Category Archives: Generational Whispers

Along the Shore, Collage Based Work, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Generational Whispers, Small Cleft

A Bit about process

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IMG_6471  Hello-

I am getting back into my usual grove this week.  I went to a FAB meeting where Judy showed us  more of the blocks she created after the Mill Sight weekend.   I think the colors work well together well and it will result in a grand quilt.       I have finished several pieces this week so it is time to begin new work.   I though I might talk about one of my processes. Rock wall First I select an image.  This is a photo that I took in Washington state of a cut in the road.   Then I make a little windows and run them around the photo to find an area I think is a good jumping off point.     When I choose one and  I then do a little sketch of it using dark, medium and light.   IMG_6498IMG_6502  At this point I need to decided on a size and select a fabric for a base.     Because of the great amount of shrinkage and IMG_6503warping that occures with all the felting and  the stitching I apply I make the background fabric  10 inches bigger then the  final projected finished size.   The next step is to lay out roving in  the areas that are light med and dark and felt it down.    I then build up the surface with yarn,  silk paper and fabric strips.

Progress Report:   Small Cleft  IMG_6478.jpgThis work is 24” long and 20”  wide.  It is based on a photo I took four years ago.    I used the same process I described above for this work.    IMG_6479  I incorporated silk yarn in this work as well as silk paper.   IMG_6480  There is also some fabric bits and yarns here too.

Beach FrontBeach Front  This quilt is another in the three challenges process.  My hand dyed fabric is the white with colored spots and Ethel’s is the  blue and dark batiks.     It is based on a collage.IMG_6496   The top half is quilted in parallel lines while the bottom section is done in a wavy pattern to suggest water.IMG_6497

 

Generational WhispersGenerational  Whispers  This work is 43” long and  38” high.     I shows five generations of women in my family with my grand daughter at the center in the bottom.IMG_6490  I  did free  motion drawing on organza to create the portraits and then sewed them to the background.  Mom   The last step was to add  the names of the women represented then quilt.  There was not enough space  below all the heads to  add their dates of birth and death on the top so I have added a panel on the back with that information.IMG_6489

 

BuitterflyButterfly   I am just about done with the thread painting on this butterfly.  The black sections on the body and the left wing  remain.  Then I will add it to the top and do the final quilting on that piece.

 

 

Ethel's Nine PatchesEthel’s Nine Patch   I am enjoying building these squares.  I have completed 25  at this point.  To make it a queen sized quilt it will take 43 blocks so I am a little beyond half way done at this point.  Looking at the scrap box I know there will be a second one of these too.

Label blocksLabel Block # 81  I feel back into my old pattern and only finished on block this week.  I have started making Creative Assistants in the evening  so I did not put in any extra time on this project.

Keep Creating.

Carol

Deep Jellies, Felt Work, Garden Gate, Generational Whispers, Going Deep, Label Blocks, Natural Elements, Sweetheart Tree, Trees

Preparations

Hello,

This week has  been a quite one and most of my efforts have gone toward preparation for two weeks of Quilting By the Lake.  That begins on Sunday.  But I begin helping with the hanging of the quilt show on Friday.  I will be taking a dyeing class the first week so I have spent a lot of time pulling things together for that and soda soaking fabric.    I am looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.    There will be no blog post for the next two weeks do to my Generational Whispersclasses.  The next post will be Aug 4.

Progress Report: Generational Whispers

I put in a lot of time on this piece this week.  I started out by taking Gwen off  and re drawing her.  Then I put her on again.IMG_6026  There are still some stitching wholes, but I will remove them with water.

 

IMG_6027 The I went forward to add Wendy and Alexis.  I am going to rework Alexis a bit so I will not show her at this time.

Garden GateGarden Gate The quilting step is going along nicely now.  he paper patters help me keep the size correct with this one.IMG_6048  I can also add the design beyond the print on the fabric with the paper stencils.  They are  made of paper and  getting rather shabby now. It is a good thing I only need to make two more copies of them before I begin the fill in quilting.

 

 

Sweetheart Tree Sweetheart Tree     This is the saved work I started altering last week.    With the quilt work complete the piece got its blossoms.   The plan it to add beads in the green and blue to the centers.IMG_6033  That will add another texture and build a focal point in each flower.

