Artfully Caroline: August 2014

Sunday, August 31

Quiltspiration 365 - One design, 3 ways

Before I started coming up with my own quilt design, I often used existing patterns, using my own fabric choices and colorways. It is easy to let yourself get boxed in reproducing verbatim something that already exists.

Here is an example on how just changing your color way can completely transform a simple design:

In beige, red and pink

In black, purple, red and yellow

In white, green and purple

All 3 side by side

Be bold, be daring and create!

For more Quilt inspiration, visit the Quiltspiration 365 bloggers:

Kitty: http://nightquilter.com

Chelsey: http://www.niniandthesea.blogspot.com

Laura : http://www.niniandthesea.blogspot.com

Jennifer : http://neverjustjennifer.blogspot.com

Brenna : http://www.beknitpicky.com

Cheryl : http://sweetdreamsquilting.blogspot.com

Jessica: http://sweetdreamsquilting.blogspot.com

Cathy : http://www.aquiltingchick.blogspot.com

Sarah : http://www.aquiltingchick.blogspot.com

Sunday, August 17

Quiltspiration 365 - Creative process - wildlife photo

I usually create quilts without using a pattern, or if I use a pattern, I tend to give it my own twist. But sometimes it takes a little help to get to where you need to go. There is a lovely woman in my life , Gram Betty. She's part of my extended family. She and her daughter, Joan, shared their love of quilting with and taught me the basic when I was an absolute beginner. I really wanted to make something special for Gram Betty. Something from the heart. I knew how much she missed her trips to Canada and the loons on the lake she used to vacation at.

Drawing a realistic loon from scratch was not an option so I had to get some help from a photo.

Then the stash shopping started. Mostly Batiks for their organic feel.

I printed the photo a couple of times and clipped the various elements for the birds to use as templates

I glued the pieces with school glue and added a couple of lilypads and aquatic plants

To finish the effect, I used a thread painting method to secure the pieces, add the "fuzzy" effect on the chick and in the water to create the illusion of the reflection

Here is the finished piece. Gram Betty loved it :)

Sunday, August 10

Fixer upper - The 1st floor bath

When we bought our new house, we knew there would be a lot of work involved, even before being able to move in. The previous owners had not bothered with much renovations beyond painting so a lot of rooms we still much in the same state as in 1985 when the house was built. And then the house sat empty for almost 4 years. We set priorities to having at least one functional full bathroom and a serviceable kitchen.

This is what the first floor bathroom looked like when we first toured the house

First a bit of demo:

Remove the old vanity, toilet and fixtures, peel the grimy glued on vinyl flooring

then fix the holes

We had a good laugh when we found a patch of the original wall paper behind the toilet tank:

Space Invaders style :)

Then new floor and fresh paint, new vanity and backsplash

Tada !!

We did keep the light fixture above the vanity after a good scrub of course

New bathroom for under $1000

Sunday, August 3

Quiltspiration 365 - Free motion walk in Boston

There are so many aspects to quilting, design, fabric selection, piecing, and of course quilting. The quilting can be as simple as straight lines, a stipple or complex as feathers and other motifs. During our New England vacation, I took many pictures that I will use in future projects, many of them in unlikely places. You can find your inspiration everywhere:

A tin tile in a bakery