More Quilty Road Trip

I thought I would be quilting on the holiday Monday- but no such luck.  My Juki decided it wanted to eat whatever thread I fed it.  So I was thankful that the Bernina shop with the sewing machine doc was open.  I dropped her off, and I'm really hoping to have her back by the weekend.

So for now, we have more of the quilts from our road trip to Brigham City.  These are the other artists that were part of the exhibit.

Melody Randol is a Colorado artist who belongs to the same art quilt group I do, AQuA.  She's from the Denver area, but had so much fun teaching in Grand Junction that she joined the group.  And one of her pieces was my favorite in the exhibit- Tall Grass.

 

This one just draws you in to have a closer look- is that really a tiger?  Subtle, interesting, wonderful color- it had it all.

Melody had some others in the exhibit, also.

Underground Story

Glacier, 2011

Jinny Lee Snow is a Utah artist- I've seen her work at the Springville Art Museum a couple of times.  This piece just jumps off the wall, the color is so vibrant.

 

Dianna Grundhauser from Maui had some pieces that caught my eye.  I loved the simplicity of this one- the batik background was perfect, and the understated quilting set off the flowers perfectly.  She calls this one 'Naupaka.'

 

I didn't catch the name of this one, but I do remember that she pieced almost the entire quilt using Ruth McDowell's method.  Only the little purple flowers are appliqued.  I loved the checkerboard border and how well it sets off the flowers and leaves!

So those are the quilts that caught my eye at the exhibit.  Wish me luck getting my machine back before the weekend!

A Quilty Road Trip

This is a long weekend in Utah, so I decided to take a road trip.  There is a small art museum in Brigham City, which is about twenty five miles north of Ogden and about an hour and a half drive from my home.  There is an exhibit there featuring Lenore Crawford, with quilts exhibited by others also.  Since Shannon had the day off from work also, I had her and Bentlee for company.

It was fun to watch Shannon's reaction to one quilt, since it was depicting a scene in Annecy, France- a place she visited a couple of years ago.

 

(If the pictures aren't the best, it is because they were taken with Shannon's Droid.  Stupid me assumed they wouldn't allow pictures, so I didn't take my camera.  Note to self- don't assume, take the thing!!)

There were also some that I immediately recognized, since they've been published.

 

I was surprised to see that she creates the backgrounds of her floral quilts out of two-inch squares of fabric.  This one, however, was different.  The flower was created and then appliqued to a Ricky Tims' hand-dye.

 

The exhibit is small, but I'm glad I went up.  They are even giving away neat posters of the exhibit with the Annecy quilt- I grabbed a couple, intending to frame one for the studio.

There were other beautiful quilts, but those are for another post.

I have also been doing quilty stuff today.  That blue cotton knit that spent time in a turquoise dye bath last weekend got another layer today, this time with paint.  I loved the effect this created!!

I like that it tones down the green even more than the turquoise dyebath did.  The printing tool was incredibly simple---

It is rubber bands on a piece of foam core.  I finally got around to using an idea in Print and Stamp Lab by Traci Bunkers.  She has some cool ideas for making simple printing tools.

So now I wait for the paint (Speedball Screenprinting Ink for Fabric, opaque white) to dry, then heat set it.  Then a couple of hours of sewing, and I will have another unique tee to wear!!

Ah, one more day of weekend tomorrow.  I plan to start quilting on my next challenge piece for Tangled Textiles.  I'm hoping my idea looks as good in the execution as it does in my head!!

Washed and Dried

Got all the dyed fabric through the washer today- and for the most part, I'm happy.  The cotton knit is much better, not so flat with different shades of blue running through it.  It still has greeny blotches, but they are much less obvious.  And I'm not done yet, I think I will be adding white paint with a homemade stamp.

The warm colored cotton also came out pretty well.  On the left is the one I did by sponging the dye on the fabric, then leaving it flat to dry.  The other two were loosely scrumpled in a tub, then five different colors squirted on with syringes.  I thought I got dye everywhere, but there is some white.  Good thing I don't mind.

Strangely enough, even though the colors aren't as intense as I like, I see the most possibility in the one on the left.  And I think I can pump up the color with my thread choices.  I think I will be leaving these hanging on my design wall for a couple of weeks while I work on the jacket and tee I have cut out.  Who knows, something else may present itself, given enough time.

On to another work week.  Hope your week is a creative one!

