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Applique, Hand work, History, Lap Quilts, Trees, Uncategorized

New York City Trip

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Hello,
I hope you are enjoying spring. I am now home from a three day trip to NMYC with my daughter. First stop was the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. It was inspiring, haunting and informative. Some parts were beautiful and others brought me to tears. They have done a great job with the whole thing including information about the other two sights. The two exterior pools representing the buildings were beautiful as well.

From there we walked to our hotel in Chinatown and checked in so we could drop off our back packs as we had packed light. Then off to the National Tenement Museum. There we took one of the five different tours they offer about the early livers of immigrants in this country. Ours was about a 15 year old girl’s immigration from the Irish Potato Famine and her life here. The tour was in an actual old Tennent building- three rooms 250 square feet, fifth floor without running water. That was only in the well on the ground as well as the out houses for all the building. That space was shared by as many as ten people. It was fascinating and when the guild told us there were 62 layers of wallpaper on the walls- I was amazed.

We did a lot more locations on Thur. Started out at Castle Clinton- the first fort that was built in NYC during the revolutionary war.

Next stop was at the Museum of the American Indian. Again good history lessons and beautiful examples of tribal clothing, pottery, basketry and living implements.

There was also a wonderful exhibit of modern native American art glass makers.

We moved from there to the National Monument of the Negro Cemetery. This sculpture is made from a study of three skulls that were exhumed and then reburied. We got another history lesson. We then walked back to Chinatown and visited an old Jewish Synagogue- that is now a museum. The same area had one been populated mostly by Jews when they first migrated to the US. It too was full of history and beautifully done.

After dinner we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. Lots of people were there and lots of vendors selling tee shirts and other travel trinkets.

Friday we donned our backpacks and walked to the subway where we rode up to 153 street. We got off there and walked to the Hudson River. First stop was Hamilton’s Grange, another Natural Monument. We watched a great movie about his life. We did not tour the house as it did not open for tours until noon. Wendy is on a quest to visit all the National Parks and Monuments- there are 433.

So we then walked along Riverside Dr south 20 blocks to Grant’s Tomb. The visitors center there had a great film and was full of info too. I’ve filled in lots of gaps in my knowledge on this trip! We walked from there back to another subway stop and rode down to 42 street and did Time Square. It’s a real visual overload and very crowded event in the afternoon.

Went to the Port Authority and caught the bus to come home. We walked over 19 miles over the course of our three days and I’m still a little tired.
I am slipping back into my home life feeling glad and thankful for it.

Progress Report: Confused This work is 43″ X 52 “. I enjoyed working with the metallics on this project.

Crow Calls I started this at the retreat and only got back to it this week. It is 20″w X 16″ t. I tried a new mounting technique were it is taped to the stretched canvas. I feel a bit like it is cheating, but I will reserve juidgement until I see how it holds up over time.

Lap 12 I seem to be really rolling along with these lap works of late.

Lap 13 For this lap quilt I used only leftover strips from old lap projects. I have lots more and will do this again as they are fast projects.

Lap 14 For this work I used some of the hand printed fabrics form my dye class at QBL three years ago.

Lap 15 Here is the next lap project. I used some old wipe up fabrics from print projects for this one. I now have seven completed so I will be making a trip to a nursing home soon to deliver these.

Cheery Tree Block I finished this before the trip.

Stenciled trees Block This project was my started to get back into being home.

New Project I can’t seem to go to long without a hand project. I sure love playing with texture.
Hope you are creating with joy.
Carol

Applique, Birds, Drawing, Experiments, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Paper Dolls, Raw Edge Applique, Trees

Spring Openings

Hello,
Spring is a magical time as every day brings changes in the plants around us. Each time we walk we can see differences in our the world. The opening leaves on the trees keep filling in the long views and offering beautiful delicate leaves for one to view instead. I love this time of year.
It has been a quiet week with a few Zoom meetings and a FAB luncheon.

Progress Report: Confused This work is going well. I have appliqued down all the parts and the quilting is done too. I am working away on the binding and will finish it soon.

Lap 11/26 In my usual fashion I moved directly into the next lap quilt as soon as number 10 was done.

Unicorn I have appliqued down the silk head for this project. I added color with markers and colored pencils. I hope Alexis will be pleased with the results.

Jean’s Challenge This is the forth and final piece for challenges. It is not due until September, but I felt inspired to work on it. I may add more as the deadline gets closer.

Crows This is the second bird work I planned to work on at the Spring Retreat. I used a mix of the raw edge applique and some seaming on this background. It is almost ready for the applique of the birds. I feel I may play a little more with this style and make my own. On to the birds next.

