Inspiration
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Inspiration from Vacation for Future Keepsake Projects
Taking Inspiration from Vacation Taking inspiration from vacation is a great way to remember your travels long after vacation ends and school starts. Whether it’s motifs you see that remind you of a special place, or great architecture from a church or building, or perhaps a food you can reimagine in fabric and thread. My family ended the summer in style. We took a wonderful trip to St. Simon’s Island off the coast of Georgia. I got a lot of project inspiration from vacation to fuel my fall by looking through my favorite photos. We hung out at the beach. The colors of sand and sky will make their…
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Christmas in July – Christmas Ornaments
Well Friends, this is the last post in the Christmas in July series. I have truly enjoyed thinking about Christmas in the middle of summer! It’s nice to not have the rush of the season over my head while I create fun new things to decorate my home this season. My tree will look great with it’s new Speedy Spiral Christmas Tree Skirt, my table will look festive with my new Table Runner and my mantel will be fun and cheerful with my Banner Flags. Not to mention my new Spool of Thread Stockings! The only way to end this series is with Christmas Ornaments! I put up several…
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Creating Round Robin Wearable Art
Suzy Seed, Nancy Sapin & Lee Fletcher, all National Educator’s representing Sulky of America, have been working the Sulky booth at the Houston International Quilt Festival for the past 7 years. After the first year, they decided it would be fun to stretch their creativity and sewing knowledge, work outside of their comfort zone, and begin an adventure creating wearable art the round-robin way. What is a round robin? It’s when something gets passed from person to person, each person creating one part of a whole. Can you imagine the surprise when the garment owner receives all the finished pieces not knowing until the end what the other’s created. Each…
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Christmas in July Series – Mantel Scarf
It may be extremely hot and humid outside, but I am dreaming of a white Christmas in my sewing studio! Okay, maybe not white, but bright red, green, pink, orange and blue! I am in love with the new color scheme that I am using for my holiday season decor this year. It started with the Speedy Spiral Christmas Tree Skirt, then the Bonus Projects that I made from the scraps. Now I have dug into Cotton + Steel’s new Christmas line Tinsel. I have always used a very traditional Garnet and Gold color scheme during the holidays (yes, it is because I went to FSU). This year I am…
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7 Reasons to Sew Every Day
Sewing is my favorite hobby. I really would rather sew than just about anything, but life, kids, the house, the hubby , the job…it all seems to drown out that precious time to sew. One the my favorite bits of advice that I received when I asked you to send in advice to new sewists (see that post here) was to sew for at least 20 minutes per day! I love that and have tried to put that great advice into practice ever since then. It has been an amazing change for me in my life! Today I want to motivate you to do the same thing by giving you…
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Quick Gifts – Make These In Less Than An Hour!
Sometimes you just need a really quick gift. Maybe you forgot about that bridal shower you are supposed to go to this weekend, or maybe you thought Father’s Day was next weekend (it’s not, by the way, it’s Sunday), or maybe you are just really good at procrastinating like me! Whatever the reason, sometimes a quick, yet thoughtful gift is in order. Before I go any further I do want to clear something up. Just because a gift is quick to make, doesn’t mean it isn’t meaningful. I mean you could have just stopped by the grocery store on your way to that shower or Father’s Day lunch, picked up…
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Top 10 Notions from Eric Drexler, Sulky Educator
Eric Drexler’s Top 10 Notions If I was on a deserted island with power and my sewing machine, these are the 10 notions I would need, and why: Collins Sewer’s Aid: It is a silicone lubricant that helps with some speciality threads, and fabrics. What I like the most is it keeps the adhesive off my needle when using any sticky-back product (including fusible webs). Simply put a drop on your finger and rub on the needle. Reapply as you start to see a build up again. Sew Steady Table: Since I first laid eyes on this extension table, I knew I was in love. The square inches of extra work area…
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Free-Motion Fun with Eric Drexler
If you have seen any of Sulky National Educator and Free-Motion Guru, Eric Drexler’s work, then you know what an amazing artist he is. Last summer, he learned how to Zentangle®. The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. When Eric learned it, he immediately thought, “I could do this with thread!” So he did! And he has created some amazing things. (Eric did the above pattern using a FriXion™ pen, but once ironed this amazing pattern is gone! So, he figured out a way to get the pattern on the fabric and yet still keep it – learn his secret.) So…
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Some Inspiration!
Sulky Certified Teacher and Quilt Artist Chris Eichner recently sent me these great pictures of a maple leaf that she thread painted. I was already impressed and then I asked her about how she made these two leaves. She answered, “Those aren’t two separate leaves, that is the front and back on one leaf that I thread painted onto an already quilted wall hanging.” How cool! She said she used Sulky Solvy® as her template. She drew the design onto the Solvy with a pen (I recommend using a FriXion pen), then she stuck the Solvy to the front of the quilted wall hanging with Sulky KK 2000 Temporary Spray Adhesive.…
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Liv is Cancer free!
I just wanted to to a quick post so you can celebrate with me! Do you remember this Chevron Quilt that I made for my little friend who was about to start chemo? Well, her name is Liv and after 8 months of very hard chemo, lots of hospital & doctor visits, huge changes in her physical appearance, but never anything but a positive spirit, I am so happy to let you know that Liv is officially cancer free! I love this little girl and just wanted to share the good news with you. Her parents told me that she still loves her quilt. It has spent every night with her…
