Challenges - as in a ruddy challenge from beginning to end middle!
I wanted to show you a bit of what I did in my class at Fabrications. Our instructor, Laura Cater-Woods had us doing some interesting things but one of them was to try to save a WIP (work in progress) that was stalled. I had a small quilt that gave stalled a new meaning. It had been hanging on my design board for three years. Yes, I am mortally embarrassed to have actually typed that! In my defense, this quilt has been a challenge since the first piece of fabric was chosen. It’s humble beginnings were in a workshop with David Walker and I selected colors that are not in my usual palette to make me jump out of my comfort zone, Oy! Browns are not easy colors for me to work in. I’m more of a purple/green/teal kinda gal. I did manage to make a “background” fabric in some lovely mushroom browns with a touch of copper (I just mention that so you know what colors are supposed to be in the accompanying photos ;o). So, I decide my background has potential and jumped in by adding a lightening bolt, or two. Feeling frisky I added a pieced border.

Stuck! Here it sat for three years, being ignored by Moi! The center section was way too dull and had no contrast. All my contrasting colors were in the border making it too light. How to save it? Nothing came to mind… for a really long time.

So, it hung on my design wall and I ignore it.

And ignored it some more.

And some more.

Fast forward to this October. One of the suggestions for this workshop I took at Fabrications was to bring a stalled project. Assuming that the only salvation at this point was to cut it up for ATCs, I bravely packed it with all my other fabrics. Why is it, when you pack fabric for a three day workshop you pack enough for a year in the Tundra and still buy three more pieces of fabric at the LQS? This one stumps me. I digress. Laura’s talent is to make you think with out telling you what to think. She just knows how to open those little doors in your brain. She suggested I might think about cropping it - I had to chuckle; in a Melody Johnson workshop this last summer, the favorite catch phrase for the weekend was “If it’s crap, crop!” So I took out my rotary cutter…

After doing some free-motion quilting, another first and a major biggie for me, I added some sharp contrast; binding to cover the seams where I re-sewed it back together. I was delighted with the transformation! Now, I just have about 12,857 hours of FMQ to go.

Now, I know my FMQ is never going to pass muster in a judged show, but I’m doing it and it looks good enough for me at this point in time. I’m sure with practice, I’ll improve. Always the optimist, me  ;o)

I think I’ll bind it in the same narrow binding I used for contrast and call it quits. Oh…..   maybe just a few sparkly thingies  ;o)

Oh! I finally added some of my hand-dyed yarns to my Etsy Store and got the “Etsy Mini” working on my side bar (a peek and a link to my Etsy). I just hope I can get the rest posted soon. So many distractions!  :) 

I’m back from my wonderful four days of creative bliss. I learned so much and made so much progress on one quilt and a million issues that relate to being an artist. It was fabulous, it was stupendous, it was marvelous… it was legendary. OK, all gushing aside, I had a blast and learned lots. Laura Cater-Woods is a terrific creativity coach and I feel progress in my bones. But, more on that next time.

This time, I want to share my latest finished quilt. I actually finished it a week ago but it was a gift and could not be revealed until now. I started a self portrait in Pam Allen’s class last year. It looked like me. It was boring. I wanted something a bit more edgy, fun, funky! I decided I needed a more inspiring model. So, I picked my friend Cathy A. She was the first fiber friend I made after moving to Michigan. I was soooo missing the yarn shop where I had worked, my Art Quilter’s group and my Weaving group.

Then, when I was so desperate for a art quilter’s group that was NOT into traditional or Thimble Berries or Sun Bonnet Sue (ACK!) that I put an ad in the local paper and started my own, Cathy came (a long drive for her) and helped make it grow (with all the other great members) into the thriving Eye for Fiber: an art group that it is today. Then, she is the person who heads up the efforts that produce Fabrications and have allowed me to wallow in an annual fiber art retreat.

As you are working on a quilt, your mind tends to mull a bit. I realized what an effect that Cathy’s simple existence had had on my life here and poured a little gratitude into it so I could give it to her when done. Yes, it took me all year to finish it but, that’s just ‘cuz I had so much gratitude to work in there  :)  I might point out that this does not look like her. She does not have a blue face and lopsided casabas. It does reflect her fun, colorful, big hearted, and dare I say? Funky! personality.