Satisfaction

That is how I would describe a day like today- satisfying. Shannon and I were up early (for her, anyway!) so we could hit some local yard sales while the pickings were good.  We hit  three huge sales in parking lots that had absolutely nothing, then scored big time at an estate sale.  We walked away with a brand new coffee grinder, a hand mixer, three Anchor-Hocking baking pans, a couple of large metal baking pans, a nice oval crockpot, and a waffle baker- for ten bucks.  Unbelievable!  I also found a nice small vacuum for the downstairs for $7 and a lint roller that I will make into a roller stamp for surface design for a quarter; Shannon got a couple more pans and a Brita filter pitcher for a couple of bucks.  At the last stop, I found some great metal cookie cutters for batik; Shannon scored some wooden clothes hangers that we can cover with crochet to make padded hangers- all for two bucks.  Oh, and she also got a tabletop Weber charcoal grill for $5.  All that before 10 am!

After getting the grocery shopping done, I was down in the studio.  I finished printing on one of the lengths of cotton knit I'd dyed last weekend.  I'm happy with how this turned out, even if the champagne Tsukineko ink doesn't show at all.  It will be another tee using that great pattern I found!

I also threw the blue cotton knit I was not happy with in the pot with turquoise dye.  Hopefully that will tame those ugly green blobs I don't like, and be more interesting with multiple shades of blue.

 

I wanted some cotton dyed in warm colors in the hopes it will work for the next Tangled Textiles challenge, Celebration.  The first piece is on my table with rock salt , under the heat lamp.  Two more half-yard pieces are in a tub stewing in shades of yellow, orange, and red.

 

And finally, since I already had turquoise and orange dye mixed up- I did a half yard in orange, toned down with just a couple of drops of turquoise.  Amazing what a difference just that little bit of blue can make!!

 

All this will stew overnight, then I'll wash them out tomorrow afternoon when I get home from church.

I also cut out fabric for a simple summer jacket yesterday, so I'll need to get that done and out of the way.  I'm so glad that next weekend is another four-dayer!!

Hope your weekend is a creative one!!

Two Minute Chocolate Cake

 

Need a quick chocolate fix?  Shannon has purchased some cookbooks in preparation for moving out on her own next month.  She found one published by the Food Network, and we've already sampled some good recipes from it.

The dessert section is really interesting.  No complicated recipes, but a lot of simple ideas and single portions.  She decided to try the Instant Chocolate Cake- mixed in a coffee cup, and baked in the microwave!!  Five minutes from start to finish, and we were eating warm chocolate cake with whipped cream  Yum!!

The portion size is pretty large, we shared it and probably could have split it three ways.  Next time I think I'd cook it in small ramekins (at least 3), and cut down on the cooking time.

The book is Great Easy Meals if you're interested.  We made the Moo Shu pork over the weekend, and everyone enjoyed it.  I may have to pick up my own copy when Shannon leaves with hers!!

Undyeing and Other Adventures

I parfait  dyed three pieces of cotton/lycra knit this week intending them for tees.  It was a parfait recipe I've used before, and loved the results.  I didn't have such good luck this time.

The bottom layer was golden yellow, and it is already sewn into a top- the same pattern as the lime green I did last weekend.  The middle layer was supposed to be a red violet, and it turned out a yucky dull purple.  The top was blue, with splotches of greeny yellow and pink.  Yuck!!!  Can you tell I was unhappy, I didn't even take pictures.

Then I decided to dump the purple and blue into a pot with Rit color remover.  One of them turned into an okay yellow/green.  I decided it could be improved with some printing, so I pulled out some stencils I got from QA a few months ago.  I'm using metallic Tsukineko inks I got at HMQS, and mixing them with aloe vera gel for screenprinting.  One layer done so far!

I'll do another layer with squares and champagne ink, then evaluate.

The blue piece was still ugly in my eyes.  Yesterday I decided to get out the Thiox, and see what it would do.  It swam in a Thiox bath for over an hour, with me adding additional Thiox every ffifteen minutes.  In the pot, it looked successful, almost no color.  Once the air hit it, the blue returned.  I cannot believe this fabric has been in two discharge baths!!

About the best I can say at this point is that at least the ugly pink splotches are gone.  I still am not happy with it, though.  I think the next step is another dye bath, I think in turquoise.  Unless someone else has a better idea??

I'm still working away on my beading.  This multi-strand necklace is coming along nicely, if I could quilt dropping beads off!!

 

Another work week beckons.  I've got my salad for the week done, breakfast burritos made, and my turkey sausage out of the oven.  Hope your week is a good one!!