Doll Pins I continue to assemble these little gals. I have put together 104 at this point. I still have lots of bodies to add to so I will go forward. I am shooting for about 225 for QBL with some to spare.

Walnut Shell Drawing The squirrels have been busy eating up their winter supplies and dropping the shells in my path. I came home with a pocket full earlies this week and so I did a little sketch work.

I will be off in New York City with my Daughter next week so there will be no post. See you again May 14.
I hope the spring brings you delight.

Keep Creating,
Carol

Applique, Experiments, Lap Quilts, Trees

Warmer Weather

Hello,
It has been a joyous week. A the days grow longer and warmer the local pants are responding with more green and flowers.
Over the weekend I attended teh Schweinfurth’s spring retreat. It was a small gathering this time with only 6 of us in the dry studio and two working in the wet studio. We did have fun and got a lot of work done.

Sharon worked on a three unit landscape.

Susan did a lot of handwork and displayed her response to the Sisiterhood challenge.

Victoria played with lots of projects and this work with tea bags is one of them.

The made in New York show was up in the main gallery. Julia had this work in that show.

I was specially taken by this work with all the great detail and machine work.

Progress Report: Confused This is one of the projects that I worked on at the retreat. I am doing the applique work now.


Sea Gulls This work is 20″ X 16″ and stretched . I tried a new way of building the image for this project. It was very freeing to stitch down the background with fancy stitches and then add teh birds on top.

Lap 10/26

Cherry Blossom Tree Block I did not do much work on this projects this week because I was away from home so much.

Doll Pins I just put in time when I can on this on going project.


Alexis Project I asked my granddaughter what she would like for a new wall hanging. She said a “Unicorn”. So I have a base and I am ready to start building the head now.

I hope the spring is filling you with joy.
Keep Creating
Carol

I seem to having a technical problem with the first image. So sorry . Now that Patty had moved away I do not have teh help I once did.

Applique, Experiments, Finger Lakes Fiber Artists, Hand work, Lap Quilts

Moving Along

Hello,

Last Thru evening I looked out to see the Bever Moon as it was rising.      The moon was actually full the night before, but I found it still stunning.   Many folks saw the northern lights this week, but sense I live in the city that was not my experience.     I hope some of my readers did see it.                   The days seem to be rushing forward and the holidays will be surrounding us soon.    I had a FLFA meeting on Sat this week.  It was really fun with lots of great ideas moving folks along.

 

Susan is still exploring the stitching of fabric  and paper work   that she started at the workshop that attended.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joyce showed off some more of her quilted works.

 

 

 

 

 

Kafka has been doing little quilts based on drawings by her grandchildren.   What a great way to save  memories.

 

 

 

Sharon is working away on this bleach altered piece.  That  pinkie/orange in the center is made with   French knots.

 

 

 

 

Jean G  has built two quilts that she plans to merry into one work in an accordion style.   ( note the little experiment at the top)   I am looking forward to see how this work out for her.

 

 

The only other thing I did this week was walnut stain some different types of fabric.     I really like how the dye is so much of a surprise as far as color and where it ends up on the surface.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Crystal Blocks   I added an extra row of 2.5 ” units around the out side edge of this work and then felt it was complete.  It is pin based and I did stitch in the ditch around the blocks, but I am not suer how I want to do the rest of the quilting so I m letting it rest.

 

Lap 24/25  This work is pin basted and I  have started to quilt.  It sure looks like the colors of fall are effecting my choices now.

 

 

 

 

 

Lap- 25/25    the fall color theme   is still working here.   I am enjoying using some of the fabrics that I have dyed now.

 

 

 

 

Flotsam and Jetson    This work is going forward.  I am am surprised by how much green and blue materials I have collected.   It is fun to use them together for me.

 

 

 

 

 

Handwork   I am moving slowly forward on this piece too.  It is very calming  work.

 

 

 

 

 New Self Challenge- Trees  I have not had a weekly challenge in a long time so I though about what I could do.  I decided that I would try to make eight inch square blocks and make a little landscape featuring trees  every week for a while.   Only time will tell if I can keep this idea going.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

Applique, Circle Challenge, Felt Work, Fish, Lap Quilts, SAQA

The Leaves

Hello,

Fall is in full color blast here in central New York.   The shifting light bubbles that once filled my walking path have given way to a different colored carpet of yellows, golds orange and red leaves.   They come tillering down to dance in front of me down the walkways.   And my favorite sound fills my ears-  the crunch of my feet as I shuffle through the colors.    There is a wonderful magic in fall that I truly love.

