something stitched

Vintage Inspiration

Repurposing a dresser scarf can make a quick and easy accessory for the guest bedroom. I dyed this scarf in a pastel coral and aqua. Cut the embroidery that was still usable to adorn the fronts of pillows. Of course it would make a great gift to commemorate the work of a loved one.

One could say I have been very productive during this unusual summer.Being an introvert, it has not been a real inconvenience to stay close to home and we are fortunate to live in a rural setting so I have had lots of inspiration to parlay into quilted projects.  My latest one is titled “Covid 19: Wash Your Hands”.  It was made from an old tablecloth which I painted, stamped, appliqued, cut apart and sewed back together with no real idea of what the end would be.  My first thought was “laundry day blues” but that just wasn’t to be.  As the quarantine recommendations continued to be in effect, “Wash Your Hands” emerged as the topic to pursue.  I had some fabric that I had marbled several years ago and cut in circles for some reason unbeknownst to me now but they made good germs.  And then there are the iridescent organza bubbles appliqued as we have to have a foamy lather to wash away the contamination.  Tulle bunched up with slubby yarn and attached with beads completed the bottom edge.  It was a fun, creative activity to commemorate one aspect of an unusual year.

Inspiration for a HOT July Day!!

Whether you’re looking for something to do on hot sunny days, hoping to find a new craft for kids or want to preserve those languishing linens, Cyanotype prints are an easy solution. Recently I wanted to capture some leaves for use in an art quilt project and remembered I still had pretreated fabric from previous projects. The process is so simple and one that I remember doing as a 4-H camp participant many years ago. (Note: you can treat your own fabric starting with chemicals and white or colored fabric base. It’s messy!!) Pretreated fabric is available by the yard or by the piece and even comes in colors as seen in the photo of the black and white piece. Whatever object you place on the sheet of fabric is not harmed or changed in any way making it a very nice way to preserve the needlework of the past. You just need a sunny day and about 10 minutes of time once you have collected and arranged the objects on the fabric. I arranged some preserved leaves along with some pasta shapes and let it sit on a flat surface in the sun for about 10 minutes and then rinse to reveal the finished piece. Easy, simple enough for children and then the creativity begins. Cut them up into pieces, rearrange, frame them or incorporate into a pillow or small wall hanging.