To dye for…

I love dyeing fabric. It is really fun and rewarding. Whenever I make a competition piece or a special project, I only work in my own hand dyed fabrics. I guess I’m spoiled, but commercial prints just don’t do it for me anymore.  Typically, I work in 100% cotton and I use ProChemical dyes.

For the last few years ProChem has been at the Houston International Quilt Festival and I was able to meet one of the chemists. Whatever lame question I had, she answered without hesitation and gave me a straightforward answer.  that’s refreshing because I am a self taught dyer.
I dyed a stack of fabric this last weekend using the low water immersion technique from the Prochem Website. I got some amazing results. My main goal was to create fabrics that would be used as color gradients… I love the rainbow I made…I did a bunch of rayon and corduroy for my mom too. Here is a corner of  one of the pieces of rayon…

The low water technique is very fun and you never know how it will tun out until you rinse.

I am dyeing some more fabric this weekend. Now I need to buy more dye. it’s a never ending technicolor cycle!

I’ll cut ya….

So, I have recently been organizing my life so much, my middle name has officially been changed to “Ikea”.

Check out the new pegboard I got for my scissors…

Neat, pathetic or disturbing? I was a bit shocked at the amount of cutting utensils I own.  If you do have a lot of scissors, this is the way to go.  I can get to everything for snipping thread, cutting patterns or sticking something in the burglar.

We gots class!

I had the privilege of teaching two classes on patternmaking at the Houston International Quilt Festival this year. I couldn’t have asked for better students! They made my inaugural year seamless… get it? seamless…. quilts…. I know, I know… I’m a riot!

Since making patterns isn’t exactly the most dynamic past time;  I have chosen a few pictures that I think demonstrate the skill . Check out the lovely ladies from the soft construction bag and hat classes!

I have the option of teaching next year as long as I propose the classes. I might change things up next year… stay tuned!

And the winner is… me?

Here is a bit of an update from the Houston International Quilt Festival… OK, OK, so it’s a few days late… hush.

I entered the Wearable Art division and took first place! Woo Hoo!  Here is my entry Requiem Verde:

These pics are kinda lame, but they were good enough to get me to the judges. Please let me know what you think.  I mean, I already have the blue ribbon, so it’s not like your opinion matters… err… I value your opinion!

Also, I am sifting through the images of the classes I taught… those pics will  be up soon. Promise.

It’s over….

Well, my whirlwind week at the quilt show has come to an end. I am exhausted. I am sorting images and my life. I will bring you the latest in quilty goodness as soon as I can.

The Big Day…. The Zombie Apocalypse?

No Zombies…. but,  it is my first time teaching at the International Quilt Festival in Houston. I will be teaching two classes this week: Patternmaking for Soft Construction Handbags and  Patternmaking for Soft Construction Hats.  I hope the students will learn a lot.

I will be posting my quilt show pics and insight/rants after November 7th. In the meantime, think warm thoughts…