Deep JelliesIMG_6035  The hand quilting is going slowly forward on this piece.   It has been too nice out doors in the evening to set inside and watch TV so I do not put much time in on it.

 

 

Going Deep Going Deep This felted work in building nicely.  It is the only one with a title too so that is why it is listed separately.    This is still a very early stage.

 

 

wool workWool Work     This piece is nearly complete.     I have not formulated a title for it however.     That will happen before I stretch it.

IMG_6046  Wool work III .  Again no title yet.  This one is at the adding fabric on top stage.  They are mostly just pined in place.  The two greens hanging off the bottom are possibilities.

Wool work IV  is stillIMG_6037 at step one without any fabric added at all.

IMG_6029.jpgLabel Blocks #68 and #69  I tried to get a head on this project this week as I know I will not be around to do this type of hand work.

Keep Creating

Carol

Blue Iris, Felt Work, Generational Whispers, Label Blocks, Machine Drawing, Weeds

Openings

 

IMG_5923.jpgHello,

Summer is blooming all around my house.  I love all the color that surrounds one this time of year.

Have you crossed over from the room  to another  and  then stopped cold -not remember what you were in search of.   It happens to me all the time and then I read  that is a common thing.  The scientist studying the brain have determined that this is part of a self protective alert system man kind has carried from his early IMG_5920_thumb.jpgdevelopment.   Moving from the inside of a cave to the out side world meant that one had to clear the brain of all distractions to be aware of the new environment.  The same is true of going from the protection of a forest out into a meadow.    These clearing  or emptying of mind  the may have meant the difference between life and death to our ancestors.    So the next time  you forget why  you went to the living room forgive your self and chalk it up to old mental protection processes.

No ClueProgress Report:  No Clue    This project is 50” l X 41.5” w.    It fits in my three challenge too.        Snow dyed and direct dye painted fabrics where used in this project.  IMG_5938 It was based on a collage and it has some of Ethel’s fabric in it.  The quilting lines run parallel to the edges of the  color changes in this work.   IMG_5940

Generiational Whispers   IMG_5934.jpgThe faces are starting to be applied to the surface on this work.  A few of the lines are new to the portraits but many are just drawn over the machine lines that were  on the organza.  This person is my grandmother Ruth.

Blue Iris IMG_5930   I just used reflective quilting on this project.  I  have labels on the back noting what the oriental  symbols mean.    I am still quilting.

WeedsWeeds    I am still working away on the flower heads on this project.   There did not seem to be a lot of time  for hand work this week.   I am enjoying working on the discharged fabric that Randy made.

IMG_5927.jpgNew work    This top is almost complete now.    The quilting pattern is the new part of this challenge.   The big orange print is rayon that is backed with iron on inner facing so it will not stretch.  It was a gift and was a pair of bib pants in its last life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wool projects    New WoolI have started adding silk paper, yarn and fabrics to the surface of this project.  This is my favorite part of the process.     IMG_5941My friend Tanya gave me some of her unused stretcher bars last week so I put three sets of them together and started more wool  projects.   This is the early stage of one of them.  I start out laying roving in patterns and then felt it down.  The next step is the layering of more material on top to add the texture.

Found  ProjectIMG_5935  This project was in the bottom of a basket of UFO’s.  I was  frustrated with  this project last fall.  But looking at it with new eyes now -I see a  direction to go with it.

Label Block #67  IMG_5942.jpg    Another block done.

Keep Creating

Carol

Collage Based Work, Dappled Sunshine, Deep Jellies, Fabric Collage Constructions, Felt Work, Generational Whispers, Label Blocks, Machine Drawing

Summer has begun

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Fox GloveHello-

I spent Monday, Summer Solstice, at Susan’s.  The wonderful Fox Glove is from her garden.  We were experimenting with adding  color to fabric.  Susan being more systematic  did a lot of different studies.  IMG_5897  I did rubbings with chalk and paint.  This example is of one of my  early works.   Susan’s daughter Rebecca worked up stairs and completed a quilt top.IMG_5900.jpg  Then she tried another color combo of the same block and this little work is a corner example of that. I like how the high contrast creates a glow effect here.  It was a good day and I enjoyed myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dappled SunshineProgress Report: Dappled Sunshine  This three challenge quilt is done now.  It is 58” l X 45” w.   I have not worked this big in a long time.  There is pebble quilting in the orange areas and strait quilting in the tan and brown areas.   IMG_5911I used some very old altered  fabric like the cream with lines of paint at the top of this photo.  The area under the brown strip is ice dyed from this spring.   There is also some canvas in thisIMG_5912  and a print I did in paint using a doily as the resist.

