Around the World Blog Hop

Hello my friends, followers and visitors. I have been tagged by Chelsey & Denise of Nini and the Sea to join in on the Around the World Blog Hop today, along with Kate from Thread Everywhere (don't you love that name? I certainly have thread everywhere, especially on me! LOL!!!). This blog hop introduces you to new bloggers that you might not have known about before. Plus we each have to answer a few questions, so you might learn a few things about me that perhaps you didn't know before even if you are a follower. Then I will provide you with links to 3 of my favorite bloggers and they will continue this blog hop the following Monday and so on... 

1. What am I working on?
I am currently working on several things, which is what I tend to do, but will show you the quilt top I made for my grandson. It's a fox quilt because he loves foxes. It's an Elizabeth Hartman pattern of Oh, Fransson!  It's called Fancy Fox. I saw this quilt hanging in the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show last month while I was in Sisters, Oregon for the show. My friend Susan also made this quilt in batik fabrics. I tend to change things if I work with a pattern, so of course I changed the setting of the quilt and I used mostly hand dyed fabrics for the foxes instead of the floral prints as was suggested in the pattern.

I set my quilt with green strips and slightly offset so that it gives more movement to the quilt, rather than the straight setting that the pattern called for. I also made 25 foxes rather than 42 foxes. now I just need to quilt and bind it. I plan on using a sage green flannel for the backing to make it a soft cuddle quilt.

Most of the foxes were made with hand dyed fabrics or  other textural prints. I used whatever gray fabrics I had for the background, so it's scrappier that way. I also used my scraps of green fabrics for all of the sashing strips.

 2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I suppose it's because I make changes when working from a pattern, whether it is a quilt pattern or a bag pattern. I prefer to create quilts that I design myself. I might be inspired my something I have seen, but I make it my own. I love working with color; I work with commercial fabrics, hand dyed fabrics or I sometimes even paint my own fabric to get the color I want. I love batiks because they tend to have bright, vivid colors, which I love! I have very eclectic tastes and so I don't usually stick with any one style or genre.

Lady of the Lake Cardigan that I knit.

I hand painted the fabric and drew doodles to create this woman.

I hand painted the fabric and drew doodles to create this woman.

I hand painted the fabric and drew doodles to create this woman.

I made this bowl using scraps of pink batik fabrics.

3. Why do I write/create what I do?
I started blogging in 2008 to document all the things I created. I had taken photos of some of what I created before there were digital cameras too, but it's so much easier to use the digital cameras and to search for my photos on my blog or computer rather than to try and find photos in my boxes and albums.
I have always had a need to create as an expression of who I am and to feed my spirit. I quilt, knit, make bags, make Kumihimo necklaces, decoupage, sew clothes, dye fabric, dye yarn, create with felted wool, dry felt, wet felt, crochet a bit, stencil on walls and other things and do hand embroidery and make fabric coiled bowls/baskets. In the past I have created things in macrame, stained glass, pottery, stuffed doll/toys, needlepoint, latch hook rugs, cross stitch. I love fiber arts the best and that's the medium I work with the most now. I guess I just can't sit still for long, lol!!!

The Brookfield Bag I recently made on commission. This is a free bag pattern from Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness.

I made these quilts from a pattern by Carrie Payne of Believe Magic.

Here are the blog friends that I tagged for you all to visit next Monday August 25th:
1. Maria from Mia's Creations Maria creates beautiful bags and wallets. They are so professional looking! She also makes small quilted items like table runners. Her work is flawless. She has both a home and commercial sewing machine and knows how to use them as her stitching is perfect! She is a fun person too and you will enjoy visiting Maria's blog not only to see her creations, but to read about what she creates too.

2. Marilyn from Shades of Bold is another bag/wallet maker. Marilyn also knows her way around a sewing machine too and sews professionally looking bags just like Maria does. Marilyn just started blogging this year and she has created oodles of gorgeous bags! Drop by and visit Marilyn's blog.

3. Marcy from Made by Me in Red creates quilts, sews and knits. Marcy first started to blog in 2013. Like me she is a batik fabric lover too. You'll want to visit Marcy's blog to see her beautiful creations. You won't be disappointed!

Also, today my blog friend Mara of Secretly Stitching in Greece is doing a post as well for this Around the World Blog Hop. So stop by and visit her and see who she tagged for the blog hop too.
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