Quiltsy Team Great Finds: 11-8-14

Hello--
November is here, but on Long Island, we've been having mild temps.  I guess I don't want to jinx the weather, but it has been so nice!  And the longer I can hold off on putting on the heat, the better for my pocket.  I know the weather will feel November in no time, so I found these great quilts to snuggle under and keep warm. But quilting is not only for "quilts" - finer artists make great, original bags and bracelets too.  

Remember, PLEASE CLICK on the team shop to see all the lovelies these talented quilters have made!

Barb from Mountain Quilt Works out of Sun Valley, Idaho:

Kathy from Kathy Kinsella Fibre Art out of Canada:

Ilse from Orchid Fabric Decor out of Silver Spring, MD:

My mother and I make up the Olive Street Studio design and sewing team.  I cannot remember my mom NOT sewing or quilting.  Since 2003, we've made chenille and cotton baby quilts, baby gift sets, little girls dresses and skirts.  In 2013, we expanded into Home Decor quilts and after getting requests for even bigger quilts, we're working on largers quilts too.  Then, with extra time, because we all have extra time, ha ha, we also make reversible tote bags, smaller handbags, and zipper pouches.  I joined the Quiltsy Team on Etsy in 2010. 
Etsy Shop: Olive Street Studio
Website: Olive Street Studio
Blog: Olive Street Studio on Blogger

Worldwide Quilting Day

For those of you who haven't heard yet, March 16th is Worldwide Quilting Day.   Hopefully you have made some plans to visit your local quilt shop or to work on a fun project with some quilty friends.  If you haven't yet, check out the Worldwide Quilting Day website to get some ideas for celebrating this wonderful day.

The Quiltsy team has been busy making items for their shops using the sawtooth star in honor of this special event.  It is so much fun to see the different ways these stars were used.  The Quiltsy Team is one talented group!

Patricia at thebutterflyquilter has this lovely wall hanging in her shop.  Love all the colorful stars!

TerryAskeArtQuilts made this modern mug rug or mini wall hanging.  Perfect for the office.

 Sally Manke made this wonderful table runner.  Her color choices are bright and cheery.  Perfect for the summertime table.

 

Ann at QuiltingFrenzy has this fun wall hanging she just finished.  She really did some fun quilting in the center of the star.

Jennifer at atthebrightspot has this art quilt available in her shop.  I love the straight line quilting in a variegated thread on this one.  Take a closer look to see the wonderful detail!






 If you are wanting a lovely quilt, Vivian at EggMoneyQuilts has this one in her shop.  Fall will be coming so you had better snatch this one up now!

The soft colors in this table runner by Susiquilts make for a beautiful table centerpiece.  What a great gift this would make for a special friend....

 


 Carol Ann at MooseCarolQuilts has this mystery quilt made with batiks in her shop....and its queen size!



 

The vibrant colors in this table topper by MoranArtandQuilts really makes this a show stopper.  And the inspiring words that can be found on the piece really make it special.

Kathy Kinsella incorporated her star onto this gorgeous silk purse.  Be sure and check out the other pictures of this purse in her shop to see the detail on this handbag along with the surprise that can be found on the back.






And the Quiltsy Team shop has this holiday candle mat for sale along with many other wonderful items.  This one was donated by susiquilts.





...and a final entry by PatsPassionQuilteds.  This tablerunner has a shabby chic feel to it with its soft lovely colors.  It's looking for a new home!





So call your friends, shop for some fabric and see what you can create to celebrate the history and freedoms in the creative outlet we all share....

Thanks for stopping by.... CynthiaBDesigns

Treasury Blitz - Feb 1

It's time for a month long treasury blitz featuring beautiful quilts from the Quiltsy team as well as some great complementary items!  Join us as we prepare for International Quilting Day!  Share a comment, and maybe click on  an item or two to get a better look.  Most of all, Enjoy!

Art Quilting Tips - Discharging

Discharging Fabric Some of you mentioned that you would like to know how to discharge fabric, so this is my blog post for today . . .

Discharging is the process of removing dye from fabric so that the original colour shows through. You have all done this before ... think of that favourite T-shirt that got spattered with bleach when you were doing laundry, or the slacks that you dripped dish washer detergent on . . . that's discharging!

