Category Archives: Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs)

Childhood Memories, Diva Meetings, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Feathers, Night Fire, QBL- Quilting By the Lake, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Tee Shirt Quilts, Wildfire

Cool Fall Weather

Sept 12

Hello,
Today is cool and rainy. A good day to do work.   Tomorrow is Friday the 13 and the moon will be full.  Be sure to check it out at those two things will not happen together again until  2048.

There was a QuEG’s meeting this week. It was good to see folks. Liz brought her project form the Silk class. It looks good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sue Ellen is finishing up projects and this is one.

 

 

Corrine was at the Red Thread workshop at Ghost Ranch.    This was one of her projects

 

 

 

 

This is one of the projects that Angel has just completed. She is taking an on line class.

 

 

 

 

 

 

She also experimented with some direct eco printing.  These cards are the result.

 

 

 

 

 

There was also a Diva meeting this week.

Maureen shared her knowledge of Spoon Flower with Susan and the rest of us.

 

 

 

 

 

Cheri had new work to share too. This is one of her pieces from QBL.

 

 

 

 

 

Noel also had work from QBL to share with us.

Lots of nice hand work here.

 

 

 

 

Liesi  did some dyeing with her grandchildren this summer and she shared it with us.

Both meetings were lively and enjoyable.

 

 

 

 

Associated Artist is having its Members show this week. This is Barbara’s piece from that show.

 

 

 

 

This is my work at the show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Seven Feathers This quilt is 28″ w X 48″ l. I finished the reflective quilting this week. I am glad to have learned the processes that Betty Busby teaches.

 

I made the marbleized fabric at QBL about 30 years ago.  The batik is from the day we made it at Regina’s earlier this spring. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tee Shirt Quilt 2 I finished up this work yesterday too. I am glad to have completed the project. Now I need to get it to my daughter and onto the family.

 

 

Night Fires I have finished all the free motion work on the orange and yellow sections of this quilt. I want to add some hot spots with red. I think I will do the work on the dark parts of the forest first though.

 

 

Apples ans Chickadees    I have started to do the machine quilting on this project.

 

 

 

 

 

Coral Sea This is just the beginning of this project.  It has been  a long time sense I have done a sea floor piece and I thought I would like the stretch again.

 

 

 

 

New Project- old lace I need a hand work project for my trip to Chicago in Oct. So I am beginning by building this back ground.

 

 

Topographical   I am still couching down the blue yarn on the brown sections of this work.

 

 

 

 

Wool Rounds I have button whole stitch around all the wool circles but one. It is relaxing.

 

 

 

 

Childhood Memories; The Bell Visit
When we were in the Tetons my aunt Marce and uncle Paul brought my cousin Russell out for a visit. Uncle Paul was a man who loved to play practical jokes. While they were visiting he spent one afternoon in the ranger station setting on the floor chipping out arrow heads. Then when he got home to the farm in Iowa he dropped them around the barn lot and had a good time rediscovering them when ever a sales man showed up.   After picking up an arrow head he would make   little disparaging statements like” Oh no another one” and preparing to toss it aside. The sales man always offered him money of the “find” from the “ old Indian encampment.”

The second day of their visit we went to visit Craters of the Moon. That meant a drive across the continental divide.  Gene, Russell and I were in the back section of the station wagon. The boys started daring one another to eat the play dough. I did not get into that. As we climbed higher and higher with all the switchbacks the two to them got sick- we had to stop the car and they both exited quickly and threw up over the side of the mountain. I never told anyone why they got ill. They were fine when we got to the park. I do remember that although we stayed mostly on the paths with our running and exploring, the sharp lava glass nearly shredded the soles of our shoes.   It was a good exhausting day.

Keep Creating

Carol

Animals, Childhood Memories, Fox in the Rocks, Old and New - Purple and Blue, QBL- Quilting By the Lake, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Shows

Full Summer

Hello,
It has been a quiet week here with a few events thrown in for spice.

 

 

 

 

I hung a dozen works at the Oaks for the on   Saturday .    Then on  Sunday I went to Marcia’s to Percilla’s Sale. The flowers are from Marcia’s garden.

I purchased a few Jackets and got this wonderful applique from Gautama that Percilla had purchased on one of her trips.    I love this little bat.

 

 

 

 

Tues was the QuEG’s meeting and folks had a lot to share. This is a work that Victoria made and gave to Susan.    They were working with hand  painted    silk organs.

 

 

 

They were in Micky Laure’s class and Susan purchased this piece at the scholarship auction by the teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Susan’s work from the class.

