My latest *Article* in Quilting Arts Magazine

My latest article was recently published in Quilting Arts Magazine August/September 2018.

I am on page 84. With this article you will learn how to

make textured embellishments with modeling paste and paint. Now you can match your embellishments, shapes and colors!!

I hope you will try this technique out and have as much fun as I did.

Working on a *NEW* Paper and Fabric Quilt

 

I am working on a *new* paper and fabric quilt...

 

 

Part of the image has been infused with old newsprint, in this case I used *Japanese* papers my daughter brought from her trip, and part of the image has been painted.

 



Afterwards, bold simple stitches has been hand-embroidered before putting the three layers together. 

 

 

This is another example using the blue color. Before quilting.

 

 

After quilting.

 

More paint has been mixed to continue with this project. It is a slow process and I am enjoying every step.

International Quilt Festival 2017 *My Experience*

I was honored to have been one of 142 instructors from around the world chosen to give a presentation at the International Quilt Festival 2017 in Houston.

 

Here, I am all set up and waiting for the students to come in. This was the *only* moment I was able to sit down during the entire 2 hours of my presentations.

And here I am in *action*, explaining my technique. It was fun to see old friends and meet new ones.

Every year, on the last Saturday before the Festival ends, IQA throws a party called *Festival after Hours*. It comes with life music to relax, eat, mingle and dance. I always meet with the same group of friends and we dance like nobody is watching!!

A FUN night to remember.

I am back home and it feels good to be playing with paint again. The fabric above has been *infused with a Houston newspaper* I picked up during the festival. I will sew a special present for my dear friend who helped me with my presentation.

 



Wool Roving Fabric

*Sapo*

Techniques: wool roving fabric-my latest article in the winter issue 2015 of Craft Ideas Magazine. ,infused newsprint cloth and hand-embroidery.

I started by ironing the wool roving fabric on an infused newsprint cloth based on my own technique where the end result is a pliable and washable fabric easy to sew.

Then I chose colorful spools of LANA Aurifil Thread for the hand-embroidery. Because these threads has been made with 50% wool, the textured strands marries beautifully with the wool roving fabric.

detail

I hope you will try this new technique.



Interview with *Quilt Alliance*

 

You can watch my interview  made by the Quilt Alliance in here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCfVXVJgyaU Is in there where I explained how I made this quilt *Teapots*.

Quilt Alliance is a wonderful organization whose mission is to document, preserve and share stories of the quilts and their makers. I am honored to be included in their archives. Thank you Emma and Amy for your help!

Creating Texture on a Paper and Fabric Quilt with Aurifil Threads

 

*Flowers for Sophia*- a newsprint infused paper and fabric quilt (32 inches by 30 inches)

 

From the picture below you can see how the quilt started. The flowers where painted over an infused newsprint fabric. It looked nice but flat, so I decided to go to my drawer where I keep my threads and..

 ..chose Aurifil 28w thread for machine stitching....

..and12w thread for hand embroidery. Then I applied some seed beads.

I love how the different thickness of threads with a combination of simple stitches made the quilt *sing* creating texture and dimension.





 I'd love to spark your creativity at one of my *Workshops: Painting and learning how to work with paper and fabric*

And you can watch the videos on how I made one of my paper and fabric quilts with the links below:

  How I did my Quilt *Orange Blossoms* 

                    How I did my quilt *Orange Blossoms* 2   

 



Working with LANA Aurifil Threads by Hand and by Machine on Infused Newsprint Cloth

*Petunia*
Paper and fabric quiltlet.

Love the finished effect of the LANA Aurifil Thread on the infused newsprint cloth based on my own technique where the end result is a pliable and washable fabric easy to sew.

If you have been reading my blog you must know by now how much I love to work with thick threads. I sew with them by hand and by machine.

For this *quiltlet* I used my HQ Sweet Sixteen sewing machine and Lana Aurifil threads. To have success in working with these threads on your machine you have to use a slower speed (I do not go faster then 35%), use a new needle (size 20) and 40w or 50w thread in the bobbin.

 The picture below shows how it should look in the back. Perfect tension.

After I finished sewing by machine, using the same threads I sew details by hand. Because of its textured nature it covers very well the background with a matte finish look.

*Paper and Fabric Quilt* for Quilt Alliance Contest Entry 2014

*Country Home*

16" by 16" paper and fabric quilt

This is my donation quilt for the Quilt Alliance Contest "Inspired by" 2014

 

 

This year's rule was to create a small quilt based on the Alliance's quilt index. The index is composed by a variety of quilts that span from traditional to modern, and it allowed me to be inspired by a quilt named *Christmas Eve in the City* by Kathy Jolman (you can see the quilt here.).

 

To make it more challenging I decided to use the charm pack of rainbow fabrics they sent me last year by enrolling in the program "Quilter's Take Manhattan". I watched the program from home since I was not able to travel.

I decided to iron the 2" squares on wonder under -paper backed fusible interfacing- and grouped them by color family.

With the help of the machine Accuquilt Go I cut out small circles. Then with a manual puncher I cut out tiny circles, form flowers and tree canopy shaped (green color family).

Afterwards, I infused newsprint on silk based on my own technique where the end result is a pliable and washable fabric easy to sew. Then, I ironed the tree and flowers in place, leaving an empty space where I drew and sew the cat and bird.
I chose Aurifil 50w thread for the background and Aurifil 28w for the cat and bird.

After finishing the free motion quilting, I hand embroidered the lower part and sewed beads on the tree canopy.

Detail of the infused and trapunto newsprint house.

 

I hope you will join me and participate in this contest. You can read more about it here. You still have plenty of time since the deadline is June 1st.