Fabric sandwiches

  I love landscapes. I love batik and batik scraps, so here is a way I combined them. They are done on heavyweight interfacing as a backing, then the scraps are layered on, then overlaid with watersoluble interfacing, free motion quilted (sometimes with invisible thread on top), and then dipped in water to dissolve the interfacing. The first is one that I showed previously, but a better picture. The second is my newest and I will put it in a 12" square shadowbox. I want to make more! I keep collecting lots of value scraps.

I used invisible thread here. I am thinking of not trimming the edges.

Fiber sandwiches

  Here a couple more of my fiber pieces done with watersoluble interfacing that are Free Motion Quilted. The maroon ones are from fiber from The Critter Ranch (local and Etsy). I don't know how I am going to mount them, so I put some possible fabric behind them. I could mount them on canvas boards or in a frame, hmmm.

Interfacing sandwich with quilting

With fabric background

Without fabric background

With fabric background

Without fabric background

More Quilts!

   I finished some projects and keep forging ahead. I have more in my head than I can work on. The baby quilt for Lydia is quilted, washed, and gone. I used glue basting for the binding and it worked perfectly. The pattern was Arcadia. The parents did not want a frilly, girly quilt so I used this pattern and yellow and purple to match the colors they chose for her room. I would like to have quilted it denser, but I ran out of time.

Close up of one corner to see quilting

Quilt with binding

    I also made progress on the crumb quilt.  All the blocks were sewn with my Singer treadle. The strips were sewn by my Singer 301 because it is faster. I love using scraps and keep begging for them for the cancer patient quilts. I trimmed the blocks to  8 1/2" and framed them in white on white. All it needs now is border fabric- nothing I have works, I have to buy some to finish this. I have the tote bag ready and just need to sew pockets on it.

Close up of individual blocks

Quilt that just needs border fabric

       Another cancer patient quilt made it out the door. Hope it is helping her during treatment. The pattern is from Gerbie which I have made before. Just uses squares, no triangles. Very easy.

Tote bag for quilt

Aurora Aura top done!

Finally, after 1 1/2 years, I finished the Aurora Aura top that I started in a class with Karla Alexander. Now, I have to buy some backing and batting and finish the whole package. I love the colors. My sewing ability has improved since I started when I did not know how to sew curved pieces. I used Elmer's washable school glue to hold the borders in place instead of pins, and boy, does it lay a lot smoother than when I used pins. I have been using the glue for bindings as done by Sharon Schamber- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2hWQ5-ZccE and get great results every time.

Actual colors are much clearer and bright, but it is a rainy day here in Buffalo.

Case found for the 99!

I finally found a case for my Singer 99 that I had received in a broken jumble. I was able to reassemble the 99, but the case was smithereens. I found a Bentwood case on ebay and it was packed great! The case is really dirty though. Elizabeth recommended Murphy's oil soap and so I scrubbed it with straight soap on a sponge and a toothbrush. I kept rinsing the sponge and changing the water. It is not gunky anymore, but will need some kind of finish. When I get it all cleaned, I will post a photo of it and the 99 in it.

Wonderful packing job!

Pretty grimy.
 The handle was removed for shipping, but I can easily reattach it after I clean it.

New projects!

    I am not a seamstress. I never learned how to fit something 3D. I wish I could have. When my daughter was looking for bridesmaid presents, I suggested clutches with gift certificates inside. Then I found a great pattern (no zippers) from sewmamasew.com called Simple Party Clutch. I had a lot of false starts because I misinterpreted directions. We bought the home decor fabric on sale at Joanns. It uses heavy duty interfacing and regular iron on interfacing as well as magnetic snaps. Because I am a quilter, working on small 3D shapes was a challenge. But, I did get them done. I sewed them flawlessly on my new vintage Singer 301 from Elizabeth, http://www.sewingmachinemagic.com.

  Also, I sewed a quilt called Arcadia, mountainpeekcreations.com  for a baby shower for a girl to be named Lydia. The purple sashing is for her namesake- Lydia in the book of Acts was a dealer in purple cloth. It is pin basted and I am going to quilt big flowers. This was also sewed on my new 301 with its flawless stitches.

Pin basted

On the Design Wall