WPT

I mentioned that my lecture was filmed while at the Quilt Expo in Madison WI this year. You can access that filming by following the link below.

This is what Nancy Zieman recently sent me.  My lecture was "FABRIC TO DYE FOR" ENJOY

 

More than 18,000 of you joined us for a fun-filled three days of beautiful quilts, fun fellowship and enlightening lectures and workshops.

 

Earlier this year we polled our email list to find ways to keep the Quilt Expo magic going after the annual event ends. We listened to the feedback and now you can keep the learning from Quilt Expo alive with a series of online streaming videos of some of the most popular lectures and presentations from Quilt Expo.

 

Visit the Quilt Expo E-Store now to purchase access to streaming video presentations fromSewing With Nancy's Nancy Zieman, author Jennifer Chiaverini, Frieda Anderson, Bruce Seeds and many more of our all-star educators. Topics include fabric dyes, quilt makeovers,scrap-busting quilts, colorful mosaics and stories and inspiration from Nancy Zieman's forthcoming autobiography, "Seams Unlikely."

 

Whether it was a lecture you attended with tips and tricks you are hoping to refer back to, or one that you had to miss due to other Expo commitments, you'll enjoy taking a seat in the virtual classroom as you learn new skills from these talented teachers.

 

Click here to explore all of the options and purchase access today!

Hot Fusing Tips from THE experts

Hot Fusing Tips from Experts One of the easiest ways to make a quilt top is to fuse the fabric pieces in place to create the design. Fabric fusing is the perfect method for contemporary quilt artists who like to improvise in their quilt making. Learn how to quilt pieces like this one by Frieda Anderson, using fused fabrics and improvisational design. To make fused quilt projects even easier, experienced artists fuse a stash of fabrics ahead of time so they can just cut and place their fabrics when they make a quilt. Once they have an arrangement they like, they fuse the pieces into place with an iron. No seam ripping involved! There are many types and brands of fusible, and every quilt artist has preferences. When fusing fabric, you should always read the manufacturer's instructions before beginning to help insure success. But there are a few general tricks for fusing and using fused fabrics for quilt making, and Laura Wasilowski and Frieda Anderson, members of The Chicago School of Fusing, know pretty much all of them. Here is some of their best advice: 1. If you're using a paper-backed fusible, the rough side is the side with the glue. Lay the rough side onto the back of your fabric. 2. Use a hot, dry iron (the cotton setting) and cover the fusible with a piece of the release paper that comes with your fusible, or, use a piece of baking parchment. This will protect your iron from the glue. 3. Don't over-fuse; the excessive heat will cause the glue to harden and make the fabric stiff. 4. After the fusible has cooled, use a rotary cutter to trim off any excess fabric that hasn't been covered with fusible. This way, you won't end up with any partially fused piece of fabric. 5. To separate the backing sheet from the fused fabric, use what Laura calls the squirrel and swipe method. With your hand flat, burrow your fingertips forward between the fabric and the backing sheet (this is the squirrel part). Go a little way in, then swipe your hand side to side once each way quickly to release the outer edges of the paper. Squirrel in a little more, then swipe again. This will help release the paper whole, so you can use it again for protecting your iron, transferring motif shapes, etc. Once you have your fabric fused and ready to go, you're ready to cut, play, and design. In our new limited edition Contemporary Quiltmaking Made Easy Premium Collection, Laura and Frieda join quilting experts Jane LaFazio and Rayna Gillman to teach you how to make a quilt using fusing and improvisational methods. With their expertise and your fabric stash, you'll be creating beautiful quilt projects using improvisation, fusing, appliqué, and more in no time. P.S. Do you fuse a stack of fabric in advance, or fuse as you go? Reveal your method and tell me why you prefer it in the comments section on the Quilting Daily blog.		Vivika Hansen DeNegre Editor More Quilting Daily • Blogs • Galleries • Quilting Arts TV • Free Stuff • Join Quilting Daily • Share Your Comments

