Leader and Ender Projects

 

When you sew--do you just pull out the threads after seaming?  Or do you use a small scrap of fabric to stitch and break the thread?  Or do you use a leader/ender project?

After many years of sewing--I learned to use this method of saving not only thread but working on another project as I'm completing one.

Bonnie Hunter had the idea first!  Here is her 2014 leader/ender Lozenges--it just takes a little prep work to get started

 

cut into those scraps to get 3.5"x 6.5" (that's what I'm using) rectangles

then there are these 2" squares leftover from another project

sew dark to light on each corner--diagonally

light on dark--press, cut corners and repeat

stack them up and keep sewing throughout the year to have a completed quilt top!

Of course, I'm thinking--this leader/ender project is becoming 2015 UFO!

Happy Turkey Day!

HOPE YOUR DAY IS FILLED WITH GOOD HOLIDAY CHEER! 

The Wilds of the Quilt Studio!

The studio is definitely going Wild lately!  Once it was nice and organized and now, there is another side working in the studio!  How do you keep fabric organized when you pull out colors, patterns, textures to fit your sewing needs? 

I HATE putting things back in their place!!!!

 

There are just a 'few' UFO's sitting around the studio--

 

Finished the Quilt by Row--featured on the side panel--really enjoyed working on this one row a month.  I'm looking for just the right blue to put on the border and then I'll look for just the right backing.  So guess, what?  I'm auditioning fabrics for border and backing......another reason the studio has gone wild!

The owls are hooting cute!  But--once again, I'm auditioning fabric for the borders--another batch of fabrics pulled out.

I did find this great backing fabric (ON SALE)--just need to seam it up, press and it will be ready for the quilters.

Oh, gee whiz!  I have this pile of 2.5" batik strips--what to do with them???  Have no idea, so they just lie around for some inspiration to hit the brain--

And.................I have all these embroidered blocks!  I love doing stitching--doesn't matter what the pattern is--I will do it!  Now, I have a collection of Christmas pieces--

and while auditioning the border fabrics, I found the great brown tree fabric that will work for borders for this quilt--if we ever get to it.  Into one of my plastic bins, this will go!

See this pile of T-shirts?  I didn't count--but must be over 20 of them.  I don't wear T-shirts much anymore and after seeing my Judy friends with their T-shirt quilt designs, I'm thinking Why Not?

These are just a few of the sheep shirts that have been collected over the years--into another bin--got to keep these 'wild' things in check somehow! 

Hope your studio isn't too wild to tame!

CRAFT TEXAS 2014

November brings out the best of Craft Exhibits at Houston Center for Contemporary Crafts.  The exhibit on display through December 24, 2014 is Craft Texas 2014.  This past week I stopped in to view what Texas Artists are doing with their skills

 

Right inside the door is this smashing quilt by Gerry Bosworth

"Effervescent Katy"

A necklace from found objects by Robly A Glover

"Night Zephyr Necklace"

Delaney Smith created

"Signatures #5"

Paper and India ink

Melannie James

"Vines"

Copper plated thread and spray paint

"Mountain Laurel Mandala II"

by Shalena White

Mountain Laurel Seeds and pins

Susan Fletcher King

"Moon Drunk"

Robbie Barber

"Westinghouse"

Ariel Bowman "The Mighty Mountain of Mammoths"

Pat Johnson "The Potter's Dream"

Joy Ude

"Clark Dolls"

Grace Zuniga

"Sag"

Doerte Weber found a use for old heddles

"I Belong" 

Drop in to see this free show at the Craft Center--there are so many outstanding pieces of work that I didn't photograph. 

Taste of Texas Fall

Autumn is my favorite season of the year!  The weather is warm, then cool, warm again, then down right cold, warm again and maybe HOT another day!  But, it's just perfect for me.  Nature is at her best during November.

A walk through the woods brings you to many varieties of life.

and death

Boulders against the cool trickling stream

We relish the colors of changing leaves

The backdrop of gray and silver cliffs

clear cool water dotted with falling leaves

Sparse clouds move along at a slow speed while Lost Maples seek the sunlight

And then if you are lucky you will find some natural dye

cochineal feeds on the prickly pear cactus

If only, no one was looking!

one little beetle gives off his color--hints of red

A stop along the path to enjoy some Texas food products as we listen to Texas musicians

The Pumpkin patch is piled high with vast variety--just waiting for the pumpkin chunkin contest!

Dried Berries made for door fashion

"Gobble, Gobble"

The sign of the times

Colors of autumn at the back door and in the garden

Cedar trees waiting for their chance to change to golden red.  Ahh, nothing like Autumn in Texas!