Tuesday, September 29, 2015

All You Need To Know About Frixion Pens


The following link will take you to a  great detailed article about the makeup,  +s and -s of Frixion pens and specifically addresses those 'ghost' markings seen on medium and dark value fabrics, why they show up, and what you might do about them.

click here to go to http://www.quiltskipper.com/2015/08/13/frixion-pens-all-you-need-to-know/

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Adding A Quilt Fillet

One of the most expensive and beautiful things in framing traditional artwork can be adding a fillet at the inner edge of the art mat.
I often like doing something similar on small art pieces where a border is planned.   Yesterday I finished painting a holiday art piece I began in a demo some months back.  (I just can't toss a demo) I must finish it.  Here's what I'm going for... then I'll show you how to achieve a perfect 1/4 inch fillet of fabric. 
In this example... I wanted a soft mid value mottled teal which I did not have.  Since I own almost all the inks imaginable, I used Tsukinekos all purpose ink # 93 (blue bayou)  to permanently change the color of 1" strips of this slate blue batik I did have.  In a small container,  I added a wee bit of water to straight ink..  dipped the precut strips, withdrew them and allowed them to dry overnight atop plastic. 
Once heat set by iron on a cotton setting... the 1" sashing is added round the central image. Yes this is larger than the end result calls for but stay with me.  
In this step we are adding the final border leaving a precise 1/4 fillet of the batik in view.  I cut the final border a wee bit wider than ultimately planned ( 4" width likely to be cut back to 3")   
The trick to this precision is working from the back and using the edge of your 1/4 foot to gain precision. The darker border is placed right sides together with it's edge lined up with the 1" lighter teal strip. It's unseen here... but is basically a straight seam. The left edge of the pressure foot is guided by the stitch line of the original lighter teal 1" strip. 
After adding the 2 side borders... the top and bottom borders go on but call for using a ruler to premark( again working/marking on the back side of the quilt top)  where to guide the left side of the pressure foot so that the stitch line will meet the spot where batik begins... all this to guarantee a precise 1/4" fillet on top and bottom.  Don't try to eyeball this step... You'll  likely be sorry.

Now press top and bottom and get ready for the quilting process.  You will note I haven't cut away any excess seam allowances.  To my thinking... what's there seems to add stability to this small quilt... so I'm leaving it all there. 
 Back to the front and here's what we get!  I'll pin this piece to take with me to Lake Tahoe in a week... A whole week of quilting small pieces I have been holding on to. This little piece will either be sold ( holler if you want) or be donated for a fundraiser. I've donated 3 pieces to organizations this year so I'm okay with selling this one (or another similar already finished) if you're interested. Comment or email me at patt@pattsart.com. 


Friday, September 18, 2015

SAQA's 2015 Benefit Auction Starts TODAY

  Along with hundreds of other artists donations, a seriously quilted piece of this image of my red lion  is up for auction starting today Sept 18th.
Studio Art Quilt Associates holds one annual benefit auction. This years starts today.  It's a great chance to own someones work you like.  All pieces are appx. 12" x 12" making them more affordable.
Auctioning is done across several weeks group /section by section . There are 4 sections/groupings of quilts.  Mine is in section 3 which formally starts  step down pricing beginning Oct 5... BUT all quilts are available at top bidding pricing for 3 days beginning today.

9-18 afternoon- UPDATE: I'm both pleased and admittedly a bit shocked in the very best way... This piece has quickly sold on the very first day for $1K to a private collector in Maryland! THANK YOU!  There are hundreds of pieces remaining and I am looking at a couple myself.  Happy Friday all!!!

click here to go to view section 3 ( which includes the Red Lion) quilt . You'll see buttons to view all quilts/sections.

click here to see explanations of the auction process, prices, and timing.

Here is a link directly to detail of the  quilted red lion .... you'll also see a button for a Utube video on the creation process...

I have my eye on a couple myself!
Happy Quilting!!!!

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Houston Int'l Festival Donation for Auction



Amongst all the other excitement at Late October's Int'l. Quilt Festival is a small quilt silent auction of donations made/given by many of the current and past teachers.  I had already sent a mixed media donation a couple mos. back... but had this small painting started so finished and quilted this weekend for another option to be considered by  festival attendees.  This piece began with lavendar eyes... I was thinking about Liz Taylor's eyes  and thought mack the knife would have liked them.
Everything built around those eyes... then the quilting fun began.

 You might note some small frixion pen fill patterns drawn in pink. I sometimes decide what I will 'fill' with and mark in 1 erasable quilting motif in the scale I think I want..  So here goes..
 Following  the addition of some simple background grid  in the mint green color... I stitched the flared edges of the sun..

Then filled the rest of the lady sun in a simple soft curvy teardrop pattern.
Time for the 'boy' moon... A small scale triangular scroll seems to work. 
A free motion outline follows for the drawn  circle scrolls.
The 4 corner edge sun flares need quilting too. 

The  silver metallic / flat gray zig zag border calls for simple zig zag quilting in this case...alternately  skipping over every other like  'zag to give off an interesting raised motif.   The end result was FUN! 

A 1/4 inch binding of similar fabric in turquoise and we're done but for the sleeve/ label added on back. 



Giclee on Fabric




I was asked who I like for printing on fabric.  'Tis ... Studio West Gallery in Anthem ( North Phoenix) Arizona.
42407 N Vision Way, Suite 105, Phoenix, AZ 85056  (602)  448 3879
Click Here to go to www.studiowestgallery.com
email doug@studiowestgallery.com

Studio West printed the above  "uploaded" image on silk..  The Winged Lion appears as Machine Quilting Unlimited's    September 2015 issue "Jaw Dropper" on the magazines final page.
(mqumag.com)