Inspiration......from my friend

When my Art Sisters get together 

our favorite activity is Show 'n Tell...

This is one of my Art Sisters.......Virginia.

She gave me my first lesson in hand dyeing fabric.

There's nothing like learning at the feet of the master.

We gathered together recently for a play day.

Virginia brought discharge projects for show 'n tell:

Virginia's quilt has discharged circles

as well as pieced circles.

Virginia's favorite surface design technique is

manipulating color...

Hand Dyed fabrics discharge beautifully...

Virginia applied Jacquard Discharge Paste

to her hand dyed fabrics

through a hand cut freezer paper stencil

A steam iron discharges the color out of the fabric

Virginia, the Discharge Queen......has done it again!

Thanks for the Inspiration Virginia.

CLICK HERE to view Discharging Tutorial

CLICK HERE to view my surface design work

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi

NOT everything gets a.......Feather

Yes, I love to draw and stitch feathers...

But, not every quilt I make gets a feather!

Check out my hexagon quilt:

Textagon Quilt

The text and number fabric in this quilt speaks volumes.

The quilting design of wavy lines does not compete

with the fabrics.

The big circles on this baby quilt make a strong impact...

One continuous circle of quilting allows the big circle 

appliqué to be the center of attention.  

My machine quilting does not compete with the circles,

it rather enhances the overall design.

Contemporary quilts can benefit 

from simple straight lines.

This quilting design is straight lines that cross over

to create squares.

I don't believe I have EVER stitched a feather

into any of my art quilts...

Again simple wavy random lines can be all

a design needs...

When you have created your own fabrics 

with surface design techniques...

you need to allow them to shine.

Keep your quilting design simple

to allow your fabrics to be the star of the show!

This is our sweetie pie......Gunnr

Here is Gunnr in fabric and thread:

 If you look closely at the thread work...

it is very basic, almost unnoticeable.

This won a contest and was included in

the Quilting Arts Calendar.

The simple stitching allows Gunnr's wonderful expression

 to be the main focus of this art quilt.

I do love stitching feathers...

but, not on everything!

CLICK HERE to view my online sketch book

CLICK HERE to view my free motion quilting

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi

Machine Quilting......Feathers

Feathers...

They are FUN to draw...

They are so yummy to stitch out!

I even stitch them into baby quilts...

If you can draw a feather...

You can stitch a feather into your quilts:

Baby Girl Feather Quilt

This is a very basic feather...

I use the Question Mark Spine

Here it is stitched out...

Zinnia Raffle Quilt

Practice, Practice, Practice.....on paper

Then stitch out your feathers...

You can get as good as YOU want to be!

4 Feather Styles Tutorial CLICK HERE

Beginner Cat's Claw Feather Tutorial CLICK HERE

Watch me draw out a feather CLICK HERE

Feathers with a Tail Tutorial CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE to view my online sketch book

CLICK HERE to view my free motion quilting

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi

Machine Quilting......Warm Up Design

I like to warm up before I begin

sketching or stitching...

My warm up design is usually a

feather or leafy vine like this:

I call this.....Big Leaf Vine

This design gets me warmed up and loose so I can

sketch in my book or stitch into my quilts.

 Because it is my warm up design...

it is so enjoyable to stitch....it relaxes me.

27 years ago I only dreamed of machine quilting...

After years of practice and dedicating myself to getting

as good as I want to be with machine quilting...

I can stitch out the big leaf design and be totally happy 

with the quality of my work.

You can add curls to the inside of the Big Leaf Vine

You can echo the leaf inside the big leaf vine

You can add large veins inside the big leaf vine

Challenge yourself to try new designs.

I added curls and different shapes of leaves

to this big leaf vine.

Get out your dry erase board and try out a design...

it just might become your Warm Up!

CLICK HERE to view my online sketch book

CLICK HERE to view my free motion quilting

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi