Ready to face the facing :-)

Well, it is done except for finishing the back and labelling.

Not sure which I think is the better colour.

Maybe the top one? Maybe take an average!

This was fun to work on but now I want to dye a dedicated piece for the background of the "real thing". I will pare the sides down and make it long and narrow- like Milkweed! I may even do a diptych or a triptych if I feel REALLY  crazy! Maybe three seasons? We shall see but definitely this one. I learned a LOT on this piece. It may end up being called Glorious Explosion. Right now it is still The Milkweed Project!

1- the metallic organza disintegrates when stitched over too much- heat transfer foil may be better

2- planning circular quilting ahead of time is good- I DID use a Chaco-liner which was a help and disappeared nicely. I was upset about the unevenness of the circles but in the end, I think I like it better than perfection. This is NOT drafting!

3- On the Real one I will be more careful with the placement of the bright patches of light. I had little choice here but when I dye my background, it will be better placed.

And, as I have not done it for a little while- Mr Personality!!!

Two months

                                         On that note- Cheerio for now! Happy quilting :-)

Trial and Error and a quilt show

The Quilt Show opened on Sunday last with a lovely day and a nice, pretty informed crowd. I was pleased apart from the fact that I thought my part of the show looked sparse . This was because-A- I gave them two lots of work with two different subjects so it was hard to mix them , and -B- my work is NOT large so there was lots of space between pieces. No one by myself seemed to mind.

Don't worry! There WERE four walls and more work but this was what you walked in on when you came through the door.

Since I got home, I have been a tired old bag but today, at last, I started work on the quilting of the little Milkweed piece. THAT is the Trial and Error part. I have been auditioning battings and metallic threads-

Unfortunately, it is such a scuzzy day here that the colours don't really show. 

The left hand end is the right batting, Quilter's Dream cotton. 

The threads I am trying are all Superior metallics, variegated gold, a light gold and two different silvers. As well, I tried out a plain medium grey as there are parts of the fluff that are not catching the sunlight so they look flat and grey. I wish you could see the colours better so you could pass judgement. However, I know what I want now and am liking what I am doing and the effect I am getting.

These three are very repetitious.

I gave you three to look at in case someone saw one or another better than the others.

Mostly, I am still at the "tie it all down " stage yet. 

We shall see how it goes from here. As I said before, if this 12" x 12" piece pleases me, I shall keep it for next year's SAQA Auction. It is a good dry run for the big one I want to do after I have done some fresh dyeing. I am VERY short on colour and value choices. Makes it hard to work!

Well, I have not had time to check out the needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com yet this week. I will post this and I am anxious to see what everyone has been up to. Maybe if we ALL thought positively, we would get some sunshine back? Try it! 

Milkweed evolving- I HOPE!

I have been trying lots of different things. One thing I thought about was the lovely lens flare on the original photo- so I tried with crystal organza and Misty Fuse to replicate the effect-

The little patches are not fused yet

You can really see that they are loose here

And here they are fused

In the end, I decided that one was a photo and one was a quilt. I could not quite achieve the look I wanted on this small piece so decided to peel the little hexagons off. Thankfully, Misty Fuse lets you do that:-)















Next, I decided it was time to add the Milkweed seeds before I begin stitching. I cut them from hand dyed cotton with EZ Fuse on the back! I am praying HARD that they stay put for me. I will stitch them down - just in case!

With seeds and the original photo

I cannot wait to make this piece full sized. I will make a proper background fabric for that . This one is growing on me though.

And, finally, the piece is ready to stitch- all layered and pinned!

There we are- ready to quilt. 

I am looking forward to quilting this but tomorrow is a BIG day! It is the official opening of the show I am involved in at Homer Watson House Gallery in Kitchener. It runs 2-4 PM tomorrow ( Sunday, 27 April) and all through May , finishing 08 June . The gallery is closed Mondays. Hope you will drop by if you can. It looks like a very interesting little show!!

An oldie but a goody

A VERY elderly photo taken at Rideau Ferry ON, MANY years ago. I took a whole series.

I would bet that I took this photo 45 years ago. It was a slide but DH digitized it and I enlarged it and drew me a pattern! I have been hankering after doing something with it for ...about 44 years! I have decided to make a rough prototype and try out some techniques on it. If I LOVE it, it will be 12" x 12" so I shall put it aside for next year's SAQA Auction. I used the Peony Centre this year. Hope they like it!

In case you forgot, The Peony Centre piece, 12" x 12"

I have already scoured my fabrics ( I need about a whole week of dyeing! VERY short of colour/value choice!) and chose this piece out of the centre of a pretty piece of hand dyed fabric. It is not the right colours but I think I can make this work. For the big, REAL piece I will dye a piece specifically. Also, it will be rectangular like the original photo.

My creative clutter. Cannot be sentimental about pretty pieces of fabric. I found a part I thought could work even though the original is different. I can make a piece more like the original later.

What a mess, eh! Anyway, I have cut out some foil bits to start the shimmery background and am auditioning it behind some pieces cut from various darker pieces to create the milkweed.

