Balance

In the last post, I talked about my new regimen which I called FDS.  Well, Sheila and I exchanged a couple of emails regarding this topic.  Sheila mentioned that Balance is also an important entity and I totally agree.  All work and no play makes Mary oh, so boring.  After all, one must absolutely have balance in one's life.  So I am adding the B to my regimen, thus I now have FDSB.  This little B word helps to alleviate the guilt when I end up spending too much time on the computer.  Gotta get my daily dose of inspiration, right?

And just so you know, I am playing/working very hard in my studio each and every day and am accomplishing more than ever.  Just look at the progress on the glam shot of Ms. Iris.  It may not look like much, but trust me, when you are selecting just the perfect fabric and then sewing 1/4" width curved strips onto a 2" curved section, it can be a bit time consuming.  


lower right section is actually sew together, sorta

Ok, so not all of those tiny 1/4" to 1/8" curvy strips have been sewn onto their respective sections, but as I said, it is very time consuming.  I know that some of you (and, admittedly, I too) are thinking, why not just fuse it. Answer: just because I do so love the challenge.  I could fuse all those teeny pieces and be done with it.  But why?  It is a labor of love.  It is just me, my vision, my fabric and my machine.  If I wanted to be done with it, I would get out my charcoals or paints, and voila!  I could make it completely realistic or an abstraction in short order.  Then it would be over. Sewing pieces of fabric together completes my world.  It never ends.  The emotion of putting just the perfect pieces next to one another is euphoric.  Being able to actually stitch those pieces together is even more rewarding.  When you have a completed project that you like, it enhances that euphoria.  The  tactility of painting with fabric is like no other for me.  From dyeing the fabric to making a pattern, to sewing that last stitch, it is my heart and soul.  My passion.

Oh yes, I had mentioned that I wouldn't be posting again until next month.  But hey, I just get so exci-i-i-i-ted.  Plus. I am also spending time quilting and binding previous pieces, as well as sketching for upcoming projects, details of which I cannot divulge at this time.  More later.  

I hope you are having as much fun as I.  Cheerio!

September into October

Where does the time go?  
The past 6 weeks I have attempted to become more: 
Focused. Disciplined. Structured.  
I am getting better with my new FDS regimen. 

to wit - this is completed

inside out
54" x 70"

 I only have the binding to stitch down on this one
sketch 4
28" x 30"

threw this one in the garbage as it needed 
drastic simplification modifications



 completed piecing this one and placed it in line to be quilted
flair
42" x 45"
 drew some sketches to consider for patterning
this was was a bit mundane
 iris buddies with buds


so decided to use this sketch for a pattern
iris closeup
36" x 48"
off I go using my hand dyed fabrics,
cutting and pinning


What has spurred this new regimen?  The past few weeks have been wonderfully encouraging for my ego.  

One of the quilts that I have pieced for a dear friend (but yet unquilted, eeks) was featured in "Love Patchwork", a quilting oriented magazine from the UK.  It was totally unsolicited, complete surprise when I received a request from the magazine editor.  Naturally I could not say no.




And then, to my surprise, I was asked to do an interview with a feature writer, Jen Jeffrey from the Chattanoogan.com
What a flattering portrait she painted.  Thanks Jen.  



my Pink Dogwood just won a first place ribbon in the wall hanging division 
in a local quilt show.  


If my luck continues to hold, there could be more good news to share in the near future.  
If the good news actually occurs, hopefully it will help me to continue this new regimen.
 If it doesn't work out, hopefully I will still continue this new regimen.  

See ya next month.