Reflections on Work Past, Present, and Yet to Come

About an hour after I posted my Interpret This! piece, while dusting I picked up the Art Institute of Chicago magazine and it fell open to this:

This seems to be a tapestry; there was no other information given. It was just a brief article about the museum's textile collection.Of course I was struck by the repeated ovals and the subtle coloring. (It's actually brighter here than it was in the magazine.) What a beautiful thing! It's always an odd experience to find a work that has some resemblance, even slight, to something I've just done: there's regret that I couldn't create something so good, along with pleasure that someone else found the same idea pleasing.

In other news, I have all the blocks made for this lap quilt, and I think this will be the final arrangement--or almost. You can tinker with this sort of thing endlessly. I wish I'd had more variety of fabrics, but this will be it. Now to start sewing together. My goal is the end of the week. That should be simple to do, but there are other things going on too.

And finally, this lovely scene is the new Interpret This! photo. In some ways, a photo like this is harder than a less appealing one, at least for me. It's early yet; I'll hope for inspiration.

October Interpret This!

SaratogaOvals

12" x 9"

Batik, organza, machine applique and quilting

I probably win the out-of-left-field prize this month, since as you can see, this looks nothing like the photo. Sometimes you just have to do what feels right to you, especially in art, however you define art. There is more about my thought process on the Interpret This! blog, and you can see the other lovely work by people who were able to stay much closer to the original image. Reveals began yesterday, so be sure and scroll down.

1,000 Quilts To Houston

Ami Simms is taking 1,000 Alzheimer's quilts to Houston again, so if you're going to be there, pay a visit.

Happenings, continued

I finished my Interpret This! piece, thank heavens.  Reveals start next week, October 26.

My problems with Blogger and photos continue.  (I bragged too soon.)  I can upload in the old editor on Safari, and when I change to Firefox, I can use the new editor, but it doesn't work the same as it did.  Other people must be having these problems too, but they still seem unresolved.

This weekend I'm going on a guild retreat.  The main building at the place we have gone for years burned last spring, a terrible thing for the camp and everyone who loves the place.  They are still open in the smaller, older buildings, so we will be cramped this year. Still, I'm looking forward to the chance to do nothing but brainless sewing for a couple of days.

In preparation, I've cut more pieces for this:

The more fabrics I add, the better it looks, I think; in the end, it will be mostly the blue/green, with the reds second and only enough gold for accent.

I'm also planning some pillowcases for Christmas gifts, layering a charity quilt to finish, and making snacks to share.  Remember:  MUST STAY AWAY FROM THE SNACK TABLE!  I like being a size smaller than I was last year.

And finally, a quick brag:

At guild last week, I received a ribbon for Carolina Baskets, displayed in our library show last August. (It's a viewers' choice award.)  Thank you, everybody, and thank you Deb Geyer, for the quilting.

What's Happening

Some miscellaneous news, just to show I'm still alive and quilting, at least a bit.

1.  While I was away last week I cut out some squares for a scrappy lap quilt using batiks. I will need to broaden the color range in order to have enough fabric. I could also broaden the value range, but don't want to do that. The quilt is intended to be a gift, and I don't think the recipients would go for the busy look.  The pattern is called Scrappity Do Dah, and I downloaded it from McCall's Quilting.com after I saw someone's version at guild.  It's been a long time since I did something like this, and when I finally sat down to sew on it, it was fun.

2.  Here's the new Interpret This! challenge photo. It's tough. That's all I'll say.  I have an idea, but no work to show yet.

 3.  I entered Peppermint Stars in Road to California. Fingers crossed.

While I was feeling bold, I called the owner of a local gallery who used to sell my quilted clothing and asked if she would take some of my small art quilts for the winter jurying.  She agreed, even saying that since she knew my work she didn't think they needed jurying.  I assured her that yes, they did.  We'll see how this goes.  I'm feeling some regret--would anyone really want these things?

4.  The project hanging over my head this week was preparing supplies and ideas for a group of ladies at church to decorate little canvas totes for nursing home residents to carry and stash belongings.  Since most of these women don't know much about fabric work, and aren't very crafty, it was a challenge.  I brought bags, paint,  prefused fabric for applique, and some very simple patterns and stencils.  The bags might not win a prize for art, but the group had fun, and I hope the recipients find them useful and appreciate the thought.  My benefit was becoming more skilled at applying WonderUnder to large pieces of fabric, and  I now have the leftovers for my own use.

