Category Archives: Machine Drawing

Carrol Iowa, Diva Meetings, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Frozen, Glyph IV with Beads, Label Cards, Spring Forest, The Lovers

Moving Forward

Hello, The wet heavy snow this week really effected the landscape.  We got about 17 inches and it really ground things to a halt.  But by Monday the world was almost normal at least for March.   IMG_0504  I got a bit of cheer with these tulips from my friend Joyce.    The first Tuesday of the month came this week so I had meetings.  The QuEG’s meant at Sue Ellen’s.  She had a lot to share as she is working on a commission.     This shot is of the sun  set  she is working on.  All the rows are cut- but not connected yet and there is a sea to add on the bottom.     I look forward to seeing how this turns out.   IMG_0511Liz is pulling up her UFO’s and working on this long lost piece.

The Diva’s also had a lot to share.IMG_0512  Liesa is doing great things with the marbleized fabric she has created.

Sharon is busy creating now that she has  finished Graduate school .    I really like the colors she has put together here.

 

 

 

 

Cheri showed off her DNA quilt.  She stared it in the Surfaces class we were in at the Schweinfurth last fall.   She is mixing  papers in her surfaces now too.

 

 

 

 

Regina is being as productive as ever.    This is just one of four wool birds quilts that she has created this month.  She also shared her felted scarf that is very  jewel like.  IMG_0529  I always get so much inspiration and support from all  these gals.

Yesterday the FAB group meant.  Patti showed off her loaded loom. And explained how it works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Forest IMG_0558I have been beading away on my Spring Forest piece.   The colors of the beads make me feel like a season other than spring so I am going to change the name to just Forest.   It may not work so well for the Awakening show.  But I will see.

New Work The base layer is cut and pinned for this work.

.IMG_0540Most of the leaves are my own  hand dyed with a few ( the dark green ones) cut from commercial  fabrics.    I like the red brown of the vanes in the leaves  so I tried to follow that idea.  I loaded the eye of the sewing machine with a light green thread and a red thread to get this effect.  It takes about 15 to do the vanes in each leaf so it will take a while to finish this step.

Glyph IV   I keep doing the beading on this piece too.  I am more than half way down the left side of the O now.

 

 

 

 

 

Frozen   This project is  inching forward.  I think most of the rocks that are protruding through the ice are done now and I only need to concentrate of the last few ice flow patterns.  This project requires lots of looking  and thinking on my part.

IMG_0545Memory Map: Carroll    I stared a new Memory Map project.  It is the same size as the other three completed ones.   IMG_0546I spent my life from the  third grade to seventh grade in Carroll Iowa and have great memories that I will try to incorporate into this work.   This is the base layer.

Daily Practice   The hand work on this piece goes forward.   I continue to use the strait stitch as much as possible on this piece.

 

 

 

Collage X- Flower Dance   The work goes forward.

The Lovers   This is the next card.   I love to use old photographs when I can in my collage work.  They are not family ones but little jewels that I have picked up along the way.

Keep Creating

Carol

3 Witches, Collage, Glyph IV with Beads, Hand work, Indian Pipe, Indian Pipe, Label Cards, Medusa, Radial Joy, Spring Forest, Winter Apples

Spring Approaches?

 

Hello,

March in its typical approach can not seem to decide if it is ready for spring or if winter should still dominate.  I saw these Snow Drops on my walk yesterday and I did hear a Robin’s song this morning.  But there is also snow in the air and in the forecast  for this evening and tomorrow.     Mother Nature is a bit fickle.

Progress Report:  Indian Pipe   This work is 16” t X 20” w.     The background is felted and it is  based on a photo of a rock cut along a  road in Washington state.  IMG_0480  I selected the Indian Pipes as my subject from one of my mother’s slides.   The steams are made from organza that is wrapped around a pipe cleaner and the heads are satin ribbon.IMG_0481

Winter Apples This work is 27.5” t X 29.5” l.   It is based on a photo I took of a crabapple tree at Thanksgiving when we visited the Turning Stone Cession for our family dinner.    IMG_0494The crystalline snow is made up of silk with a lacy ribbon on top.   IMG_0495

Radiating Joy  I am to the quilting step with my work on this piece.  I did reflective quilting in the rainbow letters and I am doing strait line quilting in the dark areas.

