Trees and roots

Here's a bit of catch-up from the past few weeks.

While at QSDS, I sketched a few tree designs. I'm wanting to express some thoughts about rootedness by creating trees. The best sketch of those became the start for this new piece. It's larger than recent things and, of course, has a life of its own.

Living with the sketch, I began to put together layers of ground fabrics. It just kept getting bigger.

The original piece of hand dyed that I had for the sky was not large enough. So, I pieced two similar pieces to a strip down the center to get more height and width.

Here's the full size sketch against the fabric.

On a trip to Patches, a Mt. Airy quilt shop, right before the guild meeting across the street, I found several fabrics for the center tree - a gorgeous Stonehenge. Got that center tree raw edged sewn down, stood back and deflated a bit. The roots sorta blend in with the ground - not what I want. So, right now I keep looking at it for answers about how to emphasize the roots. Any ideas are welcomed.

I do like the depth created by the other trees.

Back  at Camp Mimi with Abigail,  today was a slow day. We slept late, lazed around, went to lunch with a friend and took Sam the Singer into the shop. We did get the apron pattern cut out so it's ready to go on Wednesday using the small Janome. I withheld dinner until she practiced some on that machine, just to stay in the mood. What a meanie I am!

This afternoon ended with a phone call from a guy I went to high school with - he is one of the committee that is organizing the 50th reunion of our high school graduation. Egads! And they all want a decision and money now for the event next June. It's too hot to make such a decision now.

Karen

Camp Mimi

has officially begun. This is Abigail's time with me, an annual tradition since she was small. We play and get creative with whatever we want and just have fun. The tradition includes fudgesicles on the porch at night and usually a trip to a museum. This year includes some serious sewing instruction that will fulfill her home ec requirement as a home schooler.

So, we started with napkins using my 1963 Singer TouchNSew machine. This is the machine I had given her, but it seems that two years in an unheated garage took its toll. We fussed and fumed with it and then switched to my little Janome - I want her to use a machine that she can have at her house. Sam the Singer needs to visit the machine hospital and hopefully can be resusitated.

I must give Abigail lots of praise for sticking with it today. She was determined to finish six napkins and she did. Unlike some others, she did not give up or abandon the project - she decided she would win and be victorious.

The next project is an apron, easier fabric to sew with, but first we need a field trip for some fun.

Last week, I worked on a new tree piece and did some ice dyeing. The tree piece has some issues. I'll try to get some photos up tomorrow. Right now I need to finish dinner and feed us. The blue sky has returned and we need a walk.

There's always tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow.

Karen

Life happens

I finally got back to my studio today after three days of full-time Mimi duty. Matthew, my oldest grandchild, was hospitalized for a serious case of pneumonia, so I was with his siblings during that time. He is now home and fever-free and continues to recuperate. Thank God.

I was able to get back to the rice cereal resists I started last week. I had put another layer of resist in a design on each and started a third piece with a more definite design. Today I painted all three and took advantage of the outside heat to help dry them. Then I soaked each separately in warm water and used a spatula to help scrape the resist off. Then, outside again to dry (I have these large thick bushes right outside my door - good drying spots). Here they are. I am pleased with the second and third. Good learning experience.

Friday, I hope to try out two new screens I have designed.

How wonderful it is to have a holiday to bring our attention to celebrating our freedom and heritage and counting our blessings. Happy Fourth of July to you.

Karen

Wordless Wednesday

It's a good time

to try something new. It's hot outside and the AC is working just fine. so I am content to stay inside and play. I pulled out an old issue of Quilting Arts and found Lisa Kerpoe's article on using rice cereal as a resist. I mixed the cereal with water and filled a squeeze bottle and played on two pieces of fabric.

Sometime on Saturday I will paint them and put more resist on in another design when they dry. I want to layer and see how this all works.

I've started sketching some new stamp designs. Hopefully next week I will have time to stamp and stencil on more fabric. I just need to make some things.

Thanks for stopping by.

Karen 

Wordless Wednesday

Surprises are great

I made it to Friday, the day of the ice melt - finally. The fabrics were lovely. I am often more pleased with the results of ice dyeing than regular batch dyeing in containers. And this time I got a very pleasant surprise, sorta an added benefit.

As an attempt to keep ice from falling through the grid where I arrange the fabric for ice dyeing, I covered the grid

with a piece of muslin (the kind I use for backing fabric). It worked well. The ice stayed on top of the fabric. When I picked the fabric up, I was surprised to find a nice grid design on the two pieces of muslin.

