April 11, 2016
Lost in the Storm
Late last year Robert Kaufman Fabrics asked me to make this quilt using their Artisan Batik line of fabrics featuring their Floriculture 2 and Prisma Dyed Batiks.
It’s a Cathedral Window Storm at Sea based on a quilt I designed and made that was featured in Joen Wolfrom book “Color Play”. http://joenwolfrom.com/books/
I was thrilled to get the opportunity. Well, the Free Pattern is available on their website. i hope you enjoy working with the line as much as i did!
The link is here: http://www.robertkaufman.com/quilting/quilts_patterns/lost_in_the_storm/
March 13, 2015
Elegant Asian Fans
An easy introduction to the Machine Stitched Cathedral Window technique, Elegant Asian Fans uses the simplest element, a simple square folded diagonally. The base of each block is a foundation paper square with just thee pieces. Two folded squares are then basted on top. The curves happen during the quilting process.
I love Asian prints and have quite a few. This was a perfect opportunity for me to use some of them.
I just added this pattern on Crafty for those of you that like to download your own patterns. Of course you can contact me directly if you would like to buy the paper pattern.
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/elegant-asian-fans/135687
August 21, 2014
Sunflowers and Cathedral Windows
This one is for Throw Back Thursday. I came across the picture of my “Sunflowers” quilt that I made for my daughter, Sybill. It’s not a very good picture but it seems to be the only digital one I have. I think I made it around 2000. She loved Sunflowers so much that as soon as it was finished it became hers. The petals of the Sunflowers are three dimensional like I use in the Cathedral window process with four folded sides.
The two inner sides of the points are rolled and stitched into curves. I think the blocks are 15″ each so the quilt must be around 60″ square.
“Sultry Sunflowers” is the same idea but with 9″ blocks and only 8 petals as opposed to the 12 petals in “Sunflowers”. It’s probably 40″ square.
Enjoy!
November 4, 2013
Composition Book Covers with Vintage Art
It’s been a busy month and I am glad to have some down time. My Composition Books with reusable covers have been very popular and I wanted to share a few of them. I used Vintage images that I collaged in Photoshop then printed on fabric to decorate the covers. When combined with Batik fabric and coordinating felt they came out quite lovely.
Some of the graphics used in the collage process come from online sources. The Cherries and Butterfly came from The Graphics Fairy. The Roses image is from The Old Design Shop and the background writing on the roses came from Mudbay Images. It is a contract from 1792. All other art came from my own collection. One of my favorite sources is a copy of Ben Hur that I picked up at a little book store in Lake Gregory, CA for $20.00. It was published in the 1880’s and was called the General’s Edition. There are illustrations on nearly every page. The wreath is one of them.
It is a favorite pastime of mine to search Antique stores, Old book stores and swap meets for the treasures that I can scan and use in my digital artwork.
The pattern for the Neat & Nifty notebooks is available at my Etsy store as well as a number of prints and when available the finished notebooks. https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShelleysDesignWorks
August 28, 2013
Enchanted Garden Cathedral Window Quilt
“Enchanted Garden” was made around 2000 in the style of the quilts in my first book, “Machine Stitched Cathedral Windows”. It used the templates in the book but the layout is different. It belongs to my daughter, Valerie, so it doesn’t go to lectures. I came across a rare photo of this quilt and wanted to share it. Click on the quilt and it will take you to the hi-resolution version. It has always been one of my favorites.
January 18, 2013
A Bird in the Hand…..
My latest Twilt is another felted project, “A Bird in the Hand…”. I am thoroughly enjoying my felting machine. I felted several different colors of scrunch painted silk into a felt background, added felt branches and curly green roving for leaves. This was my first bird and it wasn’t easy. After I mushed it a bit I decided to add embroidery and managed to save the poor little bird. I added some pearl cotton embroidery to the branches and some silk ribbon flowers. The piece is mounted with embroidery stitches to a strip quilted batik base. I am pleased with the results but I think I need some practice making birds.
Enjoy!
For more info on the Twilts: Twitter quilts…….Twilts or see all my Twilts :Flickr Twilts Page. Click on the image of the Twilt to go directly to it’s high resolution image.
January 6, 2013
Cathedral Window Quilt – Layers of Lavender
Woo Hoo!! I just finished this quilt on consignment. I think it looks pretty nice. I used my pattern, Layers of Lavender. It’s a variation of the traditional Cathedral Window in that it is stitched with a diagonal grid and where there would be a singe curve there are two curves. That forms a chain design between the windows. It took 100 hours to make and will be sent off to it’s new owner next week.
June 12, 2012
Hearts and Flowers
Click on Twilt to see high res version on flickr
“Hearts and Flowers” is my latest Twilt. It includes paper piecing, a little Cathedral Window stuff, silk ribbon embroidery, a copy of a vintage flower silk, some crazy quilting and gathered silk in some of my favorite fabric colors.
Enjoy!
For more info on the Twilts: Twitter quilts…….Twilts or see all my Twilts : Flickr Twilts Page.
August 9, 2011
Log Cabin Roses
Rose blocks created in a Log Cabin style and a Bouquet of Dye painted rayon lace with embroidered sprays using Brazillian embroidery thread, pearl cotton, silk ribbon. french knots and beads make up this weeks Twilt, “Log Cabin Roses”. Embroidery and beads have been added to the Log Cabin Roses and three Mother of Pearl flower buttons were added as an accent. I think the fabrics used are very 80’s ish but I’m not sure. Enjoy!
For more info on the Twilts: Twitter quilts…….Twilts or see all my Twilts : Flickr Twilts Page.
June 21, 2011
A Blue Moon Twilt
This Tuesday I finished up “A Blue Moon”. This Twilt features a tin ornament of a Blue Moon in the center. I got it from a good friend, Kathi, years ago. Blue Moons are a personal totem of mine. Years ago when I decided that I would follow an artistic path I woke in the middle of the night to see a full moon hanging over the ocean. Later I discovered that it was the second full moon that month, a blue moon. It was after that sign that I got serious about designing.
Now, before anyone points it out, I know, the moon in my Twilt isn’t a Full Moon. But, it is blue. The rest of the twilt is pieced with some star printed batiks, quilted with metallic stars and I added some star sequins.
A Big Thank you to everyone who sent congrats to me for Asilomar. I just want to say how much I appreciate the gals at Empty Spools Seminars giving me this opportunity!
For more info on the Twilts: Twitter quilts…….Twilts or see all my Twilts : Flickr Twilts Page.
Snips and Bits from Shelley's Studio 