Creative Life Sampler

T-shirt Quilt Tutorial (2 of 2) T-shirt quilt #2, 2015 The two t-shirt quilts I tackled got complicated, but you can keep it simple with large squares, straight seams and basic gridding. Let me share some tips I learned along the way. Supplies: Since t-shirts and sweatshirts are made of a knit fabric that stretches, all fabric in this project should be stabilized with light/medium weight fusible (iron-on) interfacing. You will need a lot of this relatively inexpensive item.      Tip 1 - Iron the interfacing to the inside of the garment before you cut out your square.          Tip 2 - Many garments have thickly printed images which will melt under direct heat from the iron. If you must iron the right side of the fabric, place a piece of white cotton fabric over it and watch the heat setting on the iron. (You may also find this helpful when working with the interfacing.) Process: It is easiest if all blocks are the same size.  Before cutting , la

Linen Closet- T-shirt Quilts    (1 of 2) T-shirt quilt #1, 2015 If you have been home with time on your hands, chances are you have finally turned your attention to a job you’ve been putting off for a while…cleaning out your wardrobe. Now you have a pile of novelty t-shirts or themed sweatshirts that you don’t wear any more. They represent a period in your life or an organization/cause/school you supported. They once meant something to you, but you’re ready to move on. (Some of them are beyond wearable; that’s how much they were loved.) Let’s be honest, if you try to give them away would anybody else care to have them? They can have a second life in a quilt! PS- Tomorrow I'll post a few pointers to help save your beloved garments from the landfill. 😊

A Note on Creativity The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity.  The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.  Carl Jung (1875-1961)

New Quilt Finished in March Semicircle Study 2 I've just finished my second Semicircle Study. This plays off my interest in the contours and lines created when combining straight lines with curves. In this quilt of blues, greys and teals, large and small semicircles merge with squares to create some interesting movement across the top. It measures 59.5 x 62.5 inches. It feels like a transition piece to me. I can see some things that work well and would be interesting to explore in a new project. I'll keep you posted. Note: If you'd like to see the first quilt in this series, check out this link: https://creativelifesampler.blogspot.com/2019/08/variation-on-circle-theme-split-circles.html

Beach Walk Update The rock sculptor had been to the beach recently to create an installation of several arches. It caught our eye from a distance, but it grew more interesting as you got closer. Moving from one end to the other, the arches overlapped in different ways and the installation shifted with the change in the backdrop. Pretty cool, huh? I'm still amazed every time we come across his work.