Spring has sprung

Or is it summer in disguise?  Down south we have had record high temps.  Whew!  Need I say that I am not ready for summer?  What happened to spring?  The dogwoods and iris are in full bloom. Gloriously.
I am stuck with my latest geometric triangular design. So why not go with the flow?
Taking pictures of the prolific dogwood blossoms and giant white iris blooms, I have left those geos in the dust/mud and felt compelled to create new textile art/fiber art/quilt from my pictures of the exquisite deep pink dogwood tree in my backyard.

Taking multiple photos of all the dogwoods, pink and white, I quickly settled on the composition of the white dogwood.  However, not wanting to do another white bloom, I used this photo as my design, using pink as the color of the blooms.

Okay, so I know that they are totally different botanical configurations, but this composition just spoke to me.  Hello.  Use me.  But make me pink.  Call it artistic license.  Does that work for you?  Hey, it is working for me, at any rate.  Here is where it has gotten me thus far.  

the pattern:

day 3:

Just know that these are simply pieces of fabric pinned to my design wall and not sewn together.  Subject to change at my whim.  They are not my usual colors of choice.  But I am liking the pink (okay I have begun a new love affair with pink) and the blue greens, which seem to play well.

I am off and running again with my fav.  

I can't wait for tomorrow.

One more my friend's shirts quilt finished

Another one bites the dust.  Bound and ready for snuggling on a chilly day.  

front 
All shirtings set together with 3 different pieces of orange shot cottons.
Straight line machine quilting with variegated threads.

back
Using an old piece of chambray which had the corner cut into, I added a length of shirting strips along with a couple of more pieces of shirting to make it large enough for the backing.  

Originality

Recently some friends and I were talking about originality.  As in, there is nothing original in this world.  I do agree with that.  As much as I try to create an original quilted piece, and I occasionally think that, aha!, by jove I've done it.  I've only to go as far as my laptop and find that the little black sliver of fabric I've inserted into one of my last quilts to make the blocks line up has already been done!
Yet, that seems to inspire me to try and try again. 

I do enjoy a challenge.

The past few days I have been playing with triangles.  Nothing new there.  But just maybe.  If I take my pattern from the last piece, 

and play around with the lines in a new sketch, I'll find another way of doing this motif.  (Am I really going to do a series?)  Yeegads!

First I cut 1 1/2 ", 1", and 3/4" strips of black and white fabrics, using my ruler.

Next, using my scissors, no measurements, no rules, I cut little triangles from multiple colors.  I decided to sew alternating black and white strips on two sides of the triangles.  Need I mention that it became addicting.  Here's what I have got so far.  

Although I didn't stick to the sketch, I am enjoying the way it is going.  So far this is some good therapy and some good fun.  It makes me happy just to look at it.  Not too sure where I'll go from here, but I like the idea of the colored triangles being different sizes.  Little bits of color.  Zig zags.
Original?  Maybe not in the worldly scheme of things. but for me, definitely yes.  Geometrics.  Series.  I would have never dreamed that I would be doing this.

Now that I've gotten several triangles made, I'll sew them together and see what happens.  And I am not going to stress over matching them up perfectly, as they are all just a bit different in size.  To my eye, that is what will make it more interesting.  But then, that's just my opinion.  Life is good.  Maybe not too original, but still good fun. We'll see what tomorrow brings.  

Food for thought

Geometrics are not my strong point.  It's been a challenge for me to take a motif and convert the lines into something pleasing to the eye.  Part of it might have to do with the decision making process.  Trying to visualize what to make of these lines. I agonize far too long over all sorts of sketches.  Why can't I just pick up the fabric and start cutting and sewing?   Without a pattern?  Yikes!  That is the other difficult part for me.  No drawn pattern so that I can get the proportions and scale right.  So I ended up drawing a scale pattern.  And I got it finished.

After all the serious doubts about which way this was going to hang, I went with my first thoughts.  At the suggestion of a friend, I kept revolving it.  As this assignment for my art quilt study group was about asymmetrical balance, I liked the way it felt at this rotation.  It invokes an Asian design to my eye.  It turned out nothing at all like my original sketch.  Yet it was interesting and fun to work through the process to see what it might become. 

room setting with another motif project, the pillow.
can anyone see what the motif is supposed to be?
does it look balanced?

I am going to let it hang this way as I continue to study it and perhaps go back to the original sketch and try another design.  This series stuff could be fun.  And hopefully the next one I will attempt to do without drawing a pattern.  

Wordless Wednesday

Well not really wordless. 

Not really Wednesday.

At first I thought I would just post some pictures.  Then I thought I should first do a bit of 'splainin'  since I had created no posts since the first of December.  It's like this,

Christmas prepartions

Stripping wallpaper from 5 rooms

Painting 5 rooms

Redecorating 5 rooms

Being a guest lecturer (don't ask)

Beginning a new art study group

Cleaning out the basement for an indoor fabric dyeing studio

At last I am back to the good stuff.  Oh how I missed quality time in my studio.

