Time for Centering

Part of today's task was to photograph and record the last quilt. It's pinned to my design wall and lit with even lights. With my camera on a tripod, I've measured the middle, marked it with a pin (in the circle) and then leveled the camera right on it. Move back, get it all in, then shoot.

Dedicated to Our Country

This beautiful vest made by an Artist Once Known of the Dakota tribe (late 1800s) used porcupine quills sewn in hide (possibly deer) with linen and velvet. The symbols are explained in the text, added here. The thought "We are dedicated to our 'country' " is worth letting sink in.

How to Add a Sleeve

Some would say "I always quilt with wine" but I don't get that. For me, it's listening to a great podcast or watching the tele. I'm almost finished with the next quilt's hanging sleeve. You can see me adding that bit of pleat for the rod. And all my junk moves along on a tray. Remote at the ready.

Exquisite Corpse

The "Exquisite Corpse" takes many forms; this game via a friend. As the third player, I took their image and recalculated. It's now a page-sized collage, sewn from a print of their image with added material. I've passed a photo print to number 4. Think of trying it with friends -- virtually.

Living With Art

There's time on the design wall, then there's time when you live with it. You can get a feel for the size of this work, and I'm enjoying having it around. I've got a show this summer so this will be there for a few months. For now, it's mine.

Shapes, Line, Setting

This is a shot of Bondi Beach just off the longarm and before the facing was added. I did get that sleeve on today, but ran out of light to hang and photo it. Today was finish taxes and mail, hunt down a "Find a Grave" stone, venture to a store for milk, and rake leaves. Tomorrow!

Shapes! Shapes! Shapes!

I'll add this backyard scene here as incentive to finish and hang up the last quilt off the machine -- and post it here tomorrow. These shapes are so much like the shapes I've just quilted. Maybe I've just been staring at the quilting too long. Maybe it's following me everywhere.

Command Central

My house is full of windows on the main floor. My studio is not. So the reward for finishing the design, construction, and quilting is the hand work and above ground vistas. Plus a little movie or two on the tele. Can't get much nicer.

Adding Facing

A clever friend made me the magnetic pin catcher. It's the perfect size to follow along my route. It'll take a while to hand sew down this facing, but that's what media is for.

Happy Art Day

Yesterday I hugged this tree with an antique quilt top. Thought I'd continue today with one of my printed yards. I've loads of these, so might have to continue. Got some waves, and a few scratched heads.

Nearing the End

I find that quilting around these printed shapes, as compared to my pieced shapes, is a dream. No seam to bump into, and I can get the outline fairly close. When I get back to printing -- and that should be soon -- I'll do more of these large geometric shapes.

Traveling Home to Stay Put

I dropped off a suitcase of works for a quilt show for the first weekend in May. Hours after the hand off, the organizers wrote the show was cancelled. So, we slapped a label on them and FedEx shipped them home. Safe, but quarantined a few more days before I open it.

It's a Slow Start

I've loaded Bondi Beach on the longarm. It's a slog, and it must be all the little oblong shapes I'm outlining. But I think it'd be worth it in the long run. So, I'm not going anywhere soon, might as well.

Here's a Line For Ya

Isolated from the world needn't include nature. So, picking up my longarm thread order (working, right?) I passed the Lake Ontario shore line. Duty had me pay homage to the water, and check the driftwood count. All in place, and I can go back to quilting.

Flower Woman

Jacob Lawrence's "Flower Woman" struck me during my visit last week to the Yale Museum of Art. It almost seems it needs a stronger frame to contain the people crammed in to the scene. I love the black coated figure in the center, blocking the view.

Boring But Motivated

I estimate about 50 feet of hand sewing to add a facing and hanging sleeve to this work. But, I'm motivated because then I can binge Netflix. See what distancing dreams emerge?

Squaring \And Trim

Spilled on omputer now ard to type. Just finised squareing wit mt my 48 in drywall ruler t-square. Hope tis omputer will work tomorrow.

Distancing

It's time to help out this pandemic by laying low, practicing social distancing, and well, getting the work done I'd be avoiding if I was out having fun. So, big quilt, lots to do. But this is the fun part.

Empty Seats

Thursday was the meeting for the Genesee Valley Quilt Club here in town. With caution many came, but many, many did not. We're all learning how not attending looks. I've some classes and lectures that have been cancelled, and am learning to go with the flow.

End of Winter

A much missed lawn has emerged, and as I walked around the house I could see where winter has receded, allowing new growth to show. Guess it all works out, regardless of what we think.

Graphic Design, But Not

Stuart Davis and his "Lesson One" from 1956 hangs in the Yale Museum of Art. It is oil on canvas, but reads so much to me like a print, or printed poster. It's elements are clearly delineated. And I think of forms that are pieced, like quilts, naturally, when I see these.

It Really is This Much Fun

Christina plowed and persevered through the sketches today despite a sore knee (evidenced by the cautionary orange tie) at the Connecticut Piecemakers' workshop today. We worked hard, played hard, laughed hard. Took our mind off the world's ills, certainly.

By Moonlight

Full moon tonight is brought here by Joseph right of Derby and his "Malock Tor by Moonlight" painted in the late 1770s. Visiting the Yale Center for British Art has me diving in to framed wonders.

Bird Spectrum, Bird Specimens

James Prosek's "Bird Spectrum" (2019) is made of bird specimens and spans every color nature offers. It is part of his exhibition at the Yale Museum called "Art, Artifact, Artiface."

Quilt-to-Wear

After the Connecticut Historical exhibit (where there was a knock-out quilted petticoat) I visited the Yale Center for British Art and zeroed in on Ford Madox Brown's "Pretty Baa-Lambs" where the woman is wearing a quilted skirt. I'm giving a detail because it's so grand. It's from the 1850s.

Odd Fellows Indeed

Another gem from the Connecticut History Museum and the quilt show there is this Odd Fellows Appliqued quilt. Dating from 1914 this quilt promoted philanthropy, charity and kindness. Not a bad way to behave.

Busman's Holiday

Made from material from English calico bolt ends, this 1825 quilt was a stunner and part of the Connecticut Quilts Pieces of American History exhibit at the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford. Its structure is a square in a square, but you can't see it until you back up (or take a photo). Quite taken with this.

Wide and Wonderful

I hadn't had this work up for a time, and now that it's signed and finished, might want to see how it behaves. The design is open, ready for that change -- if nothing else, more daylight saving's time.

It's a Start

Wool batting was delivered. Now I've got the top started. It'll have to wait till I return from my travels for more quilting, but at least it's a start. And I've got something to return to.

Nature Abhors a Vacuum

Once I finish a piece, and it's in the queue for the longarm, well, there's a blank wall. As I sorted fabrics to take to Trumbull, Connecticut, I saw a few that might need to stay behind. So, here's a group I might have to work with.

Signing Time Again

Once that signature goes on, so does the year. Many people don't date their pieces, but I continue to do that. And that's all the identification I'll put on this work. It'll stack up for this summer's show.