Category Archives: FAD (Fiber Art Dames)

Birds, Childhood Memories, Experiments, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Heron, Mayan -Leopard Priest, Red-winged Black Birds, Scrap Happy Quilts, Thread Painting

Temperature swings of Spring

Hello,
I hope everyone is doing as well as can be expected in this time of high stress for all of us. I continue to see signs of spring and enjoy them as they come.    We had snow on Monday and Tuesday.    Then   the sky was so very blue yesterday it made me smile as we  walk in the 54 degree weather.     More trees are budding every day as this red bud attests.    This time of year is full of surprises.
I participated in a Zoom meeting this week. It was good to just talk with my friends and see there faces. I continue to work in my studio and enjoy the process.

Progress Report: Tiles One of the things I have been trying to do is explore with old Quilting Arts Magazines. The article was by Julie Hirota in the Oct Nov 2007 issue 29, is the source for this project. I think it falls very short as a final piece as there is so little contrast. The techniques of attaching pieces with grommets, I find very frustrating and time consuming. It took me 15 min to attach each one. But as my father often said one can not expect success on the first try of something new. In thinking about the idea I may try the tiles again and use lace as the connections.

 

 

 

Flower Vase This work is 16″ w X 20″ t. I did this work in response to the suggestions from Textile Artists community stitching challenge. Ann Kelly was the woman directing this phase of the challenge. I adapted it as I usually do. I use this project to explore different ways to make flowers. Using old linens as a vase was her suggestion and I really like that idea.

I went on to use old crochet flower forms on my piece. Then I did yo-yo’s as the centers for the blue flowers that have daisy  stitches for the petals. The big pink flowers are made from some trim that I had in my collection. I ended up stretching it to give it a stronger final presentation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Granite This work is also 16″ w X 20″ t. This work has served as my hand work project for the last few months. I am pleased with how I feel it depicts the granite that I based it on. I now intend to start the 100 days challenge as my hand work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scrap Happy This is a queen sized bed quilt. I like to use up scarps and that is how this piece began. It is only the most recent in along line of pieces of the same type. They all go to worthy causes or folks who I feel need them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scrap Happy new I started a new one as soon as the last on was complete as I had made the squares earlier this year. There are at least two more quits like these  in the near future.

 

 

 

 

Red Winged Black Birds This is my newest bit of thread painting. I finished the machine work yesterday and now they are pinned to the board ready to have the wash-a – way removed from them.

 

 

 

Heroin I worked on this piece of thread painting at the same time as the other birds. I only now need to finish the legs and the beak and it too will be ready for the wash out step.   The wash-away has not been trimmed from this piece.

 

 

 

 

Pattering I started this work in January when I was caring for Susan. It only resurfaced a few days ago. It will get some attention now.

 

 

 

 

Mayan series –  Leopard Priest  I made on Mayan piece a few months ago and it received such a lot of positive feedback that I thought I would make a few more. This is the drawing and enlargement for that project. The orange fabric will be the background.

 

Mini   I have also been playing with small little works.  This is one of the first.

 

 

 

 

 

Drawing I did a little more drawing this week. The two on the same page are from Designs in Nature  a book published  by Dover.

 

 

 

 

This drawing of a spring branches, is from life.

 

 

 

 

