Category Archives: Collage Based Work

Dappled Sunshine, Deep Jellies, Generational Whispers, Label Blocks, Weeds

Spring progress

 

PansiesHello,

We are enjoying the colors of spring even though the temperatures are a bit chilly. Nancy's Blue birds These pansies are from Sue Ellen’s garden.  All three of the groups I meet with meant on Tuesday this week.  I was exhausted when I got home.   First was the FAB meeting in Judy’s Book markGarden until the rain hit us.  Nancy shared her progress on the Blue Bird quilt she is building for her Mom.  It is growing beautifully.

Patti blessed us all with a wonderful felted book marks.     It is a great bit of felting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I was off to the QuIG’s meeting.  Sue Ellen had a wonderful curved challenge on her pin wall.  IMG_5837 She rotated and changed position of parts so I know this is not the final orientation.  It will be fun to watch how she changes this work.   Angela is working away with her felting projects toward Linda'a workher show next winter.  She showed us her sketches.  Linda is working with how to create Sea Grape leaves.    She showed us a bit of her school glue resist dyeing too.  I love the colors   Liz continues to do her two blocks a week challenge and she showed us six new ones.IMG_5842It will be on playful quilt when she is done.

Barb's workBarb showed off another of her tributes to her ancestor works with this lovely little quilt.  I think the way she is presenting the old lace hand work is very strong.

IMG_5841This piece  is one of Sally’s wonderful little works.   She also shared some very nice pillow cases and bags she had made for her grand daughters.   It was a good meeting.

Alic's FoxesThe off to Diva’s.  Alice shared her newest work with a tribute to musicians. Sharon's Piece Sharon showed off one of her altered print works and I really like the texture.  She also shared two works that were giving her problems and asked for suggestions.    I am sure she will solve the problems with time and work.

Lori has been stitching away on her tundra pieces.  This time she also brought along the source of the idea for this work.  It is great.IMG_5850   I am so very glad I belong to such a diverse and talented group.

Progress Report: Purple Passion Purple PassionThis work is 45.5” l X 31” w.      It is based on a collage and after some long study I feel could go back and try to represent the collage again.  I got so involved in the assembly process that I lost the simple color break up of the original work.IMG_5868  I do feel like I am getting better with the technique part of the assembly and quilting  however.IMG_5870 I enjoyed adding the sparkle of the metallic fabric to this work.

 

 

Dappled SunshineDappled Sunshine   I have just started the quilting on this work.  It is another of the bigger pieces so it will take a while for this to be completed.

IMG_5854Deep Jellies   The jelly fish are getting tacked down and I am building in the details with machine stitching and the couching down of various yarns.   It too is rather large so the getting it under the arm of the machine is tiresome and I seem to only be able to work on it about an hour before I feel I must put it aside and work on something else.

Generational Whispers   Generail WIspersThis too is a monster quilt.  I must have been in an expansive mood for a while.   The faces, life sized,  are drawn on wash away  and are of my grandmothers.   IMG_5853  I am planning to free motion draw them on organza and build the next generation on top of the organza and below  them on the work.    I am dealing with a bit of fear here too as I do not know what I am doing……

Weeds   This work is part of the wiggle cut series.Weeds  I am slowly hand stitching in the stems of the weeds and will add the heads in time.  I only work on this piece in the evenings and only after the Label Blocks and other hand work is done, so it is another slow project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leftovers IMG_5861  This work is just made from sections of Dappled Sunshine that did not work in that piece.  I will use it as base to experiment with some ideas I  am trying to work out.

new workNew  work  This is a new piece based again on a collage.  I am learning a lot  about how to use angles in my work with the collage stuff.    This piece fits my three challenge too.  My dyed work are the big purple units and the red and blue sections are some of the snow dyed I did last winter.  Ethel’s fabric is the turquoise and  and pink stuff.

 

 

Label Block # 62  label block #62I just doggedly  keep at these blocks.

