nadia's power of the pen and art

some of you may be following nadia of multicolored pieces. if not, do yourself a favor and visit her site. she is living in tunisia where the news of tripoli (and the entire region) is much more complete than what we hear on our news. she has written a thoughtful post and has done an important piece of art. even if you didn't know the story behind it, this piece would blow you away! it is an excellent work with great feeling. her previous accounts are well worth scrolling backwards to read. please visit nadia

lessons a quilt can teach

i have just finished a week long class in listening. listening to my own heart and soul. listening to my inspiration... listening to the process... listening to the quilt.

i have been thinking of what we have to learn from our past. our past history as humans from those who have gone before us and the past history of the world. i have just begun to bring these elements together in a quilt. i am pleased with the progress i am making. you may not be able to see what i am seeing at this point. but eventually you will...just have faith.

it all started with a scarf i had from my grandmother. it was from china before ww2. it had a huge hole in it. i tore it into pieces and passed some around. i dyed part of it in tea which i posted here awhile back. i found some fossils that were the same color...i will photograph them later when the light is right. it all started to assemble itself into a story with those elements as main characters. i waited for more elements to appear and assembled them with some other fabrics i wanted to work with. some of it was dyed by deb lacativa and sarah jackson; some by arlee bar. added to what i had dyed myself with a bit of african hand dye, i started with a wonderful palate.

more as i go on... and as i reflect the lessons this week has taught me.

beach grasses for grace

i finished it!!!

i have finally finished my piece that i started in rosalie dace's class on trees last year. she is a marvelous instructor. she inspires without dictating. she helped me immensely in finding a voice for this work. i have to add that without taking jude's classes this wouldn't be the piece that it is... i have used much more hand work than i was originally inspired to do. if i had finished this in a more timely manor, it wouldn't have bee n the same piece. but it is done now and i am very pleased with it. i am titling it "synergy". i hope to do a series based on the inspirations for this piece.

feathers and pelicans!

we went

to the beach for a week without internet, cable, telephone..except the mobile whose number very few have... it was the best week ever... so many things to show. but i have to first talk about the pelicans... the brown pelican is not commonly seen along the northwest coast except near westport, wa. in the fall. they are not local breeders but are powerful flyers and travel great distances in search of food, especially after the breeding season is over. this is according to birds of the pacific northwest coast by nancy barron and john acorn.

we were lucky enough to see literally thousands of these fascinating birds. every night we would walk to the ocean and sit and watch as groups of fifty or more would come flying by, sometimes within inches of the ocean and sometimes diving down into the water. we were lucky when one night they were landed on a little spit in front of us so we wandered down to see if we could photograph some... neither of us have really long lenses but we were able to get some decent pictures. the brown feather is my inspiration for jude's feather project. anyone can contribute... she is making something that will go to benefit children.

printing on organza

tammy asked about using organza so i thought i would say a few words about my process which so far has been successful.

first use silk organza. soak it in bubble jet... you can reuse what is left over . just pour it back in the bottle. let it drip dry. you can dye your organza first if you want.

when its dry, iron it well. cut some freezer paper and organza to larger than the 8 1/2 X 11 or whatever size your computer takes. then trim it very carefully with a sharp rotary cutter to the preferred size for printing. take the paper carefully to the printer. what you are being so careful about is you do not want any frayed edges. i place it in the computer and i hold a thicker paper over it so it goes smoothly into the printer... this is where you are likely to get an error... then print... you can scan or print from your computer...

normally, after letting let the ink dry, you peel the backing off and rinse the fabric... i have eliminated this step when i am printing on organza because i have found by ironing it the ink is set. i have not printed anything with lots of ink. also i am not intending for the pieces i use this on to be washed. i usually keep the printed organza on the freezer paper until i need it because you can see by the example above, it tends to fray. i suppose some starch would help. i don't mind the fraying here as it fits with the nature of the piece. i used starch in another piece and so far it has held up with a minimum of fraying. i suppose you could fuse it but i don't do that because i like the hand of the fabric.

so it is really simple. hope this is clear enough...don't hesitate to ask questions... thanks for asking, tammy. i am always happy to tell anything i know!

many directions

these are the elements for my magic diaries piece. i took this inside but the sun was shining... there is a glare problem...sorry for the poor image. these will be made into a table runner. i will be adding circles as well in some way. the little pieces on the right are 2" squares that i am hand sewing into strips of threes.. it was going to be several 9 patches and it might go back to that but i am trying other formations too. i will do some more in larger sizes..but i want to figure out the measurements first... the middle strip of 2" squares were put into tea dye to see how the colors would interact... i may end up putting all the little squares in tea after they are sewn. i like how they muted. i have yet to decide on a ground cloth. these are all pinned on my design wall. those are pin cushions pinned so i can get to my pins easily.