Childhood Memories – Serious about Camping

In the spring near the end my third grade my family got a new car. It was a white Ford Station wagon with brown plastic seats that had brands all over them. I remember the circle X and the Bar BQ most vividly. Dad had to purchase a woven wire seat that he sat on because the plastic made him sweat in the summer time. Dad also got busy building at that time a wonderful car top carrier. It was made of plywood that was 2.5 ft tall at the front end and tapered to six inches at the back. There was a hinge a few feet back form the front so items could be stored in that area and easily accessed. Beyond the hinge , Mom made canvas sides and aback panel
that allowed the back to open up, but still  be protected from the weather  inside. Dad also made a ladder that could be placed on the back of the car so Gene and I could climb up into the carrier and sleep there.   We stored all of the family sleeping bags with the air mattresses fully inflated in the   car top carrier back area during the day and removed Dad’s and Mom’s bags at night and put them in the bottom of the wagon with the seats down. We all slept comfortably with this arrangement well into my college years. Dad also built two sturdy wooden boxes to store our food as well as 4 nested metal plates, cups and pans that had removable handles. Mom painted the carrier and the boxes white. There was also a Coleman Lantern and Coleman Stove for cooking.    Both of those ran on white gas and had to be pumped up for use.   We were set for years of great camping experiences with all this great equipment.    All this  preparation was  for Dad’s Summer job as a seasonal Forest Ranger at  the Tetons National Park.
We set out for the Park as soon as school was out that spring. Gene and I both had a suit case of course and we were allowed a small collection of toys. I took my 7″ doll and her clothes, jacks , papers and crayons. Gene took a new hatchet he had been given and his football.
We started out driving west on highway 30 out of Carroll in the early morning. As soon as we reached the Iowa boarder we drove north along the Missouri  River before turning west again in South Dakota. We hit many of the attractions along the way. I remember passing lots of “tourist traps” and a coffee shop built of cast concrete that was shaped like a coffee pot. We stopped and got gas at a Sinclair station that had a life sized green dinosaur on a little rise to the west of the station. We did stop at Wall Drug Store after reading the many Burma -Shave like signs that were along the highway. We drove into the Badlands. They were so barren compared to the green of home, but held a special beauty all their own.   I know we   went to the Black Hills and Badlands on other trips with the Bell family, Grandpa Howard and Grandmother Ruth.   On that trip we did a lot of exploring and fossil hunting in the Badlands.   I just do not know what age I was for that experience.     I do know it was not a  part of this adventure to the Tetons as we had a time dead line.   The next stop   on our trip was Mt Rushmore. I was quite surprised at the size of those of those heads. I remember being impressed with the modern lunch room and visitors center. I had warm prideful feelings years later when I saw the film “North by Northwest”. We then drove on to Wind Cave and stopped and did the tour. I was awe struck by the amazing block crystal formations on the ceiling of that cave. We continued west crossing Wyoming. I am sure we stopped somewhere along the way and camped with our new equipment, but I am not sure where. I do recall the long haul up the east side of the Continental Divide.   It seemed to be  just a long up hill drive with a few descents and then more up with no real view of what we were about to see.  There were lots of trees and no real views.    But when we crossed  the top and there was a wonderful view of the Tetons. We drove down into the valley and into the park. I am sure we went to the main headquarters first but I can’t say I remember it. I do remember  the wonderful summer at the camp ground at Colter Bay, however, and I will tell some of those stories next.

Please take good care of yourself and keep Creating

Carol

Agitated Aggie, Childhood Memories, Curvie Cuts, Drawing, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Granite, Hand work, NEW, Pomegranate, Re Work, SAQA Blocks, Scrap Happy Quilts, Sisterhood of the Scissors, Snow Dyeing

Getting Warmer

Hello,
Spring is winning the battle for the weather. I see more and more evidence of new growth every day. My Blood root for example is doing beautifully and Betty’s flowers are also blooming.

 

 

 

 

 

I continue to work away on the Textile Artist stitching challenges. This is my applique piece. It is not at all the assignment – I could not get logged on until Friday so I will do it later.

 

This weeks is folk art and I am started as this shot shows. Again I am stretching the piece to fit what I wish to accomplish.    I will incorporate as much of the instruction as I can.
My Fad group meant on Zoom again this week and it was good to talk with them.

 

Progress Report: Agitated Aggie This work is 38″ w X 41″ l. It is my solution to the Sisterhood of the Scissors Canada challenge. Many of us purchased the print fabric and the challenge was to use it. I have only seen one other work doing the challenge.


 When I was in Florida I came across more material by the same artist so I added a second piece of material to my piece. It’s the same artist and meant to go with the first. It is the colored background piece here.

Granite I keep doing the hand work on this project during the news.   This is a close up.

 

 

 

 

 

Re Work Self Challenge I was cleaning and came across this piece in the process and although it is okay, I decided to use it as a base for a new work. Stay tuned.

 

 

 

Popcorn I spent an afternoon this week playing and decided to paint giant kernels of Popcorn. They came out fine so I built a curvy cut base to applique them on. It is pin basted and ready for quilting now.

 

 

 

 


New Sea Floor A long time ago I painted some fusible inner facing. In my cleaning this week I uncovered it. I thought it looked like something I could use as a abase for a small underwater piece. Pulled some shells and found a bag of yarns and ribbons. More play in my future.

Queen Anne’s Lace When I was painting I also did this little piece. I had reread an article in Quilting Arts from Oct/Nov 2007 and it got me thinking about a tiling technique of quilting. This may or may not work. But Experimenting is always just taking a chance.

 

 

Mini’s    I cut up one of the quilts that I discovered in my cleaning and made these little starts for use on cards.   Only the one on the bottom right is done.

 

 

 

Scrap Happy   I finished the first of the pieces that I started at the beginning of the isolation.   It is a queen sized piece.

 

 

Drawing I was influenced by the Sketchbook Revival class and so I did some clean the brush painting on a few pages of the sketchbook. This is what the page suggested to me.

 

 

I went back to my herb book and while I was on the phone I drew this Dill. It may have influenced the Queen Anne’s Lace I did later too.

 

 

 

 

Popcorn- well we have eaten a lot of that of late and it too was on the desk when I was waiting on the phone.    It grew into the later work.

