Beginning Fall

  Hello,

The moon was full last week and already it is waning to less then half- the time is flying.     Because I spent 32 years of my life teaching School and  fifteen years before that attending school, I always see Labor Day as the start of fall and new beginnings.    My life is full of everchanging patters as are most folks.

It has been a busy week for me starting with the opening of the Members’ show at the Schweinfurth last Friday evening.  It was glorious and full of the work of many friends.

The Quilt Divas were well represented with this work by Thresa  as a starter.

 

 

 

 

 

Mary presented one of her African pieces.

 

 

 

 

My old fellow art teacher, Carol, entered one of her metal sculptures.   I love the shadows here too.

 

 

 

 

 

Victoria  showed a wonderful new conglomerate sculptures .  She always dose such delicate work.

 

 

 

 

Liz was proud of her quilt too and was asked to explain  her process by  a passing visitor.

 

 

 

 

 

There was also a Diva meeting this week were Barb shared her hand dyed pieces from QBL.

 

 

 

Alice showed off her newest quilt too.

 

 

 

 

 

  I am at week three of  the Joyful Embroidery  Class.  We were introduced to the teachers favorite stitches this week.  Because I like to work big  I did two  a samplers along with the class.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pixies also got together on Zoom this week.  They all survived the hurricane with mostly downed frons and small branches.  The storm  came a shore  north of them.   This is my newest collage with a Katydid as my insect.   We seem to be staying with the insect thee for a while longer.

Progress Report: Earth Works    I think I am done with this work, but I can’t decide what way is up so I can’t add a sleeve.   I did tap Sharon’s  brain as to how to get a good frayed edge on the piece, but I had already done the quilting so I could not use her method.  But it is good to know there is more than one way to do it.

The blue lines on top are adapted from the tangle of power cords on the floor of my class room at QBL.

 

 

  Ethel Scrap  I came across the box full of scraps that Ethel had started.  I think most of the strips she originally cut have be incorporated by now and I am working with mostly my own narrow units, but I have decided  to push forward and complete several more bed quilts with her stuff.    These are the  Mini squares  that I completed this week.

Felted project   I started working on the top layer of this project this week.  First I made some thread painted/roving fish in the method we explored in Amanda’s class at QBL.   ( the little blue ones at the bottom)  After cutting them out, I cut some bigger ones from some of the metallic fabric that Noel gave me.    I am so lucky to have such generous friends. Then I made the sea weed  from some metallic yarn in the stash.    It is ready for some stitch down and additions I think.

New Split Compliment    Marty kindly gave me the beautiful red yellow fabric I was looking for to start this last of the Split Compliment projects.   I though I would try some additional shapes with it too.  In the past I have used the precut curves as my start, but there were none of them among the colors I am using this time.

 

Linen Shirt     I am still working away on adding handwork to this shirt.  It  got lost and the time to wear it is almost over.   So I am pushing forward on the area around the neck.

 

Handwork   I listed to the SAQA lecture on Wed and worked on finishing up this bit of hand work at that time.

 

 

 

As the days grow shorter and the weather cools I am sure I will put in more time on my art.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

Enjoying Quiet

Hello,

I have been home and doing my own thing this week.    I seem to be getting ready for the seasonal change too and doing lots of house things.  Even got busy and washed windows this week.

 

My collage for this week is of Thornbugs.  I did have  a Pixie meeting on Wed and I am happy to say my Florida friends were   mostly south of  the hurricane and although Susan did evacuate, she suffered no real damage.

  I stated my  Joyous Embroidery class with Fleur Woods this week.    I will be starting my second project for that class this week end.

   

 

 

Progress Report: Lap # 14     I need to finish the binding on this project and move on.

 

 

 

 

I did enjoy using this fabric.

 

 

 

 

 

Earth Works    I have  added more layers on this project .    Now the cream will be the last one on top.    I do intend to add some lines as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Scrap work   I just keep building with these pieces and the scrap box gets smaller too.   This is four blocks of four.