Feed Your Creative Appetite with Improvisational Techniques Hurry, Time is Running Out! Whether you’re a novice quilter or just dipping your hands into the wonderful world of quilting, this limited-time collection is sure to please. Save over 32% with the Contemporary Quiltmaking Made Easy Premium Collection and enjoy creating beautiful quilt projects using improvisation, fusing, appliqué, and more. Along with great techniques, you’ll be in the best of hands with fiber artist experts Rayna Gillman, Jane LaFazio, Frieda Anderson, and Laura Wasilowski. In addition to step-by-step techniques for quilters of all skill levels, you have the power to choose your desired format—Workshop DVDs or downloads! LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH WORKSHOP!      Was: $59.85 Now: $39.99    Was: $44.85 Now: $29.99

The CRAFTSY winner is….

And the winner of the 50% off coupon and 1/4 yard of my luscious hand dyed fabric is….

DEB…………

My earliest memory of embroidery was with my grandmother when I was about 5 years old. I can remember the room in her house and exactly where I was sitting. She sat beside me and carefully helped me and then left me to continue the stitching while she went to make tea or something. When she returned I proudly held up what I had done and discovered that I had sewed my dress to the project. I was so upset, but what I remember the most was her very calming and soothing voice telling me that it was alright, anything with fabric and a needle could easily be fixed. I don't remember what happened with that piece of embroidery, but I'll never forget that voice telling me, "Don't worry, anything can be fixed with fabric and a needle." It's what carries me through to this day as I work on projects that might not turn out quite the way I want them to and it's the message that I'm passing on to my granddaughter as well. I'm sure it's why I love fabric and sewing so very much. Anything can be fixed!

I love that antidote!!

I wish more girls were learning sewing skills these days along with playing sports, doing math and science and eventually becoming CEO’s.

Deb please send me your snail mail address and I will get the coupon and the 1/4 yard of rainbow gradation in the mail to you so you can start something wonderful during these cold winter months.

Happy Quilting today!!

Craftsy

My buddy my pal Laura Wasilowski is now on Craftsy with a class called Hand Stitched  collage Quilts.

Leave me your comments for a chance to win a coupon worth 50% off of one class, about the first time you can remember doing hand stitching.

I will send the winning comment the CRAFTSY coupon, along with 1/4 yard of my rainbow gradation.
Woo Woo what a deal.


You can make SO many pretty things with this gradation.

Happy Quilting today.

Woven heart baskets

I posted this last February but I posted it so close to Valentines, I bet some of you didn’t bother trying them.

So I am reposting it early this year in case you want to give these a try.

Have fun.

Woven Heart Basket

I first made these twelve years ago.

I got the idea from the paper heart baskets that the Scandinavian's put on their Christmas trees. I thought why can't I fuse the fabric and make these out of fabric. So I did.

This is a fun, easy project for you to make. You can down load the pattern here. if you sign up to follow my blog. Just click the link at the top of the page on the left side. Thanks

Church banner

How many of you out there do things for your church?

This is a banner that Alice from TX made for her church using a gradation she requested from me in shades of red to purple.

It turned out really well don’t you think?

She used the fusing techniques we did in class.




This is the one of the projects Alice did in my class back in 2009, geez weez, that is 4 years ago already! Time sure does fly.

I love the little acorns, they make me smile.

Happy NEW YEAR 2013

Your success and happiness lies in you.

Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.

Helen Keller



Be happy and buy some new fabric. 

All fabrics on my website for the month of January are $20.13!!!
Happy New Year to you.

This is COOL

Think about the colors you use in your art, life, home and clothes. My wish for you in the new year is to try some new COLORS.

Happy Quilting

Ta Da

And the winner in my blog hop give away is….


Needled Mom
Please send me your snail mail address and I will send out your fabulous prize!!

On a side note Connie has been faithfully following the method of making the trees in PEACE,  and made some charming small Christmas Tree art.

Her original intent was to make some mug rugs, but as this developed she decided to keep it as small art.

Wonderful small art, thanks for sharing Connie.

And now..

To finish up our Peace wall hanging.
We will put all the trees in a circle and add the letters.

Lay out your red background fabric.

You should have the circle marked for reference to place your trees.

