Category Archives: Scrap Happy Quilts

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

Autumn Leaves, Childhood Memories, Coral Sea, Curvie Cuts, Landscapes, Out the Window, Scrap Happy Quilts

Quilt Show

Hello,
Fall is really in the air as we continue to have cool nights and crisp days. I went off to see the Thompkin’s County Quilt Show on Saturday this week. It was fun and full of old friends.
Tracy had a wonderful solo show within the quilt show of some of her thread painted birds. She did the work from photos she took on her many adventures. They were wonderful. Kirsten finished her her project form the Rock class this summer. I think it came out great.

 

 

 

 

Donna had this fun little quilt as a part of the auction that was held. I got excited about the work and came home all revived.

 

Progress Report: Autumn Leaves-Past My Window

This work is 35″w X 29.5″ t. I got rolling and this piece went together quickly. I used leaves from my class with Betty Busby and made more in that same style.

Then I found a bag full of silk leaves someone had passed my way and they were added. The quilting is all free motion in a leaf pattern too.

 

 

 

 

Topographical This work is 39.5″w X 27″t. I enjoyed working on this project and learned a lot about how to couch yarns. I think there is potential for more exploration along these lines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scrap Happy

This quilt is queen sized and will go off to the Ronald Mc Donald House some time soon. The centers for the Roman Strip blocks came from fabric that Angela gave to me. It has a fun feel.

 

 

 

 

Nick’s Quilt

I pulled all these blues and even started cutting some for that base of Nick’s owl quilt. It is early.

Jumping Off Place I just keep doing hand work on this piece. I am trying to use yarns and threads that are atypical for me as part of this exploration.

 

 

 

Coral Sea

I just added fish and starfish to the surface this week and started to stitch stuff down. It is colorful and fun too.

 

 

 

Mountain study I stared this in the Rock class this summer. Pulled it out and did a little work. I am unsure as to  where to go with this point, so it may need some down time for me to think on this one.

 

 

 

Wool Rounds I just keep stitching away with this project. I finished up 5 rounds this week and continue to button whole stitch down the last sheet of cut wool  circles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Childhood Memories- Chickens
This will be the last piece dedicated to Ainsworth as we moved in the spring just after I turned 5.  I have one more” Storied Memory ”  to tell here. My brother Gene was born in Feb before I became four in April. It seems that I was in Grandmother Ester’s care while Mom was in the hospital for 5 days. She says she was anxious to see me and according to her I disappointed her by being more interested in chasing chickens in the chicken yard then seeing her and the new baby.

I do remember her giving me a Toni perm though. It stunk and burned my head a bit. I also  remember helping her clean chickens in the sink standing on a stool. I was plucking feathers and I soon tired of the task.     Many days Mom  would ask me what I wanted to eat  for lunch. My response for many times  was “ Spinach again today.” I still love it.

Dad was going to school working on his Masters Degree at this time. He took a class in early childhood literature. I benefited by having lots of books read to me. Two that seems to have nestled in the back of in my young mind were Lois Linsky’s “Strawberry Girl” and “Cotton in My Sack.”   At Least the illustrations did because when I came across them later and asked Mom why they seemed so familiar she told me of Dad’s readings. Dad spent lots of special time with me because Gene demanded so much of Mom’s attention. I remember his taking me up to the high school one sunny day.     The librarian was culling the book connection. I was allowed to select one book to have as my own. I chose one book full of black and white photos of Japan. I spent hours looking and later drawing women in komons. I can still bring some of those images up in my mind as an adult.

I am off to a week quilting retreat in Chicago with my friend Sharron on Friday so there well be no posting next week.
Keep Creating
Carol

3X3, Childhood Memories, Collage, Creative Assistants, Finger Lakes Fiber Artist Group, Scrap Happy Quilts

Lilac Time

 

Hello,
As the photo shows the Lilac are blooming. The smell is wonderful. We continue to have warm days with lots of rain.
There was a Finger Lakes Fiber Artists meeting this week end. It was good to see the gals and the discussions were good ones.   I know I took photos but I can’t seem to put my fingers on them at this time.  Lets just agree it was a visual feast.

The Sketchbook Revival class ended and I did a lot of drawing / collage works to finish up. It was enjoyable to stretch in that way for a while.  It is always good to step out of ones routine and try new things every now and then.

 

 

 

 

Progress Report: Circular Thinking I am glad that I did the rework on this piece. The edges are square now and I like the flipped piece. It did mean some additional stitching across the seams, but it was well worth the efforts.

