When It's Not Washed Out

I've done a test to tell if my fabric is sufficiently colorfast. That is: will it bleed color when wetted or washed. I've put the printed fabric on top, wool batting in middle, then white solid fabric on bottom. Sew a few rows, wet with spray bottle or soak, and let dry. Bleed through is no good.

People are Doing Ladders

In the Denver airport I stopped to take in an art piece made of glass that had layers of ladder-like elements. I've seen this motif in quilts, weavings, paintings, well, you name it. You don't have to look to hard.

Remedy for Hot Bath

I'll add this tip after the fact. A couple of weeks ago in Coupeville (and the fun of Glorious Printers!) we needed hot water to wash the soy wax from our screens. This ingenious tub was created. We poured water from the tea kettle over, and presto! Clean screen. So, reuse those large foam thingies.

Jane's Garden

Now that I'm home for a bit, I'm chaffing for a good weeding session in my garden. Wouldn't it be nice to have a Jane Sassaman Garden? Her work on exhibit last week at QBL is weed free, all upright and neat, full of color and punch. Well done garden, Jane.

Sometimes Neglect Works

This orchard waits for me to re pot it, as well as get it out of direct sunlight. Nevertheless, it has sent out buds for new blossoms. Yes, my house has been neglected, and many other of life's tasks, but somehow all have waited for my care. Will do.

These Two

I sold a few dozen prints this week, but these two were still hanging with me to the end of the week. That's fine, now I think I'll claim them to work with.  Maybe it just takes a while to appreciate the print -- another reason to look at your work hanging up.

Bittersweet

Susan Breit's work "Bittersweet" was part of the Quilting by the Lake quilt show. It's a great example of how fiber art abstracts natural elements so beautifully. Because the forms are broken down in shapes and pieces, you can't help but love the graphics. Bittersweet too, as QBL ends Friday.

How It Is When You've Found Love

Sometimes that fabric I make just wants to go home with someone else. I'll have to get used to this fickle fabric. Hanging with me, just to go and love another. Story of my life.

Art for Artists

Amanda McCavor is teaching at QBL this week and was nearby for vendor night. So I couldn't resist getting her to model my scarf. We know how to make fun from a hunk of cloth, or in Amanda's hands, a spool of thread.

Votes for Women

Ellen Blalock's work "Suffrage Quilt: Votes for Women" is here this week at QBL. She has gathered Shirley Chisholm, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jeannette Rankin for their firsts in Congress. Background is packed with a timeline of citizen's rights. Packs a lot.

Find One You Love

I've landed at Quilting by the Lake at the Onondaga Community College just south of Syracuse to sell fabrics for a week. I make my prints using a tight weave, so I've taken note to make one like this for Donna in a looser (Test Fabric's 400) weave.

Airport Art

Yesterday, I took in the art before checking my gate, my connections, my lost bags. Atlanta airport has a great way of presenting public art. Yuriko Yamaguchi's work "Georgia On My Mind" was a wall of bronze cast pieces. After taking it in I headed to my flight schedule.

Just Deserts

I'd show you the baggage tags with one traveling from Denver to Chicago then Rochester, the other Denver to Atlanta then Rochester, but suffice to say today was a split of a day. I'm home, happy to be home, but missing the experience of the west coast. A marionberry pie, natch.

What You Need to Work

Lots of light, large table, water, hot hot water, good people to bounce ideas off, and time to do it all -- that's all you need to print. This from the last day of "On Your Mark -- Print!" at the Eugene Textile Center.

Printy Happy

It takes a few days to get into the groove, and so this third day print was just right. Still at the Eugene Textile Center printing "On Your Mark -- Print!" with some very fun people.

Moon, Full Moon

I've captured my little orb to stand in for tonight's full moon. I know where I'll be -- somewhere at dinner in Eugene, Oregon, and not able to get a moonshot up on this blog. So, this will have to stand in for my monthly post at full moon time.

On Your Mark

The Eugene Textile Center has me with "On Your Mark -- Print!" and we're off. Beside scraping and mixing color, we've tried our own relief prints. This is just day one. Tomorrow we will take in monoprints and more rubbings. But with our own marks.

You Know It's Everywhere

I've landed in Eugene, Oregon for this week's class. A bit of shopping to do and searching for just this kind of metal grid -- fencing perhaps. Something for mark making. This was on the shore near Penn Cove near Coupeville, Washington.

Checking tthte Flight Plan

Before the plane was the ferry, then a meeting of Contemporary Quilt Art Association in Seattle (a pleasant surprise item on the agenda) then lunch across from Seattle's "running of the bulls" and check in to drop luggage. Then the plane. What a day!

Time for Field Trip Again

Yesterday part of the class drove over to La Conner, Washington see the Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum. Three floors showcased works in fiber, with one dedicaed to art quilts. It was full of diverse ways to address the topic at hand -- shifting tides.

Make it Big

The rains were decisive this morning, but the afternoon brought calm and sun and clouds. Back on the line were graphic, bold prints, some waiting to be printed further. The ideas keep flowing, the dye rolling, and we're given one more glorious print day Friday.

Visit to Marcia Derse

We ended our class today to visit Marcia Derse's studio on Whidbey Island, Washington to have an impromptu tour and lecture about how she designs her splendid art made fabric. It was such a very special look at her take on collage, mark making, and decisions on color pallet. A most gracious host. Thank you, Marcia!

There is a Door

I expect space, I expect great lighting, I always have a class of wonderful people. But I never expected an open wall -- a garage door that lifts to give access. It's the closest to being outside without being open too the elements. I'm in heaven.

Off and Hanging

And we're off! The start of a workshop in Coupeville at the Pacific Northwest Coast Art School with clear day ahead, and fabric that is pleasing. This is just the start, it only gets better.

Edge of the Island

Coupeville today where I checked in to the Pacific Northwest Coast Art School. My lovely inn is steps away from this town and the dock. I've five days to make some Glorious Prints. And my guess is that there are 15 people who are equally happy too.

John Grade's "Middle Fork" fills the entrance lobby of the Seattle Museum of Art. This was one of my stops today before heading of to Coupeville tomorrow. So wish I had more time. This is a splendid place to visit.

Other Side of the Continent

A backward glance here from my hammock perch. But I write from the other side of the states -- the Northwest Coast. It's a Seattle landing and a day to see what I can fit in. More later, for now it's best to sleep.

It Came Home to Me

Part of the QSDS challenge was Marla Hattabaugh's little work. I took a shine to this one, bought it, an it finally made its way to my doorstep. When I'm back from my Northwest trip I'll find a handing rod and a place to put it. Thanks, Marla!

I'm Not Alone

I'll not be the only one who is packing yards of labeled, soda soaked fabric in their suitcase. I'm gathering what I need for the Pacific Northwest Art School in Washington for next week's Glorious Prints, then on to Eugene, Oregon for On Your Mark -- Print! Start with white fabric.

It's in the Mail

Abraham Ferraro's work is made of mail-able boxes that are posted and sent to the exhibition site. Hard to explain, but so fun to see and admire. Today was wonderful as a misdirected package of my quilts showed up three weeks after it was sent. Normally, three days is all. So happy.

Starting to Sort for West Coast

I've printed during the last two weeks, and now there are too any fabrics, and I have to sort what will travel with me to the Pacific Northwest Art School. I'll take those that show what you can do to make Glorious Prints. I'll be at the coast, then on to Textile Center in Eugene, Oregon after that.