Category Archives: Hand work

Collage, Drawing, Hand work, Pixies Group, Re Work, Scrap Happy Quilts, Stretch Works

Winter Beauty

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Hello,

We are really into winter now with lots of snow and shoveling.   One can see changes almost daily from additional snow or interesting melting and wind blown patterns.    I love how the snow can out line the trees some times.   I had to stop and take this photo on my way to a luncheon this week.   Just lovely if one take the time to look .   So  slow down a bit , keep your eyes open and find the beauty of this time of year.

 

Monday this week I helped Sharon and Victoria hang the Trifurcation show at La Moline.

This is Sharon’s newest piece an  it is part of the show.      I really like the shadows it casts to make the work appear more complex.

 

I sent four works off   to the  6X6 fundraiser for the Rochester Art Center yesterday and I meant with the Pixies too.    In addition I listened to the Textile Talk on   Wed.     The weeks just seem to fill up.

 Progress Report: Poinsettia    This work is 12″ X 17″.   It got stretched   and finished this week.     It is a great way to mix drawing with stitch work.

I think I will try a bit of this with some of the work I am doing for the Find Connections class.

 

 

 

Blue Tide Pool   This piece came home form the framers on Wed.   I am very happy with how it came out.     The silk cocoons and hand felted shells are the most unique items on this one.

There is some real shells and coral bits Mom collected  too.

 

 New Tide Pool  I just had to start another one of these works.   I am having too much fun building up the surface  and Ideas keep filling my head.

 

 

Cut& Print   This work has been pinned to the wall for two weeks.    I just could not figure out what was wrong with it.   Then while going through a stack of fabric, I came across this little strip fabric and knew immediately what was wrong.   The  black strip I made was too big to represent the wholes in film.   I think the images need to be on black too.     I am glad I did not push forward, as  I am sure I will be much happier with this solution.

Collages   I have to do collages for my Finding Connections class  so the emphasis is a bit different this week.

 

 

 

 

She is encouraging us to use fabric so I used the cut offs from one of the tide pool bases in the second two works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drawing     I am following through on the second little assignment Cas Holms  gave us for that class and doing a 15 min   drawing study every day in the sketchbooks I  made.   I ‘m having fun.   Playing and exploring is why I Create.

 

 

 

Handwork      I laid out this new fabric collage to do handwork on this week.   The malty colored shapes are all cut aways from one of the  scissors works.   I just loved the fabric and could not bring myself to toss it.

Second Try- Purple Sweatshirt Jacket   When I went to the Rescue Mission with two bags of stuff this week I also popped into the store.     I found a second purple sweatshirt- much larger this time that I will   use to make a second attempt at creating  a jacket.

 

 

New Scrap Happy   I started assembling the third set of rows that I started at the Sisterhood retreat in the fall.   The next Scarp happy will  be a ways off I think.

 

 

The work is enjoyable and I sure find ways to keep at it.

Enjoy the season  and Keep your eyes open.

Carol

 

 

Balance, Birds, Collage, Collections II Grandmother Mc, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), IV, Perception, Persuasion, Ravens, Rocky Shore, Scrap Happy Quilts, Spring Spin, Summer Family - Cardinals

New Year 2025

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  Hello and Happy New year- 2025

I can’t believe we are starting the  second quarter of the 21 century. Time has a powerful way of constantly moving forward even if we are not paying attention.    Our worry about all the computers crashing  when Y2K hit seems so silly now.  I’m showing my age.  So many demands on all of us I guess.    I spent my morning closing my books on 2024 and setting up the book keeping for this year.  Doing that always make me take stock.

It has been a somewhat quiet week for me with  FAB  the Pixie meeting  and me stating a new class.    Making Connections with Cas Holms  is my new challenge for  this year.    I am looking forward to her approach to exploring what is close at hand.

 Progress Report:    My Year   I did finish   the quilting and stitching down the binding this week.  Now to get the sleeve added and labeled.

Collage     I did my usual two works this week.

