Dream Cruisin'

Things are heating up here in Southeastern Michigan.  The temps are soaring, the old cars are revving, summer is in full swing....I spent weekend in my air-conditioned sanctuary, stitching away, and finished my new mug rug design, Dream Cruisin'.


I think my brother is going to love it.  It is available now in my craftsy shop as an instant pdf download.

I may be scarce in blogland for the next little bit.  There are lots of things going on behind the scenes here in Allie-land, and unfortunately they're not all good.  I would appreciate your prayers.

I miss you, my friends, and hope to get around to visit you in the next few days.  But if I can't, please don't think I'm ignoring you - I would never do that!  It just means that life is getting in my way, and I'll be around as soon as I can.  Love and hugs to you all.

Slow Sunday

I'm working on one for the Christmas box....



My brother is a real car nut.  He's a mechanic, and he does it all - replacing engines, transmissions, even body work.  I think he needs something with cars on it this Christmas.   A 1935 Ford Coupe fits the bill.

It's interesting making a pattern from a photograph - I took a pic of this car at the Woodward Dream Cruise a few years ago.  I'm going to see how many others I can turn into stitches.  My brother may end up with a whole quilt!

What are you up to this fine day?

My Happy Place is Noisy!

Happy Monday everyone, did you have a great 4th?  Well, those of you in America, that is.  We sure did.  We went to my aunt's house and had a birthday celebration for John - ordered pizza and then went out for ice cream!  Can't believe my baby is 23....well, my oldest baby.



He's the one on the right, covering his face.  That scary woman was coming at him with the camera again.

My aunt's town is serious about their fireworks.  While we were at the ice cream parlor, people were getting into position - lots of pickup trucks with couches in the back!  They set them off from a barge in the middle of the lake, so the roads and parking lots are lined up for miles.  We didn't make it to the fireworks - John was too tired again!  I think he needs some good vitamins.

After ice cream, we went and found some haunted woods.



Seriously, this pic does not do this place justice.  It was spooky!  And then you turned a bend and there was a brand new squeaky clean subdivision.  Very strange.

Sunday, John and I had to go back to my aunt's, he had left his only set of keys on her couch.  When we got home I finished my newest stitchery!



And today I finished putting it together.  It's not quilted, it just has a backing on it, and a pocket for the dowel in the little quilt hanger [courtesy of Mickie, a long time ago - thank you Mickie!]

Lots of pictures in this pattern, and the crayon tutorial as well.  It was a very fun one!  Available, as always, in my craftsy shop!

Oh yes - why is my happy place noisy?  Well, apparently the neighbors didn't get the memo that the 4th is over...it's almost midnight on the 6th, and we still have bombs bursting in air.  Kitty is not happy!

I'm going to go read blogs for an hour or so, until my youngest is home - I'm tired but I can't go to bed yet!  I'll leave you with a pic of clover from my aunt's garden....

Crayons And Fabric!

We finally had an almost sunny day, so I thought I'd show you how I color on fabric.  There are tons of tutorials out there, I'll just add mine to the mix.

I've been using crayons and paint on fabric since the early '90's.  The first wall-hanging I ever made was painted with acrylic paints, and hand quilted.  It was over six feet long and my own design - I got sick of looking at it after a few years and threw it away. (gasp)

So let's get started - the first thing you'll want to do is gather supplies.



Freezer paper, parchment paper [or copier paper, any paper will do], your design, a non-heat erasing tracing pen [I used a Zig Millennium 03 brown], fabric, crayons, and your iron.

Trace your design onto your fabric.



Cut a piece of freezer paper smaller than your fabric, but big enough to cover the entire design.  This is going to stabilize your fabric while you color, and also keep the crayon from going through the fabric underneath when you're heat setting.  Making sure the shiny, plastic side is next to the fabric, iron it on the back of your design fabric.



Double-check it before you iron - you don't want that plastic gunk on your iron.

Now you can pull out your crayons!  Color in the tiny bits first, it's easier to do those while the crayon is sharp, unless you have a sharpener.  If you want light color, use a light touch - you can always add more color after you've heat set, but you can't take any away!  [Oops, I went outside the lines....]



Cut a piece of parchment paper [or copier paper, or a brown paper bag] and cover your design - placing design side up on your ironing board.  Press with a hot iron to heat set the crayon.



The crayon will melt into the fabric.



If you want to add more color, just repeat the steps until you get the saturation you like.

While your fabric is still warm, peel off the freezer paper.



Using a pressing cloth, this is when I add my fusible stabilizer to the back, and start stitching!

Now wasn't that easy?  I believe some company makes fabric crayons, but honestly, any crayons will work just fine....as any mother knows who's tried to get crayon out of clothing.  You can mix colors if you like, just layer them lightly until you get the effect you want.  I've also used metallic crayons with great success, so pretty!

And now I'm going to put my inner 6-year-old away and go make lunch....all that coloring made me hungry!

Captain's [b]Log: Stardate July 1

I got up too early.  I'm feeling silly.  Can you believe it's July already?  Our weather has been delightfully cool, but rather humid.  And wet.  Great for ducks, but not for pictures - too cloudy.

I've been playing this morning.





Can anyone tell me why the black floss seems fuzzier?  I have bits of it everywhere.

I've also been daydreaming, this came in the mail yesterday....




Yesterday was my son's birthday but I got the good mail.  We're going to celebrate his birthday this coming weekend.  Everybody had to work yesterday, and though I offered to take him out for ice cream, he declined - he was too tired!  Too tired for ice cream!  I didn't think that was possible.  I think there's a law against it.

Since I feel so silly today, I'm going to leave you with some chuckles.  Cuz there's no law against that.

Have a great day - go smile at everybody and make them wonder what you're up to....