Hmm, I'm using them again today with two more ice dyes. I'm curious to see how they look after more dye in different colors. I might have to consider using them for something.

What has surprised you lately?

Karen

Waiting is so hard sometimes

particularly when dyed fabric is involved. This morning, I got a very early start, knowing I would be out most of the day and evening. I really, really wanted to dye some more fabric. So I was in Walmart at 8 am buying ice so I could get some ice dyes started. By ten am, I had two containers set up with three pieces of fabric under the ice and one yard batching in a bucket. I went out and about, had a yoga lesson and then dinner with a friend who is recuperating from knee surgery. I got home at 10 pm hoping to see some 'new' fabric but there's still ice piled on the fabric. Arrggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Tomorrow, always tomorrow.

Karen

Another week going by already

After QSDS I put four projects to finish on the design wall and sat and looked at them, not quite knowing where to begin. I worked on building layers of earth for a tree-with-roots-showing piece. Time to build a sky - put up this hand dyed piece - not quite sure. Have to live with it a bit.

So, I tidied up a bit and came across a UFO that I quickly knew how to finish and did it! As I worked on it (those hoochy stars and geese from months ago), ideas began to sprout for the next steps on some of my QSDS beginnings. Lesson learned: never underestimate the power of a UFO. Here it is completed. It will  be a charity quilt.

As I flipped through a sketch book, a photo popped out that told me what to do with one of the QSDS pieces. The piece will be a tall piece with vertical 'stripes'. As I started fiddling with fabrics to try, it hit me that this is another piece about roots. I guess there's a theme or series happening here.

Fun to be working playing again and to have ideas flowing. I want to focus on playing and avoiding the w word - it grabs me in the wrong way lately.

Thanks for visiting. Karen

Back home

Busy week. Got home in good time on Monday, even got laundry done that day. It's always an adjustment getting back to the routine of home life after a conference. The conference was exactly what I needed on several levels - a creative whack on the head - time around so many creative people - time just to concentrate on my work - and most of all, finding my confidence again. I'm still pondering all that.

I have to share these photos of the sky on the drive home. I was driving across a mountain in Western Maryland and felt as if I was in the clouds. The sky was beautiful, the clouds almost surreal.

Actually these clouds stayed with us through Wednesday. Something about a cold front that came from the north with these puffy clouds so close to land -- at least that's what they felt like to me - I felt as if I could reach up and touch them. Nature is so wonderful.

Now that I am home and unpacked and reorganized (all that fabric had to be put away in some order), I put my unfinished pieces from QSDS on the design wall and was pleased to see that I actually have four I want to finish. The wall's a bit crowded, but makes me eager to get moving on these.

But first, some family time tomorrow, celebrating Matthew. And Judie is picking up her mom's quilt tomorrow - that could be a nice gift to give her mom on father's day - I'm sure some tears will flow. It's been nice to create that for them.

Time to crash right now. More tomorrow or Sunday.
Karen

QSDS Day 6

First, here's the photo of the final version of Rootedness. I like it and so did others. I will quilt it after I get home - along with the other pieces I have been working on here.

Today, the class, Seat of the Pants Construction, with Cynthia Corbin began. The morning exercise was to cut squares and rectangles and create a composition (I forgot the rest of the guidelines). No longer intimidated by abstract design, I put this together.

The afternoon exercise was to work with a photograph that we brought from home. I have several photos of tree lined paths that I want to work with, so here's how far I got today. I still have to work out the tree canopy/leaves - also to be done at home.

Tomorrow will be a new exercise. I like Cynthia's way of moving us along. She is encouraging and gently nudges us past bumps.

Karen

Days Four and Five

Here I am in my dorm room. The first class is completed, we had the banquet and tomorrow starts class two for me.

Our last two days in class this week were spent on our final project, which could be one well-thought-out project or several studies for a series or later project. I was somewhere in the middle. I thought and thought about what I wanted to do. The abstract work we had been doing just did not feel right for me. I chose not to stay in that vein, but was not sure what to do next. A dilemna of sorts for me.

I have let too many things bother me during the past few months and my confidence level was sub-basement. No need to go into all that, just to say I felt empty and numb on some levels, especially when creativity was involved. Nothing seemed to click or blossom. As I wondered about what to do for the final project, I briefly thought about the series of paintings that I did years ago entitled "The Rivers of Prayer". I have been asked to create a banner in the style of those paintings. I thought I was finished with that theme and those images. Well, through a series of synchronicities, I realized I still had thoughts and images to develop in that theme. And I became energized to do some new work. I began a small piece as one of a series that could lead to the banner and all sorts of things clicked inside me. Here is where the project was Thursday afternoon, with roots and a river. I added the sprouted leaves and the moon to finish it (photo to come).

