Author Archives: Colleen Kole

Head Down

My head hasn’t looked up for the past few weeks. I have been focused on completing machine quilting on lots of old projects and re-purposing some of my workshop withdrawal pieces into Christmas gifts. I haven’t made gifts in a few years after I made myself crazy staying up all night on Christmas Eve to finish them….and here I am again but really enjoying this insanity. I also have vowed not to carry over some of my old to-do list into 2014. So here’s how I am doing:

1. My first item on my procrastination list was to re-label some of my pieces. I noticed how tacky some of my older labels looked when I went to the gallery to drop off my work a few weeks ago. I used some very expensive Printed Treasures paper to print out these labels. These were incredibly stiff to sew through and I would have given up on this whole re-labeling process but the idea of wasting printer ink was just not something I was willing to do. I finished all of them and all my quilts have labels now!

2. Then, I got to work re-purposing. I ended up with 3 baby quilts for the neonatal unit at our local hospital and 1 baby quilt and baby doll for our guild’s Christmas charity event. I was in such a rush that I only took the silly doll quilt picture.

3. I unsewed and started again a gift for friend who is ill. It is finished except for the binding. Woohoo but I can’t show you yet until I gift it.

4. And last, but , not least, Christmas gifts. One binding needed on my brother’s quilt (he requested very simple) and the other quilt not yet started.

All the time I am machine quilting, I am staring longingly at my design walls which are covered with ideas. But, I know if I buckle down and finish procrastination items on my agenda and make a few gifts out of my post workshop slump, I will feel great.

Focus needed.

Out in the World

I am very excited to announce that my work can now be seen at the Button Petter Gallery in Douglas, Michigan. I visited with them last week Friday and they accepted six of my pieces . I actually believed it when I saw a few of them hanging yesterday and my name on their website.

From now on, I will put sleeves and labels on all my work so I don’t have a week of chaos in order to prepare for this! Last week was spent prepping all my work and cutting rods. This week is back to work machine quilting. I may have a month’s worth of work in front of me after that last little bit of workshop withdrawal.

WW continues and a list

The past two weeks have been used…mmm…in an odd manner. The last ten days I have been kind of manic in my sewing. I went away to a retreat with some members of a bee I belong to. I spent 3 days madly stitching together some gifts and charity quilts and I sewed for probably 12- 14 hours per day again. The manic sewing continued when I got home. I purchased fabric for backing, fabric for tops, and I have kept relentlessly sewing.

I put together a quilt top for a friend who is ill. I didn’t like it so I pieced another. I put together 2 tops for my brothers for Christmas. One top is done but the other isn’t. I made two charity baby quilt tops. I think that would be a count of five pieced functional quilts. AND they aren’t really quilts yet because they are only tops at this point. Is it reasonable to think I can finish 5 quilts before Christmas and have time for art???

I really diagnose my self with continued Workshop Withdrawal yet. It is the only excuse I can think of for all this mess I have just created. I have sewn with abandon and made the pile of unfinished projects HUGE in my studio. The only cure for this mess I have created is a list. I need to re-focus some of my manic energy into a reasonable and FOCUSED list. What needs to be finished first this week and what can wait?

Ugh, I hate it when I do this to myself. I take full responsibility.

And add to that fixing this boring blog. It needs color. It needs photos. A header. You get the picture, don’t you?

Re-Visiting The Masters: Michael James

I grabbed a few older books from my bookshelf for a 22 hour car ride and ended up reading Michael James: Art and Inspiration from cover to cover. And then I went back and re-read certain sections of it.

Art and Inspirations: Michael James

Michael James: Art and Inspirations was published in 1998 by C & T Publishing. It is retrospective of Michael James’ career as well as the quilts that were representative of his new direction at that time period.