 

 

 

 

 

Corrine is off to Ghost Ranch for a workshop and she made these leather journals for her self and her daughter for that trip.

 

 

 

 

Sue Ellen did this commission of one of the lakes in the Adorancks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linda made this nice bed sized quilt at QBL . It is from a Jelly Roll with the dark blue added for contrast.

 

 

Angela is taking a class on line dealing with hand stitching.  This is one of nine squares she has done for one of the first three units  of this class.

 

 

They are only using strait stitches with different spacing and yarn thicknesses.   Here are two more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Fox in the Rocks This work is 27″ w

X 39.5″ t.    I started it in the  Rock On class with Cynthia Corbin  and finished it this week. I used some of the techniques from Betty Busby’s class to create the fox.  The painting and the use of colored pencil to create detail are from that class.

 

 

 

 

There are several more form this class that I am working on now too.

The cheese cloth texture  is some I painted earlier this spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bee Blouse I loved this shirt but it had a bad spot on it and I thought I would save it by covering up the spot. I had purchased bee appliques from Amanda Mc Carver at QBL and thought to use them.

 

 

 

I though three bees were not enough so I made some myself and some lady bugs too.   The bees are on the shirt and the lady bugs were used  to cover a tear on my new blue jeans.   This shot is of the insects drying after I washed out the wash away.

 

Blue Jeans
They do the trick I’d say.

 

 

 

 

Feathers I made the fabric for the feathers in Betty’s class and she cut them out on her stencil machine. They are fused the fabric and I am building a quilt around them.

 

 

 

 

 

Old and New- Purple and Blue

I keep adding the new hand stitching to the blocks and I can see the end now. There are only four more blocks to do. It takes about 15 min to do each one so this project will be done with this phase by next week.

 

 

 

Beaded Bag I came across this old project while looking for a piece of fabric. I could not remember when I had started it, but I knew it was long ago so I started the neck unit. This little red tab is what an hour will do- so now I know why I put it aside.

 

 

 

Childhood Memories; Saturday’s in 6th grade.
My allowance when I was in 6th grade was $.75.         $.25 of that went into the Skippy Peanut Butter jar bank. That was saving for a $25.00 savings bond. The rest was for spending.
My best friend was Julie and her parents owned the local roller skating  rink. It cost $25 cents to get in and .25 for sake rental so that is what how I spent my allowance. I loved the Limbo and the Hokey Poky.         Julie was the first person I had meant with a birth defect. Her second finger did not have the last digit and she had a very small fingernail growing out the top of it. She was an excellent skater and the first Sat of every month she went off to  competitions.   So on the Saturdays when she was not at the rink I did not go rollerskating.    I went  instead to movies with Gene and Lee.    $ .25 admission and $.10 for popcorn. That allowed for a nickel for a  Slim Jim- a Camel Taffy on a stick that took the whole afternoon to consume. The remaining   dine   was spent for ice cream on the walk home from the theater. We saw a lot of old westerns and had a good time.  I had always blown my whole  spending  allowance by Saturday evening.

Keep Creating

Carol

3X3, Childhood Memories, Diva Meetings, Finger Lakes Fiber Artist Group, Hand work, Old and New - Purple and Blue, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs)

Summer visitor

Hello
I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July. We where graced with a visitor in our neighbors yard in the middle of the day. Mother Nature is very abatable.

 

 

 

 

There were lots of meetings this week. Sat was the Finger Lakes Fiber Artist group meeting. Pat who had taught at The Surface and Design Symposium in Ohio for both week shared this little work by Sherri  ( she was behind me in class) that she purchased at the auction. She said it was based on advice about how to get a baby so go to sleep by one of the older gals at the symposium.
The meeting was a good one and folks had a lot to share.  Regina had lots to share.   The one at the top is her  3X3 piece.  We sure had fun with that challenge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joyce  had a lot to share too. the two at the bottom are her experiments  with Potato Dextrose  that she did at the spring retreat.

 

Noel    made this top in Pat’s class at The symposium.    She had this work quilted by the Diva meeting on Tue along with several others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sharon  is really stretcher as she works on this commission of 6 quilts using the clothing of a woman who has passed away.

 

Maureen  displayed here banner that is 8 feet tall by 24 ” wide.  It hung at the Women’s exhibit in Huston.

 

 

 

 

 

Angela had a wonderful contribution.    She has finished these three pieces based on her husbands sax keys.    The blue one will be at QBL  in two weeks.

 

 

 

The Schweinfurt has a wonderful set of shows on recycled work in the main galleries as well.   

 

This artist is working totally with packing materials and labels.   I love how he has used a box as he frame.