Progress Report: Hollyhocks and Hummingbirds  This work is 37.5″ w X 48″ t.     I am quite happy with how I feel when I look at this work.    I finished and added the hummingbirds this week and I made a few bees to the work as well.    I hope to enter this piece in the SAQA Pollinators challenge.

 

 

 

 

Moring Meadow  This work is  19″ w X 12 t.   I read about using your sewing machine on soda cans and so I tried that.  The centers of the tall purple flowers are that experiment.  It works Okay- but the process  does really dull the needle.     I don’t really see any special use of this technique, but I will keep it in my mind for the future.

 

 

 

 

 

Lap 23-25   I came across this fabric painted cloth that my good friend Barbara V did years ago when she and I were playing in her class room while we were both teaching.   I though it would make a great center unit for a lap quilt and so I am working toward that end.

 

 

Handwork – Fish

 I felted the background a while ago.  When I cam across it again this week, I pulled it out and started this new piece.

 

 

Crystal Blocks   I started playing with this idea at the retreat a few weeks ago.   The block is based on  a high relief sculpture that I observed at the Rochester show  this summer. (below)

 

 

At the retreat I did a first draft of this block.    It was awful .    So I reworked the pattern.  This new rendition is  square and lays flat  so I am having fun playing with it now.

 

 

 

Spinning Out   I have started to attach the circles to the surface of this third work I started at the retreat.    It needs more build up I think.

 

New: shore line or tidepool     I am ready to begin and new one of these highly texturized pieces.   So I started with some punch needle parts this  week.

 

 

I got a little silly one day and stated making little witches.  the heads are paper clay with a stick in the center for the body to be built on.      I used pipe cleaners for the arms and legs .  They sure made mounting the little gals on brooms easy.

 

 

The brooms are made with a brown trim wrapped around a squire.       I had a good time making dolls again.

 

Keep your eyes open and Enjoy the changing season.

Happy Halloween

Carol

 

 

 

Applique, Circle Challenge, Hand work, Pixies Group, Scrap Happy Quilts, Sisterhood of the Scissors

Home from Sisterhood Retreat

Hello,

I arrived home from the 2025 Sisterhood of the Scissors Retreat on Kuka  Lake yesterday.  We left on Friday last week so and  I  had a good time.   Liz got sick on day two and Victoria was not at the top of her game either.

It was a glorious time to be there as the color was great.   I walked every day and that added to my pleasure.

 

Everyone  sharded great little gifts and I came home with a horde of new items.    They are a generous and thoughtful group of gals.   The spotted fabric at the bottom is the challenge fabric for 2026.   Susan selected it for us.

 

 

 

 

This years challenge produced a wide variety of solutions.        Deb saw a lamp in the fabric and produced this bed room.  She also used it in the head board.

 

 

 

 

 

Joyce saw a volcano in the fabric.      She got to use  a little her new coloring technique as well as the insert.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kathy worked on this nice big project with lots of hand work on it .

 

 

 

This handsome small work was by Victoria.

 

 

 

 

 

Ann had a nice solution as well.

 

 

 

This is my work.

 

 

 

Everyone had projects that they worked on during the week as well as some show and tell.

Joyces spent some time beading on this beautiful batik piece.

 

 

 

 

She also had a good time working with her Gelli plate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ann worked on this piece that is a map of Kuka lake.   She stitched down all the buildings and is now ready to begin adding grape leaves to represent the vineyards around the lake.

 

 

Ann had some wonderful little quilts for show and tell.   She also showed off some of her beautiful crochet work.

 

 

 

 

 

Susan was jut home from another retreat doing three D work using paper and cardboard that she hand stitched together.

 

 

She showed off and worked on this flat  piece too.

 

 

Kathy worked on this Quilt of Valor.  It is ready for layering and quilting now.

 

 

 

We took a  field trip on Sat to the Windmill and shopped and ate lunch.

 

 

 

 

It was a beautiful. day and we enjoyed ourselves.

 

 

 

We ate a lot of ice cream, sat on the big poaches and talked.   The whole event went very quickly with  a lot of work and relaxation for us healthy folks.

 

Progress Report:   Hummingbirds    I took lots of projects to the retreat.    I did draw and outline the humming birds for my Hollyhock quilt.  But I was not sure how I wanted to do the wings and so this is all I got done.