Happy Fourth!

We did most of our celebrating on Saturday, heading up to Scofield where friends have a home on the lake.  We visit, drink, eat (too much), and finish off the evening sitting in their yard watching the fireworks over the lake.  A really fun day!!

But I have also been spending lots of time in the studio.  I made more card holder for DIL Marly--

 

I dyed a piece of silk I bought on my recent trip to Reno.  I really had to think about what color to do, since the fabric wasn't white.  I finally decided on a pastel green.  I was really happy how it turned out.  There's patterning, but it is subtle.  It will make a gorgeous summer blouse.

 

I made a tee with some cotton knit I bought- a vibrant lime green.  I think I have found my new favorite top pattern!  Three pieces (front, back, and neckband), and two hours start to finish.  Love it!  The vee is deep, so if I want to wear it to work, I"ll just wear a cami under it.

I made some beaded jewelry- I've been wanting something in green.  I think this necklace and earrings go great with the top!

 

And I am reconsidering finishing the lavender top I started last weekend.  I think I can salvage it with some buttons to hold the gapping edges of the front.  What do you think?

I will make the pattern again, but with a lighter weight knit, and something on the edge of the V to stabilize it.  I've already got a hot pink cotton/lycra knit, and found some twill tape in my sewing stash.  Maybe next weekend?

I've also got the white cotton/lycra knit I bought in Reno for a song.  I'm thinking I'm going to parfait dye it in my favorite combination (gold, fuschia, purple) in pale tones, and make three of that first top with them.  So I think I've already got my next weekend's projects planned!

Still Here,. . . .

although I may be missing a few brain cells.  Let me explain.

I sewed over the weekend.  I helped Shannon make a simple skirt with the fabric we bought in Reno.  I had to fit her- and she's built very differently from me!- and change the skirt so it didn't have a zipper.  Done, and the skirt turned out fine.

I found some 100% cotton interlock knit for a top.  I finally bought a pattern I've been eyeballing for a very long time.  Simple, I should have been able to finish it in a couple of hours.  But no, I spent more time unsewing than sewing.  I used a double needle to turn the hems on the neck and armholes- but didn't catch the edges.  Then I sewed the shoulders together, right side to wrong side.  Unsew some more.  At that point, I gave it up for the night.

I came back to it the next day, and managed to sew the rest without mishap.  But the fabric is too heavy for the pattern, and I don't like the way the deep V neck gaps.  So this top will get tossed on a pile of never to be finished clothing items.  I may play with ways to stabilize the neck, but that will be it.

Then I decided to finish the blouse I'd started the week before.  I got the buttonholes done- no huge issues, other than my sort-of automatic buttonhole foot for my Bernina wasn't cooperating.  No biggie, I can do it manually!  I finished those, then started sewing the buttons on.  Three on, two ripped off- the shank was pointing the wrong way.  Sewed them back on, then tried to button the blouse.  The middle one is off, and will need to be done AGAIN.  At that point, I quit.  And I haven't been down to the studio since!

Maybe it will go better watching the Wimbledon matches.  I can only hope.

First TT Challenge

I'm in another internet group, and having a lot of fun with it.  This one also found me- I hesitated, then decided to go for it.  I'm glad I did, it seems like the small format works well for me in jump-starting creativity.  I am glad, however, that it is every other month, and not monthly!!

The first theme was 'Games'- a word I've had in the back of my mind to interpret for a long time.  The variety of interpretations was wonderful!  I chose to work with board games, and came up with this--

I didn't have any particular game in mind, just the childhood memory of playing lots of different ones.  Shannon thought this looked a lot like something Dr. Seuss would come up with, so that inspired the name- 'One Step, Two Step, You Step, I Step.'  I've wanted to use buttons on something for a long time, and they were perfect on this.  I also found a good use for some fusible metallic thread I bought a few years ago!

I used it to edge the steps in the game- it sure was quicker than satin stitching, and I like the effect better.  ( I know that because I did some satin stitching, and ripped it out- yuck!!)

Make sure to take a look at the other interpretations on the Tangled Textiles blog- they are all wonderful, and very different.  I think I am going to enjoy this journey!!

Shop Hopping

I spent all day yesterday in Salt Lake with some of my WAQ friends.  It was the Wasatch Front Shop Hop.  We only went to some of the stores in Salt Lake- the entire shop hop encompasses stores from Brigham City, north of Ogden, to Springville close to where I live.  To much territory to cover in day!  We eliminated the mostly traditional shops, and proceeded to have fun looking at what is out there.

