New Product debuts

I have just added a brand new item to my shop - a medical scrub top! I have had a number of requests for them over the past few years, and decided to add them to my line this year. I only have one made up so far, but I plan to get busy after the Mountain Campus Holiday show Nov. 20-21. That is my last show for this year, and I will have time to sew the scrubs, then start dyeing. Here is my prototype, dyed ala Ice Dyeing:

I'm sure some of my regular visitors think I'm stuck in the Orchid/Lilac/Avocado spectrum, based on my recent posts, but I hate to waste perfectly good dyes, so.....

Also, soon to be added to my shop are 3 new products just in time for holiday shopping:

Bookmarks, Key chains and Checkbook Holders. I posted pix of the Checkbook holders here , and will post pix of the other two items as soon as I have pictures taken. Also still in the works are medical caps, doo-rags and chemo caps... my friend Dede is sewing them for me, and I hope to have them in the shop by early spring. Never a dull moment!

In print...

As publicity for my month-long exhibit at Mountain Oasis Int'l Restaurant, a picture of "Autumn Leaves at Sunset" is printed on the back cover of 'The Noise', the arts & news magazine of Flagstaff:

I'm really thrilled to be finally getting myself out there, taking risks, living the dream of a lifetime! That's what it's all about...

New product in the works

I am bound and determined to reduce my overflowing fabric stash! So I've come up with a couple of new gift items to offer this year. One of them is a checkbook cover:

I used my own cover as a pattern and made a couple of modifications to simplify the design. So far, I'm pleased with how they look, feel, and go together. Let me know what you think! I'm hoping to crank out 25-35 before the Mountain Campus Holiday show coming up Nov. 20-21, my last show of the year. Then I'll add them to my artfire shop as an ongoing gift item. Always something!

Ice dyeing - first attempt

Well, I have tried yet another method of dyeing fabric, and I'm totally in love with the results! I came across this blog post over a year ago and added it to my faves with the idea I would get around to trying it eventually. Well, eventually came today:

I just wish I could get better pictures of the markings and color variations... you'll just have to use your imagination. And if you be a dyer like me, if you haven't tried this yet, you have to! It is sooooo easy! I even had to put the scrunched fabric and it's bucket in the freezer for awhile this morning, 'cause wouldn't you know? It didn't freeze last nite! Basically, after pre-soaking with soda ash solution, I scrunched the fabric (1/2 yard of muslin), put it in a small bucket and put it on the deck overnite. When I discovered that it wasn't frozen this morning, I put it in the freezer for an hour. Then it was stiff, so I took it out and poured on Orchid, Lilac and Avocado dyes and let it sit about 6 hours. Then I did the normal rinse and wash. Could I just dye fabric from now on? I'm ready! But of course, I do have to try this on a shirt next, so look for future posts about ice dyeing clothing as well!

Sedona Craft Show 2009

Yesterday was the Sedona Historical Society's annual Arts & Crafts show and bake sale. I participated for the first time last year, and even though I didn't have great sales then, I decided to do the show again this year. What a difference! My sales were great, and I took several special orders as well.

Here's a picture of me with my friend Joyce, who I first met in 2003 at my first craft show in Flagstaff:

I had a great location on the lawn outside the museum:

If you are unfamiliar with Sedona, it is a community built among beautiful red rocks... very scenic and warmer than Flagstaff, which is a mountain community north of Sedona. We had great weather in the high 70's, clear skies... just the perfect conditions for a craft show. The crowds were great, and they were in a buying mood, at least at my booth. Thanks to all who stopped by!

Look Grandma, I'm quilting!

Well... it had to happen sooner or later. After all, I did inherit the quilting gene from both my paternal grandma and my paternal great-grandma... probably countless other ancestors as well. But for years I have been resistant to traditional quilting... too much measuring, too much precision, and really! How many bed quilts can you use? Well, the perfect opportunity has presented itself. As posted awhile back, my quilters' guild makes quilts for several organizations in the community, to be distributed and used by those less fortunate. Our guild has a committee that cuts and packages fabric and instructions for several items that are checked out by members, assembled, then turned back in to the committee. I have done several pillow cases over the past couple of years, but I finally decided to bite the bullet and try one of the quilt kits. It even gave instructions for how to put together a pattern (absoloutely essential in my book!). Anyway, I'm about 2/3 done with the quilt top:

When finished, it will be a lap quilt. I'm not totally thrilled with the colors selected to go with the print fabric, but I'm looking at this as a good learning experience. Maybe the next one I do, I'll grab fabric from my stash instead of checking out a kit... one way to reduce the overcrowding in the stash dresser! More to come...

Autumn Leaves at Sunset

I love fall foliage... never grow tired of the brilliant colors. For the past couple of years, I have done 'Autumn Leaves' designs on shirts using soy wax batik and low water immersion dyeing. This year, I decided to create a landscape quilt using the same techniques, and I'm convinced it won't be the last one I do. I just finished binding it, and here is it's debut photo:

I needed one more piece for my exhibit in November at a local restaurant, and thought Autumn Leaves would be a timely piece to add... someday, I really need to try another design to batik, but for now, I'm hooked on leaves!