Saturday, February 19, 2011

Finished!

See how the colors POP once the stitching is done???  Well....off to the next project... it's crunch time!

Friday, February 18, 2011

100 Quilt Blocks

Hi!

I'm just winding up the day and trying to get this Christmas quilt block ready to stitch (have to have something to do when I'm sitting in front of the tv this weekend!) This is a block I drew up today for an up-coming issue of 100 Quilt Blocks. I was playing around with the little dresden and thought it kind of looked like a poinsettia.....hence the leaf! Then I put a candy cane stem on it and now I think it looks like a Christmas lollipop...........I think I'm going to do something with these "lollipops" on it! I'm really liking it!! The crayon tinting will really pop once the embroidery is around it...isn't it funny how that works? If you haven't tried the tinting yet, this is a pretty good example of how much color you need...doesn't look like much yet....but just wait!
Have a great weekend!
xox (and, it seems, Merry Christmas!??) Meg



Wednesday, February 16, 2011

WHAT are the white crayons for???

So many questions!!!  Here's the gist of it.........

  • The instructions for the infamous white crayons is below...I think it's the Feb. 1st post.  They're really, really necessary to get the look that I'm trying to show you. 
  • Yes, you can wash a quilt that's been color tinted this way.  Wash in cold water and don't use a detergent that contains baking soda....you know, the one with the bulging muscles and the hammer!? Legend has it that it will remove the crayon...I've never tried it tho and I got the info from an unreliable source....SO, better safe than sorry!  I'm not going to say that it would be a good idea to wash it frequently...but once in a while will be OK.
  • YES!!!  Both "Calendula Patterdrip's Cottage" and "Which Witch's Boot" will be realeased in May at International Quilt Market in Salt Lake City.  I'll have many other new patterns at that time that will be released too!................AND OTHER SUPRISES!!!
  • OH!!!  And Happy Valentine's Week!!!  Don't you think we deserve a whole week??? Flowers every day.....Valentines every day in the mail?.........I know.....dream on!
XOX Meg

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

DONE!!

Yes...it's 6:30 and I should be in the house making dinner....BUT...I was so close to finishing I just couldn't stop.  Calendula Patterdrip's Cottage is ready to send to the quilter...YAY!!! Hope you like it! 
xox  Meg

PS....I think it's going to be a Brickhouse Pizza night!


More about the white crayons...

Some teacher's supply shops carry the boxes of all white crayons (our local shop doesn't...how DARE they do that to me??? LOL!!)
I tried ordering them from the Crayola website but couldn't find them anywhere...poor little, un-loved white crayons!  I'm sure there's a distributor out there somewhere that has them (for wholesale purchase) but I couldn't find one.  I got mine from the Dick Blick art supply website, which if you're at all artsy is a VERY dangerous place to shop!!!  I'm going to ask a couple of the distributors that carry my patterns if they'd be willing to also carry the white crayons so they'll be more accessible for needlework and quilt shops.....we'll see!...........

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Why the white Crayons????????

OK!.... NO, I HAVEN'T LOST MY MIND!!!
I guess we need an explanation for the white Crayons! LOL!!!

Some of the patterns are tinted with colored Crayola Crayons.  It's a really fun technique that looks SO COOL when it's done right!!!  I like to start the process by coloring any area that's going to be tinted with white crayon.  It sort of "fills" the weave of the fabric and smooths it out to create a base for the colored crayons.  It also helps with the blending of colors..........SO!!! You can go through quite a bit of white crayon in a single project.  In the new "Calendula Patterdrip's Cottage" I used almost 3 white crayons.  Having to buy another ENTIRE box of colored crayons just to get one, single, lousy white crayon is just, well......maddening!  But....having a little box of all white on hand.....is.....happy-ing!  Yes, that's a new word.

Color tinting is really easy......

1.  Trace the design onto the fabric as usual

2.  Make sure your work surface is clean and smooth and there isn't any lint/threads on the back of the     fabric.

3.  Color all areas that you'll be tinting somewhat heavily with white crayon.

4.  Tint all areas as directed in the pattern (or use your own imagination!) I like to use a little circular motion........

5.  Heat set with a hot iron by laying a white paper towel over the tinted area and pressing (you'll smell the wax)  Remove the paper towel and look at it.....if there's ANY color on it repeat the pressing process with a clean paper towel.

xo Meg