 

 

 

This artist built all her pieces from materials that she got from the city dump.      It is a fascinating  show.

The QuEG’s and Diva’s meant too. The QuEGs meeting was small with only 4 of us but we did enjoy our selves.

At Divas Noel shared the  pieces she   had  finished sense Sat..

 

 

 

 

Anne  showed a piece got some advice on one how to improve it. I love the stitching in the leaves here.

Liesa did a nice floral work. Can’t believe she will be 99 on her next Birthday and still creating! It is always stimulating and a good time.

 

 

 

 

Monday Liz and I did do a dye day. This is her piece and it is very vivid. We had trouble with our color washing out to very light last week so we added fresh dye to the paste and I hope this helps. I am washing out mine today and I will know by this eve.

 

 

Progress Report: Diminishing

I ma now quilting on this work.   Doing free motion circles is a bit of a challenge and I am having fun.

 

 

 

 

Shirt   I just keep building up the surface of this work.  I am enjoying  this handwork too.

 

 

 

 

 

Rework of Old and New- Purple and Blue

After some careful study I decided that this work needed more quilting so I am doing cant ha stitches around each block.  I think I will add some French Knots to each block as well to further the uniting of the three layers.

 

 

Childhood- Watermelon Feast

When we lived in Columbus Junction the park was next door. It was a wonderful play ground for us and we used it almost daily. One summer day the JC’s had a Watermelon Feast. I was thrilled and ate 8 slices of watermelon. Three were lots of bees in the park that day attracted to the sweet rines and I was afraid to toss mine into the bin. They few up in a swarm but were not interested in anything but the fruit just as I had not interest in dinner that night.

Keep Creating

Carol

3X3, Childhood Memories, Daily Practice, Diva Meetings, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Icarus, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Re Work, Scrap Happy Quilts

Spring Studio Schweinfurth 2019

Hello.

This last week end was the spring retreat at the Schweinfurth.  It is a time when one can work on projects of one’s own choosing and be with other like minded folks. This time I was in the dry studio and worked on lots of projects. Many of my friends were present too. Sharon did some wonderful pillow covers down stairs in the wet studio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joyce did some explorations that look a lot like her paintings.   As you can see she really  loves the apple green color.

 

 

 

 

 

Regina worked in the wet studio too and showed me one of her finished indigo/ hand dye painted pieces the first morning before she got to work.

 

 

 

 

Liz was up stairs and she took advantage of Nancy’s expertise to move forward with machine quilting.

 

 

 

Donna did hand work.

 

 

 

 

Norma put together a new top made with fabric her grandson brought back from Sweden for her.

 

 

Sally worked diligently on this piece and got the top all assembled over the weekend.

 

 

 

 

I worked away on may projects- but folks were most amused by my “Pig Pen” like approach to building scrap units.

 

 

 

 

I put in a lot of thought into the old blue squares and decided to cut them down to 6″ squares. The 42 of them will be added to 43 newly embroidered  purple squares that will be my new Daily Practice work.   Later   I will assembled the old ones and then new blocks into  a quilt.

It was a great fun weekend and we did get silly as this picture shows- we were excited talking over one another and laughing when the Kindergarten teacher in Liz came out and she put us in line.

There was an extra benefit to being at the Schweinfurth, we got to see the Made in New York show. I really liked this wonderful bit of fiber work that greets one at the opening of the show.

 

 

Tues was also meeting day for QuEG’s and Diva’s. For QuEG’s we meant at Dori’s house.  Sue Ellen had a great sunset to share with us.

 

 

Corrine had more of her wonderful leather works.

 

 

 

 

Victoria showed off one of her new projects too.

 

 

 

Dori had a beautiful bed quilt that she is doing for her grand daughter. Dori also shared a portion of her Paper Doll collection with us.

It was amazing and brought lots of laughs as well as memories to all of us. A fun meeting.

Diva’s was a lot quieter. Maureen showed off her newest bit of hand work. This photo does not show all the stitch work.

 

Mary brought back her finished “Painted Ladies”. They are delightful.

Wednesday, the FAB group helped Nancy do a bit of moving by all showing up at her old house and loading up our  cars and  then driving to the new house and unloading there. I took this shot of the drooping tulip in the garden at the old house. I was taken by the shape.   Nancy is leaving beautiful gardens behind- but looking forward to building new ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Icarus This work is 35″w X 41.5″ l. I spent a lot of time on this at the retreat. Not only did I add the  body  parts to the background I added the loin cloth and did more quilting. I added the harness and wing connections on Monday when I got home.

