With good company

Browsing the magazine isle at a local grocery store, I had this surreal experience of looking up and recognizing one of the cover images. I know that bird on the top shelf all too well. He was born in my soul and now graces the cover of Quilting Arts Magazine. I’m happy to see he’s hanging out with good company.

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See my work and discover my process of “Creating Highlights & Shadows”
Quilting Arts Magazine
December 2017/January 2018
available in book stores or online at Interweave Press

Waiting for some realism

On October 25, I posted a photo of my Eastern Towhee in progress. I start with a basic line drawing which I use to cut out the fabric pieces and fuse them to my background fabric. I hinted that there was more to the process. Today I’m going to share that with you.

The one thing I’ve noticed about most fusible applique techniques is that the pieces look flat and cartoon-ish. I’m far from being a realist in my artistic style, but I do crave more realism in my work. In life, objects aren’t 2-dimensional, they reflect light and shadows. That’s what I want to see in my design.

A few years ago, on a whim, I decided to take a Prismacolor pencil drawing class from a local artist and friend, Frank Pierce. I enjoyed the class, but didn’t think I’d every use what I learned. Then, I had the ah-ha moment of, “I wonder if I could use the pencils on fabric?” That started me on a mission of exploration. These colored pencils gave me a tool to add the shading I was looking for. But as with any discovering, I realized there was more to it than just coloring. If you want to know more about my specific process, then you might want to pick up a copy of the Dec17/Jan18 Quilting Arts magazine. There’s an article in there where I explain the techniques I use. I’m pretty excited about the possibilities of using these pencils in my art.

This little bird still isn’t finished. There’s some stitching that needs to get done, but I’ll share that later because right now I have another bird in the works waiting for some realism.

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See my work and discover my process of “Creating Highlights & Shadows”
Quilting Arts Magazine
December 2017/January 2018
available book stores or online at Interweave Press

The right answer to “how?”

I’ve been a long time subscriber to Quilting Arts magazine. Over the past decade they have truly inspired me to pursue my artistic interest. This past week I received my Dec17/Jan18 copy of the magazine. It’s always a surreal moment when you see your artwork in print. The honor is even greater for me this time, since I’m such a big fan of the publication.

All of this is about taking a leap of faith. That’s what I truly hope to inspire in other people. If you really want something don’t say “can’t.” Try to come up with the answer to “how?”

This idea has long been in my head, but it took several things to push me over the edge. One thing that happened was I met Lea McComas while I was at Quilt Festival in Houston about 2 years ago. I knew who she was, had admired her work, and saw her a number a times during my visit at Festival. On my last night there, I went to dinner with my sister and a friend and had to use the restroom. Lea happen to be in line waiting and we started chatting. Just casual chatter. On our way back to our respective tables, she asked me “Why haven’t you published?” I know I came up with some excuse, but our conversation hit a nerve. When you’re at these shows, its interesting how random encounters become meaningful and inspiring events.

I really don’t know why Lea asked the question, but it hasn’t left me. I even jotted her question down on a piece of paper and tacked it to a bulletin board in my studio. I wanted to be reminded. At the time, there really wasn’t a good answer to her question. But her question left me pondering my personal barriers and eventually finding the right answer to “how?”

 

 

See my work and discover my process of “Creating Highlights & Shadows”
Quilting Arts Magazine
December 2017/January 2018
available book stores or online at Interweave Press

Creative afternoon

There are a lot of moving parts working around me right now. I’ve been trying to update my website and start scheduling classes and workshops for 2018. Last year, I took a short hiatus from teaching, but I’ve decided I need to get back into it.

I’m happy to announce, that I’ve finally made my workshop and lecture page live. I know this is going to be an ongoing work in progress, but the big first step is done. To get started, I scheduled a few classes at Cary Quilting in Cary, NC. I love this shop, the people who work there, and the fabric/supply choices they offer. It’s especially gratifying to teach somewhere that you like to be.

The first class on my schedule is my pincushion class at Cary Quilting on Sat, Dec 9 from 1:30-4:30. The pattern is a slightly modified version of a pattern I wrote for Quilts & More magazine in 2011. I loved using fun fabrics on the one pictured here. The best part is how it feels. Its filled with crushed walnut shells and has a nice weight, so it stays put. If you’re in the area, maybe you’d like to join me for a creative afternoon.

 

Put yourself out there

It has been over 10 years that I began reading Quilting Arts Magazine. It has always been my bucket list dream to grace the pages of this inspirational publication. I came close in 2012, when my pet portrait of my dog “Storm” became Mr. September of their calendar.

Since then, I pondered to myself, what do I have that’s worthy of their reader’s interest. I use a lot of tools to create my art, but everything felt ordinary. A few years ago I began experimenting with Prismacolor pencils on fabric. I was so impressed with the depth I could create (my piece “Silenced,” on my home page, was enhanced using them).

I’ve been asked several times by artists I admire, “Why aren’t you publishing?” I had no answer. Early this year I decided to take their challenge and submit a proposal to Quilting Arts. To my joy, they accepted. This summer I wrote the article and created the supporting artwork, I’ve been waiting to share the news since July.

Having worked in the publishing business for many years, I was always told don’t talk about it until its in print. Anything could happen along the way. Today I got the OK to share the news, but to my surprise I get to share even bigger news. My summer tanager gets the limelight as the cover artwork. I cannot explain how amazingly surreal this is. Dreams come true when you put yourself out there.

