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.
It is fall and the season of quilt shows. I always submit lots of entries and this year I really did well. I have two works in the Associated Artists at the Manlius Public Library. That show opened on the 8th of Sept and will go until the 29th. The reception is Sat. Oct 8 from 2:00 to 4:00 at the Library in Manlius NY. My works Black Capped Chickadee and Birch Trees are a part of that exhibit.
I am also a part of the Interwoven Journeys in Fiber Arts show at the Broad Street Gallery in Hamilton, NY. This show opens on Sat Sept . 15, with the reception from 5 to 7. Indian Pipe is one of the 14 pieces that I submitted to this show.
Xaviorwood Ice34″ X40″
This is one of the four works that will be in the Quilts Unlimited show in Old Forge at the View from Oct 5 to Nov 5. The first weekend on Sat is the opening with a lunchen and awards. The other three works show are Quartered Glyph, Asters and Calling Crows.
Generational Whispers 43X38
Generational Whispers was the work that is in the judged “It’s All Relative” show by Experience Fiber Arts in the Whiler Building, 1 E. Main St in Rochester NY. The opening is Oct 6, 2:00 to 5:00. This show runs until Oct 26.
I was also accepted in the international Schweinfurth Quilts= Art= Quilts show Judged Show. My Label quilt was the entry for that show. It opens Oct 27 and runs until Jan 6, 2019 . 205 Genesee St. I also will be a part of the Members show at the Schweinfurth during the same time. My piece Deep Jellys will be a part of that show. I am flying high with all this work coming and going and it is requiring a bit of juggling on my part too.
Deep Jellies
I have also spent a little time with my friend Tanya this week. She is exploring dyeing silk with procion dye. I really like her use of color on this experimental piece.
Progress Report: JIG This quilt is 40″ w X 39″ t. I enjoyed working on this piece. It really was finished last week, but I wanted to fray the edges of the letters so it was in the washer last Thur.
I dyed the orange and red fabric behind these letters. One of my personal challenges for this year was to use my hand dyed in all my works this year and this is it for this piece
FOX
I have cut all the words for this piece and pinned them in place. I am now in the process of stitching the words down before I satin stitch around the out sides. The light green and the rust words use my own hand dyed work.
Forest Fire The base for this piece is a yard of Judy Roberts fabric. I have added Angelina to represent the light in the burning sky. The fur trees are fuzed down and I will build on top to create the feeling of fire burning them.
Scrap Happy I continue to add together strips and bits of fabric from the Ethel box to create squares for the new Scrap Happy quilt.
Daily Process The red orange in the background is some of my hand dyed on the fabric. I am now adding the hand stitching to this work as well.
Collection IV I am working on the hand stitching on this project now. I call it Friends because I am using lots of items that my friends have given me. The flower applique is from Tanya.
Label Cards : Life is Art For all of us the creation of our individual self is an ongoing process. doing it artfully is the big challenge.
Enduring Some images are just universal and speak to all of us. They last the test of time.
All American The Grand Canyon and a native American chief- both are items that are a part of our culture and no other country.
The summer is in full bloom in this area. Lots of flowers and vegetables are available in the farmers market. It is a great time of the year. The weather has been so pleasant that Liz and I enjoyed dyeing yesterday. Now I have three layers of color and pattern on my fabrics. That was my goal for this summer. I only need to do the time consuming wash out now.
I also went on a trip to the Fenimore Museum with a couple of my buddies. The museum has a great Native American collection. I enjoyed it very much . This mask is only one of many beautiful works of indian art.
Progress Report: Mulberry Memories I am moving alone on this project and now I am adding in the landscape and foliage to fill many areas. It is the fun detail stage now.
JIG All the text is raw edge appliqued down now. I am beginning to do the reflective quilting now.
When the quilting is done I am going to run this work through the washer and dryer to get even more fraying of the edges of the words.
Collection 3 I am now to the hand step of the work on this piece . I enjoy adding in little found objects as well to add even more texture.