 IMG_0459Frozen   I continue to move very slowly on this piece.   I am just about ready to cut the wholes in the ice where the rocks stick through.

Glyph IV I am happy with the progress on this piece as the top  of the O is now complete and I am working down the right side.

 

Spring Forest    I am done with the quilting on this pieces as well  and have moved onto the beading of the trees.  I had help selecting the beads that I am using.IMG_0469

   IMG_0465Afghan    This work is now done.  I like the colors and it is worm.

Daily PracticeIMG_0474The daily hand work is moving along.  All of the parts are at least tacked down with stitches now.    I look forward to playing with decorative   stitches on the rest of the surface.

New Work IMG_0477 I pulled greens out of the stash to begin a new piece based on an image of asters.   IMG_0489

Star Gazers   This is collage #9 and is called Star Gazers.

Card- Medusa IMG_0490  I always saw Medusa as a very tragic figure.   All that constant noise and motion around her head all the time.  Must have been tiring.

3 Witches  These three women from a clothing add made me think of  the 3 witches from Macbeth.  They seem to conjuring  trouble to me.

Keep being creative

Carol

Amber Empress, Collage, Frozen, Glyph IV with Beads, Hand work, Series, Winter Apples, ZAP

Operation

 

IMG_0411Hello,

I had my operation for carpel tunnel on my left hand yesterday.   It went well and because I had the right wrist done 14 years ago I felt no fear.  The world of medical has  improved sense that first one  and it all seems to be smoother.   I can already do a few things that I know took a week to do last time.    Simple things like touch index finger to thumb.     The Doctor anticipated a smaller opening this time too- but because it is all wrapped up under the soft bandage I can not see that yet.   One Hopes for the best.

Progress Report :  Glyph IV
I did a lot of beading on this project this week and I am at the intersection of the O and L at this point.   I am pleased with how it is going.

.Frozen   I have started to applique the cording down to represent theIMG_0398frozen edges of the ice on this work.   Because I want the organza to only be connected to the base were the stones stick up through the ice, it is still free floating on top.

ZAP   I layered this work and started by stitching down all the text.   I have even begun the reflective quilting around the forms.   I am unsure about what way is up, so every time I hang it between work sessions, I try a different orientation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Joy I used the pattern that I showed in last weeks blog to create the shapes for this radial design.  It is based on the word JOY.  It is easiest to decipher when you look at the fourth of the pattern on the left.

Winter Apples This new work is based on a photo that I took last winter of snow on a crab apple tree.  IMG_0402

This is the shot.  I made a paper window and focused in on a smaller section.

IMG_0401This small section is what I decided to build the new work on.   I have selected a printed fabric that goes along with the theme and I have free motion quilted down the limbs I cut in wool.   I have made about twenty Satan apples  to hand applique down on top.   I used the double fabric method  to create the apples .   After I turn all the apples  I will applique them  and add steams.  I am still thinking about how to create the snow.     IMG_0403

Daily Practice  I have started with the second of my hand work daily pieces.    The fabric shapes are all cut-aways from other projects and all of them except the orange ones are fused to the background.

Collage 6

I am continuing to do the collage work.   Perhaps I need to start to think about adding titles to these pieces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amber Empress  This is my newest card for Susan’s challenge.

Happy Chinese New year.    It is the year of the Dog.

Keep Creating

Carol

Buggy, Confussed, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Felt Work, Glyph IV with Beads, Glyph Series, Label Blocks, Pealing Oranges, Pond Water, Quartered Glyph, Raw Edge Applique, Tossed Salad

Fall Events

 

Hello,

This week was full of events.   Last weekend  I went off to the Tompkins Quilt guild show.  Cheri won a ribbon  there.  So too did my friend  Pat.  But this  red work is not the one she won a ribbon on.

IMG_9458 Regina and I enjoyed viewing the show and talking about what we saw.  My shots of Regina’s quilts are not good enough to share.

I went off to the Schweinfurt with Marty and we  vied the  Geologic Landscapes show on Wed..     This wall piece is of the watershed  of the lake.   The white lines are of the creeks and streams that feed into the lake and the white area near the top is the lake.   The outline  of the shape is of the highest elevations around the lake area.    I loved this concept as I have always liked topographical maps.

IMG_9489Then this morning was the FAB meeting.   Both Judy and Nancy are working on different variations of Disappearing Four Patch.   Judy’s is the one in dark blues and whites.   Nancy’s is the one with the greens in it.   It is great how unique they both are.