 

Deep Jellies- close upDeep Jellies    I have started doing hand quilting in the areas of solid  blue in this quilt.    I like the contrast.   It will be a slow project too as there is lots of blue.

 

 

No Clue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Clue    I keep trying this work with different orientations every time I work on it.  The machine quilting is going forward and I have quilted about half of the pink areas at this point.IMG_5919

 

Blue Iris  Blue IrisI have now completed the top assembly of this work.   Ethel had collected all the fabric in one bag.  I have put together  all  the squares and done the lay out.     Now on to the quilting step.  Great fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5908.jpgGenerational Whispers    I continue to work away on this project.  I re drew Alexis’s head because it was too small.  I decided I did not like my drawing of Gwen so I re did her too.  I took this work with me on Monday and got some help from Susan about how to move forward on this challenge.

 

 

wool workWool work The base is mostly down on this work.  I will start to add in fabric and yarn this week.

 

 

 

 

New work  IMG_5906This work got buried under the other stuff this week and did not get any attention.  That sort of thing happens when one has so many projects going on at the same time.

 

 

block # 66Label Block #66  I just keep plugging away on these.

Keep Creating

Carol

Flowers

 

Collage Based Work, Dappled Sunshine, Deep Jellies, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Generational Whispers, Label Blocks, Machine Drawing, Scrap Happy Quilts, Weeds

Butterfly Days

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Hello,Butterflies

These beautiful paper butterflies represent the happy feelings I feel for this time of year.  Patti cut them with her press cutter on Wed when the FAB group meant.  I have seen some live ones too, but I am not fast enough with my camera to capture any images.  They seem to represent the slow easy time  we seem to be in now.   IMG_5872  We had our last FAB meeting until Aug as we  all  agreed that travel and family will now fill our days for a while.

I have learned that when I am unsure of what I need/want to do next I tend to start a new project.  The result of this is I have lots of new projects going on at the moment  and only have a Scrap Happy quilt finished this week.  That project too represents my feelings of unease, because scrap happy’s are  also fill in projects.    I have made 150 of these scrap quilts and they require no thinking on my part.  But they do keep my hands busy and  allow me to think through what is upsetting/ blocking  me with other work.

IMG_5888Progress Report: Dappled Sunshine   I finished the pebble quilting and the line quilting on this piece this morning.   I am now ready to add the facings and finish this project.    It will be done by next week.

Scarp Happy 150  Scrap Happy #150I have no home in mind for this quilt, but I am sure it will go to a worthy cause.

new Scarp Happy  IMG_5878  When I put together the center blocks for the last scrap happy I also made extra blocks.  Enough to make two more actually.   This one got put into the row form this week.

IMG_5881.jpgGenerational Whispers  The grandmothers and great grandmothers got drawn on to organza this week.  I know this was part of the stress I talked about as I do not feel very sure of myself when it come to do portatures. IMG_5882    My machine drawings  are human but not good likenesses of the folks they represent.  I have decided to let that be that way as only a few people know the subjects any way.  I will add a second layer of machine drawing when I attach them to the quilt surface.

Deep Jellies  IMG_5886.jpgThis work is also causing some stress for me.  I love the colors and the textures of the jellyfish themselves.   I am just unsure about the movement of the tentacles and how I want to quilt on this project.IMG_5884    There are lots of little design decisions in this piece.

IMG_5876.jpgWeeds    I am happily to the detail part of this project.  I like doing the hand work that defines the weed heads.    Three done and a dozen to go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

wool work IMG_5877  This is the biggest machine felted work I have ever done and it too is very slow work.  I finally got stretcher bars with out any canvas on them and that is what this work will be used on.   I am not even done with the first layer, so there will be lots of color changes.

 

 

New top    IMG_5880.jpgThis in the newest piece that it based on a collage.   It also has Ethel fabrics and some I have altered, so it fits my personal challenge.  I think the the title will have something to do with angles or irregular cuts.

