l'Atelier de Cécile

Carnival

2009-04-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

I know, I'm not very fond of computer those days, spring has finally came around, and I prefer spending time outside rather that blogging, or even journaling. I'm quite busy, preparing my diploma for the end of June, it's beginning to be soon now.

Today we spent a wonderful afternoon in our city's carnival. Each picture is in my flickr set in detail here.

Going back to my garden, the cherry tree is full of promises, future cherries (I hope !) and I love just being under, watching leaves moving in the wind...

See you

New stamps

2009-04-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

Today it's my mother's birthday, and she received some wonderful stamps from CherryPie, with famous ladies in stamps. So we had a great time mounting them on cardboard
Of course, don't forget to print on the back of the cardboard first, and to not loose any ink, I used the leftover in my journal. Now I need to work on this page. Actually, I made the background a long time ago when playing with paints, it was my leftover from my palette, then I pasted the lady on the right, I thought her colors would look great on the page. Another day I found a number 1 and pasted it too. Now stamps, then what ? This page will last for weeks !By any chance does anyone know how to fix a Blogger problem : when I connect to Blogger it gives me a large screen, everything is bigger, letters, images, etc... I cannot fix it ! Any clue ?

Crusade 30

2009-04-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

As my second participation to GPP Street Team crusade, I had a really hard time. I'm not really wordy in my journal, it's mainly visual, collages and painting.
This is the most 'wordy' page I have in my journal. I was listening to the news on TV, and writing what I heard at the same time. This is how it ended, quite childish, but fun.
This one is more interesting, painting on right page, pasting newspapers on left page, then writing across.

When I write something it's usually one or two words, stamped or cut from magazines. So, as I was playing with Crowabout this week, I thought I would give a try at writing really in a page. I mean, conceiving the page with the text, not just adding words here and there.

I was inspired by the background, one I made recently with paints, inspired by Julie's video. I turned the page and followed the flow, if I could say so, but writing on top of paints lines (could not find the real word for this : the paint is liquid, and is going down all through the page leaving color behind, in French we would say 'coulure' but it seems to be a grape disease in English, if someone could give me the name ?)

Thanks for viewing.

Some collaging !

2009-04-10T07:32:00.001-07:00

As I told you before, I have won a prize in Collage Play with Crowabout. You can find the blog here, and ask Nancy to join us, we're having fun each week. So I have received my prize from Nancy, a huge stash of scrap papers, printed drawings and collages, as seen in the picture above, also with a yellow plastic band written 'police line do not cross' not pictured, because my eldest daughter took it immediately to paste it on her room's door. Thanks a lot Nancy, I'm going to have fun with all this stuff.

And I began as soon as I had time :

using bits from past weeks and stuff from my collection.

Do you have a huge stash ?

2009-03-30T01:07:00.000-07:00

Of fabrics, I mean ! Mine is really huge, as I've been quilting for 12 years, including 10 yrs as a quilt store owner. I let you guess !

So here is an idea to use your scraps in furniture, to change from quilts and clothes :

It is sold by an English designer here, if you want to have a look. I'm not sure I would have it my living room, but it's fun anyway.

New Background !

2009-03-28T01:37:00.000-07:00

I decided this morning that my white background was not fitting my mood anymore, so I had to make something, while having my morning coffee.

I've been to this album on Flickr, where you can find tons of free images for your backgrounds. Have a look ! I choosed one image, made a mirror image of it, then pasted together, added a fancy effect with my drawing software and bingo ! You have to make a 1200 x 1000 pixels size to fit the screen.

Then, in Blogger, go to customize/add a gadget/HTML Javascript
and place the code :

(sorry, I had to make an image with the html code, Blogger refused to show it when I typed !!! click to enlarge.

and save and that's it !!! Thank you Playingwithbrushes for your lovely background.

Have a nice week-end, here the sun is back today.

I've been busy !

2009-03-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

I've been busy ! For my pattern design school I had to alter a pattern, write all technical information about it, and show the result.
Here I am, quite proud, it's the first time I sew a complete jacket.
So I even made another one for my daugther :

Gpp team crusade - brush effects

2009-03-22T08:30:00.001-07:00

My first contribution ! I follow this blog for quite a while now, but could not find time to do something with it. So here are is my Sunday's paintings (we had a wonderful sunny week, but today it's cold and grey, the perfect weather for painting fun)

large brush with dry paint, using just the edge of brush

wet painting in two colors, waiting for the first to dry before applying second color

same principle, but crossed

yiik ! it was the end of my paint, I needed to finish my palette... not very happy with this one though.

Monoprinting in my journal.

I had great fun !

This is a thank you post

2009-03-21T01:30:00.001-07:00

As I said recently, I have won a cowl on Happiknits' blog.
I have received it yesterday, and I was thrilled with the cowl itself, and the package also !

My daughter took the cowl immediately and don't leave it, even if the weather is better here (spring is coming here too, DH is currently working in the garden to plant some salads).

So I said I loved the package. It was carefully wrapped in a wonderful green/white floral tissue paper (background of the left page), along a with a tag knotted in a wool stripe, as well as a sweet note on a card. So I used everything in my journal as a memory of this present.

Thanks a lot Becca, it came in just in time for my birthday.

Playing with papers

2009-03-15T01:46:00.000-07:00

I must confess I do spend a lot of time on Flickr, rambling through my groups and contacts, jumping from one to another... I love this website, you can just find favorites. I took one the other day from My Paper Gardens, and kept thinking about it. (I don't want to infringe any copyright's issues so I give you the link, not the picture itself).

The picture below is what I did with my French vintage papers, with the inspiration from My Paper Gardens. Of course, I ended with something totally different :

The background is painted and stamped with acrylic colors, then it's only different papers in different colors, different letters density. It's amazing what you can do with only printed paper. I guess I could now make some colored papers with watercolor and go further.

I don't post often, as I'm for the moment working full time, it's difficult to find time/energy/desire to make stuff and blog about it, but it should be better within a week or so, when I'll go back to school.

Have a nice week !

New listing on Etsy

2009-03-14T02:01:00.001-07:00

My mother has a huge collection of vintage French magazines, mainly sewing stuff, but also women's magazines. They are full of advertising. If you can read French it's really funny to see how in that time they believed that a pill could remove all your hairs, or increase your breast.

Although, if you think about it, today some people believe things strange too !

Anyway, I had a full day scanning all these ads and cutting them apart to make themed collage sheets. Here are the first two. They are available as downloadable collage sheets in my Esty shop at only 2.99$ each.

My winning week-end !

2009-03-08T01:09:00.000-08:00

As I said before, I play with Nancy on 'Collage Play with Crowabout' on Flickr. She posts a digital collage sheet each week, and we try to play with it. Last week I did not like the page at first, and thought about it all week (not every minute, of course, but from time to time) and finished it on Saturday morning, and I won ! I'm just so happy
about it ! Just a matter of luck, nothing to see with the quality of my page, I've found others that would deserve it more.

Anyway, I was very happy yesterday with this, and this morning I just found I won the lovely pink cowl here from Becca at Happiknits, on a giveaway.

Thank you Nancy and Becca, can't wait to receive my gifts, it will be my birthday in advance (on 25th this month, as well as my son, born on my birthday, he will turn 6).

Have a nice week !

Family fun

2009-03-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

After reading Julie's blog last post where she sent a wonderful video, I was in the urge of playing with my paints. As I said before, I always try to involve my kids in artful activities. So we covered our kitchen's table, and went out for a tour in painting.

After one hour, here are our results. It appears that my pages are softer than my kid's, much more brighter.

So now, we need to use it in our notebooks : Cahiers de Bricolage

Have a nice week !

First sale on Etsy

2009-02-28T02:47:00.000-08:00

I'm quite excited !!! I just made my first sale on Etsy, what a thrill !!!

I was wondering how much time it takes, and read on forums from 10 minutes after first listing to two years !!! So it was less that two months, quite OK for me.

I've sold my set of French vintage papers, but have relisted others !

Thank you Stacy for this order. If you like watches, she has bundles of watch's parts.

Re-using quilts - part 2

2009-02-28T02:22:00.000-08:00

Like I said before, I had fun trying to customize old quilts. (Not old, like aged, but old like I'm not in the same style now).
First, I added textile paint directly on the lace flower. I used a pencil, as the paint was quite thick. I placed it on the quilt, in the large white areas, and pressed.