Patty  has finished her  extruded cotton  thread  knitted shawl.IMG_9492   I think it is great!

 

Progress Report: Buggy   This work is  40” w X 49.5” l.   The bugs are oil stitch on fabric  using my own designed and cut  stencils.   The gray and light green panels are made from stamps I cut in Pat Pauly’s  class at QBL two summers ago.    I dyed the dark green and the fabric with the turquoise and white in it too.   Liz had challenged me to use some of the stuff we have been creating and this one fills the bill.   IMG_9472The reflective quilting looks like bug trails one of my friends said.      These big black insects are based on cockroaches.   IMG_9473  The blue green insects are also beetles.

Quartered Glyph   This work is 44” w X  48” l.   I used a smaller version of the Owl Glyph pattern that I created to do this work.   IMG_9486  The quilting is strait line  starting from the center and working out  using variegated thread.   IMG_9488  The shapes of the glyph are raw edged  appliqued.

Glyph IV IMG_9467I just keep beading away on this project.     I like the effect, but progress is slow.

Tossed Salad  This quilt is made from all the cut away parts of Quartered Glyph.     I am machine stitching down the parts in the raw applique style here.   I have  added the back and batting too so this time I am quilting at the same time as I put the parts on.  I do not know if I will have to add additional machine lines until I am done with this step.

Pealing Oranges    This quilt is still growing.  I made a smaller Owl Glyph pattern and used a beautiful piece of orange fabric from Regina to place that pattern on.    It is being mixed with some of the other cut away fabrics from various other Glyph projects.  This is an early step in the process.

 

IMG_9469Wool Work   I have started doing free motion machine drawing on this felted work.  I am also tacking down bits of fabric and yarn with the machine stitches.

Card Confused   I build this card from multiple copies of the same image trying to mix and confuse the eve.  All the cutting and pasting made it warp a bit  but I think the confusion is there.  I sure feel that way about the world at large at the moment.

 

 

 

 

 

Pond Water IMG_9479   I am now  hand quilting on this project.  The horizontal quilt lines are  meant to give the impression of water patterns as well as hold it all together.

Label Quilt    This work is 95” X 95”.    I am now done with this weekly project.  It has been an enjoyable and calming evening daily work.  It took  me a week to finish each of the 144 squares.   I am now trying to decide  what the next daily practice project will be.

Keep Creating.

Carol

Dream, Ethel's Nine Patch, Fly Fast, Green Dargaons, Label Blocks, Little Jellyfish, Machine Drawing, Wind Blown Tree

Summer

 

Mapel treeHello,

It is the first full day of summer and now the days begin to get shorter.   It is also the beginning of what as kids we called “Maple Whistle Time”.  As a kid for about a week we would use the maple seeds as a devise to make a whistle sound and drive my mom crazy.  There is also a mulberry tree that is dropping its fruit  that I pass under when I walk.  That too brings up great childhood memories of  climbing the  mulberry tree in the front yard and eating those berries. They were so juicy. We even tried to make mulberry one time .  Summer was always one day of adventure after another. IMG_8401

Progress Report: Green Dragons Green Dragons 31"wX 37.5  This piece is 31” w X 37.5” t.  It is quilted with stitch in the ditch work and then machine drawing of five dragons was added on top. IMG_8425I stated out by outlining the dragon that was printed on the fabric panel in the work.  I did  little research on Google  and then  some drawings      I then  did the others in a mimic of fist dragon.IMG_8426I have not done a  dragon quilt for many years, but there was a time when I did one as a yearly thing.   It is fun to revisit themes .

Wind Blown 16" X 29"Wind Blown  This quilt is 16’ w X 29” t.  I built up the background and then painted that ground.  I knew I wanted a tree on the surface so I did some drawing.IMG_8394

After  this step I had to decide how I wanted to build the trunk of the tree.  I used tear away paper and drew the image again.  Then I laid treeout yarn for that trunk and the limbs and free motion sewed them all together.   After pulling away all the paper I free motion stitched the tree down.   Next decision was  how  to make the leaves.  I placed a  piece of wash away on top of the tree and  then sprinkled shredded bits of green fabric on top of the wash away.IMG_8395 Last, I placed a bit of green organza on top   to create a sandwich and  free motion stitched the  everything together.  After washing out the wash away  I flipped the organza to the back and free motion stitched it to the tree area. IMG_8415

 

IMG_8417.jpg

 

Little JellyfishLittle Jellyfish  I am still doing the hand work on this piece.  Stitching down all the tentacles is slow.