 

 

 

 

 

 Pillows     I seem to be on a run with doing pillows and I finished up this one were I featured one of Percale’s perches.

 

 

Then I put together this black and white one yesterday.   It is made from the free motion machine drawing class stuff of two years ago at QBL.

 

 

 

Handwork   I uncovered this bit of handwork this week and put some time in on it.  It may turn into a pillow too.

 

Enjoy the changing weather and stay safe.

Carol

 

 

Fall in the air

Hello,

As the photo shows we are beginning to see signs of a seasonal change here in Central New York.     This week has been one of cool nights and pleasant days too.  I seem to being doing lots of cleaning of the nest in prep for the winter as well.  It has been a quiet one for me with only a Pixie meeting yesterday.

I did a second Dragonfly collage  as my insect study this week.

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Lap # 13   I had fun making this lap quilt as I had a good friend in mind as the recipient the whole time.

 

 

 

 

 

The silks that I used in it were from another friend too so it was a double joy..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rework project   I did this work for a gal last year.  She intended to frame it, but changed her mind so she brought it back and I added quilting and made it into a wall quilt.  I will add the sleve this eve and be done.

 

 

 

Earth Works  This quilt is moving along slowly as I must trace and cut each piece that builds on top so they fit.   I do like how it is growing though.  I am developing a labeling process along the way so I can keep adding layers.

 

Ethe Scrap This project got put away for a while and only resurfaced a few weeks ago.  I just keep assembling the scraps and making new squares.  This week I decided to start pairing the scarp squares with solids that will be used to build the blocks for this work.

 Felting   This project got pushed to the side for a while and resurfaced this week when I had more time.   I like how it is going too.

 

 

 

Raven Pillow    I did this needle point years ago and like so many things just got put away.   When It resurfaced I decided to make it into a pillow.   It got completed this week.

 Handwork  I am enjoying outlining  the printed images with this little project.   It sure is a “no think ” project.

Enjoy the changing season and

Keep Creating

Carol

 

 

Moving Forward

  Hello,

The cone flowers are fading and  the Rose of Sharon’s and Black Eyed Susan’s are in their glory.   But I did spot these few leaves that are pointing toward the fast approaching fall.    I can’t believe we are in the middle of  Aug already.     It was a busy week for me  with a Finger Lakes Fiber Artist meeting on Sat.    It was very stimulating as usual.    I am always amazed at the wide creative expressions in that group.

 

 

Liz showed us her wonderful hand work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joyce shared several baskets and a doll she had created.

 

 

 

Deb had a Cubist style  set of portraits to share.

 

 

 

 

 

Susan has finished assembling the top she was working on at QBL.  It is a cut up and rework of an old project.

 

 

 

 

 

Joan is doing  wonderful painting mixed with great fabric collage quilting work here.

It was a great meeting.

I also had a Pixie meeting this week and we had a good talk.

 

Progress Report:  Lap # 12     This is the first quilt in a long time that does not have any of the fabric that printed for the 100 Day Challenge in it. 

 

 

 

 

 

I did use lots of stuff that I had altered though.

 

 

 

 

Reggie’s Quilt   At QBL, Reggie specialized in assembling  blocks that she had picked up over the years.   She gave me this top all put together and I  did the quilting.  I am working on the binding now and plan to add it to my lap quilt stash.   My granddaughter has agreed to take them to the nursing home were she worked for me to go to folks in the wheel chairs there.

Elizabeth’s paintings   When Marty and I went to Maine to visit Elizabeth Bush she gave us both some of her little canvas paintings.  “Use then as you please ,”she said.    I finally decided to turn them into cards to mail to folks.

 

 

College Insect – Praying Mantis    The pixie subject of Insects to Animals in still in effect  so I continued my study.  This collage is done with a ball point pen drawing on top.

 

 

Jeans   The work goes on with this project.  I thought I could use the machine drawn flowers that I had purchased from Amanda on the jeans, but their is not enough contrast.