Of course, I forgot to wear gloves, so my hand were red... I had to press firmly to transfer paint.

The result was not exactly what I expected. So I tried something else.

I painted the flower in thick paint again, but then sprayed yellow paint on it. It came in a bottle spray, but the little hole was closed after a while, so I had to transfer the liquid paint in another spray bottle.

Can you tell the real mess around here ?

Still not exactly what I wanted. So I used the sponge instead, and large stamps I had around.

At first I was stamping only in white parts of the quilt, but then I stamped everywhere. I turned the quilt to have various directions in stamps, because at first all my flowers were turning in the same direction, wich I did not like.

Here is the final result. I'm quite happy with it, but now I need to add more quilting/embroidery.

What do you think ?

Collage play with Crowabout

2009-02-27T10:09:00.001-08:00

week25
Mise en ligne par cecileyadro

My fantasy of the week. Mom lend me her stamps she bought in US, I forgot to give her back so I had to play with. Also I have printed a lot of butterfly wings, and I had to use it !

The background is a piece of thin paper in wich bread is wrapped when you buy it, this is why you can see wheat in the background; I don't have much of this paper, as our bread is delivered at our door every morning except Sundays, when we buy it at the bakery. I keep all brown papers for my collage !

New Bricolage

2009-02-23T08:03:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we were invited at dinner at our friend's home. She's an avid quilter, mainly Yoko Saito style, all by hand. So I could not offer her something in fabric, she has so much already !

So I made a little bricolage, with my French vintage papers, some stamps. Amitié is Friendship.

I had great fun doing this little one. It's pasted on recycled wood so you can hang it or frame it.

I hope she liked it !

New skill : coptic binding

2009-02-20T07:42:00.000-08:00

I needed a new notebook for my son. He's 5 (almost 6) and love to draw, paint, collage in his notebook. We call this 'Bricolage' and we play all together, daughters and son, having great fun.
I did not want to buy a new notebook, I wanted to make it myself without buying anything.
So I found two videos on Youtube, asbolutely perfect for beginners like me : Coptic stitch binding part I and part II. They are really the best videos I've seen about this.

So I turned around in my studio and found color papers, tracing paper, leftovers from pattern paper in my fashion school, vintage papers from books, from calendars you put on your desk under your typeboard, kraft... all I could find and stitched four books ! As I was doing it it became easier and easier, and I'm quite satisfied with the result, now we need to customize covers and have fun inside. I guess my first page will be with Nancy : 'Collage play with Crowabout'.

Little bag tutorial

2009-02-14T02:24:00.000-08:00

To you... Here it's mostly a lover's celebration, so I guess DH will be around flowers today.

So here is a little bag with hearts as flowers. It's quite easy to make :

decide height of the bag, I did it to use a small zipper I had in the correct color, so it's 15 cm tall. Draw a half circle that size, and appliqué little hearts and leaves on the outer circle.

Make some quilting lines in concentric lines, and make the bottom of bag as a quilted circle. Now you need to assemble everything together.

Prepare a bias in matching fabric, although it doesn't need to be bias, it can be straight.

Assemble the handler on top, and sew bias by machine. It's easier to make just one side from the outside.

Then baste zipper in place under bias. Stitch both sides of zipper. This part is the most tricky to do, believe me !

From the wrong side (and don't forget to let the zipper open to turn over the bag after !) assemble circle base to the bag. You can do this by machine stitching, as close as possible of edges.

Turn around your bag and enjoy !

Small and pretty bag, to fill with chocolates.

Mad about butterflies

2009-02-12T06:07:00.000-08:00

I feel better, a little, I can sit in front of my computer for half an hour... so I guess it means I feel better.
I ordered last week a set of rubber stamps on Etsy, on this store.

This is what I received, including nice stamps, and a thank you rubber stamp also. I was hooked at this, I'm mad about butterflies and wings. I had to mount them, but did not want to use wood, too much trouble involved.

I had in my mess a large piece of heavy cardfoam for 25 years (looks like you should never throw anything away !) so I roughly cut pieces inside, and stamped on one side, glued rubber on the other.

I'm really happy with the result, it's not washable, but it will gives me the opportunity to clean my stamps as I use them...

This is what I did while mounting my stamps, to use ink on them. Now I need to add some color.

The flu got me !

2009-02-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

I'm in bed for three days, a bad flu has got me. Good news : I don't have to go outside to go at school, as it's almost storm out there, it's OK for me. Bad news : I don't have to go outside at all... stuck at home for one week...

See you !

French Vintage papers - to use in collage

2009-02-06T06:01:00.000-08:00

I have collected old books, dictionaries, schoolbooks, tales books... all vintage, all French, and I've made some packages for you to use in your art.

Please visit my etsy for more information.

I'm playing with some for the moment.

Crazy Lecien

2009-02-03T07:55:00.000-08:00

As Sharon B said today, there are no rules in crazy quilting.

I'm not fond of victorian style, and although I do like laces, too much is too much for me. Also, embroidery can be too long (I like it also, but... a complete quilt embroidered is not something I'm ready to do - yet)

I wanted to use my huge collection of Lecien and Yoko Saito's fabrics. I had hundreds of small stripes, the leftover from samples we cut for the quilt store. It's really not large and long, like 2" maximum by 10 ", so I needed a quilt with narrow pieces, and fast to make.

I designed some crazy foundation on a non woven light fabric, if you look carefully, blocks are all different. Then I just placed light fabrics in the middle, and darker ones around.

When finished, I decided that prints on fabrics didn't need any embroidery on top, but I wanted a fancy quilting. So I placed a printed fabric on back, with ribbons dancing all around, and quilted from wrong side, with a variegated thread in the bobbin. Click to enlarge and you should see that clearly.

So, to say, there are no rules in crazy quilting : no lace, no embroidery, no victorian style, but style crazy !

Fabric playing - 2

2009-02-03T05:47:00.000-08:00

I finished my little 'quilt', as I began here.

I finished quilting/embroidery by machine, and added some lovely crocheted flowers, dyed also.

Then I twisted it, I thought it was better this way, and as I wanted something more fun, I made some strange cuttings. I finished edges with a serger, so I could cut and finish edges in the same time.

My modelling school was a great help, as doing tricky angles with a serger is quite difficult, if you don't have the tip for it;

Then I wanted to add leaves, I mean 3D leaves. Do tried different ways : Fast2Fuse between two fabrics, then serger around, but the stitching was too large, then a pieced double leaf, turn and filled with something, but I didn't like it either, last a lighter foundation between two fabrics and zig-zag machine, but too time consuming.

So I finished with a simple silk fused on felt, with machine stitching for veins.

I placed a variegated thread in bobbin, so leaves are reversible. I stitched some on top, and some behind the edges of quilt.

Then I ended with three leaves, so I used the threads on edges to hand some, adding wood beads.

Here it is.

Now, go for another fun, but before I need to cut and sew my shirts, even if I haven't made up my mind with buttons, thanks for your advice, anyway.

Weaving - fabric postcards

2009-01-31T06:53:00.000-08:00

Still weaving, after our little beginnings. Brigitte had a great idea to make little weaving. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to make large things, and little things are quite boring to thread a complete loom.

So you need a piece of Timtex, or Fast2Fuse, whatever you have on hand. Let's say you want to make a postcard, but it can be a fabric page too. Cut at 30 x 30 cm - in the middle you trace a square 15 x 15 cm. Next you trace little dots every 5 mm on top and bottom of the frame you traced.

Then, with a heavy thread, like crochet cotton and a large needle, make holes in the Timtex to have the warp yarn. You need to use some tension on this thread but not too much, or your foundation will bend. Make knots on back when changing thread.

You can use various threads to weave, from plain cotton to chunky yarns, ribbons... whatever you have on hand. Use large needles to weave.

You can frame your weaving with fabric, sewing directly on Timtex, so you can hide hanging threads on weaving, without cutting them !

Thanks to Brigitte for the tutorial.

Decisions, decisions

2009-01-29T06:37:00.001-08:00

While working at my pattern design school, I made a shirt pattern at my size, and sewed a model in rough fabric. As I need to make some specific work for my diploma, I will make a shirt at my size, it needs to be striped fabric.

I've been rambling in my favorite fabric store (easy, I just have one around here !) and found a yellow/white/black fabric, easy to press (it is of first importance, when presenting clothes to members of jury).

But, as it's a basic shirt, I would like to play with buttons.