Some great quotes from the book:

” I started out believing that there was enough inherent dignity and value in the medium, in its history and its methods, to justify a dedicated and continued involvement. ”

“There are limitless possibilities, so no one can tell someone else which route is best. Every quilter has to map her or his own direction. ”

“…and you have to be loyal to the inner voice that is the best guide you’re likely to have. ”

Michael James: Art and Inspiration

There is an absolutely wonderful interview in the back of the book by Patricia Malarcher where he discusses artistic influences on his career and his definition of craft versus art. HIs very confident artistic voice is evident in all the questions and there are many beautiful pictures of his quilts.

I finished the book and wanted to know more and hear more from Michael James. You might be able to find this book at your local library or on Amazon.

Workshop Withdrawal

I vowed it would not happen this time. I promised myself I would not come home to workshop withdrawal. I have been to six intensive workshops at the Barn and each time I have returned home, I fall flat. It takes way too much time to regain my momentum in the studio. The first few days I catch up on everything that is undone from my absence : I clean (always a novel concept), I iron clothes instead of fabric, I run errands that really can wait, I cook great dinners and I make cookies. I procrastinate. I do everything but return to the studio.

I rationalize it thinking I am overstimulated with new ideas. I write down all of the ideas in my journal. And I do nothing with them. Then, I think I am useless as an art quilter. After seeing all the great work that others have done, I compare myself to the famous and fall woefully short. I order books that will make me smarter. I review my notes.

Then, I relax. The studio is in order. I am going this weekend to travel to see my daughter at college in Iowa. I am going to love on her and have fun with her. I am not going to think of my workshop withdrawal. Instead, on Monday I will do what I always do when I return from a workshop: make a baby quilt or two. It has worked every time.

What do you do when the adrenaline from a workshop is gone?

The Aftermath

The Aftermath of a Workshop

I came home on Saturday after a 2 week workshop with Nancy Crow at the Barn titled Potpourri 1 and 2. To spend time with 27 other women who are pushing the boundaries of their work was more than a privilege. There was a wide range of experience but no limit on honesty, compassion, support and willingness to share technique and information. I wanted to pinch myself at times to make sure it was real. And then, when I slept for about 5-hours, sewed for 12 hours every day including sewing time on the weekend , got frustrated beyond belief when nothing would come of my efforts the last few days, drank a few glasses of wine and laughed until I cried, I knew it was real.

I met new friends (miss you Barb and Maria) , caught up with old friends from previous workshops, and worked side by side with Elizabeth . I am inspired , a little overstimulated, sad sad it’s done with but more than excited to get back to work in my studio.

Back to work after I put it all away.

Ready, Set, Go

Tomorrow is the artist’s opening for Artprize 2013. I am excited to see the venue and meet the other artists. But I am most excited to spend time with 2 friends, Elizabeth Brandt and Gail Baar. All of us will have work that is being exhibited at the same venue. It’s a nice treat to be able to share the event with friends.

I have been working on some bindings for a few of my pieces. Terri Watson of Threadtales Quilting helped me by machine quilting them on her very pretty Gammill long arm. It was so great to have a boost in the finish column. Thanks Terri! Soon they will be done. After we see lots of art this week at Artprize.

Line study details

Welcome to My New Space

Looks like you found your way here. I am very excited to cross website off my list! So I took an hour today to reward myself and went to one of my favorite places, Frederik Meijer Gardens.

Meijer Gardens

I will return to sewing tomorrow. And my prep for 2 weeks at the Barn. I am really nervous this time as I know how exhausting one week is. I can’t even imagine 2 weeks but am ready to be stretched.

And that is after Artprize which starts next week.

A Promise is a Promise

I promised myself that I would get the carpet cleaned in my studio when summer was over. For the past six years, I have made that promise. And this year, I am keeping that promise to myself. I spent this afternoon moving all the loose items in my studio out. Now, tomorrow, I will have my husband help me move the rest of the smaller furniture out.

I will move a machine down on the kitchen table so I am not interrupted. It’s my first day with the kids in school and I easily could have procrastinated on the carpet cleaning. My list of what I want to accomplish before Artprize is very long. I also got a little help from a friend, Terri Watson. She is quilting two of my pieces and I can’t wait to get them back. I will share when they come back.