 

 

 

 

Tee Shirt Quilt 1 This work is moving forward now. All the shirts are assembled into the top  and I am building a scarp back in  shades of green and brown.

I would love to get this one completed in the next week.

 

 

 

 

 

Creative Assistants I got busy and made a new batch of faces for these little fellows this week. It is always a playful activity.

 

 

Prep Work I am going to the Surface Design Symposiums in Ohio the last week in May thanks to Susan G.   She can not go due to a join replacement she had last week. She is gifting me her spot with Rosalie Dace in Independent Studio for seven days. I am working on sketches of things to try with her guidance.
The this one is of an antique auto  that I took years ago. I want to do a few more before I limit my choices and then I will start to pull fabric to do the work.

This is my pencil interpretation of a shot I took in the car was.   I have several more from this adventure that I want to try.

 

 

 

 

Scrap Assembly   I  keep putting together my scarps and the box is now almost full of units to cut up. I have emptied one of my five bags of scarps too.

 

 

Purple Squares I had a good week and managed to finish off six new blocks this week. I want to complete three more and then I will build a nine patch by adding them to some of the blue squares that I excavated before the retreat.

 

 

Childhood Memories- Berrying Doubloons One of the summers that Gene and I stayed with the grandparents while my parents went to Iowa City to work on their Master’s Degrees, we where in love with the idea of pirates. Our great Aunt May had worked in the button factory when she was younger and she was allowed to bring home the button  seconds. There were buckets full of pearl buttons in Grandmother Ruth’s house. Gene, cousin Russell and I called them doubloons and decided to make a treasure map and bury some. We got a old cigar box from grandmother and filled it with the buttons. We even tried to make “ink” with some berry juice, used a chicken feather for a pen and drew a map of “ Cocklin Island” .   Cocklin was my grandparents name- and the map was our interpretation  of the yard.  We noted all the landmarks in the yard like the three Blue Pines and the dead cherry tree .  We  put an X where we buried the treasure of course.   It was in the garden near the old  stone encrusted  cement pillars that  great  grandfather Herman, had made when Mom was young.    We berried the “treasure chest”  there because  it was the only place in the yard that was soft enough for us to dig  successfully.   I do not know if anyone ever went in search of the treasure or what became of the map. I am sure grandmother dug up the box when she dug potato that fall. It was a great way to spend a summer day  and my memory of the day is a golden one.

Keep Creating

Carol

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

Spring Studio Schweinfurth 2019

Hello.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

Donna did hand work.

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

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

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

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

 

 

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

 

 

Corrine had more of her wonderful leather works.

 

 

 

 

Victoria showed off one of her new projects too.

 

 

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

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

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

 

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

Keep Creating
Carol

3X3, Collections, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Icarus, Linnen Jacket, Scrap Happy Quilts, The Grandfathers

Birthday Week 2019

Hello,
It was my Birthday this week and Eric got me these beautiful spring flowers a great card and took me to dinner.  I had dessert and ice cream with the FAD gals, some cards from my aunts came in the snail mail, got lots of emails, a great phone call from my daughter and a text from my grand daughter. It was a great day for me.


The FAD gals meant and we had  a good time. Sharon was doing the hem on her quilt – Moon River in the Rain.   I like the way ones’s eye roams across the surface with this quilt.


I made a vow at to try to do a follow up on an idea from one of the magazines I get every month. This month I tried cheese cloth painting from Julie Booth’s article in the April May issue in the  Quilting Arts magazine. It was fun and messy. I was trying to build up some more material for my next wild fire piece. I also just played- something most of us do not spend enough time doing.

 

Progress Report :   Jacket 
I just keep working during the news on this project. I am adding the Turkey work on the last patch. It will be evaluation time again before I know if I am done or not.

 

 

 

 

Tee Shirt Quilt I am now starting to build units with this project. I cut 2.5″ and 4.5″ strips of various blues, browns and greens and connected them to the sides of the squares from the clothing. I do not want the work to have an up or down so I am placing the blocks together with the text reading from both directions. All the small units are built and now I am adding things together.

 

Scarp Happy.     I am done with the assembly of the rows for this   Scarp Happy quilt,  But I am out of the strips of scarps that I use for the edges and boarders.   Here is one of four bags full  leftovers and “cut aways ”  that I have to make those  new strips with.  So I  guess I will have to get going and put some together for this quilt in order to finish it.

