Spring wedding and anniversary embroideries

By on 3-14-2011 in Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

holiday transfers

The Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazine was a great little magazine and this insert from 1992 has plenty of cute and timely embroidery patterns. This month I am posting the wedding and anniversary page. If you need a cute embroidery for that spring or summer bride this would be ideal. It could be used as a gift tag or embroidered onto a little ring pillow. The anniversary pattern would be great with a photo of the couple printed in the center or on an album cover with photos from their life together. Both frames could be used for quilt labels as well.

wedding embroideries

Vintage Stained Glass Pattern…..quilt label or book plate

By on 3-06-2011 in Vintage Patterns

vintage stained glass

A vintage stained glass pattern can lend itself to a pretty quilt label or book plate. The panel was published in the McCall’s Needlework Fall/Winter 1974 magazine. A silk scarf, painted with this pattern would make a great gift. It would also be a very pretty used for discharge dying. I liked the pattern so much I coloured it to use as a quilt label. It would also be great quilted and beaded onto the flap of a little fabric envelope along with a little chain for a handle.

quilt label

stained glass pattern

Here is a pdf document containing the photo, pattern and three quilt labels. McCall’s fall/winter 1974 stained glass pattern and quilt labels

Asters….the last wild flower of the season

By on 10-10-2010 in art quilts, Original Pattern, Original photos

asters

When the wild purple asters appear you know summer is over and autumn has begun. My favourites are the deep purples. Beautiful against the greens and turning autumn leaves they seem to bloom forever. I think these asters would look great embroidered on a pillowcase edge.

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Here is a pattern for the aster. I created the pattern by working from a photo in Photoshop, printed out and then traced around the petals and center of the flower. It would look great embroidered by either machine or by hand along the border of a table cloth. A quilted table runner or place mat could have one giant flower.

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Vikki Pignatelli’s Quilting by Improvisation

By on 8-16-2010 in art quilts, Artists and Authors that I love

null Quilting by Improvisation: Exploring Curves, Openwork and Dimention by Vikki Pignatelli. Published by Dragon Threads, 2006.…….. Vikki creates beautiful, bold landscapes using new techniques that capture your imagination. She passes along her keen understanding of colour and fabrics. Chapter 2 has the best instruction on colour I have read. Through the chapters she covers tools, fabrics and technique. There are lots of stunning photos and step-by-step guides. This book is a must have for anybody who wants to take their quilting to the next step and into the realm of art.

July is Day Lily Month

By on 7-23-2010 in art quilts, Fabric Postcards, Original Pattern, Original photos

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Day Lilies are my favourite wild flower. They grow everywhere, lending their bright orange colour to even the dullest days. I don’t have to water or feed or weed them. These two photos are from the plants growing beside the driveway. They make my heart sing every time I look out the window during the month of July.

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I couldn’t leave this astounding image alone. Here is a pattern for the day lily. This flower would look great on a postcard. I created it in the Quilt Assistant software which can be found by clicking the link: www.cosman.nl/software_en in my “sites I love” column on the right side. I use Quilt Assistant software often, setting up a library of images that I can use when I feel the creative urge. It works well, is easy to use and best of all it is free.

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