The story so far! This has a pretty wide border on it but it will be pruned down to 12" x 12" eventually

Nothing is set in stone just yet. For one thing , the "sun" disk in the middle will be made smaller and I will likely offset the whole composition. Just playing at this stage! I just wanted the background big enough so I could choose the sweet spot for the milkweed. It will end up 12"x12 ".

I will post this to the needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com. I have had a busy time lately so have not been posting too much. I follow everyone though . Great work going on. 

All done but the facing- and a peek at a snazzy hat!

It is finished now except for the facing, sleeve and label. There is a LOT of stitching on this piece!

just some of the finished detail

and here

maybe the stitching shows better here?

You've seen these before but now they ARE finished. I hope the stitching shows.

This has been a long job somehow. It took so long to get back into the routine but I am ready to work now:-) I will spray this with fixative to preserve the pencil crayon touchups before I do the facing and sleeve.

And now, for something COMPLETELY different- a man with a new hat! ( Promised I would not do this too much - but I never said I would NEVER do it!)..

TA DA...........

Sorry folks, but you NEEDED to see this!

Who's a Happy Granny then???

I am posting this to the needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com  Technically, none of this really qualifies as unfinished work, but .... Enjoy the other posts.

Separation- not of sheep and goats but of leaves and background!

This did NOT want to move to the spot where I intended to put it! Anyway, here is the piece close to finished but note wrinkles at top and bottom. THAT is why I love my intense quilting. REALLY sets the details off.

OK, girls! Remember the Cross Your Heat Bra? "Lifts and separates. Suddenly, you're shapelier!" Well, that is kind of the stage I am at on Wire Fence II right now. I have everything tied down with stitching. Leaves have a good basic amount of stitching done but now, I want to flatten my background and leave the leaves, post and fruit sitting proud so they really POP!

I have taken to quilting tightly, intensively in my backgrounds and am LOVING the effect! It kills my neck and makes me really weary but it is SO worth it - to me , anyway. I did it on Bruce's Favourite-

I did it on Wire Fence I-

And now I am working on Wire Fence II--

These are repetitive but you get the idea.

Sorry this one is so fuzzy 

So there you have it... This is the progress to date. I will get dressed now, start my laundry and then.... QUILT!
_________________________________________________________________________________


And I DID and the main quilting is now DONE! ( and so am I!!)

The whole half yard!

A couple of detail shots

There you go Folks, done for the day. Now, it is staring time again. The quilt will sit in the sitting room so that I see it every time I pass through the room and , in a blinding flash ( no doubt!) I shall see exactly what I need to do now. There is a bit of detail work burning in my brain so you may expect yet another post some day soon. Meantime, please excuse the fuzzy pics and enjoy the sharp ones. Pretty soon I will give you a break and not pester you with any more pics of this one. Bless you for your patience and your valued comments :-)

An Invitation and some Zentangling

Hello all . Finally got the invitation to the show at Homer Watson House and Gallery. I want to share it with you and to extend a most cordial invitation to anyone in the vicinity to drop by and see the show. It looks like there should be something for most every taste! Sadly, the photo is not too clear but if you ARE able to attend and need more info, please email me and I shall be happy to help you out! I may be able to get a better shot and if so, shall post it PDQ!

So now, DH has scanned this for me and I hope you are better able to read it!

I have been playing with Zentangle tiles - again- STILL, still trying to loosen up my silly right hand. I DO find Zentangling VERY calming and I have needed that recently. I try to do one or part of one almost every day.Hope you enjoy them :-)

Fun stuff:-)

And some more fun  stuff!

And one more bit of fun stuff!!!

I am posting this to the needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com This is a different post for me . I am working slowly on Wire Fence II but it will soon be done. Hope you enjoy TNTN this week!

Ready to Quilt???

I THINK I may be ready to layer and quilt. I will look again in the clear morning light but by flash tonight in our dimly lit sitting room, I THINK it is ready. I can still touch up after it is quilted.So, here it is...

I will look again in the morning and then maybe replace the picture with a better one and post it to the needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com. I haven't looked there yet but there is bound to be some interesting stuff posted. There usually is :-)

There, I changed the picture and it is definitely better. Now, wounded though I am , I am going to TRY to layer it! When I was taking the pic this AM, I got my finger pinched in a slidey bit on my tripod and it is VERY sore and bleeding heavily! Poor me! At least it is my left hand but it is the middle finger so I will have to be careful where I put it ;-)

Here is the better shot taken in the sunshine in the dining room this morning. The colour is pretty close though a tad paler than in real life. That MAY be just the angle of the comp screen!

NOW we've got it!!

Ready - at last- to begin the detailed finishing on this piece. It has been an adventure!!

The background was a problem. I made two pieces but never quite got the balance of colours I really wanted. However, with some judicious and clever manipulations, I finally settled on this one and with a bit more fooling about, I BELIEVE I will like it. I have more grapes to do and some little background details and then- the lily gilding!This is always the hardest stage for me. You know how you have been so close to something for so long that you just don't really SEE it any more! THAT is where I am right now so Wire Fence II is pinned on my portable design wall and I am at the "stare at it" stage now. It WILL all fall into place ( she said, confidently!) I expect an epiphany very soon! Perhaps a number of little epiphanies.

