LOST AND FOUND

Way back in 2016, Melissa Averinos came to Chattanooga to teach a group of us how to make faces with fabric.  It was great fun and she taught us lots about creating portraits.  My first face didn't please me very much, and thankfully I had time to create another.  I liked it a bit more and even completed it shortly after the class.  Determined to try more faces, I cut and glued and made several more.  Then, as usual, I was distracted by something else and I stuck those portraits in a drawer and forgot about them.  

Somewhere along the way, in the infamous year of 2020, I completely lost my desire to create with fabric and just sat around making beaded jewelry. After making dozens of earrings, bracelets, and necklaces and lamenting my loss of mojo for fabrics, a friend sent a photo of her beautiful floral collage made with fabrics.  That little nudge clicked and I started searching for those old 2016 collaged faces.  It was a long search because I had no idea where I had stashed them.  I finally found them in a drawer stuffed full of paper patterns from old art quilts from years past.  I had even forgotten that I had saved so many of them, since I never, ever make the same thing twice.  I also uncovered a couple of portraits I had created of my granddaughter and found that I liked them better now, after they have "aged" a bit.  

In just a few days, I have them quilted and bound! Ideas have been swirling around like dervishes.  Hopefully my mojo will keep me inspired to play with fabric once again.  And I hope that some of you might like to purchase one of them before they are stashed into a drawer to be forgotten for another 5 years.  

Some people say this is a self portrait.  I don't really look that, do I?  

"Pouty Paulina" is 16" x 22" and come pout on your wall for $50 + shipping

"Sophisticated Sally" is 16" x 20" and could grace your wall for $50 + shipping

 

"Just Pat" 18" x 23" is available for $50 + shipping

Then there are these 2 characters.  I'll let you name them, but I think they are a couple from the 1960's Haight Ashbury.  

17 1/2" x 21 1/2" 

$100 for the pair

Improv Month

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of spending some time with two talented ladies from Gee's Bend, Alabama.  (If you don't know the history of Gee's Bend, I highly recommend that you google them.)  Mary Ann Pettway and China Pettway were there to guide several of us ladies as we tried to let go of our structural inhibitions.
This is Mary Ann with a small piece that she put together during those 3 days.  I feel that these women and their family members were instrumental in bringing art quilting and the modern, improvisational look to the forefront in the quilting world.  I will always be grateful to them and thrilled that their art was discovered.

What an amazing woman

Inspired by these women and by my local (Chattanooga) Modern Quilt Guild to try my hand at a modern look,  I took a break from patterning and had some fun!

small improv 1
11'"x 11 1/2"

small improv 3
11 1/2" x 11 1/2"

small improv 5
11 1/2" x 16" 

small improv  8
27" x  26"

Playing catch up

After returning from a lovely trip to the great northwest, I didn't have too much time to follow up on the fast and fun, cut and paste quilts that we played with in the Freddy Moran workshop. I did manage to get a couple more pieces pasted together and even quilted 2 of them!

sample to explore raw edge quilting on the pasted pieces
15 X 27

completed piece began on day 2 of the workshop
27 X 46  

more playtime
36 x 54
soon to be quilted 

Next I  was off to Italy for a few days.  What can I say, my cousin, Beth, twisted my arm to the point that I just couldn't say no to her offer to join her along with a group of other delightful folks.  Being my second trip in 2 years, once we arrived I felt more comfortable being able to set out on our own with a smaller group, and had a fabulous time.  From Montepulciano, to Rome, to Sorrento and the Isle of Capri, it was non stop gorgeous scenery, food and wine, and superb company.  I cannot wait to return.  Maybe next year?  I won't bore you with too many vacation photos.

We are so excited ~ having a burger at the airport ~
ready to go

View from our hotel in Sorrento

Positano

the beach at Sorrrento

Trevi Fountain ~ I tossed in lots of coins to assure my return

the highlight of the trip
seeing the Pope Francis up close and hearing his sermon
in St. Peter's square  

the Mediterranean Sea ~ ahhhhhh

Hope that wasn't too many photos to be boring

Back to Tennessee again, for a couple of weeks and I was off to Arrowmont.  I attended a workshop on shape resist and natural dyeing taught by Joan Morris.  I really can't say enough about this class.  Joan is a fabulous teacher and a world class artist.  She has been working with shibori/shape resist and dyeing for 30 years, and made it look sooooo easy.  And, all of the folks in the class were a delight to play with.  A hugely talented group, I must say.  I was so inspired and can't wait to do more.  Unfortunately, I was so engrossed in the class that I failed to take many photos of the class.  But here are a few of my results.

my karamatsu design
cotton backed silk, with tannin and mordent 

Pulled and tied off then dyed in natural indigo

the stitches are cut and pulled  

cotton side of the design after being ironed ~ a soft indigo color

the silk side of the design after being ironed ~ a shimmering blue green  ~
silk does not take natural indigo dye as well

more karamatsu ~ not yet ironed 

Kumo  

mokome on silk
not ironed.  

This is so intriguing and challenging. I didn't think I would ever return to hand stitching, but this has revived my interest. I want to make clothing using some of the designs and perhaps even incorporate it into my art quilts.  The fun never ends.  There is always something new around the corner.  Never say no to learning a new technique.

What a fabulous trip to Seattle, Mt Vernon, WA and on to Portland, OR.  The only problem being, that is was just a bit too short.  Of course, I didn't want to wear out my welcome, as I do want to return soon.  Last Wednesday my friend, Nifty Quilts, picked me up at SeaTac and we immediately headed out to the Seattle Art Museum to meet Tina for lunch and to view the Joan Miro exhibit.  I was inspired by Miro's use of color and style.  It is always much better to see fine art in person.  Photos can never do it justice. Right?

