Miniature Butterfly Wall Quilt

I fell in love with this block it is approximately 14" square.  It was made with something like 60 pieces.  

If you could see it up close you would be just amazed.  I quilted it with all different stitches with my Husqvarna Viking Designer SE.  The SE has an awesome foot that has a spring to make free motion quilting a snap.  You just screw on the foot, set your SE for free motion (drops the feed dogs) and select a stitch.  The best advise I can give is to hold your thread when you start.  This will bring the  bobbin thread to the top this seems to produce the prettiest stitches.  Also always use a new needle.

Cloth, Paper, Scissors Tea Party Challenge

This was my submission to Cloth, Paper, Scissors Mixed-Media Tea Party Challenge. The magazine issued a challenge to make a mixed-media piece in keeping with a tea party theme. They suggested that we use motifs or colors that evoke harvest, gratitude and celebrations. The posted the winners on the quilting arts magazine blog today. Mine was not one of them :0(

I enjoyed making this piece. It is a tea box made from a box that I took apart and made a pattern. Sewed strips of batik fabrics onto fast to fuse and then assembled a tea box. Inside is a liner bag like you receive in a real tea box. The tea bags have wooden tags that have words on each that were printed out in different fonts. A really fun challenge- can't wait to try the next one.

Houston International Quilt Show Kits

OHHH the 2008 Houston International Quilt Show brochure arrived yesterday...Yay! After reading it cover to cover many times, mom and I registered for our classes. Very Exciting- we went last year and had soooo much fun. Even though we live just outside of Dallas, this area of North Texas does not really have any shops that specialize in mixed-media or art quilting. The closest shop is in Lewisville (about a hour away each way). So I am embarrassed to say that I went a little crazy buying art quilting kits and supplies that I had NEVER seen before and was afraid I would not see again in my area.

BUT I still have a basket of "kits" and projects that I just HAD to have last year. Herein lies the challenge. For each kit/project that I finish before October 29th (when we leave for the quilt show this year) I can buy another project. But I am going to hold myself to the fact that if I do not finish any that I bought last year...I can't buy any new ones this year.

I'll post photos as I finished the kits (must get right one this can't imagine going to the Houston International Quilt Show and not be able to buy anything)

Fish bowl quilt

Fish Bowl Quilt- finished today for the girls room. I cheated on the binding and did not hand sew it, instead I used the blanket stitch on my husqvarna viking se. You can't really tell that it is not hand stitched down. The trick is to make the stitch wide (6.0) and short (2.0).

Texas Quiltworks Challenge Quilt

Well here it is.  My "big girl quilt" that I made for the Texas Quiltworks challenge.  The shop posted a challenge in January where we had to purchase 2 yards of their "mystery" fabric and from that we were suppose to make a quilt (with other fabrics added of course).  The mystery fabric was supposed to be a main fabric in the quilt top.  The quilt also had to be quilted and bound.  

I called this my "big girl" quilt because it is the first good sized quilt ( I prefer to make art quilts and smaller wall hangings) that I pieced, quilted and bound myself.  It is not perfect but it was fun to make and I learned a lot about what to do and not to do next time.  I am really proud of the binding and piecing but not so proud of the actual quilting.  I used the fusible batting, pins and started from the center and worked my way out, but I still had some puckering. But with practice everything gets better.  

Found some really great fabric at hancock fabrics on clearance that will be perfect for practice.  I am going to make some quilt sandwiches and practice with those.  I think also when I practice I will use my quilt pounce with an easier stencil until I master that then move to a more detailed one.  Live and learn...but at least I tried.

Mystery Postcard Challenge Fibers

Fibers mailed to the mystery postcard challenge group.  I'll post photos of the postcards that I receive made from the materials.  The last exchange we did was awesome.

Yellow Quilters Artist Trading Cards

Yellow Quilters Trading Cards made for my exchange partners at postcard pizzazz.

Hand embroidered pillow

Mom hand embroidered this pillow for her secret pal. I beaded it for her and put it together. A beautiful gift. As you can see we work well together...LOL

Cat Quilt for Mimi

When Drew and I drove to San Antonio for the Husqvarna Viking Convention, we decided to stop at a bunch of quilt shops along the way.  Drew wants to have a Texas quilt this year for his new bed.  We enjoyed the shop in Saledo so much that we stopped there on the way back too.  While I was at the convention, Drew stayed at Mimi & Grandpa's house.  Mimi has a few house cats and is also taking care of a handful of stray cats in the neighborhood so when Drew saw the cat fabric it was a must have for Mimi.

Embroidered Birthday Fabric Postcard

Sewn and embroidered with a Husqvarna Viking Designer SE, the embroidered Fabric Postcard made from Cactus Punch Embroidery Design and lettering added with Husqvarna Viking 4D Pro.  I used rayon silky threads.

Quilted Security Dongle and Key Chain

Husqvarna Viking 4 D Professional software has a security dongle that comes with the program.  In order to access the 4D programs you activate the dongle and must have the dongle inserted into the USB port in your computer to run the software.

The top corner of the dongle has a plastic hole that you can attach a key ring.  So I figured why use a standard key chain right when we have a great opportunity to be creative!

Why not make a dongle keeper or key chain holder.  These are fantastic to have when taking classes with other folks that are also using software with dongles. What a bummer it would be to accidently switch dongles with someone and not know it till you got home.  You'd have to waste your time playing detective instead of spending your time sewing.

