Category Archives: Trees

Finger Lakes Fiber Artists, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Paper Dolls, Trees

Close Call

Hello,
I hope everyone is enjoying the wonders of spring as much as I am.

Driving home I nearly hit a squirrel.     It made me recall the time I had a close call with a dog as well.  Just how many times in the course of our lives do we experiences these near misses with disasters, both big and small.   We delude ourselves into thinking we have control, and we do to a degree.   Like I can choose to linger a bit by putting the cup in the dishwasher and in doing so, my trip down the usual road to an event may mean I miss the big accident at the cross road.    One will never know for sure.    The  choice to take this class or that may mean that we miss or meet a special person  who could change our lives.   We can only go on faith and past experience that good and positive things will continue in our lives.
I directed the Finger Lakes Fiber Artists meeting on Saturday. We had a good time and enjoyed some great work.
Ann provided this great abstract pieces for us.

Jean M did this strong photo like image of a harbor. It has amazing detail.

Sharon also presented a photo like wall quilt of some birch trees. This is in progress.

Linda is doing thread work with her personal photo images that she blended.

Karen, one of the new members shared this piece along with six others.
It was a good meeting and folks left feeling inspired.

Progress Report : Near Misses This work is 33″ w X 43.5″ tall. Again I am using the crystal block as my pattern. I realized this week that although I was very careful to increase the size of each piece of the pattern, I did not figure in the fabric consumed by the number of seams when I made them. Realizing that I know understand why the points did not meet. I have enjoyed working with the pieces none the less. I will have to ponder on how I can make alterations if I want the blocks to meet in future designs.

Lap 10 26 This top is all done. I will follow through on it next week.

Cherry Blossoms tree block The flowers are filling in on this tree ever so slowly. I need to add a trunk as well.

Little Doll Pins I am making these little doll pins as gifts for QBL later this summer. I have given away all but 10 of the Creative Assistants and this is my new attempt. There are lots of parts to these gals so I many only do it once.

I am off to the Spring Retreat at the Schweinfurth tomorrow so there will be some new starts next time.
Keep Creating
Carol

100 day Challenge, Experiments, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Stretched Works, Trees

Spring

Hello,

We are feeling the warmth of the spring and days of longer sun shine.   My little brother died this week and that event has brought home how important it is to care for ones health.   I sometimes want to avoid my exercises in the morning and not take a walk,  but I know those actives and eating healthy are an essential part of  being able to continue my creative life.    For me that is my joyous goal in life.  With that in mind and the spring  weather, I feel I can push forward.

Progress Report: Ocean Organisms   This work is 24″ X 18 ” and stretched on canvas.    It is highly textured and has lots of found objects.  I am preparing for a solo show in Aug and the space is not conducive to quilts.

 

 

It also has lots of texture on the surface.   I crouched the urchins for another project, but decided that did not work there, so they became the jumping off point for this work.

 

Shore Line Tree Block  I finished off this  block this week.  The tree crown is all created with turkey work stitches one on top of another in various greens.

 

 

 

 

Cherry Blossoms Tree Block   I started this work yesterday . I pinned down a pink woven organza and I an building  flowers on top .

 

 

 

Block On Block  This is my experimental project.   This became my  new 100 day project.  I was trying to find a new way to use scarps, so I places several on top of one anther and stitch through them with an X or cross stich with the machine.    Then I stitched them together with the raw edges up.   It is all in the washing mashing fraying out now.  Or I hope that is what is happening.   It may be a disaster, or a wonderful success, you will have to check next week.

 

 

Pins   All the pages of fabric layered papers  are cut into the dresses of my pins.   I have started building the hair and head units.

 

 

 

 

 

Lap 10 /26  I pulled these fabric for the next lap quilt.  I wanted to do something a bit more masculine this time.

 

 

 

 

Close Calls   This work is one using the crystal block that I invented.   Ready to layer and start quilting.

 

Make wise choices this week and keep Creating.

Carol

 

 

100 day Challenge, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Trees

Quiet Week

Hello,

Things have quieted down this week.  I only had to pick up my three works from the library show .   The 100 day project continues.     I did finish up  Flowering Field.  I enjoyed working on all the radial designs for this one.

 

Then I started the next piece for the challenge.    I’m calling it Red Rings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report:  Lap 9/26   I only need to do the handwork on the binding and this work will be complete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ocean Organistic   I am doing the handwork on this project  and it is slow, but present work.

 

 

 

New Crystals  This new crystal block project will have twelve blocks instead of the nine of the previous three.    I am rotating them too. Hopefully it will give a very different look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shore Line tree block    I have not put in much time on this work yet.     It will grow as I fill it in.