  Blue Squares  I was doing a bit of spring cleaning and I came across this stack of 42   squares. I do not remember what my intentions were- but I think I got frustrated when I reached this point because the squares are not all the same size.    After giving it thought, I think I will make 45 more squares using the same theme and put them together as nine patches. I will make them all the same size by cutting down the big ones so everything goes together smoothly.  All the new squares will be this new size to start with too!  I guess this will be my new Daily Practice for a while.

Collections VI I have started stitching a few things to the base on this project. It is not getting much attention at the moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Icarus I put in a lot of time  in on this work this week. I fused the body and legs to quarter inch batting.  I have done colored pencil  drawing and free motion thread painting on he work to create  the shading. The top half is done. I have stitched down the wings so I am playing with position for the head and trunk at this point. The legs need the thread work before I can trim away the extra  batting and add them to the surface. I am happy with the progress.

 3 X 3 -Circular Thinking 

This is a shot of the back of the work.   I am done with the most of the embroidery work on this piece now and have moved to assembling the rows into a nine patch.     The yellow with the red and blue print is sashing.  The center row shows how the back of the work looks before I fuse a solid print onto it to stabilize the work  and finish it.  There are 27 sides to stitch down to finish this piece.   

Childhood Memories- the Grandfathers This project keeps evolving as I work on it.   I have been looking at slides and photos of when I was a kid  and noticed that mom seems to have dressed me   in  red a lot, so I will use that to help identify me in the works from now on.     As the title suggests this piece is about my grandfathers. Grandpa Howard was my Mother’s father. I remember him always wearing Carhart pants and shirts in forest green. He had a very inquiring mind and a good sense of humor. He helped my parents build three of the four houses that we lived in as I grew up. He was helping Mom on the house in Columbus Junction, Iowa, the year I started Kindergarten. I come home from lunch every day. After eating together he and I would set in the red and silver print chair in our living room  and he would read one chapter of Alice in Wonderland to me before I ran back to school in the afternoon.
Grandpa Merritt was a farmer. Except for Sundays, he always wore gray and white striped overhauls from Oskash and a woven hat. I remember enjoying running in the furrow of the plow behind the tractor. It was a red International Harvester. The feeling of the rich dark earth between my toes and the powerful earth smell always delighted me. I can’t remember how many springs I followed him as he plowed that 160 acre filed, planted it and harvested the bounty when fall came. He lovingly rotated his crops to keep the fields rich too.

Keep Creating
Carol

3X3, Collections, Curvie Cuts, Mom VI, Scrap Happy Quilts, Sea Stars, The Grandmothers

Itching for Spring

Hello
I am itching for warmth and more flowers and green leaves. We continue to get little tastes as these photos show.  Even the trees are blooming -But I am greedy and I want more Spring.

This week was a very quiet one when it came to seeing other folks and meetings. So I got a lot done in the studio.

Progress Report: Sea Stars This work is 36.5″w X 21″ l.  The base of this work came from leftovers from Wave. I just put the remainders together in a curvy cut fashion and had a great pallet to begin on top of. The starfish are created from wired ribbon that was leftover from Christmas.  The coral came from a purchase of paper that I made last spring in Rochester at the Art store.  Beads and yarn were in my collection. It was a fun project.   No money was spent on the creation of this project.   I already had/ have a deep supply of stuff to use in my work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Puck This stretched work is 12″ w X 16″l. I stared this work years ago and came across it in one of my searches. I decided to completes this work because with time I  could see what it needed. I added some shading and then did the machine drawing on top to complete the work.

I have a friend who is in Mid Summer’s Nights Dream next month and I will give this work to her as a memento.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collections This work is slowly moving forward. I added the old leather book mark that was my mothers. The post card was from her trip to India. The pictures of Candy Grandmother, ( upper left) and Grandma Butterworth(  the flapper)  I had, so I decided to use them as well.

 

 

Icarus  The feathers are all made now and most are stitched down to the wings. I will finish this step and then move onto the body in the up coming week.

 

 

Circular Thinking- 3 X 3 I continue to work on the assembly step of this project. Columns A and B are stitched together in long columns. I have also stitched the first two blocks in column C.

Each connection also includes adding circles that cross over the boundary between squares.  I will begin to connect the columns this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scrap Happy This is the newest scrap happy and it is made  from leftovers. I even made the back yesterday from remainders of other backs that I created for other projects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacket

I keep working to integrate the patches into the body of the work.   each stitch moves me forward.

