a bird in the hand.

Or my adventures in fabric print and design.

But first, you may remember the embroidery pattern I made inspired by a Korean wedding kimono, well after many hours I finally finished it:

It's the first big embroidery I've made and I really learned alot from doing it. The fabric has pulled in some places, and some of the stitches are a bit too long, but all in all I like it.
Laura and I have decided to use it for a dress she can wear to my sisters weeding in May.

I used the same inspiration in a silk dye and screen printing course at school. But here I only used the bird motif.

First I did alot of testing both with ground colours, pattern layout and howmany times the dye were to be brushed through the frame, it's a really time consuming procedure because you have to dry, damp, wash and iron the fabric between each routine.

I ended up dying and printing two pieces of fabric measuring about 1 square meter. They are far from being perfect, but if used as scarfs where all the flaws are less visible I think they look ok.

I also uploaded the pattern to spoonflower to try it out. The colors turned out pretty much as I had hoped, but I was quite surprised at how small the bird was (the original drawing is on the left)
It nedds some correcting; there are some streaks I hadn't noticed at first (I don't have photoshop or illustrator and made this using paint and picnik)

But it's quite fun to have some fabric I myself have designed, and I allready have ideas for other designs...

Finally I really have been lucky in both the doll quilt swap, and the pillow talk swap.

I received a wonderful quilt from Emma Louise

And a gorgeous pillow from Kerri

Don't they look good together?

That's all folks... Thank you for tuning in, take care, and drive safe :-)

Happy New Year

I want to use this first post in 2010 to thank you for your thoughts, comments and support.

This past year has been such a great and creative one for me, I haven’t finished as many quilts as I had hoped but I’m bursting with ideas for quilts to finish in the New Year.

And I’m starting the New Year with some great new fabrics, that I already have lots of plans with.

Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley

LOVE and Little folks flannel

Monaluna Mingle

And this wonderful machine found its way to a very happy recipient on Christmas Eve. I already have lots of plans for that too…

And with that I wish you all a happy new year, and hope that 2010 will bring you lots of fabric, floss and fantastic quilts.

sunday stash

I know I'm a day late, but better late than never right?

I've joined the pillow talk swap over on flickr, and have been assigned a secret partner.

After a bit of stalking I pulled this fabric. I hope my secret partner likes it.

I sure feel in love with this combination.

I hope your weekend was good

Isa

Small projects sunday stash

A little while ago, this beautiful parcel arrived at the door.

In case you don’t know it’s Denyse schmidts county fair line.

I simply love these colors and prints.

I have already brought some of it to good use, I made two box bags using this tutorial.

I’m using one as a pencil case, and the other for my sewing gear.

I also made a shoulder bag using Amy Butlers Weekend traveller bag pattern, I can highly recommend the pattern, it’s easy to follow, and have some very cute details.

I hope you had a great weekend.
Isa

Sunday stash # 12 quilt festival goodies

If you have nothing to say, you can always show fabric ;-)

Uptown fabric by Erin Michael, found at the Danish quilt festival.

I went to the Danish quilt festival this weekend, and was actually pleasantly

surprised to find some pretty good fabric stores.

I forgot my camera so you will have to do with some fabric pics

Hopefully your weekend was as good as mine.

Isa

sunday stash # 11

Panda leaf print from Robert Kaufman

Ava fabric from Alexander Henry

I hope you had a great weekend

Isa

Busy as a bee

Well I haven’t been but the other members of the Euro bee has.

I’ve joined my first bee and was assigned with the first month. I sent out my fabric and instructions just before I went on vacation Saturday before last.

And already there are some amazing blocks popping up in the flickr group. I’m really excited about them, and get butterflies in my stomach every time there is a new pic.

Since we’ve been on vacation I haven’t been doing any sewing, but I brought along some embroidery supplies including patterns from Polka dot bunny. I’m thinking about using them for a fairy tale wall hanging, mixed with Heather Ross far far away,

and other fairytale themed fabric.

When returning from vacation Nicole from polka dot bunny

had sent me this great package filled with great goodies.

Thank you Nicole, it really made it so much better to return to normal life again.

Take care

Isa

Sunday stash # 9 for a rainy day

This weeks Sunday stash is April Showers from Alexander Henry in three different color ways.

I just couldn’t resist those little people. They are so cute.
I don’t think I’ve ever used any novelty prints in my quilts, but first times a charm right?
Have a great day
Isa

sunday stash # 8

This weeks Sunday stash is Sandi Henderson cherries.

For the time being I have no purpose for this fabric,

but it sure is sweet to look at.

And I guess that is purpose enough when it comes to fabric.

Have a great sunday

Isa

Retro cabin

I received this cute fabric from timeless treasure a couple a days ago. I bought it at Etsy seller “afabricoutlet”.

I just wanted to cut it up right away. It’s going to be another baby blanket.

I like the quick gratification of small quilt projects.

There where practically no wastage with this fabric bundle.

I love when it’s like that.

I also cut some extra 2.5” squares that I intended to use for the one-a-day nine patch.

But I didn't think the fabric matched the other blocks in the nine-patch very well

So inspired by this quilt, I made four patches to use with the sashing.
I’m planning on using brown sashing and maybe orange binding…?

On a totally different matter I have a question for you all; When I comment on someone else’s blog I sometime get a response on that particularly comment in my email, I like that feature very much but I can’t figure out how this is done… Do any of you know how to do this?

Have a good day
Isa

Sunday stash

This is my flavour of the week. It’s Sandi Henderson’s metro market. I really think the colours are bright and delicious, they‘ve been in the back of my stash for a little while but now it’s time for them to shine.

Isa

Blog launch party giveaway

To celebrate the launch of a new sewing website I’ve decided to join the launch party blog giveaway.
Even though I’m in the opposite end of the world I think the idea is so exciting. And as a relatively new quilter I’ve been much inspired of Sarah Fielke and therefore want to help her give the website a good start.

And this is what you can win from my blog:

The first prize is 3 fat quarters from Paula Prass’ Flights of Fancy line

The second prize is 3 fat quartes from Kaffe fasset’ organic dots.



To win, just leave a comment to this post before June 8, 2009. Where the winners will be drawn.
Good luck
Isa

Bundles of joy

Look what the mailman brought me today….Isn’t it gorgeous?

Ever since I saw Joelle’s color wheel quilt, I knew I had to make it.

But knowing that I’m only a novice and not yet a Jedi, I ordered the color wheel bundle from Purl Soho.

And today it arrived. I love it, and I can’t wait to get started on it…..

The other fabric somehow snuck there way into the basket… Hmm… That happens a lot for me, I simply don’t understand how…

They are all from Alexander Henry. I don’t have any project in mind for it yet; I’d just thought they’d look good in my stash.

All for now. I will go look through those bundles of joy

sewing

So... I pulled some fabric, and went shopping for some more.


I bought the wild bunch range from funquilts at a fare a while ago. I love the bright colours, but I haven't been able to find thee other colour variations, so I decided to use some Jenny Beyer blenders.

I especially think the bright yellow lights up the bunch, and matches the green fabric quite well.

I'm planning a nine patch quilt, with the dark fabric as sashing. I'm looking forward to getting started. I wonder what I did with my spare time before I started sewing :-)