Now that that's over, I plan to dig in to that fountain!

P.S.  Have to brag about a victory over the computer:  I couldn't get Blogger to upload photos, so I tried looking at the Preferences menu, turned on Extensions, and voila!  I have no idea what Extensions means exactly,  or why it was off, but this worked.  I always feels as though I have somehow conquered something major when I can solve a problem without having to see the suppressed scorn of my live-in computer consultant.

September Interpret This

Behind the Gate  22 x 22

Machine pieced, quilted, and appliqued

Strip piecing worked well to give the basic feel of the gate in this photo.  I added the leaves to create a tropical lushness and to contrast with the stiff graphic lines of the fence.  Flat traditional applique didn't seem right for the feeling I was trying to create, so I attached my leaves loosely, with only one seam down the center so that the edges and ends would curl a bit, giving a three-dimensional effect.  I also extended them beyond the edges of the quilt.

I worked out a way to make a two-sided leaf with raw edges that won't fray, or at least I think they won't.  First I pressed a freezer paper pattern of the leaf to the right side of the fabric, cut around it leaving about a quarter inch margin, and then painted the edges of the wrong side with Liquid Thread, slightly diluted with water.  It's important to be sure some of the Liquid Thread goes inside the margin of the leaf.

After it dried a bit, I fused the cutout leaf to the wrong side of the fabric.  After it cooled, I cut out the shape of the leaf and peeled away the freezer paper.

I tried fusible web for this also, and it would work too, but the glue of the Liquid Thread seals the edges of the fabric, so there's little raveling.  It also gives a nice crisp hand, with a tendency to curl, which is exactly what I wanted.  

I must say it's a bit of a tedious process though.  There were lots of leaves!

You can see the original photo and other interpretations on the Interpret This website.

Something to Share

It's been a long time since I had a photo of work.  Mostly I've been working on my Interpret This piece for September.  Here's a bit of a peek.  The slanted image I produced here may turn out to be more interesting than the whole thing.

You can see the challenge photo (it's a fence/gate) and other people's hints on the blog page.  Reveals start Sept 26.

Here are three little pieces for Alzheimer's Quilts.  One is a "multiple original" using another copy of my scanned butterfly weed and another of Debra Spincic's machine embroidered butterflies.  The first one sold well, so I hope this one will too.  The rather disproportionally large rose is a bit from Anne Lullie's workshop sponsored by our guild a while back, and last but not least, there's the infamous lilacs.  Maybe someone will recognize them.

Need an Excuse?

I heard this morning on NPR's Marketplace that because of droughts and floods in China and India, the price of cotton will be going up.  So stash builders, shop now!

Appraisals

At guild last week a certified quilt appraiser from the area presented the program.  She discussed why you should have your quilts, both old and new, appraised, and what she does when she makes an appraisal,  what determines the value. One reason to have quilts appraised, of course, is that in case of loss an uninsured quilt is valued by the insurance company as bedding.  I'd always heard cost of materials, but apparently that's not true.

Her presentation was interesting.  For a new quilt, she considers fabric, the quality and quantity of the workmanship, and design, especially the good old "Wow factor."  The more specific information you have about any of these things, like the exact fabric line, the better.

For an old quilt, condition seems to be most important, but also rarity (old Grandmother's Flower Gardens are a dime a dozen apparently), and again the more specific the known history or provenance of the quilt, the better.

Besides putting a detailed label on a new quilt, she suggests labeling any antique or vintage quilt you have, even if your information is incomplete.  That way the next owner will have a place to start.

The most intriguing bit of information was this:  If you give a quilt for a special occasion like a wedding, it's good to have an appraisal to give with it.  Why?  Because young people may not care about the sentiment at this point, but they will care about the value.  So they will take care of the quilt, and later perhaps appreciate the sentiment too.  Rather cynical and commercial, but worth thinking about.

Does anyone have their quilts appraised?  At $40 an appraisal, it's pretty pricey, I think, and so I've never done it.

