The next layer, a pink-beige pre-felted wool, is crowned with couched purple sheep curls. I haven't figured out what will go with the next purple felted circle.

Needle felted edge

I have a 3-D edge that needed to be finished. Over the zigzag stitch I attached little strips of cheesecloth on both sides of the edge. Over this I needle felted some lovely wool roving.

In this area, I cut some of the dyed fabric into strips and wove it together into a block. I didn't want to add the whole block so I backed it with fusible web, cut it into this shape and then stitched it to the background. Eventually I will be stitching around it.

Woven strips of hand-dyed fabric

I also practiced some of the stitches I learned on this piece of felt. There are fly stitches, tête de boeuf, closed fly stitches, more Pekinese stitches and attempts at a few crested chains.

Some practice stitching from Sue Spargo's class

Kingfisher Stitch-Along

The stitch along has started. I thought I had a few EPP flowers already made but my hexies had two rows while the pattern calls for only one row of hexies around the middle hexie. I'm not complaining since in the end it will be that much easier and faster to make.

These are potential flowers from my pile of already made hexies. The next step is to go into the stash and get different fabric, since these are the ones that I've been working with for the last year. Time for some new stuff! As you can guess, I haven't decided what to do about the middle hexie. I would like it to be roughly the same fabric or colour to unify the quilt.

Potential EPP flowers

I really like the look of low volume fabrics as a background to these colourful flowers. I'm not sure that I have much of that in my stash. I may have to check out some of my favourite shops! Oh shucks 😊

More colours for potential EPP flowers

This project will be my One Monthly Goal (OMG) for June. We are supposed to make 8 flowers per week. I'm not sure that's very realistic for me, so I'm aiming for 16 flowers by the end of June.

What I learned

• I'm not really sure where I'm going with this art piece but ultimately what I would like is to make a cohesive piece that includes all kinds of different techniques that I'm learning.
• I started with some improv piecing, didn't like parts of it so I just took the rotary cutter to it!
• I have a few ideas but what I'm trying to figure out is when to quilt it. Since I want to add some found objects and do some beading, the quilting should probably be done before this.
• I am loving the creative process and really trying to let myself be ok with not knowing how it's going to turn out. I'm just doing a minimum of planning as I go. I've been known to do this but it doesn't always work out. This time, it will!
• I've only been on Instagram for a few months. I haven't really been hooked until I started looking at hexies through #kingfisherstitchalong. I have no idea why, but I love looking at the different combinations of fabric on participants' hexies. It makes my heart sing.😊
• I'm glad that the EPP project involves lots of colour because my art quilt isn't as colourful as I would like.

Related links

• Out of the Box Fibre Artists
• Sue Spargo: Embroidery Texture & Dimension by Hand on Craftsy
• Kingfisher Stitch-Along

Linking parties
I'll be linking this post to OMG Goal Setting for June as well as many others. Let's find out what everyone is up to! Main Crush Monday, Monday Making, Design Wall Tuesday, Moving it Forward Monday, Midweek Maker, Linky Tuesday, Tuesday Colour Linky Party, Needle & Thread Thursday, Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers, Off the Wall Friday,

Progress and Fun

Fibre Fling 6 - A Success!

I took most of last week off - to quilt, rest and then to volunteer at Fibre Fling 6. It was the ultimate holiday - taking time for myself, quilting, reading 2 books (that's how I rest), spending some quality time with my young adults and hanging out with fibre art and artists.

As I was talking with visitors and fellow artists at the show, I was so excited - I swear I was high on life and art!!!

Here are some of the things that I played with this week:

I have been wanting to make a couple of neutral lap quilts for a while. For the last year or so I've been increasing my stash of neutral fabrics.

More Take 5 Quilts

Anyone who knows me will wonder how I could make a neutral coloured quilt, but since I made the Bali Back Flip quilt and the Orange Peel Runner in neutrals, I must say that I've really come to appreciate them. I find them so classy and zen. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't work for very long without some real colour, but a change of scenery is not a bad thing :-)

All of the fabric strips for the quilt

The pattern I chose for the first quilt comes from More Take 5 Quilts by Kathy Brown. It's called Take 5 Loves Coffee Milk.

