Fabric Roses- Folded and Pleated in happy colors

We chose Turtle Beach to visit yesterday, because it always has lots of shells. The water is still cold but it was wonderfully turquoise and soothing to hear.The sand is darker here than on Siesta Beach and we used to be able to find shark's teeth all over the place. That was 30 years ago. So Fred and "M" (our 6 year old neighbor) built sand castles and played in the sand while I found some shells and then after an hour or so I started to feel sleepy from the Benadryl- the pollen is everywhere and it kills me! I don't know which is worse- the allergies or the medications for it! So we came home and after "M" went home and I took a nap, I started playing with some fabric samples that Sue Handman had given me several weeks ago.

I took my Manipulating Fabric book (written by Colette Wolff) with me to Georgia and  have been conjuring folds and pleats in my mind. I guess I get obsessed with things and am not content until I have worked them out with my hands. So to duplicate this technique all you need do is make three pleats in a square of fabric.

I iron them down, stack them up. Sew them factory style- one right after another.This makes for a nice prayer flag look. The repetition is zen like and soothing. It helps foster patience.After you clip them apart you take two pleats and then use the iron to set in the folds. Stack, sew and repeat.Cut each square apart and pull up the center. The pleats come undone and you have a balloon. A puff.Hold the center and twist. It looks like a rose. Iron it down.I am going to log cabin some strips of fabric around each one and then connect some together in variegated color arrangements.This second group was made from gauze. It gives it a bit of a different texture. I would think that you need to tack down the centers with a few stitches or go around with the machine to hold the twirl in place.

I noticed that Project Runway is in a marathon today- at 3, 4 and 5 I will be caught up! Shhh, don't tell me who won! Yesterday I watched a NCIS marathon. We also rented Martian Child, The Invasion and Michael Clayton. Enjoyed them all- I am going to rent some more later today! Fred is repairing the kitchen sink (grrr!) and I am trying to stay out of his way! He just came home with "something for me" from the hardware store- Anti Monkey Butt powder- he cracks me up!

Even Fred couldn't resist the logo and tag line for this product! Boys are so gross!