Photos from our Spring Flower Workshop Yesterday

Spring has sprung, at least in Williamsburg where we spent the day creating scrappy collage backgrounds with fused flowers on top.  I am so proud of all the students - they dove right in and had a great time!

just needs leaves and a stem!

three patterns to choose from...

laying out and pinning a collaged background from scraps

ready to sew!

so many scraps to choose from!

selecting thread

Suzi uses perfect hand position for free-motion stitching

tracing the flower to fusible web

lady's slipper orchid in progress

almost done tracing and fusing!

fusing pattern pieces

using the non-stick pressing sheet

selecting just the right purples

the room way busy

the machines were humming

some machines worked better than others, so we shared!

choosing a green for the base of the flower

wake robin (trillium) ready to stitch!

lovely pale background - the flower shows up well!

Wunderley decided to do her own flowers!

lady's slipper ready for stitching and veins in the leaf

Finished!

orchid options

I do lady's slipper orchids two ways... both hold up well, but it gives the flower a different look.  This is not stitched at all yet - the veins haven't been added to leaves, etc.  It's just a sample of the layout for my next piece.

sometimes I use pink foil for the main part of the flower (this is florist's foil, the stuff that comes wrapped around your potted plants)

                           sometimes I use regular cotton fabric like with most other projects

Tina's Garden Quilt and Cathy's Ocean Quilt Are Finished!

Tina and Cathy took my landscape workshop last fall. Tina just completed her Monet's Garden, and Cathy has finished her Ocean quilt - I just love them! 

The lacy wave is full of energy, and the borders Cathy added really set it off.

The blue colors are some of my favorites, and I love the little boat in the corner!

Mondrian Meets Fibonacci

Finally finished my  brother's x-mas/b-day gift.  This goes with the throw pillows I made him last year.  (I cheated at the very center and added a small galaxy.)

Needle & Thread: Fiber Art for All Seasons

Check out some of my latest work at Living Art Studio, 219 Main Street, Northampton, (upstairs from the Inspirit Crystals shop).  Exhibit will be up through April 10.  Hours are 11-8 pm daily, weather permitting.  413-584-3758 if you want to call ahead.  Sorry, venue is not handicapped accessible. 

Flower Quilt Workshop April 7: Space Still Available!

Lady's Slipper Orchid - class sample, not stitched yet, includes hand-drawn veins on leaves

Join me to make a Flower Art Quilt on April 7 in Williamsburg.  There are several spaces still available.  We'll work from 10-4 to make a small scrappy collaged background with a fused and quilted raw edged applique flower on top.  Choose from wake robin (easy), lady's slipper (intermediate), or iris (advanced) or I will help you design a pattern for the flower of your choice.
 
Suitable for intermediate quilters, or anyone who is good friends with their sewing machine!  Some free-motion stitching experience is helpful.  Cost is $35, payable on or before the class date!  Lunch not included.  See the flower gallery on my website for more samples:  www.sylvanquilts.com.

Email or message me to sign up.  SylvanQuilts@yahoo.com 

Wake-Robin (Red Trillium)

Showy Iris - class sample in progress, needs more stitched highlights on the petals

Morning Glories - sample for designing your own flower!

Yesterday's Landscape Quilt Workshop

Wow, what a talented group we had yesterday for our landscape workshop!  My head is already full of ideas about what we need to do next time!  Eight brave students turned out to spend 6 hours designing everything from Monet's garden to the Sierras, summery green hills, an ocean, vineyards, and a wintery back yard!  I had a blast.  Everyone jumped right in, and we had fabric EVERYWHERE!

Here are some in progress snapshots.  My phone didn't save as many pics as I thought 'cause the memory was filling up, but hopefully folks will send me shots of their finished pieces as they stitch them up over the coming weeks!  I am very proud of everyone!

The Classroom, with everyone hard at work

Tina brought THE most beautiful fabric!

cutting out trees using a leaf pattern

the sky for an ocean scene

yes, we used lots of fabric...

winter gazebo!

Suzi was very enthusiastic!

Pinned and ready-to-stitch.  What a great job for a first-time student! I love the touch of sunlight in the distance.

Vineyards pin-basted.  Gorgeous colors.

Rising sunflower with crane.

Planning the sky.

Aspens in the Sierras.