 

 

 

 

 

 So I saved a blouse that had a big black spot on the front with the flowers and continue to add stitches to the legs.

 

 

 

 

 

Handwork Napkin   I worked on this while I listened to the SAQA lecture on Wed.  It was a good talk and I am finished with the handwork on this project

 

 

 

New Work I was fascinated by the bark on one of the trees at QBL  So I took a lot of photos.  The bark pulled away and split as the tree grew.     I though I could use that idea as a jumping off place for a quilt and so here goes.   First I pulled the fabrics I want to use.

 

 

 

Then I started cutting and pinning.   You will have to stay tuned to see were this goes.

Keep Creating

Carol

Art, Garden and Sustainability Trail

Hello,

Our neiborhood had its first be event on Sat.  The weather was beautiful and the day stayed cool.  I set up my booth  and my first action was a trade with a fellow crafter.  I got a beautiful piece of pottery and she got a quilt.

I had a very successful day I think as I sold 19 little works.

 

 

 

I had a FAD meeting yesterday  and we spent the whole time out of doors enjoying Patti’s garden and all the birds at her feeder.

 

 

 

 

 

I also had a Pixie meeting yesterday.    For that I had completed a Celtic R for Robert’s pillow.   All the pillows went into the mail yesterday too.

 

 

Progress Report: After Effects  I finished this 34″ w X 42″t piece yesterday. I stared this at QBL and  I added more trees after I got home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lap Quilt # 11 I am almost done using fabrics that I printed for the SAQA 100 Day Challenge.

 

The big orange on tan are the prints I did for that project.

 

 

 

 

Pillow.     This pillow got completed this week.  It too is a whole cloth print I did on the 100 Day Challenge.

 

 

 

 

Lap Quilt # 12  I stated a new lap quilt as soon as I moved to the quilting step this week.

 

 

 

Collage – insect  The Pixies have an assignment for the month of Aug and it is to use Insects in your art.  I did my first collage in a few weeks and I drew my insect on top.

 

 

 

 

Handwork    Amada suggested in class that we apply some hand work to the surfaces we created.  I did start this the last day of class. I think the handwork is done now.  I think I will apply it to a surface to feature it on a bag or something.

 

 

Jeans   I also purchased some of Amanda McCarvour’s   machine drawn flowers  and decided to apply them to a pair of my favorite jeans that are starting to show wear.  I have added some blue jean patches too.

 

QBL plus

 Hello,

It has been a busy three weeks sense I last wrote a message  with lots of events.   Summer is in full force here and  very beautiful.   I am looking forward to the Art, Garden and Sustainability  Trail that will be taking place in my nationhood this Sat.    More about that next week.

First I want to talk about Quilting by the Lake 2023.    This year, its 37th,  the event took place at Wells College in Arura NY.  The college is in a splendid  setting  on beautiful Cayuga Lake.   Several folks went swimming in the lake too. The campus has lots of gracious  old building and as it runs along the lake edge there are lots of ups and downs.

This is a shot of my dorm.  I was in the front corner room,  level one with two windows.  We spent several evenings on the balcony stitching during the week.

There was also a very large and comfortable parlor were we worked to put together a puzzle week two. It had 2,000 pieces and we did not complete the task, so I broth it home and I plan to bring it week one next year so we can get the whole thing done.   This shot is of Lori and Reggi early on in the process.

This is how far we got before we had to dismantle it for travel.

 

Week one I was in independent study with  a dozen other gals.

 

 

 

 

Nancy finished this top, a quilt and did some machine drawing of a Goldfinch.

 

 

 

 

 

Reggie, who specializes in picking up finished blocks  and making tops out of them, did five during the week.   This one is make up of Dear Jane  blocks.  One   of 4.5″ block had 49 hand pieced units in it.

 

These pineapple blocks were done by another gal in studio and they got completely assembled as a quilt top for her grandson.

 

 

Rachel Clark taught a coat making class in our building week one and also gave the opening lecture.  It was inspiring.

 

 

 

 

Week one ended with show and tell in the dinning room.

