Kantha Stitching

Kantha is a type of stitching that I first saw on the blog, Spirit Cloth written by Jude Hill. I've attempted it myself on a couple of my small art quilts. Rage and Black Cat both have my variation of kantha stitching on them. I had wanted to use kantha for Thou Shall Not Steal Pecans, but I had trouble with the batting bearding through to the front of the quilt. I used Mountain Mist 100% cotton batting in that quilt, which is a perfectly wonderful batting to hand quilt with traditional quilting thread. I apparently needed a batting with a scrim for kantha stitching on that particular fabric because it was a little more loosely woven than what I normally use. That's why I think the Warm and Natural batting will work for kantha and that wonderful hand dyed fabric by Marcia Derse. It has a thin scrim. I'm excited to think of the possibilities! I will let you know how it goes as soon as I know.

Kari, thank you for the kantha link.

Art Every Day Month -- Day 11

I have finished the embroidery on "Thou Shalt NOT Steal Pecans!". Next I'll layer it with batting and baste it so that I can start the kantha stitching on it. I think kantha will be much more fun than traditional hand quilting. Kantha is a type of stitching that I first saw on Spirit Cloth a wonderful blog by Jude Hill. If you have time, check out her blog. She's very creative and inspirational.

Now, I'm going to go dig through my hand dyed fabrics to see what I have for backing this little quilt and the last one I made from Marcia Derse's fabrics. I can't wait to continue on them and even to start another one. I'm having a blast with this type of art quilt. This one may end up in the guild auction for Quilt Celebration 2010!

One thing I really like about this quilt is that I used my natural (sloppy) handwriting for wording. If I end up keeping this one, or one I make like this in the future, it will be great to have it in my own hand to pass down to my grandchildren. See, more and more fun every time I think of it!

Going For It

This is my second post for day 6 of Art Every Day Month. I craved the chance to work on something new after this morning's endeavor, which just frustrated me. I've had these fabrics since the Houston Quilt Festival, about three weeks. Wonderful, fun, hand dyed fabrics that I bought from Marcia Derse. I wish I could go to her now to buy at least as many as I bought in Houston. If you want to see what I've done with the other fabrics I got from her, check out this link for my Happy quilt. That's the name I've finally given it. Just looking at it makes me happy. I hope to start hand quilting it very soon.

These fabrics remind me of a forest or of grasses. I don't know what will end up being made from them. I cut them free hand with scissors tonight. For me, that was a huge step! I've been afraid to do something like that, even though I've always wanted to. These fabrics were (for me) rather expensive. So, cutting them without a planned quilt in mind was a bit nerve wracking. But I did it! I will confess that I've only used part of the fabrics. I bought fat quarters of each, but cut any where from 1/4 to 1/2 of each fat quarter for this project. Of course, I know that I can always use more of any of the fabrics, but I'd like to make another quilt from these fabrics too and I'd like to bind both quilts from these fabrics. Needless to say, both quilts will be small. I hope to start some kind of sewing on this one tomorrow. I'm excited.

Photo of the Week 30 of 39 -- New

This is the rest of the "new" fabric that I bought from Marcia Derse at the Houston Quilt Festival! I may retake the photo of the two fabrics because it turned out a bit lighter than the actual fabric. The one on the left in that photo is actually more of a light olive green instead of tan looking.

I'm planning to make quilts from the group of two and then the group of five, but in actuality I could use all seven together. Aren't they yummy? I sure wish Marcia lived in Texas, so I could get more fabric from her. I mean, I still can, of course, but there is something about actually touching it as you shop that really gets me going.

Next week's theme is "dessert".

A New Art Quilt

I think the top is done, but I'm not totally sure. There are three of the fabrics I purchased from Marcia Derse in this one. I'm debating names for it too. With any luck, I'll have it complete in time for Dallas Quilt Celebration 2010.

Catching my Breath

Last week was so busy. I don't feel that I've even recovered from all the fun I had yet. Time doesn't stand still for that to happen though, so here I am playing catch up.

Houston Quilt Festival was amazing, as usual! The quilts were stunning. I just love to see them all. I did really well staying out of the vendors. That is until I met up with my friend Mary for lunch. Then I started shopping with her. I bought wonderful, fun things that have my creative juices flowing! I can't wait to get to work on some of the ideas I have. I think the items I'm most excited about are the hand dyed fabrics (a real weakness for me!) that I bought from Marcia Derse . I'm going to try my hand at art quilts with these fabrics, possibly to add to my etsy shop. I had such a difficult time picking out what to get from her! I wanted all of it. Luckily some of her fabrics have inspired a fabric line that will soon be out. The Gerta Collection is designed for Troy. I'm hoping and praying that at least one of my "local" quilt shops will carry it, but Marcia assured me that I could get it through her website if it isn't.

I spent two days at the show. Finally did get back to finish seeing the quilts, including special exhibits from China and Russia. I always love the exhibit by SAQA -- Studio Art Quilt Associates and this year there was a digital photo exhibit of photos taken by quilters. Amazing. I was wishing for a book of that exhibit. It had been four years since I'd been to the show. I'd like to start going more often, but I'll have to figure out how to spend less if I'm going to be able to do that.