 

See my artwork at your local newstand
Quilting Arts Magazine
December/January 2018

How this goes

The heats on in the house, my winter clothes are now in my closet, and the leaves are starting to change color. Its fall and winter is heading our way. I love this time of year, but as I’ve gotten older, I don’t like the winter darkness as much. Seems like as soon as it gets dark my body clock tells me its time to sleep. That’s not a so good for 5:30pm.

This month my goal is to catch up on some things and prepare for the upcoming new year. This is more of a challenge given the shorter days. I read an article this week that talks about how we allow other things to filter into our daily agenda which take us away from other things we should be doing. It was interesting to read that I’m not alone on this juggle.

So between the diminished daylight and tasks that need to get done, I plan to set myself up for success. For starters, I need to makes lists. I have a pretty good memory for my to-do list, what I don’t have is the ability to prioritize in an effective manner. My lists aren’t going to be so much about doing things, but more about what needs to get done next. We’ll see how this goes.

Creative journey

A few weeks ago, I shared a “sketch” for my newest bird in my songbird series (you can see it here). The sketch becomes the line drawing I use for making fusible applique artwork.

For those of you who don’t know, fusible applique is a way to glue layers of fabric together. The fusible product (aka web) is ironed to the wrong side of the fabric. Pattern pieces are then cut from the fused fabric and assembled on the background fabric. The assembled fabrics are ironed again to activate the fusible web and adhere all the layers together.

Fused fabrics are not meant to be a permanent way to adhere the fabric together. The fusible web can come loose with handling, which isn’t good for long-term stability. So, after the fabrics are fused they should be stitched in place to make sure all the layers are permanently joined together.

My fused applique Eastern Towhee, shown in the photo, could be stitched in place as it is, but I like to add another layer of interest before I do my sewing. I’ll show you that step in an upcoming blog post. So stay tuned and keep enjoying your creative journey!

Using up what I already have

I remember the family sewing kit. It was a big white plastic box with a tray inside. The tray had little slots to put your bobbins. There also were slots in the sewing cabinet drawer for bobbin storage. People were more frugal back then. A sewist probably had fewer than a dozen bobbins (I own 48 for my Janome Memory Craft 6500).

Back in the day, it was common to find a bobbin loaded with several different colors of thread. I mean, why fill an entire bobbin when you only need thread for a small job? So the sewist would add layer, upon layer of thread onto one bobbin. This isn’t the best way to manage your bobbins. Besides not knowing how much thread you have on the bobbin, the layers of thread can effect bobbin tension, thus effecting your stitch tension.

In my modern, less frugal life, I grab an empty bobbin and load thread on it every time I need a new color. Frequently, I don’t use all the thread on the bobbin, so I tuck it away for storage. Every once in awhile I realize I have a lot of bobbins with varying amounts of thread on them. I’ll also realize, that none contain enough thread to complete a job or they’re not the right color for the project.

My method of freeing up bobbins is to use them on my thread painting projects. In the photo you’ll see an example of the back of one of these pieces.  Because I’ve set the tension right, the bobbin thread doesn’t peak through to the top so it doesn’t matter too much what color the bobbin thread is. I take a partially full bobbin, do as much thread work as I can until the bobbin runs out. Then I grab another one and use it up. I keep doing this until the project is done or I’m out of usable bobbins. There’s a lot of stop and go in this sewing process, but it is so helpful to clear up the partially-filled bobbin clutter. I also feel more thrifty because I’m using up what I already have.

Take time to listen

We’re living in unsettling times. There are so many things that seem uncertain, upsetting and chaotic. If we seek balance amongst the chaos, we have to look inward.

The only thing we can change is ourselves. So when dealing with troubling times, maybe its as simple as seeking a different perspective or just seeing the good things around you. Find the calm within you, because its there.

My looking inward has me focusing on the fire in my belly. What gives me motivation and inspiration? Answer: my art. I can sit here waiting for the uncertainty to resolve itself, or I can keep moving.

Right now, I’m working on a songbird series which brings me joy. To keep the inspiration going, I stop and make a bird between larger projects or when I get artistically stuck. Up next in the series is the Eastern Towhee. They make me smile when I see them foraging in my yard. The male bird tells us to “drink your tea” or some say he just says his name “Tow-hee.” Either way you hear him, just take some time to listen.

Stop playing

No matter how accomplished you get in doing something, I believe there is always room for improvement and growth. Maybe some people can admit that they’ve reached the pinnacle. Not me.

The world is constantly changing. People’s interests change, fashion changes, and new technologies are created. If I could say I have it all together, I suspect in a few months…maybe a year…what I do would become out-dated, old, and uninteresting.

So my issue is to keep figuring things out. It’s a difficult process, because you can never stop, even if you get tired. My feelings right now are I need to improve my quilting skills.

I have a fancy machine, but that doesn’t do the work…my hands and brain do. Lately, I’ve noticed that when I quilt my pieces I fall back into what’s comfortable. I’m bored.

Recently what has wowed me in other quilts is the beautiful mixture of different motifs on one quilt. The backgrounds are rich with varying designs. That’s what I’m loving and want to do. I’ve been trying to think what’s holding me back and I realize its time. I don’t allow myself time to play … play feeds inspiration. Play also allows you to try something new without worrying about failure; “Oh well, I was just playing.”

This week I played. The results aren’t typical for me, but I was able to experiment with some new designs. Then, because that wasn’t special enough, I experimented with Derwerts Inktense pencils to add some color. I won’t show you the fails, just know that there were a few.

My take home message from this is to allow yourself time to play and experiment. You don’t have to be so serious about everything you do. Just remember as this applies to our art: “we don’t stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing.”