Here is where I am just now. Many details to be added. Some highlights and some shadows and just generally making it POP! It should soon be ready to quilt.

Next time you see this, it SHOULD be better- more like what I am aiming for. Right now, I go to make more grapes :-)

This "W" is still " IP"

Still working on Wire Fence II. It IS progressing , but slowly. I keep changing my mind on things. Here is where I am "at" just now. Please bear in mind that I am only estimating leaf placements as much of the info I need is covered by the post.

Remember that the placement is not too accurate

This is coming along but I still have lots to do - not the least is deciding on and making a background in a colour(s) that I like. I am thinking darkish greens but part of me is thinking light and limey greens or chartreuses. However, it IS autumn and the paler background might not work. A bit dicey as I do not want to end up with a bunch of BIG pieces of fabric that I would not use. SOOO much to think about! 

NOW we are rolling.....

OK, progress, though shaky, IS being made. I have 16 leaves to do and have finished 7 and am just starting on the ninth (which is leaf #8!!!- I skipped #6 for the moment !) I cannot believe how STUPID I am ! I have only been away from this for a month and have made soo many silly errors. Got it working smoothly again now though and , to date, I am fairly pleased. I still am not sure what I want for a background colour. I will wait till I see more of this and then decide.

:-) Speaking of "to date" , I had a "date" with DH today for tea and two Tim Bits at Timmy"s. For those non Canadians among us, Timmy's is really Tim Horton's, a doughnut and coffee shop that does nice drinks, hot and cold ( Iced Cappuccino  in the summer is to DIE for!) , sandwiches, soup and treats! Timmy's is all across Canada and there are a few outlets in the US. Very nice little break. Thanks, DH xxoo! BTW, Tim Bits are the doughnut holes! Good for diabetic dieters on a wee spree!

step 1

step 2

the piece to date

Can you spot the little change of heart? Not major, but I like it better!

Back in the saddle again

After what seems like an eternal hiatus, I have started working again. I am out of shape for it :-( Running up and down the stairs to the dye pots and laundry, leaning over by the hour drawing, cutting, fusing!!! Am I NUTS??? You betcha! It will be fine and it feels good to be back at it .My poor old back is very sore though today. I had to take a pill :-(

I am working on a new piece that has been in my head for ages. Every time we drive to Waterdown to shop, we pass a wire fence festooned with wild grape and Virginia creeper. Watching those vines as the season progresses is a favourite pastime of mine.( I don't get out much!)

Look at the profusion of grapes this past fall! I wait all year for the grapes to ripen with that dull slatey blue-black bloom and for the dark green leaves to go chartreuse- a stunning contrast.

SO beautiful this year- the Virginia Creeper was brilliant! I have already done one piece using another photo from this same series taken on the same day. I was fortunate enough to find VC with ripe berries on the twigs- a brilliant royal blue and shinier than the grapes.That piece is already on my blog under the title Wire Fence I.

The photo I am currently working on is this one-

The colours will be somewhat more intense and the busy background will be just a dark mottled piece of fabric- quilted, of course- allowing the fencepost, the wires and the gorgeous fruit and leaves to shine. I have my leaves all drawn, ready to assemble and one is already complete. I have the fencepost all ready to do but am short of the right colours for it so this will not be an instant piece to do. It is actually quite labour intensive, but that's what I love doing. I am working on some new dyed fabrics including fencepost grey! -GREY-S actually. Look at it. There are a zillion colours in that old post. Did I mention that I really like fences??

I have missed blogging and working but I AM enjoying being a far away Granny to a beautiful little boy. He just had his two week birthday and he is thriving. DD is looking and sounding wonderful too . She is one VERY hard working young woman - still trying to finish her doctoral dissertation on TOP of everything else. I KNOW she will do it because that's my girl! She used to really LOVE Wonder Woman when she was wee. Well, now she IS Wonder Woman!

I do hope everyone out there is well and starting to see signs of spring 2014. Thank you to all of the very kind people who sent congratulations to me on the birth of my darling little Grandson, Oliver. I really appreciate your kindness and thoughtfulness :-)

Here is the chaos that is the start of a new piece of work in OUR house!

And here is some small bit of progress being made!

And now that I actually have something to show, I decided to add to this post and to send it to the needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com . it feels like AGES since I posted last time but I HAVE paid attention to all of the other posts while I was "otherwise occupied". Anyway, like a bad penny, here I am again. Enjoy the entries this week.

Promise NOT to make a habit, but...

I am in LOVE and women in love are pretty irrational at times! To quote my Darling Daughter, this is "once in a while"! This is Oliver in his coming home from the hospital outfit. Hat, thumbless mitts and snazzy boots all made by his Mummy!

PROMISE that by next week I will be back to some proper work. Be patient with me. I have never been on this path before :-)