Teesha Moore-Inspired Quilt Block
This is the Teesha Moore-inspired quilt block I made to exchange in a recent swap on Swap-Bot at http://swap-bot.com/
I used embroidery floss in contrasting colors to create the inner square
and to trim the edging.
Tucked under the little flowery tab at the top is a secret, hidden heart
edged in seed beads & outlined with machine stitching!
The theme of my square is 'open ur heart'
spelled out in alphabet beads and punctuated with a tiny heart & seed beads.
This is project I will definitely try again!
String Block for Quilting
Each block is 12" x 12" with 2" strings mounted on a plain, white, cotton base.
The minimum requirement for each block was to have 8 strings.
Mine ended up with 10-ish. Each string is 2 inches wide.
These ended up with a woman in Australia along with some other goodies I stuffed into the package.
Such a fun way to make international acquaintances.
These are two string blocks I made for another swap.
Each block is 12" x 12" with 2" strings mounted on a plain, white, cotton base.
The minimum requirement for each block was to have 8 strings.
Mine ended up with 10-ish. Each string is 2 inches wide.
These ended up with a woman in Australia along with some other goodies I stuffed into the package.
Such a fun way to make international acquaintances.
I can hardly wait to see mine when they arrive!
Ethnic Computer Bag
Sewing is art, right? Well it certainly is a craft. And since every last element of this bag was designed and created by me, I'm calling it art!
This double-pouch computer bag took longer than I had planned.
The flip-over top is an ethnic fabric piece I found
at a little shop in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Because the hand embroidery is done on a loose-weave cotton, I used
heavy, water-proof, outdoor upholstery fabric to line the inside.
Batting between the layers adds extra protection.
It includes 2 interior padded pockets.
....as well as two open deep pockets
and one shallow zippered pocket with a
beaded pull in the back!
For the sides, I used some contrasting textured upholstery
fabric to add interest!
All the edges of the bag are reinforced with
nylon strapping similar to that used in the shoulder strap.
Despite the few 'bumps in the road' to finishing it,
I'm pleased with how it turned out.
India-Inspired Pin Cushions
There are many people from India in our Washington community.
Every year, the local Holi - Festival of Colors reminds me how astounded I
was by the kaleidoscope of colors during my visits to India and Nepal.
They never fail to inspire!
Coming home from the East, I placed a colorful kantha quilt across my bed,
hung tapestries of saffrons, mustard yellows, fuchsias, and reds
from the walls of my studio.
from the walls of my studio.
When the idea of a sewing-inspired swap came up,
I knew the colors I would choose are those that inspire me most.
I decided to make pin-cushions - small, practical objects
loaded with the colors of tika powders.
loaded with the colors of tika powders.
Every stitch reminded me of brightly painted carts, saris of jeweled beauty,
the scent, taste and color of rich masala - a little bundle of life in the East.
Each pin cushion started as long strips of scrap fabric sewn together
then cut into 4.5" smaller strips.
A circle of fabric formed the bottom.
After sewing strip of fabric to the circle bottom,
the two ends of the strip were stitched together
forming a bowl.
After adding a circle of cardboard inside to strengthen the bottom,
I stuffed the pin cushion-to-be with fiber fill.
Using a needle and strong button thread, I hand gathered the fabric at the opening,
pulled it closed, and added a colorful button on top, decorated with ribbons, beads and trinkets.
I wrapped and tied a small wooden spool with sections of a vintage tape measure.
Worn, vintage gold pins strung with beads decorated strands of floss.
Part of our swap was to provide each participant with a 6" square of sewing-themed fabric.
I wasn't thrilled with the dark fabric I found,
so I used a paper-piecing technique to brighten it with other fabric.
To hide the piecing seams, I backed each one with a square of blue fabric.
Those were appliqued' with a sewing-themed message.
I could almost make a quilt if I'd keep them all!
But they were meant to be shared!
It wouldn't be a swap without an ATC for each participant.
Here's one of mine!
I stuck with the sewing-theme to create a glued and stitched collage
of fabric pieces, ribbon, buttons, pins.
A big thanks to Michelle Frae Cummings and to all the participants for this really fun swap!
Fabric Kiwi Dolls
inspired by Morrisseau
After falling in love with the first commercially sold 'Ugly Dolls'
I made my own version styled after the Native American Artist, Morrisseau.
Using a variety of fabrics including cotton, felt, and fuzzy fur,
and these 4 one-eyed babies were born!
(I will have to find a better image of them!)
and these 4 one-eyed babies were born!
(I will have to find a better image of them!)
Fish & Turtle Applique
When I had little kids, I began my first attempts making quilts for them,
but was never very good at it. I didn't like following patterns.
Later, as grand babies showed up, I used my 'free style' quilting to
piece together squares and strips along with appliques of symbols or animals.
These are two of the appliques I made, again....art inspired by Morrisseau.
They haven't made it to quilts yet, but they are in the works!