I have some buttons (hundreds of, I should say) carefully sorted by colors in little plastic boxes fitting in a drawer. Except when my 5 years old son is playing with and making a real mess inside.
Anyway, it's difficult to find 8 of the same kind.

So here is where I ended :
left column : all the same little white shank buttons, wedding style
second column : metal shank buttons with black flowers in the middle (quite heavy, I must admit)
third column : a mix and match of different black buttons, roughly the same size, with two holes
fourth column : various black shank buttons, from large to small
fifth column : the same, but metal buttons
sixth column : same size of various metal buttons with four holes

Wich one do you prefer ? Any advice welcome, it's quite confusing !

I've opened my etsy !

2009-01-25T08:56:00.001-08:00

I've opened my etsy !
Mise en ligne par cecileyadro

At last, after turning around for a while, I just jumped in...

Here it is : belettebleue.etsy.com

In French belette bleue is 'blue weasel'

Please have a look and give my your opinion !

Thanks

French Vintage Images

2009-01-22T00:22:00.000-08:00

I have uploaded on Flickr vintage images from French ABC books. It's from 1920's, colorful images, with French text. Of course, we don't teach our children to read with such words now ! I must admit that I even didn't know a word or two. You can visit my album and feel free to use it in your art, I would appreciate a link to your work (always love to see what people do with it !)

Fabric playing

2009-01-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

Today I had great fun playing with my Christmas gift.
I placed all fabrics : silk, linen, cotton, felt, laces... on my table and decided to go without any drawing before. It's not what I usually do, but it doesn't hurt to try something different sometimes ! I have weeks in my pattern school very busy, not very creative, drawing patterns and learning how to design collars and sleeves... so during week-ends I need a break.
Plus, my class has no window on the outside, I mean we have natural light, but no view on the sky or the sun. I come in at 8 AM at night, and go out at 5.30 PM at night also, so I need to see the sky. And in my studio I have a large window open on the sky. (you never know how much you need something until you don't have it, right ?)

So. After some procastinating, I went on leaves. It's all natural dyed fabrics so I wanted to stay in the mood for this.
I placed fusible web on back of all fabrics, and cut leaves without drawing it. Just pale and small, and dark and large, trying to vary sizes and shapes.
Then I cut leaves in dyed lace, you have to enlarge picture to see it, I'm afraid.

So I put this one bigger.

I went to my sewing machine, free motion quilted leaves. Before I made a sandwich with light batting and non woven fabric on back, so I have no problem moving it on my machine.

Here it is now. I need to work more on it.

Stay tuned, more to come.

Have a wonderful week !

French ABC Book - Front cover

2009-01-18T07:25:00.001-08:00

French ABC Book - Front cover
Mise en ligne par cecileyadro

I've been scanning vintage French abecedary books, from 1920's. It might be useful for art collages. Please visit my Flickr set.

Re-using quilts - part 1

2009-01-15T09:34:00.000-08:00

As I said before, I have dozens and dozens of quilts I made as patterns for my former quilt store, so now I wanted to "revamp" them (not sure if this is correct... but you get the idea).
So I took a classical quilt, with plenty of white in the background, already quilted and finished. It was a lesson on machine quilting we had 6 years ago in our store, and since it's folded in the attic, so I thought it could be nice to begin with this one.

I took a picture before, to see the results...

Mom gave me some nice things to play with :

a bunch of inks, paints, sprays, that we collected for years

a lacy flower, very thick, with large design. Exactly what I needed. Below in pale green, is a piece of dry sponge she bought 20 yrs ago ro so. So I draw the outline of the flower, and cut the sponge. Then go in the bath and you have a custom stamp ready to use.

You have to press it a lot to remove all excess water. Then you can spray paint on it, mix colors, or paint directly for thicker paints, whatever you prefer.

Happily I had protected the table at first, because it became quite messy in no time.

To be continued...

Fat chunky knitting

2009-01-14T05:33:00.000-08:00

Following my Bollywood book, I had bought some times ago balls of recycled sari fabrics. It's just torn away stripes of sari, knitted together in random colors. So you look at the ball, and have no idea what's inside. I had to unroll everything and put in on a large cardboard to have an idea of colors inside. Some where not fitting in my colorscheme, so I had to cut it apart. Then I knitted with very large needles, size 25 mm, 1" wide.

This is where I am for the moment. 6 pages. Only. Sigh.

There is still more to make.

Quilted tissue box

2009-01-12T03:54:00.000-08:00

When I had my quilt store, we were specialized in Japanese books. They have dozens of country style books, and very good ideas for making something else than bed or wall quilts. I don't know for you, but after 12 yrs or quilting, I do have something around 100 quilts folded in the attic, plus dozens on the walls here and there. This is also why I went out to fabric books, it's just another way to make quilts.
As a lot of people, I have a special tenderness for houses, might be because I moved so much, and I love 3D fabric houses :

So I used my collection of Yoko Saito's fabrics and ended up with this :
It's a little tissue box, for regular boxes you can find in your favorite store. It's fun and easy to make.

I've been busy !

2009-01-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed my two weeks holiday for making 'bricolage' :
painting light backgrounds on vintage French papers,
pasting papers printed here and there
(even a piece of the wrapping paper around bread)

pasting leaves skeletons,

and even gluing beads !

I've made some of them !

Embellishing my jean's pockets

2009-01-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

As for now, I'm able to draw a pattern for a perfect pair of jean's. I mean, perfect for me, at my exact measurements, my taste, not too large at the hips, but very high at the waist, long legs, large thighs, tight on ankles... I can make a lot now, so I'm thinking to add embellishements on my back pockets.

There, the problem begins !
(photo from here). I don't have a fancy embroidery machine with digitized drawings... so I can't have a large centered design in the very middle of my pocket.

Also, after reading the article where I took the picture, I thought maybe it was not a so-good-idea to have a large embroidery.

Also, it have to be washable, easy to sit on it (so no beads, no buttons, no nothing heavy), durable (so forget about lacy work).

I'm still thinking about it. Any idea ? I have a piece of black corduroy ready to cut in a short pair of pants, to fit with my new boots.

I think it will be a classical double stitch in wave in the middle of the pocket, unless you give me another idea.

Playing with watercolor

2009-01-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Last year I bought old books at a garage sale, thinking to make an altered book, like painting, writing, or doodling inside. Actually, I'm not really comfortable with this. I prefer working on blank pages. But I found that old vintage paper in one book is heavy enough for watercolor, so I played a bit :

I love the look of old printed text under faces, so I need to make more, it's really fun !

Pattern design school

2009-01-07T06:42:00.000-08:00

Late october I entered a pattern design school. It's in fashion school in my city, and there is about 400 young people learning all kind of fashion jobs, from sewer to designer.
I'm not that young, so I entered a special adult course in nine months. It's quite intense, and it's really interesting. I never thought at clothes the way I do now, trying to understand how it is built, the way to design the pattern of a specific part. Actually, I watch people in the street differently ! We began first week by meeting each other, 13 women from 22 to 46 years old, each one with a different background and a different way of living... sometimes it's a bit difficult to live together !
So this is why it's written 'la jupe' means 'the skirt', and it's colorful. It was like discovering a complete new world to me, as I quilted for 15 years.

It's still fabric and sewing, but it's very different. I like it though, but it's not very creative, so I need to make some creative activities outside !

I'm looking for blogs around here with pattern design for clothes, if you have some, I would appreciate it !

Thanks,

Cécile

New Year's resolutions

2009-01-05T06:55:00.000-08:00

Just at the end of September, beginning of October, I won a giveaway on Paula's blog. I'm confused, and sorry, because I received a wonderful package full of treasures, but could not find time to post a picture of it. I had to pack all my studio for three months, so now everything is back in place, I have found again the envelope :

So much things I want to use. It will be my first resolution in 2009 : use some (not everything, there is sooooo much !) of the wonderful things I received from Australia (where it's too hot for quilting !)

Thank you again Paula for this wonderful gift, I think I might use it in my 'bricolage'

My favorite Christmas gift

2009-01-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

I spent Christmas Eve at my family-in-law's house, nothing fancy as gifts, I must say. We focus on children, so they have more gifts. My mother, who quilts, sews, dyes, play, have fun and so on brought her last work at home for New Year's Eve :
First, she crocheted some flowers, butterflies, leaves... in plain cotton. Then, she dyed laces, fabrics, silks, ribbons, felts, and the crocheted items. The trick is, we made dyes 10 years ago with Procion, but now she used natural dyes : curry, curcuma, onions skins, and some specific flowers for natural dyes, that I'm unable to translate in English !