I am quite pleased with it and it is off to be hung at a part of the “ Flight Show “ by Associated Artists in the Maniluas Library for the next 30 days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Circular Thinking 3 X 3- revisited. The more I looked at this piece the more unhappy I was with it. So over the weekend I took it apart and re assembled it. I am still working on evening up the sides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scraps assembly This is the way the strips look when they are sewn together and pressed. I will then cut them  horizontally  into 2.5″ strips and put the strips into long rows that will later be added to blocks or as boarders for the Scarp Happy quilts I make.

 

 

Sketchbook Revival: This class is over now but I am still working doing the lessons that I did not get to. This is what I did in response to Rachel Taylor’s instruction. The whole process  has been a good way to stretch a bit.

 

 

 

 

Daily Practice – Purple squares Here is the first purple square to go with the blue ones I mentioned before.

Fortunately I still had the cut letters  that I had created for the first set of squares so I could add the stamping like the first ones.

 

Childhood Memories- Fishing in Minnesota
My brother, Gene always liked to fish. Me – not so much, but I would go along and read while he did the fishing. One summer our family took a vacation in the 1,000 lakes of Minnesota. For 10 days we did not see or talk to anyone other then the family members. Gene and I spent several days” fishing”. On one of those days we were quietly floating in a nice sunny area when Gene had a strike. He reeled the fish up and out of the water- it was a big one! Then the line snapped and the fish fell back into the water. Gene was upset. But upon looking over the side of the boat he spotted the bright silver  lure against the  dark green bottom. He quickly tied another lure  to his line and carefully dropped it back into the water and hooked the new lure into the first and proceeded to reel everything back in. This time however he quickly pulled the fish over the boat where the line broke for a second time and the fish and two lures landed in the bottom of the boat. He was thrilled. A great fish story.   He went on to catch three more fish that afternoon. And guess who got to clean the fish?- Me of course.

Keep Creating
Carol

3X3, Collections, Curvie Cuts, Diva Meetings, Hand work, Linnen Jacket, Mom VI, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs)

Travels in Florida

Flying PigHello,

I got home form sunny Florida on Sunday and arrived in a snow storm.   The trip was beautiful and exciting.   I spent five days with Chris T  in Brenton Florida.  She is a great hostess and took me to see the Museum  of Whimsy.  It was a visual overload with so much to look at that I felt  a bit overwhelmed.   The flying pig is from that museum and a very small portion of what the museum has to offer. Then it was off to the Ringling museum with a different feel altogether.   It is divided into three separate museums.  The actual  circus stuff and the art collection is where we spent most of our time.    The dioramas where full of  amazing detail, like this one of the big top.   I had not considered all the parts that went into running a Circus including, black smiths, adverting men and  costume repair folks along with cooks and performers.  It was a delight.Chris  Chris’s son took us out on his boat into the Gulf to see the sun set one night.  it was glorious.  Manatee Chris  took me to the Museum of Southern Florida where  I watched a great  talk/demonstration on Manatees among many other things.      This fellow  is set for release back into the wild soon.

I enjoyed the   Village of the Arts   where her  shop is located.   It was fun to explore and see wonderful art at every turn.    Ihelped in Chris’s gallery two days too.

.IMG_3007 We walked the Mangrove grove shore on Sunday morning.   There were lots of interesting plant forms there.    Chris’s home is on the water and we got to see lots of close up of wonderful shore birds,   every morning and evening .

IMG_3032Then we went off to Gulfport and I moved in with Cris W.   Susan, Cris and I spent a day at Fort Desoto on the beach and had a good time relaxing, drawing and watching the passing birds.   I did collect shells too.

Cris took time to teach Susan, Carolyn, Laura and myself   how to do Boiled Books.    I was apicallyBoiled book open happy with how mine came out.    This shots shows the plants that created the white on this page.

Susan and I painted fabric and work on projects in her garden several days. In the garden 2019We went to exercise class, drawing on Wednesday eve and did the Gulfport editable garden tour.   I learned a lot on with that experience.

IMG_3040 I  even got up twice to see the sun rise over the water.    I had a wonderful time.   I feel so fortunate to have such nice folks to visit.

IMG_3053This week was the first on the month and there was a QuEG’s meeting on Tues.   Angela  has been making books.  Thirteen last month!   This is one of her Secret Belgium binding  ones.    Corrine shared her  Coptic stitch binding books too.IMG_3056  I think we are headed for a book play day in the future.

Susan was busy getting ready for The Surface Design Conference with a series of small color based quilts.  This one is Green.  She also had   red,  yellow and  blue ones in similar fashion.  Great fun with letter forms and color I think.  IMG_3051  Sally made a table runner for the holiday this month.