Place the trees around the edge of the circle, let the trees stick out beyond the marked circle just a little.


Tack fuse in place.

Transfer the Peace letters to the back of a 10” square piece of fused green fabric. (refer to my pattern)

Cut out all the Peace letters using a pair of sharp KAI scissors.

Place all the Peace letters in a circle under the trees.

Place the big P slightly off center and tucked up under every fourth tree, and then place the small letters in-between.


Place a clean white cloth over the whole unit and steam set all the fused pieces in place.
Layer your red background square with batting and backing fabric, I like Fairfield 60/40 for my batting.

Use 505 spray basting adhesive to hold the layers together for machine quilting.
This is a wall hanging and the backing fabric will only be seen when you take it down and store it. So use some old fabric you bought and you can’t for the life of you remember WHY you bought it.

Now machine quilt this to your liking.

First thing I did when I quilted this was to do a zigzag through all of the Peace letters. I then did a quick squiggle up the middle of each tree trunk.

Next I did a tighter stippling in the central part of the wreath.

And lastly I free motion quilted a bigger curly queue design in the outside area of the wreath.

Once it is all quilted, square the quilt up. Mine measures 16” square but yours could be different.

Add a sleeve and fused binding. You can refer to my tutorials at the top of the page for these.

You can have this hanging on your wall for Christmas Day or until Valentine’s day.

Happy Holidays.

I am participating in the Quilter’s Blog Hop Party Give Away.

Visit the 175 quilting blogs participating in the Quilter’s Blog Hop Party. You can register on each blog for their giveaway.

If you have been following along you know that at the end of this week there will be a drawing from my blog for a give away that includes my pattern “Holiday Moments”,( PEACE is one of the patterns in Holiday Moments) the Winter Special fabric kit and a spool of my favorite Red Madeira thread.

This is my thank you for being loyal blog followers all year long.

In order to qualify to be in the drawing for the free give away you MUST -1) Leave one comment, one only, telling me which New Year's Resolution you kept this year? If you didn't keep one, which one do you'd wish you kept?
One of my New Year Resolutions was to change my needle for every new project I started...a very practical resolution and one that was very easy to keep. I did manage to stick to that resolution, mostly...and there were no guilt trips if I didn't do it straightaway.
I'm looking forward to reading your stories!

2) Join my blog as a follower, by clicking on the link at the top right of this page that says "join this site"

3) That's it...no more tricks or finagling...

I will draw the winning name on Monday.
Have a safe weekend. Watch out for late shoppers.

PEACE - Man

Making patterns is a lot of fun.

You can do what ever you want.

I like that. I have never really liked it when people tell me I have to do things a certain way.
I have always liked to experiment and find my own way.

PEACE is that kind of pattern. By experimenting I came up with this design.
Peace is an easy and fun pattern to make.

If you have been following along you know that at the end of the week there will be a drawing for a give away that includes my pattern “Holiday Moments”,( PEACE is one of the patterns in Holiday Moments) the Winter Special fabric kit and a spool of Red Madeira thread.
This is my thank you for being loyal blog followers.

In order to qualify to be in the drawing for the free give away you must -

1) Leave one comment only telling me which New Year's Resolution you kept this year? If you didn't keep one, which one do you'd wish you kept?

One of my New Year Resolutions was to change my needle for every new project I started...a very practical resolution and one that was very easy to keep. I did manage to stick to that resolution, mostly...and there were no guilt trips if I didn't do it straightaway.
I'm looking forward to reading your stories!

2) Join my blog as a follower, by clicking on the link at the top right of this page that says "join this site"
 
3) That's it...no more tricks or finagling...

I thought I would share with you a few of the step outs for making the PEACE pattern.

First, of course, it is so easy when you buy my fabric kit – Winter Special - Holiday Bundle 1/2 yard of Winter Red and 1/2 yard of Grass Green fabrics for $20

I have used the Winter Red fabric for the background to PEACE.

The first thing you want to do is cut the 1/2 yard of red fabric into an 18” square.

Then fold the square into quarters and using the pattern piece, mark out a circle in the middle of the folded square.



This will be your guild for laying out your design.

