"SILENT FAREWELL"

17 1/2" X 30"

Available for sale in my Etsy Shoppe ( See link in sidebar.)

I feel so remiss in not sharing the journey of this quilt as I went along with it with you.  It just seemed there was not time these last few weeks to work on it and still have time to post here with the process so you can go to the journey down below .

Here are the detail shots.  I enjoyed this piece as barns are near and dear to my heart.  i love the warmth of the red in the coolness of the winter snow too.  I also love how the shed shows many layers of repair in the owners attempt to keep it functional.

I hope you enjoy it too.

 

The Journey

BARNS

 I love to travel around the area I live in and take photographs of different  farms and wildlife.  I took this photo of an old wore out barn with many repairs that have been made over the years now also falling apart.  I love the texture in this piece and it will be what I make next.

It all starts with a sketch. 

GOOSE LANDING

"GOOSE LANDING"

An Original Design measuring 18" X 32"

Raw edged fused applique, machine thread work and quilting

Fabric painted clouds and snow on the corn field.

Stretched on Stretch Bars.

This is my last quilt for the year 2015.

THE JOURNEY

GEESE

A lot of progress in this piece since the last post. The geese were time consuming  to first draw and than construct out of very small pieces.  I waited to make the final placement until they were all completed and now am happy with how it looks.  Next step, quilting down them and the larger chopped cornstalks.  This may take a bit of time especially with all the holiday prep that will be in between.

I am enjoying the construction of this and am happy to have snow somewhere since, so far, it has been a very mild winter and there is nothing on the ground.  It is even staying above freezing!  I guess those Greenbush Ladies at the church cookout know more than the Farmers Almanac!

PROGRESS

 Working on my farm scene today.....plowed field will go in here but not exactly there so just pinned for now.  There are a few more trees going in around the background church.

I am liking the background more and more.  When the foreground goes in it will all come together.

Tonight my two grandson's Clay and Max are coming for a sleepover.  It will be their first in the new house so they are so excited.  Love that young exuberance!

Packed up two quilts that I sold yesterday in my Etsy shoppe to a private collector.  They are two of my favorites and I will miss them but know this collector appreciates them as much as I did.  I am very fortunate.

THE COUNTRY HOUSE

I have been pondering this next piece while working on the last one.  Wanted to go back to doing a landscape but this time a larger one.  This art quilt will measure approximately 40" X 24" when finished.   I had the horses drawn on separate sheet of tissue to use at some point on a project and they work perfectly on this one.  This is going to take a while to complete as there are a lot of details in it but I hope you will have fun watching it come together with me.

"MUSCOVY"

 "MUSCOVY"

20 1/2" X 31

Interpretation from photograph taken by Natalie Rowe

Pieced

Rawedged fused applique

Machine quilted

SOLD to a Private Collector

I hope all of you enjoyed this journey with me.  It was an unexpected journey  as today when I finished this piece the owner of this farm reported that she took the light colored lab, Sophie into the vets for a check up because she was limping.  Turned out to be cancer and she had to be put to sleep.  Such a beautiful dog gone too soon.

I am so sad, yet happy that I added these two dogs to this piece.  Now Sophie will live on the farm where she was so happy with her buddy Tristan.

Ducks Ducks Ducks

 Last night and today I worked on the ducks.   Lots of single feathers to add on to each one.

The feathers will be blended together better with the use of thread...I am excited to bring them to life with the quilting now.  Details in the beaks and feet will also be added with the thread.  It is the quilting that transforms them .

Getting ready to begin.....this may take a few days.  Once the ducks are quilting more will be added.

Saved By The Bell

The last time  you heard from me I was about to give up on this one.   Then you all came to my rescue and made me feel  better about the piece as well as suggested what may help with the problem.  One of you,  Libby Fife, suggested more branches.  It was then that I realized it was not the branches that existed that were the problem but that there were not enough of them.  So.....I added being careful to not cover the view of the barns in the background.  Woolah!   Success!  So happy with it now.  So I am moving forward....not finished....more to come.

Thank you all so much for helping with this one....you all got me over the hump!

Trouble

Well.....once in a while this happens.....Just not feeling this one.   Almost quit on it and started something else.   However....I am continuing in hopes that what I still have planned for it will bring it around to where I wanted it to go.   We will see......if it can be salvaged.
The worst thing is where the branches meet the truck of the tree.  It did not look bad when viewing it here but once photographed and put on this post I see that some are way to wide.   It is all finished and quilted onto the background so there is no changing it now.   I will "ponder" it for a while and continue with the other elements and see what I can come up with.

Fog Added

This new piece will be a little more subtle and softer.   I have added a layer of fog…not too dense this time.  I like the feel of it….lots more to come.

Cleaned my studio today.  Took most of the morning and into the afternoon but it needed it.  Washed the cat's beds and then the ceiling fan blades and shelves etc.  It is amazing how fast the studio can get dusty and fuzzy.  Looks great now.  Purged some books and magazines as well.  Will take them down to the St. Vincent De Paul tomorrow.  Over all a very productive day so far.

"MISTY MORNING"

 "MISTY MORNING"

27 1/2" X 16 1/2"

Original Design

Rawedged fused applique

Some fabric marker shading

and details

Tulle Fog

Domestic Machine Quilted

I hope you all enjoyed the journey making this art quilt and this experiment in fog with me…..I certainly did and am very happy with the results.  This quilt will be for sale in my Etsy Shoppe at
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BSLArtQuilts.

I am going to do another fog piece.  I learned a lot doing this one and am excited to try another.  Hope you join me.