QUILTING

There are days when it is very difficult to stay indoors and work when it is so beautiful outside.  Today is one of them.   This new piece has so much detail on it, it will be quite a lot of quilting and thread changes so this will take a while to finish before moving on to the foreground.  At least there is a big double window in my studio to gaze out of and feel the breeze some through while I work.

QUILTING CONTINUES....

 I thought today I would show the back of my new art quilt so you can see the amount of quilting that has gone into this so far.   I usually do not show the back but do get asked to show it by buyers as well as viewers.   The reason for this is because I firmly believe that an art quilt is fiber art...fitting into the world of quilters as well as mainstream art.   I feel it should be considered from the front fully and totally and the back should only be nice and neat and tidy with stitches that have good tension.  I do not think it necessary to bury threads at the end of a quilting line or to be as precise as what is required of  a bed quilt...which is always seen on both sides .  How many collectors ask to see the back of an oil painting when considering whether to purchase it, or a watercolor or pastel...all of which many times have miscellaneous paint spatters or smudges on the back.  An art quilt will hang on a wall and the back will remain unseen.  Yes the sleeve and the label should be neatly done as should the binding if it is traditionally bound, and perhaps if a traditional pattern either pieced or appliqued it should meet those high standards.  But quilts such as mine with many layers and many thread changes and dense quilting should only be required to be neatly done with all loose threads clip and removed.   It is only my humble opinion but it is how I construct all of my pieces.

 This is the quilting so far.   Added some whiskers too.....loved adding those.  It continues to come to life.

And here is me in my studio.....You can not see most of it...there is a cutting table to the left and that closet is huge and houses all my fabric, completed quilts, supplies, extra machines, boxes for shipping and miscellaneous other things.  So nice to be able to shut the door and not worry about it fading in the sun either.   Of course my buddy Ozzie is always with me....and my camera on the tripod ready for a quick photo of wildlife or just the beautiful woods outside that window.

Squirrel

Having coffee with this guy early this morning outside the studio window.

Studio

 I get asked about my stash a lot so here it is in my converted closet in my 8X10 foot studio which is the 3 bedroom of our 1929 Bungalow.  I arrange it by color and also have some boxes marked birds because I always choose some fabrics by the fact that they would make great feathers on birds.  I have tried to do a dark to light thing but it always ends up mixed together so I have given up on that.  On the floor are boxes of buttons and stamps and beads etc etc etc.

 I have a narrow shelf where I keep larger pieces of fabric and some misc. stuff!
Those baskets are all full of scraps or end pieces that I may or maynot ever use.

 This hutch is used for all my books, my colored pencils, shiva sticks, batting, folders with ideas, fabric paint etc. etc.

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 I still use my 30 year old sewing table with my Bernina to sew on.  It sits under a bulletin board,

my Canadian Goose quilt and a shelf of memorabilia and antique sewing things.  In the plastic stacking drawers are all my threads sorted by color.

 

Above is my window and cutting table which I shot from the doorway into my studio.  It is a tight space but it is efficient.   My quilt guild ribbons hang there to motivate me and to show appreciation to the women who make them so nicely with our guilds sailboat block on each one.
Under the table are plastic boxes where I keep fusible and other supplies I use on a daily basis.
 

This shows my design wall where not much progress is being made on my owl this morning.  My second design wall has about 8 quilts pinned on it after photographing them for my Etsy shop.  Right now they are nice and flat and safe there and I do not need to use it so they will stay there until I need the space.  My quilt "Gouldians" hangs on the other side of the design wall.  I am not ready to part with it and enjoy it everyday there.

Of course my mascot is asleep in the sunshine with his little toy hanging from my light in case he gets bored.  He is always there when I am in the studio until it gets near supper time and he definitely lets me know he wants to eat.

I did not clean or anything for this photo session so you see what a normal day is like when I am working.  Hope you enjoyed the tour once again. 

The End of a Commission

For 5 months there were quilts under the needle.....

Many days the studio was in utter chaos.....

There was constant work going on.....

There was no time to worry about fashion or hair.....

The Pfaff kept on ticking.........

And the Bernina did too.......

Many needles were changed and changed.......

and then...35 quilts got packed and shipped.
Now there are only photos and wonderful memories.

I must thank five people & groups:

1. Nellie Durand for giving my name to Kathy which led to me getting this Commission.

2. Bob, my husband, for picking up the slack at our business as well as at home so I could stay focused and disciplined to work solely on this project.

3. Bonnie, my sister & best friend, for doing all the bindings and the sleeves on all these quilts. Without her help I would not have been able to meet my deadlines.

4. My children, for understanding my time was going to be limited and supporting me
all the way through this.

5. My friends and online quilting friends who kept my spirits high and and spurred me on.

Thank You All!!!!

Pods, Goose & Octopus!

Before I get back to "Mulberry Bush" and beginning something new on my design wall, I am going to quilt "My Pods". (Remember that one????)
So I began this morning after.........

I hung "The Canadian" temporarily in my studio to keep it safe above "The Intruder" also
hanging temporarily waiting to see if it is getting into the Quilt Expo in Madison.
http://wiquiltexpo.com/

Then I ran out and got a "Pink Octopus" for my sister Bonnie. She admired mine in my garden so I got her one. She in turn dug up some Pink Cone flowers from her garden in trade.
It is great when you can start splitting and sharing plants!
Now....Off to work!

Studio

Publish Post

Many have asked to see my small studio. So here it is.
For a small space I do get a lot done in here. It is my little haven.
Up on the hutch you can see a small project I started on my small portable design wall. A log cabin variation. I want to hang it in one of my bathrooms. After putting it together I decided to make it more narrow for the wall space I have in there. So it is only two blocks across now. I will have photos soon.