 

 

 

 

 

pins   I thought I would  make some little doll pins as gifts for QBL this summer.  I machine stitched down scraps and bits on water color paper and have started cutting the bodies.

I hope spring is bringing joy and delight to you.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

100 day Challenge, Experiments, Lap Quilts, Trees

Busy March

Hello,

This has been an event filled week for me.  Last Friday I went to Marcia’s on Friday with Susan and Victoria.     Kathy had two bed quilt tops she shared with us.   This one sure lifted my spirits on that rainy day.

 

 

 

 

 

The third in the Landscape series was due.   Deb out did herself and had work on both of the last two.  All the works are based on the creek behind her home.

 

 

 

 

 

Victoria presented her landscape all done in organza.  She is planning on adding more to it.

 

 

Jean is also still working on her piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mine was completed too. I plan to include my works in the trees quilt.

 

 

Susan brought along her second scroll.     I really like the colors she is exploring here.

 

 

 

 

 

There was a reception at the Cabin Fever quilt show on Sunday.   I enjoyed talking with the fellow quilters.    Tuesday was the final meeting for Social Art this season and we have a art show as a part of that event.

 

 

Rina did a wonderful paper relief.  It was all built from a map.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diana shared this wonderful painting.  I really like the colors.

 

 

 

I also enjoyed Judith’s spring piece.  The transparency of the daffodils is wonderful.

 

 

 

Progress Report: Natural Crystals   This work is 40″ X 40″ .  My quilting patter is the same as the block shapes only enlarged to fill the whole space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Crystals   I want to try one more work using this square were I rotated the directions of the blocks.  So I have pulled these fabrics to use in that next  work.

 

 

 

 

Lap 9/26 Having finished the last lap quilt I have pulled and made the strips for the next one too.

 

 

 

 

 

100 Day work  This 100mday challenge is building.  Io try to do a blossom every day.   It is starting to fill up.

 

 

Tree Blocks -Crochet tree    These blocks are building and I am enjoying building the textures to complete them.  

 

 

 

 

 

Bubble tree   I used the bubble technique to  create the texture of the crown for this  new block this week.

 

 

 

 

 

Ocean Organics  Work is going forward slowly on this project.  I find the 100 day handwork  gets my attention first.

 

 

Block on Block  This is a new project were I am trying to use up the little bits and pieces  The seem to get cut of of lots of work.   I am layering three to four pieces on top of one another and making an X stitching across the center,  I will add them together with the seams side up and then wash it all so things fray.  It may not work – but I don’t know until I try.

Hope you are enjoying longer sun light days.

Keep Creating.

Carol

 

 

 

 

 

100 day Challenge, Lap Quilts, Trees, Vernal Equinox

Spring

Hello,

Friday will be the  Vernal Equinox and the first day of spring.   I am glad to see the sun for more of my day.     This week has been a quiet one.  On Monday I went to the Schweinfurth and helped take down the  Rainbow show.   I really like this collage for that show.

 

 

 

I always enjoy seeing what the children are doing as well as the older adults.  I had to share this Medusa as I  have done many drawings myself of this subject.  This work is by a high school student.

 

 

 

 

 

The 100 Day change for SAQA is still going forward too.   Only 23 day remain on that project.    I am building elaborate flowers  using some of the embellishment techniques from the first 50 days .

Progress Report Natural Crystals   I am to the quilting stage on this project now.  I decided to make my quilt design the same as the block pattern only enlarged to fill the whole surface.

 

Lap 8/26   This work is in the quilting stage too.    I am ready to fill in the big shapes now.

 

 

 

 

Organic Organisms   This is the newest of the to be stretched handwork pieces.  I had so much pink and purple stuff pulled for  Leaf Litter that I did not use that I decided to keep going with the same color family on this new one.

Tree Blocks  The crown is the only part done with this newest tree block.  I plan to built the stump and branches soon.

 

I hope the longer days bring us more warmth.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

 

 

100 day Challenge, Fabric Collage Constructions, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Hand work, Natural Elements, Trees

Spring Feelings

Hello,

It has been warm here for several days.  I notice the longer days light and I am adjusting to daylight savings time.  I went to   Ithaca with Sharon  last Friday to shop for new fabric.    Great fun  and I  only purchased some fabric for my Alexis project and back grounds.   Yesterday I was out for the FAD meeting.

I continue to work on the 100 Day SAQA projects.  I finished #2 on Friday.    I did more exploration of the fancy machine stitches here and added buttons for more embellishment.

 

 

 

Then on Sunday I started the third project made with Angela’s fabrics as my base.

