Blue Moon

Ah, the moon through the clouds. Wait a minute, those are soap suds! Yes, my low foam synthropol in my new top loader being its happy self. End of the month, second moon of the month, time for something new. 
 

The Place to Be

 Seems the night before Halloween one should visit a tombstone. I picked Susan B Anthony's to place my sticker. The stone is covered in a soft plastic "lid" to protect it from the adhesives, and I suspect there will be hundred's more before next week is over. Voting is an amazing right. Thank you Susan.

Three With Disagreements

A query from someone who bought these three fabrics was -- would they work together? Now, I can use most anything, but these three were not singing well together. I've suggested other combos by knocking out the forefront blue, and replacing the brown/natural with another. A better set for the buyer.
 

Details, Details

Karen Shultz has been synthesizing line for years now, and each time her work appears at Quilts=Art=Quilts I take notice of how she uses this element in the composition. Mixed Messages is her piece for the show, definitely a show worth seeing. And a very covid-safe and friendly place.
 

Just When You Think

...it couldn't get better, the show of Ann Clarke's knitted and fulled rugs upstairs from the Q=-A=Q show at the Schweinfurth just blows me away. These are monumental and graphic rugs that are about time, age, and empathy. So, if you get to the quilt show, head upstairs for a not-to-miss treat.
 

Insanely Intricate

A rarity -- two images -- but necessary to show Judy Kirpich's work Memory Loss No.6 and how insanely pieced and quilted it is. The composition and structure of the piece is paramount, but, gee, the construction and finishing are pretty wow. This is part of Quilts=Art=Quilts.
 

Surface Design Award

The Schweinfurth's "Quilts=Art=Quilts"  exhibition awarded July Hooworth's Adventure Journal #6: Siberian Autumn the Surface Design award. It is monoprinted, stamped, and discharged cotton. I got to spend time with her last summer at QSDS. Fine way to print, for sure.
 

Field Trip

An hour away from home is one of the premier contemporary quilt shows. An annual event, Quilts=Art=Quilts, gathers works from around the world. Always playing her strong graphics, Gerri Spilka sent "Say What?" to this show. I got to share it with my friend, another wonderful part of my day.
 

End of the Week

Whew! Show and tell from MY stash of handprinted fabric means that there's no time to fold neatly and put away. So, the end of the week's class has this bundle of works piled amongst yards of fabric. What a great group of people to share a week with, I'm full of happy. Glorious, I'd say!
 

Wish You Were Here

My Virtual Printing class limits to 8 people. I wish you all could see what fun we have (also hard work) to print, layer, change, create, rethink, listen, don't listen, mix, rub and stencil these yards of fabric. All in separate studios from Victoria to Maryland. And in mine.
 

All Part of the Plan

My screen demo was designed so the soy wax (resist here) was the white block out, and the black was the printed color. So, a bit of white paint brush work was handy to fill in for the resist. Here's the pile left over. 

Silk Screening Is Up Next

A handful of prints waits for me to get going on them, but for now they're to be my mini-lecture on silk screening. I've used various techniques for printing these with thickened dyes, but my favorite is screening. And often it becomes the dominant form. It'll be a great Wednesday. 

The End of the Day

The day's end should have a glorious sunset, at least. But today was constant drizzly rain. Fine here, as I was in the studio teaching all day. This is what was on my table and hanging up on the line. We did stencils, rubbing, and a ton of scraping color. More tomorrow.
 

Let the Show Begin!

 I've recovered my print table, stacked fabric for a demo, mixed dyes, set up computer and cameras, and have a couple of dozen yards of soda-soaked yards ready to print. Tomorrow is a Glorious Print day and can't wait to welcome the class to my virtual studio -- and see theirs as well.

These Showed Up

While espousing wisdom in my Take Two class, these jumped on the wall and demanded I do something with them. I will, but they'll have to wait their turn. And that's why they're called bossy fabrics.