Wild Fire This is the third in the elements series. I am also distressed by the Wild Fires in the west so this seems like a good way to think about natures power of destruction as well as creation. I am using Angelina to add the sparkle of fire light to this work.
Daily Practice I am nearing the end of the hand work on this piece I think. Adding the embellishment of the metal and beads seems like a good place to stop I think.
Cards: Kindness This is a wonderful concept. I agree that Kindness is underrated.
Comfort There are times when it is necessary to be still and consider our citation. Then are also time to move forward. Most of us do not spend enough time contemplating and just act.
I enjoyed the Kimono Exhibit at Munson Williams Proctor so much I went back with Liz and Barb this week. I am so glad I did as I was once again floored by the work. I even saw a whole wall of kimonos that did not register in my consciousness at the end of the exhibit because my mind was so full of work. I saw and paid attention to different details too. It was a good experience. Liz also had to pick up the wood block print that she had purchased so the trip did double duty. This bee print is a second pull that was on display in the museum.
Liz and I also dyed this week. I want to add one more layer of color on the fabric before I start to was it out so there are no images this week.
I have exciting news too. My Label Quilt III was accepted for the Quilts= Art = Quilts show at the Auburn Center for the Arts. I am thrilled.
Progress Report: JIG
I am to the point where I am stitching down the words on this piece.
The work is slow as there are so many sharp changes in direction.
Mulberry Memories I am adding the images on the surface now. This shot shows that the spokes of the bike need to be done in black as the silver does not show up. I also need to add a lot of hand stitching to the work.
Collections 3 I started another one of these little works that use bits and pieces of items in the studio. It too needs lots of hand work now.
Collections 4 Then in my clean up I discovered another collections piece so I will try not to bury it and work away on this one as well. In my future I can see lots of setting on the patio and enjoying the summer in my future while I do handwork.
New Work : Fire I am a bit distressed by the fires in the west so I am going to do a piece with a forest burning. I have pulled out these possible fabrics to think study on while I ponder this subject.
Daily Practice This work gets it attention during the news every night so it is coming along nicely. Cards: Surface I just love texture and this card is a collection of many of them.
Never Too Late to LearnThis little fortune is a powerful message for procrastinators I think.
We have a house guest, our daughter’s dog Riley. He is a good husky, but requires three walks a day. That sure is eating into my work time. I am enjoying myself .
I discovered this is my 300th post. I never envisioned that I would still be writing and creating this work this far into the future when I started it. The first one was Sept. 1, 2011 and I have come a long way. That first blog only had three pictures. Now I see photos as one of the strongest parts of my posts. I was so tentative about what to write in the beginning. Now I am surprised and proud of this work. I look forward to the postings and think about what I want to cover over the week. It makes me pay more attention to my peers, what I am doing and my environment. I look forward to noting things every week. I do not plan to end any time soon as I just renewed my domain name for the next three years.
Progress Report: Collection 2- Grandmother Mc This work is 18” w X 31” l. I started out with some lace that grandmother Ester had created and built up the surface with more items that where hers and represented her.
She had button tin and I spent many hours stringing them for her. Three different ones from the collection are shown here.
Perception I am done adding the text to the background with metallic threads on this work. Now I am doing reflective quilting around all the words.
Persuasion I am still doing pebble quilting of the words for this quilt. I seem to only be able to quilt three words in an hour. I have seven words remaining.
Rocky Shores I am doing a Quilt University class by Linda Schmidt. The first lesson is on water. I painted the sky and water and them I followed the instructions on how to make the rocks and foam. I am making up my own shore line. It is all pinned in place now and I will begin stitching next.
Mulberry Memories This week I worked on the winter memories for this quilt. Ice skating, and sledding were two of the things we did lots of those years. Gene had a flexible flyer and it was a wonderful sled. We even built snow jumps for it.
