Iris Skies

Again, working further with the fabric that I previously parfait dyed using RIT dyes,

I've created a series that I plan to mount separately on 1 1/2" deep canvases for hanging.

 The RIT dyes produced  fabric that was almost ethereal in appearance. This was fun to work with in contrast with a Denyse Schmidt print, alongside a Kona cotton, a commercial solid and a batik.

By simplifying my color pallet, I found that this piecing technique created framing that looked like portals, gates or entrances to the skies.

I used a few directional lines of stitching to help guide the viewer's eye. 

Hmmm? They still need something more. Maybe another layer. Some paint? Distressing? . . .
Not really done yet. 

 Iris Skies

3 - 12" x 12" x 1/12"

A Bee on the window

Yesterday we had one of those rare but miserable three digit temperature days here in Portland.

I was so grateful that we have air conditioning. But, my sewing machine is upstairs in the dormer.

It can stay pretty warm in there, once the sun comes around to heat up that part of the house.

So, I spent my sewing time in the dark. Sewing only by the light of my machine, with a fan blowing at my feet.

I was pretty comfortable for a few hours, then had to call its quits for the day.

I managed to get some lines quilted on this piece from this week's 'Parfait dyed' fabric, which I gave instructions for in a previous blog. It ended up being the one piece of fabric that received the least amount of dye. Always going for the challenge of using the ugliest piece of fabric, I had to see what I could come up with. When I first opened it out, it reminded me of a pane of glass - or a window.

I added a bee to it that I had previously inked, enlarged and painted. 

It reproduced well on a piece of fusible fabric. 

Here it is ready to mount on a canvas.

Bee On The Window

16" x 20"

Creative process

Yesterday I squeezed in some time to finish up the beading on my most recent quilt.

When I first began this project, little did I know that it's inspiration would come from our trip last week to Crater Lake. My husband and I had taken a side trip to that area on our way back from visiting our son in California.

After we got home, I was feeling some pressure to create new work in order to have a few pieces to hang at the co-op gallery I have joined.

I started with a pile of fabric that I had previously stacked and put to the side in my studio.

 Given a size requirement by the gallery, I began with my usual. Cutting and assembling of three major units that would form the base of my design. As I worked, things just weren't coming together as easily as they should. I left the first three units on my cutting board until the next day. Nope, still not what I wanted. But, I felt I was running out of time in order to meet the hanging deadline for next month's show. So, I pushed on.

My goal was to fit this onto a 16" x 16" canvas for ease in hanging. The gallery has a 'one nail' rule, so most traditional ways to hang up fiber art can't be considered. 

When I couldn't sew together any more pieces - already getting too big for what I had planned - I stopped. 

I took my work over to the ironing board for a good pressing, staring with the back side.

As you probably already figured out, as I flipped the piece over on my ironing board, a new perspective came to light. What started as "over extending to the right side" became "longer than it should be". . .

Hmmm?  . . . And of course, I just love the irregular edges. Can't cut that off!

So, I abandoned the 16" x 16" idea completely. This had already become a different quilt. 

And, guess what? . . it reminded me of Crater Lake.

Da - Hadn't we just been there?  Guess this one was just in there waiting to come out. . .

The mysteries of the human mind at work.

Crater Lake

 18" x 30"

 

On Hiatus

I am on hiatus, enjoying summer travel.

Collecting ideas, friends and good times spent with loved ones.

New Venture

This week, I joined our local Art Cooperative: The Village Gallery of Arts. 

Here is a quick link to their website:  http://villagegalleryarts.org 

I have been thinking about making this commitment for quite some time. 

Membership will provide several different venues to exhibit and sell my work. Participation in gallery responsibilities will bring an opportunity to create in a supportive environment, meet new people and make new friends.

How great is that? 

. . . Something we all need and cherish. 

You can see more of my new work at the gallery beginning in August.

