I played with increasingly complex mandala designs some time ago.  Life got in the way, as it sometimes does, but I am now ready to finish them and get them up on the website.

This is a free design for you to play with.

I have stitched it out on calico (muslin) in white thread, so it was very difficult to see in the photo. I am now going to color it, using water soluble coloring pencils. I will use some textile medium with the pencils (Jo Sonya, Liquitex…)

You are welcome to download the design and stitch it.Please send me some photos of your designs when you have colored them.

I have used some of my hand-dyed fabrics, but you could use any fabric that you like. The patch is raw-edged and fused to the cover, then the bird outline is embroidered in the hoop.The bird could also be done as a raw-edge fused applique. I have added a strip for the spine, incorporating a tab for your pen or pencil.  There is also an elastic strap, holding the book together, when it is closed. The notebook that I am using is a spiral back A5 Visual Arts diary that I occasionally use to sketch ideas.  Any A5 notebook will fit; it is also very easy to adapt the size to any other notebook. The leaves are lantana leaves, painted on the back with Silver Lustre paint from Genesis Creations, an Australian company that specialises in Liquid Radiance fabric paints and conducts wonderful workshops teaching how to use their range of products.https://www.genesiscreations.com.au/The leaves are placed on the fabric, painted side down, covered with a sheet of paper and then rubbed to transfer the lustre to the fabric.

This is the first of my Postcards from Australia series – featuring our ubiquitous Laughing Kookaburra (sometimes called  a “jackass, or jacky”).

I am going to fine-tune it a little before it goes on the website, but I am quite happy with the way it is shaping up.

I’ve taken a photograph of a kookaburra, played with it in Photoshop, added the background and the text, then printed it on an EQ Printables cotton sheet.

I have added the sketching embroidery on the bird and digitized the Airmail, Postcard and stamp, so that it can all be done in the hoop.

Not happy with the stamp; I think I am going to replace it with a stamp featuring gumnuts or gum leaves.

I went to a workshop with Kathryn Harmer Fox a few weeks ago. She inspired me to work on this series of Postcards. In her workshop we made postcards, using small pieces of fabric, netting and free motion embroidery.

You can see Kathryn’s work on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.art/

She is a very talented lady and a great teacher.

I have taken a different approach, working with a photograph, adding texture and color to the background in Photoshop, so that you can print the image on fabric and then add the embroidery in the hoop. The embroidery on the bird does not cover the image completely, but rather sketches over it loosely.

I enjoyed making these rope bowls. I saw them first when a friend from Queensland Quilters had some to show. She also did a demonstration for us later in the year.

I bought the cotton rope from Bunnings and added some paint splashes to it before stitching it into bowls.

It looked a lot better after it was stitched.

These bowls are so quick and easy to  make.

I gave some as Christmas presents.

I have made some more bowl wraps!  Just love these fabric bowls! They are so useful.

I am using them to put bowls of soup or pasta in the microwave, collect the eggs from the chickens. I have given several away for presents. Also use one on the kitchen bench to hold assorted stuff.

They are quick and easy and fun to make!

I used batik fabrics and backed them with cotton batting/wadding. They work beautifully!

The quilting designs and the instructions for making these easy fabric bowls are up on the website.

https://www.kennykreations.com/Bowl-Wraps

In the Southern Hemisphere, we are now well in Autumn, the weather is turning cold and I am making lots of heart-warming soups – pea and ham, apple and pumpkin…

When we heat the soup in the microwave, the bowls get quite hot, so I am making some Bowl Wraps for them.

I digitized a quilting design for the wraps, and stitched it on the red fabric. I think the pattern is a little too tight, so revised it and made it bigger for the colored bowl wrap.

I used batik fabrics and backed them with cotton batting/wadding. They work beautifully!

You can download the quilting design and instructions here!

You will find some additional quilting designs for sale on our website.

https://www.kennykreations.com/Bowl-Wraps

Bernina Australia has provided KennyKreations with a copy of Bernina Embroidery Software – Designer 8.

I am working on a set of quilting designs, using the Bernina Software. The quilting designs for these Bowl Wraps were created in Designer 8.

Update:

I have stitched some more quilting designs for Bowl Wraps

Rangoli is a traditional decorative art of India. It is usually done by women, using dry or wet granulated rice or dry flour, to which vermillon, turmeric and other natural colors are added. The designs are painted on the floors of living rooms and courtyards during Hindu festivals.

These designs are very versatile and modern and would be lovely on clothing, table linen, bed runners, quilts and bags.

I made a table runner with three of the square designs, embroidering them in metallic gold thread. The metallic thread from Superior threads stitched wonderfully, without a single break.

I added some prairie points and used Jinny Beyer border fabric for the sashing and borders.

If you click on the photo, you can download this Rangoli Square design.

All of our Rangoli designs are discounted by 20% till the end of April 2018

Rangoli Collections: https://www.kennykreations.com/product/Rangoli

Single Rangoli Designs: https://www.kennykreations.com/product/Rangoli-Designs