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Thursday, December 10, 2020

SWAG - SWAG - SWAG - for Craft Napa


Craft Napa - January 2021
Uncorked at Home

Coaster/ Mug Rug Kit 




I have always enjoyed creating a little something special for the 
swag bags which, in past years, each attendee received as they 
arrived in Napa for Pokey Bolton's annual retreat.

 This year, we pivot.

 The event will be virtual, I will teach my classes on zoom,
and we will all tune in from the comfort of our home studios.
This year, attendees who have enrolled in three 
or more classes will receive the Swag Bag.
 
A knee-deep pile of 150 coaster kits.  


I pondered what would be an appropriate gift this year. 
One of the retreat events is an evening wine tasting party.
 Those who have signed up will receive a selection of bottles by mail 
and a sommelier will guide the group through a special tasting.

So......I designed a limited addition Craft Napa Coaster/Mug Rug kit 
for my contribution to the swag bags. Attendees can make a coaster
 for use during the wine tasting evening and throughout the retreat. 
Coffee in the morning, afternoon tea, 
and wine, wine, wine!

++++

The kits contain a selection of my hand-painted fabrics, Mistyfuse, 
cotton canvas, parchment paper, basic instructions, 
and a pre-fused Craft Napa label.






 Each kit has a piece of either red or blue fabric plus two green tones.


 

Here I sit on my lawn with a mountain of fabrics that 
I painted for my classes and for these coaster kits. 
I began with commercially printed fabrics and added layers 
of acrylic paints to create texture and highlights.


I often times start with commercially printed fabric 
with subtle imagery.

This blue fabric began as commercially printed light blue with 
white dots. I first dipped the entire yardage in a bucket of diluted 
teal paint then draped it over my lawn to dry. Second and third layers
 of paint, added by brush, add lots of big circles. 
Notice the backside of the fabric where the layers of paint seeped
 through.I like to use both sides of the fabric depending on the 
intensity of color I desire.





This fabric was originally light red, printed with 
a darker dotted peace sign motif. Layers of my paint obscure the 
printed design and offer areas with high contrast and shading. 





This fabric began as a white-on-white quilting cotton. 
From a few feet away, the fabric looked completely white but
 upon close inspection a motif of white dragonflies could be seen. 
By adding layers of diluted paint, the dragonflies emerged. The
 original white printed design acted as a 'resist' to the new washes 
of acrylic paint. Then I deliberately covered up parts of the image 
with thicker paint layers to make the motif less prominent.




The photo below shows the front and back of these two different
 red-toned fabrics. The option of using the front or back of the fabric 
offers a wide variety of hues and color intensities to choose from. 


 

Coaster Kit Directions:

Choose a design from the patterns provided in the kit or,
 better yet, design your own.

Cut out the desired paper pattern pieces.




Determine the size of your coaster. Mine measures 5" square.
Cut two pieces of canvas. 



The canvas I use is from Home Depot! 
It's a drop cloth from the paint department. My favorite!
I've used this fabric for years for loads of different projects. 



If, by chance, your canvas is slightly 'off-square' 
(meaning that the vertical or horizontal threads are not 
perpendicular to each other) you can easily tug the opposite
 corners to square it up. In the photo below, I intentionally
 pulled the canvas 'off-square' to illustrate this distortion. 
I can make it square again by pulling the 
opposite corners to adjust it. Iron if necessary. 


Planning your design

This next step is just the planning of where you will later cut 
your fabric. Choose areas of the painted fabrics you'd like to 
use for your design. 



Do not cut your painted fabric yet.
  It is recommended that you iron Mistyfuse to the fabric 
before cutting out the fabric pieces. This way,
 the fusible will be neatly trimmed right up to the 
edges of your fabric pieces. 



Remember, you can use either the front or the back of the fabrics. 
You might choose to use some areas of both sides of the fabrics. 
In the photo below, I used the back side of the red fabric for the 
bird's body and used the front, heavily painted area, for the 
wing. If you are planning to use parts of both the front and 
back of the fabric, you will need to cut your fabric apart 
strategically so that you can add fuse to the back side of 
each chosen part.  

  
Here are some more possible ways to strategically 
cut the fabric. Notice how I used one small orange patch
 for the bird's beak. And each flower petal was 
cut out separately. 


Or..... Make up your own design!

 If your pattern piece doesn't quite fit on the fabric, you 
can layer and combine a few scraps together. Notice how 
I made the flower pot with two different scraps.

But don't cut out your shaped fabric pieces yet!
You will add fuse to the fabric BEFORE 
cutting out your pattern.

Note: If the fabrics seem stiff, you can scrunch them up 
in your hand and roll them around a bit. This will break up
 some of the more heavily painted areas and result in
 a softer feel.


