Category Archives: Coastal Color

Awakened by Black Birds, Coastal Color, Felt Work, Label Blocks

Reworking

December 8, 2016 admin 1 Comment

Hello- I am getting ready for my solo show that I will hang on Jan 4. I am not a person who puts things off and being a quilter I know the value of doing lots of small things completes a task with a lot more success then tackling the whole thing. So I have started pulling pieces for the show and looking with care at them to make sure they are ready for the public eye. Big Blue( 36” X 24” X 2”) is one of the works I needed to add to. I had not added a label so that was one of the little finish up projects I took on this week. That just meant that I had to stitch a white square of fabric to the back of the stretched workand write the label infoirmation on it. This process of pulling out work for the show also revealed a work that I really liked, but it was badly warped. It was one of the early works in my wool based projects and I had just added batting and a black back to the wool felted quilt like project. I took the time to take the project apart and stretched it over a canvas based set of stretcher bars. Coastal Color 1 ( 20” X 16”) looks a lot better now and I am happy with it. It will now go into the show if there is space. This rework is a much better solution than the process I had used with it before. Time and pashents really worked together to make this new treatment a much more successful piece then it was before.

The fist Tues of the month was this week so I had meetingsof both the QuEG’s and Diva’s. Corrine did this wonderful piece of jewelry that she shared with us at the QuEG’s meeting . Sally had a whole pile of Christmas projects that she had completed, but I love the Snow Man the best. Even the the hat has thread work all over its surface. Angela is in the middle of a on line class on three dimensional wool works. I really love this one she did withits wool units about 2” tall sticking up from the surface. She sure had become a major felter.

I then went off to the Diva meeting. It was a very small group of us – only six, with not a lot of work to share. But I do enjoy seeing folks.

Anne has created a wonderful top with a very limited pallet. She has gotten very good at inserting those points too.

Noel is working on a small Van Goth landscape. It is inspired from a card she received.

Ruth took an indigo class. She had some real beauties from that experience. This is her sampler of different stitches. She was also in the Open Wet studio at the Schweinfurth early in Nov. She did some specular dye pieces. This one is my favorite. Both meeting got me all excited again as they usually do.

Progress Report: Awakened by Black Birds This work is 19.5” X 19.5 “. This felt based pieceinspired by my experience at the Open Wet studio weekend is complete now. I used the fly stitch to add the feeling of birds in flight in the sky as well as the cut ones. I also did a lot of machine drawing to create the limbs on the tree.

In the ground trees I added just little strait stitches to indicate the birds.

Spot On I am still doing the free motion machine drawing on this work. I only have the big white areas and the yellow ones to fill now so I am sure it will be done by next week.

Wild Patch I am trying a new approach with this work. I laid down a solid base and drew with a white pencil the areas I wanted broken up on the surface. The I proceeded to place fabric on top in those shapes. Sometimes I stitched the adjacent pieces together with the raw edges out and sometime I did it in the regular manner. In other areas I just left raw edges with the background showing through. Most of this is not sewn to the back ground yet – but that is the next step I plan to take. When everything is attached to the background I will wash it to make the raw edges fray. This is unchartered- so I do not know if it will be successful or not. It is a true “what if” project.

Label Blocks # 96 and # 97

I did finish two this week to make up for not finishing any the week before.

Keep Creating

Carol

#3, Briar Patch, Briare Patch, Circling Circles, Coastal Color, Felt Work, Label Blocks, Machine Drawing, Parts, Trickle

Creative Power

February 25, 2016 admin

Hello,

This photo is an example of the marks of wear and tear on the local pavement that winter seems to inflict. The pot wholes this year are big ones.

Why should we all use our creative power? Because there is nothing that makes people so generous, joyful, lively, bold and compass ate , so indifferent to fighting and the accumulation of objects and money . Brenda Upland

I find this quote a very powerful one and I really believe it to be true. Creating takes us out of ourselves in a way and makes one feel more alive. I know I lose track of time when I am working and I have heard others say similar things. When one is building something the mind will not allow you to consider destruction. What a different world we would be living in if everyone was creating!

FAB meant this week and we all enjoyed each others company. Patti showed off her die cutting press this time. She gave me these three little fabric birds. Judy was working on yet another sweater. This one is red with great patterns on it.