Ethel Scrap Work IMG_8431 I sewing sold blocks to the 5” pattern ones at this point.

Fly FastFlag- Fly Fast  For this banner I set the machine on zig –zag and drew the letters in free motion.  I like the strange effect.

 

 

 

Flag-Dream IMG_8420This is the last banner that I made in Florida this spring. The letters are done with a chain stitch.

 

new WorkNew Work  I am building this in the build a unit technique that I use.   The challenge Liz made was to use some of the hand dyed materials we had created.

 

Label Block # 130Label Block # 130 I can see the end of this process now.

Keep Creating

Carol

PS    I will be away again next week .  I am off to visit the Frank Lloyd Wright house Falling Water.

FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Green Dargaons, Label Blocks, Little Jellyfish, Rainbow Tree

Spring Warmth

Hello,

The north east has finally warmed up and we are enjoying the weather.  I have spent a lot of time pulling weeds and moving plants.  I do like playing in the mud almost as much as doing studio work.    I did spend and afternoon dyeing with Liz, but I have yet to wash out the dye so there is nothing to show for that yet.

IMG_8368FAB did meet on Tues and there was lots of activity.  Judy was tying  three baby quilts during the meeting.  She always uses such bright colors for them that it is a joy to the eye.  Nancy is finally finished with her Blue Bird quilt.  It is beautiful.  Unfortunately my photos of it are not- so take my word for it.

Spring Jacks 18X20Progress Report:  Spring Jacks  This work is 18” X 20”.  The background is all felted work  and the Jacks are appliqued on top.   IMG_8387 Sense the big Three Jacks piece has a new home I did this smaller one to remind me of that other project.  IMG_8389

 

 

 

Prayer Flag PinsPrayer Flag Pins  As the picture shows I am having too  much fun using little bits of projects and stuff that ends up on my desk making these little guys.  The freedom of no size or shape restrictions is wonderful.

 

  Rainbow Tree IMG_8383   I keep working away on this project in one hour units.  I love the effect so I am not at all unhappy that I am only about one third done with this project.   I am sure it will be well worth the time when it is complete.

JellyfishLittle Jellyfish    I am working by hand on this piece with a fly stitch.  The tentacles are  couched.   I do not want to use the machine to pull away from the movement  they produce.

Green Dragon IMG_8375 I am doing  machine drawing on this piece.  I did outline the print( its from Ethel)  and started to continue the body.  I took a lot of that stitching out yesterday as it was too big for the body.  I will try again this week.

IMG_8380Texture Project   I painted this background this week.  In doing a second look I think it needs another layer  of horizon so I will go back in and add some more paint   before I machine draw on top of it.

Label Blocks # 127 #128 #129Label Blocks  Do to the warmth I spent a lot of time out of doors in the evening this week and did a lot more  work on this project then usual.  I am having fun as I see the pile of black square diminish.

Keep Creating

Carol

PS   I made an error last week I   Label this  jewelry  as being created by Carrine and it is by Linda CIMG_8324_thumb.jpg.

 

 

 

 

This  beautiful work is by Carrine.  Please accept my apologies. IMG_8326

Curvie Cuts, Felt Work, Flight, Label Blocks, Pods, TaJira, Thaw in Xavier Wood

Spring Energy

 

IMG_8121Hello-

Spring really brings on fast changes around here.  Last week this lilac barely had leaves and now it is in full bloom.  And the smell is wonderful.  So too of so many plants.  I love all the quick changes Thaw in Xavier Woodthat happen this time of year.  The  leaves fill in all the empty spaces  as they reach for the sun shine and soon one feels under a canopy of green. The vast views of  the land are cut down as the leaves block the eye line to the horizon line and one feels enclosed and protected.   I find it really energizes me as well and I have had a great week.

 

Progress Report : Thaw in Xavier Wood   This work is 38” X 40”  and based on photos I took last fall when we had a nice thaw in mid November.     Ice is a subject that seems to constantly call back to me.IMG_8115   I love how the leaves are effected too not only in color but how they deteriorate. IMG_8116 I even tried using copper for a few of them knowing that they will also fade with time.   IMG_8119

 

PodsPods     I seem to be fascinated by the areas of connection of the units for these pods this week.  They sure got  most of the attention.   I am also using Sharron’s buttons as focus points on the surfaces of many of the pods.