She is also a knitter, does it show?

Confused? You won’t be after our next exciting episode of “Scarlet Zebra’s Blog!” (with appologies to “Soap” an 80’s night time soap opera spoof - yes, I’m that old  ;o)

Art Journals, Art Books, Altered Books, etc. are works of art in themselves. Often created by the artist to explore an idea, concept, technique, or make a statement. They can be quite beautiful and are currently quite the rage. Here is a link to several sites that illustrate Art Journals.

What I want to talk about is Artist’s Journaling. This is a journal that covers all aspects of an artist’s journey. As part of my pre-workshop homework for the class I’m taking (in two days, I’m soooo excited!) at Fabrications; Tempting the Muse with Laura Cater-Woods, we are asked to start an artist’s journal. This has been quite a journey in itself for me. Forcing me to really think about a few things and to really focus on the why’s, the wherefores, and the what’s. Looking at old work for clues as to what moves me enough to make art out it. Do I have a need to “say” something or do I just feel a severe compulsion to add more color to the world? The later is entirely possible  ;o)  I found that even though I had just started out pasting pictures on white journal pages. It DROVE me NUTS, all that white paper. Out came the colors… yea, it’s a compulsion.
Collecting pictures of old work and WIP’s (works in progress) has at least made me realize I do produce more than I give myself credit for.  But, the hard part is (obviously) finishing things!  Reviewing past workshops is a good way to refresh your memory on what you had learned. Collecting pictures of things that inspire or excite me is a good way to spark a creative frenzy.

All in all, this journal thing is too much fun! And now I’m having some great ideas. Of course, it may just be sleep deprivation. I’m packed (finally) and ready to head for my fun, arty weekend! See y’all next week  :o)

I love color. If you haven’t read my About page, you may not quite understand how much that is an understatment  ;o)  So, dyeing is a natural part of my process, whether I’m working with yarn, fabric, roving, or odd bits. My favorite fiber is silk. I love how it can be as heavy and rough as burlap or as soft and sheer as… well, silk! It also has body and drape. Silk noil, or raw silk, is one of my favorite fabrics. It has texture and is heavy enough for clothing but light enough for summer. With a bit of industrious scouring, it takes dye superbly. Here is a 1/2 yard of silk noil I dyed recently and was one of the pictures that Gloria used in my Blog’s banner/background design. I used Gaywool dyes on this one as they are a favorite to use at home. They are easy and tend to be less toxic then some of the other varieties of acid dye. This fabric was done using my favorite technique of wadding it up into a dye bowl that is really a bit too small and dumping in about 3 different colors that are left over from other dyeing projects. Don’t you just love serendipity?

Speaking of dyeing, I found a Blog that I have added to my Blog-roll (see sidebar). This is the Blog of Karren Brito, a wonderful Shibori artist and author. When you read her blog, have napkins ready. You will drool.

Another Blog I have added is for “Whip It”, an artist’s Blog with fantastic info on all aspects of being a fiber (or mixed media) artist. I love this one for all the treasures you find buried in it. BTW, I found this site because Karren Brito had it listed on her Blog. I’m starting to find this whole Blog thing very addictive and informative. Cool!

And lastly, Cindy’s comment asked about the ruffly tops on my daughters red & white striped socks pictured in the last post. Hi Cindy! and no, they are not crocheted. You work with me every Friday and you don’t know I’m allergic to crochet by now??  ;o)  They are a variation of the Frilled Bind Off explained in Charlene Schurch’s book More Sensational Knitted Socks (both SKS books are favorites of mine). If you have the book, it’s on page 78. Briefly, I worked a last row with a YO (yarn over) in between every stitch, doubling the number of stitches. Then I followed the directions in the book; *work a stitch, make one, bind off the first stitch*, repeat around. This doubled the number of stitches again as I bound them off. It gave a very ruffly top and enough ease that I did not have to worry about it being uncomfortably tight on her thigh.