Madrona Road Challenge – inspiration

Indy Modern quilt guild is participating in the Madrona Road Challenge by Violet Craft.  Over the next month I need to create something using these gorgeous prints but lacking inspiration right now.

First stop…over to Violet Craft’s blog to find out how she created these fabrics.  They are a balance of both floral and strong line prints.   If the gypsy daughter she speaks of has these, “rooted father and a gypsy mother,” that could explain the contrasting prints.  Our guild has the blue color way.

I can only add in one more print from the line and solids to make my creation.  I’m pondering just playing with the strong line prints and the florals separately.  Not sure how that will play out.

What have I pinned on my boards recently that could work as inspiration?

I’m leaning towards lots of white space to really showcase the prints but have some structure in my piecing.  For solids I’m going to throw in dark gray, black and light blue to coordinate.

Nursery Inspiration

Picking a theme for your new bundle of joy can be difficult.  Everything in the stores is either has too many animals, too girly (we don’t know what Porter is yet), or just obnoxious.

Once I had a sneak peek of Bella from Lotta Jansdotter I knew my nursery had to be in that.  BTW…I wasn’t even pregnant yet, but knew that was it.  The colors and prints could be for either a boy or girl.

Plus I have a bit of fabric left over from the Lovebird’s quilts that could be a nice accent.  I don’t want a nursery that screams BIRDS, but a small touch is okay.

While out at the Indie Vintage & Arts Marketplace in September my friends and I saw this great gray dresser.  They had repurposed one of the dressers to have small white stripes, with a bit of yellow and wonderful blue knobs.  I tried to explain to hubby, but I’m sure he imagined this.

He’s envisioning zebra stripes and it’s really just a couple of stripes from the top to the bottom on the left hand side.  Of course I didn’t take a picture that day.

We know someone moving half way around the world and needing to get rid of stuff.  Score for us, because one of their dressers is perfect to make our own attempt at repurposing again.

Over the Rainbow Charm Swap

A couple of months ago I was apart of a Rainbow Charm swap.  The goal was to have everyone send 2 prints in their assigned colors.  Lots of great prints were selected in all colors.  My charms are sitting beside me in the sewing room awaiting inspiration.  Check my Pinterest board for rainbow inspired ideas.

Rainbow Charm Inspiration

I had orange and I sent two Kate Spain prints that I enjoy and didn’t want to see one leave the stash.  No worries I added some yardage for when I’m ready to do more.  Okay hoarding the Central Park print from my local quilt shop.

Good Fortune print
Central Park print

Here are some of the things group members have created in the Flickr group.  Also, a sneak peek of some of the wonderful prints I received.  Using these will be on my list for August.

Blogger Panel at AAFCS – Giveaway

A couple of weeks ago the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences held their annual conference in Indianapolis.  Coats & Clark was having an outbreak session on The Resurgence of Sewing and the Role of Bloggers.  One of our Indy Modern girls, Lindsay (read her write up here), has worked with Coats & Clark in the past for a tutorial and the connection was born.

Lynn Browne & I at the booth.

Did you know this is the 200 year of Coats & Clark?  Visit, www.coatsandclark200years.com for more information on their history.

An interesting read.

As part of the blogger panel we discussed how blogging and social media has had an influence on what we do and getting information out to new sewists, etc.  Many of the people in attendance were home economics teachers and 4-H leaders.  I think it was great for them to see younger women to involved in sewing and see our passion.

Five members of the Indianapolis Modern Quilt Guild spoke and answered questions.  All of us have different styles for using social media.  Some blog more, some tweet, and some just use the web for inspiration.  I was so happy to be apart of the program and convince my boss to let me have some time off work that night.

These were a gift for being apart of the panel.  So I thought I would share and offer a giveaway for the thread sampler below.  One of the questions we got was who got you started in sewing.  So I will pass that question along to you, who taught you to sew?

So many colors.

Use the Rafflecopter giveaway entry form below.  You can leave comments but the answer for the giveaway needs to go in the Rafflecopter entry.  Giveaway runs 7/9-7/15.  A winner will be announced on 7/16.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Upcycle/Recycle – LisamariesPiece

Meet LisaMarie from LisamariesPiece.  She has always had an affection for vintage jewelry.  Her store reminds me of raiding my grandma’s jewelry box to play dress up when I was younger.

*Tell me a bit about you and your Etsy shop.
I’ve always been crafty and in love with making things with my hands. My jewelry and Etsy shop came to be when my family life changed. The economy had its affect on our family, and my husband joined the US Army. Needless to say; moving was a way of life. My mind needed a release, as well as much needed peace. With a play on words, LisamariesPiece was born.

*How did you get started using upcycled/recycled products?
At a young age, I was one of those rare kids that love going antiquing. Antiquing is a gift my parents never knew they gave me. At the time, I remember being drawn to the jewelry cases, but what was I going to do with old brooches and hat pins? I know the answer to that question now.

*What do you like the most about using those products?
It may seem weird, but I love holding the pieces in my hands above all. They were once special to someone. Each brooch, each earring, each bracelet has a story. I pick up a piece, and I know exactly what I am going to do with it.

*What do you like the least? Challenges?
I love what I do. I think I love it so much because no one is telling me how and when I make a piece. The biggest challenge is me having to put down and stop a piece because it’s 2am. I tend to create at night.

*How do you find inspiration?
My inspiration is new life. I’ve had a second chance with life, friends, and family. I drew great humility from my new life. Everything and everyone deserves a second chance.

*What feedback do you have from others about using these products?
My best feedback actually comes BEFORE the purchase. I receive private messages from women telling me that they love a particular hair comb or cuff and that they intend on wearing it in their wedding. A great sense of happiness washes over me because someone loves a piece enough to make it part of a special episode of their lives.

Her favorite item:

Upcycle/Recycle – wassupbrothers

Meet Olga from wassupbrothers on Etsy.  Her shop is based on softie creatures and cuties (mostly owls) made and created by her.

Here is what she has to say about her shop, inspiration, and using upcycled/recylced items.

Some years in my life I was uncontrolled user, not shopaholic, but I’ve used too many things I don’t need. Unnecessary, and needless things. I used too much, I ate too much, all that bling blings in ears ,and cosmetic.

In 2009 i start being vegan and many things get clear for me about food, life,and everything.

I think people have to think, why do they have to buy something, if they can do it for their self. Planet resources are not endless. And I’m happy the number of people who think about it and want to change something is growing.

Recycled and handmade things have not only ethic nature, its always about past and story behind them. They are soulful and have many energy.

My inspiration come from nature, morning sunshine, pieces of fabrics, my wonderful funny dogs. Sometimes you can take one strange buttщn and in the end you have beautiful bird or lion. You never know what you will have in the end, that’s why I do not use patterns mostly.

Feedback. I have positive feedback from others about it. here in Russia we have many misunderstanding in recycling and eco issue, but anyway, my friends use recycled, upcycled products and make them for their self also.

Her favorite thing on the day I asked was this wonderful owl pendant.