 

 

 

Childhood Memories – The Grandmothers On the left is grandmother Ester, my fathers mother. I will show her in pale purple from now on, because the dress that she made and I loved the most was a calico print with purple pussy willows printed on it. Grandmother  Ester taught me to sew in the summer before  seventh grade.   My first project was pajamas in cotton  duck fabric. The top was white with big quarter sized multi colored circles. The bottoms were turquoise. I made them to wear to church camp that summer.
The    tall figure on the right is grandmother Ruth, my mothers’s mother. I will show her in royal blue as I remember a blue dress with a big white line pattern on it.  She always wore an apron made from a retired dress- just the skirt over the top of her clothing. I decide to show a summer day when she and I were clearing out the out buildings of Great Grama Gast’s home. ( that was Grandma Ruth’s mother)
In one of the buildings we opened the door to find a big ball of string so large it could not come out of the space. Strings from the butcher, mailed packages and groceries were tied one to the next and wrapped into this ball. Because  Grandmother Ruth and her mother Great Grandmother  Gast had lived through the depression, they   did not toss out any thing that could be reused! We had to cut away the string with a knife until it was small enough roll it our the door. But the real amazing thing was on one of the shelves in the back of the room. In a brown paper bag- and it was full- written in Grandmother Gast’s hand were the words “ string too short to save”. It was full of the knots and bits! I still have that bit of brown paper under glass on the back porch.
Keep Creating
Carol

3X3, Childhood Memories, Core family, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Mom VI, Scrap Happy Quilts, Sea Stars

Spring Flowers

 

Hello,
It is so nice to walk out the door without boots, gloves and hats.   The early spring flowers are making their appearance in central NY as well . That is always a good sign.


The FAD group meant this week and the talk was lively.  Judy shared her newly completed sweater. She was working away on the next one all during the meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sharon has been busy at her machine and she had three quilts to share. This one is a commission where she tried adding pines in the background for the first time.   That layering adds a lot of depth.


Progress Report: 3 X 3 Circular Thinking I finished the last square this week and I am now in the process of connecting all the squares together. The first row of three is stitched.  I now need to go back into the work and add a bit more stitching to complete some of the circles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sea Stars I have stitched down the stars now and I am on to the coral. I did the coral by machine. The coral is cut from hand made paper that I purchaed at The Art  Store in Rochester last spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacket This work goes forward now that I have a new direction. I have added Turkey Work to three of the patches to integrate them into the jacket. I think it really pushes them back and anchors them too.

 

Icarus Here I am working on creating feathers for the wings. It takes a little over 12 min to do each one, but I think it is worth the effort.    I have created  16 feathers so far.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collections I keep pining items on the surface as I come across them. I am just about ready to begin stitching on this project.

 

 

Scrap Happy I looked  again at the box of fabric that Angela gave  to me and found more of the fruit  bathers in a much bigger format. So I cut the 4.5 in strips from  it and added the sides. These new blocks  plus the leftovers from the first fruit swimmers  quilt will go together to make a second.

 

 

 

 

Childhood Memories This is a new venture that will be my  weekly project. This square is to introduce the core family characters. The memory connected with this work is one that happened every in our house  every Christmas as I grew up. My parents were married on Christmas eve and my Mom put on her wedding dress on that night every year.  Dad took a photo of my brother Gene and myself in the folds of the gown. I loved the dress as it was a beautiful silk double weave of a star pattern.   When one grows up one dies not realize that every family has its own traditions.   I  was Jr high before I realized no one else’s Mom dressed in her wedding gown on Christmas eve for a yearly photo.    The idea of celebrating an anniversary by dressing in the wedding  gown was just something my family did and it  had nothing to do with Christmas.   What childhood “traditions” where particular to your family?

Next week I will be trying to represent my grandparents in a new machine drawn  collage image.

Keep Creating
Carol

Birds, Daily Practice, Deep Jellies, FOX, Label Cards, Scrap Happy Quilts, Sisterhood of the Scissors, Southern Crows, Word Forms

Fall Retreat 2018

Hello,

The Schweinfurth Fall Retreat was last week end.   I had a good time and got a bit of work done  along with lots of old friends. IMG_2260Janice, a friend I made at the  fall retreat two years ago, made and appearance and worked on this baby quilts.     Her child is due in April.   IMG_2252Sally finished up this top.   One of her children gave it to her.

IMG_2265Victoria returned to work on this piece that has some hand dyed stuff in it that she created in the wet studio last fall.

IMG_2261Susan made three Christmas stockings( yes, that is an opossum on the one above her head )  and quilted on a piece that she started at QBL two summers ago.

IMG_2262Sally F worked on this wonderful soft colored piece that is a jump off from a Kay Facet design.

