Le cheval rouge - The red horse art quilt

Some years ago I have visited n exhibition of student graduated the National art school. And I was impressed by a poster with the poem of Jacques Prevert. I have learned it by heart.


In the carousels of the lie
The red horse of your smile
Turns
And I am standing frozen there
With the sad whip of reality
And I have nothing to say
Your smile is as true
As my four truths.


As I have more self-reliance in my patchwork and quilt skills I decided to create this quilt.

I have no doubt about quilting. Straight lines for the spotlights and background.
Do you know how to make a move with the horse when playing chess?
This was decision for quilting the carousel (manege) .

Instead of simple label on the back I put printed text of the poem in three languages.

P.S. The size is 18 x 22 inches.

Quilting a square - tutorial

You remember my Circus quilt, don't you?
When I have shown it to the Patchwork group my friends advised me to add some quilting on the blank squares.
In fact I had been wandering about this , but have no final idea I preffer.
I tried to add stars, pinwheels etc., but without result.
So now, some months later,  I decide to quilt squares.  Two inch squares different thread's colors.

I haven't erasable pencil and had to think out how to stitch them equal.
FREEZER PAPER.
This was the solution.

Cut a 2 inches square and iron on the desired position. Measure with a ruler.

 Pin around.

Stitch along the perimeter using walking foot or FMQ.

Remove the freezer paper.
So easy.

I had to change 9 times bobbins and upper thread.
I think the quilt looks better this time.

Red, dark red, violet

My blue green scrap mini patchwork has been laying in front of me more than one month.
I want to make in different colors so collect all the rests in red. They were not so much and I have to cut from entire fabrics. The piece was going to be "too hot " with all these red scraps, so I have added some violet.

I leaved the wavy edges as they are. 
Compare to blue green piece this one has smaller parts.
Like both of them , but honestly said I have sewn the first one much more easy and fast. It was like a game.
Collecting pieces was a fast solved puzzle.

Do you wander what I shall do with them?
Might be make in other colors and collect them in a bigger wall hanging or make separate framed works.
The last one I have framed turned out great.

A mini quilt on a frame - tutorial

I know, I know so long without posting here.
Too much ideas, too much to do.
Finally I did and succeed to write a post .
At the beginning it was an idea to participate in the quilt contest in Main, Germany.
The theme was Light and Shadows. I like it and have some ideas, but I am not absolutely sure I could make a competitive quilt. I have made different quilts, but still I am a low spirit quilter.
Anyway I decide to make a mini art quilt and stretch on a frame.
The pieced work in front of the window.

Finished top

You will need:
>   a batting and back fabric.
     It is better to use fusible batting. 
>  four strips of felt - each strip shorter than one side
> a tacker for upholstery
>  And a frame with a loop of course.

Note that the backing and batting have to be smaller than the top itself to prevent bulk.
In traditional quilting backing and batting are bigger.
Lay the top right side down, then fused batting with backing.
Look at the picture how are trimmed the corners.
The exceed  fused batting has to lay on the sides of the frame.

Displace the frame and basting . I used thread, but you could spray if prefer.

Quilt as you desire.
Using zig-zag  zsitch atatch a felt strip at each side.

At this step you would have such result.

Now it is time to add the frame.
Lay the quilted top face down and place the frame on it.

Fold the upper side and tack.

Slightly stretch the quilt and repeat with opposite side.
Fold the corners as you wrap a parcel with paper and tack the next two opposite sides.

Screw the loop and stitch a label.

I found that it would be much more easier to stitch the label before framing :)
So don't make my mistake.

I suppose you are wandering about size.
I tried to hide it all the time ;)
Here it is -  6 inches square- what a mini quilt.

I am still wandering about necessity of quilting for such small pieces.
What do you think?

Christmas Tree in July coaster - tutorial

I always wander what does it mean Christmas in July. It is too early to begin the preparation for the Christmas in December.
Type on Google search bar and what I have learned. It is so funny.
I have designed a paper pieced tree   for Christmas in July.

You could make many ways with different combination of green printed fabrics, add white lines as snow, add golden fabric as garlands.
You could embroider a star on the  top or hand stitch the garlands.

For the 6 inch coaster (finished size)  you will need:
6,5 inch block ,
6,5 inch backing fabric
6 inch square fusible batting.
First fuse the batting on the wrong side of the backing. Note that you have to iron at the right site.

Lay them right side together and sew round perimeter leaving 2-3 inches opening for turning over.

Clip the corners to prevent bulk.
Now comes a little trick.
Fold and iron well the seam allowances at the opening - the top and the backing.

This will be very helpful after turning over. Look how it loos at the side.

Now turn and iron well. Stitch round perimeter.

Add embellishment and quilting as you desire.
 **************************
MERRY CHRISTMAS IN JULY!

From an orphan block to a pillow

Last week I have designed a new Owl pattern.
It looks cute and nice on the computer screen, but I decided to test it with real fabrics.

As I have many orphan blocks this time I made a pillow cover using this wonderful tutorial .
I have added a narrow yellow  strip and a wide grey one.
Add batting and make free motion quilting with traditional meanders, but added leaves.

It is easy to made.
First  try to draw with  a pencil on a sheet of paper. See the direction of movement.

 Try to make leaves with different shapes - see the detailed picture.

 

For the back I have chosen a pink heavy cotton fabric.

The final look 

The white poppy

I have seen it in a field of poppies and took a picture immediately.

So beautiful and so lonely.
Because of its difference.
This happened almost 2 months ago.
Yesterday I remembered this picture when cleaning my hard disk.
I had to make something - mini quilt, wall hanging or mug rug. Let everyone names it as he likes.

I have made some sketches and began applique the poppies.  The background is sky and green field.
Each poppy is made from two hues of one color. Do you remember how looks the petals of the poppies.
They are so tiny even transparent. And when two petals cover each other they look darker.
I had two fabric' choices for the binding - dark blue striped

and light blue striped.

The first one would look like framed.
The second one would be as extension of the picture.
So I have chosen the second.
Chain stitched the handles, add some embroidery for the stamens in the center of the white poppy.

I love the final look. 

 Some people say my mug rugs are like a mini art picture and have to be hang.
What do you think?