Category Archives: Pixies Group

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

Winter Beauty

January 16, 2025 admin Leave a comment

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

Collage, Experiments, Pixies Group, Re Work, Scrap Happy Quilts, Stretched Works

Cold

January 10, 2025 admin Leave a comment

Hello,

We are really feeling winter in Up State New York at the moment. Got 8 inches of new snow this morning on top of the 16 from the day before. Temp is 22 degrees with a wind that makes it feel like 7 degrees. It melted one day and then it was back to cold. I know it is much easier to deal with than the fires in CA so I am thankful. Sorry for the folks who have lost so much!

It has been a full week for me. On Monday I spent the day at the Schweinfurth helping take down the the QAQ show along with Barb, Donna and . It took three of us to take down many of the big quilts like this one.

Then on Tuesday I helped judge the Scholastic Art program. I did Animation and Film as I have done in past years. It is always fun to see what the kids are trying out. I had a Pixie Meeting and listed to the Friends of Fiber lecture on Wed.

I keep working away on my Making Connections class. I made these two little sketchbooks to use in class and I did some drawing as well. I am just completed the third section in Module 2.

Progress Report: Scrap Happy I completed the second quilt that I started at the Sisterhood Retreat in the fall. I have no plans for this project, but I am sure the opportunity will appear.

My Year I am done with this quilt now, but it is too large to pin out flat in my studio so I will have to wait until later to take a good shot of it.

Purple Jacket This project is done now. I made the mistake of not trying it on until this point – and it is too small for me. I hope I can find someone to pass it onto.

Autumn Tide Pool I have finally completed this project. It too is a rework of one of my projects from the stone series I did years ago. I added some polished stone disks that my friend Carol A gave to me years ago.

I really like all the different textures in this one.

Poinsettia I made a bit of a self challenge . That is to experiment a bit more. In an old copy of “Quilting Arts Magazine”, there was a n article about using Caran D’ache wax pastels as a drawing tool to add color to a surface. Then one was to apply water with a brush to the work to create a water color effect. I tried it this week. I then ironed the works to set the color and did free motion drawing on top. I am nearly done with this project and enjoying the play . It is stretch on some old stretcher bars.

Collages I am still being faithful to the idea of doing two colleges every week. This one is called Irises, and I used some to the Sharpie markers that Laura gave me for Christmas a few year ago to add more definition to the piece.

This second one is drawn from a photo that I took in CA while we were waiting for the though truck.

Pillow & Pincushion I finished stuffing the pillow and pincushion this week. The fabric in the pincushion came form my trip to Australia with my daughter five years ago.

Envelopes It is January and I took down the calendars for 2024. The images are so beautiful I like to make them into envelopes to send letters in. All are cut out and half of them are folded. I am in the middle of the process and will add a white sticker to write the add on each one next. It’s my little bit of recycling.

I hope you are safe and warm,

Keep Creating.

Carol

Collage, Natural Elements, Pixies Group, Scrap Happy Quilts, Tide Pools

Holiday Times

December 26, 2024 admin Leave a comment

Hello,

I like many others celebrated the holiday yesterday with my family. We all ate too much , opened gifts and enjoyed each others company. For our house we made some great new memories. I hope you can say the same. I did do a bit of work this week and the Pixies meant. I have made a little resolution though, to try to act more quickly on items I read. We will just have to see how long that lasts.

Progress Report: Collages I did spend my Monday afternoon working on collage. Setting a specific time for that seems to help me stay on track there.

Steampumk Doll This gal is the partner for the one from last week. She has an old spice tin for a body. long springs for arms and old shoe horns for legs. It was a fun diversion.

Autumn Tide Pool I am making great progress on this project. The handwork just takes time and because I cannot do it in the TV room it is always slow to completion. But I do enjoy the process.

My Year I have started the quilting of this project now.

Scarp Happy I laid out and assembled the rows for this project at the Sisterhood Fall retreat. This is the second of the three. I gave the first to my daughter for Christmas. I am also doing work on assembling the pieced back for the last one.

Altered Jacket In the newest issue of” Quilting Arts Magazine” , I was untriaged by Bethanne Nemesh’s article, Yarn Couching Couture. So I purchased a jacket at the local thrift store and this is my solution.

New Project In the same issue of “Quilting Arts Magazine”, was a second story by Mary Schwarzenberger called It all Began With a Sweatshirt. So I also picked up a purple sweatshirt at the thrift store. These are the fabrics I have pulled to try to use on that project.

I am having fun and that is an important part of why I do the work.

May the New Year bring your goodness and joy.

Carol

Collage, Hand work, Lap Quilts, Pixies Group

Holiday Time

December 20, 2024 admin

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

December 12, 2024 admin

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

December 6, 2024 admin

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

November 21, 2024 admin

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

November 14, 2024 admin

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

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

Working Away

October 3, 2024 admin

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

Applique, Drawing, Fish, Lap Quilts, Pixies Group, Rough Cut, Scissors, Scrap Happy Quilts

Cooler Days

September 26, 2024 admin

Hello,

I am experiencing the cooler days and nights that come with fall. It is raining here today too, so all I want to do is cruel up with a book.

It has been a quiet week. Victoria, Liz and I did go to Angelia’s house a play in her studio one day. We were doing a second day of Gelli Plate printing fun. She showed us how she printed these colorful cards.

I spent the time printing on fabric for a new Scissors quilt.

I did the Textile Talk this week and Zoomed with the Pixies too.

Progress Report: Scrap Happy I finished this queen sized quilt for my daughter this week. I still have enough squares to make a second so I did the row line up work for that and I am working on a new backing.