Enjoy spring and Keep Creating

Carol

Along the Shore, Blue Stone, Collage Based Work, Diva Meetings, Ice on Vincent, Label Blocks, Lion King- Cherrywood Challenge, Machine Drawing, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Wine and Cheese

May Days

 

IMG_5688Hello,

This wonderful little blue flower filled in the neighbors front lawn and made me smile on my walk yesterday.  They are so small only about a fourth on an inch across and so plentiful.   I wore a smile for a long way down the street were it was refreshed several times as I came across several more mini fields of the little blue bundles.Norma

I have had a full week with three days of Quilting Retreat at the Schweinfurth and the meetings of both QuIG’s and Divas.  The retreat was great stimulation.    It was good to see old friends and to see all that folks were doing.   Norma was making hostess gifts.  One of the five she did is in the background of this shot.  IMG_5651  Susan was quilting away at pieces that needed that to be completed.  Great colors here.

IMG_5654.jpg Sally was piecing and assembling a one block wonder that was based on a fish print fabric.  Watching her do the arranging of the blocks was wonderful because  every time I looked up the  work looked different.

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Nancy G. did hand work on one of the row by row projects and this  little quilt of NYC.

 

 

IMG_5663.jpgLinda L used the retreat to add boarders and based a big quilt of 110”x 110” that her sister had asked her to finish.     She had to crawl around on the top of the tables to do all the basing in the center.  LindaThe work is wonderfully complex and will look great on the bed when it is complete.

 

 

Victoria worked with the fabric she had created in Pat Paulie’s  class IMG_5667.jpgin the fall.     This shot is of one of the early layouts.  She made lots of changes before the retreat was over.  I love the bright colors.

Janet

Seated behind me was a gal named Janet W.  She made her fist quilt at the retreat.  I sure enjoyed working with her too.  I think she is hooked.

Lots of wonderful things were going on at the  QuIG’s  meeting too.  Both Linda and Angela were showing off pictures that are going to be inspirations for new work.IMG_5676   Liz is still working away on  the Splendid Simple Blocks project.  Liz's projectgGetting a new pattern every three of four days,  is  that is only a 8” block  is very  doable she says.   She also is working away on big projects too.  I just love this whole silk cloth work that she intends to start quilting soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Most of the Diva meeting went to talk about the up coming show that will open on June 3.  Ruth did a great job with the post card.

 

NoelNoel is doing service project quilts for the  Tow Path guild.   They are beautifully colored.

It is really great when folks  bring works in progress.    That is what  Anne  did.   This  is  a Water quilt anne she shared with us .  She asked for suggestions on how to quilt it.    Now how she quilts chooses to do  this will be interesting to see.

 

 

Lori's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lori also brought a project that is in an early stage.  She  has felted, fused   and already added paint to the surface.  All this before she begins to stitch on top.    I  am looking forward to watching it grow over time because I already love all the texture.

 

 

 

Ice on VIncentProgress Report:  Ice on Vincent   This quilt is in the stretching/flattening stage.  I got help from Nancy Bales at the retreat on how to get it flat and now it is drying after a lot of steam ironing.  Hopefully I will get a back on it this week.

 

Blue Stone   I am still building Blue Stone Close upup the surface with stitching on this work.  I like this process,but it  is very slow and tiring.   Only about three more hours of work until I am done…… I think.

 

By the Shore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Along the Shore   This is another of Ethel’s  UFO’s I am completing.   This is also my hand work project for the time being.

 

 

 

Wine and Cheese

Wine and Cheese I stared this project to relieve the pressure that all the free motion work on Ice and Blue Stone were creating in me this week.   I did use a lot of the fabric that I had altered in this project.  Most of the commercial  orange is Ethel’s  material.

 

IMG_5703 Memory Map- Columbus Junction  I did not  do a lot of work on this project this week.  I did add the spring flowers however.  I like the Jack in the Pulpit the most.  The Dutchman’s Britches are well shaped, but I wish they were a bit whiter.  Perhaps I will add some paint to the surface.

 

Lion King –Cherrywood Challenge     At the retreat I started this  project.  I had purchased the kit at the Chicago Quilt Festival when I was visiting with Sharron.    IMG_5649  First I did a little research and some drawing.

