Week in Review 2014 - 12/26

 Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

My husband erected and decorated
our Christmas tree while I worked
in the studio. Note, Lola our
cat is able to guard the tree and
seeing anyone going up or down
the stairwell.

One thing I don't do often enough is take the time to watch TED talks.  The talks are brief, usually less than 10 minutes long. They are taped and available for free on-line. 

Yesterday, Christmas Day, I gave myself the present of listening to a TED talk by Alanna Shaikh titled "How I am Preparing to Get Alzheimer's." What struck me was Shaikh's third preparation. She was going to become a kinder, gentler more giving person. Why? Well, I let you watch the video to find out. 

The backside of Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts
showing how much quilting I managed this week.

In this time of transition between one year and the next it is normal to review the past year and make plans for the next. It is common practice to make resolutions, sometimes very formally by writing them down and setting up a strategy to achieve them. Some resolutions are just fleeting thoughts. Imagine if we all choose the goal to be more generous, kind and nurturing. To this end I am adding one more on-going weekly goal to my list. That is to perform at least one act of random kindness during each week. 

The frontside of Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts.
The sunrise photograph was printed on prepared cotton
on my home printer. It was placed behind the pieced front.
A negative applique method was done to let some of the
photograph appear. 

My studio time was naturally curtailed by the holidays. However, I did move a couple of my projects further along. Here is what I achieved:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 31, 2015)

Detail from the backside of Sunrise over Little Lake
Butte des Morts showing the spiral quilting motif
used in the orange triangle.

a) Finish blind stitching the frog in place - Done!
b) Square up the quilt - Done!
c) Start the facing process - Not yet

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Done!

Although I don't have an image of my FMQ practice, I did practice my spiral motif off quilt. In fact I tested an alternative motif first before I settled on the spirals. 

3) LifeBook 2014 - Bind my best mixed media work - Removed from the list

I have made the decision not to bind the pages from my LifeBook lessons. I have the video lesson should I ever be inspired to learn how to create a bound book of artwork in the future. Instead I will select a few favorites and toss the rest. I have visual records of them all on my computer as well as in my blog archives.

4) Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts (due December 31, 2014)

a) Finish the piecing - Done!
b) Quilt it - Started
c) Do the finish work - Not Yet
d) Submit it for consideration - Not Yet

One more abbreviated week to go before I am back hibernating in my studio for the winter. I am looking forward to it and my plans which are as follows:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 31, 2015)

a) Face the quilt
b) Add the split sleeve
c) Take the formal call for entry photos

Detail from the front side of Sunrise over Little Lake Butte
des Morts showing the satin stitch that was used to
finish the edges of the negative appliqué. 

d) Add the label
e) Submit the call

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts (due December 31, 2014)

a) Finish the quilting
c) Do the finish work
d) Submit it for consideration

4) Perform a random act of kindness


I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.

The Positive Link Between Cancer and Quilts

My sister, Dawn, deriving comfort from
the quilt I made especially for her to use
while undergoing chemotherapy.

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

My husband I have just returned from a trip to Tucson, AZ. The purpose of the trip was to advocate for my aunt. She recently turned 91, struggles with Parkinson's Disease and its companion, Lewy Body Dementia.  I have been my aunt's guardian and health advocate ever since she was diagnosed with LBD in December 2006. Between her age and her illness she has done remarkably well these past eight years. I feel very fortunate that her day to day needs are met by an excellent team of care takers and medical staff. They do a wonderful job of keeping me informed, as well. Still there is nothing like a face to face visit to truly understand what is going on and what can and can not be done to help.

Just inked! My great niece, Dawn's
granddaughter, McKenna, sporting
a tattoo she commissioned in honor
of her nana. The roses are Dawn's
favorite purple and the blue ribbon is
the symbol for colon cancer.