I am doing fancy thread and such embellishments on this one.   I put in an hour a day on this project so I can work on other things  too.

Progress Report: Leaf Litter  This work is 24″ X 18″.    The leaves are ones I dyed in Pat Pauly’s class in the fall.

 

I  enjoyed working with Angelina and felted cut offs to fill in more on  this work.

 

 

 

Lap 7-26   This work is almost completed.  I only need to finish the binding along the bottom, so I am calling it done for this week.    All the print fabrics are from a bag full of fabrics that my friend Linda passed to me.   I made a person assignment to do several lap quilts with her fabrics as starts.

 

 

Lap 8-26   This project also started with Linda’s fabrics.   All the prints are hers.

 

 

 

 

 

Tree Series- Night Tree block This block is all but done too.  I know I have a  pearl moon that I want to add to the sky and I know I will do so when I find it again.

 

 

Natural Crystals   This is the third work using the crystal blocks.  Each block is a different layout of the fabrics, but all are facing the same direction.    It is ready for quilting, but  I have no idea of what I want to do for that yet.  Ponder time.

 

 

 

 

New Handwork   I had pulled a lot of pinks and purples for Leaf Litter, so I used them as my start for this work instead of putting them away.

Easter Pins  I went off  on a bit of a tangent on Monday and played with attaching scraps to paper with the machine.  The I cut the project into eggs and added pompoms as tails .  I will pass them out to friends

I hope  you too are enjoying the crazy weather shifts of spring.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

100 day Challenge, Broken Blocks, Hand work, Trees

New Beginnings

Hello and Happy New Year,

I enjoyed the holidays, but now I am into the new things this year requires.    Last Saturday was the first full moon of the year- a Wolf Moon.

I was busy over the last three weeks and I did finish up the muffler I was crocheting.  I have worn it with all my shoveling of late.  The double quilt is done and I am working on a second with that broken block.  The Tree project is going forward nicely and I am on day 8 of the SAQA 100 day challenge.    My job for yesterday was to go and pick up my work form the QAQ show at the Schweinfurth.  I also dropped of the entries for Sharon, Marty and myself for the Both Ends of the Rainbow Show.   Then I stopped at Bett Library and dropped off three works for their Cabin Fever Quilt show that opens in Feb.      So on to the progress report.

Progress Report: Polk Berries    This quilt is 29″ w X 41.5″ l.   I finished it just after I posted last in December.   The base squares are my Broken Block pattern.  I really like how they work.

The berries are made from ribbon my friend Marilyn gave me in the spring.    I really like how it came out.

 

 

 

 

 

Graffiti      This is actually a shot of the back of this quilt .   The front is done of course and it is made  with the broken block pattern that I created a last year.   I finished this yesterday and will based and quilt it next.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jetsam   I can not let this technique go, especially when the Joyous Embroidery class is starting a send run.  This shot is about one third of the work.

 

 

Tree Project   This tree square was completed just before Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 I was so inspired I moved right along to do a second Christmas tree with more jeweled beads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I moved on to doing a bare tree that I finished just yesterday.     I want to try a more abstract applique tree next.

 

 

 

 

 

Pink Crystals    I am quilting this project now and will finish this week I hope.   This is my second attempt at this block .    I still have a lot to learn here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAQA 100 days   This year for this challenge I decided to do all the suggested projects in the  “Fabric Embellishing  The Basics and Beyond ” book.   I purchased the book in 2010 and never really focused on it so here goes.    I am on day  8 and so far I am only building backgrounds as the  book suggests.

 

It has been enjoyable to review process like fabric weaving  and crazy quilt squares as starters.  A new one for me is fabric scrunching.   That process involves wetting the fabric and twisting it and allowing it do dry that way.   I am still waiting for it to dry out so I can unwrap it .

 

I am feeling happy about next year and hope you are as well.

Keep Creating

Carol

Broken Blocks, Hand work, Ice on Vincent, Lap Quilts, Tide Pools, Trees

Year’s End

Hello,

This morning when I was laying in bed after awakening, I realized this would be my las post for 2025.  I will not be posting on Christmas day- a week from now as I will be with my family.  And the following Thru is Jan 1of 2026, again a holiday and no posting.  Do enjoy  both of those  holidays in your own fashion.  My thoughts went on to do a bit of a review of this year.  It has been and an outstanding one as for me and my art works.     I have created  45 pieces , 25 of them my lap quilts that I have given away.  I have enjoyed working on them and I will continue that tradition as it has a helpful purpose.    The most of the other  works are arI quilts.  I  have enjoyed lots of recognition  this year.