Low Tech

Virtual class has the ability to share a screen with slick images, polished graphics, and mesmerizing images. But for quick and direct, here's my list of compositions that might jump start the jumble of improv-made blocks. You'd be surprised how many fall into these categories. 
 

Take Two Even Larger

Helen started with about two yards of fabric --  her fabric --  which made the choice even more difficult. Deliberating which is a good pair to use could have taken us an entire afternoon and evening's break, there were so many good picks. She'll just have to return to her stash after class and pick more. 

 

Move It Around till It Makes Sense

One of the things we try in the virtual class "Take Two" is to compose with just two sets of fabrics. If you've got enough "blocks" then you can move them around till shapes emerge and the composition starts to gel. It's organic, improv, and harder than you think. But it, finally, does. 

 

Tomorrow is Take Two

Last time I taught my virtual Take Two class it was two days of fun. It was like having company -- a great group of people with a desire to make, think, explore. And just have a couple of days to be out of the daily hurricane of life. This is just a bunch of blocks I have used as an example. 
 

Glorious Prints Next Week

I print silk scarves the same as I print cotton. I use thickened dyes with screens, stencils, direct application and monoprinting. All this is part of the virtual class next week live from 11 - 4 NY time. There's one spot left. You just need a print table, a pile of fabric, dye and a bucket of water. Those are the basics. check my web site for more info.
 

Time Out

Sunday is supposed to be for getting out and about. So, with my prints processed and washed, I headed out to the hiking trail. I was determined to use my cheap gas to get out of the city limits. Easy to do. Tomorrow is a work day, soon enough. 
 

Monoprint, But Softly

A printed yard of fabric was made by screening to the table -- which is covered with white plastic -- and then pulling a monoprint from that. I love the soft textural print. The horizontal arcs were made by the folds from the uneven fabric.

 

Making a Particular Sceen

I've a task to make a sheet and blanket combo for a couple of babies, so I've drawn on the screen with  a tested watercolor pen and used masked with tape. I'll use soy wax to paint out the background. Here's the print wet. I've printed the open circle and stem in green. Then used a brush to paint in the red centers with thickened dye.

 

Silk Silk Silk

Three new scarves are in the works, and soon I've got to get them on the website store. They are always crepe de chine silk, which is perfect for not itching. The toughest part is not keeping them for myself. The same problem I've got with my printed fabric. 
 

Class Work and Beyond

We had a reunion of the Take Two class today to see what came of work we did in the two day virtual class. And surprises and inspiration was overflowing. Happy always to see familiar faces, and the joy they share with everyone. 
 

You Don't Have to Look Far

USPS honored Ellsworth Kelley with a sheet of  stamps, and I got a couple. I parse them out carefully. His strong graphics, his simple and powerful prints inspire me to make marks in sympathy. Mine won't be as clean, or direct, but then, that's why I love this stamp. It is.

 

Getting Dotty

More experiments with a single screen. And I've stuck to the same palette here. But this would be a great big and fun quilt of the functional variety, no? I've more to do, but for now, I think I'll leave these on the design wall. 

Ta Da

It was wash day today. Seems like that new washer ($$$) did it's job and kept the whites white, and the colors at bay. I'm going to do more Black and White, for sure!
 

Seeing Dots

Spending time with just me and the dyes is always a good day. I'm discovering more ways to make marks, print differently, and combine new techniques. All for the good, so I can share with students in class. So, my fun is your fun. Win win.
 

Clean Up to Start

I've a double utility sink. Time to wash out containers to mix a new batch of thickened dye. Also recovered my print table with new white plastic. Dyes are mixed (and I measured, Sue!) and thickener ready to go (measured again) to print. Set, go.
 

New Month, Full Moon

                                                                             

Following my trusty fabric guru's recommendations, I purchased a new top loading washer. I'm hoping the volume of water and long cycle will shorten the burden of washing-out my printed fabrics. Since tonight is a full moon, and I post each month something round and full, here's my new toy.