IMG_8078 Curvier Cuts   This is the back ground for a new study of jellyfish.  All the curved cuts suggest the motion of moving water to me and  jellyfish  sure take advantage of the ocean’s motion to move.

 

IMG_8071Flags: Tajira   I keep working away on the flags that I started in Florida.  This one is called Tajira because that is the name of the new baby Giraffe that was just born to April  last week.   This “ child”  was 90 pounds and 6 Feet tall at birth.   The lettering was done on silk paper.

Flight IMG_8070  I enjoyed making this stencil.  It is colored in with water color pencils.  I had to add the beaded fringe because so how this piece of cloth was too short to meet the size requirement.

 

Spring Iris'sSpring Iris’s   I built up a base of several layers of different types of creams and white  fabrics and then added some brown and yellow  stains  to the surface for this piece.   I used some old lace that my grandmother Ruth created for the edge of a pillow case here too.   Then  I did a life sized drawing of the Iris’s I want to put on top of this work  and now I am ready to begin that step.IMG_8102 Because I want to use layers of sheers for the petals I am moving very slowly.  I am considering adding roving between the layers  for more color.

 

 Buttonweed Buttonweed   This rock wall background has been waiting for me to make a decision about the top layer for  a few weeks.  This week I finally decided to go with my original plan and drew these big paper  patters for the seed pods for the Button Weeds. IMG_8105 They will be cut from this bright green because that is the strong color the weeds are and that plus the shape is what draws me to them.

IMG_8107Harlequin Papers     This is a pure experiment.  I had read some where that one could fuse down candy wrapper  papers and use them on a work.  So this week when I spilled the box of papers I thought that it was a sign that I needed to act on that idea.   I will need to look and think about it for a while before I know how to proceed from this point.

 

Wool- Red  IMG_8097   My friend Tanya , gave me a big piece of red wool this winter and I finally pulled it out and cut three pieces from it.  The roving is just hand felted into the surface here.

wool BrownWool- Brown      This felted beginning has the same red wool base.  It also has a lot of fabric mixed with the roving  and wool yarn on the surface.   I have not started laying out the third one yet.  When it too is hand felted I will get out the felting machine and do that step to all three pieces and go from there.

 

Brown Base IMG_8092   These fabrics seemed to go together so I untied them.  It is just a raw base for  a future something.  I know that I will use it at some time and be glad that it is ready like a primed canvas is for an painter .

Purple Possibilities   IMG_8111 While I was pawing through my stash looking for the the green to use in Button Weed  and the blues I used in the curvy cut piece, I noticed that there were lots of small purple bits in the bottom of bins and such.  So I started collecting them in one place.   I will use this as personal challenge to use them all together in a piece some time.     I enjoy a little problem solving   every now and then.

Label Block # 120 Label Block # 120      I keep working away on these blocks.  Only 25 more  to go at this point.

Keep Creating

Carol

PS- One last look at the spring flowers.IMG_8088

Cherry Blossom Time, Crow Calls, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Label Blocks, Pods, Samurai Romance, Starfish, Still Life

Moving Forward

IMG_7900Hello,

I am enjoying the unfolding of spring here.   There are lots of buds and birds.  I went to the Towpath Quilt Guild quilt show on Friday.

 

Noel's quiltMy friend Noel’s quilt looked great as did many others.  I enjoyed the show and saw many friends too.   It was inspired  to go home and work in the studio.

IMG_7862  FAB had a meeting on Monday and Nancy show us this label that she programed for her Mom’s Blue Bird quilt.     It looks good to me.

Cherry Blossom timeProgress Report: Cherry Blossom Time   This work is 39” X 35”.   I created it from the branch that was left over from the Blooming Branch project.  It was too dark for that work so this one was born.  IMG_7893 The branch was created from the sleeve of a wool jacket that I then built up with two different yarns.

IMG_7891 There area 61 blossoms on this quilt.  I made the centers from silk paper that I cut in circles and then stitched down with long French Knots.

Stasrfish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flag-Starfish   This is my newest flag from the Susan Challenge.    The text on this piece is machine writing in the section on the bottom.

