Moving = Gelato = Heaven

Summer means cutting the lawn with a rotary push mover. Which in turn means ice cream is the reward. Good philosophy, I think.

You Know It's Summer...

When there is enough daylight to do at least five things after dinner. Just minutes from taking this shot I was  in the water below paddling the Erie Canal (yes, that Erie Canal). There are plenty of diversions around to keep me from my work. It's summer.

Sense of Summer

On my walk through the Unitarian Church grounds (my neighborhood  garden) there is a solitary lily in the midst of the woodland garden. The area is so sweetly scented, and the landscape so pretty. Definately the height of summer.

In Progress

It's on the longarm, and now off as well. Tomorrow I'll add the binding. Since I'm no good at putting unfinished work aside, I am determined to finish before taking on the next work.

Ripping Out

I love to take out a seam with the edge of my rotary cutter. Not that I like to, but had to readjust the setting on this four patch leaf.

Make/Dye While the Sun Shines

I took advantage of the heat and still air to underpaint with dye on fabric. Later, when I need the cool basement, I'll pole wrap these yards for shibori.

Sign Post

This appeared yesterday on the pavement in front of my house. Must be a sign for me to either get out my motobecane and dust it off, or else to watch out for those who are looking for guidance. Hmmm.

And just to tease my critics, here is another version (but one that I will not use) just for fun!

Critic's Choice

I rarely post two images, but here is the dilemma. Which setting is more appealing? Please weigh in your choice. The light bits in the center, or the light bits in the corner?

Bits of Pieces

A beautiful walk to the park and beyond brought me to the new West Elm store. Here is either a decoration of driftwood, or a basket of driftwood for sale. Either way, it says that nature is the hip decorating style. Or maybe neutrals rule.

Make Mine a Double

I've got two of four on the design well. Trying to make the center light, like a square on point. We'll have to see how it looks.

Original Post-It Note

I work a lot with freezer paper for templates, and just realized that it is so better than post-it notes. I think I've used this template now about six times. Still sticks!

The Garden Calls

All day Saturday was our group's perennial plant sale. Now, with a dozen new plants to establish, I've got some gardening to do. Summer is never lazy -- just crazy.

From the Wash(out)

Part of the experiments I did out on dye/print day at my friend's barn. This has some monoprinting, some direct dye drawing, and some pulls of color through it all. This is about a 1/2 yard of fabric. Might add some more later on. Next month we're going to do some discharge and textile paint stamping.

Test of Time

A bit from the dye day yesterday. I left the right side to 'batch' longer -- like a day -- before washing out. The left side washed about six hours after I applied the dye. Can't see a whole big difference, so for the impatient in me, I'll not wait to wash.

Surface Design Day in the Barn

Bev's beautiful barn (and there were real chickens in the floor below) was the place to do some dyeing and printing today. With a mild rain outside, Anne and Mary stretch a piece of soda-soaked fabric over her dye plate for a monoprint.

Perfect Summer Day

Being outside is all I want to do. Tonight was a chance to take a walk along the "Secret Walk" on the edge of Lake Ontario near Charlotte. Tomorrow is a dye day, and it's outside again.

Another and Another New Big Leaf

I've sent off examples of my New Big Leaf to guilds here and there, so now I've none to show when I travel. Time to do another. This batch of fabric was a gift from Beth, so I'm trying this color scheme. Except the green is mine.

Dye Times Three

Same bucket of dye for a light blue linen, a natural linen, and the usual cotton pfd. More to experiment, now that summer is here.

Perfect Dye Studio Summer Style

Back yard studio setup includes (foreground) plastic table, rollers for dye, containers; (middle ground) clothesline with pins; and (background) hammock for waiting for the fabric to dry. Also helps to have a cool drink on hand.

Quilts 20/20 on My Mind

These five works -- Barbara Watler, quilt from the Pilgrim/Roy collection, Elin Noble, Terrie Mangat, and another from the Pilgrim/Roy Collection --- are on the exhibit at the Susquehanna Art Museum in Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania till the end of August. I curated and designed the show, and it can only please.

Memphis Wannabees

This photo was sent in by a traveling reader. She saw these installations in Memphis, and they seem made of plastic or non-textile material. But aren't they for all the world quilt patterns? Pretty cool.

Rochester Contemporary 6x6 2015

Yes, I have four small works in the middle of this mayhem. Over 6,000 works from all over the globe are to be seen for the last weekend. Nearly 2,500 of them have been sold for $20 each. What fun to see the materials, subjects, styles. Food for thought!

Tiding Up a Bit

June was a month with lots of travel, and the studio filled with items unpacked from workshops and shows. Now it's time to reroll the works, shelve them for a few months, and get back to work. It won't be long before I see my work table again.

Diversions in Exhibits

Sometimes I take on an exhibit design just to return to work in museums. This panel exhibit was installed yesterday and will be officially open tomorrow. I love the process, the collections, and the stories behind the theme.

Letterforms from Long Ago

A visit to the Rutgers campus (starting as Queens College in 1766) this weekend had this lovely graffiti. Can't say when the letters were carved, but that serif is pretty dapper. Think quilted line.

Guiding Light

I took the weekend to visit the New Jersey coast for the Fourth of July. I seem to be collecting coastlines lately, so I'll add another spot. This lighthouse is from the mid 1800s.

Sign of theMonth

My tax bill just arrived this week and my plan is to pay the whole blob of it. Then I just have to work on the Art part of life.

Long View from Harrisburg

My work is far right Mummy Bags/Canopic Jars in the exhibition that opened mid June. Nancy Crow's is far left, with a wonderful bars quilt from the LancasterHistory.org collection in the middle.  In Harrisburg at the Susquehanna Art Museum till August 30.

Canna Heaven

My friend Marcia sends all her friends home with canna bulbs in the spring. Now they are filling my containers. I'm plenty happy with the foliage alone. I know the flower will be icing on the cake. Just happen to really like that Big Leaf.

Botanicals in Silk

The VQF had Chris Wickert's piece and I got a close up look at the hand applique and hand quilting. Nothing I would ever attempt. I do admire her ability to do this so flawlessly.

It Helps to Be Young

The kids who entered quilts in the Vermont Quilt Festival were from 4 1/2 to 18. Each got a Janome machine for entering. Don't that just beat all? And there were lots of lumpy throats in the audience.