Thursday Threads 09-07-17

This quilt was for Corky, the Poodle Prince, who I nannied for sixteen years.  He went over the rainbow bridge in 2013.  The quilt was for use at my house when he visited and he did use it.  It was made from blocks donated by a friend who made too many for a queen sized quilt!!  I just added the sashing and the squares on each end.  I think I made it in about 1998.  I thought about giving it to KoKo and maybe I will some day. 

 

 

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Thursday Threads 08-17-17

I haven't made a bed quilt for quite a few years, but keep thinking about different designs I might do.  This quilt "Blue Goose" it my favorite of all the bed quilts I have ever made.

 

Blue Goose Del Thomas  1996  60“W x 80”L 

Cotton fabric, thread, and batting. Machine quilted by Derek Lockwood.

The pattern is the traditional Goose in the Pond.  Before I turned to original design quilts I made quite a few Goose in the Pond quilts, just about my favorite pattern. 

 

Here is the label with two paper pieced blue geese. They are the bird that I always put somewhere  in my quilts.

 

The sashing fabric, blue with grey and white trees, is one that Ruth McDowell designed for South Seas some thirty years ago.  The angels at the bottom of the label photo was one of those happy coincidents that happen sometimes.  At the time I made the quilt top I was working in a quilt shop and was there when the UPS man delivered a pile of packages - all new fabrics for the shop.  The very first one I opened was the yellow and blue angels, seemed like the perfect backing for the quilt top I had just completed. 

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Thursday Threads 07-27-17

Here is another quilt from my past.  But one I liked a lot.  I made it for special Fabri-Quilt exhibit at Spring Market 2005.  I was then a member of the now defunct "Kansas Art Quilters" who accepted long-distance members.  It was a great group, but living in CA I never made it to a meeting, although I did meet some of the ladies when I was visiting in Kansas.   

 

Four Dwellings   Del Thomas  24“ Sq.   April 2005

Machine pieced and quilted.  No pattern, just cut and sew.

The people are pieced using large polka dots for the heads.  

I even liked the back!  It was a time when quilters were discovering that backs as well as fronts could be colorful and decorative . 

This photo shows the binding where I inserted a sort of piping made from the frayed edge of a solid yellow fabric. 

Why, oh why didn't I line the label so that it was readable?  Lesson learned.

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Thursday Threads 07-20-17

I've posted this one previously, but it happens to be one of my favorites.  I did it while I was going through a streak of two color/fabric quilts.  I sold it and since then the buyer has died.  I wonder where it is now?   She loved it and I was so flattered by her enthusiasm.

"Sunset Strip: Orchard"  Del Thomas 2005  40"x18"

Cotton fabric, fusible, machine appliqued and quilted.

 

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Thursday Threads - Grasses Return 06-15-17

This is a little 12" X 12" quilt made for the SAQA auction back in 2007.  So, it is in someone's collection.  I like to make these little quilts for fund raisers, but don't seem to be inspired the last few years. 

 "The Grass Returns"  Del Thomas  2007  12"X12" 

Cotton fabric, Batting, Thread.  Invisible and metallic  threads.  Silk fabric,

Fused applique, Machine Quilting. 

\

DETAIL

DETAIL

LABEL

BACK

The bird is in the quilting somewhere. 

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Thursday Threads - "Morning Sniff" 06-08-17

 Every month Surfside Quilters Guild (and many other guilds) have a raffle for some project donated by one of the members.  SQG calls their fund raiser Monthly Mini.  Every year I donate something as part of my commitment to the guild.  The items can bring in from $100 to $300, so it is a good contribution.   

"Morning Sniff"  Del Thomas 2010  Approx. 12"W x 17"L

Cotton fabric and thread.  Fused.  Machine quilted.

I had this bird fabric for years, but never knew what to do with it.  Perfect as a backing and it fills in as the bird image I put in every quilt I make.

This is what happens when you apply the label before doing the quilting. Makes it hard to read the date of March 2010.

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Thursday Threads 05-25-17

Ten years ago I was making lots of fiberart postcards and teaching a class here and there.  I sold or gave away a lot of them and I know there is a box tucked away here somewhere.  This is just a little visit to the past when I was actually creating something.

 

Some bubbles under tulle.

 

More bubbles under tulle.

 

Nipsy, the cat chases a butterfly.

Cat in the grass.

Champagne Hearts.

Eucalyptus.

  

Summertime.

 

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Thursday Threads 05-18-17

I wonder if everyone has a few quilts that are almost disasters or complete disasters.  This is one of mine.  The theme was chocolate and I developed this grand idea of having chocolate bunnies getting a face lift by walking under a chocolate fountain, such as they sometimes have at weddings.  I had recently been to a wedding that featured such a novelty.  I wanted to make the quilt pink because I really dislike pink and thought I could force myself into making something successful with it.  WRONG!

The concept was too complex and too far removed from most people's experience. 

And the fountain is just too weird. 

 

"Facelift"  Del Thomas 2013  Approx 20"W x 15"L

 

On the left of the fountain is a bunny who has been recoated and on the right one who is in the process of having his facelift.  Dumb, huh?

These are two bunnies waiting their turn.

I do like the flowers used as an integrated border.

Of course, a candy backing was appropriate.  

 

There are some successful elements, but taken as a whole, it is a complete failure.

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Thursday Threads 02-04-16

Here is another of my quilts from the past.  I really need to organize them and set up a spread sheet, but I always seem to spend the time doing other things!   TCQC takes up some of my computer time and I think that is more important.

 

"Oystercatchers"  Del Thomas  1995  38"W x 23"L

Machine pieced background, birds are raw edge applique, cotton fabrics, sheers.

Machine quilted.  

 

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Thursday Threads 12-10-15

I'm resurrecting some quilts that I have done over the years.  This one is from 2003 when we were all doing Journal Quilts and Mars was passing closer to Earth than it will again for many years.

 

Journal Quilt  "Passing Mars"  8.5“W x 11”L     Pieced and fused and beaded.

Beading is not my forte, but Mars needed some texture.  Also, the windows are holograms from credit cars cut into tiny pieces. 

"Mars Passing"  2003  36“W x 40”L   Del Thomas  $700 
Cotton fabric, cotton batting,  pieced, embellished with beads and sequins. 
Here is a larger version as a triptych.  The colored verticals represent the buildings. 
 
And here are the lessons learned:  Don't name quilts that are similar with similar names - I can never remember which is which.  I should have used "Mars Passing I" and "Mars Passing 2".   Also, keep a list of the quilt names you have used.  There is one quilt in TCQC that has the same name as a previous quilt made by the same artist.  I let her know I was calling it "_____ 2".  There is also a "Walks in the Woods" and a "Walk in the Woods".  And I had already made and sold a quilt named "Walking in the Woods".  So, it is a good idea to keep track of the names you use. 

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