IMG_2250  Randy quilted with the quilting machine in the front of the class room and made progress on this quilt.

IMG_2251Janet worked on creating these diamonds in Cherry wood  strips and she got all the blocks done this weekend.

IMG_2248Liz worked away on this piece using some of her hand dyed fabric.

IMG_2230I started playing with some trapped cut yarns just to see what would happen.       Then I also started to assemble a top using the crows I printed at Susan’s in Florida in March.   IMG_2229   Everyone had fun and made progress.   There was so much going on it was rather exciting.

 

  Sisterhood of the Scissors meant at the Schweinfurth today and looked at the the Q=A=Q show.   We  decided to use this  nine patch  quilt as the basis for our next challenge.   The wild piecing and applique work  appealed to us.   Not sure about he rules- but I think it will push folks to some unique work.

 

 

 

After checking out the Q=A=Q show the group went upstairs to view the Members  Show.   This is my piece, Deep Jellies  that is in the show.

Lots of my friends are in this one too.     There is work by Victoria .   I know she dyed  this in a workshop with Pat Pauly.

 

IMG_2301Lori’s piece from Danalia was displayed.

IMG_2303Angela’s felt work was shown too.  I  regret to say that my shot of The Crows Of Auburn, by Regina ,  is too fuzzy to post- but it was there as well.     NOel had a ceramic piece too.    It is a strong show with lots of variety and very enjoyable.

 

Progress Report: Purple Study  I enjoyed building this little  11” X 11” piece.    The hand work class is still resonating with me.

 

 

 

JacketIMG_2274As   further proof of that the  handwork  classes  influence, I started altering this linen jacket this week.   I took out the shoulder pads and added a few patches of color.   I have even done a little hand stitching here as well.   I can see this is a long term project.

Black Capped Chickadee  I did some tread painting of Chickadees this week as I want to keep building  the free motion skills.

 

 

 

Earth –  WaterfallIMG_2271  I have not touched this piece in awhile but I got back to it this week.   I am building in the trees at this point.  The water over the rocks will come later.

IMG_2321Scrap Happy   I am assembling the rows through the backing and batting in a sew and flip fashion.   I will quilt over all of it later to add strength.

Rework FOX IMG_2317   I thought I was finished with this work a few weeks ago.   When I took it to the QuEGs meeting folks like the colors and the layout- but said it needed more quilting.   This is a case where  in my rush to finish I did not really look at the work to see it’s flaws.   It is easy to repair this one- I merely took off the sleeve and labels and pealed back the facings so I could add more machine quilting.   I am building up the new quilting in a diagonal pattern.

 

 

Daily Practice      The hand work continuers to fill in on this work.   I need to finish that step and then live with it a while to see if it needs any additional embellishment.   I am trying to allow for the looking stage.

 

IMG_2278 Southern Crows    The top I stared at the the retreat is all assembled now.   Pressing and basting need to come next so I can begin to quilt it.

Shredded  Color This is a close up  of the other piece that I started at the retreat.      I have plastic bags of  shredded yarn in color groups that I capture between the felted background and various colors of nylon net with free motions stitching.IMG_2318  It is an experiment and I am leaning lots.   I may or may not keep the piece as a whole unit.      Got to do the careful looking and living with it – but first I need to finish the work.

 

Label Card:   Beyond     In this crazy fast pasted world, it is difficult to look beyond our  next step or the next day.   I fear we are losing lots of joy and wisdom by not looking a little bit beyond the immediate  events.    So this card is to remind me to slow down and think about the future as well as the past.

Next Thursday is Thanksgiving so there will not be a post next week.    Enjoy your blessings.

Keep Creating,

Carol

Blue Jays, Collage, Daily Practice, Killdeer, Scrap Happy Quilts, Shows

Opening of Quilts=Art =Quilts

 

IMG_2159Hello

Color is filling the leaves of our area now.   Lots of gold and red around here.      This week has been a full one for me.   The QAQ show opened on Sat at the Schweinfurth and I got to see my quilt in all its glory.   IMG_2133Julia was one of the folks in this show too.   She also came to the opening.   I made a connection with a quilter from California- Viviana Lombrozo .   Her work was in the same gallery as mine and we went to the banquet together  and had a grand time talking and sharing ideas.  Then we meant again at the Gallery Walk About on Sunday afternoon.     I am still flying high from the experience.

