Praise Hands - a Rerun on Off the Wall Friday

 Since I started working full-time back in 2012, Thursday nights have always been my blog night.  This mostly works out well, unless an emergency pops up like today.  So I thought I would steal an idea from my favorite blog, Ask A Manager, and rerun a post that was hidden in the archives.  Since back in 2009 hardly anybody was reading, I thought what the heck!  

Praise Hands for Sacred Threads 2009

"Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God, the Father, for everything." Eph 5:19,20


I have a habit of emailing quilters if their work really strikes me. This is how I got to know a new friend, Lisa Ellis last summer. I loved a lily quilt that she made and posted. Looking over her body of work I could see many similarities with mine. We both like to use Christian themes, women in motion, and organic lines. She suggested that I enter the Sacred Threads Quilt Show. I put it on my list of things to do since I had seen articles on how amazing the show was. That said, life happens and the deadline for the show snuck up on me. So a week before they were due, I started designing. I had 3 or 4 designs drawn out and chose the one that I thought was the strongest. I had gotten inspiration from an online photo - which I blew up and cropped (twice). Then I drew in my own elements adding value with pencil.

I picked a pallet of primary colors (adding a bit of the complementary for accent). I pieced the background using fabrics not only from my stash but also from my scrap bags. Ever since I color-sorted my scraps, they are far more useful. With the background safely done, I created a pattern for the praise ribbons that would rise from the hands. I imagine them to gradate in different values of yellow, orange, and red. Still, I was a little stumped on how to do that until I decided to paper piece them right onto the pattern. I machine rough-edged the praise elements onto the background - which created a nice hard element of line - then added a ton of machine quilting. I don't think I ever added so much free-motion thread work before in a piece.
I sewed every free moment I had that week. It took just over 40 hours to make the quilt but I was really happy with the final result since it was what I had seen in my mind's eye. Lisa is Sacred Threads Web Master and she cleverly had set up an online entry system which is wonderful. I got my entry in with only 4 hours to spare. I was thrilled! The only thing that topped that excitement was when I received the envelope 10 weeks later saying that it was accepted - my first national show.

Reading this I think - Wow! - where does the time go!!  Obviously, I hadn't created my writing style yet but you get the gist.  

So What Have You Been UP to Creatively?

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A Finish and a Restart on Off the Wall Friday

 

So I'm happy to say that the 20 Minute a Day rule is working ... mostly.  I won't say I've been perfect this month but I've gotten a lot more sewing in than I have been....baby steps!  Because of that, I can announce ... drum roll ...that Tessa's Mosaic is finally completed.  LORDY, I'm so happy to announce it!

The Facts

• 36 in by 24 in
  

• Machine applique/pieced, machine quilted

• Commercial Cotton, hand dyed cotton by the artist

• Cotton, polyester thread

• Original pieced based on a photograph taken by April Meyer Smith 

I really liked using Timna Tarr's Mosaic method and hopefully, soon I'll do another ... this time on a piece that I'm not so emotionally attached to!  

But that will have to wait since 2022 is a year to finish Works in Progress!

I took out the Rain, Rain quilt I was doing in 2020.  You remember the one ...It was originally based on a kit designed by Sue Daley's Abbie collection that I bought on eBay.   It featured little English paper pieced umbrellas that were hand appliqued and embroidered.  It was supposed to look like this:

But of course, I couldn't do just that, right?  So I started playing with color, value, and pattern and this is where I left it at the end of December 2020.  Yeah I know, it's a bit much!  I thought I was almost done and I was going to use it as a project to learn  "Quilt as you go" machine quilting on.   So this is where I left it:

Of course, I was wrong.  It was a mess!  Every time I took it back out to get the final set ... I don't know...I just didn't quite like it.  This time when I took it back out, I realized immediately what the problem was. TOO much medium value...TOO much busy.  Not enough dark, not enough quiet.  The easy answer would be a predictable nice sashing set between the columns of busy, but really, who likes predictable? So I pulled out the fabrics...again...and added more black.  As I'm working through it definitely helping.  The black all of a sudden is acting like an accent color to move the viewer's eye across the piece.   It's giving all that busy an anchor.