 

 

 

 

Round It Out   I feel like I made a good start on this new project.  The base is built and I have some of the circles pinned in place.    It is really a work in progress.

 

 

Cut It Up     I had cut up all the squared before I left and I sent a day squaring them up and putting them together  at the retreat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scrap Happy The box of leftover squares from old scarp happy quilts was overflowing so I knew there were enough for a new top.  This one is in rows with no pattern .

 

 

  Handwork- Summer Meadows   I took this along as my evening handwork  and I only want to add little white butterflies to it and it will be ready for finishing.

Crystal Squares    I took this photo of a high relief sculpture at the show that the group visited in Rochester earlier this year.    I though it would be a good basis for a quilt square.

So at the retreat I drew it up and added quarter inch seams.  Using those templates,  I built one square.    I need to do some modifications on it, before it will work as a square .  But I think it is worth the effort.

 

 

Book Page   I needed to do something completely different while I was at the Zoom meeting of the Pixie group yesterday afternoon, so I pulled out this old project and worked on it.    One more flower to build  now.

 

It has been a good week and I  as soon as I get stuff put away I will be ready to tackle the projects that I am in the middle of.

Enjoy the fall and keep creating

Carol

 

 

Applique, Experiments, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Hand work, Lap Quilts

Seasonal Changes

Hello,

We are starting to really feel fall here.  Eric  and I went for a walk around Green Lake this week and enjoyed it a great deal.  We also sat out  doors and read one afternoon while the wind blew down lots of leaves and some walnuts too.   There will not be many more days like these, so we are enjoying them.

I had a full week with a FAB meeting and the Social Arts Tea. The tea was to celebrate this organization that has been in existence for 150 years.      We dressed up and wore hats  as well as having a display of antique clothing.   I had a lot of my aunt and grandmother Ruth’s dresses to share.

 

 

 

 

I showed off my  mothers wedding dress that was part of a quilt I did several years ago.    Mom has a beautiful voice and she was always singing.  I embroider the chois of songs about weddings and marriage around the dress.    The tea included a great speaker, tea cakes and tea.  It was a fine way to kick off our new year.

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Lap 21-25  As the colors show I am already inferenced by the cooler season.

 

 

Autumn Tide  Pool    I picked this finished work from the framers this week.    She dose a great job of making things look professional.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diddie Do   This work is done now.  I have stretch it and tacked it to a foam core board.   I have not decided if I want to frame it or not.

 

 

 

 

Holly Hocks   I am done with all the hollyhock stocks and leaves now.   I will start to design the humming birds this week.

 

 

 

 

 

New Handwork   I was playing with my sewing machine and  running it without tread on a soda can to cut out circles for centers for flowers this time.   Now I will start to hand stitch them down .   It was a fun bit of play.

Friday begins the Sisterhoods of the Scissors retreat.    I have put a lot of time into thinking about what I want to do for the five days  and I have a very full bag of fabrics.     I hope to accomplish a lot.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

 

 

Applique, Felt Work, Hand work, Landscapes, Lap Quilts, Scrap Happy Quilts

Summer Time

Hello,

The time rushes forward and things grow and change.  We had a good rain over night and the birds took advantage of the waters yesterday.   The joy and splashing went on for about 10 min.   This week was a busy one for me.  I enjoyed  the two days I spent a Mill Site Lake.   Nancy and I took out the canoe a  prattled all around the lake.   We dogged some fishermen too.     On Saturday  I took down my solo show and learned I had sold a third work.   I had two luncheon dates with different  Quilt buddies.  Always good to talk and support one another in any way we can.

Progress Report: Alpha Lepes  Galaxy     This piece got a lot of work this week.  I added many more beads to represent the stars.  It also got stretched.

Lap 14-25     I enjoyed working on this new lap quilt this week.   I recall years ago being in a class were  the teacher asked us to list our least favorite color.  I said this green was mine.  I have grown to enjoy using it very much.  She sure was correct in her evaluation.

 

 

 

 

New Lap  Laura selected purple as the color to look out for this week.  I got so far as to pull out a bunch for my next lap quilt.   I am also using one more of the fabrics from my dye class with Pat Pauly.

 

 

 

 Closer Look Inspirations   This work is based on a close up of a Suzea Phone that I saw in  the Ringling Museum in Florida after the SAQA Conference.     Looking close was one of the challenges from one of the speakers.   The fabrics are mostly form the Canada trip.  Its a good stretch for me.

 

 

Necklace  Squares   I am still making squares for this project. There are over 100 now and the bag is still full or more to stitch.