I am trying to do more drawing a a part of the process .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scrap Happy    I am doing the binding on this queen sized quilt now.  Each side takes more than an hour so the process is slow.

 

 

 

 

 

Purple Jacket     In the  newest issue of Quilting Arts Magazine, there was a article about a using a sweatshirt for the base of a jacket.   So I thought I would try it.       This is my back.

Autumn Tide Pool       I am making progress on this project.   I sure seem to enjoy adding all the little buttons and beads to the surface.

Stay safe.

Carol

Collage, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Pixies Group

Holiday Time

  Hello,

The December moon is called the “Cold Moon” and it has been cold here in central New York.     Not a lot of snow though.   It is a busy time of year and it seems like all the Drs want to get their last appointments in too.

I went off to Marcia’s on Friday with Liz and Zoie.   We all had a good time talking and working on our projects.

Bev did a great self portrait

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joyce worked on her newest doll.      He is finished now  as she displayed her at the Sisterhood Zoom meeting on Tue.

 

 

 

 

 

She and I also  had our exchange and I now am the proud owner of her “Woodie” as she named him.     She really is enjoying mixing natural elements into her work some times.

My only other meeting was the Pixie one yesterday.

 

 

 

 Progress Report: Cut the Cords   This work is 34″ X 51″.   I am pleased with the final result of this project. 

 

It took a long time to do  the quilting, but I am happy with how flat the thing lays.

 

 

 

 

Autumn Cut Aways    This project is 19″ X 20.5″.   The fabric pieces are all pre cuts from the first Scissors project.

 

I do enjoy doing handwork and this project celebrates this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collage       This collage is called City Garden.   I am feeling like I am on a roll with the collage work so I will keep doing them until I run out of enthusiasm   for this idea.

 

 

 

This second   one is called Earth History.

 

 

 

 

 

Lexi’s Throw    I finished this  project for Christmas at my Granddaughter’s  request.   It is  47″ X 52″ and all in pink as she wanted.

 

 

 

 

Steampunk Doll    I completed this  this project this week and showed it at the Sisterhood   of the Scissors meeting too.      There ae old computer parts and a watch face stitched to her.  The feet are old bells.

 

 

 

Autumn Tide Pool    This work is done and stretched- but I can’t decide what way it up.    Guess I will have to live with it a while to discover that .

 

 

 

New pool      I started a new tide pool piece this week.      The light green is  more punch needle work.

 

 

 

 

 

  My Year  I am also making progress on this piece.   The top is all assembled and  it is bigger than my design wall.  Now I remember why I do these things at retreat.  I hope to start the layering and quilting this week.

I hope you enjoy the holidays and  do just the things that please you.

Carol

 

 

Collage, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Hand work, Lap Quilts, Pixies Group

Busy Season

  Hello

The season is full of action for me.   After seeing the Lion King last Thru evening I went to see Cinderella  on Saturday.   I really enjoyed the giant puppets of Lion King.   Perhaps my fascination  come from all the years I spent making costumes for the school plays.     I so enjoy live theater.      Sunday was the final trunk show at the Schweinfurth.

 

Pat Pauly was the presenter.     Her quilts are so full of action and rich in color that I always enjoy them very much.   She prints her own fabric, that makes her work so distinct I think.

 

 

It was also my last trip to the Quilts= Art= Quilts show this year.      I really have enjoyed the  presentations and  get inspired every time.

 

There was so much variety this time.      Liz even agreed with me that one seemed to see something new every time.     I learned that I will also be privileged to help with the take down of this show in a few weeks.   So I get one more preciouses look.

FAB meant this week and we had a good talk. I also made it to the Pixie meeting and did the Textile Talk.   My other event was to take  Coral Bleaching to the framer.

Progress Report: Cut the Cord

I finished all the quilting  this week and yesterday I moved the pieces to this top.  I hope to applique them down later today.

 

 

 

 

Lexi Project   The top is assembled  with the exception of the boarder.  I want to make this one reversible so that will me the next step.   This is a lap/throw  project.