And I really missed "talking" to all my online friends.

But now, I am back, albeit sporadically, I fear.

When I began blogging, I wasn't too sure I would stick to it.  I sorta got out of the habit tried to stop spending so much time on the internet and become more productive.  So I might not be blogging as much for a bit, but if I have anything to show, you betcha I'll be showing off.  

Here is what I have gotten done lately.

I finished piecing the string stars quilt using shirts from my friend's husbands shirts. She asked for the more traditional layout, whew!

Ready to be quilted

  

Another shirt quilt for my friend's family. All Gee's Bendish and laid back.  I used 3 different colors of Kaffe Fasset's shot cottons for the sashings.   It's actually quilted and ready to have the binding stitched.  (Sorry my computer ate that picture.) 

 A few of my friends and I began an art study group using Lorraine Torrence and Jean Mills' book, Fearless Design for Every Quilter.  There are 10 lessons and we are attempting to do one lesson per month.  This quilt is the result of one of my "study" blocks from the first lesson. Done by the seat of my pants, feeling my way along and figuring it out as I go.  It is 45" square and destined to hang over the mantle in my living room.  Maybe.  If the quilting goes well.  If not, it might be the first of a series.  I cut 1 1/4 inch strips of fabric and stitched them together.  Then cut them into the various shapes.  Lots of quality therapy time with my rotary cutter and Juki.  

And speaking of Juki.  I bought the new Juki TL-2010Q from this wonderful shop.  (I felt that I was justified because I had sold two of my quilts.)  Now, I love love love my Juki TL-98Q, but the new model has a speed control.  Yippee.  A brighter light. More yippees.  It came with all the necessary feet and tools.  What more can I ask?  I would highly recommend  Raichert's online shop in case you are in the market.  Great prices, excellent customer service.  And nothing sews like a Juki. 

Now, if I only had 44 hours in my day and could mange with 4 hours of sleep.

Has it really been so so many days since my last post?

Gee, it really has been more than a few days. Where does the time go?
I have been busy, busy.  And I really, really have been trying avoid the temptation to start any new projects until I have finished quilting some of the tops.  Famous last words, eh? Seems I have broken my vows.  To catch up on what's been going on before and after Thanksgiving.

I hand dyed many, many yards of fabric

75 yards of fabric to be exact

         Now, if you will, click to jump over to 15 minutes play to read about a project that I began way back in October.  It's all about making quilts from recycled shirts, but these shirts are more than just recycled.  They have special meaning.  Once you read all about it, check back in to see that I have not been exactly true to my vows.  I was compelled to make more of the 15 minutes play blocks.

And then I was inspired to make some string stars with the shirts, thinking that it would make an appropriate quilt for the grandson.  As the strips of fabric became too small to fit the diamond, I sewed them into new fabric, so I have string/pieced fabric stars. 

Now to decide on the arrangement.  Shall it be like this?

or this?

or this?

or make more blocks for a traditional layout?
Time will tell.

Lest you think that I cannot stick to any sort of commitment, I did complete the

quilting on two tops. 

This one I designed using Electric Quilt several years ago.  It was all paper pieced by my friend, Laura and was supposed to be included in a pattern booklet that I was involved in publishing with another quilter.  Long story short, the booklet didn't happen.  

But here's the quilt.

Marriage in the Mountains   62" x 68"

I also completed my reproduction of a quilt made with strips of fabric contributed by 11 friends in the 15 minutes bee .  It was great fun to play with all the strips of fabric, arranging and rearranging, cutting, slashing and rearranging again. I quilted it sparsely, so it's soft and comfy, just perfect for a lazy day on the sofa or a picnic in the park. 

Real Deal   68" x 76"

And now to pull out another quilt top, get it sandwiched and start quilting once again. 

Issues

I've been practicing a bit of self discipline the past few days.  It seems I have a stockpile of quilt tops that are screaming to be quilted.  I am certain that none of you have this issue that you feel that it must be dealt with.  (pants on fire) That issue along with some health issues have prevented me from being too productive as of late.  So I am determined to spend a bit of time doing some sporadic free motion quilting to clear the slate, deal with the onset of other issues and get ready for the holidays.  Thus, I have nothing new to show.  But wait.  I have some old things to show thanks to Mom.  She bought this delightful crib quilt years ago.  To my mind it is SO SO Fresh Modern.  Doncha think?

Fresh Modern Crib quilt from @ 1940s

block from crib quilt

block from crib quilt

block from crib quilt

OH, how I would love to find the fabrics that were used in this sweet quilt.  

Twin one

No you are not seeing double.  These are the lovely twin quilt mates.  

Probably from the 1940's as well.

Twin two

What fun, huh? Although I am not normally drawn to these styles,
I am hard pressed to keep at my free motion quilting and not begin something new.   There is something to be said about this fresh new/old look.  I am re inspired.
Thanks Mom
What inspires you these days?