After my trip to Berlin, Ohio, I got the hand quilting bug.  You walk into the Helping Hands Quilt Shop on Main Street and they have quilts on frames waiting for the Amish quilters to hand quilt.  (They charge $1/yd of hand quilting thread).  So I thought Rain, Rain would give me a good excuse to get out my quilting frame.  

For a quick little project, this sure has gotten totally out of hand, right?

So What Have Been Up to Creatively?

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Click here to enter

The Value of Black & White - Part II - Off The Wall Friday

 Black and White #2, Kay Sorensen

Figure/Ground Study #3, Sandra Palmer Ciolino

So with my latest lesson on value, I've fallen in love with the monochromatic palette of White through Black.  I admit, I never thought I would.  I mean with all the gorgeous colors in the world why stick to only Black and White?  Not to mention, SHOW OF HANDS, who here became a quilter because it was just an extension of coloring left over from childhood?

That all said, I had a thoroughly fun time doing my latest Project, Cropped.  Katie asked us to crop a photo and recreate it in only black, gray and white paying specific attention to the values.  Once I got the crop right (thanks again for all the help), the piece wasn't too hard.  But I do love how it came out!




                                                  

Legends Never Die, Maria Dlugosch

                                         

Cropped, Nina-Marie Sayre

Here's my self critique -

• This is a diagonal cruciform composition using a monochromatic palette
•  A visual pathway is created though the quilt, with the darkest of darks leading the eye
• There is plenty of variety of shapes as well as negative space to rest the eye.
• The palette chosen reflects the nostalgic mood of the piece.
• The photo has been cropped to show a more interesting portrayal of  the original.
• The focal point - although having contrast - could have even more emphasis.  Is it the O or is it the W? Or is the star?  UGH?!  (there is always something isn't there!)

Star Dreams of Snow, Kari Anderson, @andersondesignworks

Zen, Beth Schellenberger

Still I don't know what was more fun with this piece - doing the actual work to see the finish product or researching all the signs!  With all the new super bright In-Your-Face LED signs out there yelling at us to "Like Us on Facebook" - I really do miss these retro masterpieces  of an era not so long ago.

Anyways, before I get even more melancholy, Cropped has started me looking  at what other quilters have done with this particular palette.  And let me tell you - there is some AMAZING work out there.  A few artists have granted permission to share some here!  I have included links to their online presence so you can check out the rest of their truly fantastic work!

Nicole Dunn

I hope this has inspired you to take the plunge in the monochromatic gray scale world.  Without Katie to nudge me in that direction, I might never have tried it!  So glad she did!!

So What Have You Been Up to Creatively?

Spot the Crop A Lot - Off the Wall Friday

Lesson 4's Hard & Soft's Edges Piece - this one is gong on MY wall!!

(Please excuse the post's title - its my homage to Dr. Suess who celebrated a birthday this week!)

Sooooooooooo .. . .  .  . we're onto Lesson 5 where Katie P-M's  wants us to study cropping a photo to find the interesting spots.  If you've been reading, I love to edit me a photo!  I mean, am I the only one that thinks all these little photo editing app's are a gift from God?  You can take your favorite inspiration photo - crop it - manipulate it - and then use that to guide you into your next masterpiece.  In fact, sometimes you can totally manipulate it so much that the original subject is barely recognizable!  How cool is THAT?!

For this lesson though I didn't want to get all excited with just little bits of interesting photos.  I decided I wanted to explore my fascination with vintage neon signs.  Now there is nothing I would like more than to drive around the country collecting photos of signs, but since a girl has to work for a living, I relied on Pinterest for inspiration.  Obviously, I'm not the only one who sees the charm in these bits of the past!