There are times in our lives when we are called to help those we love as they struggle with physical and mental illness. I feel very fortunate to be able to take the time. I also feel fortunate that I have the skill set to make comfort quilts. Some people believe in the power of crystals. I believe in the power of quilts. That is why years ago I founded an organization called The Power of the Quilt Project. The primary reason was to provide quilts for women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. The mission has expanded over the years to include all forms of cancer, treatment of cancer and men, woman and children. PQP is not the only organization that provides comfort quilts for others. Here is a list of just a few of the organizations that either use quilts as a fund raising means for charity or donate quilts to those in need of a hug:

1. The Power of the Quilt Project

2. Project Linus

3. Fiberart for a Cause

4. Quilts of Valor

If you know of an organization not on this list that provides comfort quilts please let me know in the comments section of the blog.

In this season of giving that is followed immediately by a time to set your intention for the new year, why not commit to making at least one quilt in 2015 for an organization that touches your heart.

Week in Review 2014 - 12/12

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

Poinsettia tutorial is available on Lori Kennedy's
Inbox Jaunt.

If you live in the northern hemisphere my thoughts this week will be timely. If you are in the southern hemisphere, perhaps you can bookmark them for six months hence. In the past I would be currently kicking, pulling and dragging myself through this time of year when there is more dark than light. Now toss in the fact that most days in Wisconsin are overcast so that the sky reads the color of a mourning dove. Finally add in the hype and hyperactivity of the holidays and it is easy to succumb to depression. This year is different. My husband discovered the SlimStyle 65W LED lightbulb. He likes it for its energy efficiency. I love how it floods my studio with brilliant daylight. The initial expense feels on the extravagant side, but between the energy savings and emotional boost this is one luxury I can highly recommend investing in. 

My first mixed media piece made
during the year long course of LifeBook 2014.

Here is where I placed my energy this week:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 31, 2015)

The final mixed media piece made as
part of LifeBook 2014

a) Finish blind stitching the frog in place - nearly finished.
b) Square up the quilt - Not yet.
c) Start the facing process - Not yet.

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Done 

I debated about whether to take the time to practice my free motion quilting this week. Just as it can be tempting to roll over and go back to sleep versus getting up and exercising, practicing free motion quilting takes discipline. I gave myself a stern talking to and sat down at the machine. I'm so glad I did. Lori Kennedy's Poinsettia motif was just what I needed to put me in the holiday spirit.

Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts
The photo was taken by husband from our balcony. 

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Done!!

It is time to celebrate. I committed to completing all the weekly assignments in LifeBook 2014 and this week I turned in my final one. It was worth the dedication. I've learned quite a bit about composition, highlights, creating a sense of 3D in 2D work and how to use all kinds of tools and supplies. The growth is apparent when you compare Week 1's piece with Week 50's. 

4) Design the piece to follow Night Vision. - Done!

Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts - deconstructed

The sunrise photo, coupled with my experimentation and play last week have led to my next design to tackle. I have several opportunities that require small exhibition pieces and one must be an abstract. Between the  solo exhibition in Oshkosh and a few other venues all my exhibition worthy work is spoken for. I needed something that would work up quickly. Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts is still in its infancy. A portion of the original photo printed on fabric will be incorporated into the pieced background. Naturally, I will need to do some quilting and finish work. I am optimistic that this piece will be done before 2014 comes to an end.

Family commitments mean that I won't be working in my studio next week. However, the following week I will turn on the lights in the studio and go town. When I do, here is where I plan on focusing my attention:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 31, 2015)

a) Finish blind stitching the frog in place
b) Square up the quilt
c) Start the facing process

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Bind my best mixed media work

4) Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts (due December 31, 2014)

a) Finish the piecing
b) Quilt it
c) Do the finish work
d) Submit it for consideration


I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.

Week in Review 2014 - 12/05

It's been a while since I've played with my black and
white fabric stash. This pieces was created
using reverse appliqué.

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

Every Tuesday and Thursday I take a yoga class. The teacher doesn't follow a particular branch of yoga. Instead the focus is on gently easing our way into the class. We begin with breathing exercises. The style of breathing varies, but we always breath. It is an excellent way to leave the world behind and focus on the present. After we are centered it is time to stretch and strengthen our muscles. The class, like most yoga classes ends with Shavasana. When I first started practicing yoga Shavasana was uncomfortable because I couldn't attain peace. My mind would race. I just wanted it to end. Now it is not unusual for me to be startled when our instructor starts the instructions to bring us out of this deep state of relaxation. Much as I have grown to love Shavasana in class, I still struggle with taking time to just be in my daily life. I realized recently after the fast pace of the last few months to meet deadline after deadline after deadline that I needed to let go, to ignore the opportunities and deadlines, to just be. That is why yesterday, I played with some ideas that have been distracting me. I have no idea if they will go from experiment to artwork. I just knew instinctively that I needed to make something, anything without an end goal insight. 