 

 

Pods II

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pods   These are the newest completed pods.  I am enjoying the embellishing step as I get to use lots of beads sequins and pearls with this project.   I cut  six more felt embellished units this morning   so there will be more in the future.

 

Crow CallsCrow Calls   This project is a reworking of a completed quilt.  I built up the trees and stitched them to the quilt.  Now I am adding the crows.  They are cut  from suede that is then free motion stitched down.    I added  twenty five birds yesterday.

 

 

Samurai Romance Samurai Romance  I have been following the suggested techniques in Stitch, Fiber, Metal  and Mixed Media.     I have not purchased any new materials to do this project, but adapted what I have on hand to do the projects.   IMG_7876  This week I applied foil to thick interfacing and then did free motion machine drawing on top to create the flowers.  The centers are glass beads.

 

 

 

 

Still LifeStill Life   This work is an experiment.  I have been making silk paper for a  while and for this project I made the silk in the flower shapes instead of the sheet form.  Now I am stitching them down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IceIce   I have started adding the leaves to this project.  This week I made leaves out of copper.   They are embossed with a blunt pencil.   This first one is trapped under a bit of “ice”  and I like the effect.  The other one isIMG_7896set to be in the water section of the work.  It may need netting too but I do not know at this time.   I also want to also add some fabric leaves too.

 

New WorkNew Works   This is a started build up for a new work.   There is a minimum of free motion machine  work on this piece at this time.    It is based on a photo of a rock face.   IMG_7872  This is a second pin up for another new work.  It is based on another section of the same rock face- with a different color base

YokeTop   I fell in love with this piece form Guatemala.    he hand work is beautiful.  But it is far too short for me and I wanted the sides closed.  So I have started altering it to work as a top for me.IMG_7887

Label Block #115 #116Label #115 #116

I got inspired  and did  two blocks this week.  I also cut  15 more black squares to complete the top.

Keep Creating,

Carol

Blossoming Branch, Diva Meetings, Label Blocks, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Xavier Wood Ice

March

1 Comment

 

IMG_7605Hello-

The week has been a busy one as it was the first Tuesday of the month and I had QuEG’s and Diva meetings.  This hand painted and printed fabric was created by Linda last fall before she fell and injured her shoulder.   I like the three layers   she built up.  Angela's work Angela is  doing wonderful hand work of some Hawaiian flowers.    She is exploring with paint too.   It seems like we all keep playing with new ideas.

 

Regin'a ButterflyAt the Diva meeting  Regina shared her Butterfly piece and a second forest floor work.

 

 

 

Lori's Lori finished up this wonderful hand stitched piece this month too.  She really likes to build lots and lots of layers of stitching.  I love her final effect.  It’s so rich.

IMG_7616Donna shared some of her Shobori work form Maureen’s class.

Ruth share this wonderful Guatemalan  weaving.    IMG_7617

I always get a bit lift form the meetings and go home inspired.

Xavier Wood IceProgress Report: Xavier Wood Ice   This work is  34” X 40”.    It is based on one of my photographs  from  earlier this winter.    I have been working on the quilting for the last few weeks as it is all done free motion and that takes a lot of energy so I can not work too long before I must stop.IMG_7629  I used plastics, ribbon, yarns   netting and hand dyed cheese cloth as parts of the texture for this piece. IMG_7632  The snow has so many textures to do because some of it  is melted and refrozen while other areas are melted and other areas are thin with think areas too .     I have lots more photos and I am already thinking about how I want to show the leaves captured in the ice on  the next one.

branch-study-mine.jpgBlooming Branch   This work has been the area where I have done the most concentration this week.   I made two limbs for this piece.    This is the second limb and I made it because I was worried that the first was too light.  When I pinned up this second limb and I then took a shot of it in the gray scale I could see that the dark value was too close to the background and it got lost.   Here is tha shot.Dark limb -gray scale   So I returned to the light branch and pinned it up and took a gray scale photo of it.  It looked like thisWhitew limb-gray scale  So that’s the one I sewed down and I am using in this work.

IMG_0669.JPGLight-limb-on-background.jpg

I have started to add the stamens to some of the blossoms.

IMG_7623

Second Branch  Second branch  The second branch is pinned to a lighter background and I am hoping that adding blossoms  to it will push it back a bit and  create more of the balance I am looking for.     This Value thing is not easy for me.

