Doing the Happy Dance!

I love when something I have wanted to do for a long time finally becomes more than an item on my "try this" list!  This item never really got written on the list, but it's something that has been popping up a lot lately, so I started by doing a lot of looking for ideas on pinterest... my fave "go to" for inspiration and ideas.  My search was for examples of Boho bags, a perfect project for using some of my fabric stash.  I found a lot of great examples, but no real tutorials.  However, I have made small bags before, based on a pattern I got years ago for a crazy quilt bag.  And I figured I would just do some fabric collage for the outside.  I have a bunch of good sized scraps of cotton twill fabric left over from a project I worked on with my friend Joyce a number of years ago.  I had dyed some to make tote bags, but all the pieces left were too small for totes.  But it's a great background for the Boho bags... sturdy, easy to sew on, so I started out by laying a bunch of scraps out on a piece I cut larger than I would need for the bag:

I've done fabric collage before, so once I laid out the fabric, I used quilt basting pins to anchor it, then stitched with a grid stitch using black thread.  Here's how it came out:

Deciding how to do the closure took some time and more research, but I found a way to use a wood bead I've had forever.  I had black braid which works well for the strap and purple fabric for the lining.  Things to do for future bags: add pockets inside and on the back.  Find other ways to close the bag... the bead is a little clunky, but I figured it would do for my first try.  I love using all my bright fabric scraps this way!

Before I tackled this, I made a couple of new bowls: this one has a little more ornate finish than I usually use, but I've seen samples of this technique and wanted to try it:

I had the lid for this bowl made for awhile, with another bowl, but decided to replace the lid

with another one that had a slightly different knob on top.  So to get this lid off my side table, I made

another bowl... nice to get these made and ready to go into Arts Connection, soon as I have more room on my new display!

I still have a "to try" on my list for sometime soon... will post here when I have had time to play with it, so stay tuned!

New directions with fabric collage

For the longest time, I have wanted to try making Bohemian pendants... colorful, funky, one-of-a-kind necklaces from fabric, beads... whatever funky things I can put together for the look.  I've been perusing Pinterest for awhile, gathering ideas.  I wasn't able to find any tutorials on them, so I just finally started to play... let's see what happens if I do this!  Well, here are a few that I have created so far:

I created a fabric collage awhile back for a textile background, but decided I didn't like how it turned out.  But there are sections of the fabric that are perfect for these little 2" by 2 1/2" pendants!  Plenty of sparkle and visual interest.  I layered netting, threads, ribbon and other fibers over a black background and used free-motion stitching to anchor it to the backing.  Then I used double sided heavy duty fusible interfacing to give it some body.  The back is black fabric, and I finished the edges with satin stitching.  I added beaded fringe and suspended from black rat tail cord.

I took a different direction with this pendant... layers of fabric hand stitched together, then I appliqued the autumn leaf on top... one of several I made last year for another project.  A few beads enhance the top fabric.  It is attached to a felt backing and suspended from waxed linen cord.

This is another using the collage fabric... more fringe, and beads on top to add a little more color.

I'm working to build up an inventory of these before putting them in the Arts Connection Gallery... hopefully by June.

I have also been busy dyeing... I stopped carrying tank tops awhile back, but have some I listed on my artfire shop.  I had a few undyed tanks left, so figured I would get them dyed too:

Just in time for summer, although we're still waiting for Spring weather here in the High Country!

Snow Day Coming!

So, the forecast calls for a 2-day, "20 year" snow event.  We are due for 13-19 inches in our area, 9 miles northeast of Flagstaff.  The Storm Warning says travel will be very difficult to impossible.  So I changed our grocery store day from Friday to today to make sure we don't run out of supplies, and now we have absolutely no need to leave the property!  I will be out shoveling periodically (have to be able to refill the bird feeders!), but otherwise, my plan is to spend time on my fabric collages... yaay!  I have 3 foundations in progress.... two ready for hand stitching, one ready for decorative
machine stitching, something I have wanted to try for a long time!
Here is a quick sampler I made up to test the stitch variations:

I have had my sewing machine for 11 years, and other than the zigzag stitch and a few brief

experiments, I have never used the decorative stitches!  Time to spread my wings, right!

Here is the collage I plan to machine stitch:

And I am trying Mistyfuse for the first time - I usually use Wonder Under to fuse fabrics.  Mistyfuse reminds me a little of spider webs... clingy and a little sticky, but I hear it is fabulous to sew with, so I will see how I like it.

I have pulled together a collection of threads to try, so I'm all set for the storm.

And here is one of the other foundations I have combined for hand stitching:

It seemed to take a very long time for me to find just the right combination of fabrics for

this, but a) I have a ton of fabric scraps to choose from, and b) I couldn't just throw together

any old fabrics... they have to play well together!  

Lastly, this is a work in progress - I have stitched down the oak leaf and done some other hand stitching since I took this picture, but it still needs more work.  

I had originally planned to attach a real oak leaf from one of our Gambel Oaks, but decided instead

to use it to create a pattern.  I used some hand dyed cotton twill to make the leaf, then used variegated quilt thread to create the details.  

I think these projects should keep me occupied over the next few days and beyond.  If I really get tired of stitching, there's always housework, but who am I kidding?!  Snow Day =  Sew Day, right?

😄

Gallery news, and what's up at the Fiberwerks?

The Arts Connection, our new Artists' Coalition gallery, opened November 15, with a Grand Opening reception on the 21st with a great turnout to celebrate!  For the first 2 weeks since we opened, sales have been great, and we're looking forward to a busy December.  If you are in the Flagstaff area, I hope you will stop by - we are at the Flagstaff Mall on east Rte 66, and the gallery is open 12-6 pm, Monday - Saturday, 12-7 pm on Sunday.  Click here for a preview of the gallery.

Meanwhile, I have been working on a couple of fiber art projects with the gallery in mind... always good to have a backlog of inventory!

"Meandering II", a fabric collage of mostly hand-dyed fabrics, accented with gold lame', yarns, angelina fiber and some fabric beads.  

Coiled fabric seed pot with dried arrangement

Not sure what I'll be working on next... there is snow in the forecast for the end of the week, so I might do a little snow dyeing, but I'm anxious to make more pots too... stay tuned, and I'll try to do better at keeping you posted! 

Are we done yet?

I've been working on a free-form art quilt for awhile now, and think I'm almost done... and yet, I see a couple of areas that seem to need something, and I'm not sure what!

I have added some couched embroidery floss and some buttons since the last post... maybe a few more scraps of fabric as well.  Today, I trimmed it and ran a zigzag stitch around the edge.  My first inclination is to mount it on a painted canvas, if I can find one the right size.  I did that here and like how it came out. 

I put a black mat board over it here to see how it would look with a black background.  I could conceivably mat and frame it, but finding a decent frame for a decent price is always a challenge.

Whichever way I decide to prepare it for hanging, I keep looking at the turquoise shape in the lower left quadrant... it seems to need something bright, but I haven't found the right 'something' yet.  I have lime green buttons, some lime green fabric, some bright orange...  just not sure yet!  Hopefully it will come to me soon, as I'm hoping to have this ready for the Prelude Opening Reception in July... meanwhile, I have another piece in progress too, so I may have at least 2 to choose from!  As always, stay tuned...