Oh to Have a Library…

I keep on finding some books that I would love to add to my ever growing library… the first, mentioned to me when I first started talking about dyeing my own fabric was this one -

Linda Johansen’s Fabric Dyer’s Dictionary

Photo Courtesy of amazon.co.uk

The next is me dreaming of studio space and a place to start surface designs on fabric – this was further fuelled when facing the need to add writing to my challenge quilt over here.  It’s a messy business, I believe, but one which is ever drawing me closer.

Printing By Hand:  A Modern Guide with Handmade Stamps, Stencils and Silk Screens by Lena Corwin

Photo courtesy of amazon.co.uk

Happy weekend,

Dianna

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Fused Art Quilts – for a good measure of procrastination

Yes, there has been quite a bit of procrastinating the week.  Taking my mind of the 150 years challenge quilt to do something quilty without the maths.  I was doing a paper collage with my daughter and it reminded me of the Bethan Ash book I reviewed here and the american version  of the same book many moons ago.

It got me thinking how fun it would be to do something entirely fused with lots of quilting.

Not sure this one works – but it was fun.  Perhaps more cohesion and overlapping with the fabric would be more effective.  This is a tiny 12″ by 12″ for practise and learning purposes.

Today I got busy with the back of the 150 years challenge quilt.  It seemed a shame after many hours spent making up the numbers 15o, not to use at least one of them somewhere.

So I did…

for the back

Next up – basting and quilting.

Linking with Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Fridays

Thanks for reading:)

Dianna

Knit and Stitch Show Kensington Olympia

I had a great day out a few Sundays ago, the last day of ‘Twisted Thread  Knit and Stitch show‘ held at the Kensington Olympia was on. There were loads of stalls filled with all sorts of interesting things from fabric to wool, felt and beads.  Anything crafty went.  Got to go to the small quilt exhibition set up by the guild where one of my local quilt members was.  I think it would be nice for there to be an element of the fast growing modern quilt guild…maybe?

Any way I got mesmerised by someone hand spinning yarn and a group who where using plastic bags to crochet up some beautiful garments – how cool is that!?

Yes, this coat is mainly recycled plastic shopping bags – WOW

All in all a fun day out.

Dianna

London Underground 150 Years Quilt Challenge

I’ve pretty much finished the body of this one and I’m happy with it:)  From what started out very differently using the numbers 150,

it’s ended up much more like how I had originally planned it, but by cutting the circle into pie shapes of different colours and hues in order to be able to sew it back together again, inspiration was drawn from colour wheels and Caryl Bryer Fallert.

Steep learning curve on those curves.

Just need to add the finishing touches then I can take it along to the next London Modern  Quilt Guild Meeting.

Looking forward to it.

Linking with Judy @ Patchwork Times – Design Wall Monday

Dianna

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English Paper Piecing with Kids

Last week My Boy’s school had a maths and science week.  He asked me to come in and share some of the maths in Quilting.  I wasn’t convinced it was going to be easy to get 30 kids to do something patchworky – with my boy and the internet I spent a day preparing an English Paper Piecing (EPP) Class.

Challenges:

• I thought making something the kids could use after might inspire them more – A Pentagon Ball
• The Maths – tessellation of a pentagon, measuring roughly a quarter to a half inch around each of the 12 pentagons giving enough material to cover the shape with fabric for sewing purposes
• Getting all the Nine Year Old Kids to concentrate long enough to get the project on it’s way
• Helping them thread a needle and learn whip stitch real quick, eeek!!

After practising the day before with my boy I realised the first hurdle was actually to get him to cut enough fabric around each pentagon without it slipping all over the place and he was not that motivated to stitch the fabric to each shape.

So I took some advice and instead of stitching we used a paper gluestick (I guess fabric glue would be preferable) to keep the paper attached to the fabric

Indeed the project took longer than I thought maybe four hours from start to finish.

The class managed to get all their pieces stuck with glue and a few got onto sewing some of the pentagons together.

All in all we had fun, did something different from a normal maths lesson and thirty children and a teacher were introduced to EPP – How exciting:)

I’m hoping at least one or two of them will be motivated enough to finish the project at home and bring it into school to show the rest of the class.

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Colour: How to Use Colour in Art and Design – Edith Anderson Feisner – Book Review

This book was bought some few years ago now, well before I even had the notion of quilting.  I took it out whilst doing the next London Modern Quilt Guild Challenge as the theme of a colour wheel, of sorts, began to emerge from the fog of deciding what to do.

Photo Courtesy of Amazon.co.uk

It is a very informative book, divided into five parts each chapter within these parts have follow up exercises to try further develop understanding. Take a look inside the book following the link above.

I look forward to delving into it more regularly, learning more on colour theory and how to use colour more adeptly in future quilts.

For now my London Underground piece is close to finishing.  Will posting photo’s soon.

‘Till then, have a great weekend.

Dianna

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Winner of Quilters Gallery Give Away on Dianna Jessie…

It has been fun reading all your colour combinations of the moment.  I’m going through a bit of a rainbow phase, just loving the full spectrum.

We do have a winner….

Janet from Caribou Crossing Chronicles who said:

‘I’m with Richard – loving orange and grey together right now.’

Congratulations Janet I shall get in touch via email to get your postal address details.

And a big thanks to all who visit, you are welcome back when ever you fancy.

Dianna