I finished my entries for the 6X6 show in Rochester and I mailed them out on Tuesday. I always have such fun doing these little works that the gallery sells for $20.00 each as there fund raiser every spring.

I tried ice dyeing with ice cubes out of the freezer this week. I had heard about this and it means one can work all year long. I will do my own comparison study.

Progress Report:Coastal Colors III This work is 20” X 16” .I am enjoying the building process that goeson with these pieces. In this case I felted to begin with and then I built up layers of yarn, silk paper ribbon and fabric bits on top. I added a layer of batting before I started the stitching on this one to help it stay flat before the stretching.

The stitching adds even more dimension to the surface. The work seems to grow under the needle as I work on it. I like the textures too.

Trickle This work is also a felt built up piece. It is only 12” X 12”. I used a heavy wool for the base of this one and built up the felting on top again. There is no extra batting in this work and I think that because of the heavy wool. It stretched out nice and flat. I plan to do two more using this technique and size. Then I want to experiment with cotton fabric for the base of the felting and see how much distortion I get using that fabric as my base.

Circling Circles I am to the quilting stage of this project. I have finished all the circle quilting and I am now working on the wavy part. It is a nice contrast to the open circles.

Parts I can see the end of this project now too. I have all of the camera parts stitched to the surface and I am now doing the embellishment part of this project.

New Work This is not really new work as it is the second half of a piece I cut up. I thought I had an idea for how to finish it. So after studying it for a while I started working by building up a bit of Angelina to use with it. The Angelina suggested black berries to me. My mind went off on that direction. I made some vines to put on top and then I would add the black berries…….. But it was too much of a good thing and so I have dropped this top back to the unfinished pile and started a new work.

Briare Patch This is the result. The vines are the arched units. They are stitched to wash away now. The new base is not completed yet and it is under the vine unit. I have learned to go with the flow of the work , so this will grow from the idea. Next week there will be more.

Label Block 41 One more block is complete and I am just pushing forward on this project.

Keep Creating

Carol

#3, Blown Blossems, Label Blocks, Scrap Happy Quilts, Truquoise Street Studio

Snow Marks

February 10, 2016 admin

Hello,

As I look more carefully for marks I see them every where. These marks on the deck were the snow has fallen through caught me eye on my walk today. I like the dark light contrast of these marks too. I will be out of town for a few days starting tomorrow so that is why the post is early this week.

I continue to be part of lots of shows. This shot is of my work and that of Mimi at the Associated Artists of Central New York show that is hanging in the Manlius Library for Feb. I also have work at the Turquoise Street Gallery until Feb 15.

Progress Report: Blown Blossoms This little work went together quickly when I got going. I tried doing the free motion drawing on batting and thick upholstery fabric. It worked well, and I may try that technique again. The red fabric is some I created in Pat Pauly’s class last fall.

The brown and orange print I did a few summers ago in Independent studio at QBL. I developed the quilting pattern from the floral print fabric. That came from another friend.

Coastal Color III I am ready to stretch this piece now. This time I did the free motion work on top of the felted step with the addition of batting behind the whole thing. It worked great and did not warp much at all. Thank goodness I have lots of friends with lots of helpful ideas to help me solve the problems that I create for myself.

New Scrap Happy I finished the scarp happy piece from last week and started to assemble this new one. This is just the first six rows of the top and only half of that is shown in this photo. It will be my contribution to the local Public Television Tel Auc in the spring.

New Work This work is based on a collage that I did last week. It has already taken on a mind of its own as it is twice the size I intended it to be. I am having fun with it non the less.

Label Block # 39 I got more labels from a friend through the mail this week. It is fun to get goodies that I really want to use . She sent enough for a whole block of just her contribution.

Keep Creating

Carol

#3, Blown Blossems, Diva Meetings, Label Blocks, Machine Drawing, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Uncategorized

Marks

February 3, 2016 admin

Hello,

It has taken me a while to decide on my word of focus for this year and I have considered many and tossed several away. But yesterday I decided that the word would be MARKS. I make marks f all sorts as do all humans. Think of the margins of note books in high school. Perhaps that is disappearing as kids spend more time on the computers , IPhones and pads, but I doubt it will ever disappear totally. Animals leave marks of there passing in the mud , snow and dirt. As do machines. Like skid marks that many of us created with our bikes. As an artist it will be a focus that I feel I need to pursue.

