My pics aren’t the greatest, I had to take them to work, and took these outside the building on my lunch hour when it was cloudy, but bright outside. Love the cement background! (not really). But I really did enjoy adding these little snowflakes! Just from randomly cut, squares or rectangles from a lacey, knit fabric I had on hand.
I really love the purple-almost reddish purple, color, from the acrylic inks… and I am looking forward to trying them on more fabrics!
The lime green color (one of my favorites), really appeals to me in this piece… almost helps ‘set off’ the purples and blues, don’t you think? Or is it ‘just weird?’
I enjoyed my white sharpie pen… as I am truly… a doodler at heart. Always have been. I added some silver snowflakes using my GLITTER thread… with the 60 weight, Bottom Line, 100% polyester in my bobbin. That is the secret combo, if you ask me, to successful threadplay with this ‘high maintenance’ beauty. And lowering my tension to 1.0… AND using a 90/14 metallic needle. And that… is how it’s done. Even with a heavy, and somewhat challenging fabric paper layer(s).
When I first started sewing over the little white bits of fabric, I realized that it punches them down quite a bit, so that they recede into the surface design. I like that. But I also liked having them ‘loose’ and just sewn down a little bit, which makes them come forward… and seem more real, and visually, interesting. I didn’t plan this… it just happened, once I started quilting them down on the surface.
I was tickled to find that my previously ‘messy’ hand-stamped stars fit right in, and I love them in this piece! You’d never know they were ‘cast-off’s’ before they found their home, here!
I began by outlining them free motion style, quilting around them in white thread – you can see some of the swirls from that quilting. Then I turned the fabric over to the back side, loaded a bobbin with Razzle Dazzle in the white, and outlined the star twice, to give it sparkly goodness. I had a few issues with tension, as I forgot in the beginning to TIGHTEN my top tension, significantly. This requires going from an average setting of 4.0, to a 6.0 with these threads. I used a 40 weight Isacord polyester on the top for this method.
And tonight we have a ‘fluff’ of snow on the ground, our first of 2012! It might be icy tomorrow going to work, but it will be white, sparkly, and hopefully… the wind will stop! Amen to that!
One of these pieces will be mailed for January’s “Blog Love.” If you don’t know how it works, this is the approach. Once a month, I send out a small item to a blog follower, commenter, or reader. And it works like this. I keep a little journal of everyone who has sent me their mailing – physical address, and each month, I pick someone randomly, from that list and will send it to them. I won’t always put it on the blog! So when everyone on the list has received a gift, I start all over again. Sometimes I will pick two names, maybe even three!
Have a great rest of the week! Thank you for your support and encouragement, all.
XO
Leslie
Comments 6
I'm going to try a comment once again! I love your work and look forward to seeing what you create. Thank you for sharing your projects, tips and tricks!
Another gorgeous project(s). I love the little greenish lace flower in the 7th photo down — seems to be in the smaller project on the top right in the first photo. I was the lucky winner of one of your "Blog Loves." The piece you sent me, "My Friends Have Made the Story of My Life," sits right by my computer in the sewing room/home office so I see it first thing every morning. Along with my sign that says "Sewing mends the soul," it is my morning inspiration!
This really is a pretty one. I am starting to wake up every morning run to the computer to see what you have done! I love the green in there. It adds so much to the over all color by just that small bit of green. Not weird at all in my book. Being new at this I am wondering what the "paper fabric" is. Yesterday I started practicing the free motion quilting on my machine. I have a long long way to go! But loving the freedom of it. Thanks for all the inspiration!
Divide and conquer seems to be a good idea. For the brave that is! ;^)
It's all so pretty. You inspired me to try the bobbin work last night. I had a lesson several years ago and even bought the bobbin. I tend to put the unknown off, but last night I tried it and now I'm hooked.
Leslie another beautiful creation, I so admire how brave you are to cut up your work and then make them many beautiful creations. You always inspire me to try what you do, we got our first snow last night so maybe this will be a day to "try".