When we are discharging fabric for use in an art quilt we like to be a little more selective in how the design emerges and what the final effect is. Different dyes discharge to different colours so you will want to do a small test sample if you are looking for specific results. Here are a few ideas for you to try:

• Use bleach in a spray bottle (can dilute with water up to 1:1) 
• Use dishwasher gel or bleach-based bathroom scrub 
• Try a bleach pen Have an old credit card handy for spreading the gel onto stencils, stiff paint brushes 
• Temporary spray adhesive for the backs of stencils 
• 3% hydrogen peroxide (available at pharmacy) 
• Have a couple of buckets of rinse water handy 
• Wear rubber gloves or latex gloves to protect your hands 
• Wear a respirator mask to protect your lungs 
• Wear old clothes!! 

For a first attempt, use a piece of black or dark coloured cotton and place it on a plastic-covered work surface that is away from anything that could be harmed by bleach (this is a great project for a calm day outside).

Use stencils or masks (spraying the back of them with temporary adhesive will make it stick closer to the fabric and you will get a cleaner line) or work free-hand. When using a stencil, I would recommend using a thicker form of bleach (gel or paste) and pulling the bleach across the stencil with an old credit card or other straight edge.

Bleach takes different periods of time to discharge different fabrics ... keep an eye on the colour and be ready to neutralize the fabric when the colour change looks right.

When the fabric looks like it is the right colour dunk it in a bucket of warm water and rinse it quickly ... then dunk it in the next bucket of water to rinse it some more ... then neutralize any leftover bleach by pouring 3% hydrogen peroxide over it ... DO NOT use vinegar to neutralize the bleach as it creates dangerous fumes. Wash the fabric well using your regular detergent ... dry ... iron ... and use it in a new project!

This cuff bracelet that I made was created by discharging a piece of black Kona cotton on which I had placed a piece of cedar bough before spraying it with bleach. This cotton discharged to a lovely warm caramel colour.

This purple batik fabric was discharged with dishwasher gel, using a stamp that I created, and the colour ended up being a soft grey-blue.

Have fun with this wonderful process and enjoy the surprise results that you achieve.

 Read more about the process of neutralizing bleach on Paul Burch's website here http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/neutralizingdischarge.shtml.

 Feel free to comment or convo with questions on discharging . . . Kathy
KathyKinsella.etsy.com

Art Quilt Tips - Painting Your Quilt

This is my first blog post with tips about art quilting . . . and I have decided to jump off the deep end and suggest a technique that you might not have considered using in your quilting projects . . . Painting your quilt after it is all finished!

Don't be horrified now!!! This can make a quilt come alive in a way that you never expected.

In this first photo you will see a traditional quilt block that has been free motion stitched with a leafy design inside softly curved ripples ... and then the leafy area has been painted with White pearlized Setacolor Textile Paint. See how the quilted stitched show up so nicely ... and the patterned background recedes a bit in the area that has been painted but it is not totally covered up.

In order to keep the paint from going outside your desired area, you can cut a piece of freezer paper into a stencil and then iron it onto your quilt block to protect the outer areas. To do this you will use an almost-dry brush and use light strokes to brush the colour across the top of the quilted design. Several light coats of paint looks better than one heavy coat. Because the paint does not go down to the stitching, it creates a valley of contrasting colour and texture which adds appeal to your art. If you want to use more than one colour of paint, the first should be dry before applying the second coat of paint.

Here is a photo of a section of a little purse that I made for a customer who requested that I incorporate a peace sign into the purse. I couldn't find a commercial fabric with peace signs that appealed to me so I created a stamp with the image and used it to discharge the colour from the purple fabric . . . it discharged to a beautiful soft blue-grey. I then used a irridescent turquoise, pearl white and violet paint by Jacquard to highlight an area of the purse that I had previously quilted with a swath of circles . . .

This is a wonderfully lighthearted technique (once you get your breath back after the first stroke of paint) and I can highly recommend it as a way of creating drama in an art quilt . . . or perhaps to rescue a quilt that was destined to the rag bag. As with all new techniques, be sure to try it out on a sample that has been made with the same fabrics so that you can figure out how much paint to use and to have a bit of an idea of what the finished art quilt will look like.

Have fun!!! . . . posted by Kathy Kinsella

Kathy Kinsella is a fibre artist who lives in British Columbia, Canada and whose work includes original fibre art purses, art quilts, and liturgical vestments. Her Etsy shop is www.kathykinsella.etsy.com.