Playing with Tea Dying

What do you do on Saturday morning?

I tea dye and have a cup of coffee. The tea smells fantastic!

One of my fabrics is too bright and crisp. I am tea dying all of them.

This is what I am working on, but the fabrics are clashing, even though they have the same colors. 

I need them to blend together better.

Boiling water and tea bags.

Add more tea - loose hibiscus tea. Jewels --- I did not use all your tea - just some old stuff.

Mix and stir.

Wait at least one hour.

 

I can't wait for it to dry to see if it worked.  Still too wet!

I am participating in a quilt challenge offered through Quilts by Barb's Quilt Retreat.  This will be the 11th year I have attended and this is the 6th year she has offered the quilt challenges.  Click Here for a link for quilt retreat information.  I think there is still room for more attendees --- just ask and tell her Marcia sent you!

I am using a pattern designed by Linda Halpin.  I am laying it out with a little different arrangement to make a table topper. Click Here for information about Linda and her quilt patterns and designs on her website.

She designed the pattern for the Wisconsin Shop Hop this year.

I also sell the pattern on my website. Click Here to order it. She designed an easy way to make circles!  I love it! I am sure I will make a bright one soon!

I will share my completed quilt using my tea dyed fabrics sometime before November, but this is one of those quilts, I am working on 15 minutes at a time!

What do you do on Saturday mornings?

I tea dye!

I have not forgot about posting my new grand baby with his new quilts --- How about this next week?

And yes, I will post the Starry Sunflower Quilt Block - Free Quilt Block, sometime in September, when I get a few more blocks completed.  It is really a cool quilt block. I love it!

Enjoy your day!

Marcia

My First Sunflower Block of 38 Blocks

I am participating in a Sunflower Block Exchange through facebook.  I need to make 38 blocks by February 2014.

I am sharing a photo today of my first block.  I created a quilt block that I have named Starry Sunflower.

I will share the pattern for the quilt block at a later date. I will be working on the 37 quilt blocks very soon.

I have cut all the fabric parts for the 37 blocks and it is ready to sew!

I am so excited that I completed block one!  37 to go!

A friend brought me this lovely bouquet of sunflowers from her garden, last week.  It was perfect for taking photos of my first quilt block for the exchange.

May your day be as sunny as these sunflowers!
Marcia

I Wrapped Up in My Favorite Quilt...

Gabby 

... and Toby

for a photo shoot for the Pets on Quilts Show.

I made this raggie denim shirt quilt 10 years ago when I first started long arm quilting.  Many of you have seen it, because I have shared it here. 

I cut up denim shirts, plaid cotton shirts, flannel scraps, and denim dresses to create this quilt.  

I backed my quilt with flannel fabric and used a poly batting to make it a little lighter than if I had used a cotton batting.

I was just learning to free style quilt.  I chose a variegated thread with blends of blues. I really had fun practicing loops and whimsical flowers. 

In the beginning, I had a hard time hitting the center points of the flowers, thus resulting in the uneven flowers that still look great today - 10 years later.

I did not snip this quilt to fray.  I let it fray naturally.

 
It is my favorite quilt of all the quilts I have ever made.  It is soft and warm, yet light weight, because of the poly batting and use of the denim shirts.

In the winter, I cuddle up as I am blogging. Sometimes I share it with Gabby and Toby.  They love it too!

Category for the Pets on Quilts Show:  Dogs on Quilts

Click here to hop over and enjoy all the other Pets on Quilts.

Enjoy your pets!
Marcia

I also enjoy my new grand baby and I will be sharing some baby photos soon. Remember, I made four quilts for him and tons of baby burp cloths. I took photos of them being put to good use. We had a wonderful trip to the Netherlands and I am finally recovering from the jet lag! I spent a lot of time in the rocking chair just holding the baby.  

Click here for the link to this baby quilt that I rolled into my carry on bag and hand delivered to my grand baby.

Pets on Quilts Show Starts Tomorrow at

.... Lily Pad Quilting!

Click here for all the information about the Pets on Quilts Show - 2013. 

I am working on my Pets on Quilts Show Post too.  Here is a sneak peek.

Gabby 
and 
Toby

Click here to see my post from last year - 2012.

Click here to see my post from 2011.

Join in on the fun!  Take photos of your pets on your quilts and post them and then link them up over at Lily Pad Quilting.

Marcia