I started last January with the La Moyne show with my fellow artists Sharon and Victoria.     There were four works  of mine  in that show.    This was followed by the Betts Branch Library  Cabin Fever Quilt show and  my first quilt talk for the year.       Then in June I had my Solo show for  Associated  Arts at the Manlius Library.     That show included 20 works all of the composite stitched works that I have be pursing the last few years.

  I have realized this year that I have been inching in this direction for a long time, but   I seemed to need a bit of encouragement in that form- it came from  the on line class Joyful Embroidery, with Fleur Woods for me  to see that.

My next be event was having my work accepted into the  SAQA Fire Competition.     It  will travel with that exabit for four years and visit many museums and shows across the world.

 

In the spring I did a trunk show for the Thumbstall Quilt Guild doing a history of my work.( this work was in that display)

 

 

 

I did a second trunk show for the Marcellus Modern Quilt Guild titled “Were do Ideas Come From”,  where I talked about inspiration. “Ice on Vincent” was a part of that talk.

 

Then my Green Tide piece won Best of show at Assonated Artists in Sept.  ( The only full shot I have of this work has too many pixels, for the program to accept, and   I seem to have deleted  all the smaller versions. )

 

 

 

 

 

The run of successes continued with my piece for Contrast  the SAQA New York- New Jersey Regional show,” Plastic Silverware. ”  That was in Rochester in the early fall and was in The View at Old Forge.   It will be in several other shows and end in the Genesee Valley show next year.

 

My work “California Burning- the Victorian ” was also a part of the Quilts Unlimited show at  Old Forge.

 

The work” My Year” was accepted in the Q=A=Q show at the Schweinfurth and is hanging there now and will be up until  Jan 6, 2026.

Sunday ,the 14, I did my last Trunk Show for this year.  It was at the Schweinfurth and my theme was based on the  fact that a fellow quilter, after seeing ” My Year”- said,” I didn’t know you did handwork. ”   All the pieces in the talk had handwork in them.   There were 19 pieces in this presentation.

 

 

To my delight one of my friends is purchasing this work after seeing it in my talk.  It has been a bumper year for me and I will be hard press to keep that up.   But I have enjoy the recognition.

Progress Report: Flotsam Jetsam    This work  is 24″ X 18″.  I continue to enjoy creating these Conclamant Reliefs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Handwork    This work is starting from leftover and cut off pieces so it too is a Jetsam piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linda’s Lap # 26/25  This lap quilt grew of of a bag of cast off shirts from my friend Linda.   I will pass it back to her when I am done.  It is enjoyable work as it is so very colorful.

 

 

Double Quilt   I am doing the binding on this work now.   I am about half done and I am sure I will finish it soon.

 

 

 

 

 

Muffler     I try to put in five plus rows  in  every day on this piece.  I have 20 inches at this point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tree Project # 3     I thought that I was done with this work , but when I shot it this morning I thought it needs more.  A bird perhaps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tree Project 4   I am enjoying doing this Christmas tree a lot.   I have an idea for  second one too.

Broken Blocks    I cut ten inch blocks from this run of fabric for my next Broken Blocks experiment.  They were part of a pack that the creator thought went together- I can sort of see it, but I would never have selected them on my own.    I am trying to stretch myself.

 

 

 

Crystal Blocks#2  I pulled these fabrics to use with a second quilt using the block pattern I created.  This time I will do a traditional setting where I put the same color in the same location in each block.

 

 

Snowmen    I made these little pins to cheer folks up after the holidays when I see them again.

 

 

It has been a wonderful year and I look forward to more creative work in 2026.  May your holidays be full of good cheer and may you make some wonderful memories.  Until next time –

Keep Creating

Carol

Broken Blocks, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Plants, Scrap Happy Quilts, Trees

December Full Moon

Hello,

Tonight is a the full moon and it is what is called a Cold Moon.   It is also the last full moon of this year.  The next full moon is in the first week in January.   I have always been fascinated by the moon and check the sky almost every night.

I hope everyone had a pleasant holiday.   I went to Joyce’s talk at the Schweinfurth   last week.  She did a good job showing her diverse approach to the fiber world.

 

This is a shot of her many baskets.

Winter is in full swing here in central NY and due to a lot  snow storm,  we put off my trip with Sharon to Old Forge to pick up our work.   We will try again on Monday.

 

Progress Report:   Crystal Blocks  This quilt is 38.5 X 38.5.  I started this at the Sisterhood Retreat in Oct.  After a false start and a rework of the block design this is the finished piece.

 

 

I am thinking I may do the block a second time with different emphasis.

 

 

 

Double Quilt    I have now finished the second side of this piece.  It in based to the batting and I am now ready to move on to the next step.

