AURIFIL THREAD

 Like perhaps many, you have a thread preference. Mine is Aurifil Cotton Mako - 50/2. I use it exclusively despite the extra cost, so I'm always on the lookout for sales. So I was delighted to learn Wawak.com sells it for $7.99 (med. size spool). Buy 6+ and the cost goes down to $7.49 each. Purchases over $100 shipping is free, though there is a flat rate of $5.95. The selection was very good, though 3 colors I wanted were on backorder. Not bad considering I found 9 I wanted. The company is in CA and I got my order in 2 days...no kidding....it came Fed Ex. No affiliation at all, we all are looking to save $ where we can, esp. these days. Thought I'd share this discovery.

BEGINNING - AGAIN

 Ahhhh....sometimes the vision in your head becomes disappointing when executed.

As seen on my design wall.....a rustic unplanned pieced background.

 These images of forgotten treasures discovered as we explored our backwoods were digitally transferred to fabric.  After auditioning placement with some narrow sashing, the idea was rejected.  The images will be used....just not with these pieced fabrics which are mostly batiks with some deconstructed fabrics I created.

Starting again...stay tuned......

FRIENDSHIP

 After authoring books for AQS and Martingale, I was flattered to be contracted by C & T Publishing to create a book where the focus was  beading on fabric.  The result was "Beading Basics", published in 2001.

The purpose was to provide a beading 101 illustrated book.  Basically a front row seat to my beading classes.  It couldn't have been done without the help of some of my friends.  I put out a call to students (many who traveled with me on my numerous cruises and tours) to ask if they might be willing to provide a wall quilt for me to embellish with beads.  Each piece was so helpful in illustrating to the readers how different beading styles could enhance wall art. Beads can be applied before or after the piece was complete.

One such quilt was "Civil War Stars" - 56" x 56", by Jan VanderHill.  Antique matte finished brass seed beads outline each of the friendship stars.  Jan pieced the quilt using reproduction civil war style cotton fabric.

After all the work was finished and the book published, Jan generously gifted the quilt to me.  I've treasured it for all these years.  Now in the present.......it's been on my mind for a long time that this piece should return to Jan or her daughter Sandie, or granddaughter Alley, who often traveled on these cruises with us. So off it went this morning, flooded with wonderful memories of these good friends.

The book is out of print but if you search for it online you'll find plenty of sources....including this one where it can be borrowed for free:   

C & T offers an ebook version of another illustrated book of mine:  "All In One Beading Buddy" - published in 2008 which features 78 illustrated bead stitches.  You can order it here. 

ART WITH NATURE

 ENCHANTING, BEAUTIFUL, AND KINDA JAW DROPPING......

WHERE YOU MIGHT ASK?.....THE PHOTO BELOW MAY GIVE YOU A HINT....IT'S PRETTY UNFORGETTABLE TOO.  HERE'S ONE MORE HINT.....NOTICE THE ICONIC BUTTERFLY ICON THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ENTERPRISE.

FABRIC FUN

 A friend (thank you Jan) shared some fabulous French fabrics that she bought from Doreen Speckmann's estate. Paris was one of our stops on a quilt tour I hosted where one highlight was visiting a French quilt shop...... So naturally, I simply had to use some of this precious fabric to make some book covers. Also pictured, 2 mono-printed wool felt and one made from vintage Japanese Kimono fabric.

SUNRISE

 A bonus for early risers....because we live in a 'holler' (Southern slang for narrow valley between mountains) and ours are to the East and West of our house......we don't enjoy the beautiful sunrises and sunsets I was used to in Wisconsin. But this morning...oh my......

Photo taken off our back deck.

SPIRIT OF JAPAN

FINISHED!!! 

SPIRIT OF JAPAN - 47" X 55"

Japanese cottons, pieced, quilted with metallic and 

invisible thread.  Fabric hanging sleeve attached.

IT'S COMING ALONG....

 Winter came back, snow on the ground - temp. 32 digress. It's a good excuse to finish quilting my latest Japanese inspired art quilt.....

ANTICIPATION!

 A new large quilt is underway......despite not needing a reason to make an art quilt, large or small......it's even better to have one.  I was worried sales would come to a halt at Woolworth Walk due to inflation worries and high gas prices which might keep shoppers away.

Fortunately, that wasn't true....at least for the month of March.....one of big quilts displayed on the inside front entrance railing sold.....so another begins....

TIME SPENT??

 Lest you think I spend every minute of my time creating art quilts.....(well I did during the height of Covid).....I actually don't.  

By nature I'm quite tidy.....during the height of most projects when selecting the fabrics, my space can get extremely cluttered.  Anxious to get the mess off my work tables.....fabrics get shoved back into one of my storage areas.  The other day two whole stacks tumbled out of this closet, leading me to pull most of it out and reorganize.

The grandkids are coming....the grandkids are coming...YEAH!!!  Instead of making up Easter baskets which would be difficult to bring home (traveling by air), I made two folded felted baskets. They can be disassembled and packed flat.

Of course the eggs will be filled, but I'll leave that for the last minute otherwise I fear most of the goodies will disappear.

Ohhhhhh.....oops....these tasks may not be art quilts....but gosh....they are fiber related.  Hummmm.....what does that say about how I spend my time!?!

AUTUMN SETTING SUN

This piece was very hand work intensive.....but there are projects that simply require that extra patience!

                                         AUTUMN SETTING SUN - 13" X 13"

                               AVAILABLE IN ONLING GALLERY SHOP

Hand-ice & indigo dyed cottons, hand & machine appliquéd, hand embroidered, hand quilted, paint & pastels. Wrapped on canvas covered frame & secured in black wood frame without glass.