Colors are not colorfast I guess, but who cares ? To make textile art it's not an issue.

So I could choose and pick up some stuff for playing with.
Here it is, under a different light. Looks like a field of flowers, something romantic.

Thank you Mum for this gift, I love it !

(and don't ask me what I'm going to do with it !!!!)

Journaling 2008

2008-12-31T03:24:00.001-08:00

I haven't been very much on my blog lately, sorry ! Life was really hectic ! I had to close my quilt store, and as I'm at school 8 hours per day, and still have a private life besides 3 children, and DH also... it's been difficult !

But as a new year will begin, my urge to create is knocking at my door, and I need to make more creations ! I think what we call "bricolage" (a mix of art collage, painting, stamping, gluing, whatever you call it, mixed media) is the easiest for me. And I spend my days drawing clothes pattern and sewing clothes, I don't need to use textile media as I did before.

So here we go !

I wish you all a Happy healthy creative New Year !

Cecile, in cold France

Hectic life - for real !

2008-10-10T04:35:00.001-07:00

I'm not too much on this blog for the moment, life is really hectic.
I've closed my quilt store after 11 years, so I renamed this blog 'l'Atelier de Cécile' (Cécile's studio) as it's not any more about my quilt store.

I will begin a new life as a clothes designer, going back to school for 9 months to learn my new job. I hope to find time for textile books again, as I really love it. Strictly quilting will not be possible although, as I don't like it as I used to do.

So, back soon with my new life !

Bollywood textile book -2

2008-09-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

Just made another page for my Bollywood textile book.
I had a bunch of satin fabric, slippery and shiny that Mum gave me (I'll get it back to her, but with some holes !). I simply pieced little squares to make a background

Then I made a drawing on freezer paper and used a golden paint special fabric, but it was bleeding, and I was not happy with the result.
Also, I want this book to be sparkling, and gold paint is not enough for what I have in mind.

So I ended with silk floss embroidery, and added sequins.

Now I think I found how to bind the book, I just need time to do it !

Little happiness of the day

2008-09-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

Kids are back in school since Tuesday. It was a long awaited day, by parents and children. I am gifted to have children loving school.
So the house is very quiet until 5 PM when they come back, the three of them, having a little tea-time in the kitchen.
My second girl, left-handed, had fun trying to write with her right hand, not so bad !

My eldest found a rhapsberry in the garden, and placed it on top of her yoghourt, nice shot I thought !

You must take time to enjoy those little precious moments, when kids are talking all together, wanting to tell you so much things in the same time, and eating at the very same moment !

Have a wonderful day.

Hectic life

2008-09-03T05:02:00.001-07:00

Hectic life
Mise en ligne par cecileyadro

This is week 5 for Crowabout collage. There is a blog now :
http://crowaboutgroup.blogspot.com/
It was difficult not to have a focus in this page. The couple reminded me an old picture from my grandparents, and how life was easier back then (in a certain way, of course). They lived in a small village, knowing everyone, helping each other. Now life is more difficult, more hectic.

Anyway, it's really amazing how you end up with so different collages from the same images !

Collage play with Crowabout.

2008-08-29T01:35:00.001-07:00

week4
Mise en ligne par cecileyadro

This is my contribution for Collage Play with Crowabout week 4. It's funny to see how you can have so different results with the same images.
It was difficult for me, as I'm not used to use this type of images, but it's a way to expand your creative levels.
All information on her blog : http://somethingtwocrowabout.typepad.com/

Provence quilt

2008-08-26T07:34:00.001-07:00

As my grandmother used to say : 'stitch and unstitch is still working'. Yes. But really, unstitch is not what I prefer. I'm currently working on a new project using our Provence print, and I wanted the look of a scrap quilt. So I just made some appliqué blocks, cut apart some Provence scenes, and added stripes and pieced fabrics around. I was OK with the result, so I stitched everything together. I ended with this :
It was good, until I realized that the upper part was darker than the bottom. I had to change some stuff to equilibrate everything. Also, I didn't like the beige background in the middle.

So I changed it. After that, I did not like the right bottom corner, it was too light.

So I changed it.
After that, I did not like the left upper corner, the piecing was too large for the rest of the quilt.

I removed the border on the block, and tried a pieced one, but it was too busy. So I had to unstitch the upper border, and try another one.

This time this is it ! I could change some more things, but after piecing the 400+ pieces border, unstitch everything, I thought it was time for a computer break !

Fabric books - where to see them

2008-08-21T00:06:00.000-07:00

After 10 years of quilting, mainly appliqué (I used to be - and am still - the founder of Appliqué Lovers list on Yahoo), I moved to fabric books. It's a process I love, as each page is individual, you can make each one separately, take your time, work hard on it, or just quilt a piece of fabric. You can think of how to finish pages, how to bind them, how to make cover... questions - and answers - are all around you.
You can make books with embroidery, quilting, appliqué, add paint, glitter, beads... it's really something amazing. Also, you don't have to think 'what will I do with this quilt ?' as it's a book you can store it someplace, and open it, share it, show it...
My favorite way of making new experiences too. I've always wanted to try different techniques, and book page is just the right size to learn new things.

Although, it seems we are not that much all around making fabric books.

As for myself, I've made a huge book 'Ephemera' about 12 months of year, a memory from a trip to Tokyo, another about Arcachon, and am currently working on 'Bollywood'.

After searching the web, other people I found :

Paula just finished a wonderful embroidered book about fruits
Pat made a mermaid book, and the book has the shape of a mermaid !
Gramarye made a page per week for one year, and ended with a HUGE book
Angie made a fiber book too.
You have a collaborative blog here with several contributors, art journaling in fabric mainly
there is a group on Stitchin Fingers too, not very active though.

If you have other links, please tell me so I can complete this.

Just playing for fun !

2008-08-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

As seen on Sharon's blog, In a minute ago, I just had fun with Wordle. It's one of those little websites you can spend hours on it, instead of doing your work/laundry/stitching/see what you can type here...

These were made with the URL of this blog. It's funny because 'fabric' is the first word. You can play with everything you want. Have fun too !

Ephemera, a fabric textile book

2008-08-20T01:05:00.000-07:00

I've been working recently on a huge project. At first, it was for a textile contest in France, meant for profesional textile artists in any kind: patchwork, embroidery, weaving, tapestry... you name it. The winner was a young designer in embroidery, so here I am with my huge textile book.

It's quite heavy, and large I would say as each page is 12" by 15" 3/4. It's binded with eyelets and ribbons inside. Each page has a different technique, and features a month with a facing page matching. The idea was to use all I had in my shelves, without buying anything. Done ! (Also, I have a quilt store just 5 metres from my studio, so it helps !)

So here is the result...

I'm just adding a few pics, if you want to see inside the book, all pictures are in my flickr album. There is one page detailed here.

Any comments highly appreciated, thanks !

Provence quilts

2008-08-15T02:07:00.000-07:00

As I said before, we have made some quilts with Provence print :
It's an easy quilt to make, and I still have English instructions, but some fabrics are sold out, so I cannot make kits any longer.
Quilt is 120 x 110 cm - 47" x 43"

This one was a best-seller here in France, as it was released in a patchwork magazine. I have one kit left only.
Quilt is 112 x 112 cm - 44" x 44"

Fabrics available by the metre here.

Just so proud !

2008-08-13T04:50:00.001-07:00

Just so proud !
Mise en ligne par cecileyadro

Pfff.... I received this morning a copy of my last book 'Easy patchwork at home', it's in French though.

It's always strange to see your own work published, most of all because I spent a lot of time on it 6 months ago, so it's finished for a long time for me, and now it's back again... Anyway, I'm very happy with the result !

It doesn't hurt to feel proud sometimes, no ?

Climbing in trees

2008-08-13T00:26:00.000-07:00

I'm back from a vacation week at the beach. We had quite enough sun (I must admit that this year the weather is awful here in France) to swim, although water was at 19° C (not quite hot for me).

Also, we spent a day climbing in trees. I don't know how you call this, but here we call it 'accrobranche' means something like 'hang-branches'. It's really fun to do, unless you cannot stand on a chair, of course. You are really secured, all you need is follow the line, with various different steps, it's quite hard for your arms, but it's really a pleasure to be walking in trees.