IMG_5650Then I stated building up the background.  One of the limits on this challenge is to use only the Cherrywood  fabrics.   The pack  was two shades of gold and dark brown  fabric. Most of the piece is to be from these fabrics.   The background is one of the gold’s.  But it is not the full 20” that is required on a side, so I added the gray at the bottom.IMG_5657That is were I will put the masks when they are done.       At the end of day one I did the loin’s body.  I was tired and it was made backward.     Fixing that was the first job of day two. Lion King  I then made the main and stopped working on the project because I want to do the face with  embroidery work.   The whole thing is not due until July so I can take my time.

 IMG_5660New Work  Before I left home I had pulled out all my purples to do a new project using this collage as my starting point.   It is early in the building of this work but I feel I am staying with the feel of it at this point.

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IMG_5690.jpgLabel Block # 50  I will take help were ever I can get it.  The label at the top “ worker pant” is from my grandson.

Keep Creating

Carol

Blue Stone, Canyon de Chilly, Collage Based Work, Columbus Junction, Creative Assistants, Green Grass of Home, Ice on Vincent, Label Blocks, Memory Map Quilts

On Marks

1 Comment

Con trailsHello,

The sky was so full of contrails –  man made marks and I felt I must comment on my focus subject of this year.    Marks seem to be every were when you start to look for them. IMG_5586_thumb.jpg There are marks left by animals  like these deer and raccoon  tracks are that show marks of passing.   But there is a difference between the mark left behind by nature and the marks made by mankind.   Man made marks are a  conscious decision.  There for my con trails are not really marks on the sky as I have defended it.    Because I live in an urban setting   I seem to find most marks   on my walks.    I saw these marks of love in the sand when I was visiting Susan in Florida.  IMG_5352   Then I found these  marks scratched  in cement on a sidewalk. IMG_5335  I observe many spray painted marks.  I talked with a man replacing a  stop sign that had been grifittied  spray painted  yesterday  on my walk.   Then I found these IMG_5396 two in the stair well of the art building.IMG_5397   They all point to the fact that folks seem to be  driven to make marks on surfaces when the opportunity arises.  Think about all the silly doodles around the note pad by the telephone or look at a students  note book at the end of the school year.  Both are covered with marks.    We all seem to have a driving need to leave evidence of our passing in the world.  Even this strange sculpture is a mark of sorts of some folks existence.  IMG_5592    I can’t begin to explain why we leave behind the marks.  I just know we do and I find it fascinating.

surFACEAbout a month ago I wrote about the “ surFACE”  show where artists were given the plastic masks that Cancer patents used as a part of their treatment .  I went to the opening/sale of the art works that came out of that IMG_5570.jpgChallenge and was amazed by the transformation that the artists did with the masks.   This roman fighter was one.  Some artists cut up and distorted the masks like this flat work that became and elegant  type of painting. IMG_5575.jpg  I was amazed by this wonderful grass hopper were the artist mixed the plastic with corrugated cardboard. IMG_5572.jpgThere were several courageous lions. lots of butterflies and angles  among the altered masks.   Over 90 wonderful creations came out of this powerful challenge.

IMG_5609.jpgProgress Report:  Green Grass of Home  This quilt is 22.5” X 45” and a part of the self challenge project. IMG_5614_thumb.jpg The collage that I started this work with is  in a whole different color pallet- and it morphed as it grew, but I am quilt happy with the final results.    When one  enlarges from 4” X 6” to a bigger size one does need to break up things a bit differently.  IMG_5613  I had a good time with the quilting on this work and it is very flat  even though I did sew at 45 degree angles in some places.IMG_5612

IMG_5624.jpgMemory Map- Canyon De Chelly    This quilt is 18 “ X 20”.  It has been missing for several months.   Some how in my frustration with what to do next it got buried in a pile of fabric  and only surfaced this week when I was putting away fabric form my trip to Chicago.  IMG_5616.jpg    I am so glad it got lost because I was so frustrated with it I was ready to throw it away the last time I saw it.  But with fresh eyes I saw what it needed and now I am pleased with the work.   IMG_5617   It mostly needed more definition and needle work.  It got both this week. IMG_5618.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memory Map- Columbus Junction    IMG_5603.jpg  Finding Canyon De Chelly also got me going on this work that was at a stall too.   I have added more detail to the map section and I am in the process of doing the drawing of the figure for this work now.

