Inspiration from Nature

For me, the process of quiltmaking begins with the question, “What should I create?” I look at pictures, of vacations, nature, anything with color! Here are a few pictures from my collections!

Gathering Foot

 
A Gathering foot is used to gather and attach ruffles at the same time. The amount of the gathering can be adjusted by the stitch length and the needle tension. A longer stitch gathers more fabric as does a tighter needle tension.

 

                  Melody’s Tip: For applications where exact control of the gathering ratio is required,

consider using a Ruffler foot.

Inspiration - The Lines of China

I searching for a new quilting design. Looking at lines helps. Today I decided to look at the file marked " The Lines of China". Look at what I found.

Embroidered Linens

Embroidery is the handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn.

The basic techniques or stitches on surviving examples of the earliest embroidery—chain stitch, buttonhole or blanket stitch, running stitch, satin stitch, cross stitch—remain the fundamental techniques of hand embroidery today.


Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. Embroidery is available with a wide variety of thread or yarn color.

Inspiration - Japanese Kimonos

The kimono is a Japanese traditional garment. The word "kimono", which actually means a "thing to wear", has come to denote these full-length robes.

Kimono are T-shaped, straight-lined robes worn so that the hem falls to the ankle, with attached collars and long, wide sleeves. Kimono are wrapped around the body, with the left side over the right  and secured by a sash called an obi, which is tied at the back.

The pattern of the kimono can determine in which season it should be worn. For example, a pattern with butterflies or cherry blossoms would be worn in spring. Watery designs are common during the summer. A popular autumn motif is the russet leaf of the Japanese maple; for winter, designs may include bamboo, pine trees and plum blossoms.

Quilted Straight

I’ll be teaching a couple of great classes at Quilted Straight in Port Gamble.

Fast Finishes
Sunday, October 23, 2016,  10:00 am  to 4:30 pm
First you will learn to join pre-quilted blocks using several innovative techniques. Go home ready to make larger machine quilted quilts without all the work of trying to get it into your machine. The Quilt-As-You-Go method allows for more detailed quilting using a standard sewing machine since you're only quilting a small section at a time. Fast finishing concludes with super-fast binding. Is binding the quilt your least favorite part? Bindings and piping are a snap with this no-fail completely machine-stitched method. In this class you will be making a sample to take home to keep as a ‘how to’ example for your own quilts. Binding will never be the same again!


Fun & Fancy; Make a Purse

Monday, October 24, 2016,  10:00 am  to 4:30 pm

Create stunning purses with Melody Crust based on the Two Hour Tulip Purse pattern that can be finished in practically no time. Make your own in class, embellish it with trims, ribbons, buttons, bows, lace, fabric, found objects and then dive into the wonderful world of beads. We will learn what beads to buy, how to sew them and how to make your own lavish beaded dangles and fringes.  Basic sewing skills required.




We are so fortunate to have great shops! Let’s support them!

Texture

the characteristic physical structure given to a material, an object, etc., by the size, shape, arrangement, and proportions of its parts: soil of a sandy texture; a cake with a heavy texture.

 

To add texture I also add other stuff! Lots of other stuff!!!

Featuring ribbon

Featuring ribbon roses

Featuring beads

 

Texture from Thread

Texture: the structure formed by the threads of a fabric.

Thread or the quilting makes great texture.

Texture - Something I Love to Add to My Quilts

The visual and especially tactile quality of a surface: rough texture.

The Fabric:

Dyed (by me) 

Purchased Fabric

Circular Stitching Guide

This round guide allows you to create perfect circles in a range of sizes and making it easy to sew circles as well as circular couching.

Sewing Circles

Circular Couching

                   Tip: A variety of feet maybe used, remember to sew slowly.

The Roses of Summer

Roses are best known as ornamental plants grown for their flowers in the garden and sometimes indoors. They have been also used for commercial perfumes and commercial cut flower crops. Some are used as landscape plants, for hedging and for other utilitarian purposes such as game cover and slope stabilization. Whatever their use, they are glorious!

Into the Dye Pots Again

Do you sometimes look at your fabric stash and wish you had more of a particular color? That’s why I started dyeing fabric. I needed acid green, and lemon yellow. Two colors that are very hard to find, depending on what’s in style at the moment.

It can be as easy or as hard as you like. The Dharma Trading Company has some great tips on dyeing fabric!