 

Then I just opened the sketchbook in the middle of eating my orange and did this drawing.   I see know that it needs strengthening  the green was too intense for this subject sense I did not draw with a strong enough pen.

 

 

 

Snow Dyeing  I actually did this last week but was in the process of washing it out last Friday.  The two dark pieces are from this summer and were in the bottom of the bucket.

 

Childhood Grandfather Howard

Grandfather Howard was a wonder filled inquisitive person. He often went to Auctions and other places and purchased boxes of books. Then he read most of them. One of the other things he collected was coins. He build a wonderful display that hung in the Den for many years. It held a pounded metal curved blade, brass collars, strings of shells and beads, strange little stamped metal pieces as well as many other odd items that were used as currency and trade goods in Africa.
I remember one summer asking Grandmother Ruth for some dress up clothes and she went to the attic to look. I was allowed to climb the stairs and wait near the top. I spent the time slipping my hands into the space between the flooring and the ceiling were lots of small stuff had be placed. I explored and I pulled out a heave cigar box. It was filled with three rows of silver dollars lain end to end. I called to grandmother “ Look what I found.” “Where did you find them she asked ?” I pointed as she took them form my hands. She carried them up into the attic and they were never seen again as far as I know.
Grandfather collected rocks all his life. He built shelves in the basement from floor to ceiling and displayed his collection there. He also fronted the fire place there and at the cabin with wonderful rocks and geodes. Uncle Paul even carved a pink sand stone dinosaur with a green stone eye, that was featured as part of that fireplace. There was also a part of the basement that was a workshop. There was a rock tumbler that was always running and as a result there were baskets full of Michigan Agates all over the place. The space had a lot of cutting and grinding tools as well as buffer and polishes. He kindly showed me how to use all of those tools and I spent many happy hours working away at carving and creating little works of my own. I still have a stone rabbit and tiger eye “arrow head “ I made.
There was lots of new highway construction in the 50’s and 60’s. We did lots of traveling by car as did lots of Americans. When Grandfather was along , one could count on many stops at the raw cuts along the road side for a bit of exploration. I recall one time when we stopped and collected about 100 petrified Hor Coral. They polished up beautifully and two of them ended up in that fireplace I mentioned.
Grandfather won ribbons for his rock creations . He designed and built three swag lamps that had shades made from sliced beautiful rocks that he suspended in fiber glass. When the light passed thou the stones it was beautiful. Of his two big hobbies, he said that Rock Hounds were much more fun. At Grandfather Howard’s death his collection was given to the University of Iowa and they were glad to have it. My cousin Tracy also took some of the stones to use in her classroom as she was a Science teacher.
Mom too became a Rock Hound and many was the time we carried rocks home in the car. When Mom retied to Tucson, I would visit every February break and we would go to the Gem and Mineral show. I purchased stone beads and she bought more rocks of course.

Stay safe and keep Creating

Carol

Break Up, Childhood Memories, Exploring Blue, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Ice on Vincent, Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Shows

Warming?

1 Comment

Hello,
The days are growing longer and the Snow Drops are up. I did  spot a Robin on my walk and heard one singing this morning. Spring is on its way.

 

 

 

I did lots of running around last week starting with the Art show at Cazenovia  College. Sharon is teaching there now so of course she is in the show. I like this mix of photo plate imagery and fiber work.

 

 

The RATs meant last Friday at Barbara’s again. It is good to get together and talk. This image is one of her newest works.

 

 

I had my opening at the Broad Street Gallery on Sat and it went well. I talked non stop for two hours and came home on a real high. I took photos of all of the work that is hanging and these are just a few of them as there are 49 works in the show.

 

 

 

 

 

This work is  Brier Patch.   

 

 

This work is called “Ice on Vincent St.”

 

 

 

The first Tuesday of the month was this week so the QuEG’s group meant too. Corrine is going great guns with her books. Her leather is so soft.

Sue Ellen had three works to share. This is a One Block Wonder table runner that she made.

 

 

 

Them FAD meant here yesterday. Sharon is nearing the end of her work on number seven in this commission. Lots to look at in this work.   Sharon has done a good job hiding lots of little images under and around the plant life in this work.

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: SAQA 10X10 Because I did not have big stretches of time to work this week I did lots of little clean up and small tasks. This is my entry for the SAQA auction for this year.

 

 

Bags Plastic bags have now been banned in New York state. My friend Elizabeth asked me if I would make a few from some apolstry samples that she had collected. These are the 5 I have finished. There is a stack of yet to be completed ones too.

Scarves I had so much fun making these that I have made more. I gave away three at the RATs meeting on Friday and then four more at the FAB meeting yesterday. I also gave one to a neighbor who admired one that I was working on. It is fun to use up little bits and pieces of leftover yarns from various projects. I have made possible collections of yarn combos for at least two more . I am loving having the space in my yarn bin too.