 

 

 

 

 IMG_5583Creative Assistants    I got busy and finished up 21 more of these little fellows this week.    I was pushed forward on this project by unearthing a small box of necklaces with wonderful  beads for face parts- but I told myself I could not begin to play with them until I had finished all the started pins.   There will be more.

 

 

Ice on Vincent  IMG_5595.jpgI am building up the texture on this work now.  It is the slow step were it seems like not much is happening.  But I love all the thread play and the tacking down of fabric bits and yarns.

 

 

 

 

IMG_5577.jpg Blue Rock   This work is just a little behind the Ice piece.  I am still filling in the base layer for it.   I like selecting the fabrics and filling in the gaps .

Label Block # 48  IMG_5604.jpgThe building of the  blocks keeps on coming.

Keep Creating

Carol

Briar Patch, Creative Assistants, Label Blocks, Out the Window, Riverwood, Watakoo Wall

Green Day

1 Comment

 

IMG_5238.jpgHappy St. Patrick’s Day.   It is sunny and bright today and I am really feeling the wonders of spring. Notice the bee in the center of the wind flower on the left.   So many trees have big fat buds I am sure they will open soon.  I had no meetings this week so I got a lot done.  I do have stuff coming up however.  This Sat and Sunday I will be apart of the Spring Thing at the Turquoise Street Gallery.   I will be there on Sunday afternoon from 1 to 4IMG_5235Come along and have so goodies if you can.    My other news is I am off to visit Susan on Tues and I will not be back until the following Tuesday .  So there will be no post next week.   I am sure I will have lots to share when I get home as she already has lots of plans for activates for the two of us.

Briar PatchProgress Report: Briar Patch I have completed this work, but I do not feel like it is really done.   It is OK- but it has no life for me.  I will take it to the Associated Artists IMG_5258meeting this week end and get some feed from other artists on it.  I do like all the textures and colors that the patch contains but it seems fall short .IMG_5261

Ribbon Rose PillowRibbon Rose Pillow    When I went to visit Susan last spring I fell in  love with a wonderful piece of red fabric that she had.  It was topped with these wonderful ribbon  patterns.  It has taken me a year to study and then adapt the technique to my  collection of techniques.     I am quit pleased with this typeIMG_5272of embellishing.    I will admit that it is not a surface that is comfortable to press against however.IMG_5273  But the texture is wonderful!

Out the WindowOut the Window     I have finished all the stitch in the ditch work on this piece.  It is now stable enough to start the free motion drawing  part.  I Think I will make each block a different view.  I plan to leave some of the “windows’ blank and all the white ones with purple blocks printed on them will be curtained windows.  I am thinking that the deep purple blocks will be night scenes.    This is a big challenge and I may change my mind as I go along.  But that is my plan.

 

Riverwood earlyRiverwood    This work fits all three of  my monthly challenge criteria.   It is based on a collage, has my altered fabric  and some of Ethel’s fabric too.    I changed the color when I went to fabric from red to oranges and from grays to browns. IMG_5276_thumb.jpg I am showing one of the early pin up steps of this work because I have realized that as I enlarge the work from the 4”X 6” collage to a larger size it takes on a life of its own and I alter the work accordingly.  ( note the IMG_5266.jpgadditional half circles. ) I have finished all the stitch in the ditch work on this piece too and I am now ready to add the free motion work.   I am not sure what to do so I am living with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watakoo Wall  I started some new work based on photos of rock formations. This is the beginning. IMG_5270_thumb.jpg I always try to lay the wool out in a pattern that follows the lights and darks of the start, but it too takes on a life of its own when I change mediums.  Is this what is meant by abstraction?IMG_5262.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5264.jpgThis is a second work from a different section of the same photo before I add any fabrics on top.   It to has morphed from the photo to this point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creative Assistants IMG_5254_thumb.jpg   I have been inspired again this week to get back into doing faces for my creative assistants.  I have done about two dozen and I will keep at it for a bit longer.   Then move on to the next step.