Do you have this at your place ?

Japan fabric book - part 2

2008-08-11T07:10:00.000-07:00

Following my textile book on Tokyo, Japan
This page is made with chirimen fabrics, we call it 'chinese silk' here, although it's japanese ! A vintage piece of kimono is pieced with straight stitches, edges are left raveling. To add unity, I add to appliqué some leaves on both sides.

On the left page are japanese coins held together by a tulle fabric with stitches around. Right page is a commercial print of japanese landscape.

Chirimen fabrics again, in the 'kawaï' style, very girly ! Little objets I bought there are sewn on both pages

Left page is a handkerchief I cut and quilted with gold thread, right page has pockets to fill with brochures.

I had great fun making this book !

Japan fabric book - part 1

2008-08-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

Four years ago, I had the great chance to have a 10 days trip to Tokyo. There are no words no mean what I felt, I was just like in another planet, everything is so different from France. It was a business trip, and I took time to visit fabric stores, for sure ! You have to visit Tomato, thousands and thousands of bolts everywhere... A japanese lady was my translator and she gave me an address for antique kimonos. A wonderful tiny shop, with an old japanese lady wearing a kimono, kneeling on the floor, and dozens of drawers filled with antique fabrics torn away from kimonos, obis (kimonos belts)... I won't say anymore, I know you're jealous !

Anyway, I came back with a full box of treasures, saying I would make a memory quilt with this. But time flew away, and I had no more taste for a quilt, so I came up with a fabric book. Of course, I have not used every little stuff of my treasury box, but I'm satisfied with the result.

On the left page, it's a kit I brought back from Tokyo, it's real clothes, although very tiny, the pants are 2" tall.
The right page is pieced indigo fabrics, with a bit of sashiko.

I used the back of sashiko from the previous page, and added red paint with 'Tokyo' written in japanese. Then I stitched porcelain buttons with Noh masks. On the right page is a vintage piece of kimono, painted with gold, and quilted with metallic thread.

On the left page is a pieced kimono, paper sewing. The right page is a collage of different prints on black felt.

More to come...

10 years of creations

2008-07-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

As for today, I must admit I'm quite happy with my work. Not very modest, but it feels good anyway. I've made a book at Blurb.com with 10 years of quilting for my little company Quilt Creations. Appliqué, patchwork, small and little quilts, bedcovers, patterns and kits... everything Brigitte and I made in 10 years. It's amazing how I could fill a 80 pages book, with more than 100 quilts and co.
Sometimes it's good to take time to look at behind so you can go forward after.

Clicking on the picture will send you directy to the first 15 pages of the book. It's just a catalogue without any instructions, with French text (if you can call text the name of quilt, technique and size).

Basically it's a full scale test for my next book I will publish myself with Blurb, having written several books for publishers in France already, I'm trying to have fun directly !

Bollywood textile book

2008-07-25T02:00:00.000-07:00

After completing my travel journal on Arcachon, I'm playing around a textile book on Bollywood. Not the one with movie stars, by my idea of India, pink and red, brightful, sparkling. I've never been there but wish I could one day. Anyway, I'm trying to have fun, it's the most important thing, no ? Ad for today, 6 pages are done, or in the process of being done. One with knitting, see previous post, one with weaving, might be the cover. Now I need to think seriously how I will bind this, it will be a very fat book.
As I was digging in my stash, I found lovely pieces of golden lace, very heavy, bits of this and that and tried to mix everything together. I made simple embrdoidery stitches with a wonderful rainbow silk thread.

It seems I'm addicted to weaving now ! just tried to use ribbons, silk fabrics, sari stripes and played with my decorative stitches on my sewing machine, you know the ones you have on your screen, and you never use !

Now go back to the next page, it's needlefelted with embellisher.

Have a lovely day !

Knitting recycled sari fabric

2008-07-22T03:05:00.001-07:00

Knitting recycled sari fabric
Mise en ligne par cecileyadro

It's summertime, more time to play in the garden, so I need something easy to carry, that I can do while sitting in the sun. More on my flickr, click on the picture.

Inside of book

2008-07-17T05:14:00.001-07:00

Inside of book
Mise en ligne par cecileyadro

A memory of our trip to Arcachon this spring, just 8 pages with various techniques, mainly quilt.
The front cover is a weaving framed with linen.

More on my flickr, click on the picture to go directly.

Birth of a quilt

2008-07-15T00:12:00.001-07:00

From time to time, I try to make a new quilt with our printed stripes. I've made the easy way so far, so I guess it was time to try harder.

So, with this stripe, I wanted to mix appliqué and patchwork. I love appliqué, but I find difficult to mix it with patchwork.

First, I fused vliesofix on the back of flowers and cut on the edge, then placed on a white background. I wanted a kind of bouquet.

But flowers were really floating on the background, so I had to add stems. I fused the green fabric with vliesofix, and cut the stems with my rotary cutter, free handed.

So, if it's a bouquet, why not add characters with an oversized bouquet ? First I meant to make a daughter offering flowers to her mother, but someone told me it looks like my daughters, the eldest one with long hair (but she would no like to see herself in a flower dress, she's 12 !) and the second one with short hair.

So when it's done, you have the border problem. I tried with various plain fabrics, but did not like it much.

Also, I don't like to cut the dress in the bottom, it needs to have more fabric.

I wanted to mix with pieced patchwork, so here I am ! But waouh ! it's waaaaay too large, the border is really eating the middle.

Well, I like the border itself, so I guess I could keep it for something else.

After several tries (I was too focused to take pictures !) here is the final result. The border is called something like 'migrating flying geese' I think, it's kind of tricky to make but once you get it, it's OK.

Weaving fun

2008-07-08T01:19:00.000-07:00

Weaving - having fun !

As I said before, I took a weaving course, and wanted to try it again. I'm very happy, because this time I took time to do it. Even children had fun with me.

Here the pictures from the course, I look so focused on my work ! (you don't like to see yourself in picture, do you ?)

So I tried to make a home-made loom and wanted to mix various fibers : sheer organzas, bamboo yarn, sari yarns and fabrics, lurex, fancy yarns...

Here it is ! I meant the wave on top (not a mistake, I promise) and it will certainly make a cover for a textile book.

Weaving lesson

2008-07-02T05:20:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I had a wonderful time learning basics of weaving.
We had an artist teaching us how to weave yarns, ropes, special threads... and scraps of fabrics too.

You begin with easy stitches, then you learn how to make rows, ghiordies knot, the one used in carpets, scary when you cut your yarns !

I think it's a new craft I need to practice more, of course one day is not enough to practice, but it gives you an idea.

What I'm doing now...

2008-06-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

We recently managed, DH and I to have our three children here and there, and we could spend a complete week-end together in Arcachon. If you don't know it's close to Bordeaux, on a large 'bassin' where the sea is really quiet, it's a wonderful place to visit.
So I'm trying to make a journal quilt with our trip there :

This is supposed to be the map of Arcachon's bassin, fused fabric and machine embroidery

Background is a scrap of various fabrics, some edges are ravelled, felt and machine stitching on top

Hand dyed background, fused boat, machine embroidered. I used the leftovers from the second page to make the frame

Hand dyed fabric on timtex, scraps of fabric, golden paper, I was surprised, as paper is really so easy to sew ! also fused stars, a piece of golden net. Might be the cover of the journal/voyage quilt/book.

Anyway, I'm having fun !

Edit July 22 : the book is finished, now, it's here.

Background does matter !

2008-06-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

While visiting various blogs around, see that, you think you will spend 10 min. and you're rambling for an hour or two, I really admire the ones using busy backgrounds. Like Betz White, she has the most wonderful fabrics as backgrounds in her pictures, or Heather Bailey, she is designing her fabrics, so it helps (not to mention the quality of pictures !) Just the two of them, to mention a few.

I tried it, but it's really something I cannot do ! So I tried different backgrounds for shooting a little tissue box I made :
This is wool felt so you don't have a sharp edge, pictures are shot with the same camera, same day, same light...

As you will notice, the house on the blue/grey background seems very yellow.

The true color (seen on my computer screen, with the house next to it) is the first on the left. So beware of colors !!! (as you certainly knew already !!!)

Free Block of the Month - Heart 6

2008-06-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

Weaved heart

I hope you have kept the heart template from the beginning, as you'll need it again.