I sure seem to have a lot on my plate as we move into February. I did finish the Upstate Cancer Mask and returned it to the hospital before the dead line. I chose to treat the whole thing as a big

three dimensional needle point project. I can hardly wait to see how others treated this challenge.

This week being the first one of the month meant that both QuIG’s and Diva’s had meetings. The turn

out for QuIG’s was small but full of exciting projects. Sally is all ready for Valentine’s day with some wonderful cards for her grandkids. She also created some wonderful heart shaped book marks and bird candy holders.

Liz had just finished a on line class and she enjoyed doing personal historic explorations as well as learning some new techniques.

The Diva gals were busy too. Regina is building on her doodles and adding color and bead work to them. Noel is doing old fashion Paining work with her wonderful silk kimono fabrics.I can hardly wait to see how this develops.

Lori and Kirsten both too a class at the Schweinfurt with Victoria Finley Wolf last month and did strong works with very different feels. It is the wonder of the old patterns, that different fabrics, prints, colors and sets can make such different solutions.

I am getting ready for the “heART” sale at the Turquoise Street studio next week on Friday and Saturday with more images. Please feel free to come between 11 and 8 both days. The studio is through and behind Eureka Crafts in downtown Syracuse NY.

Progress Report: Parts

I am still adding parts to the surface of this work. I can see the bottom of the box that I collected all the little bits in, so I will need to add more hand work as I go forward.

Coastal Color III

I am ready to start building on this third felted base. I am trying to avoid the warp by adding a felted back unit to the work for this stage.

New Work I made a bunch of collages this week and I selected this one to be the beginning of a new work.

I have pinned up these fabrics and I think they will be the start. I do not know what color I will make the contrast pieces.

New Work I pulled out this big piece of print fabric and I feel ready to build on top of and add to it. A lot of the base work is already done for me I think.

Blown Blossoms This piece got a lot of attention this week and I am nearly ready to add the facings and finish it up. It is a small so it too went together quickly.

6X6 I was at a bit of a loose end this week so I started my entries for the Rochester 6X6 show. I decided to do little paper quilts this year as I had not done any work in this style for a while. I really like working this small as they come together very quickly. Two done and two to go.

Label Block #38 I just keep stitching away on these.

Keep Creating

Carol

# 2, Coastal Color, Coping, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Label Blocks, Moon Fall, Parts

Winter workings

January 29, 2016 admin

Hello,

The week has been a full one with lots of activates. This work is by a high school student and a part of the Scholastic Art show now going on at Onondaga Community Collage. I was a judge a few weeks ago and I judged animation and film. I went to see the other works that made it into the show. There is lots of wonderful work, and it is well worth the effort to go and see it. The FAB group also meant this week

. Nancy has added two more boarders on her quilt. I love how she mixes so many different patterns in her work. She is also so very good at making all her points. A characteristic that I admire as I find that process so very frustrating. I like a challenge so much more than a repeat activity. So I decided to be a part of the Cancer Project. This is the cancer mask that I will be altering in the next weeks. I have not decided how or where I will go with this one yet, but I really think it is fascinating. Another thing I did this week was take four quilts off to be a part of the Cabin Fever Quilt show that hangs in Betts Branch Library for the month of February. I also hung a show of 15 pieces of my work at the Briar Patch in Ithaca New York yesterday. I am sorry that I did not take my camera so there are no pictures of that. Because of all of our snow and the wonderful stash of dye that I inherited from Ethel, I attempted some snow dyeing this week. I had to call on the knowledge of my friend Angela to get myself going on this project . The photo is a shot of the first batch under plastic starting to melt. I learned from this first one to cut way down on the amount of dye one adds to the snow as the navy blue took over and there is no yellow at all on the final piece. The process takes a long time- about 24 hours for all the snow to melt because I am doing it in the basement were the heat is low and I may be packing too much snow in the bucket. Anyway the second batch looks like the yellow and green will remain a part of the color. And I did not add any navy to it. Everything is washing out now with a third bucket starting to melt. Look for images next week. Another thing I started this week was my 6X6 entries. That is for the Rochester Art fundraiser. I decided to use this paper as the base for a paper quilts for this project.

