focus friday feature

 out the sewing room window

allium fields

 Today is color challenge 3 reveal for the Fiberactions art quilt group.

The theme this period: 

split compliment

The color chosen was yellow/green and it's split compliments 

are

 red and violet.

This piece started as a piece of plain white pfd fabric and was painted using textile paints.  Once dry it was fused to a firm stabilizer, then completely quilted.

The last photo shows the back of the piece after most of the stitching 

and you can see no backing was used.

Silk fibers were felted directly to the painted and quilted ground.

Lastly, embroidery threads and bias cut silk fabric were stitched.

Piping was added, then the piece was stitched to black silk fabric which was fused to a stiff stabilizer.

The allium flower is a delightful looking flower with it's perfectly round shape. It grows from a single bulb and is related to the onion/garlic family.

It's meaning is

unity, humility and patience.

quilted comfort

 A comfort quilt made using the Done For Love Pattern 

by Deb Wendt of Wendt Quilting.

The original pattern calls for appliqued hearts, but I was pressed for time so I left them off.

It works up quickly and can made with or without a border. 

It would look great with some of the new, modern looking fat quarter packs.

To add interest a large medallion diamond was quilted in the center 

with freehand fillers in the open space.

focus friday feature

Dicentra Spectabilis

Bleeding Heart, one of my favorite plants.  

A shade garden gift

that keeps on giving.

Did you know inside the flower are all sorts of treasures?

Mom, remember when we walked the roadside from Gramma's to Place's,

 there were big bleeding heart bushes? 

I think they belonged to the house next to Gram's   

and we weren't supposed to pick the flowers. 

But I did it anyway.

When the flower starts to open it looks like a princess with pigtails.

Pull the flower apart and find some of her magical treasures.

two pink bunnies, 

or sometimes they looked like pink swans 

or even pink whales

a pretty pendant.
 when the pendant is pulled apart and you get it just right
you find
a musical lyre with silk strings

i couldn't get it this time

 i got her earrings

and

ice skates.

 sometimes they look like silk slippers

or even a pair of garden shovels.

the best is her magic wand

look closely at the tip-

it's a tiny star!

 perfect little shade garden treasures

when you see a bleeding heart plant

go ahead and pick a little flower, 

(i won't tell)

see how many hidden treasures you can find.

you can find a story about the treasures here

i don't remember this story,

but i'm guessing i liked making my own up anyway.

Happy Shade Garden Planting!

neutral confusion

Made for the Neutrals Fusion Exhibit 

for Machine Quilters Expo East this past month.

A challenge quilt to use the pattern given and only neutral fabrics.  The neutral fabrics were provided and you could add other neutrals as well as the 1"colored fabric mini border.  

Quilt as desired.

It was a small exhibit, 2 handfuls of quilts or so; all different and unique. 

It certainly was a challenge to use only the neutral fabrics. My border was a little darker than I would have liked, and the opposite side of the fabric was used at that.  

It was what was on hand and I didn't want to purchase anything extra for this piece.

The five flowers on this quilt represent 5 lives lost between the time I received my challenge kit in December, to when I was able to work on the piece in March.

I'll admit-this was a design on the fly, but it was fun to work on a piece of my own.

It's quiet and peaceful and it looks nice where it's hanging in my sewing room.

Celebrating

Jack, Christopher, MaryJane, Georgia and Maizey