• Use the 1/2 yard of grass green fabric to make the trees. 
• Fuse a 10” strip of GG for the trees. I only use WonderUnder #805 to fuse all my projects.
• Once the fabric is fused remove the release paper. Release paper is the paper that comes on the fusible web.
• Cut out three strips that are 3” wide by 18”
• Mark on one side of the fabric every 1 1/2” with an extra fine sharpie marker.
• On the other side of the strip, starting 3/4 of an inch in from the edge mark every 1 1/2”.
• Using a pinking bade in your 45m rotary cutter cut across the lines from one side to the other.
• Trim across the bottom of each triangle that you have just created using the pinking blade.
• You will need your 16 triangle trees for the wreath.

This should get you excited. Watch for more in my next post.

Happy Quilting today!

Craftsy Patterns

I have recently added my e-patterns to the Craftsy site.

I just uploaded my pattern and directions for the Christmas Tree Skirt.

You can also order the fabric for the skirt on my website. It takes 5 1/2 yards for the front and binding. 

Jamie ordered the fabric just last week and she sent me this picture of her progress THIS week. I'll bet she has it under the tree by Monday!



Jamie says, “My kitty, Winks find the colors of the tree skirt irresistible!” 

 I think you will too. Here it is under my tree. 

Aren't those colors just eye popping!!

Happy Quilting today.

Last week of November Special

I have a secret November special going on this month. With every order over $10 on my website you will receive a free fat quarter of batik fabric. Woo Woo!!

FrieStyle Fabrics and Notions Newsletter

I am ready for the Holidays. Are YOU? Do you need some quick gifts for that special person in your life? I have a few things that might help.

My Holiday Fabric Special through December will be 1/2 yard of Winter Red AND 1/2 yard of Grass Green for $20. These are the colors of Christmas, and they will make a wonderful bundle to give to your special quilting friend or to help jump start a project for your wall or table.



These are the colors I use in my pattern "Holiday Moments." It's not too late to make one of the three hangings in this pattern to put on your wall or front door for the holidays. Each of these patterns only takes a day or two to put together. I also used the Winter Red and Grass Green to make the Christmas tree skirt in last year's issue of "Quilting Arts" gift magazine. At this time of year you can never have too much RED and GREEN fabric. Don't forget to gift yourself too!!



This tree skirt is all fused and sewn in four sections to make it easy and quick to put together.

This is a link to the pattern http://www.quiltingdaily.com/media/p/30999.aspx

It is free with registration to Quilting Daily.

Patterns
A pattern makes the perfect gift for that special quilting friend. It is right in the budget for "exchange gift" giving. I have so many wonderful designs to pick from and all are very fun and easy to make. A beginner quilter or an experienced quilter can all follow the step by step directions.

Join my blog
This month's free pattern for joining my blog will be a PDF of Star Lilies. Email me that you have joined and I will send that pattern on to you. If you haven't already joined my blog, now is a good time to do so. I will be posting many new videos and free patterns this winter. Just click on the link at the top right of this page that says “join this site”.

E-Patterns
E-patterns are always available for sale on my website. This is a great way to buy the pattern and NOT pay for shipping. You purchase the patterns and then immediately download them yourself. You not only save on shipping BUT also receive the patterns the same day you buy them. Why not give it a try today? They are at the top of the pattern page.

Don't forget to stock up on these notions for winter sewing:

I just finished making some new quilting samples on 18" quilt sandwiches for easy reference when I want to know what batting to use with what thread color, etc... And I really was glad to have all the needles and thread that I needed right at my finger tips.

These also make great "exchange gift" gifts and fit in your budget nicely.

Rayon and matching cotton thread
Embroidery sewing machine needles
Wonderunder
Decorative blades
Kia Scissors – these are what I use everyday and l love them. They have extra large holes for your fat quilters fingers.

My Teaching Schedule for 2013

2013 will be here before we know it, and I am going to some really fun places this coming year.

I love seeing friends and meeting new people, so I hope that if you are near any of these venues, you will pop in and say hello. 

It is a nice opportunity meet and to see all of my quilts up close and personal.