Glorious Prints May 7-12 at Pro Chem

Here's the next set I'm using -- two one yard pieces I've made by screening and direct painting, with a bit of drawing. I'll be teaching this at Pro Chemical and Dye this May, and class is filling up! There are a few spots left in the May 7-12 class in Fall River. It's is a blast, if I have to say. Here is the link:  https://prochemicalanddye.net/

Snow Time Like the Present

I've taken to maximizing studio time as much as I can this month. It's paid off, with a few new pieces, an update for a few projects in need, and a good rhythm to "get up and get going". The warm weather can wait, I've work to do.

Seeing Daylight

I've got no name for this, except for an instagram suggestion of "Boom, Boom, Boom" which will have to be its mark for now. It's finished, and when hung on the wall reflects some color on the white beadboard.

Bird on the Wire

George Wegman's lovely black bird is part of an exhibition at the Little Theater of six artists who meet every week for lunch. I imagine them talking over one another, no art at the table, just happy to have an artist's perspective over lunch. It's the good life.

Time to Quilt

Using my domestic Bernina, the one I've been using since 1988, I'm running around the printed elements in the fabric. It's fun, mindless, and gets the job done.

It's Not That Difficult

Great gripping fear overcomes you when you cut these fabrics apart. Unless you look at the tall stack of yards that is waiting in the wings, and you know you've got more. So, here goes. More cutting and sewing.

Sticking to the Design Wall

A shuffle of the pile on hand yielded these two yard cuts of printed fabric. So, my challenge again: combine them exclusively, ending with a 40" square.

Easy Landing

I've a few spots in my Cape Coddie that are large enough to hang my work. Here is how the latest finished out, and you can get a sense of the scale from what surrounds it. I've been keeping these last few squares to 40" just as a challenge.

Adding What Isn't All There

Objects implied are always fun to add. If I've got a big of a circle, I may complete it. Same for a shape, like a cross. I'll finish quilting and get it hung soon.

Design Wall Working

The design walls are so handy to try out combinations of those two fabrics. I've cut, added, shifted, lined up a bit, and joined. May not keep this draft, but that's what the wall is all about.

Timeless Wendell

Wendell Castle, who passed away yesterday, was known throughout the world for his beautiful art and teaching us all how to live as an artist. I met him through his video on making a music stand, in 1974. That memory remains vivid, alive, timeless. Much like Wendell Castle.

At the Starting Gate

Two printed pieces I've pulled to do my next work. They are interesting in themselves, but let's see if I can't slash and burn these into something more.

One for Me, One for a Friend

Seneca Falls held the first women's rights convention in 1848,  and tomorrow we'll honor that tradition. I've made two hats, one for gifting. Solidarity sister.

Print Run

The last week or so I've tried to add to my pile of printed fabric. Now I'll pick another two yards for the next work. For me, it is a good challenge -- can I make a composition with just two fabrics? Well, helps that I've interesting fabrics.

Moon Behind the Fence

The moon appears through a chain link fence behind my house, between branches, ivy, and brambles. This piece is now finished. Thought you'd like to see it. 

Not Normally Done

Someone who'd bought my fabric asked for two more yards of similar kind. This is my attempt to match the sample (shown horizontally). It wasn't easy, and I won't readily do it again, but I did learn a lot. So, win--win.

Sewing on the Edge

When I face a quilt, I will add the strip to the front, like a binding, but then open it out and stitch close to that seam, like a stay stitch. Next I pull the facing to the back, rolling a tiny bit of the front of the quilt to the back.

From Little Bits

I've got this under the quilting needle, having fun working with the images and lines that appear somewhat randomly. I love the drawing part of the quilting. Much more satisfying than any kind of implied design.

Try Again

Another iteration. Something that happens a lot on this wall. But not for long.

Balancing Act

My tops are made with many short seams, sometimes. And the up and down of sewing has my knees looking for ice. On my counter I put a spare machine so that I can just zip those seams if I stand on one foot. Easy.

Sharks Make Me Happy

Kim Werth's shirt reads "Sharks Make Me Happy" and so on, but I think  what we're celebrating is the top notch quilting on her latest piece. With luck, it'll be on the road for the world to see. And then she can play with the sharks. This from the GVQC meeting today.

Stacked High

Now that we've climbed to the double digits, I can print more fabrics. I'll be taking these on the road -- Tampa, Massachusetts, Saskatoon, Eugene -- so I better get a few stacked up and ready to travel. (You can take a class in May 7-12 with me at Pro Chemical in Fall River, Mass if you want to learn this yourself.)

There Seems to Be a Draft

Here's what came about next on the design wall. Not what I planned to work on, but this jumped the line. So, another moon, I see. Must be in the air.

Moon Through the Trees

Here's the finished piece. I fell for someone once under a full moon (doesn't everyone?). But, since it's happening this month, it'll be called "Once in a Blue Moon" for obvious reason.

In a Heap

The city has collection stations for recycling Christmas trees, so when it got above 10 degrees, that was the signaled to take down and toss. I almost changed my mind, because as I drove, the smell was so wonderful I was tempted to keep it longer.

Waiting for Meltdown

The forecast has this cold turning slightly -- into the teens -- tomorrow. Till then, it's indoors, just looking out. But Zero is Zero.

Back to Backing

One of my favorite things I do in the summer is getting together at a friend's barn to discharge fabric. We have a ball, slop around bleachey things, and I go home with a pile of great "printed" fabric. This is the back of my moonscape quilt, ready to face.

Binging on the Telly

It only took about three episodes of bingwatching "The Last Tango in Halifax" to face and sleeve this quilt. But then, that leaves me finished. Well, except for the signature. But, hey, finished.

Found This Morning

I'd spent way too much time sitting and quilting this (an excuse to binge watch some British TV series), and found it this morning in the first light. Time to slap it on the design wall, block it, and get binding tomorrow.

Super Moon

That Super Moon outside will have to be seen through my window, as I'm wimping out from the cold. I'll offer this detail of the piece on the wall today. It'll have many moons, many months, many revolutions enough.

Hand Work in Degrees

I seldom hand quilt. But  because the fabrics were so soft and easy needle, and I've got loads of episodes to binge (at 1 degree outside), I've saved a few squares for some hand stitching.