This is my first attempt at screen printing
with a Thermofax screen. I don't know
why it has taken me so long to give it
a try. 

Before my play date began, I did make progress with my projects. Here is what I managed to accomplish:

 1) Night Vision - (Due January 31, 2015)

a) Finish the quilting - Done!

Visions of sliver quilts have been obsessively
floating through my mind. I just couldn't
resist combining turquoise and orange together.

b) Blind stitch the frog in place - Done - sort of.

I am not happy with this. There are a few sections I need to unstitch and restitch.

c) Square up the quilt - not yet.

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Done by completing the quilting on Night Vision.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Done!

Here are the images behind the each window. 

This is the same piece, but with the windows closed.

We made work influenced by Advent calendars. Behind each door is an image that represents a blessing in my life. The image on the front of the piece is, Reflection. I learned earlier this week that it had received an honorable mention in the open art exhibit hosted by the on-line gallery, Light, Space and Time. Another blessing that has come from my art is my first solo exhibition. If you live near Oshkosh, WI I hope you will drop by. There is an artist reception on Saturday, December 6 from 4 - 6 p.m. I will give a very brief lecture about my work at the reception.

4) Design the piece to follow Night Vision. - Not yet

However, my experiments are the first step in designing my next piece. Sometimes you just have to try a variety of ideas in order to learn what resonates the most.

Perhaps I will have discovered where to focus my attention next. If I do you will hear about it in next week's blog. If I am still wandering - well, I will just write about that. No matter what I decide or don't decide I have the structure of my current projects and commitments to keep me moving.

1) Night Vision - (Due January 31, 2015)

a) Finish blind stitching the frog in place
b) Square up the quilt
c) Start the facing process

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. 

4) Design the piece to follow Night Vision.


I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.

Week in Review 2014 - 11/28

Closeup of the quilting in Bargello Blessings, the
quilt I made for my sister.

Closeup of the quilting in Bargello Blessings, the
quilt I made for my sister.

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

Yesterday was Thanksgiving here in the States. Since moving to Wisconsin, 1,200 miles from the majority of our family, we have traditionally celebrated the feast with another couple in a similar position. I miss those Thanksgivings we used to host with 12 to 20 family members around the table. Now that there are only four of us, we trim way back on the side dishes. Somehow I still managed to achieve turkey stupor and I didn't even go back for seconds. Another tradition on Thanksgiving are the phone calls from  family members. My brother who moved to Oxford, England, like other expats, treated himself to a few slices of turkey and peas. He had two pressing questions. First, he just wanted to hear about what we were serving so he could be transported back to the feasts of our youth. Second, he wanted to know if I had finished my sister's quilt in time to send it to her before her first chemotherapy treatment. There was an addendum to that second question. Would I be sharing a picture of the quilt in this posting. The answer is yes.

I spent fewer hours in the studio this week due to the holidays. Despite the shortened hours here is what I managed to accomplish:

Closeup of the quilting in Bargello Blessings, the
quilt I made for my sister. I chose a pale pink and
lavender variegated thread for the the quilting. Sometimes
it blends with the top, sometimes it doesn't. I rather enjoy
the peek-a-boo nature that this gives.

1) Night Vision - (Due January 31, 2015)

a) Finish the quilting - I moved the quilting much closer to the finish line. The more I do the more the veins of the leaves stand out. It is becoming a very textured piece with a dimensional feel. Yeah!


b) Blind stitch the frog in place - not yet
c) Square up the quilt - not yet

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Between my sister's quilt and Night Vision I got sufficient free motion quilting practice.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Done!

It amazes me that after 48 weeks of LifeBook lessons there can be any more mixed media techniques to learn, but there are. The background to this piece was done by using petroleum jelly as a resist. Wherever the petroleum jelly was applied and then painted, the paint could be rubbed off. When this done with five layers of paint a wonderful antiqued, weathered look is achieved.