Explorations

just to much chaos for me, today

which will calm the chaos a tiny bit?

pink/orange silk won out as the flavor of the day for a 58" x 68" finish

Pulling out all my books showing Gee's Bend quilts, browsing the web for Anna Williams, as well as some of my favorite quilters, it was time to just get on with it.  Make a decision to complete this one as best as I could.  It was not going to be an Anna Williams masterpiece, nor a Gee's Bend masterpiece, it will just be what it will be.  It has been a love/hate affair of sorts, always depending on my mood.  There has been difficulty separating the mind and the moods.  Try as I might, I was not able to view it with a detached eye.  As usual, the emotions won out.  It is what it is, I am what I am.  Finish this one up and keep exploring. 
What have y'all been exploring lately?

Rebel inspiration

How to arrange

twenty 11 1/2 inch blocks made from silk ties

too structured for me today

I tried integrating reds, pinks and all sorts of other ideas inspired by my fellow bloggers' comments.  Nothing felt just right.  Except this bright orange linen tie that I had yet to cut apart. Not enough in that skinny tie to last very long.  So I had to give up on the idea of the linen, unless I want to stop and hand dye some linen fabric.   

 I opened one of the storage units that hold 

my stash of multi-colored florals

and this Alexander Henry design was looking me straight in the face.

Maybe because of the brisk fall air, seeing pumpkins everywhere I go, 

but shades of orange kept whispering to me.  And then perhaps the upcoming holiday was hovering in the back of my mind too?  I think that Sujata's brilliant use of color was also nudging at my subconscious.  The ties were just not quite as colorful as I had hoped.

Now how to put together 11 1/2 inch blocks with 7 1/2 inch blocks. Don't even ask me how I ended up with these disparately sized quilt block units.  Let's just say it was therapeutic at the time.

Late one night, perhaps because Kaffe Fasset was in town teaching and lecturing, I opened up one of his books of quilt patterns, "Passionate Patchwork".  This may have also been the result of seeing Nifty's blog with the wonderful striped shirtings quilt as well as her suggestion of using black as a connector. Very dramatic, yes?  Color issues solved for the moment.

But wait, too much black and too much orange to fill in the spaces, was detracting from the silk.  I need to let the silks shine. 

so more spacer blocks were needed.  

And I won't bore you with the countless

 arrangements and rearrangements.  

Here is where it hangs now.  

66" x 34" 

No telling what may happen next.  What you see is not always what I end up doing.
Thanks to all for your suggestions and inspiration.  It's not over yet. 

Ties

The time has come to do something with all the silk ties I have stashed away.  Some belonged to my father, my uncles, my son, my husband, my nephew and others came from thrift shops.  I have an over abundance 

Then there are the old silk blouses and slacks that I kept saving with the though that they might be back in style one day.  Alas, I have tossed the shoulder pads that should be velcroed into the blouses for that 80's look, so needless to say, the fit is no longer very attractive.  So they've been cut apart.  Let me just say right now, that it finally keeps me from wearing them in public.  

Then there are the pieces of silks that did and did not make it into garments

               Next step, I washed everything all up and began taking the ties apart

when I needed a bit of "sit down, put my feet up time".

A few days ago, I took rotary cutter in hand and began slicing and dicing 

the ties into approximately 2" inch strips.  

Like so

Not having much experience with silk, I felt that it should be sewn onto some sort of backing.  Making an executive decision, I cut 6 inch squares of muslin for the backing.  Now to decide a pattern for the silk strips.  Mulling it over and over, it's time to make the next executive decision.  Let's sew these suckers down and get on with it.

Like so

All the original ideas that I had are out the window, and now it is audition time

on a silk blouse sleeve, a new look for garments: or maybe not

silk blouse strips, oh so traditional

use the silk ties center sections for sashings, tradition with a twist?

but then, why use all silk; use recycled linen slacks

The original intention was to use silk and only silk.  The question of the day, do I want contrast? Tonight, methinks, it is all about the contrast.  Dare I go back to both sides now?
Yes, Miz Scarlett, tomorrow is another day.
No telling what it may bring.
I am wide open for suggestion here.  Don't be shy

Who's to say

Maybe I should entitle this post 

Venus and Mars

or

 man and woman

or

night and day
or

positive and negitive
or
back and front

or
to and fro
or
right and wrong
or
left and right
or

opposites attract
or
 need I continue?

I like the last one best.  Occasionally opposites do attract.

Well to my mind, it worked this time.

so here it is:
Selveges inspired front

Mandingo inspired backing

In any case, I have finished a king sized bed quilt as you go.  And my wrestling days are over, let me tell you. Marianne's QAYG method is fabulous, but I won't be doing another king bed size quilt in my life time.   Call me lazy, call me a slacker, just don't call me to do another king size quilt.  Whatever was I thinking?

Oh, and just for reference here, the Mandingo inspiration

Oh, and just to show the masculine feline approval (or at least I think he approves)

Both Sides Now
Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds * that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
I've looked at clouds from both sides now

From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As ev'ry fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I've changed
Well something's lost, but something's gained
In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all
I've looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all


Thank you Joni