You will make a weaving with different fabrics in various widths. Use you bias tape maker, it's a dream to use ! if you don't have one, you can use ribbons, or ready-made bias (it doesn't need to be on the bias, anyway !) Here we used the same width for all : 25 mm, 1 inch;

Draw the heart outline on a foundation fabric (slightly transparent), and weave, pinning the beginning of each stripe. Pin everything together, and from the wrong side, make a stitch on the heart's outline. This way you have it on the right side, and you can cut at 1/8" from the stitching. Place it on your background fabric and make a narrow zig-zag stitch all around.

You can embroider stripes if you wish, but it's not necessary to hold it.

Cholet textile museum

2008-06-05T03:08:00.001-07:00

This week-end we've been visiting an embroidery exhibit in the Textile Museum here in Cholet, France. It's an old textile factory that was rehab as a museum. Wonderful place to visit, until you think of all people working here !

The weather was fantastic, and we certainly appreciated it, as it's been raining for weeks here...

Have a nice day !

My heart 1

2008-05-30T04:35:00.001-07:00

My heart 1

It's difficult to find out your own style, I must admit I'm quite influenced by Suzi Blu and others on internet, but I keep working on it !

Acrylic painting on canvas.

Block of the Month - Heart5

2008-05-18T01:28:00.000-07:00

In various red fabrics, cut stripes 5 cm wide by 20 cm long, then cut in squares and sew. Precision doesn't really matter here, it's the general layout.

In a transparent fabric : organza, tulle, sew little pockets on three sides, and insert small objects inside : buttons, lace, ribbon flowers, charms... and insert pockets in the squares.

Use the pattern of the heart on the other BOM.

roses crazy

2008-05-07T02:44:00.001-07:00

rosescrazy
Mise en ligne par cecileyadro

I'm not very fond of crazy, but I could not resist and had great fun assembling and adding embellishments. It's quite small and heavy, as I have added a lot of stuff.

Happy Birthday

2008-05-07T02:41:00.001-07:00

Canvas 1
Mise en ligne par cecileyadro

To Mom... I had great fun assembling all elements, it was my first canvas, but certainly not the last one !

Block of the month - Heart4

2008-04-16T03:19:00.000-07:00

As I have no comments about this BOM... I'm not sure you're following it... anyway, here is the fourth one.

The easiest is to print the pattern and trace it on a foundation that you will piece directly.
It's intented to be done as paper sewing. So begin with piece 1, following numberation.

I have embroidered with with thread, but you can change it, of course !

Medium transfer on fabric

2008-03-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

As always for the moment, playing with medium transfer.

I have embroidered a butterfly with my sewing machine, and have scanned it on my computer.

Then I printed a transparency with several images, changing size and transparency setting of the image. Play with you favorite drawing software and use the transparency percentage carefully, too light and you won't see anything, something around 70/80% is ok.

Then I pieced a background, using different fabrics, some heavy, some light, no problem.

Transfer your images on the background, be very careful when transferring on a seam, it's heavy, and you will need to press firmly on the seam edge.

Place butterflies in different positions, and add the embroidered one. This one should be the most visible, the most detailed.

Then add stippling around, and you're done !

Family tree

2008-03-12T02:50:00.000-07:00

My parents recently celebrated their 30 wedding anniversary and we (my sister and I) offered a family tree. We used our family tree print on fabric.

You begin with this :
a large stripe of printed fabric with an oak tree, and empty frames.

Here you can print your pictures on cottonjet or any other fabric going directly in the printer. You measure inner sizes of frames and print your pictures to fit inside.

Then you only have to appliqué inside border of frames on pictures.

You should consider printing on paper first and check if it's OK

Then you appliqué frames on the tree, where you want.

Quilting is easy, you quilt around frames, in branches. For background I fused hearts with freezer paper and quilted around.

Then all you need is a border, and that's it !

First aid sewinkg kit - tutorial

2008-03-08T00:41:00.000-08:00

About using medium transfer on fabrics, here is a good idea from Brigitte.

Print and transfer images on a background fabric, here a light green hand-dyed fabric, size 10 x 14".

Add a batting on back and stipple around transfers. Here we used a variegated thread in pink and green.

Add embellishments : ribbons, couching, flowers, buttons... and cut at 9 x 13"

Then you have to prepare a paper template with scallops in the 9" side. Cut the fabric + batting and keep the template for later.

Cut the lining in matching color at 9 x 13", adding pockets and stuff as needed. Here it's a first aid sewing kit, so there is only thread, scissors and needles.

Cut scalloped edge on lining, facing the right side.

Place lining on top of batting, adding fusible web between to hold everything together. Make a satin stitch on edges. Fold in three and sew a scratch (Velcro is the brand, don't know the name in English, sorry) to close up.

Thanks to Brigitte for her tutorial and pictures.

Fabric postcard - 2

2008-03-06T01:05:00.000-08:00

I know, it's only March, but the good thing is that Christmas will be back again, and again... so why not preparing cards for next year ? We use the Christmas chromos fabric we designed.

Start with a Christmas tree. On a light paper, draw the outline, leaving a 1:4" allowance.

Cut the paper and check if the tree is in the opening.

Use the paper template to cut a matching fabric, felt is perfect as it won't ravel.

Then you can fuse golden stars, or any sparkling embellishment, it's Christmas, so go ahead !

Make a satin stitch on the red edge, you can add a lamé fabric border with fusible web. Cut out scalloped edges and fuse on edge of postcard, folding on back.

With another picture, frame with fabric on four sides, as a patchwork block.

Using your paper window (see our first post about postcards here) rotate the image in the window until you find it pleasing.

Then add embellishments as you want.

You can add fusible web on back of an image and fuse it on a printed background. No need to satin stitch edges, it's only a postcard, not a pillow !

Then try some lace, red maybe ? no, it's too much !

White is great !

You can let the lace larger than postcard, it's more funny !

Free Block of the Month - Heart 3

2008-03-04T02:12:00.000-08:00

Here it's quite cold at the moment, so we need to warm hands ! We will embroider on faux-fur fabric, you know the one used for teddies ? This one is deep red, which is unusual, but fun. You can use velvet or felt, as you prefer.

Actually the main problem is to report the design of embroidery on the background. The easiest way is to make a paper template of general outline and to use chalk.

It looks tricky but it's not ! Spectacular but easy.

Click on images to enlarge and print.

Here is a close-up of embroidery, flowers are cut apart from lace and stitched, I used chunky wool for star flowers with large bead.

Free Block of the Month - Heart 2

2008-03-04T02:08:00.000-08:00

It's a curved pieced heart by sewing machine. Curves are very gentle so it's easy to do. You can hand stitch if you prefer.

First print the pattern and draw it on freezer paper. Number all pieces and cut on lines. Press on right side of fabrics and cut, adding your seam allowance.

Then assemble all pieces by machine.

Cut around finished heart and appliqué on the background fabric with a narrow zig-zag.

Refashioning old sweater - needlefelting

2008-03-04T00:33:00.000-08:00

I don't know for you, by those stupid mites keep eating my favorite sweaters.
So I had to hide holes, on the front and the back.

You will need : carded wool, felted sweaters or wool felt, embroidery floss, for this one I prefer DMC coton retors, as it's very heavy and smooth.

With an erasable pencil, I draw a flower, roughly, including mite holes inside. Then you cut in petals. I know, it makes you feel strange to cut in your sweater !

After opening all petals, pin a piece of felted sweater on back.

Then make a narrow zig-zag stitch by machine around all edges.

You can add needlefelted petals above in contrasting color.

You can make flowers by needlefelting too. Draw the flower again and fill petals with carded wool.

Make the complete flower.

Add leaves in needlefelting and embroider stems and around leaves. Here you are !

Medium transfer - tutorial

2008-02-24T06:07:00.000-08:00

My last fun is medium transfer. It is fun, you can transfer on almost anything ! There are plenty of ways to do it, but this one is my favorite, easy and quick (I dont't like to wait for something to dry before using it.... too long !)

What you need : transparency sheets -the one you have in your office for boring presentations (or not), you can find it easily), medium gel, transparent, a paintbrush, a color printer.

The method :
Print your images on transparent. Be careful, there is a grainy side and a soft side, you need to print on the textured side, adjust with your printer. If you print text, you must set your printer to mirror, or your text will be reversed.

