Elements Added

Worked on a few new elements for the picture-quilt. I hadn't planned to include the overhead lamp, but decided it would be good to have that light source, so I gave them a Tiffany lamp. I liked that it brought some color to the composition as well. There is a scrap of tulle over part of it--one possibility to avoid stitching down every small piece. Bit of a side road--12 to 15 hours in and threadpainting awaits. Worked on arms as well, so they look a little less like Weebles, and strung some beads for a necklace. I've been wondering if I can find a miniature deck of cards or if I will be making fabric cards for them to hold. Any opinions?

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New Work

Here are the first photos of my latest work in progress. Another photograph-based quilt--this photo taken by my friend Andy Waterhouse when we were in DC. When I saw his photo I knew I wanted to interpret it in fabric--it would be a challenge to get the light and the wine glasses to work out. First though, the faces. If they didn't work, may as well abandon the idea. So that's what I have been playing with--tracing, sketching, familiarizing myself with the subjects, then cutting and layering fabric shapes in various shades. I am pretty pleased with the result so far. Still so many ways this could get derailed, but a good enough start to post some photos. Enjoy!

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Baby Brights

Has it been over a month since my last post? Guess that's what happens when the weather improves here in Maine--can't spend those sunny weekends indoors! Garden is growing, home projects started. Haven't made much progress on my new quilt--it is ready for me to pull fabrics, but I have procrastinated, waiting for a day with a block of undisturbed time to work. In the meanwhile, we presented the Wedding Tree to our co-worker and put together a baby quilt. Everyone made blocks using lots of bright scraps--either flowers or pieced squares, then we got together to sew blocks into a top and add borders. I brought it home and quilted it (see pictures.) Now it goes back to someone else to bind, another person is working on a label, and with luck we can present it before the baby arrives!







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Something New?

Puttered around in my 'studio/dining room' all day Saturday. Organized fabric. Thought about new quilts. When I realized I was planning new projects to avoid starting on the next pictorial quilt I decided, "that's it." Either start this quilt or give up on the idea already! So I spent much of today putting everything I have reviewed about drawing faces for quilts to work and started creating patterns. The way I see if, if I can't execute the faces, there's not much point in working on the rest. I pulled fabrics. Next block of time will be devoted to cutting the shapes and figuring out if I can pull this off. Wish me luck! What is the quilt going to be? I'm keeping it a secret for a bit. If it starts rolling, I'll post photos.

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We will miss you, Jeanne Marie

Last Saturday several of us spent a couple of hours in the a.m. at the Calico Quilter's annual show then off to lunch at a very nice Indian restaurant in Brunswick. After lunch it was over the bridge to Topsham to spend the afternoon drinking in the quilt artistry of the late Jeanne Marie Robinson, a member of Art Quilts Maine. A ballerina in her youth and co-founder of the Robinson Ballet in Bangor, Maine, Jeanne Marie created mostly hand stitched quilts that combined traditional blocks with amazing applique, often featuring animals. Maine Fiberarts Gallery hosted the restrospective. You might still be able to see some of her work on their site.In looking through her quilt photo albums, we were struck by a rather dramatic shift in her work. Over a year or two the quilts went from following traditional patterns to springing to life from her own, fertile imagination. Just breathtaking.

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Art Quilts Maine

I went to the guild meeting Saturday. It was, as usual, lots of fun. Sally Rowe taught a workshop on "Happy Villages", a technique by Karen Eckmeir that you are probably familiar with. Sally makes it all so easy and fun. She is working on a series of village quilts--I think she said one for each letter of the alphabet! The technique is fabric collage, and I figured out a way to glue that was actually fast and not at all frustrating, so that's a bonus. Here's a shot of my tiny village in process--4" x 6"! The guild exhibit this summer is at the Central Maine Artist Gallery in Skowhegan. Opening reception is Sunday, July 11 at 3:00. The show runs through August 11. All pieces must be 16" x 20" or smaller, and most are available for purchase. I am planning to show "Tiger Two" and if there is room for a second, "Rags to Riches" (see photos below.) We saw some wonderful pieces during show and tell--a beautiful Caspian Trout by Anne and intricately woven fabric art by Kathy. As I was leaving, I browsed the guild library and found three books to borrow. Definitely worth the trip!

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The One Week Quilt

Here is a quick little baby quilt for a shower I am going to soon. I pulled the blue and yellow fabrics from my stash, and when I found the dark blue batik with dinosaurs, I decided on a pattern that showcased it. I had already started the swirly quilting when I hit upon the idea of adding the pink dinosaur, so she got placed in a corner that wasn't yet quilted. I don't know if you can see it in the photos, but I am using several different variegated threads--four total, just for a little variety. Just one quarter left to quilt. Don't you love the dinosaur applique? I think it really makes the quilt! I've got a mix of blue fabrics pieced for the binding, which I hope to apply by this weekend--that would be a new record--concept to completion in One Week!



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