Chocolate Challenge

This is our last challenge, and frankly, I wasn't going to participate. I have too many other things going on in the studio right now, but, thanks to my good friend Katie, she kept after me to think about something to do. And, with her encouragement, came up with a quick little something to hang on the fridge for Easter.

I would include photos on how I did this, but really, who reads all my posts about my creations? If you want to know what I did, here it is:

1) Draw design on fabric using a water soluble pen. Layer top fabric with batting and a backing.
2) Outline the sandwiched design with black thread on your home sewing machine using your darning foot.
3) Color in the design with whatever colors you choose. Spritz to remove markings. Dry.
4) Zig-Zag stitch around the edges and trim close to the zig-zag to finish.

And while this looks simple enough, it still took me about four hours to complete.

C is for Colette

I collect C's in my studio. I have them nearly every where.

But I found a wall that didn't have a C on it, and decided to do something saved in my "projects" bag for this challenge. The first step was to get out the selvedge bag. These selvedges have been being collected for a few years now. Members of my guild downstate found out I needed/wanted them and started bringing them in by the bags full.

Bag-O-Selvedges

Straightening the Selvedges

I needed to sort through them and find ones long enough for this project, as well as iron them, since they clearly weren't kept neat.

Sewing them down on a scrap piece of fabric

I drew a few registration lines on my scrap fabric to make sure I was staying relatively straight while sewing the selvedges down. Selvedges of length have a tendency to bow and this is a way to keep things a little more under control.

A finished piece of fabric

Once I had my selvedge "fabric" done, I had to make the letter. And I suck at free hand drawing. I mean, I can barely trace anything. And of course, the letter I found to make was not a closed letter, but one of several pieces. Once that was constructed last night, I started right back in this morning.

Slap-La-Quilt

I have a friend downstate that calls quilting, while doing appliqué, Slaplaquilt. I didn't just rely on my appliqué work to hold the whole thing together, but added some more straight lines over the already pieced selvedges.

And here's the finished 14"x14" end result.

C is for Colette

This was fun. It's something I've been wanting to do for some time now, and it was quick, which is good since I have three customer quilts to get done before leaving a week from tomorrow to head to Utah (hello Handi Quilter!).