Rewards of Climbing the Photoshop Learning Curve

Finally, the clergy stole photos for my Etsy shop Shadrach's have clean white backgrounds!  I recently got a new computer and had to learn Photoshop because Picasa 3 is now defunct. Picasa was great, except that it couldn't lighten just one area of a photo. It was all or nothing. So this is my reward for learning a new skill: crisp photos. I love it. Ah, the rewards of biting the bullet and leaving my comfort zone.

I'm looking forward to getting back to quilt-making. My collection of quilt pattern ideas is getting very big! And I'm still saving selvages. We'll see.

Kaffe Collective Fabrics for Clergy Stoles

I just made a series of red clergy stoles (worn by some ordained Protestant ministers) using my collection of Kaffe Collective fabrics (and a few others). These happy fabrics are a joy to work with, especially in colorless January. I'll be back to quilt-making pretty soon.

I hope your new year is off to a good start!

New African Clergy Stole

Today I cut into my latest Etsy purchase of African fabrics. I buy from sources in the US and Africa. I used to make quilts with these fabrics, but now I use them mostly for clergy stoles. When you view a whole yard, the bright bold designs can be overwhelming. But when cut up and blended together in a stole or a quilt, I think the result is beautiful.

See the listing for this stole in my Etsy shop.

(Clergy stoles are worn by many ordained Protestant ministers.)

New Clergy Stole with Dove and Olive Branch

My new clergy stole design features a dove with an olive branch. I really like this one. You can see the listing here. Thanks for any internet love like Pins or FB.

Joyful Red Clergy Stole

Finished this red stole today! Just in time for ordination and Pentecost season. Quilters will recognize these Kaffe Fassett Westminster fabrics. I love the colors and how they all look great together.

See more photos and details here. As you know, I always love Pins and fb. Thanks!

Asymmetrical Blue and Green Clergy Stole

I just finished this clergy stole a few minutes ago and wanted to show you. This fabric is by Timeless Treasures. I love the colors: blue, aqua, purple and greens. They're cool and soothing. This stole took less time to make than the one in the last post, but I spent some time deciding how to position the pattern before cutting the fabric. I like that green stripe. I don't know if my customers will like the asymmetry, but I'm guessing they will. See more details in my Etsy shop: Water Stole #191.

And if you're in the mood for Pinning, thanks!

Blue and Green Clergy Stole

Quilters will recognize these fabrics! Yup, I used my blue and green Westminster fabrics to make this clergy stole, and I think the result is delicious! This is Joyful #185. (I started with #1, and this is my 185th stole! I tend to go overboard with things.)

In case you're new to clergy stoles, they're worn by many ordained Protestant clergy. Some are subtle, and others, not so much. Haha.

P. S. I'm hoping my readers will help me by Pinning the listing. Thanks!

Fused Mosaic Clergy Stole

This fused mosaic clergy stole is the newest item in my Etsy shop: Shadrach's. I finished it last night. It's made from Kona cotton: black, royal blue and turquoise. On my screen the turquoise looks washed out but it's actually quite brilliant. I love this color combination. It's relaxing to cut and arrange the "tiles" in alternating clusters of blue and turquoise.

New Clergy Stole with Vintage Buttons

This new clergy stole features 433 vintage buttons sewn in a wavy organic river pattern. It's the newest stole in my Etsy shop: Shadrach's. It weighs 10.7 oz. I made it while visiting with family over the Thanksgiving holiday. I loved making the flowing design.

If you have a minute to "Pin" or "Favorite" it on Etsy, that would be great. Thanks!

The buttons are from the 1800's and 1900's. Old saved buttons eventually end up in rummage sales, where I find them. Some are ordinary, others are interesting, like the bovine bone buttons with 2 large holes. Some of the buttons are square. They are mostly white and off-white, with some brown and a few other colors. 

These buttons represent the history of the people who wore them to school and work, to worship, to weddings and births, in illness, at sea, and possibly in the Civil War. Interesting to think about.

Green Mosaic Clergy Stole

This is my third mosaic clergy stole in a series. As you quilters can probably tell, the "tiles" are Kona solids, fused onto the stole with Pellon #805. See details here: Green Clergy Stole. It takes me one whole day to make one of these. I'm not complaining though, It's very relaxing to do.

October is Clergy Appreciation Month. My Etsy shop Shadrach's is well stocked. ;)

Mosaic Design Using Fusible Web

I finished my first mosaic style clergy stole today. The foundation is black Kona cotton. The "tiles" are made from 12 shades of blue, turquoise and purple. The colors are more accurate in the photos below. You can see  more details here. I used Pellon #805 fusible web.