 

 

 

 

Collage   The Pixies have moved on to doing more of their own thing- but I want to keep playing with collage.     This one is called  Search.

 

 

The second one is called    Eyes.   I love this quote ” The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new  landscapes but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust.

 

 

Autumn  Cut Aways    I am  to the quilting of the background now and think I will finish this   project soon.

 

 

 

 

Steam Punk Dolls   I put is a far amount of time in on these gals this week.  They are starting to look like I imagined.

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn Tide Pool   This piece got  a lot of  polished quarts chips added on  this week.   I am adding lots of seed stitches too.

Enjoy the wonders of the season

Carol

 

Collage, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Finger Lakes Fiber Artists, Hand work, Pixies Group

First Snow

Hello

We got our first big snow this week.     There have had several additions sense that time too.    Beautiful Winter is really here.

I have had a busy tine sense the last time I wrote.     There was a FLFA meeting at the Schweinfurth on the 30 of Nov.

 

 

This quilt won the FLFA prize at the Q=A=Q show.

 

 

The meeting went well as they usually do with lots of folks in attendance.

 

 

Pat Pauly Shared her new work.

 

 

 

 

Sharon Souva showed off the quilt she did for her grandson.  She told us  that she included the  blue jean pockets in the construction so she could tuck in some surprise cash it them for him too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anne had finally completed her commission.   This will be her last she says.

 

 

 

 

Susan had finished her crow piece for the class this summer.

 

 

 

 

 

Linda brought her machine drawing Elephant for us to view.     It is all built from thread!

 

 

 

 

Then on Dec 1 Jean had a trunk show.  It was a great one too.     She specializes in fabric collage for her work.

 

 

Sharon    Had her trunk show on Sunday last week.   She has completed her Heron piece  in record time.

 

FAB and the Pixies also meant this week.     Throw in  trips to the Dr and a play and the time has been hectically fast paced.

 

 

 

Progress Report:   Autumn Cuts      All the fabric pieces are attached now.  But I think it needs a bit more so I will spend time studying it this week.

 

 

 

 

 

Cut the Cord      I am to the quilting stage for this project now.    I plan to applique the scissors on top.     I am doing reflective quilting with a pointed jog added.   I like the look- but is sure is slow.

 

 

 

 

Coral Bleaching   I am done with the stitch work on this project and it is off to the framers now.   Lots of stuff I have not used before here.  Like the cut silk cocoons and some real coral that my Mom had collected on the beach in 1966.

New Tide Pool    So I have started a  new sea work.  I painted and melted some Tyvek and  and free motion stitched it down as well as some dyed lace.   Now I will start the embellishing.

 

Lexi’s top   Alexis asked at Thanksgiving for a new throw quilt in pink so I am busy putting on together for her.

 

 

 

 

 

Collages  I missed the pixie meeting last week do to a Dr appointment so I did not know the color choice  and as it turns out they have morphed the project any way.

 

 

 

 

 

I  still followed my own rule of using some paper I had  Gelli printed.      This time I used some of the pens that one of the other gals in the group gifted me too.

 

 

 

 

Several years ago I perched a book full of old images that were suppose to be used in collage and I added them to these works.

 

 

 

 

 Steam Punk Dolls   I was working to clear out a shelf that was full of old magazines.  I had to flip through them all as I did so and came across the idea of doing Stem Punk dolls.   This my start.

 

 

6X6   The call for the Rochester  6X6  show is a long way off,  but when I came across these squares I had to act.   That and finding a collection of old jewelry made for some fun for me.

 

 

I hope the approaching holidays are not stressing anyone out.   I do love the excitement even though it can be hectic.   Be sure to save some me time for yourself.

Carol

 

 

 

 

 

Collage, Hand work, Pixies Group, Scrap Happy Quilts, Sisterhood of the Scissors

Fall Retreat

  Hello,

Friday was the last Super Moon of this year.    It is also know as a Deer Moon or a Bever Moon.    I took this a dusk.     The Schweinfurth  Fall Retreat was last week end  as well.  It was a great time.   There were lots of old friends and a lot got done by many folks.

