QuiltingAndPatchwork.com

Here are some more ideas from the Arts Bloggers to “get your creative juices flowing,” as my mother used to say.
Cloudy skies on fabric with Tangled Thread
Follow this step-by-step tutorial to create your own hand-painted fantasy skies on fabric.
Book Arts Resources at Layers Upon Layers
Book arts resources to either get you started or to inspire your further exploration!
Quick Visual Prompt
Visual prompt from the book Art Escapes
Quilters “Going Green” – Has This Changed Your Quilting?
Mary Emma at Quilting and Patchwork shares some tips on recycling and going green in your quilting/fabric art.
Scrap Girls Color Challenge: Red, White …read more

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com
How “green” was your grandmother’s quilting? 
(By “green” we mean using something in a way that doesn’t harm the environment and utilizing leftovers by recycling, reclaiming, and refinishing.)
Grandma never thought about “green” quilting when she recycled her fabrics.  She was simply being frugal or thrifty.  Also, fabrics weren’t so readily available for the early quilters.  The local general store may carry some bolts of fabric for making clothing but not very many and then mainly serviceable materials. Also, it was considered extravagant to buy fabric solely for making quilts. 
So what did Grandma do? 
She……
*Cut up worn-out clothing and used the fabric for her quilts.
*Incorporated …read more

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com

Even though the summer is drawing closer and children are going back to school, the Arts Bloggers still have many interesting ideas for you.  These might be fun to consider if your schedule slows down after the youngsters are in school.  Some of the ideas are “green,” made from recycled materials.
Cool Journal Tool
Try this fun tool to create art for your journal, or just to play
Cotton Monsters! The Work of Jennifer Strunge
See some of Strunge’s amazing and fun soft sculptures made from recycled clothing and linens.
Eco crafts- Credit card bobbins
How to recycle old credit cards into bobbins for embroidery …read more

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com
In previous posts, I’ve mentioned using old neckties to make quilts, throws, and pillows.  This is a great way to recycle these items.  The resulting projects also may become “memory” pieces.
Cyndi Levin, of Layers Upon Layers mentioned this use of her husband’s ties:
I regularly add my husband’s old ties into my mixed paper and fabric quilts…it’s so much fun to revisit them long after their expiration date!
What an interesting way to use old neckties.  What about including photos and mementos of the person who owned them?  An interesting memory piece.
Do you have any unique uses for old neckties?
Related posts:
Memory Pillows …read more

QuiltingAndPatchwork.com
FRUGAL  or  “GREEN” QUILTING TIPS
Since “green,” recycling and frugality are buzz words these days, I’m collecting tips from quilters and fabric artists that reflect these.  I think quilters have always been frugal and used and re-used their supplies. 
However, it’s fun to see how others are using up and re-using.
Jean Murray, quilter and b5 blogger at Small Business Boomers,  gave a tip when she commented on my post, Great Tutorial on Binding a Quilt.  (I give you this link so Jean’s tip is in context!)
This is a great tutorial. It also answers my question about bias vs straight binding, and the …read more