Altered File Folders

The only paper crafting I have been doing lately is altering plain manila file folders.  What fun they have been for playing with Distress Spray Stains and Distress Oxide Sprays!  The results are unpredictable.

This was my first batch.  The original photos have disappeared from my iPad, so I’m not able to show them individually.  However, they can be seen on my Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CbAsz76ulXf/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

These were my second batch.

Individually...

    

I devised a system to make the tabs replaceable so if the contents of the folder changes, the description tab can also be changed without marring the original folder tab.

This is the most recent folder I’ve altered.

    

These folders make filing a whole lot more fun!

Dragons Wall Quilt

There is a lover of dragons in my family.

I took on this panel to alter.  I didn’t really like the border design.

It took me several months (almost a year) to come up with a plan for framing the dragons.  I didn’t want the overall size to grow any larger.  I began by chopping off the borders around the dragons.  I knew I wanted to use half square triangles (hst) so I made some.  I made them with Kona black.  I had a piece of white dot black with a hint of light black that I really wanted to use.  I needed to cut it sparingly in hopes of stretching it far enough for the plan.

Time to sew them in strips and see how they work and look.

I love how this panel and the hst fabrics just seem to glow.

My daughter commented that the backing looked like dragon scales.  I had to agree.  I hadn’t even thought about that when I purchased the fabric.

Here it is in all it’s glowing glory.

After fretting about this panel for so long I’m really happy with how it turned out.

It finished at 40.5”X35.5”

I was messing around with an idea for my over abundance of decorative threads one day and made this tag and attached it to the back of the quilt.  This idea needs some work.

March 2022 Calendar Journal

Spring weather is getting closer!  That makes me happy.

Alphabet Quilt

This is the panel that drew me away from paper crafting and back into my sewing space.

For a long time I’ve wanted to make an alphabet quilt.  But I didn’t want to make the letters and I wanted them to look artsy.  When I bought this panel, I didn’t know it was a Marcia Derse design.  No wonder I love this panel.

(Not to worry, all those prewash wrinkles will disappear as I work with the panel)

I didn’t need to worry about wonky with this panel.  The alphabet is intentionally somewhat wonky so any further wonky added during printing the panel would not be an issue.  Looking closely at the panel, the letters are collaged on notebook pages.  First thing I did was cut the notebook pages apart. 

I wanted the letters to be separated from each other, so I cut them apart.  That left raw edges very close to most of the letters.  I cut 1/4” strips of Wonder Under and fused it to that raw edge on the wrong side.

    

I then fused that raw edge to a strip of another fabric and stitched a zig zag to applique the two pieces together.  That would allow me to have a seam allowance for piecing.

I arranged the letters in rows, staggering them somewhat.  I then began a rather measured improv piecing to make them into uniform length blocks.  But within each block itself, if it was wonky, I left it that way.  You can see what I mean in the closeup below. (The a, B and C are the most obvious).



A close up of the first row.

After getting the quilt body all sewn together, I added a narrow 1/2” purple border and a scrappy neutral border outside that border.

I almost forgot to get the selvedge into the quilt!  My panel didn’t have any color dots (sad face).  As the finished quilt top waited on the design wall for me to get a backing, I decided I didn’t like the narrow purple framing border.

I started thinking about how I could change that.

A bit of a wild idea came to mind.  So out came my overflowing storage box of selvedges.

Continuing with the measured improv, I trimmed and stitched selvedges over the top of the purple border.



I think I’m figuring out my style...eclectic.

When I pin baste my quilt layers together, I don’t leave much backing and batting extending past my quilt top.

Quilting with a walking foot has proven that the backing and batting don’t pull inwards, so I stopped wasting extra fabric for the basting and quilting process.  I mostly just quilt with straight lines as this look is my favorite.  

Now look at the fun mistake I made and discovered halfway through the quilting.

I set the Z block upside down.

I began to panic!  What about the H?  What about the I?  What about the N?  What about the O?  What about the S?  All just fine.  Then I got to the W and I noticed a portion of the map was upside down and I thought I used the M upside down!  Then I remembered the m was lower case.  Whew!!!

So just the Z is flipped.  I decided it is a fun mistake and I’m embracing it.

Now I know my ABCs ... and flipped Z!

Costume Maker’s Ball Wall Quilt

This was another gifted panel.  The designs by J. Wecker Frisch are quite unique and whimsical and they all make me smile.  This is the panel as it can be purchased.

I cut apart the images.  I dug into my stash to see what I had in the way of black and white checks.  There were more than I thought and I decided they didn’t all need to be white.  There is even a harlequin print in the mix.  

And then the evils of a panel came to life.  One reason I am not a big fan of panels is that they never seem to be printed or woven straight.  Or maybe that’s just my luck.  Then I added insult to injury choosing to frame each image with the checks.  I liked them...even without sashing.

But sashing won out.  It bothered me all during the making that the quilt might turn wonky and prove to be undisguiseable or unforgiving.  I kept along with it anyway...hoping...

This panel was really fun to work on despite its challenges.

Binding choice was easy.  No surprise here, right?!

I had to include the words that ran alongside the panel.  

I can’t believe that I forgot to work the selvedge into the quilt design!  How fun is that selvedge!

This wall quilt is quite large, measuring 51” X 30”.

Ta-Da!  All done.  If you don’t look too close, the wonk isn’t too noticeable.

(At the time of the photo, I hadn’t yet gotten a dowel for hanging)

Did you notice the panel has a sewing theme?

On to the next project...........

Bunting

I was gifted four very fun fabric panels.  Now that the sewing bug has bit me again, I began with this sweet bunting panel.  (It is actually a panel and a half).  I’m sure these triangular shaped prints can be made into many things, I wanted buntings.

The panel is a Riley Blake Design by J. Wrecker Frisch, Joy Studio

I cut the pieces apart with some almost-as-old-as-me pinking shears.  Then I stitched the pieces to batting and a backing and then trimmed the backing. As I began sewing the first piece, I realized that pins were not helpful.



You could make a very long bunting with these pieces. I chose to make 3 separate buntings.

Next I chose some button options to embellish the pieces.

I connected the pieces to a length of striped fabric.  Machine stitching the front and hand sewing the strip to the backs (like binding)

    

I added buttons by tying them with Perle Cotton threads.

(My ball spools say “Coton Perle”)

The first finished bunting hangs here on my half wall.

It makes me happy to see it there.  



I pinned sewing themed charms between the pieces using safety gourd pins.

This first bunting is for a special friend.  The second one now hanging on my half wall is for me.

It makes my happy space feel even happier.

My buntings measure 80” in length.

To catch up with my calendar journals, here is January and February.

We get closer and closer to Spring!  That too makes me happy.