 

 

 

 

 

Exploring Blue I gave this work a little attention this week. There is so much happening on the surface that I feel I need add more contrast to make it work.

 

 

 

 

Break Up I like the idea of this work- but I am very unsure of what I am doing so it is not going anywhere at the moment.

 


New Work This is my beginning work on Regina’s second “trade and finish ”  challenge piece.  The pink painted fabric is hers.

 

 

 

 

 

Childhood Memories -Building the house in Carroll

We moved into the basement of the house in Carroll as soon as it was habitable. The house was built into a hillside with three terraces in the back. The front south east corner was level with the top of the hill. By the time the  yard reached the north west corner of the house one could walk out the basement door onto a patio that was surround by  rock walls on two sides. The rocks were carted in from the farm where the twins lived. The walls also head back the soil on those two sides. There were also two terraces on the north east side that did the same to hold the soil back from the drive into the garage.
I remember Mom, Dad and Grandpa laying black and white tiles in the big room in the basement  and building a long set of cabinets on the north wall of the great room in there. The fun part was the special banister they built along the stairs. It was designed so we could slide down it with ease. I even learned how to do that slide in a  side saddle fashion .
I recall the day they came and pored the cement for the drive too. The forms were all set and Dad and another man used a big long 2″X 4″ to level the drive. They started at the edge of the opening for the garage and worked out to the where that part of the drive meant the strait run. Then they started at the street and kept sliding the board back and forth past the section to the garage and all the way to the end of the drive. Dad let Gene and I make hand prints in the cement at the far west end of that turn around section of the drive.
Grandpa Howard was our electrician. He and Mom built cornices for all the windows in the living room and they installed indirect lighting behind them. They found some cool new light switches with rocker plates in them. One day Grandpa broke one of those switches and there was a bit of mercury in it. The living room floor was done in oak boards that had been sanded but not yet sealed . The afternoon after the break when  I got home from school,  Gene and I had little races down the living room floor with our balls of mercury. We finally used it to shine up some pennies and a couple of dines. I don’t remember that the shine stayed too long. After lots of sanding Mom and Grandpa sealed the north wall of the living room and installed a photo mural of the Tetons. It made a great statement in that room.  We took lots of photos in front of it over the years we lived there.

Take good care and enjoy Spring.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

25 Million Stitches Project, Cardinals, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Finger Lakes Fiber Artists, Killdeer, Mom VI, Robins

Winter

Hello-
Snow continues to fall here in central New York. We just shovel and drive with care. This week there was a Finger Lakes Fiber Artist meeting. It was good to see folks even if there were not a lot of gals in attendance. Pat had three pieces – two big and one small to share. This is a close up of one.

This is Bev’s newest work. It is all pin basted for quilting now.

 

 

 

Noel is back to working with silks in an effective new approach.

 

 

 

Liz is doing lots of hand work and she asked for advice on how to quilt this great piece.

 

 

 

 

 

There was also a FAB meeting this week. It was good to see these gals again too. Sharon is busy finishing the last commission in the series of 7. These little flowers will be added to the base she has already produced.

I did get my two pieces for the 25 Million Stitches project mailed off this week too.

Project Report: Two Cardinals This work is 10″w X 16″ t. I am really enjoying doing the free motion drawing of birds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Killdeer This work is 19″w X 12″ t. I had to do some small modifications to is after I showed it to the gals at the FLFA meeting. The birds faded into the background too much until I added some dark to their backs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Robins This work is 24″w X 18″h. I did end up adding the third adult robin to make the composition work. Because I had done five other birds before it only took and hour and 15 min to do the new bird. Experience does help.

Exploring Blue  This work is going along slowly as it is all done by hand. I am enjoying working away attaching all the little units I have pinned down.

 

 

 

 

 

Childhood- Move to Carroll

At the end of second grade we moved from Columbus Junction to Carroll Iowa. About a six hour drive from the part of Iowa that my Grandparents lived. Dad got a new job as a high school principal in a larger school there. We moved into the Park View Apartments that summer . The apartment was a half level with the windows on ground level. It was dark. A girl a little older named Joanna lived in the apartment above ours. She taught me to play the card game “War” that summer and we spend many an afternoon at that activity. At the back of the lot behind the apartments there was a tall hedge and just in front of that was a huge sand box.
We spent a lot of time playing there as well. Across the street in front of the apartments was a big city park. There was a band shell there and on most Friday evenings there was a concert. Gene and I went with Mom and Dad to listen and play in the dark. The public swimming pool was across the park. Mom did not know how to swim so she signed up both of us for lessons. I remember putting my clothing in a numbered wire basket and pinning a safety pin with the same number on it to my suit to get my clothing back. The one had to walk through a very cold chlorine wash to get out to the pool area. One day we were late and so I ran across the park bare footed. I cut my foot on a piece of glass. I had to set out for that lesson . I did learn how to swim that summer and passed the test at the end of lessons as did Gene. Most days Dad went off to Adams street and worked with Grandpa Howard and some twins from the high school on the house. I remember seeing the place the day they removed the forms from the pored cement basement walls. They were tall I though. My next clear memory was visiting the house when they were framing the main floor. The furnace was also being put in at that time. I was fascinated by the furnace man because he could do tricks. He was a “ sward shallower” of sorts.   At least he could swallow those long slender strips of metal that were used between the joints of the heating ducks. He was not fooling me as I walked around him to view from all sides. We moved into the basement before school started. Mom and Grandpa worked on the upstairs that fall and winter to finish the house.