Katie reminded us that as we were cropping, not to forget the lessons on composition we learned in the last two months!  So I studied many, many signs.  AND I cropped many, many, signs.  I'm not ashamed that maybe, I got a little carried away!!  I finally had to narrow it down to handful so that I could finally choose 1 to do!!

I wanted to share them with you - so you could give your advice on which one you think is the most interesting!!

 

So which would you choose???

What Have You Been Up to Creatively? 

The Positives about Negative Space - Off the Wall Friday

The Curves II

I love negative space!  Well, that's in the art sense, I mean.  Anybody who has been paying attention to my developing artist voice could tell you that I pretty much spend as much time and energy on the

Notice the Arrow??

negative space of a design as the positive.

So what is NEGATIVE SPACE?  Its all the space that isn't included in the subject of a piece.  So basically - think - background.  The thing that I love about negative space is that it can be as interesting as the actual foreground (think subject of the piece).

Notice the Continent??

Now graphic designers have for years been using negative space to capture the eye.  When you look at an  a logo, you immediately see the bold, graphic subject matter.  BUT WAIT! The advertiser wants you to spend a bit more time on their impressive logo.  So using negative space, it makes the consumer linger a bit longer to see the hidden secrets that lie within the background.

Usually in the graphic world negative space is void of color and lets the subject matter dictate the shape,  But, in Nina's World,  I like to add so much interest to the background that it leaves the viewer saying, "Oh I think the background is my favorite part".

Watercolor Gateway

Clapboards &Lilies

In the Curves II and Watercolor Gateway, the negative space actually creates the lightest part of the quilt and therefore makes it the focal point.  In Clapboards and Lilies the negative space adds depth. Anddddddddddd in my latest creation, Lesson 3 (in the on-going Katie Pasquini-Masopust online design class) , the negative space adds movement and interest.  For that matter in Lesson 1 and 2 - both negative spaces added interest and depth

Lesson 3

For me its easier to come up with a great background, than to give a bigger "WOW" factor to the subject matter.  With the background being such a supportive partner to the subject, it makes the piece that much stronger.


So next time, you design a new piece, why don't you give a little positive attention to the neglected negative space!

So What Have Been Up to Creatively??

The Curves - The Blogger's Quilt Festival

The Curves

56" by 46"

Machine pieced, rough edge applique

Hand dyed fabrics by the artist

Rayon and Polyester thread 

Machine quilted on a home machine

This piece was conceived under pressure at this summer's Master Quilt class at QSDS in Columbus, Ohio with Sue Benner.  I went to the class wondering what I was going to make and one week later came home with this half done.   

Now I bet you are wondering how did I do that?  Well, it wasn't all that hard - honest!  I have a
nice collection of inspirational photos on pinterest.  I took an architectural photo from there - traced it and edited it changing curves to the way I wanted them - taking out lines and adding others.  Then I had that blown up into a pattern at Staples.  (I usually use an overhead projector but that was at home!)

I chose a palette also using my pinterest boards for inspiration.   Did improvisational piecing and cut out the shapes.   I then fit all the shapes together on a batting/backing sandwich.  I sewed them down with invisible thread.  Then quilted it.  Ta-Da!

I thought I was done - but No - sighhhhhh - Although its suppose to be rough edge applique - its a bit too rough edge for my tastes - so now I'm going back and putting some nice thread work along the edges of the big pieces.  And then it will be done.  I hope.  

But I thought it was done enough to show at least in Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival in the Art Quilt Category.  

Are you an inspiring art quilter too?  Feel free to join my weekly  Off the Wall Blog Link up  - with any creative blog post!  Its open Friday - Monday!
 

Fall Finish! Off the Wall Friday

Fall II, 54" by 38"

Greetings from my parent's cabin here in upstate New York.  Its gorgeous here - now that spring has finally sprung.  You know the only place that gets more snow than Erie, PA  is here on Tug Hill Plateau (just south of the Adirondacks!).

