fiberhart

Happy Mother's Day!!

I hope your special day is filled with family, love, and laughter. And, if you don't get flowers, here's some from Shannon and me, 'picked' yesterday on a photo excursion around town.







I had fun with Elements on the last one, intensifying the contrast and trying for a more 'artistic' photo. One day I will make a tulip quilt!!

We will be 'celebrating' later today, when Lance gets home from the Jazz game in Salt Lake. I haven't been watching, so haven't a clue if they are beating the Lakers or not.

I had a lovely half day Friday at the only quilt show close to home, the Home Machine Quilting Show in Salt Lake. I got there an hour before my 'shift', and ran into a friend just when I got there. So we walked the vendor mall- decent, but not huge, about 150 I think. I figured I'd scope out what I wanted, then go back after my shift. When I went to get my volunteer assignment- I was to wander the vendor area and provide any assistance they needed! So I ended up walking it for another hour and a half, by that time I knew REALLY well where I would return. And, my feet and legs were killing me.

I got two more irridescent Shiva paintstiks, three colors of Tsukineko inks that I don't have, some print paste, and Libby Lehman's Threadplay book. I'd been wanting it for ages, and there aren't many books any more that I'm dying to add to my collection.

The quilt exhibits were ok- very little jumped out at me. I didn't even enter anything, since the theme was Traditions, and nothing I have even remotely comes near that. The Best of Show was wonderful, a wholecloth quilted in a non-traditional set of motifs. But nothing that took my breath away.

Then, this morning I decided I HAD to get back into the studio, inspiration accompanying or not. I put some stuff away, ironed my batting tree after my last go-round with the paints on the edges, and pinned it back up on the design wall.
I rumaged through my stash of hand dyes, and found a piece I thought would work well for a background. Found some other hand dyes that played well with it, and started cutting with my little rotary cutter.

I came up with several different designs, taking picures along the way so I could compare. Here's one, although not the one I eventually decided on. I have had success with this method in the past, so figured I'd go there again- and, quilting and other elements will add quite a bit.



My goal for several nights this week is to get the quilting done, so I can take it with me on my business trip next week and have hand-work to do- probably beading, but who knows. That design decision will be made when the machine quilting is done. But at least I've got something I'm working on!