This is a shot of a few folks from Irene Rodrick’s class ” Dancing with the Wall. ”

I went home and did laundry before returning on Sunday for week 2 and my class with Amanda McCarver.

Our class was was working with wash away  and roving to create different effects.   We did lots of little experiments and I learned a lot.    I am sure I will apply what I have learned to my work in the future.    This  a shot of the Solvy sandwich  with roving, yarn and loose threads before machine work is applied.

Here are my works for the first three days.

 

 

More experiments.

 

 

 

 

 

We  also had a quilt show that was of work of the Finger Lakes Fiber Art’s group.     This shot is Victor’s Work  from the show.

There was an event every night that included a trip to the Schweinfurth to see the Nancy Crow show were she gave a lecture.  We visited a local farm were there was a talk on antique quilts  and both weeks had a night were we gathered around the fire pit and made  Smores.  This shot is of Davana enjoying hers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Liz  too.

We had good time and made some new friends and enjoyed our old friends too.

 

 

 

 

Week II of QBL completed with show and tell and the Apron Auction.

 

This shot is of Elsa and her Blue Bird.    She was in David Taylor’s class.

 

 

The Apron Auction was lots of fun with lots of silliness.    The money goes to the Scholarship Fund, a very worth while cause.

It was a bit sad to see it all end, but I enjoyed myself as did many others.

Tue was the Aug Diva meeting.

 

Most of the time was spent talking of how we will finish up the “Together We Rise Project.”   This is Lori’s entry.

 

 

 

 

Mary  reworked hers as she did not feel that the burbles read well.    I think the balloons do a great job.

 

 

 

 

 

Mary also had a great self directed project.  She is still working through some of the fabric’s she purchased when she traveled to Africa.

 

Her beading adds an extra layer of interest.

 

We visited the Rock Garden Art show at the Homer Art Center while we were there.       Terrie had four little cityscapes .  There were all fun.

 

Cheri had four more of her wonderful prints in the show too.     I really like what she is doing now.

 

 

 

 

 

I also had a Pixie meeting yesterday and enjoyed catching up with those folks.  Our new assignment is to do something with insects.  I need to finish my lettering for that too.   I did an L and an S    at  QBL that I plan to turn  them  into pillows this week .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Wild Fire in Whisky Hollow   This work is  35″ w  X35″ t.  I did this in indigent study at QBL.    I did the binding and  sleeve after I got home.     With this work I really wanted to show a green tree paired with one on fire.    I saw and image like this in my check in with the wild fires in Canada that week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the Fire  I was struck by the destruction  of the fires and what remains afterward , so I made this quilt as it is a part of the story too.   I think is needs more work so it is not completed yet.

 

 

 

 

Handwork   This is what I worked on during QBL while setting on the balcony of my dorm .   It is moving along.

 

 

 

 

Lap quilt #11    I finished this top before I went off to QBL.  That seems like a long time ago to me now.    On to the layering and quilting.

 

 

 

 

 

Scrap Happy    I assembled and quilted this quilt tis week in preparation for the local  Art, Garden and Sustainability  Trail on Sat.   I will  deliver it to one of the organizer this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

It has been a busy time , but I have enjoyed it all.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

 

 

 

Moving Along

 Hello,

Summer is moving along and the world here continues to stay green and lively.  While I was trimming the hedge on the west side of our house I spotted these tiny mushrooms.    The are like little beads.

This week I had two meetings.   The Quilt Diva’s meant on Tue.  It was a lively meeting with lots of great work.

Alice shared more of her bottom line works.

 

 

Tis is her thirteenth piece in this on going series.   

 

Cheri has now finished her piece for the “Together We Move Forward ” challenge.     I like her solution.

 

 

 

The Pixies also meant this week.  Our challenge for this month is to do work with letters.  This is my solution  for the first week.

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Prepared  I have now started to quilt this project.  All the purple areas are done and I and now doing meander quilting on the yellow orange and yellow green areas.

