More fishing

We started our fish last week this week we will finish them, so bring them with batting and backing so we can start the stitching. You can color match the thread or contrast colors. These fish are really fun.

Something is fishy

Week Four ART QUILTING

We will explore an Art Quilt technique by Susan Carlson from her book “Free-Style Quilts a “No Rules” Approach” We will choose from several fish patterns in the book.
Check out her website at www.susancarlson.com for inspiration before you come to class.

Supplies needed:
several fabric scraps and fat quarters mostly prints, batiks are nice
15" X 12" muslin or plain cotton
18" square of batting
18" square backing fabric
glue stick
small sharp scissors
regurlar scissors
pins
safety pins for basting or needle and thread for basting
sewing machine
variety of thread
light colored towel (I found this helpful to pin to while putting the fish together)

We will also be looking at the small quilts you did (You did finish didn't you?) in Exercises 2,3,4, and 5
As a reminder here is the assignment.


Exercise # 3 1 hour max.

1. Determine the subject you want to use. (You have made a collection of materials for three possible subjects) Choose A, B, or C from last session.
2. Consult your notebook and see what stands out to you the most on the page.
3. Determine the format (portrait or landscape)
4. What are the main elements of your design going to be?
5. Choose a fabric for the background (8 X 10) The choice of colors is up to you.
6. Fuse some “Wonder Under” to other fabrics and cut shapes that express the design you are creating. Do not fuse down until you have moved them around and are satisfied with the composition. Fuse.
7. Do some free motion stitching to outline the shapes and some quilting for added definition and texture. You can embellish as you wish.

Exercise # 4 Do Exercise # 3 with one of the other two themes but this time limit your color palette to only three colors, and simplify the design.

Distilling to the Essence
Too often we think in the most literal sense, and then get frustrated when our efforts do not “look like” what we had in mind. There are many ways to express an idea besides realism. We will be trying to move away from the real to something more abstract or suggestive of the subject matter.

Exercise # 5 Choose your last group of materials. Follow the guidelines of the previous exercises, but this time only suggest the subject matter. Look at the words you used and the materials you collected and create a feeling rather than a “look like”.

Work small so it doesn’t take much time and don’t stress over it. This is learning through FUN and PLAY.

Please have these ready for evaluation in class next week.

I'm offf now to tend kids for Sara, See you Wednesday

Another portrat Quilt

This is a protrait quilt of Mia. I made the dress she is wearing and her mother Sara took the photo near her other grandma's home in Banning. It is very low value and did not photograph as well as it looks in real life. These photo quilts are so fun.
I hope you can join me for a class at Ginger's Quilt Shop in Upland for three sessions. Thursdays Oct. 15,22,&29.

High Tide came home

My last Bernina garment "High TIde" has come home to live in the closet for awhile. It is just in time for the next silk painting class which will begin on Wednesday Sept 2.

The Artists Lair

This is what my side of the "Studio" is looking like. Tomorrow is moving day for Sara. I will go to work on finding all that has been lost and put into a "safe Place" on Friday. I will be crying on Thursday.

The Grandchildren Quilt Project

I am back at the "Grandchildren Quilt Project" and am working on a quilt for Mia (8yrs old) about dessert. I found this darling panel while I was in Nevada while tending grand kids. It was perfect for the base of the quilt and I love the colors.
Mia stood by me while I stitched today for about an hour asking all kinds of questions about the process. She is excited about the way her quilt is turning out.
I have learned that you need to do the first one and then do another just like it to correct the problems you had with the first one. I doubt that I will.

Underwater Wonders is going to the Show

I just received an e-mail that my quilt "Pacific Ocean, Underwater Wonder" was accepted into the International Quilt Festival Show "Westcoast Wonders" which will debut at Long Beach Quilt Festival. I'm excited! Now I have to make a label and a sleeve for it and get it ready for shipping.

It's a boy!

I'm a great grandmother! I thought that was only for old folks. My grandaughter Julie had a baby boy, his name is Mason Flynn Shaner and they live in London. He's so cute.

I'm back!

I have been trying to figure out how to make the blog work again. I've been outdated and I had to change formats. Now the learning curve starts again. I'll do my best to figure it out and keep you all informed!

blue ribbon wow!

Here I am with my first Blue Ribbon Quilt. I was so excited to hear I had won. They hung everything so nicely. I was very impressed with how it looked.
Audrey, Karen Millman and I all took the same workshop, Sandi Cummings “Think Outside the BLock”. It was very fun.
I will use the technique in one of my projects.

The fashion show was great. Thank you everyone for showing up or sending your garments. There was a scramble for models, but we did it and the clothes all looked soooo great! I think everyone was suitably impressed by what can be accomplished from white or black fabric, dye and discharge. Really super! I love you all.