next i have been working on my roots piece... needs to be done because i really should be onto the second in the series by now. this is for my independent study in august. again the photo isn't the best...i even took this one outside but the sun was just too strong. my normal place to shoot was occupied..... but you can see that there has been a lot of progress... the spiral is a fibonaci spiral which has a certain proportion that realtes to all growth on earth. i embroidered this by hand using three layers of back stitch. then i laced them all together with very fine gold thread to relate to the gold lines on the bottom piece of comercial fabric by lonni rossi. the rest of the fabric was hand dyed by me.... my photos were printed on organza.

before i embroidered i silk screened some lines using a thermofax with some gold paint that matches the lines in lonni's fabric. i was happy to find versatex paint because it has a very natural hand. you cannot tell that there is paint on the fabric. hooray! because i love the natural hand of the fabric.

these are some of the roots that have been redesigned and stitched ... not finished yet but you can see the direction i am taking. i have machine embroidered these . also did some reverse applique and couching. so... a bit more work on the roots and then i will be ready for quilting.

i have been working on this little one in between all the others. i tried to get a close up but for some reason blogger didn't add it... i hope that these will enlarge... not all of the others did last time. i think this little piece may get turned into a pillow or a bag.

i feel like i have been going six ways from seven. or whatever that expression is. in addition to these pieces of stitching, i have been getting the garden planted. we are lucky to have had an extended spring or a mild summer this year. but i am still watering like crazy so everyone will thrive. a lot is in bloom now... and the poppies are almost finished so i can get them out of there so i can continue with the plan. they were lovely but didn't come up in very convenient places... they were all volunteer so i guess i can't complain! pictures of the garden soon... tbc!

yesterday and tomorrow

yesterday i went over to visit my friend hermila, better known in jude's circle as herm. this is what i am stitching... and i have all but finished my sister's piece while stitching with her. she is making a nine patch with a moon in the center. she had some blocks already made from different patterns of blue indigo which will be beautiful when she is finished. she is doing well, very happy to be stitching and she is following a few blogs and misses everyone. her energy level is pretty good under the circumstances ... we chat non-stop and sometimes other people are there too.

tomorrow, jude's class magic diaries begins. we are all really looking forward to that...see grace's blog . the purpose of the class is to work on a long term project and share our progress and learn along the way. this class lasts six months. i will be working on two projects... one i have already begun... a large table runner which i have already started...see above... and a book. the idea for the book is still forming but i have always been inspired by louise bourgeois and when i found her making needle work projects in her later life i was truly touched. her parents had a tapestry business when she was young but she wasn't allowed to touch a needle. so finally in her later years she took up a needle and i am so glad she did.

experimenting in the sun!

its been sunny here and perfect for some tea dyeing. i am really happy with my results. i've got a couple more brewing as we speak! this is old silk from a scarf of my grandmothers it has plenty of tiny holes in it that need to be mended too. parts of it have embroidered butterflies which i am nervous about getting wet. the purpose of this was to find a good backing for the sun moon stars piece... this isn't what i had in mind though it is beautiful... i might try another dye... turmeric maybe. see you later and happy 4th!

continuing

i am back from a long absence....i have written here about my mother in law and my sister.... both very important people in my life.... both of whom are no longer with us here on earth. i am working through this transition. i am planting a garden ...i have some roses specially there for these two people i love...and some others too. gardening is therapeutic and so is stitching... i have a cloth for my sister and i will talk about that more when it is complete. i am starting magic diaries now with jude and a whole group of friends new and old. that is really comforting. and one of the pieces i will be working on is the last thing i posted before things got turned upside down! so i will continue with that. and another will be a book. i will be posting the progress of these two along with other projects. to start off i am posting photos of some flowers from the garden. you'll see a couple of garden friends poking in too! glad to be back.

color values can be difficult

here is my attempt at ombre but the aqua and light green at the end of the spectrum should probably be reversed. its hard for me to see some values... but in b&w it shows up better. i suppose i should change it.... ahhhh.

help fight cancer

cancer is something that affects everyones life sooner or later. its affected my families life several times already. lately its my dear mother in law. so i am helping to make this known... and participating myself. there is a lot of beautiful work for sale. check it out and consider posting this on your blog or making a facebook entry or ... go here for details. its one easy way we can help get the word out.

thanks so very much for whatever you can do.

One Cause, One Wednesday, One Hundred Collages

One Cause – The Fight Against Cancer.

One Wednesday – February 16, 2011.

One Hundred Collages – Created for this event by an all-star team of artists: Natalya Aikens, Pamela Allen, Laura Ann Beehler, Liz Berg, Pokey Bolton, Laura Cater-Woods, Jette Clover, Jane Davila, Jane Dunnewold, Jamie Fingal, Gloria Hansen, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Lyric Kinard, Jeanelle McCall, Linda Teddlie Minton, Karen Stiehl Osborn, BJ Parady, Judy Perez, Wen Redmond, Cynthia St. Charles, Virginia A. Spiegel

The goal – Raise $8,000 for the American Cancer Society in just one day. More details and a preview of artwork:http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/ONEFundraiserPreview.html

Fiberart For A Cause has already donated over $205,000 to the American Cancer Society through the generosity of fiber artists and their patrons.