 

 

 

 

 

Blue Poppies  I am now ready to felt these blue wool units to turn them into poppy seed pods for my next felted work.

 

 

Experimental Landscapes  #2 Field of Gold   I put a lot of new work into this challenge this week.  The birch trees got added.  I free motion stitched down lots of leaf shapes on top and next to the green.       Adding flowers with be the next.

 

Sisters  I layered this pieces and added  hair to the faces this week.   I got the purple shirt at the Mission Possible store in Redwood while I was up a the lake.

 

 

 

Scarp Happy 2-25   All the rows are assembled and the boarders are on now.  I need to do the hand step of the binding and add the diagonal quilting and this project will be complete.

 

 

 

 

 

New Work     I feel ready to start a new texture work with beads and such.   I reworked this old rock piece and made it into a rectangle for my base.

I hope all  enjoy the 4th of July.

 

Keep Creating

Carol

Curvie Cuts, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Scissors

June 2025

Hello,

It has stopped raining here and warmed up nicely.    The flowers are  blooming in every direction.  This seems to have been a super year for Iris as there are so many big ones open in our neighborhood.      I enjoy the bird song as we walk in the mornings and I have even been out to trim my hedge.   The season has really changed.     I only hand on line meetings this week.

Progress report: Past Times- Grandmother’s Gloves  This work is 49″ w X 51″ l.   I have been working on this hand project for about 9 months.   The doilies and handkerchiefs  are from the family box that cousin Casey sent me.

The gloves from both sides.   I asked for help with how to finish this work and Kathy suggested it have a lace boarder.  I like that solution.

 

 

 

 

 

Lap 11- 25   This lap quilt is made from mostly leftovers from the Sisterhood of the Scissors retreat challenge fabrics.

 

 

 

 Three Trees( group   challenge)   This work is 12″X12″.      It came from mixing tow ideas.   The Marcia group meets once a month and we decided to do a set of four small pieces.   Nothing over 12 ” square.   It is based on a  book about painting by Paul Bailey  called Experimental Nature in Acrylics.   We all got to make our own limitations beyond that.    My rules were to use only trims from the Ethel Whittemore bag  and follow the one third rules from Paul’s book.   I colored my four backgrounds with Ink tense pencils  at Angela’s play day last month.   One done three to go.

Spot On   I am to the quilting sage of this project.  I want to add some hand work too.

 

 

 

 

 

Cut It Out- test piece   Liz was passing forward this yellow screening.  It did not get picked up by anyone and when I got home it ended up next to some of the fabric from the dye class.   I did this test piece to see how it will work.   Now I need to begin the real thing.

 

 

New Work    I enjoyed playing with pink and sense I feel like it took on a life of it’s own when I was laying it out  I am going to try again with some different fabrics.

 

 

One last celebration of spring.

Keep Creating

Carol

Applique, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Scissors, Scrap Happy Quilts

Rainy Spring

  Hello,

We are having a very rainy spring around here.  The flowers are really blooming though.     It has been a very quiet week for me with only the regular zoom meetings and such.    So I did a lot of work in the studio.

 

 

Progress Report: Dreaming

I really enjoyed working on this one.  It started with a close up of a piece of clay sculpture.   This is a new way of beginning for me and  I think I will do more work from this point of view.

 

 

There is a lot more quilting on this work than I usually do too

 

 

 

 

Red Tide   This work is 15.5 ” w X 25″ t.   I tried a new presentation for this one.  It is stretched around a foam core board.  I did this so I could stitch the piece through the foam core and it would not sag.

 

 

 

I sure enjoyed working with all the texture on this one.

 

 

 

 

Lap 9-25  I took  this work and  six other lap quilt s off to the nursing home on Thur.   They seemed pleased to get them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lap 11-25   This is the next one.  It will be ready to quilt some time this week end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scarp Happy   I am putting together a lot of leftovers to make a scrappy back for this next project.

 

 

 

 

Cut is Out – possibility     I pulled out these fabrics from the ones I dyed in Pat’s class two weeks ago.  I think they go together and will work for my nest scissors project.

 

 

 

 

 

Handworks  Adding  the blanket  stitch in navy blue makes the spirals come out form the background.  There is really too much clutter in this one.   Hopefully this will make it work.

 

 

 

 

 

New Work  I found these four heads  at the bottom of a box of scraps.   I will see if I can make them work in a new piece.

 

 

 

 

 

Grandmothers Gloves    I finished the last square in this project and then I put them all together like a quilt as you go block system.   Now I need to add a binding .

 

Keep Creating .

Carol