What's Happening in the Studio?

Even though a lot of our posts lately have been about being out in the community at shops and exhibits, that doesn't mean we haven't also been working in the studio.  Here's a peak at some of the things we've been working on.

About a year and a half ago Sue took a class with Susan Carlson, learning her fabric collage technique.  The spiral was started in class, and is now finally layered with backing, batting, and tulle on top and ready for quilting.  You can see some photos from Susan's class and the start of the collage here.

Another on-going project is this one started in August in another class using the Denyse Schmidt pattern called "Free Wheeling Single Girl".  Three of four rings are completed, the fourth is started.  The plan is to make just 4 rings for a baby size quilt, or possibly use each one separately for preemie quilts which Sue's local guild makes and donates to Children's National Medical Center.

The local guild also tries to put together some quilts for Veteran's Day, and asked members to make and donate blocks.  We had a "midnight madness" sewing session on Friday and Sue got these 5 blocks cut and sewn.

Elizabeth has been busy with her Super Baby embroidery machine making these cute barrette covers.  Spiders, ghosts, owls, oh my!

She is ready for Halloween or Crazy Hair Day, or both!  These designs are from GG Designs Embroidery and are called "felties".  We would love to see pictures of what you are working on!

Belated Valentine from Elizabeth

I haven’t written a post in a while.  My day job is always busiest in January and February and I honestly haven’t felt very creative lately.  I find myself constantly reminding my brain that I must persist and honor any creative impulse.  You might remember from back at the new year that persist was my chosen word for the year.  With that in mind, I have been experimenting a bit on “SuperBaby” my Babylock Destiny sewing machine; while not really making projects I have made some stitch samples.  Honestly, they make me feel a bit melancholy because while I have always stitched out samples on my embroidery machines, I used to give them ‘by the bag full’ to my mother who made table toppers, pot holders, etc. from many of them.  She’s gone now, so I’m sometimes at a loss for what to do with my sample stash.

Here are a few things which have been under my needle, mostly Valentine Day themed.

A new design from a recent upgrade.

Some quilting motifs from AnitaGoodesign.

And a mug rug for my sister.

Having taught our printing class again at Artistic Artifacts recently and looking ahead to an open studio class in April, I hope to get back to using some paint on fabric again soon.

Embroidery Party

This past weekend, Elizabeth attended the Anita Goodesign Embroidery Party at All Brands Sewing Center in Richmond, VA, hoping to continue to power past that creative slump.  Where better to go than a strip mall in Virginia with a cactus sign? 

It was a fun day and she had never been to this type of event before.

One of the great things about the day was that you only had to bring yourself!  No supplies and no sewing machine.  Everything was provided; including lunch.

The day was very interactive with the group voting by using a clicker system on four of sixteen possible projects plus voting on three educational topics.  Our class voted to make a ribbon applique block (although it is a bit hard to see the ribbon in the photo):

a zippered bag:

a free motion quilt block:

and a Heat and Shrink applique (Heat and Shrink is a product by Floriani).  

You use the heat and shrink like you would use batting and then shrink it with a steam iron until it has the texture you would like.  

For our education segments we voted to learn about monograms, stabilizer and embroidery as fine art.  Even though there is not time in one day to make all 16 projects and hear all the information, all the project designs and topics are included in the CD for the party and a magazine with step by step pictures of everything is included.

It was all so well organized and each section was just the right length with shopping and lunch breaks in between projects.  Sarah, the Anita Goodesign educator, also brought along hundreds and hundreds of design packages you could buy.  The choice was almost overwhelming and the pricing was as low as you will ever see designs by this company.  During the workshop, three people sit at each machine and take turns stitching the projects. Everyone has a kit with the fabric so you keep the one you stitched and then you can make the others on your own after class.  It worked out well and I enjoyed meeting my sewing mates, Joyce and Joy. 

If you ever get the chance to go to an event by Anita Goodesign it is well worth it.  Elizabeth had such a good time, she signed up for another class in December.  She is determined to banish the creative slump!

Babylock Destiny 2 Kickoff

A few weekends ago Sue and Elizabeth went to the Sew Expo as you know from previous posts, however Elizabeth only stayed for a few hours; long enough to see the exhibits and short enough to save her pocketbook.  Never fear, she was off to spend some big money at the Destiny 2 Kickoff at All Brands Service Center in Richmond, Virginia.

That’s right her “Baby” Babylock Destiny sewing machine is getting an upgrade and becoming a Destiny 2!   (The link will take you to a video about the Destiny 2.)  While the machine will stay the same, the software will have lots of new features and she is very excited about the quilting designs.  The machine has been unplugged since last January as life events kept her from sewing but now it is time to get that creative groove back on!

Here are some of the new things it will be able to do: new 9-1/2” by 9-1/2” frame, new large designs, new font, add stippling to any design or background fillers which look beautiful as quilting, upgrades to IQ Designer (new shapes, new stitches such as candlewicking), color sort your designs when adding or combining designs to minimize thread changes, text upgrades as well, see how things will look prior to stitching and combine bobbin work designs together.  It’s a lot of new fun and learning. 

She also won a door prize!  This adorable stuffed bear is by Embroider Buddy.   The stuffing is inside a zipped pocket and can be neatly taken out so the bear's tummy or back could be embroidered.  It is really cute and oh, so soft.  They also make snowmen, moose and cows, as well as other animals.  Stay tuned to see what Elizabeth does with this new upgrade.

Why all those zippers?

At the Creative Arts Business Summit in March, the first person Elizabeth met was Lisa Archer, owner of Pickle Pie Designs, an online embroidery shop that sells digitized designs and embroidery supplies.  Since, Elizabeth recently became the owner of a BabyLock Destiny sewing/embroidery machine she decided to use a Pickle Pie Designs pattern as her first embroidery project.  The choice was the in-the-hoop USB case where the entire design, including the zipper is sewn, in the embroidery function on the machine.  Lisa gives a great demonstration of it with a video on her website.  It is certainly as quick and easy as she demonstrates.

As a day job, Elizabeth teaches in an elementary school.  Anyone who has ever worked in a school knows how important the non-instructional staff is to keeping the building and the management of the school running smoothly.  As a thank you gift to all the office staff during Administrative Staff Week, she decided to make the USB cases for everyone.  She needed eight cases but once you start making these they are like potato chips, you just can’t stop at one or eight!  The multi-color pack of zippers from ZipIt Zipper Supply  was just the right supply to make many of these small gifts.

The office ladies were delighted, by the way, and started to think of all the things they could put in their zipped bags.  Lip balm, coins, a house key, etc.  They are excited to start using them when they walk, shop, and go out on the town.