It was obvious to me that I haven't been in a quilting store looking at fabric in a very long time.  Some of the stores had nice selections of batiks- most of which left me feeling ho-hum.  I guess my love affair with them is over!  I was rather amazed at all the bright, graphic modern prints that are available now.  They are perfect for simple designs that showcase the fabric rather than the piecing.  Not for art quilts, that is for sure.  But they will be fun when I finally get to making a quilt for Michelle.

I found some sale fabric that I'm going to make a blouse from- here it is, along with fabrics I got in Reno in May, also for clothes.

The one to the furthest left is the one I picked up for $3 a yard on sale yesterday, the other three are fabrics I got in Reno.  That pink and purple print is a Loni Rossi design, the first shirt I'll make and hopefully complete this weekend,.

I also picked up these wonderful prints done with typewritten letters- love them!

I haven't a clue what I will do with them, I just know they will find their way into a quilt at some point.  They've been added to my already large collection of black and white prints.

I'm now off to cut out a shirt from the Loni Rossi print in the first photo, then out to find a pattern for the one I got yesterday- I decided the princess-seamed shirt pattern I have wouldn't work so well with that print which is almost a stripe.  I have a pound cake to make for Father's Day, and gifts to wrap.  I'd also like to take the dog for a walk or make it to the gym, but we'll see.  Hope your weekend is a creative one!

Summer Fun, and Almost Done

We've had multiple consecutive days of WARM weather!  Today the whole family is going to Lagoon, the closest thing Utah has to Disneyland.  Should be fun, although I don't know how many of the wild roller coaster rides I'll be doing.

I have also been working hard on my Tangled Textiles piece.  It is mostly done, I just have to add some embellishments by hand, and finish the edge.  I think I'm going to use the zigzagged edge with perle cotton.  Easy to do, and I like the look.

The creative muse seems to be returning to the studio in fits and starts, but I can feel her presence more and more.  I'm planning a dyeing day soon, either with my WAQ friends or at home.  I've got some clothes I want to make with fabric ready to go.  And I have at least two quilts to get quilted!

I am becoming a real thrift store junkie.  While we were in Reno, Sean jokingly asked me to buy him a shirt- a Tommy Bahama silk shirt that retailed for $110.  Ha ha!!  Then when my brother and I were checking out the Saver's in Reno, he found a beautiful blue Tommy Bahama shirt in Sean's size- for $12.  I bought it, the look on Sean's face when he saw it was priceless.  I scored another one in our store a week ago that just got mailed off to him.  Then Friday, I found this-

Sorry the picture is fuzzy, but I took it with my phone and I'm not very good with it.  I scored a TB silk shirt for me, in a lovely black/blue/sage green flower print.  Love it!  It's gotten to be like a treasure hunt, you never know what you'll find.  I'll bet three-quarters of my closet is now recycled treasures from Saver's.  I have four or five silk shirts, all from Saver's.  Unbelievable!

And a monumental event that any woman could relate to- I went shopping for a swimsuit for the first time in over ten years, and found one I like at a price I'm willing to pay.  I look pretty good in it, sixty years old or not!!

Time for breakfast, hope your weekend is a fun, warm one!

Maybe Summer Will Get Here??!!

Today has been the first day to make me believe there really will be a a summer.  Warm and sunny, but not too hot.  We decided to make some ice cream to celebrate. . . 

Shannon is adding crushed gingersnaps to our peach-gingersnap frozen yogurt; behind her is the machine that has the vanilla ice cream.  Something for every taste!

I also got some sewing done.  I made good progress on the June Tangled Textiles piece, and figured out a technical issue- at least in my head!  For once, I am not using my hand dyed fabric.  All these lovely commercial prints seemed to fit the bill for my idea better.

 

Another work week- it would be nice if the improvement in the weather energized me enough to do some sewing in the evenings!!

DONE!!

It took some work to get that last corner of flying geese to fit, but it is finally all together and ready to be sandwiched and quilted.  I'm crossing my fingers that it will square up all right.

I'm glad to get that one off my mind.  Now I can concentrate on my Tangled piece, reveal day is in two weeks!

I'm Still Alive (although getting moldy. . . )

I think the lousy weather we've all been experiencing has affected me.  I haven't felt like blogging, haven't felt like drawing- I've just been feeling blah.  And we've had so much rain this spring (???) I'm beginning to feel moldy too.  So, no blogging- who wants to read depressed, whiny rants??

