Tutorial for machine needle felting and heat fusing synthetic fabrics.

This is a Journal quilt (A4 size) created with layered synthetic fabrics on felt, the whole lot is covered in organza, the figure stitched and then felted on my needle punch (embellisher) machine. I've felted predominantly from the back of the piece to make the black of the felt push through to the front.

You can see the back and a close up below.

There's a tutorial for the technique on my website here:

http://web.me.com/eiloren/eiloren/Tutorials/Entries/2009/1/4_Machine_Needle_Felting_and_Fusing_Synthetics!.html

Book Cover

I hate to admit it but I actually like trashy romance novels :)  I know they probably lower my IQ and I know there are certainly better books out there just waiting to be read... but there's some sort of sinfully easy, guilty pleasure to be had by curling up in bed with an M&B. No matter how tired you are it takes milliseconds to immerse yourself in the plot and you never get that have to read 10 pages thing to be back into it that you do with others.

They're also really good as fluffy bunny sugar material and if I read too many thrillers in a row i start to check the locks several times before bed, so I have to space them out with a couple of fluffy bunny books.

The only bad thing is they are embarrassing to read in public! So I made this book cover to hide my shame when out and about.  Reverse applique, multi layers of synthetics, razzle dazzle thread used for freemotion bobbin work.

Torquay motor show 09

Went to Torquay on the weekend so my other half could drool over cars. This one I kinda liked - gorgeous beach and some pretty cool cars and i managed to entertain myself by taking photos. will have to try turning the beach pic into a painting sometime. I'm guessing a few of the car pics will end up as T-shirts and poster prints or quilts too. :)

'Scattered' Quilt

I began this quilt in Feb at the AQC in Brenda Gael Smith's improvisational piecing class. It's a basic block design that's been repeated but all cuts are freehand and size varies from block to block. The tricky bit for me was adding spacers and getting them all to fit into basic rows or sections so I could join them together as I still haven't managed to perfect an inset seam (and I don't think it's lack of trying!).

Mostly cotton fabrics with some small sections of silk and satin, cotton sateen for the borders and backing (thanks to a facebook friend for recommending www.widebacks.com.au who were so quick with delivery and great value). Quilted with madeira metallics and batted with matilda's own cotton wadding.

This one will probably go up for sale on etsy since that's what i finished up making it for, though as it's my first very large quilt it will be quite hard to part with. (it's about 230 x 220 I think - that's a queen sized bed it's pictured on).