Keep Creating

Carol

Childhood Memories, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Quilt Exploration Group (QuEGs), Scrap Happy Quilts, Wool Rounds

Australia plus

Hello,
I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and enjoy the day. It has been a long time sense I have written and a lot has happened. The trip to Australia was wonderful. Wendy and I tried to do everything.
Melbourne was a beautiful city .  Wendy took a selfie of the two of us every day and this was our first.

 

 

 

 

 We did explore a small bit with our guide.   They have a great policy about art- a lot like Maine.    They have also cut down on graffiti by  designating special ally ways   to be used as such.

There were lots of wonderful ones.

 

 

 

 

 

Then we went off to Phillips Island to see Fairy Penguins with to stops on the way.

We went on an Animal park and got to see and pet koalas and feed our first Kangaroos.

 

 

 

 

 

We went to a surfing beach were the wind was blowing sand so hard one got a facial just stepping out of the bus.   Yes, those streaks are sand.

 

 

From there we went farther along the shore, checked out some penguin burrows and marveled at the crashing waves.

 

 

 

At sun set we watch the small navy blue Fairy Penguins come ashore to feed their young. No photos are allowed and the one shone here is form their free down load. They were very cute.

 

 

We   then flew from Melbourne to Cairns for more adventures. We went directly form the air port to a crocodile area. We saw emu and cassowary there. The Cassowary are very big- over 6 feet tall and a bit vicious. They are a very primitive bird with a finger nail type crown on its head. When she made a sound it traveled through the ground and we felt it in out feet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We did got to hold a three year old crock and have an experience with a anaconda. On the boat trip through the marsh we witnessed adult crocodile on that was 16 feet o long and was estimated to weigh over 600 pounds. He could have easily over turned our boat if he had wanted to the guide said. No swimming in that area!

We were still a bit messed up with time so we got up at 5 one day and went to the lagoon with four of our new friends and went swimming at 6 in the morning.

 

 

 

 

That day was also the day we went snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. The fish were beautiful and the coral was as well. I swallowed lots of salt water as I tended to watch fish as they would swim under me and the snorkel would fill with water.

We also took a ride on a glass bottom boat. That is were my photos of under the water came from.

 

 

In Cairns we saw fruit bats that have 6 foot wing spans. This is a shot of them resting in a tree in the center of town. We also saw them in flight at night when we were watching a fire dancer.

We went on a train ride up ( 52 degree incline) to Kuranda, a gold mining town. It is now an Artist colony were art was every where.

This shot of the side walk was only one of many like it, There were murals all over town and every sigh post sported a welded insect of some sort.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then went on to to Sydney and took a dinner cruse on the harbor. We visited the Opera house- it is amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

We went to a Animal Rescue Center were we saw many animals.   We got to feed kangaroos again .

 

 

 

 

This is my shot of Fairy Penguins that were there for help. There were Koalas there too and I was told that they were expecting a dozen more from the burn area later that day.

 

 

 

We had an aborigine experience that evening.  They even taught a simple dance. I learned a lot- mostly what I do not know about those peoples. Like the fact that there are over 200 different tribes that all speak different langues and have different practices. The only two myth’s they all share is the one about the Rainbow Serpent who is said to have crawled across all of Australia and in doing so sculptured the land. When you see a rainbow the Serpent is said to be going from one water whole to another. The other myth that is shared is that all creatures were born out of a Cassowary egg. Every area has a distinct type of painting and one can identify the tribe if one know the code.

These are the only pieces of fabric that I purchased and I learned that the artist gets a commission on the sale of each tea towel.

 

We walked the harbor one afternoon. There we took a photo on Santa’s large lap and were joined by another tourist from Russia, she is setting on my knee.

 

 

 

We went to the Chinese gardens and I got to have a wonderful review of all the different gardens I had visited with Mom on our trip to China 20 years ago.

 

 

 

 

It was a wonderful experience and I am glad that I did it with Wendy. We did celebrate her 50 birthday at the Harbor View Bar at the top of our hotel in Sydney.

