IKEA PRINTING TABLE

I think it fair to say that IKEA was not in my best books this week.  I bought this table because the trestle legs (purchased as a separate item) allow you to easily raise and lower the table and tilt it at an angle.  For some bizarre reason however, the trestles do not actually connect to any of the table tops they sell, as indicated in the instructions.  To cut a long moan short (yes I can if I want!), I searched the internet and managed to find someone who had had the same problem (and probably like me, didn't own a drill to make some holes in the table top).  Apparently in the UK, IKEA secures this top with velcro!  So armed with my staple gun and a load of velcro, I have done the same thing.  It remains to be seen whether I end up with broken toes, if when I tilt the table, the whole thing falls on my foot!

ACCIDENTAL LANDSCAPES - THE BEACH

Last weekend found me with my nose firmly in The Quilt Show's open access to all their shows (they were celebrating International Quilting Weekend).  One of the shows I watched and really enjoyed was Karen Eckmeier talking about her Accidental Landscapes.

Karen's easy technique inspired me to try it out, so I made this very small quilt (16.5"x14")

Dancing With The Stars

On Dancing With The Stars this week, we have Tom doing the Asiatique rumba!

Sadly Jerry was still quaffing in the green room, so was not available for this dance.  Being the trooper that he is, Tom went on alone.

ANOTHER CONFETTI QUILT: THE LAKE

I know I keep saying that I won't do another confetti quilt, but every time I open the drawer and spot the pile of left over confetti, I think to myself, maybe one more.  I also wanted to make a larger, brighter looking confetti quilt, so it was a bit of an experiment.

Iris gave me a wonderful piece of green misprinted fabric, which was the start point for the quilt.  I have to say though, by the end of the quilt, as I got more and more carried away with that darned confetti, most of the background fabric was covered up.  This was not the initial intention as I really liked the fabric.  Luckily for me, generous Iris, when she realised how much I liked it, gave me some more!

Flights Of Fancy

I didn't really set out to make this quilt, it just happened.  I have an idea in my mind at the moment, for a quilt that just needs a lot of free time to play around with.  To fill my time until I could start on it, I started playing around with stitching animals, and before you know it, this parrot just, well spoke to me!

DVD REVIEW: INSPIRED VELVET WITH ANGIE HUGHES

This DVD is produced by COLOURICIOUS.  It runs for 97 minutes and costs £18.  It is available from other outlets including Amazon.

I purchased this dvd, having been inspired by the trailers for it on the COLOURICIOUS website.

Given my lack of access to velvet, I know I am not going to use the techniques on this DVD exactly as shown, but it was immediately obvious that you could do everything Angie talked about on other fabrics.

Angie's work is rich in colour and texture and she uses a lot of really fun stuff that makes you want to go out and play.  She touches on painting, printing, foiling, using glitter (at last a use for it).  I am sure the sweet wrappers she uses are something I won't have trouble finding and for the pyromaniacs amongst us, she gets out her heat gun too!

Like other COLOURICIOUS DVDs, the format is a classroom setting with a few people sitting around watching and occasionally participating.  It did feel rather fake, as they tried to look engaged in the process, but this is just a small niggle about that type of format.  

On the whole I found this DVD a good way to learn about how you can start a surface design picture, and had me eager to get something shiny out and stick it on some fabric.  If you like shiny, and you like to play, this is the DVD for you.

DVD REVIEW: TEXTURE TRANSFORMATION - STICTH, ALTER, RECYCLE

If you long to use up your old dryer sheets, get out your pencils and do some colouring, oh and maybe throw in a bit of computing, this is the dvd for you.

Natalya Aikens sets about showing the techniques she uses, in a very straight forward manner.  She doesn't waste time with silly catch phrases or have her pet cat running around the set.  She has information to impart and she does so with no frills.  I have to say - I like that!

This dvd is produced by Cloth-Paper-Scissors a sister publication to Quilting Arts.  It is 67 minutes long and costs $19.95.  The link is here.

Now, you do not make a project with this dvd, it is an ideas format, something to get those creative juices flowing.  So if you want your hand held as you make something, this isn't the dvd for you.