 

 

Sharon   did most of the work on this new Heroin quilt.  She still needs to finish up the actual bird, but I am sure she will do a great job on it too.

 

 

 

Liz asked for and received contributions from everyone  for her quilt.    The piece has lots of new memories in it now.   It is all pinned and she needs to do the hand work to finish it .

 

 

 

 

 

Marty got a dozen blocks done for this new work.    This shot was taken Friday.

 

 

 

Lourie did a lot of work by laying out a different   possible top every day for the three days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janet finished her top assembly  on Sunday afternoon.

 

 

 

 

This top was completed on Saturday and she was well along the way on her second one by the end of the day on Sunday.

It was a great time for all of us.

I made it to the Textile Talk this week and  I had a Sisterhood of the Scissors zoom meeting .

 

The Pixies had a Green Collage Challenge  this week.

Next week the color is yellow.

 

 

 

 

 

I did a second so  I could use some of the Geli Print paper in it.

 

 

 

Progress Report: Scrap Happy  I finished this queen sized work this week too.  It will be a Christmas gift for my daughter.

 

 

 

Autumn Cuts      I have filled in only one of the shapes so far, but them I was away for three days this week

 

 

 

 

Bleaching Coral   I put in the time on this one this week.  I like how it is filling in.

 

 

 

 

Cut the Cord   I worked on this at the retreat.   I was not at all happy with the background  and so  I have built a new one that I think will work a bit better.

 

 

I am still quilting on it.

 

 

Cut and Print  I printed all the blocks at Angela’s a few weeks ago.  Now I am trying to build film( the stuff at the left )to fill in the blocks.  I am  not sure this works yet either.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Year    I pulled out this set of blocks this week and now I am ready to put them together.      I have four more blocks and I have not decided if I want to include them or not…   Got to live with it .

There will be no Blog next week as it is Thanksgiving.   I have a lot to be thankful for this year and I hope that you feel that way as well.

Carol

Applique, Drawing, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Pixies Group, SAQA Blocks, Scrap Happy Quilts

Moving Forward

Hello,

  Lots of action and  progress  this week.

Liz and I went to Marcia’s for a play day   Friday.   We sure enjoyed the talk and folks and lots of stories and such.   Marcia is making slow progress on her work.

Jean is working on a self portrait challenge and she is doing an Andy Warhol type thing.

 

 

 

 

 

Deb finished her piece for the Falling Challenge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went go off to the SAQA New York New Jersey meeting on Saturday.  It was real informative and I got so see  several old friends.    Cynthia  did a great presentation on the up coming  regional challenge –  Oxymorons.     I am rolling that around in my brain.   I think it will be a good one to work on.

 

Then we did Show and Tell .   It’s always fun I think.

Jean shared her Zebra quilt with us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan put up one of her works.   There were many more , but I did not get permission to put them up on the web at the meeting, so I will  not share them.

The Pixies meant on Wed and shared ideas too.   I will put up my answer to the collage challenge in the progress report.

Progress Report: Lap 7

I worked away on  this piece this week and now I only need to finish the binding.  I plan to do what while I watch the news this evening.

 

 

 

 Scrap Happy    I added three rows of boarders this week and now I am doing the hand work on the binding.  This is a Christmas present so I am not in a rush.   I will additional quilting across the square to help with the suage of the project.

 

 

 

 

SAQA Auction Block    I finished the hand quilting on this project yesterday.  I know that the call for new pieces will not be until next year,  But I was playing and now the job is ready to ship.

 

Bleaching     I did not put as much work in on this piece this week as i usually do.   But I am happy with how it’s going.

 

 

 

Drawing      I got busy with my ball point again this week and this is the result.   I love to draw old people.

 

 

 

Autumn Cuts   The progress is slow, but I enjoy the handwork.   I try to limit the different types of stitches.