Old Barn I just started this work based on a photo of the old barn on Dad’s farm. It fell down before he moved from there and the lumber was burnt in the stove in that house.
Daily Practice I am now adding some lace flowers to the surface of this project. I hand dyed the lace last summer with Liz. This project continues my effort to use materials that I have altered with dye this year.
Card It is hard some times to keep things balanced. I often go to excess on some things. I am trying to pay attention to this as I get older and think about the need to keep my many interests in line.
I just could not seem to stop working on collage this week. Collection, sifting, placing and creating a new image from scraps- it is a wonderful process in my eyes.
After several days of spring rains, we are enjoying wonderful weather. I now need to do some yard jobs. But any excuse to be out doors will due. It is so wonderful with pleasant temperatures and almost daily changes in the environment. There was only one meeting this week and it was of the FAB group. I forgot my camera so there are no new images.
Progress Report: Ravens This work is 38”w X 49” l. It really came together with ease. I made a drawing and then added a Raven’s head to the big white areas.
I enjoyed working with the limited palet.
Summer Family- Cardinals Texture is one of my main interests, and this work has a lot of them. This mother Cardinal has the most variation in thread colors of the three. Her position is more animated then the males.
I do seem to be in a bird phase at the moment.
Persuasion I was all ready to add the words on top of this work and then I realized that the value of the text was too close to the background. So I took them off and made some darker words( navy blue ) and brighter greens.
I am raw edge appliqueing them down with silver and pale blue metallic threads. There are two threads in one needle of the sewing machine.
Perception I could not bring myself to toss the pale purple words so I made a new background for them. The fuchsia and pink really high lights the words that were lost on the first work.. Then I added some of the leftover navy words too. I think that they add interest.
New Collection II Grandmother Mc This work is moving along. I am enjoying going through the old button collections and adding them to the surface.
Daily Practice This work just keeps building.
New I seem to be fascinated by the purple and apple green colors of late. This is a new combination for me and I guess I am not done exploring it.
Mulberry Memories- Carroll This work is moving slowly. I am adding the images I painted last week on the surface. As a child, I lived in this house five years and there are so many memories that I am having a hard time deciding what to use.
Card- Spin Spring seems bring on a dramatic change in the outside world and those changes push me in a new directions. I find that my mind is full of a wide variety of ideas.
We are still here in Central New York due to the fact that Eric has been very sick with a bad cold. He is mending now. I have been walking and enjoying all the wonderful flowers that have burst into bloom this week. The May Apples look like they will bloom in the next few days. The red buds on the tree down the street look beautiful too. The tree leaves are filling in the sky line and soon one will feel all surrounded by them and the views will be limited again. I enjoy the changes.
Progress Report: Riotous Romp This work is 38”w X 34”l. It is built with a curvy cut background and four copies of a cursive word- New. I am glad this spring like work is finally finished and I am glad I re did the facings when I discovered it was now square. I do not feel so joyous about the work as I did before I had to re do it, but feel the positive feelings will return with time.
Mulberry Memories I keep working on this project. This week I free motion drew the around the house and the street layout . I also did sketchbook work of the other items and scenes I want to use. It is starting to come together I think.
Collection II I am doing the add on and detail work on this piece now. I like how I can mix old little bits of memorabilia with old bits of lace and ribbon from my mom and grandmothers collections. A nice remembrance sort of work.
Cardinals In working on this piece I made a tree. But after I placed it on the background I discovered it was far to powerful in its self to work on this project. Even lots of stitching would not diminish it enough. So I went for simpler and added the tulip leaves to the surface. The leaves are made from silk paper. I will add the birds and trim next. This is one time when my little rule about only working for about and hour on a project helped me see a problem. If I just pushed forward I would be taking out the first tree now.
Two Ravens Several years ago I went to Canada with Marty. We visited the Native Peoples Museum in Montreal. There I purchased a beautiful hand printed towel. Due to the fact that Eric and I did not travel this week, I had more time in the studio then normal and I pulled towel( the birds) out and cut it in two. Now I am building a top.
