Crazy Quilting

Everything is so expensive nowadays. One must really find more practical ways to save money on everything from food to fashion. All of this is possible using a little creative thinking.

One way of saving money on clothes is to update or repair your old ones. Instead of buying a new jacket just because your favorite one is missing a button, you can simply buy a matching button and sew it on using your embroidery needles. There are many designer outfits that supply an extra button anyway.

Cross stitching is a fun and productive way to spend your downtime.  It is a quiet activity that demands creativity above all else. Silently sewing can be quite a good way to de-stress.

Of course, for a more social event, the tradition of forming sewing circles can also be revived. Ladies can chat away as they work on their own colorful creations using fine embroidery thread. Then their finished products can either be put up at an exhibit or even offered for sale.

Winter nights are cold and there’s nothing more comforting on those chilly nights then to curl on up the couch with a favorite quilt. In addition to their warmth, quilts can work as a cheerful decoration for any home. An intricately-patterned quilt can spice up a boring bed and a colorful quilt can be hung on a living room wall. Quilting is an art, and for quilters, just like any artists, choosing the right colors is one of the key components of their craft.

This is where a color wheel comes in handy. Color wheels are a quilting pattern supply that allows quilters to choose pleasing color combinations. Color wheels are made up of primary colors and secondary colors. The primary colors include blue, red and yellow. Mixing these colors can create all possible colors. Secondary colors are green, orange and violet.

I am really interested in making quilts. I have one that my grandmother made for me and I love it. I don’t really have any sewing experience, but I would love to learn. I decided to start my quilt-making hobby by signing up for a sewing class. Next, I know I will need to purchase the necessary quilting accessories.

I did a little research and here’s what I found: the most basic quilting supply I would need would be a variety of fabrics. Cotton fabrics are recommended but polyester fabrics are also an option. I also learned I would need a rotary cutter, a cutting mat, needles, thread and a quilting frame.

Before you embark on your new quilting hobby, it’s a good idea to see what other people in the quilting industry have had to say. With that in mind, the following are some well-received quilting books that can prove invaluable to the novice quilter. (And they’re not so bad for the advanced quilter, either.)

-Heirloom Machine Quilting: A Comprehensive Guide to Hand-Quilted Effects Using Your Sewing Machine (By Harriet Hargrave): This book is an enjoyable read by a well-respected quilter. Her book offers a comprehensive explanation of how best to quilt with your machine as well as specific details regarding quilting in general. There are also a variety of photos showing both modern and antique quilts. Their beauty and artistry prove one of the best motivational tools in the book.

-Big Book of Best-Loved Quilt Patterns (By Leisure Arts): Focused on the visual end of quilting, this book seamlessly brings together the new and the old of quilting in photo form. The book also provides practical advice such as fabric and supply resources.

Beyond the world of quilting, there are a variety of uses for hand dyed silk ribbon. Some of these uses are in the fashion arena.

In particular, they make fantastic and beautiful embellishments for women’s hair. No matter if you have short or long hair, there is a way to utilize hand dyed silk ribbon.

For the woman with short hair, they can be used as simple headbands. And the woman with long hair has even more options. Depending on the length of the ribbon, they can be used as an accent for a ponytail or embellishment in a long braid.

These ribbons also work as a more general fashion accessory. Fashion the ribbons into a basic flower or otherwise interesting shape and pin it to a blouse. Tie the ribbon to the handle of a purse. Even experiment by using the vibrantly colored ribbons as makeshift shoe laces or other shoe accents.

So the next time you’ve completed your latest quilting project, don’t toss those remaining ribbons in the trash. Rather, put them to use as the latest fashion accessory.

In the tiny North Dakota town of Antler (boasting a population of seventy-five), there is a secret treasure thanks to citizen and quilter Leona Tennyson.

Tennyson is the brainpower behind one of the most ambitious quilt patterns ever undertook. In fact, when all was said and done, her creation was subsequently recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “world’s largest historical quilt.”

Intended to commemorate North Dakota’s statehood centennial in 1988, the quilt is a faithful reproduction of North Dakota with every county added lovingly in a different color. It covers an astounding 11, 390 square feet.

North Dakota officials refused to display the quilt, however, saying Tennyson should have asked before making it so large. And that was the official line for years. Tennyson passed away in 1995 with her quilt having never been displayed.

It currently resides in a travel trailer and is cared for by Tennyson’s daughters-in-law. They continue her fight to find a place willing to display the crafting milestone.

As the quilting and embroidering demographic continues to expand, the market is beginning to flood with books touting themselves as the “end all be all” of crafting. And it can be difficult to decide which is actually best.While personal preferences will differ, A-Z of Embroidery Stitches by Sue Gardner is regarding by many embroidery enthusiasts as one of the must-have embroidery books in the market. The spiral-bound edition contains 144 pages of embroidery photos and step-by-step instructions concerning every aspect of the craft.

It is the first craft book released by the Australian company Country Bumpkin Publications. At last count, this company has now released twenty-seven books in the A-Z series. Proving extremely popular, Country Bumpkin has sold over 2 million total copies in this series, and they have found this success internationally.

If this edition doesn’t answer all your questions, don’t fear. They also released A-Z of Embroidery Stitches 2 to cover any aspect they missed in the first attempt.

Stumped for a gift to send for Christmas this year? With the holidays always just ‘coming up,’ now is a good time to think about your many loved ones and assigns thoughtful gifts for them all. But what do you get someone who has just about everything?

Well, how about something that they could not possibly have made because it hasn’t been created by you yet. Get creative with some quilting patterns and give them a gift that is entirely personalized. They will keep it forever and every time they look at it, they will think of the loving person who so graciously gave them something so valuable.

Use your creativity to design your own home concept.  The finishing touches in a home that creates that personalized feel are right at your fingertips.  You can embroider your shades and lighting system. 
 
With very simple quilting supplies, you can cost effectively change a rooms feel in a very subtle way.  The color that you can bring out with crazy quilting is incredible.  These small tasteful steps are a great way to spend an afternoon, and the results are fantastic.