Been Dying to Snow Dye!

Helen, my cohort in crime and all things fun, keeps me on my toes and learning! So when I got the signal for snow dyeing I answered with an enthusiastic Yes!! We've had lots of snow around our parts this winter. We did all our dyeing in her kitchen which I thought was a dangerous idea with her kitchen being mostly white! I kept thinking she's the expert, I'm just following her lead...and will be REALLY careful not to spill anything! Oh geez, I sure hope I DON'T spill anything!!! It didn't take me long to forget all that when she pulled out all the pretty dyes and we started mixing them with water...I was so caught up in all the colors and potential projects I never gave the pristine white kitchen another thought!! It was all covered with clear plastic tarps and bags, all but the floor so all the color was pretty contained.

Procion dyes, powder added to water.

So following Helen's lead I started picking fabrics and dyes and just did what she did...we had so much fun drizzling the dye over the mounds of snow and fabric. We did a few different techniques to dye, we poured dye directly on the fabric in a tub, used the snow to cover the fabric suspended by a screen and frame above the tub and then drizzled dye on the snow and then we painted Lumiere paints by Jacquard onto silk scarves and pieces of fabric with foam brushes.

That is snow on top of a mound of fabric with dye drizzled all over it, the white fabric has a white leaf printed all over it.

Helen painted fabric she can use for a sunset sky background. This is the Lumiere paints painted on wet  cotton fabric, we sprayed water over the fabric as she painted. We should have heat set this in a dryer or with an iron, but we didn't, we soaked it in synthrapol and rinsed....most of the color out! Read directions before you begin, this is a public service announcement!!!

This is a piece we both painted we're going to cut it up and use them  as a challenge project.

I used old fabrics that I didn't like anymore, they aren't too much improved, but I believe I can use them for an upcoming project. I also used plain white fabric and made them more interesting. Our colors were really washed out and lighter than they should have been...I hope to develop much deeper  richer colors next time. Below are the results.

The middle fabric was supposed to be black, the top right fabric has glitter, lower right was a tan color with red hearts, the bottom left was plain white, and the two top left fabrics were printed fabrics with a light background. I like all but the black, I'll dye that one again next time.

Close up of the printed fabrics I like how the print is a resist.

I will definitely try this in my craft room, I already ordered some supplies from Dharma Trading Co. mostly painting supplies. I will share our silk scarves in another post because mine is so washed out you can't see much color. I have a wax resist applicator I am going to try on it and then paint it with Lumiere paint and HEAT set it this time! Stay tuned for that post!

Thank you Helen for teaching me more fun things!

I have been reading up on procion dyes and I found a tip that is supposed to make the colors more vibrant. It says to use urea granules in the water you add the dye. They call it chemical water. So I bought some urea granules and hope to get to try it soon. It's March 17th and we just go 8 more inches of snow in South Jersey!!! Snow reason not to dye!!!

Go make something!!

Nini~

The Bursting Valentine Heart

I have this friend...the one that guides me into all kinds of trouble....uh, I mean inspiration!! She found this great tutorial for a bursting heart pillow,  we both decided we didn't want a pillow but would make it a wall hanging instead. We made them for a quick lil inspiration project at one of our guild meeting. Here's what we made:

My bursting heart

Fabric wedges in a heart shape. My block is 12 inches, very small and tedious work.

Helen's Bursting heart, hers is much bigger, a wise choice for a more professional result. Look at all that beautiful quilting. Helen is an amazing long arm quilter you can find her here!! She has information there if you'd like her to quilt your quilt!

Here's where we found our inspiration and directions blue susan makes...

Happy Valentine's Day, go make something fun!
Nini~

Quilt Photography Workshop Linky Party August Challenge

Taking good pictures is harder than you think. Taking a picture that is clear and sharp isn't necessarily a good photo, there's a big difference between a picture in focus and a "good" picture. A good picture in my opinion is a picture that tells a story and pulls the viewer into the photo, it makes the viewer believe they know exactly what was happening at the moment the picture was snapped. If you can hear the trees rustling, the conversation and even feel the breeze in my opinion that's a GREAT photo. I know these are pictures of fabric there's no convo, but ya know what I mean... you just wanna grab the fabric and head to the machine! Sew, here's my fabric photos...I'll start with what I don't like and then move to what I think is more pleasing.

Too busy, if it was cropped it could be better.
ISO 400 f5.6 1/20

Too blurry and busy with the spools in foreground.
ISO 200 f9 1/3

Too much of the photograph is blurry, it hurts my eyes.
ISO 200 f5.6

The background is too distracting. There's sunlight sneaking into the pic.
ISO 200 f5.6

I don't like how the fabric is leaning.
ISO 400 f5.6 1/13

 Okay, so this is what I like better.