Progress Report: Coastal Color I

I really enjoyed working on these felted base works. I ended up adding a fabric back and sleeve to this one to finish it. Thanks again to the gals in QuIGs for there suggestions on this project.Mixing the machine work and adding yarns and fabrics to the surface sure made the process a joy for me. I have one more in the grouping to complete; I am excited and I have not even started adding anything to the felted surface yet.

Coastal Color II This felted work is stretched over stretcher bars with a batting in between. Again the QuIGs were the source for this solution to the finishing problem. This solution creates quite a different feel for the finished work. But again I got to do the thing I love the most with the machine drawing and the fiber additions. I just love to build up the surface.

Moon Fall I have enjoyed working on this project as the world out side has become one of grays, white and black. No thread build up here but lots of fun free motion work. I used some of the same thick thread techniques that I developed with the leaf and Autumn quilts I did earlier this fall. I mostly followed an edge when I could to make the quilting patterns. I appliqued the moon on top without any quilting of its own so it would float above the surface a bit. It seems to do that to me.

Coping Quilting away on this work was a nice contrast to all the free motion work I was doing this week. All the quilting here is strait lines with stops and turns it it. I first made a series of rectangles in silver and purples threads. Then I used black to make more quilting that filled in the open ares and added a little interest to the surface. It does the job I think although I do not find it overly exciting in the end. I do like the colors and that is a good thing as I have the second half of the original to deal with next. This one does have quite a different feel I think. I need to look and think for a while on this one too.

New Work I am tying to mix some of my altered fabrics with commercial ones here. The some of commercial ones are Ethel’s and the flowers are from my friend Tanya.

Parts is Parts I continue to stitch down the camera parts onto the surface here. What with the finishing of the first three quilts this week, I have not done a lot of hand work on this project.

Label Block # 37 The labels got their share of hand work though. I am looking forward to my February closet clean out as I think I will be able to add some more labels to my collection when I do that project.

Keep Creating,

Carol

I could not resist adding one more Scholastic entry to this blog.

# 2, Coping, Label Blocks, Moon Fall, Parts, Scrap Happy Quilts

Snow Bound

January 21, 2016 admin 2 Comments

Hello,

I was snow bound for three days this week as we got hit by lake effect snows. I felt like hibernating- but spent time in the studio instead. The snow measured 18” on my deck and the shoveling was tiring even though it was light snow. There was just so much of it and along with the wind, being out doors was cold work.

Before the snow I spent a

day with QuIGs gals doing screen printing at Angela’s house. We had fun and I got a new batch of fabric to work with.

I was also invited to be a part of the Valentine sale and show at the Turquoise Street Gallery. That sale and show will be Feb 12 and 13 from 11:00 until 8 both days. I created a few little images in fabric with bead trims for that show. It was fun and it got me in the spirit of doing Valentine stuff. Liz had a really cute pin she had created last year that was a Valentine Cookie in felt. I was thinking about them and so I tried to create my own.

Here they are in a tin all set to be sent in a few weeks to my gal pals.

Progress Report: Moon Fall I am to the quilting stage now and enjoying the free motion part of the process. I decided to use three colors of thread. A variegated red to rust, a blue and a burgundy to outline the shapes of the dyed areas. I am about two thirds done with that now.

Parts I am stitching down the camera parts by hand. I am also embellishing them with hand stitches to add interest. The process is slow and I only add about two pieces and evening, but I am enjoying it.

Coping I pulled out this top that I had started last summer and did a second look at it. Then I decided to do the quilting in a block like fashion. I am trying not to be too pridctable with that step and so I over lapped the starting squares and now I am building in more lines and little squares to the surface.

Coastal Colors II I continue to build on the top of the wool work here. I just enjoy adding more texture to the surface. The colors become so much richer I think.

Scrap Happy I had a whole box full of left over squares form all the scrap happy quilts I have been making, so I put them together in random rows and I am now sewing/quilting those rows together. It will be a colorful one when it is done.

New Work I pulled out these pieces of fabric and I will start a new work using some of them. I have not chosen a focus fabric from this collection yet, but when I do I will know what the next steps will be.

Label Block # 36

I got a letter from Judy this week full of labels and I am thrilled. It is always good to have help form one’s friends.

