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8.04.2012

JOINING THE JET SET



The Bubble Jet Set that is.




I spent several hours browsing art and quilt shops while I was in the States a couple years ago...looking for Bubble Jet Set. I found it in Kansas, brought it home and left it on the shelf.




Last month, I got busy with my new granddaughter's quilt. She isn't here yet...and my goal is to get it finished before she arrives in the next couple weeks.




And I think I'll get it done!




As you may have seen, I made 78 fabric collage invitations for my daughter's baby shower last month.




Robin, at Pink House Studio, (one of my favorite blogs) made a suggestion when she saw them on FLICKR that I print some of the baby shower invitations and make a collage out of them. Laura Lea from Flickr made the same suggestion. (I just spent ten minutes trying to find her and can't...so sorry...no link). 




Anyhoo...the light bulb went on and I took their idea and tweaked it a bit - and decided to make a quilt using printed-on-fabric invitations. I thank you both for being so wonderfully inventive and sharing your ideas!




So...to begin the quilt, I used said Bubble Jet Set and soaked some plain muslin. (I wanted to make sure my ink jet ink wouldn't wash out).  Then I printed pictures of some of my favorite baby shower invitations on the treated fabric and used them as the 'middle' or first piece of each block. 




The ink didn't come out nearly as dark as I had hoped but it has a nice hand and looks baby soft. You can see how different the color is from the pictures above & below where I've lain the original invite next to the printed block. Might be because it's a couple years old...and I read the bottle again later and realized I'd forgotten the directions said to use the fabric right away for best results. I won't forget that again. (Just in case though...you might want to remind me).


I plan on going back in around the white parts of the muslin and painting 'whatever'...with Precious Little #1's help...so they'll be quite different the next time you see them. I'm also going to add details with fabric pens.


Five and a half years ago, one of the members of my old group, AQU, in SW Florida, brought a bin of scraps to a workshop (it was Ellen Anne Eddy - one of my heroes - who taught the workshop I missed) to give away. Hubby had a heart attack and surgery that weekend so I didn't attend and some of my buddies...feeling sorry for me because of what we were going through......brought me what was left of those Beautiful Scraps!!! *Ellen Anne also sent me a gift of her fabulous hand dyed fabric, scrim and silk ribbon. Yummy. BTW...hubby passed his 5 year mark since surgery this year and is doing great.


I then added these strips - along with some of mine...log cabin style...to the printed fabric blocks that I began with. 


Then came the challenge of placing them in the right order. 


I had NO plan for the 'next step' when I began this quilt...and used different sizes and colors on each block...so it really is scrappy...but I'm beginning to love the way it's turning out! 


Even if it isn't very babyish!


Create Your Life...


annie!


Last year, I was one of the featured artists in The Pulse...an ongoing part of Seth Apter's Blog, The Altered Page. This weekend, he's included a picture of a 'Still Life' that I'd taken, submitted to The Pulse...and forgotten about! If you haven't heard of Seth...you're in for a treat. He's an amazing artist/teacher who has his second book publishing this year...and is a person coming into his own! The Pulse will introduce you to many amazing artists.


Linking to Pink Saturday.





22 comments:

  1. I love reading how a quilt comes into it's existence. With it not being too babyish, she'll be able to carry it with her through several years. And what a great "reuse" of the invitation designs!

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  2. Between all of your "quilty" minds I think you came up with the perfect quilt. You had soooooooooo much work into those invitations it's great to be able to use them again.
    Clever, fun and gorgeous!!!

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    1. You got that right! I get by with a lotta help from my friends. And…I did have fun using the invites in a different way! Thanks Gayle!

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  3. I've never heard of Bubble Jet set before...but it looks really good. Like making a photo copy of your work, I guess, love it.

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    1. It's used for fabric that'll need washing - mainly - from what I can gather. Since the ink in ink jet printers isn't permanent…Bubble Jet Set makes it so. I usually don't worry about washing what I make…so it's a rather novel experience for me. How's Morris A. Mouse?

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  4. Yay for Hubby!
    The quilt is looking GOOOOOOD! Can’t wait to see how you and Little#1 ‘tweak’ it! As for not looking babyish, she’ll only be a baby for a short while; she’ll have the quilt forever!

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    1. :) Thanks Robin! I got all the blocks sewn together this afternoon and loving it! Now…to dig out the right piece for the back. But that'll have to wait because right now…I'm doing something I rarely do. NOTHING!!! Well…except enjoying my Mac and sitting close to hubby while he watches his gruesome crime shows. CSI, NCIS, The Protector. Gotta escape from THAT! And you're right…she will only be a baby for a minute!

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  5. However it appears, it's beautiful! xox

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    1. Aw thanks Corrine! I had to finally take it to my daughter's house and allow her to tell where which one goes!

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  6. I have never been able to get the hang of quilting so I love quilts. I imagine I could learn but...
    I love your quilt - and I think it is good that it is not babyish, and will be able to accompany that new baby through their whole life.

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  7. Thank you so much. I've struggled with this because I've never gotten the hang of quilting either. I'll be happy when this piece is done and will focus only on my happy memories of it!!! Hopefully, she'll love it...and it will be a part of her whole long life. I love that thought!

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  8. It's such a beautiful quilt, the color combinations alone are stunning and with the addition of the invitations it is so special! It will become an heirloom. Beautiful work Annie!
    Thanks for your visits to my blog and your kind messages :) Jo

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    1. Thanks Jo. While part of me loved making it...I'm so happy to be at a stopping point...where I'm waiting for my quilting friends to help me sandwich it! I've been making what I really love and having a blast today!

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  9. Annie,
    i've noticed that BJS has a shelf life and tarts acting weird after that.
    i changed to golden digital ground and have not had problems.
    great quilt btw not babyish, but very colorful. trhat will give it a longer run when the baby's no longer a baby :)

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    1. I wondered about the shelf life. Still haven't gotten to their website but I'll try Golden next time. I didn't know they made the product! Thanks so much for the good info…and your compliment.

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  10. annie! I'm just so thrilled to watch this whole thing. What a special quilt that will be....more so for the expectant mama than a little baby who doesn't understand, but maybe someday it will be put up for her as an adult and that will be special. Quilting a legacy. Good for you.

    Hugs from Ukraine, C.

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    1. Thanks Coleen! I really do plan to use it on the floor since I'll be babysitting her here…but I hope it'll make it to the bed one day! And beyond!!!

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  11. ANNIE, YOU ARE MARVELOUSLY TALENTED! WHAT A GRAND IDEA - I LOVE THE QUILT. WHAT A JOYOUS GIFT FOR THE "NEW LITTLE ONE". CONGRATULATIONS!!! LOVING YOU, J jmzfmdse1@aol.com

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  12. I have been browsing and I love the way you use color and patterns. Thanks for sharing this with us.

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Yuckola. More than half of my email has been from anonymous, so.....