Expansive Designing

Patt was around today for the second half of my EBHQ workshop. Her work has started to fill the wall (and even beyond). We had fun, for sure, and this group worked hard and had spectacular results. I will miss this very well informed and talented bunch.

Top of the World

The wonderful Mary took me to the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco today. We took in the view at the top of the "tower" to see the entire bay area. Absolutely beautiful.

Making the Cut At EBHQ

The East BayHeritage Quilters hosted my workshop today. Here Ellen slices through her set, trying to like the cacophony of printed material. The second day is Monday for this class. Maybe she will like it better? Stay tuned.

Art Appreciation

You might know these two. Just don't tell them what to like. Goes for most of us, right?

Overweight?

Just in time I remembered I bought this gizmo. It will weigh my bags before I check in. And will also weigh in any fish I happen to catch. And do both if I put the fish in my suitcase.

Homework is Finished

Two strip sets will jump into my bag tomorrow as I pack for my weekend workshop. On the left is the one with the SAME kinds of fabric, on the right is DIFFERENT fabrics (ignore the other goofy pieces on top). I don't always make such wild picks, but it is California-esque.

Dusk to Dawn

Thought you might like to see Dusk / Dawn all cleaned up and ready for the show. This was my answer to the challenge to make a piece for the theme "Night and Day". It will go on exhibit May.

Stuff for the Suitcase

Piles of fabric won't all fit in my suitcase, but I plant to bring some hand dyes with me on my California trip. Just have to choose and pick -- that's the hard part.

Strip Sets for Sunny California

For my class this coming weekend in Albany, California, I ask participants to sew two strip sets. Now, I have some homework as well. Here is the one set of the "same" fabrics.

Sneak Preview in Auburn

"Flying Solo 2" is part of The Schweinfurth's "Made in New York" exhibition set to open next Saturday. Tonight was an event that featured a sneak peek of the show, and I got to see it in place. It is always an interesting show -- catch it before May 25.

Large Skinny Line Leaf Quilt

Today at the DeCamp studio I had a chance to see my quilt spread out and in better light. Nice to see the Peeps today, as well as all the work they are doing.

Thimble Case Logic

Knitted thimble case? I would not have guessed. Saw it at the meeting yesterday and was intrigued. I was told the pattern is on the internet. Well, isn't everything?

Skinny Line Leaf on a Trip

Today at the meeting of the Quilters Consortium of New York State, I sat next to Linda Anderson. Seems that her guild, the North Country Quilt Guild, will see me and my "Skinny Line Leaf" workshop in about a month. So, I sent her home to show off my quilt. She seems happy to oblige.

Sympathetic Friends

This is the view I have from my couch. Forgive my weak photo. At left is my work, and at right is Carol Aquilano's beautiful oil of an apple orchard near Coxsackie, New York. They both have that great line quality, strong shape, brilliant color. It was serendipity they were placed near each other.

Happy St Pat's Day

Today I took the old Bernina to the shop just south of Penn Yan, New York  to be fixed. I passed this green shake in a lovely bulk foods shop nearby. I'm not Irish, mind you, but I did grow up Patty with my brother Mike.

Facing is the Task

There is plenty of sunlight streaming into the living room, so that is where I pick to sew the facing. Good light, great atmosphere.

Pin, Squirt, Let Dry

The piece, still connected, is pinned to the design wall and christened with water to help block it. When it is dry, I will cut it apart, trim it all, and add the facing. Nice to have the work nearly finished.

A Clean One Thousand

This blog was started to see if I could do one photo and a couple of sentences EVERY DAY. Except for maybe three days, I have done this 1000 consecutive days. Life has changed, things have passed, but I am still here. And I want to thank my very loyal and kind followers. You now have 1000 snippets of my thoughts, 1000 photo images, and 1000 thanks for being there.

Not Another Show Photo

Be bored with this, like me. Hey, the reason I got so much quilting done yesterday is because we had (and its official) a blizzard. 16" and I am quite happy to suspend normal and just work in the studio.

Clever Me

My next work is a diptych. I decided to put the halves together, as well as connect the two backs, and load them both on the longarm. I may loose an inch of quilt, but so much easier to handle and just keep merrily-ing-along.

Just a Little Snip

Kathy Ford tried to teach me her method for inset corners. I involves sewing that corner and then cutting to the turn. I think I would have to do 500 before I get it right. This is about number 16th.

Seeing Red

I seem to be drawn to that red / purple thing. This is my last stop of today's errands. And someone, somewhere, had a more brilliant and romantic location for this sky than over the grocery store.

Seeing Red

This print caught my eye, and I love how those shapes float around in that tomato soup red. What fun to do something like this -- only really large. 

Checking Progress

These long pieces will hang cheek to jowl, but for now I am working on them as separate pieces. Thinking of title Dusk/Dawn. Too Tony Orlando for you?

Paley at the MAG

One of the newest installations in the sculpture garden at the Memorial Art Gallery is Albert Paley's work "Soliloquy" which is a 25' tall structure of stainless steel. You can see more of it and a video of him working on it here http://mag.rochester.edu/centennial-sculpture-park/about-artists/albert-paley/

Journal Post on Journal Post

The Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) publishes a quarterly journal. This issue has an article I wrote "Have Venue? Now Install". What was so nice to see are all my friends caught in my photographs. Which makes me realize that these installations could not be there without their help.

Sunburned Venus

This work, Statue of Venus Obliterated by Infinity Nets, greets you at the entrance to the Memorial Art Gallery's main hall. This contemporary work by Yayoi Kusama has the background underpainted in kelly green with an overcoat of brilliant red (with lots of dots taped out to show the green). Its compelling, for sure.

Slow Progress

My sketch is at the right, and the main work is in progress. Not hard at all to cut into these great colors in the total white of winter.

Think Spring

A friend send me home with cuttings of curly willow. I waited a few weeks, and am now rewarded with lovely new green. When the weather warms, I will pot this up for my patio.

Get Going

Got some hunks of fabric out and started cutting. Feels good, now lets see what comes of it.

Functionality

Most of my quilts are destined for the wall. But this one is in a functional style. And for its tryout, it gets some attention.