THE SECRET SAUCE

 Let your materials work for you......here's an example.  Various shades of grey fabrics become feathers.  Great right??

Now merge those fabrics, add texture, and visual interest by stitching with variegated rayon thread.  Even better, right?

JUMPING AHEAD TO THE FINISH LINE

 There are some projects that move along without hair pulling.....happily this was one.  Occasionally a few Egrets and Herons wade in a marshy area of our community in the (too short) period of time when the retaining basin fills.  Our last rainfall was early April, we haven't seen a drop at our home since.

I trust this guy is fishing elsewhere and will visit us again in the fall.

GREY MARSH HERON - 12” x 14”

$150 - free shipping 

Artist ice-dyed cottons, batiks, felted wool, appliqué, hand embroidery, dense thread painting, machine quilted, faced

edges, & hanging sleeved attached.

LET THE FABRIC DO MOST OF THE WORK

Finding just the right fabric to express a theme or subject can sometimes create a happy dance.  The lower section of this ongoing small piece does just that....surely you can recognize the direction of the design.

A BOY AND HIS DOG

 I rarely share personal posts.....this is too cute not to......

Our grandsons got a dog....after much begging......adopted from someone who was moving and could not have a pet in their new housing.

THE TIME HAS COME.....

And the answer is.....

FABRIC FORTUNE COOKIES - complete with paper fortunes hidden inside.  I've made these as stocking stuffers for Xmas.  

Our son's wife is Japanese American......her parents were born in Chicago and no one in the family speaks Japanese.  However they follow the tradition of a close knit family, politeness, respectful,, & kindness.  We couldn't have asked for a better DIL plus the bonus of a loving extended family.

A HINT

 Have you been trying to guess what my new project is?  Ya, I know.....there wasn't much to go on....so here's another clue.

WHAT'S NEXT??

 Like most of you, a long list of 'next projects' await.  This one will be on a short time line.  Here are my supplies.......you'll never guess what it will be....but you can try!!!  Bring it on.....

TAHOE SUNSET

 Last stitch completed today.....ready for a forever home....... Interested?  Contact me.....

TAHOE AFTERGLOW

16” x 18”

Artist ice-dyed, gelli printed & batik cottons. Appliquéd motifs, dense machine embroidery, hand embroidery & machine quilting.  Faced edges. Ready to hang. 

PROGRESS

 I've been busy enjoying the company of my long time friend and roommate in the 60's.  We attended the same WI high school and both worked in the airline business at O'Hare.  Our husband's were both WI natives who lived in Chicago and were also roommates.  Amazing.....  All 4 of us vowed that CA would be the last place on earth we'd ever live.  Joke is on us....they moved to Clovis 10 years ago and we relocated to Roseville 2 years ago. Offsprings are very good magnets and we old dogs have now learned new tricks!!

Work continues on my current project.....still a few more design elements may be added.  Perhaps these photos will show the direction this art quilt is headed.

A FAVORITE THEME

 Sunrise & sunset themes, along with trees are subjects that seems to resonate with me.  Creating gel printed fabrics that are featured in these art quilts is....well.....FUN!!  Utilizing my stash of ice-dyed fabrics and commercial batiks completes the palette. 

Often these fabrics end up looking like Swiss Cheese as I "fussy cut" sections to better coordinate with the surrounding fabrics. Photo #1

With the aid of my walking foot, my favorite appliqué stitch is the blanket stitch.  As seen in photo #2.  A simple slightly curvy straight stitch with variegated threads coordinates the various fabric patterns and colors as well as adding texture. Photo #3 & #4.

To prevent the fabrics from distortion/buckling I always use a stabilizer as a foundation for nearly all of my art quilts. Photo #5