OK ~ I couldn't resist having my picture taken with some
of the other art before reaching the Miro exhibit

Lots of fun, food, fabric and friends for the next two days. And a tour of a the Theo chocolate factory.  All organic, and high chocolate content, with lots of free samples.  I highly advise anyone, whether you be a chocoholic or not, to make this tour a must when you visit Seattle.

Then on Saturday and Sunday, Nifty and I are off to Mount Vernon for a 2 day workshop with Freddy Moran.  This is the first time I had the opportunity to meet this legendary lady, and I came away even more impressed than ever.

"That is one cool rock and roll apron, Freddy".   I must have one.

Freddy with one of her originals.
Love that tree!

Stephanie, a delightfully energetic young woman,  hosted the event with  fabric, friends, and foods.  Check out her blog for some great photos at  http://kwiltzbystephanie.blogspot.com/2014/05/whoop-whoop-freddy-moran-is-in-house.html 

 I was able to create one piece and begin another with my twist on Freddy's collage methods.  I may really get into this instant gratification of cut, glue, & paste.  I can create a large piece ready to quilt in a day. That is movin' on for me!

in progress
unedited 40" x 48"

 in progress
unedited, 34-ish " x 54-ish "

Then it is on to Portland to hang out with my daughter, Casey for a few days.  My friends Tina and Mary drove me to Portland where we lunched at a new French~Norwegian spot named Maurice.  What can I say ~ other than exquisite.  Then it's off to catch up with Casey.

She had a busy schedule and I had to be on my game to keep up with her.  She was a host for the grand opening of the Madewell shop in Portland on Tuesday.  The shop will also feature items from local artists, and Casey created hand turned wooden vessels for ceramic pots filled with succulents that will be sold in the new shop.

cool - huh?

 Champagne brunch, shopping, and the grand opening gala at 6pm.  Food and beverage is the best in Portland, and Casey always chooses just the right spots to enjoy. As an added treat, the weather was very warm and sunny.  Perfect for walking around the city and enjoying the sights.  We did stop off at the Tanner Goods shop to see our collaborative quilts.  I must admit, I was thrilled to see them hanging in the shop.  Plus, the light fixture you partially see, was designed and made by Casey.

On Wednesday, my lovely friend, Bonnie, picked me up and we go for a deliscious lunch.  And off again to the 'burbs to meet with Bill Volckening and view some of his fabulous antique quilts. It was a treat to meet and talk quilts with such a knowledgeable person.  And get to see some of the quilts that he has made.  

Bill proudly shows his latest quilt

an antique quilt from Tennessee

Those are a few highlights of my week in the great northwest.  I can't wait to return.  There is always adventure around every corner.  

And More Progress

Bicycle 101
pieced and ready to quilt
@ 30 x 36

I had this next piece hanging on my design wall since August 2013.  It was done during a workshop with Elizabeth Barton at Arrowmont.  Elizabeth graciously complimented the composition, but all I kept seeing was the big CBS eye.  It began to make be a big crazy, as it stared at me day in and day out on the wall.  A few days ago, as I was cleaning up some the the piles of fabric from a project, I decided that I was tired of it's glare.  And I had exhausted all ideas of what to do with it.  This thing had become an intrusive monster.  I snatched it from the wall and hacked it up with my rotary cutter. There! I said as I tossed the pieces into the trash and went back to my cleaning.  Feeling much more relaxed.  

However, those pieces were still wimpering for help the next day.  I reluctantly salvaged  them from the trash and began to play with them again.  The results were very pleasing to my eye, and as it hangs on the wall today, I am at piece with it's rebirth.  

eye to eye
@ 20" x 28"

getting it together

After spending a delightful afternoon with Melody and some fellow Bad Ass Quilters, I am inspired once again.  And not to take away from the charms of these artists, but the sunshine and 72 degree temperatures helped as well. We were all reveling in the glorious weather.  

The quilt for nephew and bride, has come together at last.  So without further ado

to be quilted, soon, very soon

 After chatting with the kids about what they might like to have, I tuned in on a few of their key words:

greens

earth tones

neutrals

triangles

traditional
an original Mary quilt

SO

greens, earth tones, neutrals = my loose interpretation of colors

traditional = flying geese

 triangles + original = circles with loosely drawn geese

(my theory being, that no two geese are exactly alike)

= an original Mary quilt

This quilt was one of those that I felt my way blindly throughout the making, as I am not so good at discerning just what someone else's vision might be.  

Here's to hoping the kids will like it once it is quilted.  

Which is rumored to be soon, very soon.  

Cheers, y'all

a long winter's nap

First of all I want to say a very heartfelt thank you to those who have checked in with me the past few months that I haven't been blogging.  It is so appreciated and so nice to be remembered even though I haven't been "out there".  All is well, but sometimes life just throws up too many obstacles for one to always what one wants to do.    

 So tired of our exceptionally cold, dreary, wet winter, I just returned from a walk in the most welcome sun, some pre-March winds, and warm temperatures.  It was inspiring for me, to say the least.  After 5 months of not posting, and with the holidays past, it is time to shovel out of the rut.

One of my projects included a collaboration with my extremely talented daughter, Casey. Check out her Pinterest boards.  It was such a great experience to work with her on 3 pieces.  I can't share details or photos of these designs quite yet, but it is coming soon. 

Meanwhile here are a few photos of some of the experimenting and quilts I've been playing with before and after the collaboration.  All are unfinished, my normal way of playing.  

14" x 27"

64" x  78" for Chase & Andrea

Twin size for Evie
(remember those chenille bedspreads of the 1950?)

twin size for Silas

16" x 22"

Now to settle down and get some things finished, right?