Color Play

Last week, here in Portland, we actually had a string of days when our temperatures climbed to the upper 80's in the afternoons. They were glorious.

I spent a few of the cooler mornings at my sewing machine,

playing with a different color combination than what I had previously worked with.

This bright blue had been calling to me, so I made a few blocks and pieced units to see what would happen.

A predictable combination of the colors blue and yellow was not what I was after.

Half empty? or Half full?

 A few years ago, I fashioned this 6 1/2" bowl 

from a cluster of old telephone wire that my husband gave me.

The wire itself is coated with a thin plastic, in some fun colors:

Orange, light blue, green and white.

The coating made the wire easy to manipulate. I got to use some of my rough basket making skills.

 

Half empty? or Half full?

What do you see?

Reconstruction

While on retreat with the girls in my sewing group, I had casually pieced together another quilt top to continue a series of art quilts I was attempting. It all began this Spring, when it was time to plant a vegetable garden.
This is the first year that we finished the framework for the garden space. As the plants began to emerge, oh! what lovely colors they reflected back - especially after a little rain.

The series is titled, 'Grown Wild ' capturing the notion of what happens as time passes, and there is more than enough food, water and other nourishment for plants to grow. Unattended for a few days can result in a beautiful chaos of form and color!

When I got home from the retreat, I still wasn't completely satisfied with the piece I ended up with.

Some deconstruction - of what looked like 'panels' was in order.

I don't know about you, but I can piece randomly for hours while chatting it up with others, yet when it comes down to the actual construction of the final project, I have found that I need to do that alone, by myself and in silence. This is so I can 'listen' to the quilt and let it tell me what it wants to do.

After a bit of rearranging, I stitched things back up and flipped it over to get ready for quilting.

For these type of pieces, I like to use what my friend Jere calls; the pillowcase method.

You begin by layering the batting, bottom or backing, and then the quilt top.

Jere's simple reminder, "They face each other". . .has kept me focused when I'm trying to remember what 

order will produce the result I am after.

I trim it up and turn it outside in. Then, I complete the quilting.

I tried to create a bit of a jog at the bottom and I had left the area open. This required some creative binding in a direction that I wasn't really comfortable with. I'm still reviewing the final result. Yesterday, by the end of the day, I was ready to cut it all off, level the bottom and start over with the finishing.

I thought I would just sleep on it and give it a fresh look in the morning.

Not accepted

Today, the finalists were posted for Quilting Arts Magazine's

8" x 8" Art Quilt Challenge. Readers were asked to create an Art Quilt based on their signature color.

I love the color teal.

The upper half of my Dining Room is painted a darker, Blue Fir-like version of this color and it is both contemplative and elegant. Although in decorating, as with most areas of my life, I do like to mix it up a bit. 

I prefer a more primitive look with fine 'traditionals' mixed in - a sort of  juxtaposition. 

That way, one stands out against the other. I wanted to do that here with fabric.

The piece I entered (above), had been inspired and completed as a study for a larger quilt that I have been working on titled; 'Fresh Cut Grass'. I quilted 'furrows' or side-by-side lines making reference to the rows that the wheels of the lawnmower leave behind while mowing the grass.

The deeper blues and blotchy earth colors represent water and soil elements that combine with newer Spring growth (i.e. the lighter/brighter green-yellows).

I kept things simple and liked the implied order. 

As always, I had to add some gingham checks. 

A small piece of checked fabric shows up in just about every piece I make.

For 'Supper' tonight

Yesterday, I spent time working on five separate projects.

I did make a little progress on each of them. But, I had to finally settle down to finish up a tablerunner that I needed to have done for today. 

So, I sat on the porch in the afternoon and put the binding on.

I made this tablerunner to bring as a hostess gift to tonight's dinner.

I just love this Tracy Porter fabric! Of course, I wish that I had purchased more of it.

My Cousin's daughter, (I googled that and found out that she's my Cousin once removed) 

and her husband, have recently made a move here to the Portland area.