 

There was a QuIG’s meeting on Tue this week. Susan shared her piece that she worked on at the retreat at the Schweinfurth that happened when I was away.

Liz also used the retreat to further her free motion quilting skills.

 

 

 

Yesterday was a meeting of the FAD group. Sharon shared her leaf quilt. She also showed us her new landscape , both she will be selling at the Plowshares Christmas show this week end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Wool Rounds This quilt is 36″ w X 59.5″ l. I really finished this before I left. I really like the circular pattern building and hope I can up with a new variation to do again soon.

 

 

Little  Priest I finished the back outline stitching on this piece this week. I want it to be a bit bigger so I am considering boarders now.

 

 

 

 

Nick’s Quilt Nick asked for a new quilt with an owl on it. I built this graded blue background this week and will move forward with the bird when it is assembled.

 

Beds for Kids Project-Pink Quilt Liz V asked me on Tue to make 2 more twin quilts for this project a week ago Tue. There are over 200 children in this county who do not have beds. I though of this work that I stared at Sharrons earlier this fall and though some child would enjoy it. The top is all done and I am working on a back now.

 

Scarp Happy This twin quilt will also be a part of my contribution to the Beds project. This one is better suited for a little boy I think.

 

 

 

Scrap Happy Queen I have put this quilt on hold until the kids ones are done.  The rows are all done and the back is made so when I get to it it will go together quickly.

 

 

Childhood Memories- May Day

When we lived in Columbus Junction our house was at the edge of town in a hill. Along the east side and that the back of the garden was there were steep gullies that were fully wooded. Sometimes Mom would take us for a walk in the timber. The walk would begin at the back south east corner of our lot where we would climb a fence and descend the steep gully side that was well forested with oak trees. At the bottom was a little spring that produced a small flow down the center of the gully to the east. We would follow along the bottom and Mom used the trips in spring to teach us to recognize and name wild flowers. Yellow Dog Tooth Violets, along with the normal purple ones, Dutchman’s Britches, Trillium, Indian Pipes and Jack in the Pulpits were to be found there. They became familiar and we learned to recognize and spot them. At the end of the gully the stream headed South east along a meadow before it entered another wood and gully that flowed down to the Iowa River. We never went that way but instead turned south and east across the meadow to a large boulder about the size of a half sofa. It was pink quartz and Gene and I would race to it and scramble to the top where we would face West and yell” We have discovered America!” Because the boulder was know in those parts as Plymouth Rock.

In spring after my Birthday, I spent time making 3 construction paper baskets. Then after school on the first day of May I went to the edge of the wood and picked some wild flowers- violets mostly, and put them plus two hard candies, a piece of gum, and a lolly pop in each basket. Taking the baskets one at a time then I stealthy went to the front doors of three of my friends and hung a basket on the knob. I ran home hoping not to be seen ,and waited, hoping I would be fortunate enough to get a May Basket from an unknown friend. I got one in the two years that I did participate in this May Day ritual. We moved away after second grade and the new community did not follow this tradition. I still recognize all the flowers Mom taught us about though.

I hope all are doing well and enjoying the delights of the season.
Keep Creating
Carol

Childhood Memories, Creative Assistants, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Wool Rounds

Visiting Sharron

Hello,
I am enjoying the wonderful fall colors of central New York. My trip to visit Sharron was wonderful. She has a very beautiful new home in a country village outside Chicago called Somanack.

 Sharron enjoys lots of space and has a very nice new studio.  This is a shot of the design wall there One of the amazing features of the new house is a 6 foot walk in safe in the basement.  Sharron had shelves built and stores her liquer and soda there as it is behind the bar.    We spent five days breaking in her new basement studio. She learned that she can handle up to 11 folks for workshops in the future. Gals cycled in and out and four of us were there for the whole five days.

Sandy took the trophy for the most tops completed in the five days with three.   I only have good photos of two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Melody was working on a “block of the month project “A Stroll in Paris BOM”. It is very quiet and lovely.

 

 

Susan happily worked on several projects. She and I talked a lot about books.

 

 

 

 

 

One gals spent her time honoring her daughter by working on a quilt that her daughter started before she died.  She made lots of units.

 

 

 

 

 

Val did 20 of these leaves for a quilt she was working on. She also built some bigger center blocks too.

 

 

 

 

The holidays were on Sharron’s  mind.       She showed off  her snow men project from QBL. Then got busy  making  lots of pillow cases for her Christmas party.

 

 

On the last day she put together this top.

 

 

 

 

 

I Worked on my Collar project of Aunt May’s collars and wool rounds.

This shot is of the  wool rounds at the first of the week.   I got a lot done thanks to Sharron’s encouragement and the fellowship of other quilters.  I always enjoy working in a group setting like this.

Sharron and Jim kindly took be back to the airport early on Thur morning and we got to see a spectacular sun rise.