My energy shifted quite quickly and all sorts of ideas began to flow in me for new work, including an abstract way to depict a photo I had brought with me to QSDS.

So, obviously, I am not finished with this series, The Rivers of Prayer. I got so caught up in the work, finishing the first and starting the second, that I forgot to take photos (I'll try tomorrow).

When our instructor asked what I discovered during the project, I simply answered "my confidence". A true gift for which I am very grateful.

Karen

QSDS Day 3

Today was half class, half bus trip. Our teacher, Cynthia Corbin, called the day "catch up" so we could finish what we had started before starting anything new. I decided to chop up the piece I had started yesterday and see if I could save it in any way. This is how I left it before the bus trip - kinda so-so.

The afternoon a trip to a museum in Zanesville,  OH, an exhibit in Delaware, OH, then an exhibit at the JCC in Columbus and making it back to the college just in time for dinner. We saw quilts at all three locations - I hesitate to post any without permission from the artist.

Zanesville is home to two pottery businesses that date to the 1800's: Roseville and Willard. The museum has quite a collection from both companies - things I have only seen on Antiques Roadshow. Here's a Roseville vase.

Zanesville was home to Charles Schulze and here's a tribute to his work.

On the way to Delaware,  we passed the Longaberger headquarters - a huge basket.

After dinner, I went back to whacking, chopping and sewing the piece from yesterday. I got to a 'finished' point and declared it done. Forgot to take my camera - so I'll do a photo tomorrow. Am I pleased? Well, hmmm, it's done. Tomorrow we start on our final project which I am still pondering.

Wonderful people here (aren't all quilters wonderful!). The weather has cooled and is pleasant. All around, a good week.

Karen

QSDS Day 1

Yesterday was Day 1 of Cynthia Corbin's class New Directions. She is a lovely teacher who knows how to push us, which this class is all about.

The  first exercise started with her asking us to pick and put on the design wall our favorite and least favorite fabrics of the day. The next step was to choose a photo and use our fav of the day to create a version of that photo. Here are my two fabrics - the fav on the left and the least fav on the right.

The goal was to work fast but in our comfort zones. My photo was of a landscape with a mountain and river. I was not very pleased with this first effort.

After lunch, we were to use the least favorite fabric and do a second version of the same photo but taking it a step further. I like this version better.

Tuesday morning, Cynthia asked us to choose three fabrics that do not go together and put them on the design wall (we each had a 4' x 8' design wall for our use - really nice). Here are my three that do not play together well.

The morning exercise was to use all three and create quickly and break all our rules. I loved the process. I wound up with two pieces, neither very exciting.

In the afternoon, we were to find an element from the morning piece and use the design of that element to create a new piece OR we could continue to work something from the morning. I chose the second option and came up with these pieces. I don't know where they are going, but it will be fun.

Soon, it will be time for bed. My suite-mates are all three taking a class with Jane Dunnewold on surface design similar to the class I took two years ago. So, we have lots to talk about.

Thanks for reading,

Karen

Just a bit

I am here at QSDS - all  set up and just waiting for tomorrow. The drive was very easy, though long. And we had help unloading our cars and getting all our stuff to the classroom and living suite. The college is in Columbus and very modern in design. Photos tomorrow.

I did finish quilting the "plaid" Dad quilt and put the binding on, now it's waiting to be sewn down - later.

A diary quilt

I have almost finished the commission quilt made of Judie's father's shirts. I need to finish the quilting, mostly ditch-stitching, and then put the binding on it. Judie originally wanted this for a Christmas gift, but she is so excited about it, she won't wait. I've used the concepts in Mimi Dietrich's Diary Quilt book. The photo is a bit dark - the outer border is a nice dark green.

I have just a bit of time to work on it tomorrow, but then I need to pack for QSDS and leave on Sunday. I am excited about going there - it's my first time. A whole week about quilting! I think I am taking my laptop so I can blog a bit.

Karen

The graduate

Tonight was Matthew's graduation. A lovely event with all the family there. Matthew was home schooled until his senior year, which he did at the Community College, so graduation was combined with a small Christian school for a total of four graduates. Three of the four graduates spoke of their experience. We are all so proud and happy for him. Afterward was the mandatory photo shoot. Here's Matthew with both of his grandmothers. He's a good guy.