New WordThis background has now been quilted with a stitch in the ditch technique. I will add text on top next. This is the cursive version of the word “WIP” . The letters are overlaid and graffiti like. I do not like what the word means and the connotations that go with it, but the shape is wonderful. I will not mention the word again as I present the work.
New Water Sky and Rocks I painted out doors yesterday and created these fabrics. I want to do a piece on the shore line. I did sky, water and rocks.
Daily PracticeI just keep putting in the stitches here. I am not happy yet as seems to have no center of interest.
Label Card On Sunday we celebrated Mother’s day. I do my cards on Sunday afternoon and I was thinking about my Mom at the time. I realized that not all women are Moms, but all women were once little girls and that is what this card celebrates.
Spring has come to central New York with a burst of color and warmth. This Bloodroot blossomed this week after several cold days when I could see the buds tightly furled. It is wonderful. I am rally enjoying my walks now. May day was the first Tuesday of the month and I had meetings. The QuEG’s meant and we had a good talk. Liz showed off her sketchbook where she had altered some of the pages that she printed at Regina’s last week. Linda wowed us with her wonderful jewelry. It is good to have her back in central NY.
Then I went off to the Diva meeting . Again I got lots of stimulation. Lliese did this work during the gray days of April. Tulips are always cheerful. It is painted silk. Noel is making baby quilts as her brood expands. This one is created from Liberty of London fabrics. Anne is also dealing with the transition from winter to spring with this work. The weather sure effects lots of us. Cheri continues to develop her stencil/layers of painting style. I like what she is doing and know she is challenging herself. She is also exploring uses of the wash away from our fall class. The Lavender in the center of this work is machine thread drawing.
Alice has this opening this week. I will not make it to the opening, but I will pay a visit some time this summer.
This is also a work by Alice. She does great work with crows as so many of us do who live here in central NY where they are abundant. Lori, Christen and Ruth all took a workshop on the use of fusibles and did some wonderful flower work. Lori is working on her embroidery on a woven background too.
Maureen showed off more of the work she did at the spring retreat.
She created this resist with a potato masher.
Sharon also shared some of her work with us. It was a lively meeting with lots wonderful ideas.
Yesterday was a FAB meeting and sense we had not gotten together sense March we had a lot to share too. This is a new piece by Judy and she is hand quilting it now. She also finished her the topthat she started at camp last fall. We too had a lively conversation. Judy was given a top that she passed on to Sharon who fell in love with it. I am so fortunate to have so many great folks to support me.
Progress Report: Asters This work is 33” w X 33.5”l. It is all raw edge appliqued down. The center’s of the flowers are hand appliqued circles. Some of the leaves are hand painted fabrics. The vein’s of the leaves are all stitched down with two threads in the same needle on the sewing machine.
Collection This work is 17”w X 27”l. One of the little challenges that I put up for myself this year was to create a work that is based on a article from Quilting Arts. This is one from last month. I had a good time layering up the stacks of fabric and objects to create this work.
Black-capped Chickadee This work is 12” X 12” and stretched. I am working on backgrounds for the other birds too.
NEW This is a new exploration using text as my starting point. The word is “NEW” and far too visible and poor in composition for this to be the final lay out – but it is a start.
Riotous Romp This is also a text based start. The word is New- done in a cursive curvy style. ( check last week for the shape) I have zig-zag appliqued down the letters and I have started to reflective quilt the central part of this work. It has a curvy cut background.
NewI built this background this week too. Again I have no direction as to what I want to do with this surface. I thought I could use the cut-ways from Riotous Romp as a start- but that idea was awful…..
Blue scarf I made another scarf from silk paper and yarns that I had in my stash. I love the textures
Card: Odyssey I am still making little cards and enjoying the collaging process. The moon is in constant change and watching the constant change of mankind’s history unfold too.
Hello and Happy New year- 2025
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.
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.