We are invited over for 'supper' tonight.

My Cousin once removed and her husband are from the Dakota's.

Where one would refer to the last meal of the day as 'supper'.

A little confusing, but I am getting better at remembering the difference between 'supper' and 'dinner'. 

The latter, referring to the meal eaten in the middle of the day. Which many of us fondly refer to as 'lunch'.

The true definition of optimism

 Even though it's been a bit darker and certainly wetter than usual this year,

here in Portland. . .

. . .the vegetable garden we put in seems to be doing okay. 

This morning, I referred to a book form of  The American College Dictionary,

rather than an online reference, to find the definition of the word: 'optimism'.

What I found was:

1. Disposition to hope for the best; tendency to look on the bright side of things.

2. the belief that good ultimately predominates over evil in the world. 

3. the doctrine that the existing world is the best of all possible worlds.

4. the belief that goodness pervades reality

A recurring theme throughout my life.

Taking some time out

Last week, we started rearranging the rooms of our house. This was a direct result of my youngest son moving to his own place, once again.

I have had these plans both in my mind and on paper, for quite some time.

We have re-purposed two of our upstairs rooms.

From the start, it was a little disorienting. 

Jonesy was just as crabby as I was for the first few days. But, after he discovered that this was all to his advantage - he actually has a bed to himself  for now -

I found him this weekend, none the worse for wear.

I haven't really done any sewing during this 'move' of ours. I've decided to take some time out and continue with the cleaning out and rearranging of the house.

Enough is enough!

 

Rain. . .

 

 Rain. . .

Go away!

Usually, I don't really mind the rain here in Portland. There are always enough sunny and beautiful days to offset the gloom.

This year, however - not so much.

I am getting weary. . .
and very homesick.


Today in
 Portland, Oregon

55°F

Current: Overcast
Wind: S at 12 mph
Humidity: 64%

 

 Today in

Minneapolis, Minnesota

83°F

Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: SW at 10 mph
Humidity: 46%

 

Here we are - all loaded up and ready to pick up one last person. 

Two mini-vans, four quilter's to a vehicle, provided just enough room to be comfortable.

After we picked up Jere we were ready to hit the road.

Our first stop, was the 'Paisley Duck' in Kelso, Washington.

It was like having 'hors-d'oeuvres' to get acquainted before a meal.

 

 

 

Next, was 'The Quilt Nest" in Castle Rock.

 

 

Then, 'Sister's Fabric' in Chehalis.

We added 'Ruby Street Quiltworks' to our list, and stopped briefly in Tumwater.

Now, at this point my memory gets a bit sketchy. I'm really not sure what pictures and what stops I did not get documented, and therefore have already forgotten. I'll have to check with everybody to get some of the blanks filled in. . .

Our destination, was the 'Wild Rose Quilt Shop' in Orting, Washington.

 They had this great service elevator to help get our sewing machines and all our other stuff  up to the second floor retreat/classroom area. Sleeping rooms and bathrooms were just behind us on each side.

 

 

 

 We enjoyed about a day-and-a-half of sewing, while we solved all of the worlds problems. . .

 

. . .lunch at the local Mexican Restaurant.

For breakfast and one evening, we shared a meal prepared in our little kitchen.

 Sunday, was our morning to pack up and leave.

After settling our tabs at the shop downstairs, we loaded the cars.

One of our van drivers had to return home earlier than those who road with me.

So, . . .

we thought we might have time to squeeze in one more quilt shop stop!

 Lucky for us, 'Carriage Country Quilts' in Des Moines would be open.

What a great ending to a wonderful weekend.

Time passed quickly, as we drove back to the Portland, Oregon area. 

We only experienced a few sprinkles of rain along the way. Everyone got home safely. Perfect!

Thanks girls, for all the weekend fun! 

 Now, the difficult part is getting back to the 'day-to-day'. . .

Yes, Dortha - it's time for "Recalculating" your route.