Liz shared her  new mystery block project with us.   Lots of color here.  She also had her 6X6 entries for the Rochester Art Center  ready to ship. IMG_3067

 

 

There was also a Diva meeting on Tuesday evening.   This is Anne’s work on machine drawing and quilting.   I really like the quiet dignity of this work.

 

   Mary shared her  women project.   They are all to be stretched and will all have portions that hang off the side.  There were  ten of them.   That is a lot of work.

 

 

Regina presented her gorgeous snow dyed work!    She really can get great colors!      IMG_3086Noel brought a crazy quilt she is working on and this rework of one of her older pieces.   They are very impressive groups and I find them stimulating.

Progress Report:Icarus   I think I’m just about ready to launch into the figure for this work .  I keep fiddling with the position of the body parts but feel now I can at least begin the wings this week.  That way I can still play with the body if I want.

Collections VI  009  I keep collection and  adding things to the surface of this piece.    I have lots of stuff of Moms I can use here.    No stitching yet, but that will begin soon.

019Jacket   I have been frozen with  this piece for a while so I took it to the meetings on Tue and got some advice.  I now have a few ideas on how to go forward.  That is one of the best parts of belonging to groups of fellow artists.

3 X 3 A-1 I finished this block while I was in Florida.      I will work into it more when it is joined with its sisters and I can see what needs to be built up.

 

 

A-2   I moved into this one when I finished the work on A-1.  This is my last block and I will soon move into the  next phase.

Sea Stars

007   This work grew out of leftovers from Wave and the SDQA   starfish block I did for their auction.   I find that my mind sometimes just keep asking “What If?” and away I go on the next project.

The Card project has changed.  It grew out of the Florida connection.  We meant and decided to change the focus to Childhood Memories.  I realized I could not do collage to fulfill this project so I am changing my approach too.  I plan to work larger and to do painted fabric and machine drawing to solve the problems presented.   Over the core of time it should help my machine drawing skills too.

Keep Creating

Carol

3X3, Along the Shore, Creative Assistants, Finger Lakes Fiber Artist Group, Label Cards, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), small god, WAVE, Word Forms

March Begins

 

IMG_2917Hello,

As the photo shows we are still having winter here.  The first day of March it did snow and it is alternating between sun shine and snow fall around here now.   The deep blue shadows that the sun creates on the white surface never seem to lose there wonder for me.

Along with a new month there are meetings.  The Finger Lakes Fiber Artists meant on Sat.  This is a shot of Marcia’s quilt.   We had a good meeting with lots of decisions about our future.    IMG_2885Liz has now finished quilting her school days quilt.   Angela is taking a class on line dealing with felting.  She has learned how to mix the fibers and now she can create any color she wishes.   IMG_2889Beverly  shared this beauty that is full of her hand dyed fabrics.   Marla shared her rug hooking project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pat finished this new big piece.  This work is  the newest piece in  her series using only two fabrics that she has created.   I think it is very powerful. IMG_2896Mary shared a work she started in a workshop on silk work.  She altered it to fit what she wanted to express.  IMG_2905QuEG’s meant on Tues.  There were only three of us but we still found a lot to share.   This is a shot of Corrine’s newest book cover.  IMG_2909She also shared this beautiful scarf that is  felted work on a sorry base.   She had a whole collection she had purchased as gifts.   The idea is worth some exploration.   Angela   had her Sax keys piece that she hand quilted.  It is a whole cloth quilt that she created in a class at QBL two summers ago.

IMG_2906   This is a felted and stitched book jacket that Angela did too.

The Diva’s also meant on Tues.  Regina showed us this new top that she had created from three prints that she had made in a class at QBL2 .    IMG_2912She also shared this work with indigo she has made with a stamp on top.   IMG_2915 Joan shared some collages that she is building in prep for a new work.   It was a good meeting, even though attendance was small at this gathering too.

  Progress Report: small god – Zapoteck    This little quilt is 23” w X 32”  l.   It is based on a sculpture that I saw in Oaxaca at the ruins last month.   IMG_2932  All the parts are appliqued down with a wide satin stitch.   I may created some more work from my photos. of other sculptures.

Shore Line This work is coming along nicely.  I must have it done before the 20th of March so there is a little pressure.

IMG_2918Wave   This is a good example of how one can see in a photo problems one can not realize  when looking at the subject under natural conditions.   The picture clearly shows  that there is not enough contrast between the words and the background.  I could not quite see that in reality.   So I have pulled out new pieces for the background and I will redo it.   Finding something new to apply to the quilted background however may prove to be more of a challenge.