Finally, a Perceptive Critic

My older son came to visit this weekend, and while using my computer, was looking around the walls of my "studio", aka basement, where some of my Interpret This pieces are hanging.  He had some comments:

"I like your sushi." (This was totally unprompted; it's hanging above the scanner.)

Then I asked him what he thought about the others, without making any prompts or suggestions.

"I saw the Andy Warhol.  It's pretty cool.  The doll eyes are really creepy."

"I intended them to be that way."

"Bingo!"

July August Interpret This

Palais de l'Isle  15" x 17"

Machine pieced and quilted

I jumped at the chance to use Ruth McDowell's piecing methods in creating the medieval castle at the center of this challenge photo.

 Planning the pattern and piecing sequence is like creating a jigsaw puzzle and putting it back together, but once that was done, the piecing went smoothly.  This particular design didn't require curves and only one or two Y seams.  I did learn the importance of clear and complete marking though.  

You can read more about my piece and see the other reveals at the Interpret This! blog.

Me, Men, and Matisse

A while back, I posted a picture of this little piece and reported that my husband and son didn't know what it was, guessing "leaves".  When asked why the leaves were purple,  they were stumped.

More recently, we saw this Matisse painting in an exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Me:  David, do you know what kind of flowers those are?

David:  No.

Me:  Bob, do you know what kind of flowers those are?

Bob:  No.  (After walking across the room and peering at the label)    Lilacs!

So there you have it.  I'm not comparing myself to Matisse, but isn't it odd?  Same flower, same lack of recognition.

Do you think it would have helped if I'd put my lilacs in a vase?  Or added a label?

And on a totally unrelated note, don't forget the Interpret This reveals beginning today.  Mine will be up Monday afternoon.

Design Wall

I don't usually post the design wall on Monday, but this week I have something on the wall.  It's the same thing, at about the same stage of completion, that was on the wall last Monday too.  I'm still fighting a messed up sleep schedule and a cold, so haven't been very energetic.

This is five orphan blocks which I am putting together for a service quilt.  After I make some more nine patches, there will be an outer border cut from a panel of alphabet flower blocks, also pink, green, and yellow.  That should bring it up to size for a very feminine lap quilt, or I guess, a crib quilt for a little girl.

And speaking of nine-patches, does anyone else find them hard to make when they're cut from scrappy squares?  (I'm not strip piecing because I want more variety than that allows.)  I don't seem to be able to line up the little pieces accurately, and on a small block the mismatches really show up.

Guild Show

Every year my guild displays quilts in the Mishawaka, Indiana library.  The library has a large open atrium and center hallway which shows the quilts off to great advantage, and the show is enjoyed by all the library patrons and quilters as well.

Although I finished this quilt a while ago, I haven't posted it because it's so large I couldn't get a good picture.  The show is a perfect opportunity.  It's not been a favorite of mine:  the colors are a little sweet, and it's too regular in design, but now that it's been beautifully quilted by Deb Geyer, and I see it hanging here, I do like it.

And while we're looking at blue quilts, isn't this beautiful?  It was made by Michelle Wilson, and I wish I knew the pattern.  She did a wonderful job of choosing batiks; there's enough variety of value and tone to give the pattern definition but still be soft like a batik quilt can be.

Here are two scrappy beauties, by Kathleen Peterson and Fern Hamlin.  The place they were hung didn't allow a very good picture unfortunately, but I love both these quilts--so much movement.

Highs and Lows of Our Australian Adventure

Highs:

     Sunset and sunrise on Uluru (Ayers Rock).  The bus pulls in, set up a table with wine and snacks (or coffee) provides a folding stool, and you can watch the moment-by-moment color changes of the rock.

    
 Ride on the Ghan train from Adelaide to Alice Springs.  This is definitely a railroad adventure.  The entire ride takes two-and-a-half days from the bottom to the top of Australia.  We did 24 hours, stopping at Alice Springs.  The train is quite luxurious, with comfortable compartments and delicious meals, beautifully served.  The scenery was a thrill to me, and we met fascinating people, all Australian.  Visiting this part of their country was an adventure for them too.

     Amazing plants, animals and rock formations in the outback.