This photo is cropped below...I like the cropped version better, it's centered on the fabric.
ISO 400 f5.6 1/15

I like how the fabric completely fills the frame, the fabric on the diagonal makes it interesting and you can see the texture of the fabric.
ISO 200 f5.6 1/8

I like the off center-ness of this one...you can see the texture in the fabric and the spool doesn't take anything away from the pic.
ISO 200 f5.6 1/6

I like how the fabric is pretty straight across the photo.

I have a good friend who says... "Fake it til you make it!" Even though I can't keep track of what all the numbers mean on my camera...I adjust them until I get a sharp focused pic. Some day I hope to know all the lingo and what settings to use without guessing...I got pictures I like even if I couldn't tell you how I got them...I got'em just the same!!!

I'm linking to Plum and June's Quilt Photography Workshop! Make sure you check out all the other link ups for more tips and tricks for blog photography!

Now go take some pics!

Nini~

A Two, Possibly Three Bagger!

This bag has hit it big! My friends have made not one but two or three of these handy bags! It is a nice size and has lots of pockets to hold all your possessions while shopping. I used mine at the Lancaster Quilt Show in March and found it very useful. I had been using a cross body pouch that was too small for all the things I want to carry with me. When it broke I made one of these bags and found it much more useful than my broken Michael Kors pouch.

Above is the back outside pocket to keep your phone readily accessible. I use my Notes App on my iPhone for all my shopping lists so I am always digging for my phone, with this handy pocket I don't have to search. 

The magnetic clasp was easy to put in the bag and is easy to use. I like the extra security of the clasp to keep it closed if I lay it down. 

I added a little interest to the front with a big vintage button. I like that I can carry a bottle of water, my large wallet, my phone and a little snack with me when I go shopping for the day. I see why all the ladies are making them and have them in many different prints and colors...they are the fashion accessory of Spring! 

If you want to make one for yourself the pattern is Flip Flap Bag, by Totes by Sandy. They don't sell retail, here's where to get the pattern on line. If you'd rather buy one already made, check our Etsy shop this one was just listed. If you'd rather have another color we can make one to order.

Happy Creating!

Nini~

Something for Brother

My trusty hairdresser CC is having a baby! I am so happy for her and her family, but I must say, I will miss the secure feeling I usually have when I am heading to the salon, knowing someone else will be cutting my hair. I know it's only hair, it will grow back! I just get a little nervous every time someone new cuts it...I have my little issues with hairspray and my bangs being cut. I guess the new person will learn how I like things! So I go see Miss CC today for the last time until August, boo hoo! I made a little something for her new little one and his big brother.

This is my first attempt at chenille and I will definitely make more! It is so soft and yummy. The hardest part is the time it takes, but it's all straight line sewing, no piecing! I was done the sewing of the diagonal lines across the quilt in two hours, it took about an hour to cut in between each stitching line with my trusty Olfa Chenille Cutter, and the binding took the normal time it takes to hand stitch. I rounded the corners of the blanket, so I had to use bias binding which I had never made.  A quick search on you tube yields plenty of direction on cutting binding on the bias. It has a 100% cotton backing and binding, the chenille is made from three layers of flannel. I love the look and feel. Even though baby C is a summer baby, he's all set for the Fall and Winter when he needs some help staying warm.  I used this tutorial for constructing the quilt...it was a great help!

I also made his big brother a dinosaur pillowcase. I don't have pictures, because I had everything wrapped up tightly before I remembered to take a few shots...so you'll have to imagine how cute big brother's dino case is...but trust me, it's purty cute!


Happy Creating!
Nini~

Ten Minute Table Runners, ummmm, not so much!

Okay so, about those ten minute table runners...they take more than ten minutes to make!(That doesn't include the time picking out your fabric either, but who's counting?!) Just stitching it together takes ten minutes, that doesn't include the time it takes to top stitch all the way around and sew fun buttons on for some originality! I wanted to add some extra love and make them more my own! I have put them up for sale in our Etsy Shop Nini and the Sea, so if you see something you like, click on over to etsy and see if it's still available! Yes...they are the 3 trips to the fabric shop table runners I spoke about here! If you're unfamiliar with the 10 Minute Table Runner, here's a video!

Golden Accents

 Holly 

Mistletoe

Angels 

Text 

 I also made some for myself! Take a look at these beauties below!!!

 These are the details that make this a more than 10 minute table runner, but I think it adds a little something extra that is worth the time!

Keep on stitchin', Nini~