4) Surprise for my sister (Due November 24) - Done!

I finished in time to ship the quilt on November 22nd. My sister was delighted, especially with the purple palette, her favorite color scheme.

a) Finish binding the quilt - Done!
b) Add the label - Done!
c) Ship the quilt - Done!

One of the reasons I am have been so determined to keep the momentum going on Night Vision is that I know the reality of the holiday season means less studio time. With any day I can steal for studio time next week I plan on doing the following:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 31, 2015)

a) Finish the quilting
b) Blind stitch the frog in place
c) Square up the quilt

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. 

4) Design the piece to follow Night Vision.


I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.

Week in Review 2014 - 11/21

Isn't this a lush palette? I love the energy of it. The
artist is my 3 1/2 year old grandson, Ben. 

Tips, Thoughts, and Techniques:

Move over Tortoise, the Hare is up from her nap and raring to go. Normally, I see myself as the tortoise from Aesop's Fables. I am a steady plodder who ultimately reaches her destination. This pace allows me to take in the scenery. I thrive under this way of being. Every once and a while I need to prod myself  into a faster pace. This has been one of those weeks as I determinedly make my way to the finish line. I am not there yet but if I can maintain my pace for just one more day I should be.

The back side of my sister's quilt. It is
a commercial, lush flannel that looks
hand dyed. If you click on the image
you should be able to tell that 100% of
the quilting is done.

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015) - Chose to ignore in order to achieve a more pressing goal.

a) Finish the quilting
b) Blind stitch the frog in place
c) Square up the quilt

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Done!

The idea was to create a front and back
page. I opted to make two separate pages.

This week I tried out a series of free motion quilting motifs involving hearts for my sister's quilt. I normally quilt intensely with the biggest gaps between stitch lines being approximately 1/4". However, intense stitching is not appropriate for a comfort quilt since the quilt will loose its softness and pliability. I pushed myself to achieve a midscale with gaps ranging from 1/4" to close 1 1/2" depending on where elements of the motif fell.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Done!

I think I am finally getting the hanging
of adding text to my mixed media pages.

With so few assignments left in my LifeBook journey I have decided not to invest in any more mixed media supplies just so I can do an assignment. This means I am having to improvise. This has proven to be a good thing for me. The more I stray from the supplies used by the teacher, the more naturally I stumble upon solutions that emphasize my voice versus hers. Doesn't the ballet dancer have quilt potential? I love the layers and dimension of this piece. 



4) Surprise for my sister (Due November 24) 

This is where 90% of my focus went this week. I don't believe I have ever pulled together a quilt so quickly. I spent many hours auditioning quilting motifs and ultimately settled for a hearts and spirals pattern. I wanted to convey my love for my sister and give her solid hugs of compassion. She begins her chemo on December 1st. I'll share the front of the quilt after my sister receives it. I don't want to ruin her surprise.

a) Start the quilting - Done! It took me two days to do 100% of the quilting. 
b) Square up the quilt - Done!
c) Bind the quilt - Half done.
d) Add the label - Not yet.

A close up of the spirals and hearts motif I chose to
quilt my sister's chemo quilt with.

Next week I hope to be back to Tortoise mode, since if all goes as planned my sister's quilt will have shipped. I do have many more exciting quilting journey's coming up, including my first solo exhibition that kicks off with an artist reception on December 6. I'll post more on that soon. I have other projects to focus on, too. Here is the plan for next week:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Finish the quilting
b) Blind stitch the frog in place
c) Square up the quilt

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. 

4) Surprise for my sister (Due November 24)

a) Finish binding the quilt
b) Add the label
c) Ship the quilt


I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.

Week in Review 2014 - 11/14

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

The second LifeBook 2014 lesson I completed this week.
It works like an Advent calendar. The feathers
lift up to reveal positive messages below. What looks like
doilies is actually my newest stencil.

I have been practicing free motion quilting designs that
might work for my sister's quilt. I stumbled upon
this on a YouTube video that appeared on the sidebar while
I was looking at something else. It is going to require
a lot more practice for me to achieve the "backwards"
feathers and transitions from one heart to the next.

Like many artists who work with fabric I started my journey as someone who enjoyed handwork for relaxation. I had done needlepoint, crewel, knitting, crocheting and sewn some clothes for myself and my daughter. I tried quilting in 1974 when the only book I found was on English paper piecing. I bought Laura Ashley remnants to make the quilt with. I worked on that "quilt" on and off for a couple of years and don't think it ever grew to even a 12" square. There is a reason you don't paper piece thin wale corduroy. :) I gave up on that quilt, but not on the idea of making a quilt some day. 

Then Eleanor Burns came on the scene with her Quilt in A Day series. I took an evening class at the local high school. It was an 8 week course to make a quilt in a day. Thank goodness that quilt was auctioned off for charity. Ugly is too kind of a word. What that class and that quilt did give me was the courage to make another and then another. At first I followed patterns, considering myself quite adventurous when I changed the colors. Then I started modifying patterns. Now  all my work is my original design. What I called myself has changed with time, too. I have been a quilter, quilt artist, textile artist, fiber artist and now, although I still gulp when I say it, I call myself an artist. 

I was getting so frustrated doodling and redoodling the
feathered heart motif that I played with a simpler pivoting
heart motif that is echoed.

This week I have started to call myself, Gwyned Trefethen, Private Eye. Clearly I listen to far too many mysteries while I work. Why the new title? I lost some ground this week when my thread started breaking while I was free motion quilting. It takes perseverance to follow each lead in order to resolve the dreaded thread breaking problem. I tried all the usual tricks without an improvement. Then I added a bead of Sewer's Aid to the spool. I've done this before for metallic thread, but I was using my favorite Superior King Tut cotton thread. I'd never needed Sewer's Aid for that before. Sewer's Aid is a liquid silicone that allows the thread to glide smoothly through the eye of the needle, but also through all those other eyes and the tension discs. I could tell the hang up was in my tension discs, but loosening the tension didn't help and I feared if I loosened it too much the tension needed for even stitching would be thrown off. It was the combination of dogged checking the usual suspects and the eureka moment when the problem was diagnosed and resolved that allowed me to close yet another case of (said in a deep resonant voice) the dread thread break.

Another section of Night Vision is quilted!

I didn't spend all my week as a Private Eye. You can see by what got accomplished that I was mostly in artist mode.

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

I continued to free motion quilt the leaves of Night Vision. I have about 1/3 of the quilt to go. I am setting myself a goal of finishing one bobbin's worth of free motion quilting every studio day. Since I use Bottom Line thread those bobbins last for hours.

a) Finish the quilting 

It takes courage to make the most
of a bad situation. 

b) Blind stitch the frog in place
c) Square up the quilt

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Done

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Done

I completed the assignment from the week before and this week's as well. Yeah! I am caught up again. I am rather fond of the self portrait. It doesn't look much like me. However, I made another leap forward with capturing light and shadow. Even more impressive I very creatively got myself out of a jam when the left eye was ruined when my pen gushed just as I was adding the pupil. My solution was a very creative, contemporary, runway worthy hairdo. :)

4) Surprise for my sister (Due November 24)

a) Finish piecing the cut strata. - Done!
b) Sandwich the quilt - Done!
c) Start the quilting - Not yet.

A teaser from my sister's quilt. This is the one that will
be quilted with a heart motif.


Which persona will dominate next week? Personally I am rooting for the artist, since there are many things I am eager to tackle. 

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Finish the quilting
b) Blind stitch the frog in place
c) Square up the quilt

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. 



4) Surprise for my sister (Due November 24)

a) Start the quilting
b) Square up the quilt
c) Bind the quilt
d) Add the label


I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.

Weekly Report 2014 - 11/07

All that practice of free motion quilting in odd shapes
pays off when you challenged with quilting around frogs
webbed fingers and between leaf veins.

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

Close up of the free motion quilting on Night Vision.

I have included some form of cardiovascular exercise as part of my weekly routine for over 20 years. For the past several years cycling has become my sport of choice. It has two drawbacks for me. First, it is weather dependent, so the season is limited. Second, developing my "seat" after seven months off the bike is frankly excruciating.  This year I am attempting to circumvent those problems. I bought myself a trainer. This allows me to turn my outdoor bike into an indoor bike for the winter. I can keep all my biking muscles in shape, including my "seat" and not suffer biking in frigid or downright dangerous conditions. There is a draw back. It can be boring even with my iPod running through favorite tunes. I am willing to put in the time just for the hope that next spring, when I can ride outside again, I will have lost little ground from the season before. This is precisely why I make it a point to practice free motion quilting weekly when I don't have a quilt ready to be quilted. It helps maintain my eye, hand and foot synchronization. Now that it is time to quilt Night Vision, all that maintenance work is paying off.

If you click on the image you should be able
to see what has and hasn't been quilted
on Night Vision. 

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Continue quilting - Done!
b) Blind stitch the frog in place - Not yet.

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Yes 

The basic design comes from Steven
Speight. I tweaked it some.

This week I pushed full speed ahead on Night Vision. I figure that is practice enough.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Half done.

A hint of the
surprise to come.

I finally finished the assignment from Week 44. This lesson was chock full of teeny tiny details and multiple parts. It reminded me of making a sampler block quilt. Each block teaches you not just a different pattern, but a different way to assemble and stitch the pieces. I still have Week 45 to do and it looks quite intense as well. At least I have started watching the instructional video and know what the first couple of steps will be.

4) Surprise for my sister (Due November 24)

a) Finish piecing the 40 strata strips. - Done!
b) Cut the strata - Done!
c) Start piecing the cut strata. - Done!

Two more weeks to go before I plan on shipping this quilt. It is going to be a squeaker. I'm loving the treat to just let the design unfold with no decisions to make. It is a nice break from my more constant creative problem solving art pieces.

Next week will be more of the same. Sometimes all I can focus on is pedaling on down the road. This is what I expect to see along the route:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Finish the quilting
b) Blind stitch the frog in place
c) Square up the quilt

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. 

4) Surprise for my sister (Due November 24)

a) Finish piecing the cut strata.
b) Sandwich the quilt
c) Start the quilting


I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.

Weekly Report 2014 - 10/31

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

The poison dart frog after it had been painted with pink.

What a difference a little white paint can make!
I resisted the temptation to give it a french manicure. :)

BOO!! Today is Halloween in the US. It is time for children to dress up as witches, ghosts, zombies and other characters of their imagination, head out when the sun goes down and go door to door asking "Trick or treat?" I still recall how terrifying it was at young age to head out into my neighborhood with my friends on Halloween. It was a very safe neighborhood, but walking through it in the dark amongst zombies and witches was just plain spooky. What is it about "safe" fear that we crave? Is this why I create art? 
In order to create Night Vision I have had to face and overcome my fear on numerous occasions. I know how to work with cotton fabric, but working with vinyl is another story. Then there is committing to a free motion quilting pattern. I test ideas off quilt, but eventually if I am to make progress I must paint that frog, secure it in one place and start the quilting. Will the result be a trick or a treat?

The poison dart frog takes center stage
on his tropical leaf dominion.
If you click on the image you can see
an enlarged image that should allow you to
see the quilting above and to the right
of the frog.

This week has been a mixture of both tricks and treats. Most things have gone as planned and resulted in delightful treats. I conquered my fear and started quilting Night Vision. Stepping up to my machine and pressing the pedal sure felt like a strong potential for a trick.

My take on Lori Kennedy's Squared Flowers 

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Finish painting the poison dart frog - Done!
b) Appliqué the frog to the quilt top - Done! Actually I fused it using Heat 'n Bond.
c) Prepare the quilt sandwich - Done!
d) Start quilting - Done!

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Done!

It was very tempting to skip this and count the free motion quilting on Night Vision as my practice. I didn't. The reason is simple. I find free motion quilting practice so liberating and joyful. The quilting on Night Vision hasn't reached that level of comfort. Free motion quilting is my excuse to just let go and breath. 

There were several challenges involved in this lesson.
First, was to work small. My whimsical wizard is just shy of
5" h x 4" w. The second was to create a face that read
male vs. female.

I modified Lori Kennedy's design, Squared Flowers. My quilts rarely have square spaces for quilting, so when I practice free motion quilting I like to practice it in an irregular, curvilinear shape.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Started

This week's LifeBook lesson was by Steven Speight. Do check out his site. He has a bold, detailed style that he uses to create characters that would be perfect for an adult Halloween party. His lesson was just as involved and creative. I devoted a full day plus and only finished 1/3 of the class. I would have kept going and I will definitely return to it on Monday, my mixed media day, but I had to be true to my priorities with hard deadlines.

4) Surprise for my sister (Due November 24) - Started

Step one - seam the 40 strips into two duplicate 20 strip pieces.

The first half sister I met about 14 years ago, my birthfather's daughter, was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. She begins chemotherapy on December 1. Shhh! She doesn't know it, but I plan to surprise her with a throw quilt in her favorite color, purple with a stripe of colon cancer blue. I have started piecing together the strata.

I can't wait for next week. I am eager to get to work on every project I have in the line-up that follows:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Continue quilting
b) Blind stitch the frog in place

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. 

4) Surprise for my sister (Due November 24)

a) Finish piecing the 40 strata strips.
b) Cut the strata
c) Start piecing the the cut strata.


I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.

Weekly Report 2014 - 10/24

Blue print for poison dart frog appliqué
and masking pieces.

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

The hurdle I had to leap over this week was how to cut out and paint the poison dart frog that I will be appliquéing to the background of tropical leaves in Night Vision. Painting free hand terrifies me. I had tried to mark the black vinyl with a thin white chalk marking pencil and it left no discernible mark. So, I opted to mask (cover up) those sections I wanted to leave au naturel and apply the paint to the unmasked areas. I didn't take pictures of the process, but I will outline my method for you.

1) Using a pencil create a line drawing of the frog on tracing paper
2) Outline the interior splotches of color
3) Once satisfied with the drawing use a black permanent marker to go over the frog's outline and a different color permanent marker to go over the blotches. 

The poison dart frog is painted.

4) Using a copier enlarge the drawing in reverse to the scale that you want your drawing.
5) Trace the enlarged drawing onto freezer paper with the shiny side down.
6) Iron the freezer paper to the backside of the frog fabric. I used a pressing cloth since I was working with vinyl that was backed with felt.
7) Cut out the frog following the outline on the freezer paper
8) Remove the freezer paper. 

Current favorite position for the poison
dart frog perching on a leaf.

9) Cut apart the sections to be masked from the sections to be revealed. Hint. I did this one section at a time so I could remember how to reassemble them.
9) Using a Zig 2 Way Glue pen  apply glue to the paper side of the masking segments. Wait for the glue to dry clear. This allows the segment to be moved or removed just like a Post It note.
10) Stick the masking segments to the right side of the frog fabric with the paper and glue side down.
11. Paint the unmasked areas with So Soft Opaque Fabric Paint. I used five layers of paint to get the depth of color I wanted. I let the paint dry between applications. So Soft does NOT have to be heat set to be permanent. 

Pumpkin Patch is my own design.

It has been a very busy week from strategizing how to paint the poison dart frog to preparing for a solo exhibition in December and a group exhibition in January. I did stay true to my commitment of creating art three days a week. Here is how the art portion of the week went:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Prepare the quilt sandwich - the backing and batting are cut
b) Continue testing paints - Done!
d) Paint the poison dart frog - Started.

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Done!

I was inspired to try my hand at designing a free motion quilting motif using pumpkins. The trick is to get from one pumpkin to the next. I solved that with loops and leaves. 

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Done!

Many of the LifeBook assignments focus on acknowledging the negative in life and then obscuring it with the positive of art. This lesson by Christy Tomlinson, who suffers from fibromyalgia, was no exception. I modified it a bit to suit my own aesthetic.  

I'm not completely satisfied with the poison dart frog yet. I want to add some white lines and dots just to help the frog pop a bit more off the leaves. Next week will have me focusing on pondering. Does the white work? Is the frog positioned correctly? It will be a different busy. Of course I will continue to work on keeping up with my free motion quilting skills and learning mixed media. 

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Finish painting the poison dart frog
b) Appliqué the frog to the quilt top
c) Prepare the quilt sandwich
d) Start quilting

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. 


I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.