 

 

  Collages-  Hatching       The pixie Challenge for this week was to do a collage and use blue in it some where.  When I saw the blue eggs I knew   this was it.  ( I know too,  that Cardinals do not have blue eggs- but this is what I had)  I also have a little personal challenge to use something I have Gelli Plated  printed in the works.      The brown leaves fit that part of the bill.  Play Time    is a second work  that follows my two rules and I had fun with it as well.   The blue printed on black is the Gelli plate work  in this one.    When I get going they just go together for me.

 

 

 

 

Glove Nine Patch     I finished the quilting on this block at   Marcia’s on Friday.     I don’t have to think much when I do this step and I enjoy the process.

 

 

Pillow      I finished another pillow this week too.   It is made from an exploratory piece form my class two summers ago.

Have a creative week.

Carol

 

Collage, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Scrap Happy Quilts, Stencels

Changing Light

Hello,

The world shifted just a bit when we went back to standard time.   I always have  a time of adjustment doing that shift.  I am not real happy to find the sun going down at 4:30.     It is beautiful none the less.

On Saturday I went to the opening of the Quilts=Art= Quilts show at the Schweinfurth.

  This show  is a real winner!   I was so overwhelmed by the work and the many people I new and talked with that, I did not even enter two of the galleries.    Good thing I will be going back for the Fall Retreat and two trunk shows by friends.    This work is by Michelle Browne and called The Landscape Becomes her.    I like how she used and old quilt that almost gets lost in the work on top.

 

Roger Blum did this work called Greenfield.    His use of transparence makes  it  look like a painting to me.

 

 

 

 

 

This work is by Valerie Goodwin, my old teacher.  She is really exploring the use of the cut machine work a lot in  her  art.

 

 

Laurie Paquin, my friend from QBL entered this strong piece called Composition 4.   It is also on the front of the Schewinfurth mailer this month.

 

 

 

 

I was fascinated by this work by Sheree Rasmussen called  The Landscape Within.   I found all the bits and pieces really drew me into the work.

 

 

 But  thinking on the title I can see how one could picture that world in this fashion.

 

 

There was also a Pixie meeting this week.

Progress Report: Lap #5  I got busy and finished this one this week.   The stack  of lap quilts  is getting big,  so I will make a run to a nursing home sometime soon.

 

 

 

 

 

Lap #6     This top is all pin based now and I have done a little quilting on it .   I am getting to the bottom of the stuff I printed for the 100 days project from last year at this point.

 

 

 

 

Bleaching Coral    I am making progress on this project as I have put in a little time every day.     The roving with machine work is a little disappointing as it really sinks into the background.   But things are bound to come out less then satisfactory when you are experimenting .

 

Scrap Happy    I got busy on this project  this week and all the rows are stitched  to the backing.  I even put two pieces of boarder on it.

 

 

 

 

Autumn Cuts      I just keep stitching away on this one.    Sometimes it only gets a little attention at the end of the news.

 

 

 

 

 

Tutti Frutti Collage   I kept self promise  to myself and did  a collage this week.    The catalog’s for Christmas  fruits were on the desk and many parts of pages ended up in this work.

 

 

Printing  I finally printed the foam stamps that I made in June.   I am not sure if they are done or need a second stamping over the top.    I need to live with them a bit longer to know the answer to that one.

 

 

Enjoy the seasonal changes and keep Creating.

Carol

Applique, Collage, Cut Away, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Scissors, Shows

Indian Summer

Hello,

We have enjoyed two wonderful days of Indian Summer here in central NY.  The temperatures were above 75  and I finished most of my yard work on Wednesday.   All the lawn furniture is put away and   first run at sheading leaves is done.

 

 

 

 

Then on Halloween the FAB  group  with Judy, Nancy and Sharon up to Old Forge to see the Quilts shows at The View in Old Forge.      Most of the trees had abandoned their leaves in that part of NY, but the shows were all stimulating.   I loved this work because the apple green shape on top really adds depth to the work for me.

Sharon had three works in the show.   This is one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

She  won an  Honorable Mention for one of her works.   This is great.

 

 

 This work was also in the Schweinfurth show last year.

