SIMPLE AND SWEET WINTER SWAP

Greetings, dear readers!

Now that life has gone back to a semi-normal mode (although I am STILL technologically challenged) I have signed up for this sweet swap:

 

A Swap For All Seasons  is hosting this simple and sweet mini fabric collage swap. The collage is to be a mere 5x7, so even those of us with no sewing skills have opportunity to join! With 100 Swappers already signed up, Linda will have her hands full matching swap partners and keeping it all in order. She's undoubtedly an organized sort who can do so without much mental anguish. It is not so for me! 

As many of you who have followed me for awhile know, I am simultaneously fascinated and mortified of sewing and fabric. Here are a few of my past projects:

A Camera Art Quilt made from vintage linens, tablecloths, a vintage napkins, vintage fabric, ribbon and trims. This is my largest art quilt...it's about 18x18.

 

Here is a sweet little double sided quilt created for my friend Ngaire in Australia (she loves pink...thus the abundance of the color):

Again using stamping, sewing, gluing, and "creative quilting" I made this 12x18 quilt out of vintage and new fabrics, handkerchiefs, trims and miscellaneous whatever. 

This is the front cover (canvas) for an art journal. I painted the canvas, then appliqued the birds and flowers (cut from an old purse) and then sewed on hand dyed seam binding (I'd love to have a tattoo of this very image someday)

This is a miniscule 5x5 block created for a dear friend in a swap. We both love cowgirls, denim and red...I used my vintage stash of buttons, ribbon and fabric to create this  double sided block that represents my vintage camper. It's aqua and white on the outside and cowgirl denim and red on the inside! 

 

This little quilt was my very first attempt at art quilts...it's only 8 x 9 or so. (I tend to work smaller when I'm unsure of my medium and/or techniques!) I made it for Valentines Day. I just loved using old pieces of quilts, handkerchiefs, aprons, and old and new trims and fabrics. I printed the image on muslin with my inkjet...(I figured out a great technique to get the fabric through the printer: simply iron freezer paper to the back of an 8.5 x 11 piece of muslin. Print as many images on the page as you'd like, then when dry, peel off the freezer paper and sew or glue to fabric! Easy peasy! Now of course you can purchase fabric for your inkjet...but I didn't have any, so voila! Necessity becomes the mother of invention yet again...

And finally, my first attempt at a pincushion. (Note I drew stitches all around the areas that I wanted to APPEAR handstitched. So I cheated, so sue me!) I also made the little bird pins. I just love using a combination of adhesive backed fabric, (this particular pattern by Elsie (the little houses)), felt and buttons!

I'm looking forward to finding out what color combos my swap partner will want! I hope I can create something wonderful for her! More soon!

Paula Clare