Category Archives: quilts 2010

Free Friday Inspiration

     I do love the end of the week. And as promised , I  have a giveaway for you. It’s a thank you for being faithful friends for the past year while I learned to blog . You have inspired me. So now to pass the inspiration back, or to let you inspire someone else, I have some freebies for you.  On each Friday for the next four weeks, I will announce a give away. You need only to comment and let me know about one creative thing that you did in the past week. Maybe it was taking a great photo of your kids. Or you finished the binding on a quilt. Or a painting in a journal.  Or drew a sketch of something you intend to make. You certainly know what creative is!

    On the following Friday, I will announce the winner and the next giveaway. The giveaway is something that inspired or prompted me to do something creative.

     For this week, it’s a small journal, a Pitt pen and case for your pencils. I started using a journal about a year ago and can’t live without it in my backpack or purse. It goes where I go. Just like my camera, phone and car keys.

     So leave a comment and let me know one creative thing that you did this past week. I’ll start. I finished a small stitch sampler on linen in which I practiced four of Leah Day‘s  machine quilting fillers: etch n sketch, flame, bamboo and checkerboard. Small so I could actually accomplish something! A little imperfect work of the week.

                                                               Work of the Week #9
                                                      
    Be creative, my friends. Leave a comment on this post and I will enter you in this week’s giveaway.

Zero, Zip, Nada, Nothing

     That’s what my dad would say when he didn’t get anything done at work. I am afraid I could say the same for this week. I had a project up on my design wall and I made 16 blocks for it and then ten more. I played with it. I moved it around. I slept on the idea. I put some of it together. That was kind of delusional. Desperate. Then I cut it up more after I sewed some of the blocks together. I just didn’t like it.It was a disaster. And it was big. A big ugly disaster and I am even showing it to you. Oh well…my husband said-I guess that’s the good part of being an aspiring artist- you can start over again. Well, I guess so but I was pretty frustrated. I feel like at this point there should be some predictibilty in what I want to do…Ha-ha. Maybe I could go to work as  fabric cutter or ironing lady. It could be my new profession. It is a very humbling process. I am not using this- I hated the blue and green line through it which I didn’t strip piece but cut each piece individually. Not even smart. I will salvage some pieces-for what-just to make myself feel better?  Oh well.

    
     My natural dyeing attempt was kind of a bust, too. But that was absolutely my fault. Always read the directions first! It’s in the washer and I will show it to you next post so you can see and avoid my mistakes. I loved the frozen flower petals I did earlier- a warm butter yellow. Yum.

     I went to our West Michigan Fiber Arts group on Monday night and our talented Gail Myrrhorodosky gave a great presentaion on the process of creating one of her pieces. Lots of yarn and fibers stitched down with tulle, solvy and aquamagic. That was a privilege.
 
     So 20+ hours later, I am back to work. Today I will use a pattern for a very pink baby quilt. Safe, isn’t it?  And I am ok with it.

    Or maybe I should just tackle some works in process. Or carve a pumpkin with the kids.

     I love this. Intrigued by white. Must focus though.

Be creative, my friends. For me. I am not this week.

#2 in the L Series

     That is a really lame title. But my tired little brain can’t think of anything else. I was having sewing machine issues so went to newly bought -used machine-but that was having problems too! But my very dear local dealer replaced it with another used machine and this one is sewing just perfectly for me-at this minute. So I just can’t think of a catchy name for this series right now.

     I am continuing blocks with a “L” theme and this time I went much larger.

     The actual sewing together of this one was very challenging for me. Oh alright, that was a polite way of saying it was driving me crazy at one point yesterday. A construction nightmare. I haven’t done inset seams before. Just sewn by hand but not machine. Until this week. And I heard a very distinctive voice, say to a workshop participant this spring-“At this point you should be able to figure it out. I am not going to tell you how to sew it together. You have to find your own way.” Over and over, I repeated those words.:)

So.that is what I did.

Figured it out.  One seam and one piece at a time. I ripped it some seams out SEVERAL times until the top was done.