Point Rock Creek - On my Parent's property

Its been a busy  two weeks getting ready for QSDS at the end of the month but I still managed to finish up the quilting on next in my season's series - this is Fall II.  I love these and I can totally see me doing another one - I like how its pretty and its art - I mean what more could you ask for?

Since my birthday is coming up, I asked for. . . .  pfd cotton from TestFabrics.  I know you're thinking - of course you did!!!   So  you'll be seeing a bunch of my dyeing results over the next two weeks!

I just happen to finish this up in time for Amy's online Blogger's Quilt Festival  - so am linking to that!   I've been participating in this fun event since I started blogging and its great fun!  Thanks Amy!

This is  fourth in Season series - here is its sister quilt.  I really do have 6 others that are already designed.  I wonder if I'll get through them all!


So What have you been up to creatively?

1 Down 11 to Go - Off the Wall Friday

Slabs 34 "by 44" - rough applique - machine quilted - hand dyed fabric

Here is a little secret that you didn't know about me.  My day off each week is Thursday - purposely  - since even if I didn't get time all week to be in my studio, at least I have  that day to get something done to post that night here.  At least Thursday was my day off - for the month of February its Saturday.  sighhhhh - Off the Wall Sunday just doesn't have the same ring - grin.  So that means that for the next month I need to come home each night and make sure I get some studio time in.

This is not a bad thing.  Discipline and focus are essential to getting better and who doesn't want to get better?


Now all that said - I did manage to work a couple nights this week to finish up my January's assignment.  Am I in love with it??  No.  Do I hate it - No.

Its just 1 down and 11 to go.



So what have been up to creatively?

Sunday in the Studio - Design Wall Monday

 

Crosses II

37" by 24"

hand dyed cotton by the artist

machine pieced, machine quilted

So I managed to keep the promise I made to myself to be  more productive on Sunday.  Not only did I manage to get  4 - count them - 4 loads of laundry done (which means clean underwear for tomorrow - yay!) but I also spent hours and hours in the studio painting and quilting.

Yep - you read that right - painting!  If you've been paying attention you know that I'm not this big lover of the surface design end of art quilting.  I mean - yeah - I resent  understand  that I need to dye my own fabric and occasionally add some kind of design on it for my work - but I'm not this big fan.  It all seems a bit messy - a bit expensive and well - okay - a bit scary (even after a 5 day class with Jane Dunnewold!) So I don't often get out my paints.  That said, this week I got my order from C&T's publishing's warehouse sale.  Included was Mikey Lawler's  SkyQuilts book.  She makes it look so easy and reminded me that - Paint is my friend.

So after reading her book - twice - I pulled out the supplies - searched out some nice Kona Cotton pieces and mixed up some sunset colors.  Why sunsets?  Well, all summer, I've been meaning to play with the some small quilt ideas centered around the Lake Erie  and its gorgeous beaches.  Now here was my chance!

Really, it wasn't too hard either.  Basically, you just wet down the fabric (just damp  - not to wet where it puddles your hands when you pat it), use a natural bristle brush and do horizontal movements of the different colors.  I chose to mix up red, red orange, orange and purple using Setacolor transparent paints.  They worked fabulously well and were super easy.  I mixed half paint - half water testing out the colors to make sure they were the shades I wanted.  Then just painted them on  - Easy- Peasy!!

 

Then while they were drying, I spent the afternoon free motion quilting the second in my Cross series.  I finished the quilt top last summer but never got around to quilting it.  I swear - I think my hatred of basting a quilt made me put off the actual finishing of it!  Now with spray basting, I can get it done in a long afternoon.

So I can face this one as well as Fall for our Open Studio next month!  Gosh if I keep up this kind of work - I might just start getting things done around here!

See other great Design boards on Judy's Patchwork Times!  