 

 

There were many works with great raw edge applique of very small pieces that I really enjoyed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found this work really intruding too because of her use of overlapping  nylon net circles  to created different colors on the background striped fabric.

 

 

Marcia Decamp was in this show.   This is her work.

 

 

 

 

 Julia also had a work in this show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The show upstairs was a small repetition from Genesee Valley Quilt Group.     This example of wool applique was especially enjoyable to me.

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed the strong graphic  feel in this work too.

 

 

  In additon there was  a SAQA show called “Imagery in Fiber”.   It was fascinating too.     Most of them had a bit of Photo transfer in them.      This work is by one of the gals  who was in my dyeing class last summer.

 

 

I spent all afternoon on Monday playing with collage .  I limited myself to using something from the Gelli plate play days of a few weeks ago and an images of a bird  in each of them.

 

 The play was fun and it change with time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My friend Patti, had moved to Penn Yan and she left me with a parting gift of two boxes of oil pastels.  I added the rule that I had to use them in the works too.

 

 

 

 

 

I think I will try to do a little collage work every  Monday for a while.

 

 

 

 Progress Report:  Cut Away   This work is  35.5″ X 42″.      The background fabric ( deep purple and blue) for this work is hand dyed by a fellow artist.

 

 I really enjoyed doing all the pebble quilting on this project.  I also learned that my machine likes some metallic threads better that others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lap #5  This work is pin basted and  all ready for the quilting   step now.     I need to deliver some of these lap works to the nursing home soon .

 

 Lap # 6    I have cut the strips to fill

in   around theses squares for this project and will get moving on it soon.

 Bleaching         I    still have pieces form the rock series that I want  use as bases for for additional stitch work.

 

 

 

I did a little free motion  work over roving   to create  sea shells.

 

 

 

 

 

Then I did some punch needle work for this next project.

 

 

 

 

 

 I plan to add these two elements and  other stuff from my collection of goodies , plus stitches and buttons to create  and work that will be my little commentary on  Coral Bleaching.

I hope you adjust well to the day ight savings time change this week.

Keep Creating

Carol

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applique, Cut/ Print, Fish, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Pixies Group, Rough Cut, Scissors, Uncategorized

Working Away

Hello,

Mother Nature is starting to paint our trees with color around where.      I love  the daily changes even though I know that raking will soon be a big part of my days.

It has been a very quiet week  for me  with only the Textile Talk yesterday and the Pixie meeting.

Tomorrow I depart for a five day quilt retreat so I have put a lot of time into preparing for that event.

Progress Report: Rough Cut     This work is 40″ w X 37.5″ t.     All the scissors are cut form wool this time.

  Some have frayed out  more than others.  And several just felted when I washed them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tropical Floor    This work is 27.5″w X 21″t.   I sure had a good time building this  project.   The fish are all free motion thread drawings on roving done with neon threads.

 

 

I am sure I will do even more of this work in the future.

 

 

 

Lap # 4        I now have four of these done.   I want to do a couple more before I drop them off at a nursing home.   These are always play events for me.

 

 

 

 

 

Lap #5   Yesterday I pinned out  out these blocks as starting points for the next lap project.

 

 

 Drawing   Now that Susan has reminded me how much I like to draw I am   trying to put that idea back into my routine.

 

 

 

 

 

Line Shirt      I saw a shirt for $179.0 in a catalogue this week and I love it.    But not the price. So I decided to try something similar myself.  I had also come across a new technique were on stitched across a squire to give the stitch some texture. So I am trying that on this project too.

 

 

Cut and Print       I took the Gelli Prints form last week and printed  scissors on top .  Angela suggested that one could make stencils with Tyvek, so I tried that too.   I was trying to work out a new Scissors project -but the print that is pinned to the left just dose not work for me.     At m\least not with the prints.   So I will try to work the piece out at the retreat.

Roundies     I realized I had not done any hand applique in a while , so got busy and tried my hand at a little of it.  I am pleased with these little guys.   I will keep playing until I run out of gas on this  one.

 

 

Enjoy the changing season and keep Creating

Carol