Who are you celebrating this season?

Karen

Weekend adventure

Last week, I became the grandmother of an adult - Matthew turned 18. Time for an adventure. Our tradition has been to see a minor league baseball game to celebrate his birthday. The only farm team of the Orioles that he had yet to see was the Norfolk Tides. Road trip! We left early Saturday morning with plans of going on a boat cruise to see dolphins at 2, then the game at 7:15. Traffic got in our way - a long slow backup to get to the Norfolk tunnel. Plan B was to go on the 4 pm boat cruise - got there with about 5 minutes to spare only to learn boat trips for the weekend were cancelled due to very choppy seas. Plan C became a nice walk on the beach - he knows his Mimi pretty well, how I love to walk on the beach and get my feet into the ocean. Here's Matt.

Got to the game a bit late due to more traffic, had a good time and the Tides won. In fact, the Orioles and the other farm teams all won that day.

The Norfolk area is home to several military bases. Saturday night was Armed Forces Appreciation Night, complete with fireworks. The seventh inning stretch at the stadium begins with a photo tribute to the Armed Forces to the sounds of Kate Smith leading the crowd in the singing of God Bless America. That was impressive.

We ran through our options for Sunday and decided to see another baseball game - Matt was hoping to see two of his favorite pitchers on this trip - he did see one on Sunday. And the Tides won again!

The biggest surprise of the trip for me was yet to come. As we stopped for dinner, about 50 miles south of DC, he announced he would be driving the rest of the way home. I had to take several deep breaths - it's been a long time since I drove with a teenager - but it was going to happen. As you can see, he's a good sized guy in the MimiMobile.

After a brief spin in the parking lot to test the brakes, etc., we got back on I95 north and after a while I stopped clutching the door handle and pushing the imaginary brake pedal and became the navigator with just a few gentle hints for driving in heavy, fast traffic. We both relaxed into the drive and he did fine. He described the adjustment as when a coach and a player are new to each other, both are a little on edge and have to find the groove. So, we grooved home after a fast and fun trip. So nice to have a grown grandson who still wants to travel with his "Little Mimi".

Thanks for reading, Karen

The view is lovely ...

and even lovelier through clean windows. Do you remember when spring cleaning was a big deal and even talked about over the fence and on porches? It's been a long time since I have thought in that mode (I usually just move). But I just did it - I cleaned, tidied, de-cluttered, dusted,  polished and even washed windows. It's nice to walk into a sparkelly home.

The mess had been getting on my nerves and I was aware of too much dust, but I can procrastinate such chores for a long time. So, I gathered my energy and tools and got busy. There may be some of this energy going around. I have read a few blogs lately from others who have taken time out to re-organize and clean their spaces. I hope they feel as good as I do - especially when my daughter came here today and noticed! She is much more diligent about housekeeping than I.

Now I can get back to some creative stuff. Anyway, that's my plan for the next two days.

Do clean windows speak to you?

Karen

The clouds got in the way

At least for a while and hid the "super moon". So, I made my dinner. Then, the clouds parted and the big moon was right there, outside my back door. It's always exciting to see a full moon and this one seemed larger (or am I just seeing what I heard about). Anyway, it is lovely and I am happy to see it.

I've not been blogging very much lately and now I feel I should catch up a bit. So, here's a bit of what I've been up to lately.

I've been feeling less than creative for a few weeks and quickly got tired of that. I spent a few days stamping, stencilling and printing some fabric. I tried two versions of a flour resist. One failed totally - I tried to create a screen, but made the flour paste way too thick. The other worked better - I covered a piece of previously dyed fabric with the paste and designed a bit in it; let it dry, then painted it. I read in someone's blog a tip about using a spoon to remove the dried flour - that worked very well (sorry I can't remember whose blog, but I am thankful). Here it is still messy,  then cleaned up. It has possibilities.

As I was uploading photos, I bumped into the shots from the Peep Show at our  local arts council. This is an annual event that brings in huge numbers of people and is a great fundraiser. It's a wonderful display of creativity. The only requirement is that you must use those marshmallow peeps. Here's the top vote getter - it also won the prize for using the most peeps.

I'm working on a commission right now - a memory gift. I was given a group of shirts from Judy's Dad that are becoming a quilt for her Mom. We chose twelve blocks from Mimi Dietrich's Diary Quilt book and will fill in with some sashing of a solid color. It's been fun to do some very traditional blocks - and those are enough for now. I have all the blocks finished to show her and then can do the rest. She originally wanted it for Christmas - I'm happy to get it done early. It could be a nice gift for Father's Day.

