I'm a Winner and What's Next

My Hearts and Roses shown in the post was picked at random to win the last month's prize - a free online course and some fat quarters.  I'm chuffed to have won and although it wasn't judged competition so that I can say mine was the best I've had some lovely comments.  Why not have a look at the FAMM Challenge Flickr Group to see what other people have created.  They are all wonderful pieces and it's nice to see how others have interpreted Tradition with a Twist. This month's challenge is Lost and Found - Embellishing with Found Objects.  I've had a few ideas of things I can use and am playing with some designs in my mind.

The other new challenge I have is for "Passage" - the new theme for the Three Creative Studios Quilt Challenge.  I haven't had any ideas for this one yet but the deadline isn't until the end of April so I have two months to come up with something and make it.  Last time I had only three weeks as I joined in part way through and I finished before the deadline so I'm sure I'll be ok this time.

A more pressing deadline is Saturday when I'm going to a masked ball.  As yet no mask but I made a protype in silk paper yesterday so today is all go for the real piece.  Must go and get on with it as I won't have time tomorrow.

Fiber Arts / Mixed Media - another challenge for me

Whilst reading other textile blogs I came across the Fiber Arts / Mixed Media group which includes a monthly challenge.  Although only two days to the end of the February challenge I joined up and spent some time working how I could put a twist on a tradtional quilt block.  Out came my patchwork and quilting books and wondered what non-tradtional materials I could use.  The rusted fabric and tyvek I had made on an online course last year came to mind and I was away.  Yesterday I spent some time creating my rusted piece and also another one to submit.

Here's how I made the first - Hearts and Roses: rusted tyvek squares with rusted fabric slashing (apologies if this is not the correct term and also for the seams not lining up accurately); backed with a purple fabric I free machine embroidered some hearts and realising I probably wouldn't be able to work out how to make all 9 different I created some swirls.  The swirls reminded me of roses and hence the title.  To stabilise the fabric before zapping with my heat gun I sewed it to some pelmet vilene.  Whilst zapping I reaslised that I perhaps shouldn't have used the same colour thread and fabric.  Never mind - it's all a learning curve, experimenting.

In all truthfullness I'm not sure whether I prefer the piece before or after it was zapped. 

For the second piece I flicked through my book again and came across the triple rail fence which looked nice and easy to twist with non-conventional fabrics.  Rummaging through my stash I came across some dried roses and decided to use these with some used teabags and an english-dutch dictionary.  These are all very neutral and I wanted something to give it some zing.  Another rummage and I found some turquoise silk noils I had already incorporated with some silk cocoon strippings - bingo.  Now for some more turquoise and I found a lovely turquoise thick paper in my paper chest.  The teabags and rose petals were bonded together with bond-a-web to create a 'fabric' and I also bonded the other materials to it as well for ease of use.  After cutting the pieces they were bonded to some calico.  This piece I feel needs some stitching - obviously the embroiderer in me coming out but I'm not sure how yet. 

Tomorrow's going to be an exciting day for me as the new issue of Workshop on the Web is out, the next challenge for the Three Creative Studio Quilt Challenge will be announced as will the new Fiber Art / Mixed Media monthly challenge.