Samurai Romance IMG_7635  The gold panel on the left is mostly done.  I am working on  step two where I stenciled copper paint on felt that I had created.  I am learning lots of new techniques with this project and that is what I wanted to do.

 

 

 

 

 

summer medowSummer Meadow    I finished the bobbin cord application and did the painting on this work this week.  I  am now ready to build up more grass and flowers on top with machine drawing.

 

Crow CallRe working   I am building a forest on top of this piece.   It was Ok- but did not excite me much.  A great background as Ethel would have said.  So here goes…….

 

 

 

 

 

 

Label Block # 110    Block #110I keep working away on this project.

I will be away for the next two weeks so there will not be any posts until Mach 30.

Enjoy the beginnings of spring.

Carol

Birds, Creative Assistants, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Finger Lakes Fiber Artists, Xavier Wood Ice

Winter Return

 

Hello,

IMG_0222We are experiencing a snow storm today with cold blowing winds.  It’s a  bit of a shock after three days of wonderful warm temperatures near 60.    I do like the soft effect the snow creates on the the landscape however.    It is just early March so one should expect a bit  more  winter.    I   guess I will be doing another batch of snow dyeing today. Hand work

 

I had two meeting this week.    The first was the  Finger Lakes Fiber Artists meeting and they  meant on Sat.    Priscilla had been to Guatemala and she had purchased some wonderful  embroidery  works that she shared with us.      Bev and Mary had nice works to share too.  IMG_7558  I always get some  much out of meeting with fellow creative folks.  They helped me see a change I needed to make with one of my works too.  It was great.

The  “Both Ends of the Rainbow” show  was up in the main gallery at the Schweinfurth.   I checked it out after the meeting.    The kids and the adults  had grand works.  I was really taken by this altered book.IMG_7549

The  FAB group was my second meeting  this week.  Patti is weaving away with embroidery floss on this project.    IMG_7564  I like the way she is mixing her threads to avoid sharp color changes  that would create strips.     Nancy also brought some color from south of the border as she in now  home from her trip to  Peru.   Canin stitich  This work is from the natives who live on Lake Titikata.  Wonderful work with the chain stitch here.   The natives are working for the tourist’s dollar and  they are  using much brighter colors  then when I was in Peru  8 years ago.

 

CA- 34Progress Report:  Creative Assistants  I am working away on my little pins now.  This batch of 34 is now complete.  Or it will be when the Squeezie Paint is dry tomorrow morning.   I think I am  done   making these for this year.   I have over a hundred to give away and that it enough.

BranchBranch I am about half done with  this second branch.  It is built out of a tweed jacket sleeve that is  then   build up with layers of yarns on top to give it more texture and to add interest.  The water soluble is trimmed away from most of the left side at this time.    This close up shows a section that is almost done.  IMG_7594_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

Blooming BranchesBlossoming Branch    I am ready to add this first branch to the new background.   I’ll add flowers too as it is suppose to be a Cherry Blossom branch.   It almost appears too light so I may have to build up some darks in the limb as I put it on the surface.

Summer Meadow IMG_7578.jpg This is the first assignment from Layer, Paint, Stitch.   I am now doing the  bobbin grasses. That process means that the bobbin in this case is loaded with crochet thread – it is too thick to go through the machine needle and that is why it is in the bobbin.  Then one sews from the back side  and the thread is couched down on top.   IMG_7599  This little trick is wonderful and I can see many ways to use it in my work.   Learning new tricks and techniques is why I do these type of exercises.   Paint will be added to this surface later and the grasses will show up.

IMG_7585.jpgSamurai Romance   I have now finished the first panel of this project( on the left).  I couched by hand some think yarn and leather strips to the build up the vertical lines.  The two brown patches on the right are now ready for step two of there alteration for the project from the Stitch, Fiber, Metal and Mixed Media book.   They are small wet felted wool pads.   There will be lots of texture on this piece. IMG_7602

Xaverior IceXavier Ice   I just keep working on getting every thing free motion attached to the surface of this work.  IMG_7582  The build up is moving forward.

Birds   IMG_7586.jpgI thought I might make some little birds from the leftovers of the Pods Project.   These are Ok, But I think I can do better.  So I will keep thinking and make a second run at this idea with some of the other leftover felted  fabric I created.

 

IMG_7589.jpgLabel Block 109 Another one down and only 11 to go now.

Keep Creating

Carol