Creative Assistants IMG_2921  I finished up 15 more of these little guys for this summer.

Snow Dye   The snow dyeing resulted in these beautiful fabrics.

Starfish IMG_2923I keep doing the knots on the star fish.  I think this one is ready to   face and apply to the background.

3 X 3 C-2  This square is mostly complete now.    This bit of Daily Practice is going very  well.

3 X 3 C-1  IMG_2939 This square is about half done at this point.   IMG_2943 The process is very calming for me.

Label Cards: Bird Song   Despite the snow,  I have heard lots of bird songs when I have been out of doors of late.   It is encouraging.

StretchingIMG_2947  I like to stretch my mind and keep it limber.   And I would disagree with this statement for the most part.   But I have been know to take on more than I really should by stretching the idea too much.

Keep Creating

Carol

3X3, Diva Meetings, Forest Flock, Label Cards, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Sandpipers

Upcycle

Hello,

It seems like this time of year one tends to do a bit of clean out and reevaluation.  I found lots of my friends using what they had to make new work this month.

I  spent my Saturday  last week working as a part of the Bed for Kids project here in town.  Sadly there are many children in our community who do not have beds.  So this group is working on bedding as a part of the goal to meet this need.  I started this quilt and the top is almost complete now.   It is made of a project that was passed to me.   Many other women worked on creating pillow cases.  Girl Scouts and a girls basketball team also showed up and created polar fleece no sew blankets.   It was a lively and fun project to be a part of.   I also contributed 13 quilts to this worthy project.

Both of the groups that I belong to meant on Tues.   At QuEG’s , Sue Ellen showed up this top that she created  as she tries to work down her stash.   IMG_2715Dori   is doing hand work on this witches hat to  use up some of her trims.    IMG_2716 Victoria is also using up available materials.  She is cutting up all her angora sweaters that have small wholes and making a throw with them.   Susan is  going through her scrap bag and building units with raw edge applique and embroidery.  She has also set the limit of using red and turquoise as her main colors  for this pursute.   I think limiting like that  can make one be very creative with other tools.   Liz continues to happily quilt away on her  school days piece.   IMG_2727  And Sally is making cards with one of her new sewing machine patterns.  She is also experimenting with water soluble colored pencils that she had on hand.   I like the directions she is exploring.

At Diva’s, Alice  shared her new  series.  She is experimenting with India ink painting on fabric.   To good effect I would say.    IMG_2736 Regina in her wonderful way completed  this indigo piece  this month.   She really challenges herself I think.   Both meetings were full of inspiring talk and interesting works.    I came home all fired up again.

 

Progress Report: Forest Flock    This quilt is 39” w X 35”l.    I have been enjoying doing the thread painting of birds for a while and this time I tried doing them for a quilt.   IMG_2765 It is a bit different type of approach for me but I like to mix my techniques.   IMG_2766  The more I play with this process the more I seem to enjoy it.   I keep learning little things with each attempt  too.   With  these birds, I  explored  not only using the the  two layers of wash away but  a layer of nylon netting in the middle.  I had noticed that   the  shapes I had created before could easily  be distorted in the pinning and drying stage.     The nylon net seemed to make the work more solid  and helps  to avoid that  distortion problem.    Now there may be a time when that is undesirable desirableIMG_2768 but now the  nylon netting   really helps maintain  the shapes  that I am building.

 

IMG_2744Sandpipers  The birds are attached to the shore now and I am doing some intense looking as I am not really happy with the appearance   of this composition.   It seems to need something in addition.  I will study it over the course of the next few weeks and hope that I can find a solution that I am happy with.

 

3X3   This is blao B-3.  The third block in row b.   I finished it for the most part and placed block C-3 next to it so I could make connections.IMG_2750  Pressing and  a little more work should do the trick.   The I went ahead and worked on block C-3.IMG_2752I have been putting in about an hour  every day on this project.  

Label Cards: Tied Up  This week I realized how I get myself in worry knots about nonsense.  Being away from the studio and  such  helped me get a better perspective.   I hope I can continue to recognize  the unimportant things and let them go.

Color Wonder In this gray time of year I am always surprised by a sudden splash of color.   I could not get the pink nose of  my a friends dog’s nose out of my mind so I made this card to remind myself to look  with care at the world around me.

3X3, Collections, Finger Lakes Fiber Artists, Forest Flock, Linnen Jacket, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs)

Winter white

 

Hello,

We  are in the middle of a beautiful snow storm here.  I shot this image through one of the garage  windows.   I love the ice crystal patterns and how they  break up the view.

