Long Over Due

Now that I'm a bit more mobile (cast is off the ankle) I've been able to get into the studio and do some much needed cleaning, organizing, and catching up.  In doing so I came across some blocks that had been pieced into an attic windows setting a number of years ago.  The blocks had come to me through a block exchange.  Oh my word!!!!  Some of the blocks had been signed and showed a date of 1994!!!

It was definitely time to get this flimsy sandwiched and quilted. I managed the sandwiching and decided to send it out to my local long-arm quilter to do it justice.  Voila!!!  It's finally completed and looking at each of the blocks brings back memories of the online conversations we had during this exchange. 

I've called it Windows on the World because the blocks came from everywhere.  Starting in the upper left blocks were from Wisconsin, Nebraska, New Mexico; Vermont, Maine, California, Australia, New Mexico, Illinois, California, Hawaii, California, Nebraska, Singapore, Connecticut, France, Australia, Maine, Arizona; and me, representing British Columbia.

Some scraps and glue

I've been trying to finish up a piece that uses the technique of Sue Carlson.  You know, the one where she uses all types of fabrics and composes pictures of imaginary creatures.

It's basically a type of collage, except using fabric rather than paper.  Glue still comes in handy though.  Here is a close up of what I mean.

I'm once again working with complimentary colours and using a simple shape.  I would like to get this finished by the end of December so that I can use it as a sample piece when I describe the technique to my local fibre art group (QuArtz).

This is how far I have managed to get but there is still a way to go.

Till the next time, let the creative muse settle on your shoulder and whisper in your ear.

Row by row Mystery

Our guild celebrated its 35th anniversary.  Part of the celebrations included a challenge and a mystery.  The mystery was a row quilt.  Each row was revealed at each monthly meeting until all 7 rows were presented.  The blocks used represented "Pearls of Wisdom";  appropriate for a 35th Anniversary don't you think?  I had been saving a particularly colourful fabric for just the right moment.  This seemed to be that moment.  Here's what I ended up with; Spicy Pearls

The pearls of wisdom were represented by these blocks:

• Goose Tracks for "What's good for the goose is good for the gander"
• Duck's Foot in the Mud for "Like water off a duck's back"
• Hovering Hawks for "Watch like a hawk"
• Lost Goslin for "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"
• Crows Nest for "Something to crow about"
• Birds in the Air for "Birds of a feather flock together"
• Hens and Chicks for "Don't count your chickens before they hatch"

Off to do some hand quilting on another UFO.  Till the next time, be happy and creative.

It's been a while

My word!  It's been almost 6 months since the last time I posted here.  Truth be told, I was stuck in a creative rut; didn't know where to begin; so many UFOs, too many learned techniques, and far too many excuses not to go into the studio.  Well it's time to get a hold of myself and get going.  I'm kinda reminded of the story of the mouse that fell into a bucket of milk.  The mouse thought it would drown until it started to lap at the milk; little by little the milk disappeared, and the mouse crawled out of the bucket.  These last 6 months I've been "lapping at the milk" and it's finally time to climb out of the bucket.

I had posted about the beginnings of my work on Gypsy Wife by Jen Kingwell, which you can read here.  It's finally pieced and ready for sandwiching and quilting.  Here is what it looks like now.  Any ideas?

I chose to do the background striping as an exercise in transitioning from one hue to another.  I think it worked out well.