My Tips n Techniques

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Permission 2 Play Shave Cream Printing Class

Permission 2 Play
Shaving Cream Printing Class
March 26, 2009

Click Images to Enlarge:

Everything is in it's place..........let the fun begin!

Just a hint....the printing results were the very best with the pink can of Skintimate shaving cream by the Johnson Co.
If you are interested, there is a tutorial of this technique in this blog. Click here to view it.

We meet once a month at JanniLou Creations Quilt Shop in Philomath, Oregon. They provide us with a big, well lit, working space. Thank you Jan & Lou for your generosity to our group.

After 3 hours of playing with shaving cream and paint, we began to fill up the tables with little journal quilt tops.

Here is Pam with her stunning turquoise and black print


Kathy's print has an autumn flavor to it


Love the pink and orange in Nancy's piece, and the batik fabric in the borders is wonderful

Virginia was going for FIRE here and I think she got it!


Kathy's purple piece is wonderful, especially with the pastel background colors that were leftover from the previous piece that was printed.

Nancy's pink with turquoise piece

Virginia with her purple and pink piece.

These newly created journal quilts will become part of our ongoing art quilt exhibit at Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis.

The Permission 2 Play journal quilts have been invited to exhibit in August 2009 at the Quilts in Gardens Tour, and the Mary's River Quilt Guild Quilt County 2009 Quilt Show throughout Benton County.

We had a fun afternoon........it is always good to give yourself "Permission 2 Play."

To see more on Permission 2 Play CLICK HERE

To see more tutorials CLICK HERE

To see more shave cream posts CLICK HERE

To see more Journal Quilts CLICK HERE


With A Smile in My Heart,
LuAnn

Pepperdish.......In Progress

Last week I pulled the pizza box labeled "Pepper Dish Quilt" off the shelf and decided I would finish up this project. You can click on the images to enlarge them:

This is a Judy Niemeyer pattern. She is my guru when it comes to paper piecing. I have taken 3 classes from her, and learn something new and valuable each time I see her.
I rarely work with a pattern anymore, preferring to design my own work, but when it comes to paper piecing you need one.........and Judy's are the best out there.

I pulled the completed top out of the pizza box and saw where Judy had signed my quilt top.........2006.........3 years ago I took that class? Time can get away from you.

As always I like to file away my works "in progress" in NEW pizza boxes. Everything for the entire project can be stored away.......pattern, fabrics, glue sticks, wipees to get the glue off my fingers during the applique process, etc.

The next time I yearn to work on this quilt......I pull the pizza box off the shelf, and everything I need is contained inside, no hunting around for supplies...........and I haven't stolen any of the fabric for another project!

I am working on the applique flowers, leaves and stems. In order to get the correct placement of the applique on the quilt, I use a piece of plastic......lay it over my paper pattern.......trace over the entire applique with a felt marker onto the plastic..........that is the shiny surface you see in the image above.

I take the traced-on plastic and place it in the correct spot on my quilt. For this pepper dish quilt, each corner of the quilt will get this same flower applique arrangement.

As I complete the applique shapes, I place them under the plastic, on top of the actual quilt, and this gives me accurate placement of each piece. The plastic will remain on the quilt until each shape has been placed where it belongs.

I have enjoyed working on this quilt again.......I hope to finish up the applique tomorrow........get all the pieces basted down with Roxanne's Baste It Glue........then I will be ready to head for the sewing machine. I plan to blind stitch with smoke invisible thread around all the applique shapes. I don't want the applique stitches to draw much attention to themselves. I plan to do a lot of free motion quilting on this piece, and I don't want the applique stitches to complete with my machine quilting work.

p.s. To see the completed quilt CLICK HERE

To see more tutorials CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE to view My Quilts


With Sticky Fingers,
LuAnn

Monday, March 23, 2009

Enjoy Your Passions


Banana Leaves
Oregon State Fair 2008

Click Image to Enlarge

Spring has arrived in Oregon. Now begins my frustration of splitting my time up between two of my passions: Flowers and Quilting
I love them both.......but they don't leave much time for the cooking, housework and clean underpants!

Growing flowers gives me an opportunity to explore my third passion of photography.
Flowers have been working their way into my quilts. I am currently working on a sunflower quilt that was inspired by a bed of sunflowers in our yard.

CLICK HERE to view My Quilts


To see more posts on gardening CLICK HERE


Enjoy Your Passions,
LuAnn


Saturday, March 21, 2009

Quilts in Women's Lives


A documentary style film, Quilts in Women's Lives.  Meet 3 of the 7 women featured in this 15 minute clip.  Click here to view.


CLICK HERE to view My Quilts

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,
LuAnn

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Smiling.....

This is a class sample for a Permission 2 Play class the end of March. I just completed it lastnight. This journal quilt combines several new techniques for me.
* This is my first attempt at shaving creaming printing. I have included a tutorial on this method in this blog.
* This is the first time I have worked with silk in quilting art. The silk loved the dyenaflow ink.
* This is the first time I have played with the Free-Motion Couching Foot.

Click Images to Enlarge Them:








I found this cord at the thrift store for 50 cents. It went too perfect with the black ink on the silk.....I just had to give it a try and see if it would work. It is rather thick and round, but it fit through the free-motion couching foot, so I gave it a try.


I used the Bernina 43 Free-Motion Couching foot. It worked flawlessly. It has very good directions. It works like a darning or free-motion foot; you drop the feed dogs and quilt with it......except that it couches cording as you quilt along. It was developed by the thread play queen, Libby Lehman.


Click here to see a video of the free-motion couching foot demonstrated.