Keep Creating

Carol

# 2, Autumn Leaves, Creative Assistants, Label Blocks, Little Foxes

Winter Ice

January 14, 2016 admin

Hello,

I am paying special attention to ice as I slipped and fell last week. I am fine. This shot of ice along the street really shows how water shrinks as it freezes. I love all the layers of air pockets in this shallow pool along with the leaves for extra texture. I took lots of photos of ice this week so there may be another ice quilt in the future.

Angela is having a play day in her studio tomorrow and we will be printing with interfacing stencils. I got carried away as usual with my preparation and made 4. I will show the results next week.

Progress Report: Autumn Leaves This is the last of my leaf series for the time being. I had a good time doing bobbin work on this piece as well as the free motion quilting of the leaves on top. The out line of the leaves was done with cord that was so thick it could not go through the eye of any of my machine needles so that is why I put it in the bobbin and drew from the back. I then changed the thread and did the vanes from the front. I also used this one last piece of printed fabric from one of my trips up at Mill Site Lake . The rest of the leaves are from trees in my yard. There are two different types of Oaks and Maples.

Coastal Color 2 I am having fun adding to this felted piece. I really like the build up of the texture with stitches and yarns for color.

New work fuchsia This is the third top developed from a collage. I also meant all three of my personal monthly challenges with this piece. The challenges are: 1. to use some of Ethel Fabric in a work. 2. to use some fabric I have altered in a work 3. to use a collage as a starting point. Now I need to decide how I want to quilt this piece.

New Work green This top is not quite finished yet,but close. I have always been interested in how things work and seeing the insides of stuff. So when I got a new camera last year because I had dropped the old one, I did not throw it away. I finally took it apart this week . I love all the little plastic and electronic parts and so I decided to make a top to stitch them too. It will be a stitching challenge of sorts.

Little Fox I made this little fox pin this week too. After receiving positive feed back and having two friends ask for pins of their own, I decided to make a tutorial on how to make this fellow. It is started and I will finish it this week.

Creative Assistants I finished off 30 creative assistants this week. This is a shot of the last ten. It sure goes to show how easy it is for me to improvise.

Label Block #35 I just keep working away on these little guys.

Keep Creating

Carol

Autumns Collection, Buffalo Bluffs, Coastal Color, Label Blocks, Turning Autumn, William's Quilt

Solicits

December 24, 2015 admin

Hello,

Winter has begun according to the calendar. But I am not so sure about that as our mild weather sure makes me feel otherwise. I have enjoyed my walks and the sun shine helps me feel calmer and much less stressed during this holiday season of hurry and worry. This shot of the sky reflected in a rain created pool is also a part of this unique season. If I ever had any doubts about how the weather effects my work a look at the colors of the stuff I am working on this week will sure confirm the fact that I am still feeling the influences of fall.

My only out side activity this week was an afternoon when I sat in the gallery at the Schweinfurth to answer folks questions. It was pleasant to talk with students and quilters and I did a lot of hand work. More little faces for Creative Assistants.

Progress Report: Buffalo Bluffs

I am now done with the assembly of this work. This is the last photo of it as a total unit as I plan to cut it in half and make a diptych out of it. That was the plan form the start and building it as one big unit first makes for unity I think. I will slash it and stretch it before next week I hope.

Autumns Collection This is a close up of this work as I am almost done with the building. I even got the silk leaves on the piece this time. I am adding the facings now so it will be done by next week. I have a little bit of bobbling in two areas so I will need to go back in and quilt a bit more to flatten it. I can always draw more leaves with my machine.

Turning Autumn This quilt is ready for the quilting step now too. I am doing stitch in the ditch at the moment to stabilize it for now and then I will begin to do the machine drawing step. I will do some sketch book work before I begin that however.

Williams Quilt This is a shot of the back of this work. I only need to add to the sides about 10 inches as it is a bit narrow . Then I can begin to assemble the parts. It sure is bright and colorful for the grand child who will receive this gift.

Coastal Color This series of three works is based on a photo of the Atlantic coast. On one cliff the color of the rock went from green moss covered section to red rocks at the top. I tried to capture that feel with these three starts. My main machine had to go for a quick cleaning – I can not believe I have had it a year already. So I pulled the Felter out for a little play in a different mode. They are starting places for machine and hand work now .