work of the week Archives

It is very quiet here. Drinking my coffee and enjoying the peace, the ticking of the clock and the hum of the refrigerator. Not quite wanting my day to start without them -but it already has -at 6am. Missing them but relieved for the peace. Always kind of a push pull kind of thing isn’t it? Not quite wanting to start the list of things that is already there and wondering how it will all fit in. And then wondering where the art piece will fit in today.

And wondering what to share of what I am doing. I did finish the memory quilt. A big yeah! I also pieced the first in my series/study.

It measures about 36 by 36 and I am not going to quilt it yet. I might add another to it but the next in the series…My parameters for the study: play with one block or motif and manipulate it as many times as I can stand it. Don’t need to necessarily like the outcome but just work the motif. Each piece will be individually cut freehand with the rotary cutter-just like this one. Looks like floor tile to me … oops I said no criticizing it , didn’t I? I will show you these along my way.

Also, I am on Work of the Week #2. Parameters on this project:

   1. 4 per month measuring 8×12.
   2. I will start with surface design techniques.
   3. Again, I don’t need to like it, just experiment.
   4. Start with a plain white “canvas”.
   5. No starting it over-finish what you start with.
   6. I may or may not show you them.

That’s it. I will document on the back what I liked and what worked.

This is actually the back which I liked more than the front-the way the paint seeped through the quilting lines.
The front was painted AFTER I did the quilting lines with some Jaquard paints I had in my drawer.

Odd I know . I am not a painter and don’t like the colors or my paintstrokes…oops again…what I do like…what I do like….

I LOVED stitching first and applying color second. Positive is better and makes me feel like I learned something. I guess I need to work on critiquing rather than criticizing my work. That might be the most painful part of this process. Ongoing and forever I guess. Critique rather than criticize.

Off to weed, shop, drive and go to a cross country meet. After I put my hands on some fabric for awhile!

Happy Sewing, my friends!

I was just pouring myself a cup of coffee this morning and look who was peeking in my kitchen window-this little frog was perched on the top of my window! He couldn’t have been anymore than 3 inches big .

What an awful picture. I had to send my basic lens for the SLR away for repair. Boo hoo- it would have been a great close up.

Well I do kind of feel like him-clinging and maybe not headed in the right direction this week. I was being kind of hard on myself and kept thinking I didn’t really do enough art wise this week. So I sat and made a list.
What did I do art related this week?

1. 90 percent done on memory quilt. Just need to wrap up the binding.

2. Went to Nellie’s reception. Began my own crinkle quilt which isn’t quite dry yet with all the humidity we have had.

3. Ironed all my surface design work from summer and found a home for it. Figured out I need deep navy, gold and deep purple fabric dyed yet this warm weather season.

4. Went our West Michigan Fiber Arts meeting and saw a great demonstration by our own Linda Walburn on deconstructed screen printing. I loved this.

She made it look very easy…

(Note to self:you may not try this until you have current projects on this list completed.)

5. Pieced 75 percent of my first top for my series.(Need a name) Ended up moving it around and liking it better.Too many ideas for the second one! Super excited.

6. Waiting for my 8×10 work of the week #2 to be dry so I can do some hand stitching and finish the edge.

And then if I add in the last minute back to school stuff and kids home yet, maybe it was a productive week after all! School starts Tuesday and as much as I have had a great summer with each of them I am ready for a schedule.

So if you feel you haven’t been as productive as you “should ” be, maybe make a list. Some of this is just “studying” for the end result of finding my way. Make a list and look back on what you DID do.

Happy summer and sewing, my friends!