Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Project Funway Continues - Paper Challenge!


Just finished a journal quilt that I have been thinking about as we traveled in the RV this past weekend. I was thinking about the, "paper challenge," on PR, so my journal quilt is Reta Recycle. Her teeshirt is a tea bag envelope, her skirt is newspaper and bits of yarn, and like all self-conscious women,she put a bag on her head to cover a bad hair day. What do you think? This is # 4 in my series, Project Funway.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Just Watched PR.....

I feel a personal paper challenge coming on! Yipes.....mabee I'll sort through the papers on my dining room table......I could always open the mail!!!!!

Winter In New England; finished


Just made my label for this quilt that I posted about when it was on my machine. I faced this one instead of binding. What do you think? This one started out not from my usual photo, but because I wanted to use some of my metallic paints. Metallic stripes became trees, and I went on from there. I added the deer in the lower field by cutting a small deer from a picture of deer in our field that I had printed on cloth. I guess I do always have to get a photo influence in there!

I just love those shiny fabrics for an icy lake!

Feedback welcome.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Journal Quilts Submitted !

Thanks to Linda Minton's generous deadline extension, I got three journal quilts into Quilt Art! I had actually forgotten about this opportunity, until Linda posted her extension.
Journal quilts are a great chance to work small and quick! For someone like me, it is exactly the change that I need. I tend to work large and keep adding more and more detail to my work. My projects go on and on!
About four years ago, I posted to the quiltart list, my thoughts for, " Fast Friday." I was thinking out-loud and said that I needed to challenge myself, like the designers on Project Runway. I needed to sketch an idea, pick fabrics and make it work! Another list member jumped on the idea and proposed starting a Yahoo group and the rest is history. I didn't need more time on the computer........I needed more creative action!
Years ago, I used to attend lots of business seminars. I would sit down front with my friend Patti and take notes, but beside the notes, I'd sketch what the women speakers were wearing. Patti used to glance at my notes and say, "You're doing it again!" My journal quilts are, "Project Funway." That's because they were just plain fun to create. If they make it to the online show, I post pictures after they have been put up on the website. Happy sewing!

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Another Day Fishing - but it's winter on my longarm!


We spent a lovely, but cool day, out on the boat in Portsmouth Harbor. All kinds of sailboats and kyaks were out. It was a great fall day. I got home and decided to turn on my long arm, to thread paint a little more on my winter scene. Don't know why I'm working on a winter piece right now, except that I am trying to get it off my machine! Summer pictures are waiting in the wings, and three small off-the-cuff journal quilts are waiting to be completed. So many pictures in my head and I am trying to stitch them out!

I think I am trying to get back to a clean slate. Does that ever happen? I hate having incomplete work!

Friday, September 4, 2009

It's Already September !


Although it is hot and sunny today, September is already upon us! We've been out in our boat in Portsmouth Harbor just three times this summer. Each time I take many digital photos of boats, ships, lighthouses, sea birds, etc., because in my mind I can translate everything into cloth and threads. I have photos for a lifetime, because I just can't stop taking pictures!

Now the challenge is to translate these photos to fabric. I have to find a way to speed up my process. I have to think about the pieces less and produce more! Time to stitch!