Gearing Up

I eat plain yogurt every day. So the containers are handy when I've got to mix thickened dye -- this time -- to go! I've made a gallon each of seven colors. And they are packed and ready to go out to Saratoga County for a three day printing workshop. Hope they last! 
 

Choices

I've been urged to bring some of my printed fabrics to my in-person lecture for the Quilt North Guild's lecture on Monday evening. I don't have much., but it certainly is the latest. And, I need some examples anyway. So, here is that couple of dozen that will hop in my suitcase. 

 

New and Just Hung Up

Replacing the piece that sold through Shop One at RIT is "Storms A Brewin'" which is apt for this April. Yesterday I saw snow, today brilliant sun. Happy to have this available to be seen, always important for work -- to be seen! 
 

Spring Takes Its Time

After a frantic 83 degree day Sunday, we saw snowflakes today. Fine here. It gives me time to print more linen, some I'll bring with me for my lecture and workshop for Quilt North Quilt Guild Monday. We'll print three days, and I might just show them how to do this. See my website calendar to sign up.
 

Archetypes

 

I printed this yesterday; today I took a very short walk through our Olmsted designed Highland Park. I knew this image was part of that file bank deep in my brain. Or maybe it is just an archetypical motif. Anyway, happy spring!  

Mark Making

It's been about six weeks since I had the opportunity to see Santa Fe. I know that each blog post is usually about the day's events. But the images from that visit continue to sit in recent memory, in recurring shapes, colors, and lines. It's a visual vocabulary that expands. 
 

Why Wait?

A 1926 advertisement gives us the cost of their fabrics. I'm guessing it's by-the-yard prices. The types of fabrics are lost to me -- PRINTED WITCHERY CREPE, FETE SILK, FASHEEN'S, INDIAN HEAD SUITING, not to mention AMOSKAG RAYONELLE. I'll stick to Test Fabrics cotton PFD #419.
 

Showing and Telling

Two days doesn't seem enough time to  grasp printing on textiles. What with the science of it all, the technical parts, and the artistic/design component. But, heck, we did it. Genesee Valley Quilt Club managed to find a room, get a group, and order a perfect printing two days. Thank you all!
 

You Rub Me the Right Way

Never underestimate a good rubbing. It can give a white background character, break up a dull flat plane, and behave like a charcoal drawn line. Just one way to strike. We're at the Genesee Yacht Club and surrounded by giant boats now drydocked waiting to sail.
 

Calm Waters

Sure, it's calm now. But my car's packed with thickened dye and tomorrow we'll stir up some trouble. Well, good trouble. Printing, Ahoy!
 

Setting Sail on Dry Land

My hometown quilt guild is hosting my workshop on the breezy waters of Lake Ontario! We'll be setting up for a two day printing class (read: dip your toes in the frigid waters of thickened dye) at the Yacht Club. Talk about location! We may need our life vests on under our aprons. 
 

Washed Out and Ready to Go

Here's the demo piece I made for the Quilters for Ukraine event (I taped). It's ready to put on the website store. Note that the turquoise is considerably lighter. I knew that, and also that the dark printed circles would be a purple. Hard to convince, but understanding the final color is the voice you want to hear.

 

Demo Time For Saturday

The Quilters for Ukraine event is Saturday, when I'll be teaching. I'll be on a zoom link to check in. I've made a 14 minute video on printing the table for the event. Here's the demo. Check out what we'll be doing --- https://www.eventbrite.com/e/quilters-for-ukraine-tickets-300846057657?aff=ebdssbeac
 

Homework

On my "to-do" list is to make a short video for the Quilters for Ukraine event this Saturday. I have a way to go, but for now, I've got the table ready. The videos I shot are trashed, tomorrow is another day. My topic -- printing the table. Eventbrite and Joe Cunningham is how to find this Saturday's fundraiser.
 

Cloudy Full Moon

Today's cloudy and dismal day left no way to capture a full moon. But it was there nevertheless. A wreath of baby shoes will fill in for the form. No doubt that they were worn many moons ago by little walkers that soon needed bigger shoes.
 

