I have been making these Humpty Dumpty Pillow Toys for over 40 years. They come in a variety of colors and patterns. The outer Humpty Dumpty cover is removeable for washing. The inner pillow is made from soft white flannel and filled with soft polyester fiber. No button or snaps - the back is attached with Velcro.

I decided to start making them again to sell in my Backwoods Art Quilts Etsy Shop. Go to:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/BackWoodsArtQuilts

I am also creating Humpty Dumpty Kits which include all the pre-cut fabric pieces, embroidery floss, needle, ribbon and complete instructions with photos for anyone who wants to make their own Humpty Dumpty as a special gift. They are also for sale in my Etsy shop!

These make a great baby shower or birthday gift! Infants and toddlers are drawn to the happy face and soft feel of the cotton and love the ribbon hair. The floppy arms and legs are easy for toddlers to grab and carry. This soft pillow toy is a comfy place for babies and toddlers to lay on when sleepy! This is a handcrafted toy that will last and can be passed down through the generations! 

Shibori Workshop at Great Lakes Fiber Show

I recently attended the "Discovering Shibori with Indigo Dyeing"" at the Great Lakes Fiber Show in Wooster Ohio taught by Sandy Shelenberger. She did a wonderful job of showing us all that can be done with Shibori dyeing. We used Indigo for our dyeing and the results were amazing and so fun, as well as the other students in the workshop.

Shibori is an ancient technique for making patterning on clothes and fabric through a variety of manual resist techniques, such as binding, twisting, stitching or clamping. These photos show some examples of resist techniques from our workshop.

The first is an example is shown by Sandy of how different designs are created. This second example is from one of my fellow creative students - she folded it like a "cootie catcher". 

Using Indigo Dye is magical. After preparing bound fabric and dropping in the indigo vat, it is removed and the blue color develops before your eyes. It is amazing! Here are a few of the results:

This silk scarf above is one of my creations.

Also one of mine on cotton fabric. This is after I washed and hung it up to dry. 

Wrinkled but will look better when pressed. 

I highly recommend trying Shibori dyeing. I have been experimenting since the workshop with other colors and techniques and the creative possibilities are endless. Now what will I make all this fabric?

Fabric from Scraps Project

This is a project I've been wanting to try out for a long time and due to Covid, I finally found the time. This is the finished piece of fabric which is 19" x 19" after adding lots of fabric scraps to some muslin fabric I dyed and painted last summer. It was so much fun, I can't wait to try another one!

This shows the addition of fabric scraps on my painted/dyed fabric before I started stitching.

I used any fabric scraps I found left over from creating art quilts and sewing projects. Most were cotton, but I also added some specialty fabrics. I cut them out in organic shapes with no real theme in mind. I arranged and added a tiny bit of Misty Fuse to the back and pressed to keep pieces in their place. I added some 100% cotton batting (center) and up-cycled cotton fabric from a pre-used men's shirt (backing) to create my quilt sandwich.

This is a close-up when I started free-motion quilting. This is great practice for improving free-motion quilting skills. I love free-motion quilting because its so intuitive and freeing - almost like meditation! There is so much creative freedom with this process - choose any fabric, color palette, thread and sew, sew, sew.

This is a couple close-ups of the finished fabric. Not sure if I will make this in to a small purse or sell the fabric on my Etsy shop - Backwoods Art Quilts! 

Quilting Arts Magazine 'Barnyard/Fair' Reader Challenge

Quilting Arts Magazine 'Barnyard/Fair' Reader Challenge

The April 2016 Quilting Arts Reader Challenge asked readers to complete a small art quilt inspired by memories of fairs and barnyard experiences. I instantly knew that I would create a piglet quilt! I started my art quilt by sketching a piglet face on white muslin fabric using a black fabric marker.

I ironed freezer paper to the back of the muslin to provide me with a more stable drawing surface. Next I used Derwent Inktense Pencils to add color and details to my little piggie.

 I used bright eye-catching colors because I decided to call my piggie "Violet".

I just kept coloring, adding the grass in the background and the blue sky. I drew in the fence posts and barn. Its easy to get lots of color where you want it with Inktense pencils using a paint brush and water and spreading the color around and mixing it as you go.

After the painting was complete, I pressed the fabric to set the colors even though Violet will never get a bath! (no washing machine for her)

Next I added batting and backing fabric and started free motion quilting. I added in details with thread, including metallic thread for the barbed wire fence.

Here is the finished QA Challenge Entry  "Violet"

I am happy to say she has been selected as one of the finalist for the "Barnyard/Fair" Reader Challenge!  A sampling of the finalists' artwork will appear in the October/November issue of Quilting Arts magazine.  http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blog/page/2