 

 

IMG_5245New work    Here is another work that is fits the monthly challenge work.  And it too seems to have  pulled away from the collage with enlargement. IMG_5274_thumb.jpg   I have broken things up and altered the sizes of color blocks as I have gone along.   I guess I will just have to face that the changes are a natural part of my process.  IMG_5251.jpg  It is all a part of learning and  creating as I go along.   A natural part of the process for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Label Block #44    I like the label form my Minion sculpture Christmas  gift ( upper left hand corner )  the best in this block.

Keep CreatingIMG_5252.jpg

Carol

# 2, Coping, Label Blocks, Moon Fall, Parts, Scrap Happy Quilts

Snow Bound

2 Comments

 

Johns-pictures-095.jpgHello,

I was snow bound for three days this week as we got hit by lake effect snows.     I felt like hibernating- but spent time in the studio instead.   The snow  measured 18” on my deck and the shoveling was tiring even though it was light snow.  There was just so much of it and along with the wind, being out doors was cold work.

Before the snow I spent aIMG_5000

day with QuIGs gals doing screen printing at Angela’s house.  We had fun and I got a new batch of fabric to work with.

IMG_5005I was also invited to be a part of the Valentine sale and show at the Turquoise Street Gallery.  That sale and show will be  Feb 12 and 13  from 11:00 until 8 both days.   I created a few little images in fabric with bead trims for that show.   It was fun and it got me in the spirit of doing Valentine stuff.      Liz had a really cute pin she had created last year that was a Valentine Cookie in felt.    I was thinking about them and so I tried to create my own.

Here they are in a tin all set to be sent in a few weeks to  my gal pals.IMG_5007.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4999.jpgProgress Report:  Moon Fall  I am to the quilting stage now and enjoying the free motion part of the process.  I decided to use three colors of thread.  A variegated red to rust, a blue and a burgundy to outline the shapes of the dyed areas.   I am about two thirds done with that now.

 

Parts   I am stitching down IMG_4993.jpgthe camera parts by hand.  I am also embellishing them with hand stitches to add interest.  The  process is slow and I only add about two pieces and evening, but I am enjoying it.

IMG_4994Coping   I pulled out  this top that I had started last summer and did a second look at it.  Then I decided to do the quilting in a block like fashion.  I am trying not to be too pridctable  with that step and so I over lapped the starting squares and now I am building in more lines and little squares to the surface.

Coastal Colors II   IMG_4989.jpgI continue to build on the top of the wool work here.  I just enjoy adding more texture to the surface.  The colors become so much richer I think.

IMG_5002Scrap Happy     I  had a whole box full of left over squares form all the scrap happy quilts I have been making, so I put them together in  random  rows and I am now sewing/quilting those rows together.   It will be a colorful one when it is done.

IMG_4997.jpg New Work   I pulled out these pieces of fabric and I will start a new work using some of them.  I have not chosen a focus fabric from this collection yet, but when I do I will know what the next steps will be.

 

Label Block # 36

IMG_4990  I got a letter from Judy this week full of labels and I am thrilled.  It is always good to have help form one’s friends.

Keep Creating

Carol

Breaking Up, Butterflies For Ethel, Curvie Cuts, Label Blocks, Taffy Pull, Uncategorized

Leaf Dance

2 Comments

 

Hello,

crows
crows

As this photos shows the crows are populating the trees now.  A few trees still have leaves and watching them fall is still something I do was I walk.   The wind is the biggest factor in that process and over the course of a week I see all types of winds resulting in sorts of fall patterns.   Some leaves zip and race away from there  high homes to the ground. While others flutter, twirl and drift down.   The wind can effect the leaves on the ground too.  Some tumble across my path and others skitter, bounce and jump, while there fellows cart wheel or roll away to be caught in hedges or  cluster at the base of trees .  Some times they stack against walls  or sail across pools.      Until we get a rain the dance will fill my walks.

IMG_4660For three days this week I was a part of the Open Studio work at the Schweinfurt Art Center.

 

There were six of us in the wet studio.  Cris and Liz were at the tables near me.   Liz Patand  I learned a lot as  we had never mixed dyes for our  own use before.      The really fortunate thing was two very experienced dyers were also in the wet studio, so we had great IMG_4677brains to pick.    Pat  the woman who I had as class instructor was there doing her own thing.   And Maureen was also there dyeing.   She was making yardage. Barbara

 

 

My buddy, Barbara  was also in the wet studio   dye painting silk scarves.   She only got three done – but considering she had never IMG_4680done this before I am proud of her.   I am also in love with the rich colors she achieved.    This is my wall of work for the first day. IMG_4664.jpg    Barbara, Liz and I really got the bug and will all do more on our own.

