I belong to a group of art quilters called Fearless Designers. The group started a couple of years ago studying Fearless Design by Lorraine Torrance. I started with the group, but, as often happens, life got in the way and I wasn’t able to finish the book with them.

We’ve decided to stay together and use another book, Design Explorations for the Creative Quilter, by Katie Pasquini Masopust. We thought this book would help us experiment with more abstract forms of design. We meet once a month for a full day and share the work we’ve done in the chapter being studied that month. The group has learned a lot along the way especially in how to critique our work and offer constructive critiques that will help improve our work.

The piece shown above is my attempt with chapter one. We had to use a geometric shape in different sizes and placed into a pleasing design. Then 3-5 sizes of a second shape were superimposed on the design.

I started with triangles but wanted them a bit curved. The circle was the superimposed on the overall design. Unfortunately I didn’t take a picture of my first attempt which was the one that the group critiqued. Suffice it to say that the first try was WAY too busy and complicated! Using the suggestions from the group, I simplified and the final piece is shown above. I’m actually happy with this final look. Title is Regatta.

The really nice thing about this group is how supportive they are. We all stay focused and don’t allow ourselves to get too side-tracked on other topics. It helps that one of the women has agreed to be the moderator and she does a wonderful job of keeping us on topic. We’re very conscious of allowing an equal amount of sharing time so no one gets shortchanged just because they’re the last one to share.

Next week I’ll share my second piece and some thoughts about it.

Third and last quilt of the current commission. This one I decided to make a vase of flowers and I did end up using all the mom’s clothes without needing to add other fabrics. This piece has several three dimensional flowers. I even used a lined black eyelet skirt for the back on each piece and leftover pieces for the hanging sleeve. Final touch was personalized label with the woman’s picture on it. When the daughter saw the picture I emailed her, she told me she cried. I got goosebumps when she told me that! I did not know her mother, but almost felt as though she was channeling me. These three pieces went together so smoothly – without a hitch at all.

I’m looking forward to the next three pieces and the challenge they will provide.

While working on the first one, I decided that the second one would utilize the orange paisley pajama bottoms that were in the collection of clothes. The first piece was made entirely of the mom’s clothes, but the second piece I added some hand-dyed fabrics. Completed piece is below.

As I thought about the piece my clients liked and then considered the clothing I had to work with, I decided to do the first piece in a very similar style to the piece they liked. Since there was a red t-shirt with a glitzy center, that became the focal flower. See step one below where I laid out the background using the  blue jeans, khaki pants, the white jeans and some orange capris. I then quilted a design of leaves and vines.

Then came step two – I interfaced the t-shirt and also fused it with Wonder-Under. Center of the flower came from a black t-shirt.

Step three – added a couple more leaves and began the quilting.

Quilting completed and piece is finished.

A woman and her father came to me last summer requesting that I make some small art quilts out of their mother/wife’s clothing. She had passed away the previous year. They looked at my work and decided on a piece that they really liked, Black/White with Orange. We agreed that I would make three pieces, one for the daughter, one for the father and one for the mom’s best friend.

When they dropped off the bag of clothing and that’s when I said to myself, “What have I gotten myself into?”Here’s a picture of the clothes – jeans, khakis, eyelet lace skirts, t-shirts with glitzy designs, and vests with lots of seams. This was going to really be a challenge!

So stay tuned. I will share with you in a series of blog posts how I went about this project and the final results.

Oh, by the way, much to my delight, the clients absolutely loved the final pieces!

So here’s my idea of the perfect thread storage system. It’s a rolling tool chest usually used by carpenters to store their tools. I lined each of the drawers with vellux so the thread doesn’t roll around. Each of the shallow drawers holds decorative thread stored by color. The deeper bottom drawers I use for yarns and other embellishments. The top section with the lift up lid I use for general sewing thread.

This system sure beats having to open all those plastic boxes I used to use or storing on a peg board on the wall. I can roll this right next to me at the sewing machine when needed and then push it out of the way when I’m done.

