Slow week

Not much happening in the studio this week, I was busy with Dr.'s appointments and getting things ready for my husbands birthday party/sausage fest. The Dr.'s appointments included an MRI of my left knee that has been getting progressively more painful, the results showed a complex tear in my meniscus. There will be a surgery in my future, but I don't see the Orthopedic doc until next week so I don't know when.

I have been getting a few things accomplished in the evenings while sitting in my big comfy chair.

There's a table hidden underneath this.  I'm working on another pair of socks, a sweater and next weeks leaf.

The Weekly Leaf

This week I got out leaves that I had printed on TAP(Transfer Artist Paper) quite a while ago, the others that were on the sheet were used last year.

Without reading the directions, I put them face down and ironed them to the fabric. I'm not sure if I didn't iron long enough or if the prints don't transfer s well when they are old, but I only got partial prints. The rest stayed on the paper.

I decided that I actually like the partials and will probably use the paper parts in a mixed media application in the future. I liked stitching through the partials better than the perfect prints.

Week #39

Daily Stitching updates

Silk Fragments #265-#271

Sari Ribbon #193-#199

linked to "Off the Wall Friday"

SAQA benefit auction

SAQA's annual benefit auction starts today. The first group of 12 x12 quilts is up, the price starts at $750 today and then decreases each day of the week. Then next week another group of quilts and the week after that another one. My quilt, Mimosa Rainbow is among the ones you can bid on this week.

The Weekly Leaf

This weeks leaf was done with paintstiks and a mask from Green pepper press.

Week #38

Daily Stitching updates

Silk Fragments #258-#264

Sari Ribbon #186-#192

Linked to "Off the Wall Friday"

Way to much fabric!

I never thought I would admit this, but I have way to much fabric! All but one small container is fabric that I've dyed and printed myself. I've been actively involved in surface design since the early 90's, had a business selling my fabric at quilt shows for sixteen years and have done just about any surface design technique you can name. I still love to do most of it, but the problem is I really like to make black and white art work, so I have piles of fabric. I do use it, so far this year I've made fourteen donation quilts. So this past week I've been sorting through some of what I have.

Snow and/or ice dyed fabrics.

A stop to make a quick quilt from small pieces of snow and/or ice dyed fabric.

Fabric that I know I will never use and have put in a tub for friends to go through.

Fabric sorted in piles on my cutting table, some piles by color, some as possible projects.

Fabric neatly folded, these may end up as quilt backs.

And lastly a small pile of fabric I've printed and do want to keep and possibly use.

I've had to stop myself from doing more ice dyed fabric, I love doing it but don't need to keep piling it up. It's not my favorite to use. The same with deconstructive screen printing and several other techniques. I also like to do large pieces, not small samples, which means I have large pieces of fabric piling up. This is only the tip of the iceberg; wait till I get to the shibori fabric.

The Weekly Leaf
This week's leaves were done with SolarFast. Three leaves from the same tree, all different.

Week #37

Daily Stitching updates

Silk Fragments #251-#257

Sari Ribbon #179-#185

Linked to "Off the Wall Friday"

Book Review

 Kathleen Loomis, has written and self published a book and she has asked me to review it. I had to say yes, because Kathleen does some of the most wonderful quilts and writes an excellent blog, so I knew it would be great information. Pattern-Free Quilts; Riffs on the Rail Fence Block is a very comprehensive look at starting to design your own quilts.

There are pages of variations, including number of stripes, angled stripes and blocks that aren't square. Each one is illustrated very clearly and then there are the samples, lots of wonderful samples that make you realize just how versatile the humble rail fence block is.

There is one thing well covered in the book that I don't think I've seen in any other quilt book, the design wall. I personally don't think I could do anything without my design wall. Kathleen gives some options for temporary design walls, so there's no excuse to not have one.

Another important subject is analyzing what you have done so that your skills and ability to create without a pattern continue to improve.

If you are ready to step out and create without following a pattern, this is the book for you. You can order your copy here, http://www.createspace.com/5403666 .

The Weekly Leaf

This week I used the gelli plate, Jacquards textile paint and a pin oak leaf that my grandson had given me.

Week #36

Daily Stitching updates

Silk Fragments #244-#250

Sari Ribbon #172-#178