Making fabric from scraps and strips

Here's what I have been doing on and off when I need some mindless sewing.

I see potential for table runners, placemats, and cross-cutting some of the longer strips into diagonally-stripped squares.  Not sure what I'm going to do for sure, but that's OK.

My lowest contrast selection. I can tell you, I won't be joining the "low volume" or low contrast quilt fad any time soon. I would have to fix it to make it perkier. Or else fall asleep sewing. One or the other.

Lots more scraps where these came from!  

p.s. I'm still adding appliqué patches to Aunt Pat's Wedding Ring quilt. I have to call the patching done after about 8 more patches (because I keep seeing more and more that have tiny holes and it could go on forever if I let it).

ArtPrize 2012 Grand Rapids

I took the day off yesterday, and part of my fun was to wander around downtown Grand Rapids for about four hours checking out some of the ArtPrize art. It usually takes us at least three trips of four to five hours each to see a majority of the art. We ran into a couple of my husband's photography club friends, and they have been downtown 5 times so far (they were checking off art from the Grand Rapids Press ArtPrize list as they went). Way more organized than us!

I was attracted to many pieces, but the ones resembling stitchery jumped out at me.
Click this photo to check out the "stitching" made with wire. Up close the coat looks like pieced leather! Located outside the B.O.B. at Fulton and Market.

The coat artist and her materials.

Called "Scrappie Dick" by Paul Cassidy, this is the ultimate scrap patchwork piece. Over 19 feet tall and made from reclaimed computer metal.  Located outside the B.O.B.

This piece was a mosaic made of aluminum can tiles stitched onto canvas. I could not tell how it was stitched down even with very close inspection. Located inside the B.O.B.

The Owl artist and materials used.

Garden critters no. 3

While I continue to plug away on patching my aunt's quilt, I have a few more garden critters to share.
I hope you like frogs. Tree frogs, that is.

This guy is about 1.5 inches long. See the suction toes?

I have had two tree frogs living in a cache pot all summer. I removed the inner plant to snap a photo of the most photogenic one. They seem to love living in my pot because it had poor drainage (so they could keep moist), and they were in the shade. But the excess moisture killed a rex begonia early on. Oh, well...I can live with a begonia sacrificed for a tree frog habitat.

And this may be one of the last of the summer butterflies, sunning himself on the lamium groundcover.

Covering holes in Aunt Pat's Wedding Ring Quilt

Well, I just learned Monday that Aunt Pat is due here for a visit in less than 2 weeks. Yikes! I was hoping to have her quilt (made for her by her Grandmother in the 1950's) repaired before she and Uncle Bud came to Michigan (from Oklahoma) for their annual fall visit.

Progress (albeit slow) on Aunt Pat's quilt.

I still have many "squares" to appliqué over the well-worn pieces (some with outright holes). I'm trying to match the "feel" of the fabric, because I don't have a source for real 1950's fabrics.

After that's done,  I plan to tie a false back to the quilt (to protect the real back, which is worn through in spots). And last but not least,  finish with a new bias binding (the old one is totally worn through). Even if I didn't have to work, I'm pretty sure I couldn't get it done on time.

Repairs still needed every place there's a square with a pin.

I had better keep plugging away and maybe I'll have a chance to show her my progress...

More Garden Critters

This Monarch butterfly hung around for a good while, sampling all the blossoms.

I finally got a shot of the Hummingbird Moth; they are in constant motion.

Mr. Mouse was not pleased that Rosie had him on the run. He even tried to attack my camera.

Rosie the Hunter is ready for a back rub after keeping the local mice and chipmunks on their toes.

Pieced back for 16-patch done!

It was perfect lighting this morning, (cloud cover) so out I went to get a photo of the pieced backing on my picnic table. My husband wondered why I would do a pieced back? Why not just buy fabric all the same for the back? Here's why:

• It would take 6 yards of fabric for the back of this queen size quilt.
• I have lots of fabric to use that aren't in big hunks, thus "saving" me some money.
• The reverse will look like a fun quilt top once it's quilted.

Here's a close-up of the fabrics (Phillip Jacobs' Coleus, Marcia Derse prints, and a couple of batiks. Click to see details.