A Finish & A Challenge - Off the Wall Friday

 

Fall

54" by 35"

rough edge applique, machine quilted

commercial, hand dyed, painted cotton 

original design

For the limited hours I got to sew this week, creative endeavors sure have been on my mind!  My creative To-Do List is really growing!!  I mean, first I had to finish up my fall piece - then there is Sandy's Open Studio to get ready for  - and thennnn - out of the blue - a new challenge popped up!

First the Finish - Yes - finally I finished the quilting on Fall.  I still have to block and face it, but I'm going back to blocking my quilts pinned to my bedroom carpet.  The last two times I did it on my design board they didn't stay flat. Still - I'm moving this one to the Finish column.

Secondly, as I was thinking on what I want to do next, it occurred to me that my friend, Sandy's Open Studio is  fast approaching.  Last year, it was a huge success and it would be nice if I had some nice things to offer.  I've had a few ideas for smaller pieces that I would like to see come to fruition and this would be a perfect excuse.  Now that said - I gotta find the time!

And finally - a surprise challenge!  I've been on the wanting to try out one of C&T Creative Troupe challenges and I finally got picked.  They are asking us to take a piece of 20" by 36" Evolon Interfacing and create something.  Needless to say, I'm going to have to step out of the little cotton box I've built around me!  The deadline is soon - about a month away  -  so stay tune!

All of this AND we are in the middle of Fall rush at work.  I've been putting in extra hours since I love my job and the over time is nice.  If anybody ever buys clothes from Appleseeds, The Tog Shop or Drapers and Damon's you might end up talking to me!!

So what have you been up to Creatively??

The Lilies Finished Up! Off the Wall Friday

With a big Thank God -  I finished up the latest in the lilies series.  With my new habit of getting up and sewing every morning, it wasn't too hard.  I also had to stop worrying so much over my free motion quilting and just do it.  Once I started using the needle like a pen  it went much better.  I keep forgetting that I doodle in most of my free time and all those shapes and curves translate nicely to free motion work.  I also decided that invisible thread is too much a hassle and switch to  poly and rayon threads again.  Much better - plus the bit of color worked nicely.

So here are the stats:

• 36" by 25.5" uneven
• hand dyed cotton, organza, angelina fibers 
• free standing applique, rough edge applique
• free motion quilted
• inspired by the work of Ellen Anne Eddy

 Things I learned:

1. I never  - ever want to do another figurative piece without having a clear vision of the composition before I lay one finger on fabric
2. I really like creating free standing applique using felt and stabilizer as a base
3. Organza really unravels easily - it needs more thread work or more misty fuse
4. I learned how to do a corded binding for a uneven edged quilt

Speaking of that - the corded binding technique that Ellen teaches is quite easy.  You first trim out your quilt to the finished size.  Then you take #3 Crochet thread (white or black) and crouch it around the edge of the quilt using a zig-zag stitch.    With that done, you just satin stitch over the cord.  The only problem I had was that she used her button hole foot for the satin stitching.  I was all jazzed that I finally was going to be able to use one of my fancy foots that came with my machine.  Could I??? 

No!  That's because my machine has an automatic button hole stitch where all you you do is press a button and it makes it for you with this fancy button hole contraption!!  Who knew?!?!  I think they told me that when I bought my machine but Gosh - who really uses their  machine for clothing sewing?  (grin)

Anyways - it came okay.  I had to switch different feet and experiement with thread lengths, but it ended up decent enough.  Still I like a  smooth faced edge better.  With this quilt though and all the angelina thread embellishment - the rough edge is appropriate enough.  While I was working on it, I thought that the corded edge would work nicely on book markers that I like to do as presents.

So happily  with it blocked and labeled,  I will be officially done with this quilt.  Oh - anddddd - a whole week before my deadline.  Are you impressed?!  I'm just super happy to be moving onto the next project.  I mean over the moon peeing my pants happy really ecstatic to be putting this quilt to bed.

So what have you been up to creatively?