What's Happening in the Studio?

My first block for the Quilt a long 2 (unpressed)

For the quilt a long I have decided to pursue yellow and blue. I may come in a little shy on this neat yellow background, but I figure I might make it if I use another color for a border/do the square blocks in another similar background so I made the decision to just risk it and solve the problem if it is a problem later creatively.

As for the first quilt a long, I am awaiting the delivery of the fabric to use as the sashing. I cut up one, but the hubby didn't like it, and I agreed, and as my huge stash just didn't have anything (I can't believe it) I was justified in actually needing to order fabric!

For my sister in law I ordered some college fleece and coordinate and will do a fleece blanket pillow combo for her for graduation as she is off to Virginia.



On the docket right now

This has been providing challenge to me as an artist. I am slowly learning better technique. Tape is part of this improved skill, lots of tape. I ran out and had to by more. But it works great. I have taken to doing smaller sections at a time, using an X-acto knife, and building a section from the worktable, and then taping it up to the growing art piece on the wall. The quilting is going to really carry this piece, and I have to remind myself of that so often when I make color choices, and I start pondering what is really going to light up behind lots of thread work.

The completed dress! It is from an old Vogue I posted about before.

This was really more of a challenge for me to cut out than to sew. I did really well on the pleats in front. The bodice came out just a bit snug on me, but that is part of the pattern in a way. I need to wash it and remove all my sewing markings.


What a man!

I saw this guy and his dog when I was out hopping around town with my friend. She thought I was nuts, but the picture came out pretty good for through the windshield. Her thought was about the dog jumping out, but he looked like a pro rider to me.

Next of the agenda, I got some embroidery ideas up my sleeve which include a custom monogram, and a lot of unessecary beauty.

Been In The Studio

I am making some impressive progress on the art quilt on my design wall. It feels great, but something inside me all of a sudden screeches for traditional, - why? I found a new pattern I want to do also, doesn't that always happen when you dig in and work to finish one thing?

It is a blustery cold day in the Northwest. Perhaps that is best remedied by homemade brownies and soft music?

Tonight, no DVD's, I am going in the studio, and working on the art quilt, I have a bunch of pieces ready and waiting to be glued and stitched.

Pause Awhile

In modern day life it is so very easy to loose touch with things that are alive. This week I found myself planting some new houseplants and searching for the neighborhood cat I named shadow. She is a grey stunted tailed feline that likes to drool and rub against your ankles, but she only likes to visit briefly. The deer family was quite adventurous and though not pictured, the young fawn briefly nibbled in the yard. I love to watch them, but roses are their chocolate, so they also incite worry. So far only a couple roses met their death through untimely munches by the neighborhood animals.

I am making shopping bags for the grocery store so that I might save a tree or an oil well. They will be far more elegant loaded in the back of my small SUV. Sorry, no hybrids for me. I serged and re-in forced stitched then so they will be strong. However I decided to make them small enough so that I can carry them.

lay out cut up bag & add seam allowance pin back together cut out pieces serge and then reinforce stich with heavy thread

At quilt group today I sewed the back for a quilt we are going to donate to charitable auction, and I am pleased with the quilt that my donation produced. It sure will be nice to have it bless someone else, rather than have it another project waiting in the que in my sewing room.

I finished a natural root beer, and I have a contented tiredness on this Friday evening. Sure there are things that I would like to do, and yet sometimes one requires time not really doing much it order to be renewed for creative activities. I have been focusing a lot on making changes in my life this year. I started with exercise, and now I am holding my own with three times a week doing water aerobics. I have moved on to whole foods, and have eliminated process foods from my diet. I never really thought of my self as able to make a transition to a whole food way of eating, but I did it, and so could you. I have evolved to the point where I am using foods for their medicinal properties. I keep asking my friends about what they are changing in their lives, and they keep laughing at me and not saying much and it leads me to wonder how are they improving???
I don't watch T.V. Yes, that's right. I don't watch it, and it was one improvement that has made my life more tangible. With T.V. there is nothing to show for one's time at the end of the hour. I tuned into life, and it has brought immense satisfaction and reward.

I Finished!

So I finished a piece, after a little pause to obtain the purple thread that was dark enough for the moutians. Whale Horizons is a small art piece that is hand painted and free-motion quilted. I have fun working on this scale sometimes because I tend to do things big, did I say big, I meant huge. So I feel some sense of accomplishment at the end of the week. Labor Day may hold some time for me in the studio as we are sticking around home. I hope others are doing something more exciting.
I have some similar hand painted fabrics to embellish and have created a series. I think that I might even try to sell them sometime. I really felt that this piece didn't want a binding, so I serged around the edge in grey thread. I like it.
I potted some house plants today and they are uplifting. So nice to have something alive in our modern homes.