Quilted Ladies by Bonnie Colonna

My version...Ally the Art Quilter

Have you ever come across a sewing or embroidery pattern to meet the designer shortly after? I found the Quilted Ladies embroidery patterns several months ago and have made several as gifts. Then in June I had the privilege of meeting the designer Bonnie Colonna and now I LOVE the pattern even more. Bonnie is one of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. She is kind, thoughtful, a really easy going fun person to be around. If you like to embroider and want a super fun quick project you should go to Bonnie's site and take a look at her quilted ladies. She has lots of different ones you can make and you can customize them as I did above.

www.quiltedcollectibles.com

Orange Quilters Trading Cards - QTC

Orange quilters trading cards made to exchange with postcard pizzazz group.

Toddler Car Seat Covers

My husband bought me a new car the other day so I thought Mary & Maddie needed new car seat covers to cover their toddler seats.  This time, I also made a car seat pad to go under the seat so that it does not leave any marks on my new car seats.  

The hot pink and zebra was really fun to work with.  The zebra fabric is cotton and the hot pink is a recycled fleece fabric that is made from recycled bottles.  Super soft and pretty- can't wait to pick the girls up from swimming camp today to see it.

Red Quilters Trading Cards

Red Quilters Trading Cards Made To Exchange with Postcard Pizzazz Group.

Pin Weaving - A Great Way to Recycle Old Yards and Threads

Pretty happy with my second attempt at pin weaving.  In February I attended Education In Textile Arts Dallas, one of the classes offered was in pin weaving.  Or fiber dance I believe it was called, taught by Shirley Adams.  

This would be a great way to use up extra threads, fibers and yarns.  After you make your pin weaved piece of art, you can frame it or work the pin weaved piece into wearable art.  For more information, you can write to Shirley Adams, P.O. Box 688, Plainfield, IN 46168

Recycled Soda Cans - Fabric Postcard Art

"Zero Calorie Quilting"

A series of three fabric postcards made from recycled soda and juice cans.  These postcards are really fun to make and a great way to recycle old soda, juice and power drink cans.  When looking for cans to use I looked for colorful ones with different designs.  You just have to be careful when cutting the soda cans.  

I am submitting these with an article to Cloth, Paper, Scissors Magazine- wish me luck!

Sewing Room Re-Design

As you can probably tell from reading any of my websites I LOVE Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine and Quilting Arts Magazine. After reading one of their latest publications "Studios" my sewing studio HAD to go through yet another redesign. If you have not read the issue yet, its really worth the read! It was wonderful to take a peek into the artists sewing rooms/studios...I am so nosey. You can see my latest sewing room renovations and reorganization photo's at the bottom of this post. My sewing room has really evolved as my sewing business/art has evolved. As you can see from the first photos the sewing room was built by my dad from an extra storage space in our home. At the time the twins were really young and I needed a place to sew/work that would also keep my machines and tools away from the kids.

Sewing Room Construction (Originally posted years ago on our family site allysgoodies.com

The construction and redesign the sewing room has gone though many transformations over the last few years as it has become less of a manufacturing room (when I made over 40 shopping cart covers a week, uggh my fingers hurt thinking about it.) to more of a design studio (as I ramped up the pattern design part of my company www.sewfunpatterns.com) then to the design and mixed media art studio that it is today.

Original sewing Room - Photos of the sewing room in 2005 when it was bare bones..sew and ship those covers and nap mats.

2006 Sewing Room - When we moved from manufacturing (hired a lot of it out to other stay at home moms to free up time to design more sewing patterns.

Allison Ray 2007 Sewing Studio Design - I'll never be the same after discovering art quilting! Joined Dallas Area Fiber Artists, Dallas Stampers, Fiber Art Traders and Started Postcard Pizzazz. My husband stopped telling people that I was a seamstress and started telling people that his wife is a fiber artist.

December 24, 2007 I made one of the best decisions ever! I went out to pick up some Christmas Eve snacks and came home with Benjamin instead. Who need snacks when you have a an adorable puppy! Benjamin is the cutest, most patient, loving Chihuahua ever. People tell me all the time they can't believe he is not a nippy, snippy, yappy dog. He is just a doll. Benjamin lays in his bed while I sew and once in a while I'll make him a new Jacket or vest and he just eats up the attention. What a ham. The only dog I have ever seen that will let me fit him with a paper pattern then let me try on a jacket until it fits perfectly.

Sew Green- Recycled Soda Can Fabric Postcard

Zero Calories Fabric Postcard - Finally an addiction that is actually good for you...Fabric Postcards.  I guarantee that you can't make just one of them, but not to worry these fabric postcards have no calories, no fat, no carbs.

This fabric postcard was made from a Diet Rite Soda can, batik bubble fabric (thought it looked like carbonation) vintage buttons and scrap of fancy yarn for that little extra pizzazz.

This was super easy to make.  All you need are some recycled materials, fast-2-fuse, soda can, buttons, threads and sewing machine (but you can hand sew if you like.)

Zentangle - Relaxing Doodle Art

I was invited to a class in Dallas about creating Zentangle art.  

Zentangle what is that?  

After a quick google I found their website, www.zentangle.com.  Oh my...I am in love.  What a beautiful abstract art form that is easy, portable and relaxing.  If you love to doodle like I do you should definitely check it out.