I don't usually cut all of my fabric before I start the quilt, but in this case I had no choice since each block requires pieces from all of the fabrics.

It took me a while to get the hang of the pattern because I had substituted some of the colours and had to translate the pattern to my fabrics.

Once I got the hang of it, it went really well. Just a lot of straight seams and no matching or points. My kind of piecing! Since the blocks are 14½ ", they sewed up quickly. It was also interesting to see the different colour combinations. I love the dark fabrics on the outside the best. I think that it's going to make a nice quilt.

Different block variations

More blocks

I've now completed 14 of the 20, 14½ " blocks required. The pattern is much larger than I need, but I'm going to make all of the blocks and then decide what to do with the extra ones. This might be my chance to make a partially pieced back. I've ordered and received the backing fabric - it's the wide backing and was on sale. Gotta love it!

Needle Felting

After participating in a Needle Felting Play Day last June, I had bought some supplies but didn't take any of them out until this week. I have to admit that I did so to justify buying a few more supplies - the shop is close to the Fibre Fling 6 venue!

On Saturday, between errands, I took over the kitchen table and played! Turns out that mixing different coloured threads, wool roving and fibre is really good for my artist's soul.

My first piece was made purely for fun. I wanted to use a merino wool and roving mixture that I purchased this week. It's so beautiful and soft that all I want to do is snuggle up to it! It reminds me of a scrumptious sherbet :-) I think that I've completed the needle felting part, but I would like to embellish it with beads. I have no idea how this piece will progress, but I'm sure that it'll come to me.

Add caption

The second and third pieces are for an art piece that I had hoped to make for the Colour Unboxed Exhibition. It wasn't made for the show, but I bought the fabrics I wanted and I still think that it's a great idea. Now that there's no pressure, I will probably make it. There are bound to be more shows that will need art quilts :-)




Fibre Fling 6

The view as visitors walked in to Fibre Fling 6

Here are a few pictures of Fibre Fling 6. Two of my pieces were in a great location - visible just as people walked into the room. Do you see them under the wonderful multi-coloured piece?

Sifting Pebbles was made by my friend and ex-colleague Kathy. Isn't it lovely?

Kathy created the copper wire knitted basket that is treated with patina in a workshop led by Sayward Johnson. The basket is displayed on a raw silk background to highlight its delicacy. The piece reminds Kathy of sifting sand and pebbles on the beach.

I just have to share this last one - it was created in honour of the 20th anniversary of the Out of the Box artist group. Véronique free motion quilted zentangle designs that she then shaded with water colours. I just love it!

Out of the Box celebrates 20 years!

What I learned:

• It seems that I don't need wine to get high - I just need to attend and participate in an art show! Great to know :-)
• Cutting fabric is the perfect thing to do when I'm sick with a sinus cold and can't lie down. That's how I cut all of the fabric for my neutral quilt. I made sure that I was well organised and then cut the fabric while listening to the audio version of Inheritance, the 4th book of the Eragon Series by Christopher Paolini. I don't read, or listen to, a lot of fantasy, but this series rocks!
• There's nothing like guilt to motivate me. In this case I don't mind since I did end up felting.

Featured Links:

• Bali Back Flip Lap Quilt (January 2, 2016)
• Orange Peel Table Runner (February 3, 2016)
• More Take 5 Quilts by Kathy Brown
• Needle Felting Play Day (June 8, 2016)
• Colour Unboxed Exhibition (January 24, 2017)
• Artists: Sharon Collins, Elaine Quehl, Sayward Johnson
• Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

Linky Parties

See what other quilters are making by visiting these parties I've linked up to: Main Crush Monday, Monday Making, Moving it Forward Monday, Linky Tuesday, Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers, MOP Monday, Finished or Not Friday, Can I get a Whoop Whoop? Off the Wall Friday, 

Needle Felting Play Day

I learned to needle felt this weekend when I attended my first play day with the Out of the Box Fibre Artists. I learn a new technique, met some great people and best of all, I got to play!