Nothing has changed on that front over the long weekend.  Lousy weather, that is supposed to improve once we go back to work. I have been hibernating in the studio.  I have a smallish- challenge piece that I need to get moving on, but somehow I can't get myself to start working on it until I get this sampler quilt pieced.  I do have a design in my head, really I do!  And I've picked out the background fabric and done some drawing.  Maybe I'll get to fabric choices later today, who knows.

I sewed most of Thursday and Friday morning, then most of yesterday afternoon.  When I got to the final quadrant, I realized I'd made a mistake somewhere in the drafting of the full-size pattern.  I still haven't figured out what I did wrong, but with some tweaking and judicious cuts with the rotary cutter, I think I'm back on track.  I had to re-draft the final section that needs to be sewed onto the quilt, but I think it will work fine.  And glory be, I had enough gridded freezer paper left to use for this section.  So much easier than graph paper with glue dots!

I think I drafted that pattern at night while I was watching coverage of the royal wedding.  Mmm, note to self-you don't do your best work at night, you are usually brain dead.  Do your drafting and work that requires thinking IN THE MORNING!!  Early, with a cup of coffee in hand!!

Here's the quilt, with only the last section of flying geese missing--

 

It has been interesting working on a quilt that I actually started six years ago.  In the interim, I quit working in a block format, and mostly started using my own hand-dyed fabric.  I've also become a lot more confident about my ability to quilt my own pieces.  I think if I'd finished this six years ago, I would have panicked and handed it off to a long-armer to do.  I've been thinking about how I will quilt this while I've been piecing, and I'm really looking forward to it.

If I were to do anything different, I would use the same fabric in the background of the blocks.  I think it is too distracting with those different prints.  One of my goals with the quilting will be to tone down those differences, and make them blend better.

So my goal for the rest of the long weekend is to get that last flying geese section pieced, and sewn onto the quilt.  I should be able to do that this afternoon. Tomorrow, I definitely won't be in the studio in the morning.  My favorite thrift store is having a half off sale all day, and I plan on being there when they open the doors at 7 am.  You never know what treasures could be there!!

Home Again

We are back from Reno- an altogether too-short vacation.  I'm just not ready to face the workweek tomorrow.  And, to top it off, we both came back with colds, albeit mild ones.  But it has left me feeling less than energetic.

After getting the laundry done, and unpacking everything, I've finally made it into the studio.  I dyed a piece of linen/rayon (destined for a summer jacket) Friday, and added another layer of color today.  I've also been at work on the sampler quilt, which is coming along nicely.  I've got the top part all pieced, and am working my way down.  

I'm already seeing things about this quilt I would do differently- but I'm not about to change it now!

I have more wild horse pictures.  They were close to the house almost every day we were there, and one day we had two different herds within easy walking distance!  The second herd had four babies, a couple of them only a few weeks old.  Here you can see how 'at home' they feel in my sister's neighborhood.

I learned the hard way that you don't try to sneak up on them- it spooks them, and they run.  So to get these pictures, I very slowly moved towards them, making sure they could see me the whole time.  I really wanted pictures of the babies, which took some maneuvering.  But I was rewarded with some good shots.

 

This was the only time we saw this herd close up.  The other herd was a regular visitor.  Here they are, just walking in the neighborhood.  

I don't think I'd ever get tired of watching them!

And of course, there was the best part of the trip- seeing Michelle.  She is growing up so quickly, and turning into a real beauty.

 

I have more pictures from HMQS to show, but that is for another post.  Dinner is calling, and best of all, I didn't have to cook it!

Where the Wild Things Are

Shannon and I arrived in Reno on Sunday morning, and have been having fun with family.  We've also gotten some good looks at wild animals that roam my sister's neighborhood regularly- herds of wild horses!

The first day, they were on the hills in back of their property, so we walked up there.  I was floored by how close they let me get.  At one point, I was within fifty feet of the herd's stallion, and got some great pictures with my telephoto lens.

I love these next photos!  The dark chestnut standing in the first photo is the herd's stallion.

 This morning, my brother woke us up to see the herd on the road just below the house.  They came up and said hello to my sister's horse Chance.

They came up even closer to the house, then took off further down the neighborhood.  They obviously feel right at home here!  I took these from the family room in the house, leaning out the window.

 

They are beautiful, majestic creatures.  There were a couple of babies in this herd, and at least one mare who is close to foaling.  Hopefully we'll see more of them while we are here!