 

 

 

 

 

New Lap  A friend gave me a bag full of her old cotton shirts and I have decided to use it as the jump off for my next lap quilt.

 

 

 

Tree Serries- Block 1   I completed this first block and I have decided it takes more than a week to do the job.   These blocks are bigger so  a years worth of projects will probably do the trick.

 

 

Tree Serries-  Birch Tree    This is the second square for this project. I want to add some interest on the ground and it will be complete.

 

 

 

Black Capped Chickadees   I have started adding berries to this work.  Stitch circles is slow for me.

 

 

Broken Block- Polk Berries  This is what I want to build on top of the second Broken Block series.  I started this one at the Fall retreat at the Schweinfurth.

 

 

 

 

Scarp Happy  All the rows are added to the quilt now and I am ready to begin the boarders.   It is all made from left over blocks so it it a bit random.

 

It is a  busy time of year, but I hope to get into the studio a bit every day or so.

Enjoy the season.

Carol

Birds, Biweekly tree challenge, Black Capped Chickadees, Broken Blocks, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Sisterhood of the Scissors, Thread Painting, Trees

Holidays Beginning

Hello,

Here it is a week before Thanksgiving already.   I will not be posting next week due to the time I will be spending with my family.  I hope you to enjoy the holiday.

All the trees but the Oaks have shed their leaves in our area.  That has sure opened up how far one can see.     Across the park and into deep ravines the dark fingers of trees reach out, but one can see beyond them .   Leaves still run down the street in front of us as we walk and the squirrels  scold form their branches, but it remains a  beautiful time of year, epically if the sun is out.

The week end was spent at the Schweinfurth’s Fall Retreat.  It was a fun time with lots of old friends.     Emily and Susan discovered that they were both wearing variations on black and brown sweaters first thing on Friday Morning.

 

 

 

 

Emily worked on this  colorful  project  and  nearly completed   the  top.

 

 

 

 

Susan did some great color play with her blocks too.

 

 

 

 

Sharon was a whorl wind and  did three  projects.    This is just a start.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Victoria worked on several projects too.   I really like this little dress.

 

 

 

 

 

Marty really played with color with these wonderful strips of silk.   She assured me this is not the final layout

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeanette worked on a bed quilt wedding gift.    She got is half done.    It’s a beauty!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deb was busy making fabric bags for Christmas gifts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nancy put together a photo transfer image that she had taken.    Six panels here.   She was not sure how she would quilt it.   I  think that is a big challenge.

 

 

Donna did hand quilting on this beautiful  old   long cabin  project.

 

 

 

Joyce worked on three different things.  This was the last.  I can hardly wait to see what she does with this one.

 

 

Ann did a lot of handwork and was thinking about a second jellyfish quilt like this little work.

 

 

 

We decided on the Sisterhood  Challenge too.   There are three parts.

1.some of the fabric Susan selected and gave us at the retreat has to be a part of it.

2.  some glitz needs to be a part of the work

3. Some handwork needs to be included.

This work from the  QAQ  show fits two of the rules for  this challenge, so there ott to be lots of unique stuff in the future.

 

Victoria is doing a paper for Social Art on James Castle on Tue.   I am on the committee to do table decorations for that event.   Here is my start on my  mimic of one of his works.      Only two more to go.

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Lap 24/25    I am working on the binding of this piece now I am sure it will be finished soon.

 

 

 

 

 

Lap 25/25   I used a lot of my altered fabrics in this top for the next lap quilt.  It is ready for pin basting.

 

   

 

 

 

Crystals   I am now quilting this pieces.  It is slow going as I am trying to do a different type of pattern in each section of the block.

 

 

 

Tree Series # 1   I didn’t put in as much time on this project as I intended this week.   All the distant trees are appliqued and I am working on the big close up one.   Then it will be time for branches and trunks.

 

 

 

 

Flotsam and Jetsam  I am slowly working around the outside of this work.   It is filling in nicely all be it slowly.

 

 

 

Polk Weed      I made a base using my broken block style for the background for this quilt.  I have faced and turned the berries( the purple half circle at the top is one).   I ordered some beautiful fuchsia  silk from Linda Salitrinski  for the steams.  It came today, so I can move forward.

 

 

Black Capped Chickadees   I did the thread painting of the birds at the retreat.   Then yesterday I washed them out and built the background.    I am still moving the birds around and have just about decided the third one is not necessary    I plan to add more berries to the limbs .

  Handwork pillow   I started this work in Florida before the pandemic.   It has been my pick up : only when every thing else is done for a long time.   Now I only need to stuff it.

 

Have a pleasant Thanksgiving.

Carol