Fassett, Jacobs, Lucy & Mably in Houston for Quilt Market 2010

I'm in Heaven....Kelly Heaven.....oh...Heaven.....and of course there are monks chanting in the background....:)  If I put music on my blog it bothers some folks....so you'll just have to get your imaginative juices working this morning/afternoon.....

I know Sarah Vedeler thought I was stalking her while I was in Houston.  Every time I showed up she looked at me and smiled.....so.....I took her photo.  BUT....who I was stalking....and I do honestly admit it was true stalking....it was the Westminster Fabrics Booth with Kaffe Fassett, Philip Jacobs, Brandon Mably and Liza Prior Lucy. 

I'm just appreciative that Brandon has such a good sense of humor and Liza had her back turned because otherwise....I'm certain I could have been jailed in Houston.

The energy these colors. along with the designs just speak to my inner "Wild Mo Jo".....and I don't think I really knew I had an inner "Wild Mo Jo" until I first saw their booth a few years ago. 

I could have parked a lawn chair in front of this quilt and book and stayed there for three days with a smile on my face and joy in my heart.

Kaffe enjoying his needlework.

I thought Kaffe was kind to even bother to look up for a photo.  After all, he had been on a plane most of the night (or so I was told.....maybe he really thinks I'm a nutcase and can't stand me taking his photo....who knows?)

Since this is my blog and I can take creative liberties.....I"m going to  name this piece,
 "Peaks of Enlightenment."  How do you like that?  :)

I'm calling this one......"Amber Waves of Joy"

I like "Cornered Energy" for this one.

"Wheels of the Ruby Dharma"....I like that title...do you?

This I call, "Where is Waldo?"....LMAO
(if you don't know what the acronym stands for....please don't look it up)

"Water Falling on Bliss"

"BAM"

"BAM, BAM and AHHHH"

These are just the titles I've given these photos.  I love these Westminster Fabrics and the designers are very inspiring to me. 

These Rowan Threads were in the Westminster Booth just down the isle.  Can you believe I did not even attempt a heist?  Me either!!! 

I was thinking while writing this post.......

........Ever notice that when someone/several some one's work resonates with you....it is actually just reflecting something on the inside waiting to get out?


The IHAN world in which I live can be fun on afternoons such as this one.  Prior to seeing any of these folks work I knew I liked color but I think it was buried deep inside me.   I realize I need some color in my world/home.  I don't typically work with colors etc because of self doubt.  My uncle was a very successful designer and he had wonderful taste.  He was held up as the measure for taste and style....if he liked it....it was "divine" (said in such a grandiose manner too).  Apparently I internalized the message that only "designers" have taste and I certainly am not an artist or a designer so I have honestly never explored much until recently.  I've never taken an art class relied on a color wheel to tell me if things "worked" together or not.

Fear color no more!!!  This photo was taken a few minutes ago in my kitchen.  Like the color?  I can tell you it sure beats what was there before....just ask "Waldo."

Happy Smiles,

Kelly

Sizzix and Westminster Fabrics introduced Quilting By Design at Spring Quilt Market 2010

I had heard about the Sizzix and Westminster Fabrics Quilting By Design prior to going to Spring Quilt Market.  I had them on my list of must see New Notions. 

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I wanted to see first hand how this new Big Shot Pro worked.  This is Denzel Quick and he was demonstrating the  Big Shot Pro when I walked up.  This die cutting machine reportedly will cut through paper, card-stock,  fabric, balsam wood, and tin.  I was told it would cut through most anything of this sort because it has a beveled edge on the blades.  I've seen it cut through paper, card-stock and fabric but not the others.  I didn't have a tin can handy...LOL.

Denzel folded the fabric over the long dies and then ran them through the Big Shot Pro.  This machine requires a pair of plastic resin cutting pads, one on top and one beneath the die.  Essentially the die is sandwiched between the two cutting pads with the fabric on top of the die.

Below you can see the "sandwich."

The wall of Dies were great eye candy for sure!!   Sorry about the flash, but at least you get an idea right?

They were embossing fabric and making rubber stamps using the Big Shot and the Big Shot Pro too.

This is the embossed fabric sample that I saw being made and below you can see the back side where the card-stock was attached.  You would not be able to remove the paper because the fabric would not hold the shape.....it is the paper backing that allows the embossing to hold.  I think this would be great for art projects where they would never be washed. 

Above is a rubber stamp made with adhesive backed rubber.  I think that is really neat that you can make rubber stamps too.

The wreath above and the garland below were made by folding the fabric accordion style prior to running it through the Big Shot Machine.  Oh did that give me some ideas....how about you? 

 

While at Market I noticed that when the fabric was removed from the dies there were small strands of fabric still attached.  I thought it was because the dies they were using had been used so much that perhaps they were dull.  However, I found the same thing to be true when I was using the Big Shot Machine while I was recently at Checker Distributors.  I sent an e-mail to the gal who I met from Sizzix and inquired.  She told me that using a piece of paper on top of the fabric will help eliminate that problem.  So I went back to Checker Distributors with more fabric and three different weights of paper to do an IHAN test.

Here you can see what I humorously call a hanging chad.  I guess a hanging chad is better than a dangling participle ay?  LOL

You can see the paper cut through each time.  No problems there.

 

However, even with the paper I still had hexagons with strings attached to one another.  The threads can be snipped of course but I was assuming I would get a clean cut every time.  That did not happen.

I also had the fabric get stuck in the hexagon die like you see here.   I'm not sure if this was operator error and I used paper that was too heavy. 

When I saw this pretty applique die I just had to try it out.  The folks at Checker Distributors are so kind and they let me open it to give it a test drive.  Since I had gotten a hanging chad with the hexagon die I thought perhaps I would with this die as well.

 

But as you see, I did not have any problems at all.  The fabric cut clean the first time through.  I have to say IHAN tests are not scientific as I'm no "expert" unless you consider the fact that I do travel around to try all the latest and greatest Notions so I will have a clue as to how to use them and how they work.  Other than the hanging threads I was very pleased with how the Big Shot performed.

The only other die I saw used was the 2 1/2 inch strip die that cut the "jelly roll" strips.  I would love to try all the dies but I don't have access to all of them without purchasing them.  One thing for sure, if I find anyone doing demos that has all the dies, I'll be there.  I love playing  "Consumer Reports" in the Notions department...LOL. 

When I learn more about the Sizzix Big Shot and Big Shot Pro and Dies I'll be sure to post again.

Smiles from the little shot here at IHAN,

Kelly