You need to fill your transparent as much as you can, but leave a 1/4" allowance around each image, it's the minimum.

For the picture I used paper as background, but the method is the same on other surfaces.

You will use medium on both directions, horizontal and vertical. Thickness of medium is something you need to learn by yourself ! the best is to try.

Then you put your transparent on the medium, printed side on it. Place it in one time, don't move it after placing it !

Then press firmly with your thumb, or wooden spoon, or what you want.

Peel off a corner to check if it's OK and take it off slowly.

Here there was not enough medium gel on the paper, but it's kind of interesting too, depending on what you want to do.

So you can use the rest of the print on the transparency on another part, on another medium gel. The transparent is now... transparent !!! all ink is gone in the medium.

Next post : medium transfer on fabric

Machine lace heart - tutorial

2008-02-19T05:25:00.000-08:00

It seems I use a lot of hearts at the moment ! I'm just preparing a page for my textile art book about Valentine. So I made a lacy heart. It's quite easy to do, although a bit tricky.

Start by drawing a heart in desired size. Here it is 9 cm by 7 cm wide. Take a square of water soluble foundation, a square of organza or silk gaze, another square of water soluble foudation on wich you draw the heart.

Get the three together in a machine hoop, it's narrow enough to fit under your darning foot.

I used a pre-built stitch on my sewing machine with scalloped edges. A machine embroidery thread on top, and red fine thread in bobbin. I decrease tension almost at zero.

Keep it slow while turning !

Then I switch to free motion embroidery and make the inner heart with a straight stitch. You need to make 5 or 6 hearts to have enough width.

Then you need to fill between the two hearts. I draw volutes with a light pencil.

Then you sew on the drawing with a straight stich, free motion. Be careful it's very tricky !

Then I switch to a lighter red thread, and go back to normal on the sewing machine with another scalloped stitch to make the third heart.

Switch again to free motion and fill the inner heart with straight stitches going concentric from outside. The light will be different on the threads, depending on the way you stitch.

Then I fill again spaces with volutes.

Cut all three layers at 0.5 cm from the heart and dip into cold water.

You can then sew it on a background, cut the red fabric on the edge (giiik ! won't dare to do it, I'm too afraid to cut my lace).

I'm doing this for my textile book, it's the february page !

Happy Valentine !

2008-02-15T01:26:00.001-08:00

A little collage in my journal.

As well with my wonderful bouquet I received from my husband, our 13th Valentine together.

Merci mon coeur !

Hearts all around

2008-02-15T01:23:00.001-08:00

Hearts are all around you, following iHanna blog I chased hearts in my house, helped by children, it was fun to do !

Have fun too : www.ihanna.nu/blog/?p=738

We even made stars after... kids were really happy !

Happy Valentine !

2008-02-14T01:57:00.000-08:00

My complete collection or red buttons is in here, but I like it quite much. You need a heavy background fabric, here I added batting to the white fabric. Draw the heart outline on the fabric, using the template here. Then move to your favorite armchair with buttons, red thread, and TV, because it's quite long to sew !

T-shirt customisation

2008-02-12T06:34:00.001-08:00

How to embellish a plain white t-shirt

Supply needed : a white t-shirt, 505 glue spray and 606 glue spray, printed fabric with flower pictures, sewing machine, iron.

505 glue spray is a temporary adhesive works both on fabric and paper. Spray on right side of fabric and place on a regular paper. You can see wrong side of fabric.

Spray wrong side of fabric with 606. It is a bondable spray that will become permanent after pressing hot. You need to use quite a lot of spray on your fabric, test on scrap before. As always do this outside, it's better !

Let it stay for a while, then cut on flower edge all together : paper and fabric. While let the paper ? it's easier to cut details, it gives firm to your fabric.

Once all flowers cut, you can put them on the t-shirt, move them until you are pleased. Then move to your iron board and press with a paper to protect your iron, there is glue over there ! Put your iron for 15-20 seconds (well, you have everything on your spray with instructions detailed)

According to the supplier it is supposed to stay after washing, but I thought it would be better with a zig-zag stitch all around, by machine.

Printed flowers are our creation !

Fabric postcard

2008-02-12T03:16:00.000-08:00

How to make easy fabric postcards. Cards are 4 x 6" and can be sent as is, just add a stamp on the back. Here I use fabric from our printed stripes.

Today, the crazy card. (easy one !)

What you need

Cut out the picture, leaving a seam allowance all around. Dig in your scrap bag (you know, everything you keep wihtout knowing how to use it, tiny bits of fabrics). Sew on a corner, cut what is left : picture and fabric

Open the fabric you saw and make a crisp fold with your nail or iron, if it's not too far away from you...

Sew another piece of fabric the same way, changing the corner.

You can add lace too, pin in place before adding the fabric to sew.

Place another fabric on top of lace and sew

Open the fabric to check if it's OK before cutting

If you make a lot of postcards, the best is to prepare a window in a piece of cardboard, so you can determine wich one is best.

When you like it, cut with a rotary cutter if you have, if not trace the outline and cut with scissors.

You can add a little flower lace, or embroider, as you wish. To finish the card, you ca add fast2fuse on back and fuse a neutral fabric to write address and place stamp. Or you can sew directly on fast2fuse your different fabrics.

Here we have added a folded ribbon on one side.

To finish edges : sew across all layers : the print + fast2fuse + background fabric and make a satin stitch all aournd, or sew a bias across.

Et voilà !!! Thanks to Mum for her help !

Mitered borders

2008-02-09T00:47:00.000-08:00

I know, it's been done already ! But my concern was how to frame a rectangular image in a square block with mitered corners ?
To complicate, I wanted different sizes of images to the same size of square. Ah ! Usually, corners are 45° so it's easy. So here is the method :

My image is 7 x 10 cm, and I wand a 21 cm square block. So I will cut all my borders 23 cm wide to have allowance for mistakes, and will calculate height from the image. Here I will cut 7 cm for top and bottom, and 9 cm for both sides.

Sew borders on top and bottom, stopping 6 mm (1/4") before the corner, that you will leave free. Press borders under the image, leaving sides unpressed.

Make 4 sides the same way. you need to press after EACH sewing.

Cut everything at 21 x 21 cm, please place your borders straight before cutting.

Then fold on the corner, right sides together, aligning corners carefully.

Trace a line (in white on the picture) between the image corner and the border corner. Pin on the line and sew. Remove pin, open from the right side and check if it's correct. THEN, you can cut excess fabric to leave a 6 mm seam allowance.

Press from the wrong side, opening the seam allowance, and make a little fold on the image corner, it should come easily.

Et voilà :

I did not care about stripes, and it's quite OK, very cool !

Here is the finished quilt :

From sweater to bolero

2008-02-09T00:35:00.000-08:00

My eldest daughter is 11 years old. At this age, you know exactly what you want to wear (or not). The problem is that I'm not directly connected to her mind, and sometimes I buy things she won't ever think of wearing. Now I don't buy anything without her, but once I bought a turtle neck sweater, and as everyone knows, it's hardly wearable ! (I think some will recognize in this story).

So here is a bright new sweater, that no one will wear. So here we go, cut, cut cut ! (there is something fabulous in cutting in new clothes, no ?)

Not even afraid, I remove turtle neck to make a bolero. You can make a template on freezer paper to respect symetry, or trace on the sweater with a pencil, or cut it straight, as you feel it !

Here we are.

Now I need a border, because it will ravel quickly. The knitting is so thin I can't take back stitches on needles. I thought of sewing a bias, but it would have been too firm.

I made a zig-zag/cut with my serger, after trying on my scraps of sweater. I needed large stitches. I used white threads so you can see it.

Still not what I wanted. So I took a circular needle and knitted up in zig-zag stitches.
It's easier to do than to explain, but you will find it quickly. Then I made 5 rows and binded off.

Et voilà !!! A brand new bolero (not sure she will wear it anyway !!!!!)

Heart one

2008-02-09T00:25:00.000-08:00

So, as promised, here is the first block of the month. I don't feel like following the quilt exactly, I'll add them as I feel, surprise !

Click on the image to enlarge it, then save it on your computer and print it. You have a scale on the right corner, it's written 5 cm, more or less 2". Please keep this size for future blocks, all hearts have the same size. Or you can, of course, use the size you want.

This one is based on stained glass technique. The background is made of different prints, use the pattern to cut each fabric the exact size, without adding seam allowance. You can use 505 spray to paste fabrics on the background, or pin, as you prefer.

