KEEPING AT IT

Here's what my project looks like now after spending more time than I'd like to admit auditioning bead edging treatments to frame this design. A few more hours of stitching and it will be looking for a new home......

Better, don't ya think??

NOW WHAT??

Working on 3 different projects doesn't lead to quick results for any of them.....but it's often my routine. Studio/design time takes place in the day and handwork in the evening.... WHY not?? I never have control over the TV clicker anyway!!

This piece was originally to be my 2011 donation for the annual Alzheimer's Priority Quilt Initiative.....but due to the size limitation of my deconstructed screen printed fabric.....I added border to the center panel. THEN....drat....it was too large for the target 9" x 12".

I decided not to cut the borders down to achieve the correct size since they'd be really narrow. Instead I'm finishing it as is and I'll make another piece for the Fall Houston sale. I spent several hours hand quilting the background. But due to what turns out to be a suprisingly busy background (at least it is for my taste)......the hand quilting wasn't supporting the design at all.

So....unhappily, I ripped it all out and then, yup....I'm nothing if not persistent.....tried a different quilt pattern...again by hand. And, yup...I ripped that out too. Yesterday I machine echo quilted it, bound it, and am almost finished the hand stitching on the binding.

Now I look at it and am not totally happy. Wanna bet that a beaded edging treatment will be added? The design seems lost and needs to be 'framed'. Beads should do that. I'll be busy tonight!

A LITTLE BIT MORE - 2011 CHALLENGE

Okay, okay....I know this isn't much progress to show.......seriously....having a retired husband can change one's daily plans!!

But I am slowly moving along...... I hope by the next step some of you will begin to get a glimmer of which famous artist inspired my piece.......

Detail

UPDATE - PTA 2011 CHALLENGE

Are you still trying to guess which artist has inspired my 2011 challenge? Visit here to see previous posts on the subject.....

As promised, I'll continue posting my progress......though due to my teaching commitments, it's been slow lately.

Sorry about the photo.....the white background continues to come out light purple as I document my progress. In reality, it's WHITE....

QUILTS WITH NEW HOMES

I've returned from a very pleasant teaching trip to the Nimble Fingers Quilt Guild in Potomac, MD.......where 3 small quilts have found new homes.

It's such a comfort knowing that they will be appreciated and loved by others....rather than adding to the stack I have at home!

Every year I make one or two major pieces for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative Sale held in the Fall at Quilt Festival in Houston. I love hearing from the new owners.

My 2010 donation was a bead embellished wool felt piece, titled 'Guinea Fowl Feather'. I received the following note, along with these two photos that I wanted to share with you all. Though I have framed some of my work, it's never occurred to me to display it in such a grand frame......I'm wowed and so pleased by their decision. Isn't it great when the vision of others makes us look twice at our own work?!?

"Your work is beautiful and deserved an equally beautiful frame for presentation in our art collection so I took the feather to my top level framer at Tates Frame in League City, Texas and worked together with them to get this final result. I am a proponent of larger, highly detailed frames with an old-world flair so the frame choice was mine but the professionals at Tates chose the linen back-mat, the linen liner and the color combination. I think it turned out beautifully, it will find good home in the Reynolds art collection in Santa Fe, Texas."

MARYLAND HOSPITALITY

One of the special treats we instructors get while on the road is the opportunity to visit with other quilters.......

....not to mention experiencing delicious food at local restaurants. This is the lucious sherbert dessert one of my dinner mates had last night.

It gets better.....today I was presented with flowers and this super yummy birthday cake...... Thank you, thank you.......Nimble Fingers Quilt Guild!!!

SHARING

We shared more than our birthdays.......today especially Nancy.....I'm thinking of you!

Mary Theobald Stori Nancy Theobald Willmas

(Our Senior High School pictures 1964)

PTA RETREAT REPORT #4- FINAL

By now perhaps you've contacted your bestest quilt pals and are planning your own quilt retreat.....at least I hope my posts have encouraged you to run away from home for a few days to recharge your battery.

Although I still have enough 'material' to post daily for another week about our retreat....some things are best left to one's imagination.

I'll conclude with a peak at a demo Kate organized for us.

She showed us an interesting and fairly easy technique for rusting fabric. Many of you may have already played with other methods to turn plain fabric into textured beauties.....it's fun isn't it? If you haven't, Google 'rusting fabric' to find specific instructions.

We started with a piece of damp PFD (prepared for dyeing) fabric.....which was sprinkled with salt.

....and covered with steel wool.....

....rolled around a wine bottle.....

.....secured with rubber bands and wrapped with copper wire. It will be kept wet for about a week and then removed to reveal fabric that may look like Kate's samples below:

Thank you Kate for your generosity!!! My fabric is still 'cooking'......

I'm looking forward to my upcoming teaching trip tomorrow to the Nimble Fingers Quilters Guild in Potomac, MD......and blogging when I can.

PTA RETREAT REPORT #3

Among the many activities we do at our annual retreat each year is a sort of guessing game. The first year each of us brought 1 baby picture of our self and 1 during our teenage years. The idea was to guess who was who.

The next year we brought photos of our first quilt......there are no prizes....just a lot of good hearted kidding and much laughter.

This year each of us brought 3 facts that others may not know about us. They were to be typed on a 4" x 4" piece of paper and deposited in a basket at our retreat house.

So, after the first sewing day, before dinner (otherwise possibly known as cocktail hour)......we began the fun..... This was so much fun and we learned a lot of unexpected details about our friends.

We've already decided that next year we will be guessing each others 'bucket lists'.....that is if we remember that's what we decided to do.

After dinner we played "Guessters" (I think that was the name)......sort of a charade game......here Barbara was monitoring Linda Cantrell who was pre-selecting her cards......that's not in the rule book, so Barbara had to recount the appropriate number for her.

Hummmm......the cheating escalated and Georgia was being observed by 3 of the opposing team members. We laughed for hours!

L.I.N.T EXHIBIT OPENING

I'm interrupting my PTA retreat reports with some views from the opening reception for the L.I.N.T. Exhibit. It runs through April 30th. at Gallery 86 in Waynesville, NC.

I'm delighted to be a new member of this amazing group of artists.

I often refer to the work of my friend Judy Simmons who magically transforms photos into fabric collage wall hangings. She has three pieces on display.

Suzanne Gernandt is the owner of Textures on Main in Waynesville and an artist who weaves, paints, embellishes her work. I love the simplicity of what actually is a complex number of techniques.

I chose to exhibit my 4 Seasons tree series.....featuring hand applique, hand quilting, beading, and embellishing.

Janice Maddox has a knack for taking traditional patterns and developing the designs into contemporary wall hangings.

Vikie Essig's work will blow you away. She weaves natural elements and small found objects into her work, playing with light and translucency, and the dichotomy between fragility and strength. Because of the bright lights in the gallery, my photo doesn't do this piece justice.....but visit her work here to see other work that can be purchased.

I'll be featuring the work of other members from time to time so you can see the diversity of this group