 

 

IMG_4678.jpgFolks were working in the sewing studio up stairs in the Schweinfurth too.    Donna came down and showed us her newest paper piecing project.   Looks like new garland for her tree this year.    They were all working just as hard up stairs as we were in the basement.   It was great fun.    There was also a trunk show by my good friend Ruth at the Schweinfurth this week end.     I saw some of her work I had never seen before.  It was great.

 

 

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Liz and I spent Thursday  making more dye colors to use.  We worked in her garage  and mixed up six more colors to play with.  IMG_4684 I have fabric setting in buckets of water in my shower washing out the dye now.     Good thing I vowed I would make a piece using some hand dyed fabric I had altered every In up workmonth, and  even that many not be enough to use all of this great stuff up.  Even Liz  looked at all the wonderful dye Ethel gave me and said “ you will  go a lift time and not need to purchase any more dye.”  This is some of the new fabric that I altered.

 

 

 

 

Progress Report:  Taffy Pull

Taffy Pull 44" X 29"
Taffy Pull
44″ X 29″

After the quilt meetings last week I did a little rework of this piece.  I IMG_4706also changed it’s orientation.   Maureen suggested I pull some of the colors out into other areas and I like what happened when I added the IMG_4707thread work to the surface.  I also intensified the blue lines.   It is a stronger piece for the additions.

Butterflies for EthelButterflies for Ethel   I am so very happy about this piece.  It is the third and last in this series  of Butterfly pieces.   I used only fabric IMG_4693from Ethel’s stash  that her children so generously gave to me.   The title is part of my tribute.    The butterflies are form the ground cloth as before.  I also added several machine drawn butterflies to represent Ethel’s being gone from my life but still strong in my memories.   No one can see memories- but they are still a strong part of me. IMG_4692

Breaking Up 16" X 30"
Breaking Up
16″ X 30″

Breaking Up     This quilt got started at QBL last summer.  I was working on the thin line thing.   IMG_4697I am feeling much more confident about controlling the width of those lines now.

IMG_4687.jpgCurvy Cut Project  I did not really get any work done on this project.  But I did  make the eight leaf stamps to use  on the surface.  Hopefully I will get to that step this week.

 

 

 

New  Work IMG_4685 This is the start of my newest rock piece.  I am going to try to work on and 18” X 24” scale for four pieces.   So far I would say it is proving to be more of a challenge then I expected.

IMG_4649.jpgLabel Block  # 26  One more done.

Keep Creating

Carol

Breaking Up, Butterflies For Ethel, Curvie Cuts, Diva Meetings, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Taffy Pull

Indian Summer

IMG_4634.jpgHello

We are enjoying a wonderful bit of Indian Summer with mild temperatures and sunny days.   Fall is here and some of the trees are striped of leaves.   But many still are dressed in colors.  I noticed as   I was swishing through the leaves on the ground that trees tend to lose there leaves from the far ends of the branches first.  That makes sense, just I had not paid  attention to that detail before.   I have managed to play a little of my favorite fall game of catch the falling leaves while walking.  I also realized I get a lot of joy out of having an acorn or two in my pocket.

The week has been a full one.   IMG_4628I visited Nancy at her home to see her newest lay out for her next quilt.   She uses bold patterns and colors  in a way that I so admire.  I know it will go through many changes before she is done.    Watching her process is great.

IMG_4629.jpgLast Friday I went to the opening of Quilt=Art=Quilts at the Schweinfurth.  I was delighted by the fact that I knew so many of the quilters who were accepted into this show-  seven to be exact.  This shot shows Cheri with her work at the opening.     I love these wonderful silhouetted works she is doing now.

At the QuIGs meeting Liz was full of news IMG_4653_thumb.jpgabout her trip to The Barn a few weeks ago.  She had a notebook that she had covered with her own treatment of Cantha.  I like what she did.  Sue Ellen brought us some raw cotton and cotton pods from her trip south.IMG_4654  I really love the shapes of the pods.

