Quilters find many sources of inspiration, and pictures of unusual buildings often play a role.  In this year’s round robin for my daughter’s quilt group, each quilter submits a photo and the others design small quilt hangings inspired by it.

A photo of an outhouse has yielded interesting results.

Check out Beth’s Meandering Threads blog, particularly the post, Quilt Group Pictures, and see two fiber artists’ variations on the outhouse theme.  The group meets again this week, so perhaps they’ll have more outhouse designs to display…along with those inspired by other photos. 

What unusual pictures or objects have you used as quilting or fabric art inspiration?

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

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Quilting the Outhouse!

I discovered some interesting quilts with buttons  at Button Mad.com (called to my attention by Chloe at Tangled Thread)  They make delightful ceramic buttons at Button Mad which coordinate well with quilt, collage and other fabric art projects.

Do you use buttons in your quilting art?  If so, I’d enjoy hearing about it. 

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Using Buttons for Your Quilting

Since you’re putting a great deal of work into your work, select thread of good quality that will endure.  Therefore bargain threads usually aren’t recommended.

Your usual threads are:

*100% cotton

*100% polyester

*cotton-wrapped polyester

*quilting thread treated with a coating to minimize tangling

*metallic and specialty threads

Quilters eventually will find the type and manufacturer’s brand of thread that seems to give them the best results for their work.  The metallic and specialty threads are chosen by quilters when they want unusual effects in quilt hangings and fabric art.

Color of thread is a personal choice and depends on the effect you wish to create.  Throughout the years, white and off-white thread has been most common.

Then when you begin to do machine embroidery for your fabric art, your choice of thread depends on what you’re creating and the colors your work demands.

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Various Quilting Threads

(Geocaching (www.geocaching.com ) involves a sort of treasure hunt, checking out a listing of these sites online and using coordinates on a hand-held GPS to locate them.  This is a fun family activity, we’ve discovered.)

In addition to taking photos of the family finding the cache, Beth looks for quilting inspiration by taking pictures of scenery, patterns in stone walls, light and dark in the trees, sunsets, waterfalls, wildflowers.  From these she gains ideas for her fabric art…wall hangings, quilts, fabric postcards, and fabric trading cards.

She has posted some of the photos on her blog (http://meanderingthreads.blogspot.com )…and may relate how she’s using them for quilting ideas.  There are so many ways photos can be incorporated into fabric art, both as a whole scene or simply for the design ideas.

So….keep your camera handy and add to your collection of photos for quilting inspiration.

Betty Alofs‘ book, Quilt Your Favorite Photos: Shoot It, Sketch It, Stitch It, is just one that gives you information on incorporating photos into quilts and fabric art.

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Use Your Camera for Quilting Inspiration

If you do use photos taken with a traditional camera, you can scan them into your computer and have them ready for printing.

Simply get some postcard stock (white or another color that will coordinate well) and print the quilt design onto the card.  You can type a quote or saying over this; or you can place it on the lefthand side of the back, under your return address.

Also, if you have a small piece of quilt work, lay it on your scanner and  work with that picture for your post cards or notepaper.  You also can use the fabric postcards.  Scan them and print onto card stock.

Many more people can enjoy your work this way. 

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Using Quilts Designs for Post Cards

 My mother had Alzheimer’s so didn’t really notice the pattern.  My mother-in-law wanted a small quilt to hang on a particular wall in her suite.

So we decided Mother would enjoy a lap quilt most, made of soft fabrics.  We actually used patchwork printed fabric, filled it with thin batting and backed it.  Then we tied it.  This was well used and worn when Mother passed away.

The quilt hanging for Mum’s wall consisted of four star blocks (12″ each), separated by sashing, then a border all around and backed with a print fabric.  Beth machine quilted this.

The star pattern was an Ohio star variation because Mum was born in Ohio.  She lived there until after the birth of the first three of eight boys.  (My husband, Beth’s dad, was one with an Ohio birthplace.)

When Mum died, the quilt was given back to Beth.  She surprised me with it as a Christmas gift that following year.  I now have it hanging on the wall of my study in memory of Mum and our quilting family.

Quilting gifts for family can include so many memories.

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Making Quilts for Grandmas

It was interesting to see what had happened to my daughter’s after the five other ladies in the group added their touches to it.  Last night Beth posted the before and after photos on her blog, with an explanation of what else she might do to it.

If you’d like to learn more about Round Robins, check out her photos at http://meanderingthreads.blogspot.com/ .  Earlier in her blog, Beth posted photos of the pieces she was working on. 

These will give you an idea of projects you might like to undertake in your quilt group.  They can be quilt hangings or bed quilts.  Beth has participated in some of these with online groups, too.

You also may find guidelines for creating Round Robin quilts in the following book:

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Round Robin Quilts – Before & After Photos

They brought back memories of the occasions when these men wore the ties.  In addition, they were colorful and made of attractive fabrics.

Then I discovered there were books with ideas and patterns for using neckties in quilts and fabric art projects.  I haven’t had an opportunity yet, to try these out, but am getting many ideas.

Two of the books are Traditional Quilts from Neckties and Necktie Sampler Blocks by Janet B. Elwin.

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Memory Quilts with Neckties

Some projects may be no more than using a crumpled up brown paper bag (such as you’d get at the supermarket) as your base.  You might use a variety of paints.  (My daughter applied gilded paint to one of her paper bag/fabric projects.)  Then overlay with fabric or foil using the methods described in the book.

You can work with all types of fabric from velvet, interfacing, silk, felt and others.  All types of papers can be tried.  The embellishments are limitless…just use your imagination to create truly outstanding works of art.

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The World of Paper & Fabric Patchwork

Some quilt artists use only a few beads and adornments, while others complete their work with numerous beads of different colors, shapes, and materials. Quilters also create their own beads. My daughter often makes beads from fabric to match or mix with the quilts, hangings and other items she creates.

Some quilt shops carry beads of various types and sizes; others you’ll find at craft stores; also search online sites for beads. My daughter and I often look for beads, buttons, and trims at second hand stores on clothing and by themselves.

You’ll discover so many creative ways to use beads in your fabric art. Simply keep on the lookout.

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Beading & Quiltmaking