 

 

New Work IMG_5873   My friend Tanya gave me the wonderful big orange print fabric I am using in this piece.  It is in the real early stage.

IMG_5874.jpgLabel Blocks #64 and #65   I did double duty on the blocks this week.  It is so pleasant to set out doors after dinner and work in the evenings.   I hope  summer is bringing delight into your life too.

Keep Creating

Carol

Dappled Sunshine, Deep Jellies, Generational Whispers, Label Blocks, Weeds

Spring progress

 

PansiesHello,

We are enjoying the colors of spring even though the temperatures are a bit chilly. Nancy's Blue birds These pansies are from Sue Ellen’s garden.  All three of the groups I meet with meant on Tuesday this week.  I was exhausted when I got home.   First was the FAB meeting in Judy’s Book markGarden until the rain hit us.  Nancy shared her progress on the Blue Bird quilt she is building for her Mom.  It is growing beautifully.

Patti blessed us all with a wonderful felted book marks.     It is a great bit of felting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I was off to the QuIG’s meeting.  Sue Ellen had a wonderful curved challenge on her pin wall.  IMG_5837 She rotated and changed position of parts so I know this is not the final orientation.  It will be fun to watch how she changes this work.   Angela is working away with her felting projects toward Linda'a workher show next winter.  She showed us her sketches.  Linda is working with how to create Sea Grape leaves.    She showed us a bit of her school glue resist dyeing too.  I love the colors   Liz continues to do her two blocks a week challenge and she showed us six new ones.IMG_5842It will be on playful quilt when she is done.

Barb's workBarb showed off another of her tributes to her ancestor works with this lovely little quilt.  I think the way she is presenting the old lace hand work is very strong.

IMG_5841This piece  is one of Sally’s wonderful little works.   She also shared some very nice pillow cases and bags she had made for her grand daughters.   It was a good meeting.

Alic's FoxesThe off to Diva’s.  Alice shared her newest work with a tribute to musicians. Sharon's Piece Sharon showed off one of her altered print works and I really like the texture.  She also shared two works that were giving her problems and asked for suggestions.    I am sure she will solve the problems with time and work.

Lori has been stitching away on her tundra pieces.  This time she also brought along the source of the idea for this work.  It is great.IMG_5850   I am so very glad I belong to such a diverse and talented group.

Progress Report: Purple Passion Purple PassionThis work is 45.5” l X 31” w.      It is based on a collage and after some long study I feel could go back and try to represent the collage again.  I got so involved in the assembly process that I lost the simple color break up of the original work.IMG_5868  I do feel like I am getting better with the technique part of the assembly and quilting  however.IMG_5870 I enjoyed adding the sparkle of the metallic fabric to this work.

 

 

Dappled SunshineDappled Sunshine   I have just started the quilting on this work.  It is another of the bigger pieces so it will take a while for this to be completed.

IMG_5854Deep Jellies   The jelly fish are getting tacked down and I am building in the details with machine stitching and the couching down of various yarns.   It too is rather large so the getting it under the arm of the machine is tiresome and I seem to only be able to work on it about an hour before I feel I must put it aside and work on something else.

Generational Whispers   Generail WIspersThis too is a monster quilt.  I must have been in an expansive mood for a while.   The faces, life sized,  are drawn on wash away  and are of my grandmothers.   IMG_5853  I am planning to free motion draw them on organza and build the next generation on top of the organza and below  them on the work.    I am dealing with a bit of fear here too as I do not know what I am doing……

Weeds   This work is part of the wiggle cut series.Weeds  I am slowly hand stitching in the stems of the weeds and will add the heads in time.  I only work on this piece in the evenings and only after the Label Blocks and other hand work is done, so it is another slow project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leftovers IMG_5861  This work is just made from sections of Dappled Sunshine that did not work in that piece.  I will use it as base to experiment with some ideas I  am trying to work out.

new workNew  work  This is a new piece based again on a collage.  I am learning a lot  about how to use angles in my work with the collage stuff.    This piece fits my three challenge too.  My dyed work are the big purple units and the red and blue sections are some of the snow dyed I did last winter.  Ethel’s fabric is the turquoise and  and pink stuff.

 

 

Label Block # 62  label block #62I just doggedly  keep at these blocks.

Enjoy spring and Keep Creating

Carol