     And it’s not necessarily any wonder- design wise. But I just feel accomplished because I didn’t give up. Hand dyed fabrics look pretty outside, don’t they? It measures about 32 x 60 unquilted. How does it fit as part of this series? Well…I did follow the “L” motif but I should have played with my original easy design before I jumped into this one. Or maybe not. Maybe it’s an improvisational series.

     Next, I am moving back to machine quilting these last two pieces. I need to add finished pieces to my tally for 2010.

     Happy Sewing, my friends!

The Beginning Work

     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!

So What’s Next?

     My oldest daughter left this weekend for college. The other two kids start school after Labor Day. As we have spent time shopping for school supplies, I became increasingly and foolishly jealous of my kids purchases. New pens, new pencils, new crayons and a new year at school. But then, I realized it wasn’t necessarily the new loot but the fresh start I was jealous of . They begin a new year as if the previous year wasn’t there and they get to start all over again. Learn new things, try new things and do the work.

      I am a wannabee art quilter right now- so why couldn’t I do the same thing? A fresh start but not just jumping from one thing to another. I am doing the learning new things and the trying new things but I have no specific plan or purpose. So to give myself some goals for the rest of the year, I need a little more structure.

1. I am going to work in a series for 6 pieces at least 3×3. I will work in a simple motif or block that I started working on in Vermont. Series sounds- scary -but more serious.  I think I need to learn to manipulate this little block until I have it how I want it. It’s just a little “L” so how scary can that be? Why that size? It’s just big enough I can feel I am working on my machine quilting. Not big enough to be overwhelmed.

2. Then I am also going to work smaller. 8×10 is the next size I have chosen. After being introduced to the work of Jeanne Williamson by Paula, I have been really inspired.

 I picked Jeanne’s book, The Uncommon Quilter in the library after Paula mentioned her name and I was amazed after reading it.  She made a quilt a week  this size for seven years-365 to be exact. A perseverant and talented artist. I am going to try to work through some of the techniques she has outlined in this great book. The only thing I bought for it is a new box of crayons. The rest will be found objects or things I already have. I am very excited to do this.

     So there is my fresh start and new box of crayons for the new  school year! Just like that I have returned to school.

Happy Summer, my friends-for a few more weeks!

  

Just Having Fun

    The last five days have been beautiful-in the 70’s and for the most part sunny. We did a few projects around the house and then decided to go to Burlington on Friday. It was really windy on Lake Champlain. Also visited art galleries, took in a baseball game and just people watched on the mall in the city. Great times.

     I am just about to pack the rest of my sewing supplies up but wanted to give you a peek at what I have been doing. I owe you a few that were promised last week.

I had just small strips of this fabric and chose to do long strip pieces-really pretty Australian fabric pack that I bought at the Vermont Quilt Festival.

Then I decided to make one of my previous tops bigger. Don’t know if I like it or it needs to be even larger.

And then this one which is in the process of being pieced. I am FINALLY processing the idea of a moitf from my last Crow class. Ok that took long enough.

I am 20 minutes away from my house right now-so I apologize for this picture-can’t re-take it here at the coffee shop. I really like the feel of this and imagine it to be about 5×6 when it is done. So that’s what I have been working on. Very scattered and unrelated. Just felt like working along with the summer instead of being scheduled and pre-planned.

I can only imagine maybe one more post from here. We have another dairy show which takes up two days and then the big packing up and driving home. Oh and maybe we can squeeze in a trip to Shelburne Farms where there is a quilt exhibit….I am never bored. Have you noticed?

Hope you are having fun this summer.

Happy Summer,my friends!

The Softness of Silk

     My husband, Marc, came back yesterday to spend the next five days with us. He came early enough in the day that we were able to take a day trip and enjoy some of the pretty countryside here.I love choosing new places to check out here. The weather has been especially nice and I took some great pictures which I hope to show you tomorrow. So nice to have him here …

     I finished a little silk piece on Tuesday. I had picked up a package of silk scraps at the Vermont Quilt Show in June at this booth and could have spent hours in there searching through her bags of treasures.It is called Delectable Mountain and is located in Brattleboro, VT. If I take a trip that far south, I will definitely check the store out. She had lots of merchandise. This is what I have left over-

     I loved working with the silk pieces and I did it entirely piece by piece without thinking of design on a design wall. Just laying it out on my table next to me and choosing another piece to add.  No agonizing over what would come next. and I was done with it in an afternoon. And I love it. It’s nothing fancy as far as design is concerned and I could critique for you. But I am just going to enjoy it. I love it.