Scrap Happy   I am now building the scrappy back for this quilt.    I am really using up my leftovers.

 

 

 

 

Blue Beach    This work is now complete. It is very heavy  with all those buttons.

 

 

 

 

 

Handwork   I am now doing a new handwork project as Blue Beach is done.

 

 

 

 

 

Felting   I only put in a mi mum amount of time on this project this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

New work     Well, I have good intentions here.   Hopefully I will get  going soon.  It will be another lap quilt.   Only a few more pieces from the  SAQA 100 Day Challenge left.

 

 

I will be going off to Quilting by the Lake this week so there will not be any posts for two week.  I am looking forward to seeing old friends and getting some new ideas.

Stay safe

Carol

 

Summer Time

 Hello,

 

It is full summer time here.    I enjoyed Fireworks along with my friends  and was out doors a lot this week.   I went to the Towpath quilt show on Sat and  enjoyed the work of many hands.

 

I got to see Noel’s  pieces for the group challenge.  Participants got a line from The Night Before Christmas” to illustrate.     I think she did a great job.

 

 

 

 

  There was lots of wonderful work.  I was fascinated by this quilt where  the artists had added ink tense color to her embordered work.   It was a great show and there were lots of good pieces.

 

 

 

I also had a pixie meeting this week.  We are challenging  ourselves to use letter or text in our work this month.   I did join the SAQA Strolling Along  45 day Challenge on July 1 too.  I am using Prepared as my first emphasis.

Progress Report: Prepared   This is the 5th in the Split Compliment series.   It is all assembled and ready for quilting at this point.

 

 

 

Collage    I did my collage work this week as usual.   This is were I did my Letters for the Pixie challenge with this orange work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did add some drawing with this second collage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blue Beach   I have decided that this work is complete now.  I only need to add a sleeve and labels  and it is done.

 

 

 

 

 

Scrap Happy    Our nationhood is having a Art and Garden show in early Augusts and I told them a few month ago I would donate a quilt for them to raffle off.  I had forgotten about that commitment until I saw the advertisement.   it has taken a bit of a effort, but the blocks got assembled and put into rows this week.  I will make a back and put the work together this week as I want to have it done before QBL on the 16 of July.

New Work  Sense I can see the end of a the Prepared work, I pulled some more of the printed fabric from the SAQA 100 day challenge pile and that was the starting point for the colors  for this project.

Enjoy the summer.

Carol

 

 

 

Home from Maine

Hello,

I had a great time in Maine visiting with old friends.     This is a shot of the view from our lunch table on the first day of summer.    Elizabeth was a great hostess and both Marty and I enjoyed talking old times with her.

She generously gave me a quilt to take to QBL to sell to raise funds for the Scholarship Fund.    It is a real beauty I think.     We also had lunch with an old friend in Portland on our way home.  The final stop of the trip was at The Clark museum to view the Edvard Munch show there.  It was great!   It was a show of his landscapes and most of the work was new to me.  We spent two and a half hours in the exbibit.   We then went off to look at the perinate show.  We walked in and then looked at each other and declared we were visually “full”.     So we got in the car and drove west.  We talked of the show on the way home and I am so glad we had a chance to view it.

I had a Pixie meeting and a FAD meeting this week too.  It has been a busy two weeks for me.

Progress Report:   Conflict     The work is 43″ w X  32″ t.     This  work is finally complete.  I struggled with the orientation of this work.    With the help of my FAD friends I finally settled on what you see here. It is not the way I constructed the quilt, but I too like this direction.

 

 

 

 

Hands All Around This work is 60.5″ w X 38″t.   I am delighted with how this work finally  came out.   I ended up quilting only the negative spaces of white in a reflective manner. I am thankful for the use of many of my quilting friends hands to do this work.        I am off to get a professional shots of it on Sat.

 

 

 

 

Lap quilt #10    I also managed to put together this new lap quilt in the last two weeks.   I am building a steady pile of them to pass forward in the fall.   I still have a few pieces of fabric that I printed for the 100 Day Challenge to use  so there will be a few more in the future.

