Amazing!!!

It is amazing what you can find when you actually start cleaning your space. I found these Blocks and found that I have enough for a quilt if set on point. Then I will have another quilt to finish and give away.

Hand dyed fabric

This the first top I have pieces with my hand dyed fabric. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the fabric before cutting it up. It is made from 2 half yard pieces which were laid out flat and dye was dropped on the fabric so make the colors mix together. We used what was left at the end of the day....I am not crazy about this particular red, but what the heck. I think it needs some free form strips on it. I will use (gasp) fusing which is something I have avoided for a long time. I do like the way this came out and it looks much better than the original fabric.

NOTE: Lots of people like the idea of sewing down the Dresdens by machine. Please use a very small length stitch and go slowly so everything moves together. Also I basted the plate to the background, but it could be pinned and I turned under the outside edges and basted them. Let me know how it works for you. I want to try circles and see it it works for them too.

Dresden plates

I have been in a mode to straighten (shovel out) my sewing room/studio. It is September and have to have a project. Since very few of us gather the harvest, we substitute hunkering down activities. So far, people who know me and have seen my sewing space are dubious of such an undertaking, but I am making headway....a little each day. When I do sit I am working on my Dresden plates. I was going to sew down the edges of the plates by hand, but instead used a very short stitch length and was able to sew them without stretching them. It is a little trick I learned from Gwen Marston when I took an free stlye applique class...she uses it to sew down stems which can be very boring to applique. I am using a running stitch to sew down the center circles. I am using an orange #8 perle cotton from Prescencia. It is smaller than DMC and quite lovely. Also I am using 2 different background fabrics, mainly because I ran out of my first choice and picked another fabric to complete the blocks.

15 plus minutes of play

Have a ton of scraps cut in strips. Used up alot of the 2 inch ones. My scrap pile includes so many fabrics used over the years and I hope to keep just using them up. Don't know just where this is going, but had fun just sewing and sewing.

quilt along September block

Here is the block for September. I had to order more fabric and must have clicked on the wrong number as I got a different fat quarter bundle. I is good though as I have a few more color choices.

Dyeing Class

Had a GREAT time last weekend taking a lazy dyer's class from Melody Johnson. Although there are more serious dyeing classes (the ladies across the hall were stirring,checking the water temp with a thermometer, going to the laundermat, sorting fabric until late at night), I love the spontaneity of this method. It just isn't that important to me that I get a just so color. Maybe it is because I love scrappy quilts the best...and now making scrappy fabric. Our class had the most fun and were the loudest, laughingest group at lunches. I am so glad that Melody was willing to come out of retirement to do this class, although I don't think she is convinced to teach classes on a regular basis.

I love the results of my dyeing, but maybe just not so intense. Have several ideas for the next dyeing session, hopefully before winter sets in. Then will play with screen printing, soy-based wax batik or stamping.