 

 

 

 

There was also a FAB meeting  this  week.  Sharon shared her latest commission in the series of 6.  This is #4

 

 

 

 

Project Report: Collars and Old Lace This work is 34″w X 53.5″ t.. I intended to applique all the parts by hand but Sharron encouraged me to use her sewing machine. I included some lace sleeves she made and hankies too.

 

 

 

 

I am so glad she did as I applied all the pieces before I flew home. Finishing took place this week. I also discovered another box of old family lace this week……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wool Rounds: I built this base to put the wool pieces on. I will machine stitch them down today and take the circles  with me to Regina’s for a play day tomorrow and work on this project.

 

 

 

 

 

These are the 1/4 of rounds ready for cutting and application to the background.

 

 

 

Pin Wheels:

Sharron surprised me with a gift of a kit of beautiful fabric. It is very traditional- and not my thing. I learned how to make perfect pointed centers – but not before I made some awful ones. Now to move on to the next step.

Creative Assistants: I did watch a bit of football this week and so I finished up 18 of these little folks. I have added the pin backs now and will do the squeezie paint embellishment before I put them away for QBL.

Pillow Case

Sharron mentioned that no one had ever made her a pillow case so when I got home I made her one of her own from some of the fabric that I got at the Quilt show in Canada.

Childhood Memory -Columbus Junction Basement

We moved to Columbus Junction the summer before I started Kindergarten. My parents parched a huge lot with a finished basement on it. We lived down there while Dad, Mom and Grandpa Howard put up framing and worked on finishing the up stairs. I took a good part of that first school year to do the finish work and Mom and Grandpa did that, while Dad went off to his first job as a high school principal . The move up stairs was gradual. After all the building was done, I remember Mom painted a mural on three sides of the big room at the foot of the stairs. It was of mountains and a lake, a theme that she repeated many times. She also made me a play house from old sheets that fit over a card table. There was a door and flowers painted on the out side. I spent may happy hours in there with a card board table, sink and stove. The basement was also the home of my first pets. I had white mice that lived in a blue glass battery jar at the foot of the stairs. It was my first bit responsibility. I remember too that it did not last long and we had to let the mice go in the timber.

I hope everyone is  enjoying fall.

Keep Creating

Carol

PS. One more shot of that wonderful sun rise.

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

Childhood Memories, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Feathers, Mom VI, Old and New - Purple and Blue, Tee Shirt Quilts, Uncategorized, Wool Rounds

Busy Week

2 Comments

Hello
I have enjoyed a very active week. Last Friday I went to a silk painting workshop in Rochester with lots of creative gals. Liz did a great piece with flowers.

 

Joyce worked from a photo from her yard.

 

 

 

 

Regina explored a drawing.
I worked from the sketch I had drawn last week.

 

 

 

 

 

Karen did a great job from one of her photos of grapes.

 

 

 

 

 

The class was great and I learned a lot. I will add thread painting and quilting to finish this up in the next week or so.

 

The Michelle the teacher from Australia, did a wonderful trunk show at the end of the day.   This is her use of the techniques she was teaching us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then on Sunday I went off to Moravia and visited with Susan and Sally. We talked of may things and I got some great feed back on this piece- Old and New.

 

 

 

Tues I picked up Patti and the two of us drove north to Mill Sight Lake and Judy’s Camp for three days. Judy shared this colorful quilt that   Judy made and a Amish gal had quilted for her.

 

 

Patti and I worked with our machines while Nancy and Judy went out on the lake and platted around the island. We had a good time and made a few plans for the fall.

 

 

And just to let you know I make mistakes too.  I was not paying full attention while I was  working on my scarp  quilt and  I accidentally  ran the sewing machine into my finger nail.     I only caught the tip on my nail and a bit of skin.   So  please  be careful!

Progress Report: Tee Shirt Quilt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have now finished the assembly of the top of this work.  I have pulled flannel to make some base blocks that I will surround in the log cabin style for the back.

Feathers  I am half way done adding the feathers to this quilt.  I plan to do reflective quilting around the outside.

Wool Rounds     

I just keep building on these wool units.   It is calming work.

 

 

 

 

 

Scrap  I worked on these at Mill Site.  I am pleased to say I only have one more box of scraps to work from.  Over the weekend I finished up nine more units.

 

 

 

 

Memories of Mom

I did a little hand work on this piece this week that is made from  things that Mom had in her home.

