Fun Week Teaching!

As usual, I’m behind on my bog posts. With that said, I have had the best week teaching.

 Last Saturday, Brenda Keith, with Quilt Shop in the Oaks in Abilene, came with three other wonderful, funny and absolutely awesome ladies for a dye day. These ladies were great, open to learning new things, making a mess and cleaning it up before they left. I truly enjoyed the day of dyeing, showing them new methods, laughing and feeling like I was a new part of their sisterhood.

Thank you Brenda, Maria, Cheri and Terrye for the fun day! I can’t wait to get Show n’ Tell pictures!

Yes, it was HOT. We did our best to stay cool while we were ice dying

Yes, I had to get in on the dying action by making a "sample" piece.

Yesterday I had another great day teaching at Must Love Fabric in Grapevine. My ladies learned my favorite piecing process, Wave Piecing. Yes, this is the method I used on my quilt “Prism Refraction” that won an Honorable Mention at the Dallas Quilt Show this year. I had 11 ladies, some I new already; the others are now new friends.

We spent the day getting past needing a straight edge and being able to cut with a flow. This method is so freeing and you are able to channel your “Inner Improv”.

Thank you ladies for the great day and wonderful conversations. I was on a “teaching high” all evening.

How Do You Balance Your Time?

Let's Start a Conversation

What's feeding your creative spirit today?

Besides Pilates, I'm not sure how much time I will get to spend in the studio today. It's a busy day with Dr. appointments, pilates and then the monthly guild meeting of the Quilter's Guild of Dallas. I would really like to spend some in the studio working on small art quilts, but I think I will just have to be happy with petit point while at the doctors office.

This picture is of ice dyed fabric that is in my Etsy shop. Click on the caption for a link to the fabric.

What creative groups are you connected with?

 

Shibori Ice Dyed Fabric

For 2018 I want to start something new. Let's have a daily conversation about what is feeding our creative time. Are you working on a project with a deadline? Are you cleaning your creative space? Are you designing a new project? Are you stuck? Are you getting ready to submit a quilt or project to a show? Are you learning new techniques? I want to hear, I want to learn and I want us to join in conversation.

Join me here every day or join the conversation on my Facebook page. Let's keep the conversation and networking active.

Rules of engagement:

Rule #1 - As I tell my grandkids - Have Fun with the conversation

Rule #2 - Post your inspirations, thoughts, and questions

Rule #3 - only positive feedback. No bashing or criticism. If someone asks for feedback, be honest, but be kind and constructive. If comments are hurtful, they will not be published.

Creatively,

Jules

What's New in the Studio

Good Day!

I've been busy in the studio with dyeing new fabric and pearl cotton. I've added several things to the Etsy Shop.  I've also been busy with Christmas presents. So many of my grandkids love homemade items, that it is fun to make them for them. But I'm not showing you what they are, because one or two of them may be snooping. 😁

Hand Dyed Pearl Cotton DMC #8

Hand Dyed Cotton Yard Fabric

Ice Dyed Yard Cotton Fabric 

So what are you working on during the holiday season? Quilts? Holiday items? Christmas presents? I want to know. Inspire me!

Don't Forget! Free Shipping through the end of the year in my Etsy Shop. Use Coupon Code FreeShip2017

Have a wonderful, safe and joyous holiday season!

Creatively,

Jules

PS: Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. I post a lot of new product on those pages!

Trying to Catch-up

Oh, where does the time go? This summer I have been busy in the dye studio, teaching quilting classes and trying to keep Mr. Wonderful challenged and keep up with the 7 grandkids. Yes, I’m tired by the end of the day.

What did you work on through the summer? Me? Well let me tell you, I have been dyeing fabric to post the Studio Jules Art Etsy shop and working on some new quilts.

I have dyed so much fabric that I am having trouble making time to take pictures and post to Etsy. So hold on tight, there is more fabric coming to Etsy! I’m also working on a special order for an Etsy customer. Yes, I do special orders, so if you are looking for something special and want it ice dyed, let me know. I just love being able to dye fabric for a special project for a customer.

 

Finding Light in the Darkness #5

I have continued the “Finding Light in the Darkness” series. This series is very special because it is about Caregivers. Caring for someone that has progressing Alzheimer’s, dementia or another long-term illness is hard work. Most people just think we are home all day and what is so hard about that. Ha! Don’t get me started. Anyway, I created this series so that other caregivers know that I know what they are going through. Sometimes is it everything we can do to find one positive thing about the day.

The two quilts to the right can be found in my Etsy shop. 

There is something special about this series; the first three quilts are going to be published in the Winter issue of Art QuiltingStudio magazine. I can’t wait to see the Winter publication and share my article with you.

Finding Light in the Darkness #6

So my friends, for today, keep finding the bright and creative spot in your day.

Creatively,

Jules

The Four Year Quilt

Finally finished! I think I started this quilt in October of 2012, so that would make almost four years in the creative/construction phase. Yards and yards of hand dyed fabric, and don’t ask me how many yards, I forgot to keep track. The blocks of the background fabric, which are in the vertical direction, are container dyed and the horizontal blocks are ice dyed.  The insert fabrics of various colors are container and iced dyed. When calculating how many blocks I would need, I over estimated and made too many. Now I have a throw quilt to match!

The Quilter’s Guild of Dallas held a workshop with CarolTaylor in September of 2012. My friend, Lu Peters, asked me to join her in taking this great workshop and it was much-needed day away from the house.  This was right after my husband had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (at the age of 57) and I was just a tad bit stressed. During the workshop I knew I wanted to make a new king size quilt for our bedroom and method grabbed me!

Then the decision making process started. What colors for the background? Container or ice dyed? What colors for the inset pieces? Oh, the fun I had being able to spend time with the creative process and in my construction and dye studios.

The curved piecing became a refuge and very therapeutic. I would escape to the studio for bits of time, man the rotary cutter and turn on some music or listen to a book.  Even when we moved last year, and in an apartment for 7 months, I had my big ironing table in one guest room and my portable sewing table in the other. 

You would think I would be tired of this method after 258 - 8inch blocks, but I’m not. I have ideas rolling around in my head for another quilt…after I finish some works in progress.

Thanks for letting me share the process with you! And yes, the pillow shams are ice dyed also. I just can't stop with the ice dying!

Happy sewing and quilting!