In Living Color

I made two Color Poem quited wallhangings, now it's your turn! Linda and I will be teaching a class on using a favorite object or photograph to select the colors for a wallhanging. You will learn about color and value, and create an original work of art. Classes are at Sew Portland: Thursday evening April 26, Saturday April 28 and wrapping up Tuesday evening May 8. Contact the store at 797-6700  for details and to sign up!
Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts

Color Poem 2

I had offered to post a photo of Color Poem 2, the second wallhanging made with the same collection of fabrics, based on my grandmother's china dish. I'm posting two shots--the color is better in one, but the other really shows the quilting, so I thought I'd post it as well. This quilt uses half square triangles as the basic unit, instead of squares. While the half square triangles provide a wider variety of options for playing with values than squares, squares probably provide a better background for applique. Decisions decisions! Or why not make both--I did!
Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts

Your Opinion Please

I was looking at Color Poem 1 and thinking how to finish it, when I remembered Linda M's comment about using these as a background for applique. I cut out some simple tulip appliques and placed them on the top. What do you think? Better with or without? Sometimes it is easy to lose perspective when working on a piece. Later I will show you the completed (pieced, quilted and bound!) Color Poem 2.






Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts

Random Mention

I opened my e-newsletter from Maine Fiberarts today and got a nice surprise! A detail photo from my quilt, "Being Alive is the Magic" was featured in the header. I know the photos are random, but it was still great fun to see it! If you have not had the opportunity to check out Maine Fiberarts, you must take a minute to do so:
http://www.mainefiberarts.org/

Should you find yourself in Topsham, be sure to stop by their building at 13 Main Street. They always have a fiber art exhibit on display, and you can pick up a copy of the Maine Fiberarts Tour Map while you are there.

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts

Mug Hugs

My friend Alessa requested a 'mug cozy' to keep her tea cup warm. While I was at it, I decided to make a mug mat (coaster) and a mug hugger as well (modeled here on a drinking glass). It was fun to pull together from pieces of this and that I had on hand, in fabrics I hoped she'd like. I thought the mug hugger was especially appropriate as they are off to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge this week--in addition to the Leopard, a Zebra and two Giraffes peek out of the windows on this fun 'Kidani House' fabric. 

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts

Forever in Bloom

Three of my pieces will be on exhibit through March 25 at the Pearson Legacy Gallery in Deer Isle. Here's what the gallery owner has to say about the exhibit: This exhibition provides a dazzling display of what we all need right now - flowers. Forty artists from all over Maine (and beyond) are showing painted flowers, quilted flowers, flowers in metal, ceramic flowers, flowers in glass, flowers in photographs, and in many more media. The flowers may be easily recognizable or be an abstract interpretation. They may be local or exotic. But, the one common denominator is that none of these many blossoms will ever fade away - they will be "forever in bloom."
Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11:00 to 4:00. Let me know if you get there! (Photo is of 'Rags to Riches', a "scrapture" piece--made with layers of fabric scraps and cuttings)
 Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts