Now is my planning time. My list includes a 365 daily stitching project. I have a "vision" of using dyed yoyo blocks from a coverlet my grandmother made back in the 70's. First step was to unsew the pieces and begin the dye process (my favorite part). Crazy... what am I doing!?!
I was at an art center recently and noticed a very cool jacket hanging in the coat room. Yes, I will borrow the idea. The patterned fabric was on the inside with the "quilting" showing on the exterior. Nice!
I started a little stitch piece to use in my Peru travel book. Since it is a long and narrow piece that will eventually roll up on a stick, I am just calling it a "roll". My random thoughts:
Found a way to start using the old fabric calendars that have been given to me:
I'm not even sure where these pics were taken. Maybe Bishop Hill? Pretty good chance of that as it was the day after Thanksgiving. Tradition to head there for some Swedish heritage each year. Anyway - I'm on a mission to clean up my phone. So many pictures! With many travel plans for next year, it's time to clean up!
The quilt I'm currently working on (#earthfragments), seems a bit boring to me. The idea of adding another layer of contrasting work seems like a good direction to run. I have until January to get this piece completed (show deadline). I'm sure I can fit in stitching some abstract leaves between now and then!
A few weeks ago, a friend gave me 4 buckets of acorns. Most of them will be treats for the squirrels this winter. I was more interested in making dye! I needed some brown tones for a needle felting project I am developing for a class I'll teach later in the spring. The acorns did not disappoint!
No doubt, travel is on my list of favorite things. While looking for photos to use in an upcoming library art program, I came across this delightful image. The woman in the middle is my grandmother Helen. She and her two friends attended high school down in the cities, living there during the weekend and traveled home on the weekends.
She loved her hats! And that bag! I want one like that!
A while back I saw a fun idea for creating a bird smorgasbord. It is now an addition to my bird feeding center. My husband spends hours watching the birds from out dining room window and I'm determined to make our bird feeding areas as arty as possible! I wonder if the birds will like it?
Maybe I just call it a "treehouse"!
Since my body and brain don't understand setting the clock back, I had an extra hour of stitching this morning before the sun came up. I didn't have a project set aside for this morning, so I opted to pull a few scraps and challenged myself to use them.
Today is World Vegan Day, a lifestyle choice I embraced 6 years ago after medical issues demanded a change. Vegan isn't always salads, but look at this! I already have 4 servings of fruits/vegetables in before 9 am!
I had a thought that my blog needed a face lift. I like grey, but is this too dark? It can always be changed again...
While I'm at it, I think I'll rearrange my art studio! Husband suggested recently that I should move my computer downstairs. I'm not sold on this, but it would give me another table to work at in the studio. No - I rather like escaping upstairs.
I did move most of my indoor plants that crave a warm and sunny location for the winter upstairs. Little changes. Can't rush into to much at a time...
The proof copy was in Saturday's mail! Dee and I met yesterday afternoon and covered the book page by page making notes for changes to be made. Not many, but seeing it in print is much different from looking at a computer screen.
The exhibit of the 12 dresses goes up tomorrow at the Quad Cities International Airport! It feels so good to be wrapping up both of my year long projects. I'm sure my family and friends are tired of hearing about "my dress project"! Thank goodness they are patient and supportive of me.
While doing some cleaning, I came across a quilt top (unfinished, of course), stashed away in my art studio closet. I put it in the trash pile, then pulled it out. I had held on to it for decades, but never had the desire to finish. The colors were so dated. Totally, not who I am now. I really hated to just pitch it.
I always tell people in my dye workshops that it is perfectly ok to over dye ugly fabric. Why not over dye the quilt top!?!
A little bit of stitching each morning adds up to a project in a few months! Included in this block is a piece of handwoven fabric from college days, and old recycled dishtowel and a sun print.
Am I really beginning a new dress piece? Yes - I can't stop. With a collection of gifted dresses, a head full of ideas, and early morning stitching time (I woke at 1:30 this morning), the project will continue.
It is absolutely beautiful outdoors this morning. It seems that I should be out there doing something fun and exciting! Instead, I picked today to do some art studio clean up. It's needed it for awhile, but my excuse was the dress project. Now that it is done and ready to head to the airport gallery in less than 2 weeks, I have no excuse. Tomorrow is trash day. I already have 2 giant bags hauled out to the bin. Yeah team!
It's now time to begin something new! With tons of ideas and a closet full of fabric, I'm thinking a couple of large quilts will eat up some stash. Where to begin?!?
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We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.
Confucius
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Time to get lunch going.
My small group of art friends got together yesterday for some silk thread dyeing. I am ❤️ ING the gorgeous colors and want to keep dyeing!
I'm working on a series of color stories based on the colors from an image. I picked a Marc Chagall watercolor from his ballet series as my inspiration.
