Aurifil Archives - Clever Chameleon Quilting

July 9, 2019January 19, 2024

Artsy Fartsy Self-Portrait: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Clever Chameleon Threads color board at Clever Chameleon

Another 15 seconds of Fame for the Chameleon

Last Tuesday I was battling to find Artsy Fartsy inspiration for July. I was tired from neighbourly construction noise, end of term-itis, and from madly preparing quilts for showing. Tiredness is definitely not good for creativity. Thank you to all the lovely people who reached out with sentiments of empathy.

The good news is that the kids are now on hols, the quilt show was a resounding success and the demolishing is finished. I can cope with construction noise on just one side of our house! But before any of these resolutions occurred, on Wednesday last I went back to bed after I sent the kids to school for some catch-up sleep. I even snoozed though trucks being dump loaded with bricks! And of course, when I awoke, my head was full of new ideas. Bing!

Something I wrote last Tuesday stuck in my head and specifically resurfaced after sleep…. “the Chameleon is off colour”….. Oh! We should fix that. Game On!!!

So, what happened next was that my Artsy Fartsy Christmas wreath took a dive in the priority queue. Specifically yielding to some new threads for the Chameleon. And more specifically, Aurifil threads, in partnership with Island Batik. Read on to see my new Artsy Fartsy project; it’s finished and not changing again, I promise. Although, with a challenge name like Artsy Fartsy, I hope Aurifil aren’t hoping for output that is too highbrow. ‘Cause the Chameleon is in a silly mooooood……

July 2, 2019January 19, 2024

Artsy Fartsy: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Artsy Fartsy Christmas color scheme at Clever Chameleon

Making a Start on my July project for Island Batik

This one’s a tough one. We’ve been asked to “use any fabric art/non-traditional quilting/sewing/thread painting technique using 3 Aurifil thread weights” for our July Island Batik Ambassador project. Any size, any technique, as long as the result is Artsy Fartsy. And I am just not feeling it like I usually do. Which is odd, because I have created plenty of non-traditional artsy fartsy quilt pieces in the past. And I am a big, big, big thread connoisseur. I love them all – rayons and metallics and 12wt Lana, and even bobbin work with embroidery floss. And I get the same thrill from a rack of thread colours as I do from a new box of paints or crayons….

But not today.

demolished house — Goodbye neighbour’s house. The view this evening from my sewing room. I truly hope they finish tomorrow.

Maybe it is because my collection of Aurifil is a bit limited in colour and thread variety. Maybe it’s because it’s cold and grey outside and I have endured days of incessant noise in stereo from 8am every day because one neighbour is remodelling the back half of their house and the other is completely demolishing. Gack! Or it could simply be that I have just finished preparing four quilts for our annual State Guild show and now have a big dose of anticlimax after dropping them off this morning. Whatever the reason, the Chameleon is off colour and I feel like a Grinch at Christmas because the whole Island Batik Ambassador family is doing this thing and insisting it is going to be fun and I can’t get enthused….

Hmmmm….. Christmas. In July. Now, there’s a thought.

By the way, have you ever tried to fussy cut a batik?

April 8, 2019January 19, 2024

Green Hearts 4 Christchurch – Finished Flimsy

Green Hearts 4 Christchurch quilt. Green nine-patch quilt with pieced appliqué hearts at Clever Chameleon.

Green Hearts for the Healing Hearts for Christchurch Project

A quick post to mark a quick flimsy finish. My Green Hearts 4 Christchurch quilt top is finished. I like it – it was a great way to use up some fabric scraps. Admittedly it’s no show quilt – it was made in a mild hurry by two people of very different sewing styles on two very different machines. But it is filled with caring, and it is very calming in colour and form. It has already performed some significant soothing during its construction – hopefully it will continue to weave its magic as it is passed on to be quilted and bound and, finally, gifted.

If you’d like to make an appliqué heart project, for Christchurch victims/responders or any other special cause or person in your life, the heart template I drew and used is freely available for download in this post.

March 24, 2019January 19, 2024

Crazed Diamonds Quilt Top Finished

Crazed Diamonds finished quilt top at Clever Chameleon

Crazed: characterized by a network of fine cracks….

I’m naming my latest Island Batik challenge quilt “Crazed Diamonds”. I think that speaks well to both the crazy quilt heritage and the modern outcome of this quilt design. And possibly my wider quilting life too… 😛

Today’s post is really just a quick update to show you the eye-candy that is my latest quilt top finish. I hope it gives you a few happy moments to brighten your day.

March 19, 2019January 19, 2024

Crazy Coral – Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Crazy Coral colour scheme by Clever Chameleon

Just crazy enough….

Like a good friend with whom you can let your hair down anytime, my new little quilt is going to be just crazy enough to be great company. 🙂 I am beginning to really like having this scrap buster hanging around, brightening my day. Even though it is only half done. And running waaaay behind schedule.

I’m talking about my vintage reimagined, crazy-modern tribute quilt that has featured in my last few posts. I am struggling to find time to focus on it, with life throwing our family too many curve balls this last fortnight. But although the quilt’s not coming together as quickly as I would like, it is coming along a treat overall. I love the colour combination I’ve chosen (and that I’ve somehow miraculously managed to stick to). I also love my solution for highlighting the crazy seams without the complexity of masses of embroidery.

And I love how it looks with the flowers my hubby and daughter chose at the supermarket this week. Happy Tuesday!