Quilts and History

Part of the meeting for many quilt guilds or clubs is the section of show and tell. A gentleman brought this antique quilt -- very early, maybe late 1800s -- to show us. I'm always intrigued. He noted that it hung on his bedroom wall until he had to downsize, now it's not on display. But we got to see it and remember.  
 

Playing to the Home Crowd

It was a wonderful trip back to home base for my first in person lecture in over two years. The Genesee Valley Quilt Club was reenergizing, reminding me of all the connections and care they gave me when I was just starting out in the public realm 20 years ago. Thank you all!
 

Best Face Forward

The facing was sewn today so that I could put it in my suitcase for a lecture tomorrow. The sleeve will have to wait. I'm having a tough time remembering the last in-person lecture. It should feel so odd, almost like starting over. We'll see, I'm on home turf, so it will be among friends.

New at Shop One RIT

The trendsetting Shop One was established in the 70s in downtown Rochester. It's been recreated on the RIT campus as Shop One, and carries a top notch selection of high craft, fine art, and fabulous industrial design. Today I left four more scarves, and one quilt. Thank you Maddy for all the help. https://www.rit.edu/fa/shopone/
 

On a Roll

As I roll on through this "Love Letters Lost" on the longarm, I'm glad there are images for me to pick out and quilt. I'm using commercial fabric for the backing, wool inside. The commercial fabric is easier to needle than my own printed fabric. Important for adding the facing and sleeve. 
 

Add Scarves to the List

More and more scarves are going to live elsewhere, so I need to make more to add to the website store. 
And just when I thought I could work my longarm. 
 

Spring Planting for Autumn

Mom duties took my Saturday when I went to a couple of nurseries to see what is available for 
 landscaping child's new digs. Home Depot might do for the infill, lord knows the prices are good. Besides, photos of me prepping the longarm quilting are so boring.

Printing in May in Saratoga County

Quilt North has asked me to teach a printing fabric class for three days. It's enough time to explore techniques, and little money spent to see if you like printing on fabric. May 2 - 4 in Ballston Lake, New York we'll get our dye on. Join us! http://www.quiltnorth.org/ and look for the workshops page.
 

Finding Your Place

As I arrange and rearrange, I feel I'm in a never ending Sudoku puzzle. There are so many permutations, and in the end, they all work. I'll put and take a bit longer, then I've got to get this assembled and finished.
 

Emerging Blocks

Just as I cut them, the blocks are added to the design wall. I'll play around with the final setting later. For now, I'll have to figure out the dimension of the piece -- wide, tall, or square.
 

Taking the Blob Apart

I've used a 12 1/2" square template to cut this blob into squares. My long ruler is great to cut a long strip that I can then cut apart in that square. My cutting table is over 6 1/2' long, so this is easy to do.
 

More Blobness

This is just what I've put together for the large remixed parts. I'll assemble this into one large construction, and then take it apart with a template. 
 

The Start of the Blob

This demo was started in the last Make It & Break It workshop. The color and graphics I find compelling, so I'll try to finish this before our "reunion" next month. And we'll see how it works out. I'll be teaching this workshop at QSDS in Columbus, Ohio in person (!) June 4-5. Maybe you want to be there, too.
 

Ukraine Fund Raiser by Quilters

I'll repeat my post here about a fund raiser for United Help Ukraine. Joe Cunningham has organized a passel of quilters to do a 15 minute demonstration of how they make their fiber work. I'm part of it, and the cost of a zoom ticket link is $35. Reasonable for three hours of great fun. Here is the link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/quilters-for-ukraine-tickets-300846057657?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch
 

Rubbing in Printings

 

In printing, I use rubbings to drop in a texture or cut the intensity of a color. Many are unique drawings made with hot melt glue on poster board.

Screens At the Ready

 I'll be bringing screens with me to the GVQC as well as the Quilt North workshops. We're going to print many ways with thickened dye on fabric. Screens are my favorite.