Since the class sample quilt was completed, it was time for some fun.........ring.......ring.......ring........my 5 year old niece called to invite me to her birthday pedicure party...........so I spent the afternoon with some of my favorite girls.


My little niece sat beside me exclaiming, "I am so happy.....I can't stop smiling!"



Here we are after our pedicures.......you can't tell in this photo, but we are all smiling.

p.s. To See more Shaving Cream Prints Click HERE

To see more posts on Permission 2 Play CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE to view My Quilts


Wishing You a day full of Smiles,
LuAnn

Monday, March 16, 2009

Cultivating Creativity

We need to nurture and cultivate our creativity, like a gardener cultivates his flower and vegetable gardens to help them grow. I believe we all have a creative side, we just need to take the time to help it grow and bloom.

Like a writer who gets writer's block, I believe quilters and artists can become stagnant and develop artist's block. This is when we need to cultivate our creative side, start fresh with something new to get us excited and get those juices flowing. When my battery has run low and needs a jump start I try a new technique.......this time instead of creating with textiles.........I chose paper.

Paper Horses




Click Images to Enlarge

The photo above was taken with a flash. This is not the true color. The color is washed out from the flash. However, the flash photo is a better representation of the quilted affect I achieved layering the paper onto batting and backing fabric and free-motion quilting all over it. You can see how the recessed background areas behind the horses have made the horses come forward and puff out a bit. I like this.


This photo was taken without a flash, just some lighting from the side. This is the true color of the paper horses, and you can see the actual stitching lines from the quilting in more detail.

This afternoon project was just what I needed. I found a horse book at the thrift store for one dollar. I brought it home and cut out all the images that caught my eye. This part of the process was the most fun.........I think because I felt as if I was doing something that I shouldn't be doing...........it was so therapeutic. It was especially joyful to listen to the needle popping in and out of the paper as I sewed through it. I highly recommend this technique........it is a wonderful release.

I found a video tutorial on youtube that is similar to how I created this paper quilt. If you are interested click here to view it. I chose to sandwich my paper horses with batting and fabric backing and machine quilt through all three layers and bind it.

I hope you will give this a try...........cultivate your creativity and help it grow.

To see more tutorials CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE to view My Quilts


I'll sign off for now......I have books to cut up and sew,
LuAnn

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Wind & Rain & No Power

I am trying to post a new quilt exhibit that is going up at the hospital in town, but the wind and rain today is threatening to knock our power out........the lights are blinking as I type this.......so I better shut down the computer and finish up this post later on.

Quilts created by members of the "Permission 2 Play" Art Quilt Group


Chocolate

Jello Monoprinting Technique w/Organza Printed Overlay: By LuAnn & Kathy H

Click images to enlarge them and see the details.


Jello Monoprinting Technique, Bubble Wrap Background print: By Virginia


Melted Crayon Print Technique: By LuAnn



Melted Crayon Print Technique: By Kathi



Landscape By LuAnn


It Is As It Is: By Virginia



Wavy Edge Rotary Cutting Technique: By LuAnn



Melted Crayon Print w/ Tulle Embellishment: By Kathy H



Wavy Edge Rotary Cutting w/Circle Quilting: By LuAnn



Melted Crayon Print w/Mother of Pearl Embellishments: By LuAnn

I could use a few photography hints for black quilts. My photos on black fabric are a challenge for me. Please leave me photography tips by clicking the comment link at the end of this post. Much Appreciated!


Snippets H20 Soluble Stabilizer Technique Framed: By Kathi



Melted Crayon Print Technique w/Tulle Embellishment: By Virginia



Snippets H20 Soluble Stabilizer Technique: By Kathi



Snippets H20 Soluble Stabilizer Technique: By Emily



Snippets H20 Soluble Stabilizer Technique: By Virginia

These 15 quilts created by students and instructors of the Living Well w/Cancer & Healing Through Quilting Class aka Permission 2 Play are on exhibit at our local hospital. They will be hung in Infusion & Radiation rooms for the patients to view while undergoing treatments.

The instructors at Permission 2 Play are strong advocates of "Share What You Know".
The students are generous with their art creations and believe in sharing their art with others.

A Special Thanks to our local Quilt Shop: JanniLou Creations in Philomath, Oregon. The owners Jan & Lou allow us to meet once each month in their big classroom space.
And thank you to the Marys River Quilt Guild members who have donated the fabrics & embellishments for this class. You make this special quilt group possible.

Please contact me if you are interested in starting your own Permission 2 Play, or becoming a member of ours. Click on the comment link below to leave me a message.

To see more posts on Permission 2 Play CLICK HERE


Made it Through the Wind & Rain,
LuAnn

Friday, March 13, 2009

Introducing Gunnr

I guess it is time I introduced Gunnr. He lives with us. He was a package deal. Our son moved back home 18 months ago.........and he wasn't alone.

Click images to enlarge........



Gunnr 10 weeks old



Gunnr and our son, Nicholas


6 months later.........Gunnr.......has grown

He is a gentle giant, he adores our Jack Russell, Suzy and makes us laugh every day!


" Me Got Sock "

3 years ago when our beloved Red Heeler, Cowgirl left us, we decided not to get another dog. Our children were grown, we had some freedom to travel and roam around, and no commitments here at home. That was the plan.

Nicholas moved back home to finish school and brought his puppy Gunnr with him. To make a long story short.......a year later when Nicholas moved back to town, his dad wished him well, even helped him move all of his belongings into his new apartment and informed him that Gunnr would be living at our house.

To see more posts about home CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE to view My Quilts


This place has gone to the dogs!
LuAnn