The Diva’s meant on Tue too and folks  had lots great things to share.  I got a lot of help with my works in progress.  That is one of the best things about the group.

Progress Report:  Taffy Pull IMG_4658.jpg At one point last week I thought I was done with this work.  But when I took my second look the day after in the low light of early morning- I realized it was not very strong.   So I took to my meetings.    That is the best part of showing my stuff to new eyes.  I am now working on adding more color to this surface in the form of thread painting.  It is helping.

Butterflies for Ethel IMG_4656  I am to the quilting stage of this work too.  It also went to my meetings without being completed.   I had the butterflies attached with the IMG_4655sliver thread as I did the first two in this series but did  not have what I felt was a strong enough ideas for the quilting that it needed to be complete.  Again my fellow artists came through with lots of suggestions.    Now I need to get going on the machine process.

Breaking UpIMG_4640.jpg   I am to the quilting stage of this work that I started last summer at QBL.   I was challenging myself to add slender lines to the surface and I think I was successful with that part of the idea.

IMG_4641New Curvy  Cut Work  I picked up lots of leaves on my walks this week too.  So I decided I needed a place to print there images and this is what I built to do so.  I will paint the leaves and hand stamp them on this surface.

New Work/Challenge   I am off this week end to do some more fabric dyeing and IMG_4659so I looked through the stack of older dyed stuff.  I decided I would challenge myself to do at least a quilt a month using some of the hand dyed fabric.  In this photo my  hand dyed/printed fabric in the center.   I am not sure about the next step- but I am sure going to try.

 

 

Label Block     TV news goes on every night and so does my work on these blocks.    IMG_4649  Keep Creating

Carol

Butterflies For Ethel, Collage Based Work, Earthly Fissures, Swoop, Taffy Pull

More ways to study ones composition

IMG_4598.jpgHello,

The fall colors are still fascinating  me.  I just can’t seem to look enough.  And every day the view changes.

I have a few  other ways of looking at a work to see if the balance is good and the composition on is as strong as it can be.    One is to squint.  I do this a lot with out even thinking about it.  But is is good to pay attention.  The second is to use a reducing glass or if you do not have one – to use binoculars in a backward fashion.  By making the work smaller the eye can see all of the composition at once.    You can also take a digital photo to reduce the size for viewing too.      I  do anything that helps the brain to make a good composition.  Because who wants to waste their time working on something that is not the best one can do?

 

IMG_4613.jpgProgress Report:   Earthly Fissures    I am pleased with this work.  I took it along with four other works to my photographer,  John Dowling yesterday.  Having the proper lighting and such really does make a difference.    I feel that I achieved my goal of IMG_4617_thumb.jpg creating a dark crack without using black. To do so I used  the  dark green to create the darkest area. This rock had lots of cracks in it.  I used a lot of yarn and thread to convey this feeling.IMG_4615

 

15    This work is my entry for theIMG_4609.jpg  Diva’s 15 anniversary show.  The rule we all have to follow is : fifteen  must be some were in the work and the quilt must be 15” X 15” .  I made a block using the roman numeral for fifteen- XV and then built the quilt.  The only block were you can read it is in the lower right hand corner. IMG_4611  My personal challenge was to assemble it all by hand and quilt it that way too.  I have not done either of those things  in a long  time.  I also wanted to get a little practice in doing hand quilting before I started quilting  Ethel’s quilt.  Now I am ready- if I can only decide now what pattern I want the quilting to follow.

 

 

IMG_4605.jpgScarp Happy  I finished another one of these fun quilts.  I did make it to the Ronald McDonald House this week were I left off the previous one.  I looked at the shoe box that holds the extra blocks and it is still too full so I will make another soon using old blocks.

Taffy Pull  This close upIMG_4604_thumb.jpg shows the machine work I am almost finished with on this project.    Again I let the fabric tell me what to stitch.

 

 

 

IMG_4607.jpgButterflies for Ethel     This will be the third in the Butterfly Series.   The title of this work comes from the fact that I have used only Ethel’s fabric for the background  of this project.    She had a good eye for color and pattern.    I am now ready to cut the Butterflies themselves out of the ground cloth.    After I add paint I will apply them to this surface.

