Cottage Chisel

Do you have an AccuQuilt?

Today I'm presenting how to create an adorable baby quilt from the chisel die-cut.

Come on over to Riley Blake!

Modern Cowboy

For this week on Project Quilting we were asked to create a work based off a song title. I knew immediately that I wanted to work on this quilt for my family. I've envisioned this quilt for several months and just haven't had the time to dedicate to it. My song inspiration was "Modern Cowboy" by Tesla and I was also inspired by my family.

I wish I could photograph this piece in a way that does it justice. There are a number of painted layers with thread painting as well.

I can't wait to hang it in our bedroom. I know my Cowboy's life is nothing like he envisioned, but more importantly, I know he loves it with every bit of his heart..

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Need More Inspiration??

Sorry for the quiet on my end - just a crazy week. I finally thought I had a breather, but upon looking at my calendar..I don't. I have Moda & Riley Blake patterns to do next week. Back to the sewing machine for me, but that means more fun & free patterns for you!

Luckily I already have projects in mind and I'm not stressed about the design. I never know when a dry run will strike. It weighs on me because it's crucial to always be thinking of the next project.

For this reason, I was thrilled when a friend of mine, Ebony Love, asked me to try a new inspirational quilt product for her. They are called Quiltspirations! It is an awesome card pack of the best prompts to help you try something new. I think they would make a perfect gift for a quilting friend - I would love to pair it with some fabric and a rotary blade.

In my last Project Quilting project, I used a few prompts to mix it up a bit.
*I tried the Pantone color of the year.. I used both 2011 (Honeysuckle) and 2012 (Tangerine)
I loved the warmness that the colors gave the quilt.
*And I nixed my neutral! After I submitted the quilt, I wasn't happy with the binding (always my Achilles' heal). I tossed the neutral binding and redid it with bright yellow...loving it..

Loved working these into my quilt! I can't wait to pick them up again soon. So many great ideas - I highly recommend you take a look at the site as there are lots of fun freebies too.

Thanks Ebony!!

Where Does Inspiration Come From

There are times when I'm flooded with ideas. They always seem to hit me at inopportune times..like when I'm trying to fall asleep, driving Kiddo to school, or in the shower. And there are plenty of times when trying to think of something new and creative is painful and my brain stalls. What do I do? I look for creative prompts and try to work past it.

I'm so glad Project Quilting is back in full swing. Kim has worked at hard at creating an atmosphere that is welcoming and encouraging. The week long challenge is never long enough for me to complete what I envision, BUT it gives me incredible inspiration and a safe place to try something new. Whether you are a novice or experienced, modern or traditional, you have to give it a try.

This week the challenge was to be inspired by architecture. I had a number of ideas, but they always ended up being too literal. The week was coming to an end and I had nothing to show for it. On the way to Kiddo's school I was listening to The Muppets soundtrack and racking my brain. This started a very long train of thought..

..The Muppets.. "The Muppets Take Manhattan" movie..famous New York buildings..

The Empire State Building... "Sleepless in Seattle" and the Empire lit up with a heart for Valentine's Day..

Valentine's Day.. love.. so in love my with my husband.. haven't painted much since I fell in love with my Hubby...miss painting.. favorite artist Van Gogh..favorite painting "Starry Night"...

Does everyone's else brain work in such crazy ways?

So.. what I came up with is to take a spin on "Starry Night".. something romantic and something that focuses on the beauty of architecture instead of nature. 

I wanted to try a few new techniques as well. I had recently read about an alternate to using fusible when working with appliques. The main idea is to over saturate the fabric with starch and lots of hot ironing. It worked great - really cut down on fraying with raw edge applique, considerably cheaper, and pretty quick.

Here is a picture of where I started with the simple appliques..

 And then I decided that I wanted to play with painting on fabric. It would be crazy to try a Van Gogh and not have any actual painting.I worked with both fabric paints and acrylic paints mixed with a textile medium. I have lots and lots..and lots to learn. BUT I had soo much fun and will do it more in the future.

 Then it was time for lots of free motion quilting. Some with colored thread, some with different colored bobbin thread, some monofilament.. You can't learn if you don't take risks and put yourself out there.

 And here is my completed quilt. I love the warmth and love that emanates from this piece. It just makes me happy to look at and it made me happy to make. In my opinion, quilting should be a release and not a source of stress.

 I have a love/hate relationship with the heart.I feel it's distracting,but it was the source of inspiration and it felt necessary to keep. I hope Van Gogh isn't turning in his grave.. hope he would enjoy a more romantic take on his breathtaking work..