Old But New To The Blog

Posting some of the projects I had completed prior to lifting off to Maui.  I had been at a retreat in November and had never posted my completed projects there. The quilted picture I created is of a man fishing at sunset. I really did not take the  best photos to promote this work  and it does capture the moment much better when you see the quilt in person.  The quilt measure approx. 18 x 12 inches.

This is just a random thought quilted picture of a water scene. The pieces are cut without pattern or picture to follow for detail.

I knitted the base of this laptop cover withdyed merino yarn that I had dyed with food coloring and the crockpot.  Once knitted I then machine washed and felted it.  At the retreat I quilted the top portion  using a marvelous blue/green batik.  Really happy with the results. I am Currently in the process of quilting the top band for a laptop cover I have made for my son.

This is a quilted bag made using a jelly roll package.  It was allot of fun to make and the holes for the handles are large grommets.  I know how long ago I made this  bag, as I hammered my left thumb nail applying them.  I lost half my nail on that thumb and it has just finished growing back from the trauma of that day.

Fresh off the Camera

Trying out the rigid heddle loom with
pick up sticks.  These sticks are woven in the 
back behind the heddle and at certain times
in the weaving you flip them up and they form a pattern.  I think it is working out pretty cool.  I am trying this  as a sample and weaving with 100% cotton very loosely just so I can see the pattern.  Gives it kind of a lacy look. I think it will pull up when I take it off the loom and wash it.  The cotton will soften and pull in.

Shadow Trapunto

Well this is what I had fun working on today. I used purple wool instead of using the usual quilt batting that is off white and placed over a dark fabric.  I guess mine is a reverse shadow trapunto.  Fred and Cody thought I quilted a turtle.  But as most would know this is a feather quilting design. This was just a trial run.  Definitely has potential for use with fibre arts and incorporating other mediums with this method. Would frame a photo really nicely.

Memories of Maui

Where you will find the most beautiful sunsets on earth!

All of the photos were taken by myself an amateur in photography, with a $200 Kodak digital camera.  When you have the perfect scenery/medium I guess just about anyone is capable of capturing it.  But you must meet Maui to experience the beauty, even photos are not the real thing!

Where Does the Time Go?

My last post was in October, a mere 1/4 year ago.  OMG!  Since then so much has happened, and so many fibrelicsious things I have created but not posted.November was a busy month as I worked many shifts as a RN, my serious passion.  December crept up and saw me in Maui celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary for 17 days.  Home on the 21st to an enjoyable time with family for the Christmas Holiday Season.  The new year arrived with exciting anticipation of  a new career opportunity and spending time in my heavenly hole (my studio).  Winter has been cold and long for us here in Arizona North :) But it does make for a wonderful time of indoor creating.  When I was in Maui I visited one of their local quilt stores in Kihei and took a Hawaiian hand quilting course.  It was fun sharing the afternoon with women from Oregon, Washington and Oklahoma.  I must say I never really had an interest in this type of quilting as it seemed very plain and one dimensional to my eye.  But when I visited the quilt store it was so much fun to see the quilt kits all made up with (my weakness) batiks.  I found the use of batik in Hawaiian quilting to add so much texture and appeal to the quilt. Though many fear or dislike such a task as hand quilting, I found it another technique I love.  You can do all the hand work anywhere; watching tv, waiting in the car, lecture.  Since I have been home and back in my studio I have designed and started applique on a new quilt block.

Many Projects on the Go

Well I am having some fun dyeing yarn in the crockpot.

Today I tried Kool-aide.

I see by the color I finished with, I could have had more green.  I used orange, fruit punch and lemon lime.

But it definitely absorbs the color and holds it.

Also busy weaving on my rigid heddle at home.  I am using 100% wool and plan to felt the yardage after

and sew bags and or laptop slip cases with it.

Heres crossing my fingers that it felts nicely.

My online yahoo group is doing a slice quilt.  It will be of a city street.  I have almost completed my

piece.  I am now thread embellishing it, with lines on the canopy,

borders around the windows, and

pictures of the cafe on the store front windows. 

It will be so interesting to see as it all comes together.

We are to have them in the mail tomorrow.

Artisan Fair at the Esplanade

An absolutely fantastic gathering on Saturday

of talented artists

from Medicine Hat and Area.

Funded by Alberta Arts Foundation and

organized locally, this artisan fair

brought together multi-talented persons all

under one roof!

The main lobby hosted musical delights such as the

M.A.S.S. instruments band from California.

Absolutely the largest electric harp I will probably ever

have the delight of listening to in my lifetime.

The 2nd floor lobby, as well as outdoors along

the front of the Esplanade hosted tables of art

and wonderful eye candy to enjoy.

The Studio was set up with a variety of artists displaying

and selling their works.

The pictures below are of the table I shared with a fibre

friend Celia Lehr.

I had an absolutely wonderful afternoon.

Not so much in selling my creations, but in

the fun of opening the visitors eyes to the

wonderful wonders of fibre arts and

catching up with friends in their latest happenings.

Kids Camp At Fibre Arts

Well I think that the photos of the campers explains it all! There was allot of learning and trying new techniques with fabulous fun fibres. The kids were very talented and such a great group to have for a week of fibre fun. Photos are from the 12 -16 year old age group as this is the group I joined in with. The morning had another talented group of 6-12 year olds. Thank you goes to wonderful members of the Fibre Arts of Medicine Hat who volunteered their time to organize, share and teach a great group of kids. Things the campers learnt were weaving, finger knitting, dyeing, stamping, beading, painting, embroidery, felting, and sooooo much more.

Looking forward to Fibre Arts Kids Camp 2010 :)