Tomorrow I'm leading another session of the Praying with Watercolors for some cancer survivors. Then it's back to a usual week -- bookkeeping, Bella, book group.

I finally registered for QSDS in Ohio. This will be my first time there and I am excited about going. Can't wait for some new tricks and ideas.

Enough for tonight. Be well. Karen

A new exhibit

Last night, I went to the opening of an art quilt exhibit at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster. I have eight quilts in this lovely exhibit. Four other artists are exhibiting as well. It was a nice opening with a good number of attendees for a Tuesday evening. The local paper sent a reporter and a photographer, who were each pretty busy doing their thing. Both seemed very interested in this unique (for Westminster) exhibit. I was a bit uncomfortable with the photographer shooting a bunch of photos of me (I am always the photographer). Imagine my surprise early this morning when my daughter called to tell me I was famous - my photo is on the front page of the Carroll County Times with a nice article on the exhibit. Here's the link to the article: 

 

 http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/fiber-fantasies-quilt-landscapes-replace-peeps-at-carroll-arts-center/article_60289341-b62d-509e-a8f3-475e9ac3732f.html

 How nice to have a bit of excitement and quilts in a lovely exhibit.

 

Karen

Maybe some new work coming

Last week I visited the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore to see the exhibit All Things Round. This museum always inspires me, from the man who makes huge structures from toothpicks to the woven yarn structures made by a woman with Down Syndrome. Many pieces in the exhibit captured me and one stood out - The Golden Spiral by Greg Mort. He had several paintings there, all very moving, but this spiral captured me ... and seems to be calling me to create my own golden spiral.

Internet exploring revealed that this spiral can be created using logarithmic computations (which I resisted even though the math part of me was curious) or by using the Fibonacci Sequence. I am intrigued and have been pondering how to do this with fabric. The Fibonacci Sequence goes like this: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 where the last two numbers are added together to get the next number. To make the spiral, each number becomes a square. For more info on this, check out http://www.ehow.com/how_8493648_make-fibonacci-spiral.html?ref=Track2&utm_source=ask or http://www.ehow.com/how_10072695_construct-fibonacci-spiral.html or Wikipedia.

So, now I am playing with the "how tos". Do I piece the background first and then fuse the spiral parts on top? Do I make each square in total and sew them together? What color scheme do I want to use? I thought about some version of a color wheel or sequence. I am thinking about something earthy too. I'm thinking I may draw it out on paper first and get those curves worked out using a compass. I always did like geometry. So many options to explore.

This is exciting, especially since I have not decided on any other new work since the ACC show. I am collecting photos and thoughts on paths - those need to simmer a bit more. For now, I am going to explore this golden/Fibonacci spiral.

But first, I have a binding to attach to a cow quilt. It's nice to finish things.

Have you been to a museum lately? What spoke to you?

Karen

A couple splendid days

Last week was mostly spent on the Eastern Shore. I spent two days with my friend Peg, just relaxing and catching up. We went out to breakfast one morning and had omelettes with wonderful home fries. Home fries are not, I repeat not, hash browns. Home fries have crunchy edges and are never mushy. So good.

My next three days were spent visiting my favorite spots on Chincoteague Island, VA, especially at the Wildlife Refuge. Yes, I have written about it before - it is one of my most favorite places on this earth. The Refuge is kept in a natural state and has very little human touches. Spring is always exciting there. The egrets and great blue herons return from wherever they were during winter. Hundreds of egrets were everywhere in the Refuge. I saw these egrets feeding Saturday evening on the wildlife loop. I was close enough to hear them, they sound a bit like a bullfrog, deep and low.

As I rounded the loop, I saw three Sika deer romping across the marsh. These are smaller deer that thrive on the island.

My favorite photo from Sunday is of this mature great blue heron. He was standing on one leg for a couple hours. One of my favorite critters on this earth.

Friday night was cloudy, windy and chilly but provided dramatic sky views and a long sunset.

After visiting my favorite homemade ice cream place, I headed home feeling fed by nature and started counting the days until I return in May. I was struck by all the different greens I saw while driving, but the camera was in the back seat, so no photos. Spring provides such a huge palette of greens, not easy to pick a favorite.

Now I am in catch-up mode: paperwork, some applications to complete, baking for the Easter festivities, straightening out the credit card debacle, etc., etc. Hope to sew Saturday.

Do you have a favorite place in nature that feeds you? When were you last there?

Thanks for reading,

Karen