 

 

Collages    I did my play with paper on Tue this week.   These pieces are more exploring  with silhouetted figures.  I also attached some of the paper with the sewing machine for extra texture here.

 

 

 

Sense I am working on my own without instruction I am really free to do what I want in this area.

 

 

 

 

Scrap Work   When I helped  empte Ethel Whittemore’s studio, ten years ago, I brought home a big box of pre made squares and many strips  that were one to three inches  wide that she had cut and not used.   I have already created five queen sized quilts from that box .  Earlier this season I pulled the box out and I am now putting forth and effort to assemble all that remains in the box.   I may be at it a few more weeks , but I can see the bottom now.

Felting   I did put in a little work on this project this week.  I am now sorry that it is so large, but I will keep working away.

 

 

 

 

 Blue Beach  I am feeling like I am nearing the end of this project.   As I see it now only a few more hours remain here.

 

 

 

 

New work   This is the next work in the split compliment series.   I also added a second challenge to myself by trying to use as may of   Liz’s the precut arches and curves  as possible.    I am enjoying the process.

 

 

I hope all my readers enjoy the 4th in ways they see fit.

Carol

Active Week

Hello,

   This last week was a busy one for me.   I stated out last Friday by working the Pricilla Sale.   I worked the embellishment and accessory tent with Deb.

 

 

 

 

There were lots of costumers in the afternoon and my friend Sharon purchased one of the many coats .

They did a booming business in the fabric tent too and  I will admit I even added  a few yards to my stash.

 

 

 

 

Garments were the big ticket items and  these three gals also purchased beauties.

Then on Sat we had even more guests.   We packed up at 5 and went home exhausted for a second day.      There are still lots of goodies that will be sold of later.

  Monday I went on a walk along Onondaga lake with Wendy and granddaughter Alexis.   We spotted this Baldeagle. ( he is on the big curved branch, lower center.    We had a good time and enjoyed the walk.

 

 

 

Tue was the Diva meeting.    We took down the show at the Unitarian Church after our meeting.   This work is by Threaea.

 

 

 

 

Alice had lots to share , but I loved  this crow piece the most.

 

 

 

 

 

 Mary showed her African pieces again.   They are so strong graphicly I think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Denise  showed this collage type wool work.

 

 

 

 

 

Maureen shared this work.  She triple dyed it and then printed over it with fabric paint and stitched on top of that.  If you go to QBL you will be able to see it in person at the quilt show there.

 

 

 

 

 

Barbara is building new work too.  All the fabric is her own hand dyed and printed.   I am happy to be a part of such a talented group of gals.

Wed the pixies had their zoom meeting.  They are experiencing the hot humid summer of Florida while I am still wearing three layers.

Thursday I helped Liz do some sorting and cleaning.     She generously sent me home with bags of  fabric.   All this activity has meant that I have had little time in the studio  this week.   I did accomplish a little however.

Progress Report: Conflict  I am now done  with the quilting of this work.  I am enjoying the challenge that it has offered me.

 

Hands    I did finish satin stitching around all the organza hands on this work this week.  It took about 40 min to do each hand.   I started the quilting in the white.

 

 

 

Leaf Fall    This is my newest work using some of my hand printed fabric.

 

 

 

 

 

Creative Assistants   I just added the squeezie paint  to this batch of fellows this morning.  When they are dry I will add the pin backs.

 

 

 

Collages     I did do my collages on Tue morning.  I did two as I will be away next week.  ( Marty and I are off to visit friends in Maine. )  In looking at these now I feel they are a little cluttered.

 

 

 

 

 

Felting    I picked up some new blue roving at the sale last week end and I just could not resist.  This on is a lot bigger then I usually work so it will take me a while to complete.

As I mentioned, I will be away next week.   I hope all enjoy the longest day of light in the norther hemisphere on Wed and the official beginning of summer.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

Creative Fiber Collage Artist Carol Boyer