The 100 Day Project

Have you heard of The 100 Day Project? it is an initiative where you commit to doing something, anything, everyday for 100 days. What that might be is up to you, you choose, I decided to jump in and see if I can actually keep up....... 3 weeks in and so far so good.

What am I doing for my 100 day challenge? I am drawing (digitally on my iPad) every day and posting on Instagram. In most cases I can complete a drawing each day, in others, where the drawing I am working on requires more time than I can dedicate, I am posting progress shots.
as an example, this chickadee.....the entire drawing is made up of dots and took several days to complete

I am playing with some graphic black and white ideas

and trying to work with colour more

When I began, I did not start out with the thought of using my toy sewing machines for inspiration.....but trying to draw every day means not spending a lot of time "thinking" of what I want to draw. I have lots of these little machines, in lots of colours and shapes, so it just kind of happened.   :-)

Interested in what else I have been drawing?
You can find me on Instagram Jill Buckley @Quiltrat

Surface Design on Clothing

Surface design on simple garments, like tank tops, is a great way to combine creativity and practicality. (..and...if it does not go according to plan, you have not wasted a lot of fabric) Lately, I have been creating a few new summer tops. This grey jersey has a lovely feel but it is a little boring so why not dress it up with some stencils, paint, thread and maybe even a few beads.
With this top, I started by drawing the pattern outline shape so that I would have some guidelines to work within. I used stencils I designed and cut myself
(I used window film to make the stencils, you can see how I do this in an earlier post here )

I used a stencil brush to apply the textile paint. The fabric is pinned onto a piece of foam core to keep it from slipping about and also provides a good surface for stenciling

Once I had completed stenciling, the paint was heat set with a hot, dry iron to make it permanent. Next I began adding some "outline" stitching.
With the hand stitching done, I then cut out the top and partly assembled it because I wanted to add a few beads and did not want them to be in the way as I machine stitched the shoulder seams, neck and armhole bands. I left the side seams open for easy access allowing me to continue with hand stitched details and beading

I tend to do the hand stitching and beading in the evenings while watching TV ( Netflix) A piece of felt glued into a small margarine lid makes a terrifically portable beading tray.

I have more of that same grey jersey, so this time I am adding dots. Now, because it would be rather difficult to hand cut consistently perfect dots, I used a commercial stencil for this.

This time, I cut the top out prior to stenciling. I stay-stitched the neckline and armholes to keep the bias edges from stretching out of shape while I manipulate the fabric.

In order to make sure the dots would flow nicely across the bottom, I stitched one of the side seams partly closed near the lower edge to ensure that stencil design would be unbroken

I will post the finished top once I get back to the sewing machine.

Rather than putting up a separate post, this one has been updated to include a photo showing how this top with the stenciled dots looked once completed (with a close up of the stitch detail)