Over this same weekend I was taking a class called Mindful Stitching Practice with Christine Mauersberger.   She is a great teacher with lots to share.IMG_2169   She gave us various prompts to stitch.  This is my piece from day one showing circles and my breath patterns.   IMG_2174We did responses to music and other prompts on Sat.    There were so many directions that I did not get to all of them.IMG_2172   This is my response to taking a walk with my thread.    There were 13 other gals in the class responding to her guidance too. Lots f different solution to all the different ideas that were offered up.          IMG_2141And down stairs they where doing Indigo dye work.    This is a shot of two of Regina’s pieces  from that class.      There was so much going on that I still have not processes it all.

Progress Report: Blue Jays I finally got going on the 12”X12” pieces for the next show at the Broad Street Gallery in Hamilton.      The Blue Jays were fun to do  and putting on the stretch felt really was enjoyable too.IMG_2183I think I will do more jays a s they are so active in this area. IMG_2184

 

Killdeer     This too will be part of the Broad Street Gallery show.   Their distinctive calls have made these birds a long time favorite of mine.IMG_2179

 

 

Cedar Wax Wings IMG_2165 I have three of these little fellows done now and I will build a background to use them on next.  I enjoy the thread painting and I have ideas for some butterflies as well as more weeds too.

Daily Practice  IMG_2168I am doing the button whole stitch alone the chain work now and I am about half way done with that process.

IMG_2185New work- Noogoora/cocklebur  This shot shows the fusible inner facing that is on the back of the fabric to make it more stable  for hand stitching .   I can also draw the shape of the prickly seed heads on the back so I can see what shape I am going for with the stitching.   The seed is enlarged about 500 times .         I hope this works.

New WorkIMG_2161I am auditioning fabrics for my next piece.  It is to be an earth piece  in the elements series.    I am trying to decide if I will build on browns greens or grays.

Label card- Include All   In this time of conflict I wanted to think beyond the division and remind us all that there is only one world and we need to be inclusive not exclusive  with it!

Keep Creating

Carol

Collections, Daily Practice, FAD (Fiber Art Dames), Friends, Scrap Happy Quilts, Wildfire

Fall Color

Hello,

IMG_2092Fall is all around me here in central NY.   I love all the color  although it has been very rainy so leaves are being pulled off the trees and there is little full color display here.   One needs to enjoy what is available.

FAB meant on Friday last week and  Sharon shared her completed commissions.  She sure can build a great  depth in her work  and all the seasons are represented.

IMG_2083This week I went with the Associated Artists  to visit an artists  studio.   Chris Baker ( his work is in the photo) was very open and gracious to us answering question after question.   It was a good learning experience.

Progress Report:  Wildfire This work is 33” w X 34” l.   I have so enjoyed working on this project.     I used a lot of the information that I learned in the transparence class at QBL last summer .  IMG_2108 I also used some silk paper that I had created to build up the color.   IMG_2109Everything is sewn  and quilted  together with free motion work.   I enjoyed  working on this one.

Friends- collections 3 This work is 16” w X 24”l.    There are so many little memories for me in this work.   Many of the objects are gifts from friends.   the Artists trading card here is form my friend Sharron  and the black glass button came from Jenny’s button box.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Machine drawing    I did a lot of machine drawing of birds this week.     Two Blue Jays, two Killdeer  and three Cedar Waxwings make up my efforts.     The last Waxwing is about half done.    I want to add them to the felting that I did last week.   Hopefully they will be a part of the  12X12 show at the Broad Street gallery in Dec/Jan.

 

 

Scarp Happy workIMG_2111These are three of the panels that I am building for the back of the scarp happy quilt.   I tried to limit the pallet so it hold together visually.

 IMG_2098Halloween Cards It is the season and I had a good time playing with paint and stickers one  day this week.

New work   The base is all done for this new project.  I want to build some burrs to add on top of this base.

Dyeing  and Indigo IMG_2096   Last Thursday I went to Regina’s and she encouraged me to use her Indigo dye pot.  I did these four  pieces at that time.  I think there is a lot of white because  I am not sure I soaked them in water before  I dipped them.   Mistakes are often made when one is learning.   IMG_2116Part of that learning included the fact that I stitched and wrapped some fabric before I went to Regina’s.   But it was soda soaked and one dose not need  to have soda soaked fabric  for indigo.   So this week I used some premixed dyes from Ethel’ stash on this fabric.   It came out pale again because I did  not know what I was doing.

 

Daily Practice  I keep working  away on this project.  I feel I am  almost  most done with the flow lines  around the outside of the fabric shapes.

 

Keep Creating

Carol