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I dithered over blues for this background and finally chose this turquoise ish blue but have to wait til I can use a rotary cutter to set it

thank you to those who gave me feedback, you were all right... hugs!

the big this this week ...

living the creative life... so many decisions... I considered the background in sparkling blue for this blue garden of roses piece. It's just pinned to the wall to think about... what do you think of it? 

I chose scraps for my feathered star RSC project in blues... got the foundation piecing accomplished despite the ongoing physical limitations... My wall ...

this method uses a rotary cutter... but I can't press down a cutter because of my nerve pinched spine so

I had ...

on the sewing front, I needed to see color sewn to color, repeat. I got out the blue scraps that are exceptionally small and started sewing...

the log cabin logs finish at 1/8th inch

I thought, I love foundation piecing, why not just do some really small (2") blocks, mindless right? I didn't count on the intensity of dealing with such small seam allowances and strips of fabric 1/2" wide. I completed two blocks and moved on. 

sewing to paper is a good idea for me now, can't use ...

and just loved her... my paints, simple waterbrush, and flip notebook were by the computer so I painted a version. I wanted to not draw hard lines first, no sketch, and to provide all features with shadows only

I liked her, her lace dress, her features but something was off. Just like in real life, hair color makes a difference. I went back and added darker brown paint, which suits her skin tone...

Imagine ...

It was that kind of week for me. Physical limitations meant I couldn't use a rotary cutter, couldn't sew with machine much, had trouble painting as sitting at the table hurt.

We have a mama bird sitting on eggs in the gutter just below Milo's perch. When I joined him in window watching this week, I looked down into two little black eyes blinking up at me, begging me to stop ...

The first is a sketchbook painting, a self portrait of sorts. 

If I was Queen, you've all heard that phrase. I tried to paint someone sticking out their tongue in disgust. 

ever feel like that? 

I had a very painful week, making sewing difficult so I sort of planned my feathered star hoping next week I can sew at the machine

I sewed on a border or two on this

I sewed ...

I did that then laid out the pieces on my portable design board, the way they'll be sewn together into a whole.

so I can carry it around and try out background fabrics to applique it to... I cut the pieces a bit big when cutting the kit to carry downstairs ...

There are videos of people teaching versions but none gave me a pattern... I found one on line

SunCatcherStudio.com

at first I cut it out large since it was drawn to scale. Too big for a pin cushion but great for a box... so then I cut it out as shown. 

I used pink felt scraps since the color of the month at rainbow scrap challenge is pink! yea! It looks wonky in these photos but it's a precious little sturdy ...

copper paint, tested on a yellow scrap, perfect! Dab paint on with sea sponge

then went over with gold paint on the test scrap... maybe... I like stenciling a lot

these blocks are paper pieced (foundation) from this book

 so stenciling was easy with the paper backing. Iron when dry makes it permanent. I also shaded that one with brown prisma color pencil

the four colors ...

got the idea from https://thecraftycreek.com/2023/07/16/owl-and-hare-hollow-hqal-2/.

four epp circles done... haven't decided what color to put them on yet

here are three yellow scrap pieces I'm working on at the same time... the design wall is sunny! 

When I'm stressed I like to sort fabric scraps then take the smallest of them to the machine and make order out of the chaos. My scraps are all shapes, all sizes, all color values and patterns. The focus color of April is yellow, so I pulled out the yellow scrap bin, and started sorting. 

In my bin was a bag of blocks, improv starts, left overs. A treasure chest! I ...

16.5" square

 (scraps from scraps)

I made this 5" X 7" something...

5" X 7"  so far...

here are the three colors so far...

I like how the tula pink background blends together

I use a foundation paper piecing pattern from this book

For this month's Table scraps challenge I used scraps from last week's PQ irish chain quilt

I layered them on a ...

Just so you know, also this week I wrote a few stories, made ink and paper drawings, and cooked. 

(I am starting with the round robin, then we will see the Project quilting piece. If you're only here for PQ feel free to scroll down)

The first image is the center of my quilted SAHRR and here it is finished, including a hanging sleeve!

about 32" square

If you've been seeing these finishes you ...

This is my rainbow scrap challenge purple piece for the week.... all the papers are now basted and ready for me to hand stitch while watching tv tonight. I love having a variety of scraps so that I can see my fabrics! I'm trying to do dots in all the joining hexie shapes in each colorway. 

I used my portable design table (cardboard covered in felt) to arrange these a few days ago. I didn't like one of them so I found another scrap to baste around the paper ...

Let's start the week with the last row on my stay at home round robin quilt

the prompt was "letters or numbers" so I found a wonderful quote on sunflowers, changed it up a bit, and printed it onto a sheet of prepared for printing sheets

along with an image of one of my paintings (not to waste the sheet of printable fabric on one quote)

I pieced it in with some blue sky fabric, bird and dragonfly fabrics... 

I think it needs a bit of border around the whole thing, like a frame, how about this sparkly blue ...

It  required all my creativity!   

Click on images to enlarge them

Let's start with the Project Quilting piece. The prompt was "hourglass" and we had one week to design, make and finish it. Here is my finished project

It will hang in my studio, reminding me of the speed of time (tempus Fugit ) that artists are happy when they are creating

I started with cutting two triangles of peltex stiff stabilizer, covering them with backing brought to the front

choosing which of my ...

pattern from the book,Precisely Sew

and it's fun to dig through the box of scraps for a variety in red prints and solids. I was surprised that with all the fabrics, the star just looks red from a distance!!

On both the red, and green one I chose to repeat two fabrics for the center to be more graphic. The tula pink fabric I chose to use for background (I use plain white for foundation piecing around the feathered star points ...

look at the little chickens, and that old 2000 fabric scrap

This shows the challenge work done this week, (and the green EPP from last month)

stay at home round robin (SAHRR) top left, Project Quilting under the red EPP

The Project quilting challenge prompt, was "inside out" we are to design make and finish a quilt in one week. She ...

No, this isn't the first time, but I still feel giddy every time I see my name in print, even if it is digital. 

Kashvi was published in Make Modern #55. 

Kashvi, 60" by 80"

It is a jelly-roll pattern made using Island Batik collection Vintage Charm.

It is a lovely floral collection - airy, delicate and bright. Start this quilt now and you will be celebrating Spring in style.

Instead of choosing a white/black or gray background, I chose the Island Batik Solid - Cobalt Blue.  Isn't it refreshing?  

Bright & Beautiful

The backing is Frosting from the Island ...