 

 

Swoop    IMG_4603.jpgI lost my last curvier cut piece when I was at Pat Pauly’s work shop.   After trying to find it I have finally accepted  the fact that it is gone.  So I thought I better get going on a new piece.  And I think I was doing a bit of avoidance too as I did not feel confident about starting the quilting on Ethel quilt.

IMG_4619New Rock      This is another avoidance start.   Judy is pushing me to stretch /frame my rock pieces.    So I decided to find a little section in the photo I used for  Earthly Fissures( it is framed in white near the top).     I cut a piece of wool big enough to stretch around a 18” X  24” canvas that I have and I will begin to try to create the area in blue.

 

New Work    IMG_4606.jpgThis work is really not very new.  I started it at QBL last summer.But it had become buried. When I unearthed it this week I decided to move forward on the completion.  It is small and I think it will go quickly.

 

 IMG_4608Label Block #24    And a another one  down when it come to this project.

Keep Creating

Carol

Earthly Fissures, Label Blocks, Taffy Pull

Reflection

 

Wall Nuts Hello,

I am still enjoying the  sights of fall.   These wall nuts still in their husks are reflective of the colors we are experiencing at the moment.    Reflection is another way to check out the composition of ones work.  I have  a long mirror that I sometimes pick up and look into to see if the work is balanced.  The image is in reverse and that helps me see if thing are off in one way or another.   It makes the emphasis different and that helps.IMG_4580.jpg

I have been busy supporting my fellow artists this week.  My great friend Barbara had an opening on Sunday at the Library.  It was/is a wonderful show of the work representing her whole creative career.    I really enjoyed it. IMG_4589.jpg Then when the FAB group meant, Sally showed off one of her pastels.  It is based on a photo she took on Nancy and myself getting into a canoe.That brought back fond memories for all of us.   I like the work as  well.

 

 

 

Progress Report:   Taffy Pull   The top is all together now and I am

IMG_4592.jpgready to start the quilting.   I sure hope the pressing helps level it out.  I am still struggling with the cutting of curves.  It is a technique that takes lots of repeat action to master.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4593.jpgEarthly Fissures      I am still building up the surface of this work.  It is nearly completed.  I really enjoy stitching down the yarns and adding  lines of stitching to the surface.

 

 

 

Label Block   # 23 IMG_4596   One more completed.   The box full of labels does not seem to be at all diminished however.

Keep Creating

CarolIMG_4583.jpg

Collage Based Work, Earthly Fissures, Label Blocks, Scrap Happy Quilts

Looking

1 Comment

 

Hello,

I was struck this morning by how much I depend on the low light of morning to help me see my work.  When the light is soft before I turn on the studio lights, I can really see the  grays of  light med and dark in my working pieces without the distractions of color.    Now I  am not saying I always pay attention to this- but I do know that when I take note-   look at the balance , note the movement of the eye  – the work is stronger.

IMG_4566Progress Report: Earthly Fissures   This photo is of a rock formation in the Adorancks that I took a few weeks ago when I was up to visit Cris at the Pink House Gallery.   I have selected a small section of theEathly Fissures photo to be my jumping off point for this new work.  I am building up the layers for the look  I want now.  This process always takes longer then I expect. But I love the final process so much it is well work the time.

Scrtap HappyScrap Happy  I have now finished this work.  I just keep playing at this process.  This one is very cheerful even though there is gray and black in the quilt.

15  I am doing the hand quilting IMG_4569on this little project in preparation of work on Ethel’s quilt.

New Work   I started a new pieceIMG_4564 this week based on a collage I did over the week end.  I did six collages and then picked out this one to be my challenge/ starting place.   I am really exploring with this new process.  That is both fun and scary at the same time.

IMG_4563.jpgThe quilt top does seem to take on a mind of its own and the enlarging of a small” sketch/collage( 3”X 5”) and going to a different color combo changes things.  I am enjoying the challenge however and feel I am growing with the process.

Label Block 22    The beat goes on for this project. IMG_4567   Enjoy the fall colors.

Carol