Preparing to fuse your fabric:

The Magic of Mistyfuse




Misty Fuse is an environmentally friendly fusible that is solvent-free 

and recyclable. It's been extruded to a very fine web to create a 

lasting bond without adding bulk. No extra adhesive to gum up 

your needles. It is suitable for a wide variety of fabrics from velvets 

and cottons to delicate tulles and silk organzas. The fusible is made 

from 100% thermoplastic adhesive polymer resin. Misty Fuse is a 

dream to work with - it 

handles well, is sheer and doesn't add bulk to your fused 

fabric and bonds firmly once cooled.


mistyfuse.com







  Important!  
You must use parchment paper 
(or a teflon-coated, non-stick ironing sheet) 
both under and on top of the project to protect 
your iron and your ironing board. 

Pictured below are Reynold's brand Kitchen Parchment Paper 
and 'Goddess Sheets', made by Mistyfuse. The Goddess Sheet 
is made from Teflon-coated, sheer fiberglass - creating a
 long lasting, nonstick sheet. If using parchment paper,
 PLEASE use Reynolds brand!Some store brands are 
problematic and can stick to the fusible.
(Lesson Learned!)



The Process:

Cut the parchment paper from your kit in half and 
put one piece on your ironing board.

Lay your chosen painted fabric on top of the parchment 
with the wrong side facing up.

Cut a piece of fusible to roughly the same size as your fabric. 
It is helpful if it is slightly smaller than the fabric 
but large enough for the pattern piece. 
Lay the Mistyfuse on top of the fabric.
Cover with the other half of parchment paper. 
Any fusible that is exposed will stick to your iron 
so be sure it is fully covered.
 
 Use the cotton setting on your iron. 
Simply iron the fabric (without steam).

NOW.....
it's time to cut out your fabric pieces 
by pinning the paper patterns to your fabric 
or just winging it and cutting some shapes. 

Arrange the pieces on your top square of canvas, 
with parchment paper 
on top of and below the project. 
Iron to fuse the shapes to the background. 







Iron the pre-fused label to the back side of the bottom 
piece of canvas.
(Remember that Parchment Paper!)



Add stitching!
I like to add free-motion stitching with black thread. 
I usually stitch around the edge of each fabric piece 
and then add more details. 






After you have added all of your stitching to the central design,
 layer your two canvas pieces together with wrong sides together. 
Stitch around the perimeter. 









Optional: I opted to add a layer of Liquitex Matte Medium to one 
of my coasters to act as a water-resistant barrier. It might 
help keep my coaster from getting coffee drip stains. 
The jury is still out. 
I'll let you know what I think of this option.


 Brew that Coffee,
Steep that Tea,
 or Pop the Cork!
Cheers!

A huge Thank You to my friend Iris Karp
 for donating the Mistyfuse for this project.
Please visit her website for 
more products and information. 
Mistyfuse.com 



Here we are, a few years back, 
in Houston
 in the Mistyfuse booth at the International Quilt Festival. 
Judy Tucker, Lisa Chin, Michelle Banton, me, 
and Iris Karp of Mistyfuse














































 

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Website Sneak Peek!

 My Website is Coming, My Website is Coming, My Website is Coming SOON!

Here's a Sneak Peek!

I am almost ready to launch my long-awaited website. Please check back! 

Thank you for your patience!!!

My web designer, Suzan Engler, has done a beautiful job 

and is patient and wonderful to work with!

Please consider Suzan if you are in need of any Tech services. 

suzan@suzanengler.com 






Global Quilt Connection

Today I will be participating in the LIVE Global Quilt Connection "Meet the Teachers" event.
This is a zoom format webinar open to everyone at no charge.
Guilds and groups will hear 3 minute presentations from teachers around the world and learn about their online class and lecture offerings. 
4pm EDT.       
I will be there to present my classes and to answer your questions.
Come join the fun!





http://www.globalquiltconnection.com/#

Monday, September 7, 2020

"Burn Cycles"

 

Burn Cycles




Here is "Burn Cycles".

...A most fitting quilt to post today.....

 It hangs in the Oceanside Museum of Art in Oceanside CA. The invitational exhibit entitled Southern California Contemporary Quilts opened on August 24th and runs through 2-21-21.

The artworks were to reflect life in So Cal.  Having grown up in Connecticut, I was not prepared for the devastating wild fires when I moved to southern CA. Ashes in the air. Ashes swirling on the sidewalks. Flames on the nearby hills.  These fires are terrifying and horrific and devastating and heartbreaking. I have packed treasures in my car in anticipation of evacuating but have never had to leave my home. I am grateful for that.

This artwork references the never-ending cycle of fire season after fire season, over and over and over. And as California burns again, I am thankful for the heroic firefighters and first responders. 

With the museum closed due to the pandemic, I haven't yet seen my piece hung. It is huge....over 8' tall and is made with layers of my hand-painted fabrics, rope, and a million stitches.

Good news. Oceanside Museum of Art has been given the green light to open in the next few weeks. I'll be able to visit, to see my piece hung, and to see all of the extraordinary art quilts on display.