Fabric Post Card Labeling

While choosing Fabric Post Cards to mail today, I changed the inside tag/label that goes inside the cellophane cover. The label now includes the line: For other Scripture Inspired Quilted Art: and then my contact info. I also noticed that I used to sign the Post Cards with my JBheart with date and "Choose Life Studio" but now sign with my JBheart, date, name and blogspot location.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. Psalm 107:1.

Mystery Gift Preparation

Our Crafting With Kindness group is making gifts for the staff of the church. We took 3 inch wide strips of Christmas fabrics and ironed them into thirds. Then they were cut into 3 1/2 inch segments. Here's my counted stacks ready for our next meeting. Intrigued? Stay tuned.

A Little Help

I started this piece today as an excercise in adding strips. It needs something - or some things. Any suggestions?

Advent Calendars On Sale

These unique, quilted Advent Calendars are created using many fabrics, including one with a Bible Verse on it. There are 25 hand sewn buttons where the yellow ultra suede stars can be attached counting the 25 days in December until Christmas. The large button is for the large yellow star for Christmas Day. The yellow pocket on the back house the stars. Each Advent Calendar is ready to hang for Christmas. There are only 4 of these left at the sale price of $98.

Happy Snow Day

We awoke to the 4th snow day of this season and it's still snowing. Lots of birds were feasting at the feeder this AM but became shy when I got out the camera.

I finished quilting this baby quilt. It has lots of loops, stars, spirals and words. "God is LOVE - I John 4:8" is also included.


This is the beginning of another preemie quilt.

Baby Gift

I pulled out these fun 6 inch strips I have been piecing as "mice" between sewing other things and put them together in this small baby quilt. I'll add a top and bottom border then quilt it. I'm sure the Lord will reveal where it is to go when the time is right.

...Through Christ Which Strengthens Me"

I simply meander quilted the green fabrics and quilted loops on the pink fabrics. Binding applied and fused to the black covered back and it's ready to be another piece for Fiber Art For A Cause. (Google it for more info.) Auction begins May 2009.

All Dry & New Skill

Here's the piece from yesterday that is dry. I like the design but prefer a softer "hand" to the fabric than this has due to the glue. I may like that technique better with all paper than this combination of paper and fabric.

This close up shows the fabric curling a bit which will be fine after it's quilted.

Also, thanks for Terri for explaining to me how to do a different layout for my photos and text.

Fiber Art For A Cause

I began this piece wanting to use a canceled postage stamp so I dumped my batik remnants and assembled them to cover a 8X10 inch space. I then diluted white glue and spread it on a piece of off white fabric on top of some wax paper. I reassembled the remnants onto the wet glue and then added pink batik accents and a verse stamped on pattern tissue and a canceled postage stamp. The pattern tissue didn't show well so I stamped a piece of paper I had painted previously and covered the original piece later. Next I diluted some green paint and covered the piece. It's drying now. I'll quilt it when it's dry. This is another piece for Fiber Art For A Cause. (Anyone willing to explain how I can post a photo, text, photo text format?)

Playing With Remnants

I am in between projects right now, except the Fall piece I am hand quilting. So, I pulled out my batik remnant bin and begin to make square in a square and some strip sets. We'll see how they go and what will come of them. Also, I am wanting to make another piece for Fiber Art For A Cause which donates 100% of their money to Cancer Research and am wanting to try a technique I've seen on the web using fabric paper.

Re Purposed Card

A card came recently in the mail and after it had served it's purpose, I re purposed it into a new card to send out soon. Re purposed materials include: card front , tiny ribbon remnants and inside of used black folder.

Woven Fabric Wallet

I made this check book /wallet a while ago and like it a lot. The cover is 2 batik fabrics woven together and then quilted randomly incorporating the batik heart. It has several sections, each for a different categories of our budget. I did have to put new Velcro closure on it yesterday.

Redoing Canvas Backgrounds

These 8 X 10 pieces were previously sewn to painted black canvases and are in some of the Sept. 2008 entries. This week I removed the quilted art and repainted the canvases since even minor handling had mussed the black paint a bit and then sprayed a sealer on it. Next I resewed each piece back onto the newly prepared canvases. I think next time, if there is a next time, I'll choose more of a matte sealer. What do you think?

Flattening A Wall Quilt

I finished this wall quilt for my Daughter-In-Love's birthday a few days ago and needed to flatten it before delivering it to her. I've been told that misting it and pressing with a steam iron onto a wood surface would accomplish this. Using what I have, my version is covering an old door with some gauze to protect the back of the quilt and misting and steaming away. It works well.

Fiberart For A Cause

It's a lot of fun to create small 8 X 10 pieces of fiber art. It's even more fun to be able to donate it to be auctioned in May 2009 for Cancer Research. I encourage other fiber artists to consider checking it out. http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/NewFiles/ACSFundraiser.html
(To view my other submission for Fiber Art For A Cause see Aug.31 post. )

Collected Tears

This piece is a reminder how Our Father collects our tears as Psalm 56:8 states. This 15" X 20" framed piece combines hand painted, dyed, stamped and commercial fabrics with hand beading, other textiles and hand embroidery. It is machine quilted, signed and ready to hang. $185 plus tax. (was $200 plus tax)

End Of Your Rope?

This 15" X 20" framed Quilted Art Collage, "End Of Your Rope?" combines batik fabrics, various textiles, screen leaves and "Choose Life" as the focal answer to the title's question. Machine pieced and quilted. Signed and ready to hang. $185 plus tax (was $200 plus tax)

Christmas Sale

I'm going to be posting some of my Scripture inspired Quilted Art here for the next little while that will be on sale for Christmas. These pieces make wonderful gifts and also bless others since 50% of my proceeds benefits missions. Each piece is signed and ready to hang.

"SING" is machine pieced & quilted in a fun and unique design reminding us to "Sing To The LORD A New Song". $185 plus tax. (Was $285 plus tax.)

Hand Quilting Supplies

I began hand quilting this piece today. Of course all those who hand quilt have their own style, supplies etc but thought I'd share what works for me. First, I mostly quilt pushing with my thumb but still push with my third finger on occasion. (I retrained myself to to push with my thumb after having trouble with my shoulder and watching a doctor talk about it on Simply Quilts.) I prefer a leather coin thimble on my thumb, a metal thimble on my third finger and a small square (3 layers thick) of masking tape for my under third finger. I make several at a time and place them on both sides of a cut down chip lid. I store them all in my chatelaine which also holds my thread snips nicely around my neck. I have found that a small 11 inch Q-Snap frame works well so as not to have to stretch my arm too much. I also now take breaks and gently bend each finger separately backward which helps muscle fatigue.

All Saints Day - 100th Post

Happy All Saints Day and this is the 100th post. This wall hanging is one of my favorites. I like the shape of the ginkgo leaf. It's all batik fabrics, pieced background, hand applique, hand embroidery, machine and hand quilted.

Congratulations to Anita Heady, winner in the 100th Post Blog Drawing.