Needle felting is very forgiving, which is something I look for in a technique (as in life!). It doesn't look like you imagined? Add more here and there, or just pull it apart.

In the morning we were introduced to the tools and materials used in needle felting. We each got two needles and a thick piece of foam to work on. We then chose materials to work on, different types of felt - synthetic, wool and other natural fabrics such linen to felt on.

My first felted piece - a car-shaped cloud

I have a couple of ideas for some future quilting art pieces, so for my first try, I felted a car-shaped cloud. The wool roving will be perfect for making big fluffy clouds.

Of course, I just had to try my hand at making a landscape. That's why I mentioned the pulling apart! I had fun making it, and I did like some of the effects that I could do for the water, but take my word for it - it wasn't worth keeping.

After lunch I looked at what other participants were creating. Since we had been asked to bring a memento to work with, I saw many beautiful projects that incorporated jewelry of all kinds.

I knew that I wouldn't be keeping my landscape, so I made a felt piece using various felt pieces, hand-made paper, wool roving, tea-dyed cheese cloth, silk fibres, a feather pin and beads.

"The Feather" is a keeper! 

I  started by felting some wool rovings onto the cheese cloth and the grey felt. I knew that I wanted to use the hand-made paper, so I used colours that would compliment it. It's really amazing what a little bit of wool roving will do. I mixed a couple of the different colours and needle-punched them into the background.

I had brought some silk fibres that I wanted to incorporate into something. I just couched them onto the piece and added the beads. I didn't think about it at the time, but I guess that the nests go well with the feather and the airy cheesecloth.

Details of the felting on the cheese cloth with beads, silk fibres and feather

I basted the paper to the bottom felt piece, sewing the together where it wouldn't show.  I then added the side beads and felted around them so that they look like they're in a nest.

The next day at home, I looked at my landscape again, pulled it apart and then made this cute flower on a piece of linen.

Beads in a nest of wool

I had to make a flower :-)

What I learned:

• Playing is fun and if it's done without expectations, it's not a big deal to pull a piece apart (think Lego!)
• When I create, I try not to think too much about what I'm doing. I may start out with an idea, but then I follow my instinct since the results are often better than listening to my overthinking mind.
• I'm going to have to do some research on how to incorporate needle felting into my landscape quilt art. I know that it'll make amazing clouds but I'll have to figure out the rest.
• I really like the results of my needle felting play day. The one drawback to making "The Feather" is that it won't look finished until it's framed. That's one step that I can gladly do without!
• I doubt that I will get addicted to needle felting, but it's a great technique to add to my quilting.

I've done a little bit of research. If you're interested, here is a good, very basic tutorial on needle felting: "The Basics: How to Needle Felt (or Dry Felt)"by TLC Inspirations. Here is something a little more interesting to quilters who might want to embellishing with felting "Needle Felting Embellishments and Applique" by the National Quilters Circle.

You may also want to check out Felted Skies Studios. They sell landscape kits and have tutorials on YouTube. After watching parts of their tutorials, I figured out what went wrong with my landscape.

• I was using too much wool roving - it really doesn't have to be thick, and it's best to add more as you go along.
• You also have to think 3D - the background like water and sky can be thinner while the elements such as trees can be thicker and lay on top of the backing.

I will probably be using needle felting on my of my next art quilt projects - so come back to see it!

I've linked this post to the following Linky parties. Check them out!
Linky Tuesday with Freemotion by the River, Let's Bee Social with Sew Fresh Quilts, Design Board Monday at Bits n' Bobs, Main Crush Monday with Cooking Up Quilts, Needle and Thread Thursday with My Quilt Infatuation, Off the Wall Friday with Nina Marie, Fabric Frenzy Friday at Fort Worth Fabric Studio and Lessons Learned Linky with Quilting Mod.