  
  A wonderful performance of The Marriage of Figaro at the Sydney Opera House.  This is the view from one of the lobbies.

Lows:

   My husband's worsening cough, which finally required an unscheduled visit to the clinic on the cattle station where we were staying.  We walked in with no money or ID, received excellent, immediate, and free care, and two prescription medications.  He had to take it easy for the rest of the trip, resisting every inch of the way.

   After a wonderful flight from Australia on Quantas, we had a cancelled flight from LA to Chicago that meant we were rerouted through Dallas, left there two hours late, and then of course had a major luggage mix-up in Chicago.   Arrival: six hours late.  That's probably par for the course these days.

   It's good to be home!  Now if I could sleep more than an hour at a time...

Home!

We arrived late Sunday in Chicago, and drove home yesterday morning.  It's good to be back, and will be even better when the laundry is done and the jet lag goes away.

It was also good to find out that my Hoffman Challenge will be in the traveling exhibit!  Thanks to everyone who commented on it.  I was able to read the comments while away, and the friendly word from home was very welcome.

I'll post a bit about the trip in a day or so when I can pry my husband's computer from his hands to access the photos.  

Time to Reveal?

Geometry in Bloom 22 x 22

Machine applique and quilting, fabric manipulation (texturing, weaving) beads

Today is the deadline for the Hoffman Challenge, so it should be a good time to post my entry.  I scheduled this post before I left home, then deleted it.  I've seen some beauties on the web, and don't have much confidence in mine.  However,  I decided what the heck, and here it is.  (Because of Picassa, I could retrieve the picture.  Did you know that unless you specifically delete a photo, it stays in your Picassa album, even when the post is gone?)

I didn't like the challenge fabric.  I don't like this color, a minority opinion, I know.  The design seemed to be too prominent for a secondary fabric and not strong enough to be a focus fabric or to fussy cut.  I didn't intend to enter.  But once this idea came, I went with it.  I love the colors, and especially the ombre background fabric, and it was fun to make.  Whatever the outcome, I actually like this the best of all the ones I've made.

After a week babysitting grandchildren,  I'm heading off to Australia as this posts.  See you in mid-August!

It's All Gouda

The July/August Interpret This! photo.  I'm excited about this one--so much to choose from.

The Hoffman is gone--mailed and delivered.

My studio is fairly neat, fabric put away, floor swept, thread returned to the containers.

The binding on the big blue basket quilt is half finished.

We've had fabulous weather, no thunderstorms, for almost a week.

I've lost eleven pounds, and went to Chico's to buy a smaller size traveler's pants for my up-coming trip.

And if you're wondering about the title of the post, it's a family joke.  Just think what positive adjective sounds a bit like Gouda, imagine my pronunciation-challenged husband asking someone in the Netherlands if they had any "Gouda" cheese, and I bet you can figure it out.

Happy July, everyone.

June Interpret This!

Butterfly Days  18 x18

You can read more about it on the Interpret This! blog.

In addition, I've been binding,

labeling,

sketching.

Fixed?

Thanks, everyone who offered suggestions about the bleed.  I tried Tide stain stick, and it faded it a bit, but I could also see more bleeding appear around the edge on the front of the quilt from the wetting.  I decided against a full washing because I was afraid of worse bleeding that would come through to the front, and also I was concerned about too much shrinking with the wool batt.  That would have been a totally different look than I had planned, and I don't know how it would have affected the total look.

So, I took out some quilting stitches, and used something called Pentel dye sticks, which seem to be very waxy and crayon-like.  It then occurred to me that actual crayons might work too, so I added them.  Wish I'd thought of that first because the color match was better and the sharper point worked well with the pattern on the backing.  Then I used a hot iron to set both and remove the waxy stuff.  It's better; it looks like a slightly darker section of the fabric, and doesn't jump out at you like the pink did.  But if you look closely you can see something is odd.  (There is actually less pink visible in reality than in this picture.)

I was afraid I'd made the wrong choice and was too timid, but just heard from someone with a horror story about trying to remove a bleed with Synthrapol, so I feel better.  Next step will be to distract by adding a very elaborate label!

I'll also try to remember that the oil spill is worse.