In June 2010, I went to Katahdin in Maine with several other people from my church. We stayed at a lovely inn for two nights and hiked Katahdin one day. I didn’t make it all the way to the top, but got as far as Chimney Pond. Many in our group who had hiked other mountains said this was a very difficult mountain to climb. There were many huge boulders and tricky paths. But I did it! And was very proud of myself as it was something I’d never done before.

Of course I took lots of pictures which have inspired some new work. This is the first piece at Chimney Pond. Below are the steps to get to a finished piece.

Laying out the fabric to get just the right colors/shading for the sky and mountains.

   Then adding the trees and water.

Stitching begins to add dimension and shading.

            Final piece.

It always thrills me what happens as you go through the process. At first the piece looks very blah, but with the addition of each different piece of fabric and the stitching, it does come to life.

It’s September already. I can’t believe it! The summer has flown by. It’s been a fairly good one weather wise. All my outdoor shows have been blessed with good weather although at a couple of them, it was very hot. It’s been another fun summer show season. I’ve met many wonderful people and shared my work with them.

I’m on the home stretch with only two outdoor shows left – one in Haverill, Massachusetts on Sept. 10 and one in Bethel, Maine on Sept. 17. I was accepted into the Upcountry Artists show at Sugarloaf on October 8 & 9. This is a new show for me but I noticed I’m in good company with many wonderful artists.

Next post will be with pictures describing the process for developing one of my small landscapes.

The summer art show season is in full force here in Maine. There are so many shows that, if you want to be in one, you do have to pick and choose for each weekend. From July 2 through September 17, I will do 12 outdoor shows. My schedule for this summer has evolved into 3 weeks of shows, a couple of weeks off, three weeks of shows, a couple of  weeks off, and then the final three weeks of shows. That’s a doable schedule without making myself crazy.

So here’s my booth set up in Norway, Maine for their annual art festival. This was my third year in Norway and I saw many repeat visitors.

The day was beautiful except for some high winds. Many artists around me lost items as their tents and/or tables collapsed. You could hear glass breaking after a big blast of wind.

One big gust hit my right side wall and knocked over the tables. Fortunately, nothing broke and I didn’t lose anything.

The Norway show was this past weekend, July 9. The previous weekend I was in Bethel for annual Bethel Art Fair sponsored by the Mahoosuc Arts Council.

Next weekend (July 15-17, 2011), I’ll be at the Yarmouth Clam Festival. This show is three days and includes many different activities besides just the art show. As the name implies, there will be lots of clams done up in a variety of ways.

Next post will be about some work I’m finishing up – a sunrise tryptich. It’s coming along nicely and I’ll pictures for you.

Quote:  Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.      Twyla Tharp

Well, I just got back from my 5oth high school class reunion in Ohio. How wonderful it was to renew old friendships, make new ones and see what everyone has been up to for all these years! Since I’ve been in Maine for almost 44 years, I’ve lost touch with most of my high school classmates. None of my family lives in Ohio any longer and there hasn’t been a compelling reason to return. This was a refreshing walk down memory late, a bit poignant as many class mates have died and there were about a dozen or so who couldn’t be located.

I visited with a woman who was a very good friend of my parents. In fact, her daughter babysat for me. She took me to my old church where we saw the tables that my dad built well over 50 years ago – probably more like 60 years. The few people whom I saw who remembered my parents mentioned those tables and how they’re still being used. What a nice legacy.

Besides seeing high school classmates, I also met up with two college friends in Kent, Ohio. We went to Kent State University and I hadn’t been back there since graduation in 1965……..I’m really dating myself! It’s truly amazing how much the college campus has changed. I had a difficult time locating my old dorm. One young man in a bookstore, when I told him I graduated in 1965, said that would be two of him in the time frame since then! Too funny!

I’ve been a bit behind the times and haven’t used the audio book technology up to now. For this car trip I took along and “read” The Help by Kathryn Stockett and Playing for Pizza by John Grisham. Two very different books, but they certainly kept my mind engaged while driving. My book club will be discussing The Help next week – should be a good discussion. I really liked the book and it made me think a lot.

Now it’s time to get ready for the first shows of the season which start this Saturday in Bethel, ME.

“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls.”- – Anais Nin