Sketching   I just keep my fingers in the drawing game by doing a new one every now and then

 

 

 

 

 

 

Childhood Memories – Lessons
The summer I was ten and Dad was a temporary Ranger in Tetons was a great one for me.  We went to many ranger talks and sat on logs looking at the lake with the mountains beyond  and learning fun facts while the sky darkened and the stars came out. Because all rangers need to be able to rescue hikers from the mountains Dad  learned to repel.  He took us along for his practice with a second ranger named  Jim. Gene and I also got to take a hand a repelling and I loved it. It was great fun to jump away from the vertical rock face and sour down with the rope to help one land safely back on land.
We rode across Jackson Lake to the undeveloped side and bushwhacked up the mountain one day. Saw a heard of wild goats and got lots of scratches on that adventure. Dad also taught us that if we ever got lost in the wilderness to do two things. Always go down hill and when you find water follow it down too. It will always lead you to civilization eventually and you will have a vital life saving source close at hand. I am glad to say I have never had to apply that knowledge. At the end of the summer there was a range’s picnic. Gene and I were the only kids. Lots of great food. The only things to drink were water and beer. So I thought I would try the beer. Just as I opened the can Dad came around the cabin. He was not happy with me. But he insisted that sense I had opened the can that I drink the whole thing. Then I promptly emptied my stomach on the grass. I was never tempted as a teen- and even later I never learned to drink beer. The lesson was learned.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

PS this is a shot of the sun set over the St Lawrence River.

 

Childhood Memories, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Finger Lakes Fiber Artist Group, Tee Shirt Quilts, Topographical, Wool Rounds

New Experiences

Hello
This week has been a busy one for me. Saturday was a Finger Lakes Fiber Artists Play day at the Schweinfurth. There was a lot going on. Cheri painted. Barb, Parilla, Marcia, and Joyce did starch resist work. Maureen did a little mini workshop on indigo printing and Eco-dying.  This shot is of the Eco-Printing that Maureen did before hand.   

 

This  is what my Eco Printing looks like as one needs to let the plant dyes  seep into the paper and fabric in the cold printing style we used.  Keep it moist for a month Maureen said, before you unwrap it.   Stay tuned.

The Indigo  printing was more direct,  and is finished like  other dyeing processes.

It was fun and enjoyable as well as a learning experience for me.

 

I did wash out some fabric that Liz and I had done on a print day earlier in the summer while I was at it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday the FAD group meant at my home. Sharon has finished another of her commissions works and they continue to be better and better.

 

 

 

Progress Report: Feathers This work is at the quilting stage now.  The feather on the right is all quilted the one on the left is only started.    I have learned that it take me a little more than an hour to do each feather so I will be at this project for a few weeks.

Tee Shirt work

I am quiet pleased with the progress on this project. Three of the four columns are done now. The top will soon be done and I can move onto the back construction.

 

 

Topographical I continue to hand couch down the yarn to show movement in this work.

 

 

 

 

 

Wool Rounds

I keep working to finish up each circle.  The are a limited number of stitches I can think of to do in a circular  fashion.

 

 

 

 

Class Preparations I am taking a class in silk painting tomorrow and in preparation for that class I have drawn the image I hope to use in colored pencil and black and white.

 

 

 

 

Childhood Memories: Colter Bay Camping  Grounds
The year I was 10, Dad was again a summer Park Range. This time it was in  Tetons National Park. He and two other men ran the camp ground at Colter Bay on Jackson Lake. We were housed in a white army surplus tent with a   wooden frame, wooden floor,  door,  screen door, and potbelly stove. It was 18 feet square. Gene and I had bunk beds in one corner and Mom and Dad had a double in the opposite one. There was one chest of drawers with four drawers,  and a table with  four chairs. Suit cases were stored under the bunk beds and the wood box was at the foot. There was electricity, but we had to carry in the water. Next to the stove, there was a small unit for food prep and dishes as well as supplies. I do remember that Mom baked a birthday cake in the electric skillet she brought for Pete Nickel’s Birthday. ( He was one of the other rangers  in  another   tent on sight.) The bathroom was in the campground and it was always a brisk walk/run to visit it in the mornings. To bathe we went to the Snake River near a hot spring twice a week. It was a great summer with lots of hikes, going to campfire lectures, and traveling.  Mom and I even made little pillows and stuff them with pine needles. They smelled wonderful  for years after that. As it got closer to Labor Day and our return home, it got colder and colder especially at night. Two nights before the close of the campground and our drive home, when the lights were out, I heard mice in the wood box. I though I felt one run across my legs and when I mentioned it -Dad pooh-poohed that and said go to sleep.   Then just as I was dozing off one ran across my face. I screamed. Dad was not sympathetic and said I was imagining things.   Some how I did fall asleep. But the last night I refused to sleep in the bottom bunk- and insisted on sleeping at the opposite end of Gene’s bunk on the top. In the morning I was vindicated by little mouse dropping all over the bed spread. When we got home to Carroll two days later my own bed seemed huge and very secure.

Hope you enjoy your childhood memories as much as I do mine.

 

Keep Creating

Carol

PS

The post next week will be done on Friday because the FAD group is going up to Judy’s camp from Tue to Thur.

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