Use a printed fabric for the bias, we used cherry print, as this quilt was intented for my sister named Anne-Cerise (makes Ann-Cherry in English). But plain fabric is OK too.

Make your bias using a bias folder and put it on the lines of the pattern, to cover edges of fabrics. You can use fusible web under the bias if you have some, but if not, simply pin. This is a small block so I'm sure you can handle it. Or, use your sewing machine with a zig-zag.

Have fun !

Knitted pincushion

2008-02-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

I don't know for you, but I do like pincushion, even if my pins are not always inside, but mostly in little boxes all around. I made some like in previous post, but found some in knitting. I wanted to leard five needles knitting, but was scared by socks, so I thought this would be fun doing it in a pincushion.

So I knitted this in my car (I was not driving ! my husband did, he's fine when I'm knitting or sewing so I don't bother him all time about his driving)

You'll find instructions here, beginning by the bottom. As usual, I changed a bit, added more stitches in the pink yarn to give it a more fluffy look. There is a roll of toilet paper inside to keep it standing right.

Seen from the bottom. I added a bit of fancy yarn for the border and filled with scraps of fabric. Since I made some other filling with carded wool, it's perfect for pins and needles, they won't rust !

Betz White

2008-02-08T06:57:00.000-08:00

A while ago, I found a blog (again - don't know how much time we spend surfing instead of crafting...) of Betz White. I love this girl, she seems so creative, full of life... (Hi Betz !)and could not resist in making some stuff...

Betz White

She has written a book since, and opened a flickr group, please visit if you like this !

She uses felted sweaters, I do have some around here, but my colors seem to be mud and ugly when trying to make pincushion, so I used wool fabric (the red square one), polar fleece (works fine too !) and even felt...
Stronger than me, I need to make it my own way !

Roses pillow

2008-02-08T02:16:00.000-08:00

As I said, I own a quilt store in France. Our website is online for 10 years now, we used to have it in English some years ago, but now it's only in French, so we now make a blog in English and a little shop with our own products. I mean, no interest for you to have US fabrics from France !

So, with our roses stripe, but it can be done with other flowers too. I fused vliesofix on the back of flowers, then cut around flowers, without leaving any seam allowance.

Then I tried on green felt, seemed to be a good idea, but once put on, it was not so good !

Then I put it on white felt, and it was much better !

But quite boring too, so I took a teaspoon of pink beads and sparkles and threw it on the roses. The idea is to have a 'not-so-well' look.

Then you have to remove all beads and fuse the flowers on the background, make some free motion sewing around. I tried to make like doodling with a pencil, not sure you can see this very well on the picture, though.

Then I put the picture above with all beads around on my computer, full screen, sat in front of my computer and tried to sew the beads in the same way. First time I was sewing in front of my computer !

To make a pillow, just sew two pieces overlapping on the back from right side, you leave the seam allowance outside, it's perfect with felt.

Et voilà !!!

Journaling

2008-02-08T01:53:00.000-08:00

While surfing on blogs, I found one day Suzi Blu, I guess a lot of you know her, she's quite famous in journaling around here. As I own a quilt store, write books, host three websites, two blogs, and have 3 children, I though I would not have any time to do it.

Well, sometimes... I understood what she said (Suzi, I mean) you can always find time if you want. So I bought a notebook with white pages, some paints, digged into my mess from Art School (followed one 20 years ago) and found some pencils, inks... etc And here we go.

Most of all, my three children 11, 9 and 5 have their own notebooks too, and everyone is pasting, painting, having fun together. We have boxes with a lot a stuff to use and we spend time together instead of watching tv or playing on the computer.

So, thanks a bunch Suzi ! and good luck in your move.

BTW : it's not me on the picture, and it's written something like 'handmade makes you feel good', true, no ?

To contact us

2008-02-08T01:41:00.000-08:00

The best is to send us an email here.

Thank you !

Quilt University

2008-02-01T05:37:00.001-08:00

I suppose everyone here knows about Quilt University, online classes. I enjoyed some classes there, especially one with Marilyn Belford 'quilted portraits', and I could not resist to quilt my son :

My youngest one, forever sweet and lovely (well, he still is, but keeping growing up !)

The quilt is certainly perfectible, but I had a good time doing it (wich is certainly the most important), and the teacher is really great. Visit her website, as she really makes art in fabric.

I heard she wrote a book with my little quilt inside, I'm very flattered !

Block of the month

2008-02-01T05:31:00.000-08:00

We offer a free BOM on our website (the French one, sorry for you English readers) for 10 years. In 2005 we had a BOM based on hearts. Meanwhile I changed my computer twice and lost everything. This BOM was asked so frequently that we decided to offer it again on our blog.
In the beginning it was a gift for my sister's wedding, so I got the patchwork back and took the pictures and patterns again.

Here is the finished quilt. So I will make a post on this blog from time to time with a different heart and pattern each time.

You'll have all 9 blocks of the quilt, plus others that are not inside. 12 in total. Looks like a BOM, uh ?

No-knit scarf

2008-01-29T07:26:00.000-08:00

I don't know for you, but I do have hundreds of yarns leftovers, small pieces, bits of this and that. I cannot throw it away, so I keep it until I have an idea.

So today, the no-knit scarf (but with sewing, you have to work a little bit !). The tip is using water soluble foundation. You can find it in different sizes, weights, adhesive or not... but the main thing you can dissolve it in water.

Unwrap the stabilizer on a large table, to make a scarf you need something like 14" x 36". Put your yarns on it, fill as much as you can, because air won't harm you neck. If needed, you can add some carded wool.

If you stabilizer is adhesive, no problem, the yarn will stick to it, if not, you need to pin another stailizer on top of it, and handle it carefully. Beware, the stabilizer doesn't like wet hands !!!

Then go to your sewing machine, where you can stitch squares about 1" 1/4 large in both directions. You can use matching or contrasting thread, as you prefer.

Make stiching double on the sides so it won't move, then go to the bath !

You absolutely need cold and running water. You'll have bubbles but it's OK, just keep on rinsing until the water is clear.

Here you are ! You can add ribbons, trims, bits of fabric or everything you have on hand, be adventurous !

Felted ball bag

2008-01-29T07:05:00.000-08:00

Bonjour,

Today, a ball bag in carded wool. I must say that being quite lazy I prefer needlefelting to wet felting, but sometimes it can be funny. Beware to your arms, because wet felting is quite strong !

Borrow a ball to your children, like a beach ball, not too large like basket ball !

Here it's hidden , but you can recognize Mowgli...

Get several colors of carded wools and put it all around

Put it all around, you can help by putting a needlefelt inside to hold it together. Next, put another color around again.

Get a piece of net fabric and put the ball inside, get the corners together and hold with a rubber band.

Then go to your sink and get Marseille soap (natural olive soap) in bar or in bottle and get water as hot as your hands can bear. Wet the ball, add soap, and rub, rub, rub... well you see ! Beware to get the net off the wool from time to time.

After a while (don't know how much exactly, but like 15 mn) everything is stuck together. Remove the net and :

Get a pair of scissors and cut to put the ball outside

And voilà ! a ball bag. This is where I left, I need to make a way to close it. Any idea ?

Customisation

2008-01-29T05:55:00.000-08:00

Modestie (French for 'modesty')

Customisation is quite in the mood now in France, for me it's just another word to say we recycle clothes. Mostly it's by needs : I do have a problem with mites, they keep eating my favorite sweaters.

The other day, I bought a white t-shirt with V neck. Good. Once home I try it on (why not in the store ? maybe because I'm lazy ?) and the décolleté (another french word !) is really too large, well I won't wear it.

Here it is, I've added a yellow paper, because white on white...

I'm digging in my lace box, there is always small bits I don't throw away, really tiny ones. I find the perfect one :

It's always the same t-shirt, I just changed the light on my camera.

So, a piece of wavy lace, perfect for the décolleté. I cut :

(changed the settings again on the camera !)

Then, I make a narrow machine zig-zag on the décolleté's edge from the right side, in white thread and bobbin of course to catch the lace on the t-shirt. Then, as my little skin is really sensitive here, I add a bit of fusible web under the lace to avoid the little tiny stupid piece of lace scratching here. You know, just the kind of thing you keep touching all day long to remove it.

And voilà ! my grand-mother would have called this a 'modestie' as young women had to be modest in this part of the body.