I will hand stitch this piece and it seems like a good project for the ride home next week. The edges fray like crazy so I need to sandwich it as soon as possible. I will use silk thread and hand dyed embroidery floss for the hand stitching. Any suggestions for me  for those of you who have used silk before?

   
Off to help out with a kids golf tournament. Having trouble with this…so hope it publishes. 
Happy Summer, my friends!

Freedom 2010

Happy 4th of July my friends. Hope you enjoy the freedoms that we have here in America. I pieced this little flag this week and it’s not yet quilted. Ever since Robin Ferrier did a flag about a year ago, I have wanted to do one too. Super easy and just what I needed to get going again. Freedom 2010-22×28 unquilted.

                                                  

Happy 4th of July, my friends!

The Finish Fairy

     I am dreaming of the fairy that is going to get me off my duff , wave her magic wand  and  sprinkle lots of magic dust and then I will finish something wonderful. And then I will write this amazing blog post and have a million followers. Hah..my dream continues and ….I am amazingly productive, daringly creative and thin.

    But in my real life, I have just been trying to catch up. And keep up. And no matter how hard I was trying to dig out, I couldn’t make any headway. I have big gardens and they just needed to be thinned out and replanted. Nothing got done last fall because of my silly foot. And kids just needed to be kids and have a million kids over hanging a million wet towels all over the place. But the garden is ok for now.  The kids have settled down a bit into summer and need less to just be and relax into summer laziness.

    So the finish fairy and I had a date this morning and at 7:56 am a finish was born.

                                                      
                                     Lisa’s Quilt: 42×52

     I used hand dyed cottons, commercial batiks, hand dyed silk ribbon, embroidery and machine quilting in this quilt. It is a commission that has been around for way too long. I really had trouble with this one. And it came down to the fact I just don’t like browns -it was hard for me. (and me procrastinating) A lot of stalls along the way waiting for our schedules to coincide for approval. (and me procrastinating) But once I got past that and did exactly what my friend wanted, it came together. She is happy with it and will be excited to have it. Actually-when she saw it last week she said it rocks. And her being happy with it is the only thing that  mattered. Because it’s hers.

     I learned quite a bit from this process. 1. I was able to work with a color that was not my favorite. 2. I always underestimate how long it actually takes to complete a quilt from start to finish. 3. As long as they stay true to what I like design wise, I can do a commission and be satisfied with my results. And get paid for it.

  
      My yardwork is done too and now I am just going to enjoy a cup of coffee in my rocking chair on the porch. I can’t tell you how good I feel that this is DONE.

Happy Sewing, my friends!

Finally, A Finish

     Sometimes it just takes longer than others! I was very glad to finish this little guy last night. I was hoping I would be able to take a picture outside but it’s really wet out there. This is a happy piece and I will probably take it to Vermont and find a place for it there.

                                                              Vermont Sunshine
                                                                       18.5x 32

     I went to my daughter’s soccer tournament on Saturday. It was in Traverse City which is about three hours way from Grand Rapids.  I had only about an hour in between games and quickly  slipped away to their downtown area. The cherry trees were all in bloom and smelled wonderful. (Traverse City is known as the cherry capital of the world.) I had one store that I didn’t want to miss-my favorite antique store-Wilson’s. I could have stayed for hours but only had about 50 minutes…still found a few great things. What fun is this:

It had some interesting articles in it  but mainly it was a woman’s magazine. I found two issues and I love the cover on this one.

I also ran into an art co-op in the main street which has two great fiber arts pieces which is very nice to see.I  just saw a glimpse of  Lake Michigan on the way out  of town. It was a grey day but water is so beautiful even in the rain. The second time in a row on the weekend I have not had a functioning camera. My daughter’s team won all three games. A great day for everyone.

Getting ready for my class in two weeks and seeing what colors I need to dye this week. Maybe not much!

Off to another busy day. Happy Sewing, my friends!