There was a Flinger Lakes Fiber Artist meeting this week.   This work by Pat  was one of the wonderful works we looked at and talked about.IMG_2584Pricilla brought all these  silk squares that she intends to use in a new jacket.

Liz shared this work that she machine quilted her self.  She and I dyed printed  the fabric in one of our grange dates  last summer.

IMG_2594Lori showed us this work  of hers  that was in the members show at the Schweinfurth.  The gold and black fabric  background  was a piece of fabric that she purchased from Pat last summer.

IMG_2591Noel took Pat’s Two by Two class and this is the result of that.  I like how Noel uses  diagonals in her work.

 

I find this work by Regina just fascinating.    I just keep looking and seeing new areas of interest with each study.

IMG_2593 Joyce   is working on book forms now and this is just one that she shared.

IMG_2592Marcia is playing with movement  in her work at the moment.     I think it is just great how much variety is going on in this group of talented women and I am so happy to be a small part of it.

 

The QuEG’s  also meant this week.   Liz showed off another of her works.   She is in the process of quilting this piece too.

 

 

Sue Ellen spent a little time playing this season and created this table runner.  Lots of bright color here.

 

Progress Report: Collection V   I keep working away on this project and I think I am nearing the end of itIMG_2602I am doing the line stitching now, usually a sign of the completion of the task.

Forest Flock I worked on the second set of birds this week and they are a little beyond half way done.   They need about three more shades of thread in blues and grays to be complete I think.

IMG_26073X3   I have now laid out all the panels  for this project.  I want to add some circles in transparent fabrics on top and then I will be ready to begin hand stitching on them.

Jacket  IMG_2610 I keep stitching away on this project but it is slow as it is the bottom of the stack and there is no time line for it.

There are no cards this week because I can not find the ones I did.  There were curling as they dried so I put them under something and cannot find them.    They will turn up and then be a bonus.

This is also the last entry for a few weeks as I am off to Oaxaca Mexico to visit with Susan.   The next post will be full of news of that trip I am sure.

Keep Creating

Carol

Collage Based Work, Creative Assistants, Diva Meetings, Felt Work, Label Cards, Pods, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Two Chickadees

English

IMG_2374Hello,

This is a bit different way to begin my post, but it is where I am so here goes.   I did this card in response to the   weekly card challenge and I was struck  by how what a big part of the English  language is mixed with body terms.  When we usually hear someone say ” Body Language” we are   talking about how our physical body can send signals of thought or actions, but there is another side too.   We often use body terms to   describe the world as well.    One can use the face to raise and eyebrow, eye the competition, look through shuttered lids, roll the eye,   give a fellow the evil eye or have looks that  could kill.    One can put their nose to the grindstone, or use a sharp wit, be a loud mouth,  have a sharp thong , voice an anger, or say or do something that is jaw dropping.      One can shrug things off,  or carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.    One uses the gray matter, or brain power,  can have a pea brain, be scattered brained or hair brained.     A person can laugh things off,  but heads with a fellow , be tickled in the funny bone ,  nod off or have a  stiff  spine, stiff upper lip   and some times get kicked in the  seat of the pants.      A person can get side swiped, man handled , and piss his fellows off.      Or you can give your right arm, put you toe in, split a hair, have spring in your step or a belly laugh, get hip checked, or  even  hop to work.    My mind is reeling with the whole idea.     It is a pleasant activity to think on and I am sure you will come up with things I forgot.

Corrines workThe first Tues of the month was this week so I had my meetings with  QuEGs and Divas.    Corrine shared her leather work.  Dori's  Dori   showed us her new raw edged applique quilt.   Shabby sheek is my style she told us.

Angela's hot pads   Angela has been busy too.   This project from childhood made us all smile.

She is doing  hand work on her deconstructed piece from two summers ago.    I like the colors she used.       Then I went off to Divas.

IMG_2370This is Regina’s newest thing.    She does love that Indigo- even her shirt  is dyed.

IMG_2376I also meant with my friend Tanya this week.   She makes silk scarves to sell and this is just one of her new beauties.   She had about six that were natural elements works too.   All were beautiful.

  Progress Report:   Southern Crows  This work is 45”w X 56” l.    I did the stenciling with Susan in March.   I finally put it together and did the quilting.IMG_2380I did reflective quilting around the birds and leaves and then did parallel  quilting on the rest of the work.IMG_2381

Two Chickadees This work is 12”X 12” square.      I did the birds on wash away  with machine drawing.IMG_2385   Then I added them to the surface with machine stitching.IMG_2386   I am enjoying exploring this technique  and have learned a lot about bird plumage in the process.

