Carving *Stamps*


Stamping on fabric. I am playing along with *Carve December*, organized by artist Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. It consists in carving one stamp a day during the whole month of December. Maybe I will not carve a new stamp everyday but I am planning to work on several. 
Since I love to color on cloth using my own designs, I thought this will be a good opportunity to have a relaxing moment during this hectic month and do some art. My goal is to end up with an artcloth.


Cold Foil and Tulle..Oh My!! WORKSHOP 3

ONE day workshop (6 hours)



In this class we will combine foil with tulle to make an unusual fish quilt top.
 You will learn how to add metallic color to your fiber art with the cold foil technique, using Deco foil sheets. No need to use paint and wait for it to dry or the use of an iron to apply foil. You will also learn how to tame tulle to add delicate designs. Afterwards we will complete our project by sewing simple stitches with embroidery thread.




If time allows we will complete the block, otherwise a hands-on demonstration will be given. Class ends with inspiration on how to machine quilt your project.




Please contact Margarita via email (margascrafts@gmail.com) for details  


International Quilt Festival 2018


*LEAF BALLET*
 
This is my quilt that is participating at the International Quilt Festival 2018 quilt contest *World of Beauty*.
 
It all started by designing the shapes by hand and also by computer. Then I decided which part would be made with INC Infused newsprint Cloth and which part would be painted.

Afterwards I mixed the paint to match the thread I wanted to use, in this case Aurifl Lana. (8803 color)

 
After all the hand-work was done the three layers were put together and machine quilted.

 
close up in process
 


And here it is hanging at the show under the surface design category. A dear friend from Wisconsin, Laurie Ceesay, took the pictures due to my absence at the show this year.




Painted Quilt *Finished*

 
It's Autumn in my part of the world so I decided to challenge myself to create a painted quilt to cover my legs while I am sitting reading a book (my other favorite activity- I am currently reading The Heavens May Fall by Allen Eskens-).

The finished quilt measures 45 inches by 36 inches. Let me share with you my quilt-making process.




I knew I wanted a painted quilt so I started experimenting with different type of paints and soon I discovered a *new* way of printing which I called *surprise printing*.
The name says it all: it is a serendipity process where you get different color design with each print. Perfect technique for making a pieced quilt top.

Well, if you have been reading my blog you must know by now that I usually make art quilts to be hanged on the wall which are heavily stitched by hand and machine with different kind of threads. For a utility quilt, I learned that you must take a different approach: less dense stitching!! And did I also mention a pieced quilt top???



  
After all the blocks were printed, washed and trimmed I started to play with them on my design wall. I was stuck so I decided to dye the backing fabric.
 


I used the ice dyeing method. The dye colors I chose: midnight blue and bronze from  HERE
Observing this fabric where the two colors meld in some areas and they stay separate in another creating an harmonious design with lines I knew what to do next!
 
I painted a stripe fabric with the same technique and with the same colors used on the blocks. Oh, I like that.

Cut also narrow strips to add movement and balance.

 
Once the pieced top was finished, I stitched in the ditch around each seam.

I am offering this as a workshop. Check details under the workshops category in my blog.

 
And here I am using my quilt and reading a new book. Exciting news about this book in my next post!