Monday Night Divas Gift Exchange

I am a member of the Monday Night Divas Bee.  We draw names and exchange Christmas Gifts at a restaurant a few days after Christmas.   We are finished with our family celebrations and the restaurants are still decorated for Christmas.  It works for us.

I wanted to share this cute sewing kit that I received from Pam.   It is so creative and I love the closure button.

 

This is it closed up.  Look at that pretty button.

This is it unrolled.  It could hold small blocks to work on.

All of these goodies were inside of the tube with drawstrings on each end.

2014 IQF Class

While attending the Houston International Quilt Festival in Oct/Nov, 2014, I took a class called "Painting with a Twist & Shout".   The class was taught by Leslie Tucker Jenison and Jamie Fingal.    Leslie and Jamie are wonderful and just believe that art should be fun.  We painted on four long canvases, while listening to upbeat music.  Then we cut it all up and played all afternoon.


First, we covered the canvas with colorful, original drawings.  We painted on one in groups of five or so and then we switched tables until we had painted on each canvas.

 

Then we added just white paint on each.

 

 

Then we added just black paint on each.

 

 

We took a two hour lunch and when we returned, the canvas was dry and had been cut up into large rectangles.  They were face down on the table, so we could choose two at random.  Now it was time to play.  We were each given a journal to cover, postcards, tags and slides. 

 

This is my journal and postcard. 

 

 

 

Leslie and Jamie were hard to catch standing still, but I got a couple of pictures.

 

Jamie Fingal

Leslie Tucker Jenison

 

 

Quilts for My Aunts

I attend a family reunion, for my Father's side, each October.   In 2013, I asked each of my three Aunts for their favorite color.  I then made each a quilt and took them to the 2014 reunion as a surprise.

Aunt Frances said she liked mint green.

 

 

Aunt Clara said she liked yellow and some green.

 

 

 

Aunt Elsie said she liked red, she really liked red.

 

 

I cherish my Aunts and think about them more often than they know.  Each time that they wrap their quilts around them, I hope it feels like a warm hug from me.

 

Eclectic Mail Part 3

I decided which flap should go with each envelope and marked each block with a number.
There are 30 blocks.  Five blocks across and six blocks down.

Now to sew the blocks together.

All six rows are together.

Row 1 & 2, 3 & 4 and 5 & 6 are together.

Eclectic Mail Part 2

The envelope pieces are on the design wall (flannel back tablecloth).  Now to decide what flap will look good with what envelope.

Eclectic Mail Part 1

I have decided to name my quilt, "Eclectic Mail".  I mulled over a few other names, but decided on that one.

The pattern that I am using is from a video at "Missouri Star Quilt" website.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8safSWU3DSk&list=PLD5EF21A981F69C28&feature=share&index=15

In the video, she uses two layer cakes and charm packs for the border.  I had purchased yardage of  fabric, so I had to cut my own 10" squares and 2 1/2" strips.

 I cut thirty - 10" squares from "Eclectic Elements" and thirty - 10" squares of background fabric.  I placed one of each, right sides together and sewed all four sides at 1/4".   I found that chain sewing one side, and then the opposite side, worked best.  Then chaining one end and then the other.  When I tried sewing all four sides of one square, without stopping, I would end up with extra fabric on the last side.  Sewing opposite sides first, seemed to fix this problem.   Then I sliced each square from point to point, making four half square triangles.

Four HSTs form one open envelope.

 

 



 

I could not wait to see how the keyboard border would look, so I had to sew four of the 2 1/2" strips together.  I think that I should cut the others in half, before sewing, to make for a better mix in the end.  The background strips in the picture will go on before the keyboard border.

 



Tim Holtz's Eclectic Elements Fabric

Woo Hoo!!! I finally got my hands on Tim Holtz's new fabric.  It is called, "Eclectic Elements".  You will recognize the name if you enjoy art journaling and mixed media.  My second passion.

All twelve of these AWESOME fabrics will be in my next quilt.  I already have a plan.  Let the cutting begin.  Watch for progress reports.