Creative Assistants IMG_2383   I continue to build faces with found objects and make up these little guys.   It is fun for me.

IMG_2377Cockle Burs  All the cockle bur( Noogoora) heads are all done now and they have padding behind them.   I am ready to build the branch to cross the surface and begin adding the burs now.

Felting: IMG_2392    I’ve spent a lot of time using the felting machine this week.       Built several backgrounds with little direction of where I want to go with them.    This is one    IMG_2396 is an example of this.   I believe I can find more birds  that I would like to explore and this with work may be the answer.  These Dickcissels for example.   They are ready to be washed out  now. 

 IMG_2395   I built this felted piece with a Blue Jay  in mind.      I have only just started with the machine drawing here.

Sisterhood Challenge:   Totem Fox    I have cut out the pieces and they are required to the background fabric.  ( a Judy Roberts piece)    I am ready to zig-zag around all the parts at this point.

 

 

 

Sisterhood Challenge:   Nine Patch  This challenge has proved to be a difficult one for me.   But after several weeks to struggling I have devised a way to go forward,IMG_2402 The challenge is to make nine units that go together and are independently created.   This collage of Mentos will be my soft guide for how to build my units.  IMG_2406The block are all 18” square in my case, and they all must have back and white somewhere in the square.     I have cut by bases  ( the blue)and decided  to use this black and white print as my unifying  unit.   I also pulled two other pieces of fabric that I want to use on more than one square.      It’s a good challenge for me as I am in uncharted ground as far as I am concerned.    A good stretch and  that is what challenges are suppose to do.

Card Closed MindsIMG_2372It is good to be reminded to keep the mind open – no matter where one is.

Keep Creating

Carol

Civilation, Diva Meetings, JIG, Label Cards, Memory Map Quilts, Mulberry Memories, Nature, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Word Forms

Busy Summer Time

Hello,
We are enjoying summer, with lots of rain. I can’t grow Black-eyed Susans, there are from my neighbors yard, but I can grow fairy rings (

They only last a day though. There were so many things going on this week I did not do much work. I just seemed to collect ideas and memories to use later an reflect on all the experiences that I have been going through. One needs to take stock every now and then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went with Liz to Percilla’s sale last Friday. We both purchased jackets.   It was fun and we are both delighted to have our one of a kind works to wear this fall.

 

Felted Landscapes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Saturday I went to the Northeast Felt Makers Association as Angela’s guest. We took a workshop on making small felted cards. Angelas’s cards. I have not done any wet felting in a while and I had forgotten how much the roving can move and change with the felting process. I did two small cards. Now we both need to add needle felting for detail and some embroidery to further that process. It was fun and I have joined the group and hope this helps

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tue was meeting day for me. I went to the QuEG’s meeting in the morning. We did not meet in July so folks had lots to share. Sally has been working on this beautiful blue and white piece. She is a master of machine embroidery.

 

 

 

 

 

Sue Ellen went to QBL but she was not a t all happy with her piece so I did not take a photo. She did have this delightful little work to share with us though.

 

Liz showed the piece she did in Rosalie’s class on Matisse. It sure captures his love of color and simplicity of shape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angela had been printing on fabric with dye. She is staying true to her tapa cloth symbols although the colors are her own. I love what she is doing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went to Susan’s for the afternoon and we did some plant printing. I had fun and I am sure some great stuff will grow from this bit of raw material building along with my other stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Diva meeting was stimulating as usual.  Noel showed us her entry for Quilts = Art =Quilts and her latest Collaged Lady.
Susan shared her shelf garden pieces that she has been painting. They are so soft and light like the real flowers.
Donna had great works in progress for her solo show in Oct , but I did not take nay good photos of that work. It was a good meeting as usual and I went home inspired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Yak This is a project from my class with Jeannette Newberryi from QBL. It is 13″w X 15.5″ t. I really like the effects and will transfer the ideas to my own work in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jig This work goes forward. I still want to cut out about six more copies of the word and place them on the surface. I think I will raw edge applique them down as I like this material that Jennet gave me frays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mulberry Memories I mostly work on the trees and grass on this work this week. I am ready to paint and add more imagery to the surface now too.

Cards: Nature   I believe this quote because I know I can always take a short walk our of doors to put things back in perspective for myself.  It really works.

Culture

 

 

We stand on the shoulders of past cultures and for the most part we are totally unaware of their impact on us.

Keep Creating

Carol

PS-  I am still working on getting last weeks post so it can be viewed.   Thanks for your patients.