my first sighting!

i saw a female varied thrush today... they will be around for a couple of weeks if we are lucky...

the photo is from wikipedia...not mine. but she was on our bird bath!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varied_Thrush

a mossy pile

this is the second project i have set for myself in jude's class. i've gathered together another pile, this time of mossy fabrics... the colors aren't true...today the natural light here is not dependable... the sun is just daring to come out and as soon as we get a peek, he zips back in behind the clouds.... but i intend to make a runner with the woven piece i started in c2c2.

and here is the woven piece with the napkins i bought from local dyer and quilter, bonnie bucknam http://www.handwerktextiles.com/ its going to make a wonderful table setting! but again the colors aren't true... the napkins are a bronze and chartreuse and are dyed old damask. really lovely. you should check out her website.

a pile of blues

oh my. what a pile of yummy cloth. a lot of the beauty comes from glennis and heike...and some of my old clothes. i'm hoping to make a vest with blues fading to creams. it is inspired by the sea, the sky and the moon. i will have many moons on it and some of them will be glennis's moons some my own. i have a pattern that i like ... hoping it will fit on an old skirt for the lining...if not i have some old silk that has been washed and softened. i got it in thailand about 25 years ago.

i am so excited to be back into my cloth projects... my room is almost in order...enough for me to start anyway. and life has settled down enough too... for the moment!

i have signed up for jude's contemporary boro class. i'm not sure what we will do but i have some projects i want to work on... i will be gathering more for a second project and will show you that as soon as i gather them together. judes first assignment was to make piles!!!

my heart is grateful

thank you everyone who waited through this past week with me. it was rough...we almost lost her twice. but she is stabilized now and has been transfered to a skilled care facility where she will have pt everyday and grow stronger, have the proper diet and all things she wasn't doing for herself. i am so relieved. and so grateful for all your sending of energy, prayers and wishes.

my sister

i am thinking hard about my sister... sending her all the strength i can. she has been in icu since jan 6 and its been a rough, up and down, trail. i think about living with the idea of our mortality. we all will die. this moment is what we have.

cheryl has had such a hard life. i won't go into it but through it all we have remained close. we are closest in age... she is 3 years younger than me. i am the oldest of four. she is the one that holds all of my childhood memories from traumas to joy. the others were too young.

there are so many things calling my attention. i have still not finished organizing the last few bits of my sewing studio. i have signed up for jude's new advanced boro class and haven't even checked in yet. and there are all the normal things i do in my life, exercising, housework, the dishes...always the dishes. but i am slacking. things are piling up... i am spending hours on the phone checking her status and talking to my other sisters keeping everyone up to date. and crying a lot in while stacking the dishes. tears are cleansing after all.

this is not the normal post but i wanted to share and ask, if you are inclined, to send healing thoughts our way.

namaste

a sheltering sky

there are so many times when i look up at the sky and it has changed to a new image... yesterday the sky was like that. big sweeping clouds... sweeping away all the old and bringing in the new. just like in my life.

there have been a lot of changes going on this year. for one, my youngest son moved back to portland last january after a serious back injury on his job. he is really doing well after a year of therapy but recently he has found it necessary to move into our home. i have given him my old sewing room as it was the largest room and where he would be the most comfortable; it would also afford all of us the most privacy. we are all pretty easy going and so far this has been really nice... especially now that we are almost through with the big move.

moving into a smaller room gave me the chance to get more organized. i stored some things but i reduced a lot too. it made me become conscious of which things i wanted to devote my time to. it all comes at a good time.

new years is a time i like to reflect a bit. am i living the life i mean to live? sometimes i forget to ask myself if things fit in the larger plan and just let things happen. but at this time of year, i like to examine a bit just to keep myself from getting too far off the track. i tend to try to do too much and this past year i really tried to not get too distracted. i am pretty happy with the way things played out. for the most part, my new activities support my creative life. i started a blog, i joined the board of our fiber arts guild and i took several classes that furthers my arts.

i question about this blog, however.... i started it just to keep a record of what is happening in my creative life. but i see that i have limited it mostly to photography and stitching and haven't shown as much of that as i could. i get wrapped up in a project and off i go... forgetting to blog about it or not feeling like i have time. i think i need a more organized approach to blogging. i am thinking this new room will be good for that because now i am on the same level as everything else and though i will not have as much seclusion, i think all in all it will be good. i use a lap top... and it seemed last year it was never where i was. if i was downstairs stitching and wanted to photograph and post, the computer or the camera was upstairs. not that its so difficult to go fetch...but its more opportunity for me to get distracted. (just one example) so i am thinking fewer steps might mean fewer distractions. did i mention that i am a gemini?

well, as is quoted on jude's blog...hey ho... and off we go under our sheltering sky.

thank you to everyone who stops by here, keeping the faith that eventually something will appear. i enjoy that you leave such wonderful and encouraging comments. its nice to know i am not here alone! i do want to wish everyone of you a happy new year. may you be of good health and cheer all the year long with plenty of time for creativity.

namaste!