froggy went a courtin....

froggy went a courtin...., a photo by nanotchka on Flickr.

sometimes you just want to do something for fun! One of my online swaps this month was the perfect place to just play a little! After doing some stalking on my partner and her likes I found that she loved frogs.....Had lots of fun making this little guy but decided he would be lost without his pond and lily pad so I made sure he had that too when he traveled to his new home! Next I'll be back to my quilting with some new quilts to show you and a tutorial or two! Things will be picking up here on the blog!

hexie flowers

hexie flowers, a photo by nanotchka on Flickr.

I'll be getting back to my studio to work this week and took some time this week end just to play and relax a little. Julie Richardson used hexies in a little mini quilt for Art Quilting Studio magazine and I wanted to try a variation of her little quilt just to experiment with my box of hexies! She used lots of yo yo's and images on fabric for more embellishment but I decided I wanted to keep it simpler with the idea of using it for a fun quilt block in the future. I added a few buttons for just a hint of embellishing and really like the result. It's always fun to be inspired by another artists work and make it your own.

salt lake city longarm quilter/ mini quilt

strata mini, a photo by nanotchka on Flickr.

Some days you just have to step back and just play a little in your workroom! All of my orders were caught up, I was ready for my next show in Reno Nevada next week and I had even finished my yardwork.....what to do!! I decided just to play a little and make myself a little piece of fiber art to hang for summer. This is what I came up with!

salt lake city longarm quilter/ tablet cover

tablet cover, a photo by nanotchka on Flickr.

Finished! the cover is complete and ready to be put to work! I chose a Japanese linen print that reflects my love of anything "birds"! It took an afternoon but I saved the $90 and up that they wanted at the departmentstore in the handbag department! And mine is a one-of-a-kind!

Salt Lake City longarm quilter/ tablet cover

tablet cover detail, a photo by nanotchka on Flickr.

So you think you need the newest toy and once it's yours you head to your favorite store to find just the perfect, trendy cover to carry it in...the only problem is that your new tablet is so new that no one has made a cover that will fit! Unless it's an Ipad you're in trouble when it comes to finding something awesome to carry and protect your tablet. The new Samsung tablet was just the ticket for my needs but it's a little bigger than the Apple Ipad so it was time to pull out some fabrics and start designing something that would fit my needs.

this is the design for the inside of my cover. I wanted a place to hold the tablet when I'm using it and a pocket that would hold it securely in place when it's stored away. A little extra pocket for some notepaper etc. and a little sleeve for the pen that would make it more accessable.

ziggy quilt chenille orange finished

ziggy quilt chenille orange finished, a photo by nanotchka on Flickr.

Well the spring shows are over and my finished ziggy chenille quilt was quite the hit! Everyone loved the fun bright colors and the subtle crisp white of the chenille rows added texture and depth to the zig zag pattern. I'll be added a kit for this coloration to our website www.fauxchenille.com. Adding chenille to your quilt is kind of like your favorite "comfort food".....it just make you feel good to wrap yourself in it!

It's nice to be back in my studio working for awhile. Next week I'll be having an in studio workshop and I look forward to sharing some of my students work with you!

zig zag quilt blocks new orange

zig zag quilt blocks new orange, a photo by nanotchka on Flickr.

Everyone has been asking for orange Chenille-It and it's finally on it's way! I'm working on a new version of my Zig Zag Chenille quilt for a show in Del Mar California next week! I can't wait to get my hands on some of that orange!! Here is a preview of the blocks. I'm working with some Riley Blake and a little Kaffe Fassett spots. I love the combination...I think the booth will really pop with color!!

Fresno Fiber Arts guild workshop on Faux Chenille by Nannette Holmberg

One of my students from a recent workshop with the Fresno Fiber Arts guild shared some of her step by step pictures with me.  I thought you might like to see her progress on the Chenille-It Blooming Bias shrug that she made in the workshop.  It really is fun to see these simple strips of bias transform from the rolls to a finished jacket.  Here she has laid down her first layer of bias and is preparing to lay down the second onto the water soluable stabilizer.

The jacket is all stitched and constructed....Ready to be washed and dried!

After washing her jacket looks , feels and wears just like a sweater!  Beautiful job!  I can't wait to see more of the finished projects.  Many of the jackets and vests in the class were the layered and stitched "Faux Chenille" technique.  I hope to share more of them with you soon!  Thank you Fresno Fiber Arts Guild!  I had a great week end with you!