Week in Review 2015 - 4/3

That's me, with the mic, giving a gallery talk at
IQF - Chicago. Behind me are several works from
SAQA's exhibition, Celebrating Silver. Picture by
Cynthia Wenslow.

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

It's Spring! Hurrah, hurrah. We returned from caring for our granddaughters in Massachusetts, where several feet of snow still lay on the ground, to discover that all our snow was gone and song birds could be heard. In just a few weeks the redwing blackbirds and sandhill cranes have returned. I was treated to the most stunning male merganser several nights ago gliding across the lake our property abuts. The return of migratory birds fills me with such joy and optimism. It is that fresh start, all is possible feeling. The very feeling that keeps me enmeshed in creating art quilts. 

The video is of my youngest grandchild, Ariana.

Her enthusiasm at her big sister's gym class is

a reminder of how we are born with delight

in the world that surrounds us.

It has been four weeks since my last post. The gap is due to timing and travel. During my brief periods at home when I could get to the studio I managed to keep Mondrian Tackles Fibonacci moving forward and even stole several hours to brainstorm and create a fun free motion quilting doodle. Here is what I have been up to:


1) Mondrian Tackles Fibonacci - (Due May 1, 2015)

If you click on the image you should get a enlarged
version that will allow you to see the bead work
progress I have made on the yellow section of
Mondrian Tackles Fibonacci.

a) Continue beading - Done! Even better, I am nearly done!! I have approximately half a day's worth of beading left to do. I am on track to finish with days to spare before the deadline.

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Done!

Getting back into the spirit of free motion quilting
by Doodling Circles.

It has been a month since I have been able to sit at the machine and do some free motion quilting. Fortunately, my muscle memory is strong and it felt as natural as if I had only free motion quilted the day before. The primary design is one I dubbed Doodling Circles. Periodically I would just break free and do some echo quilting. 

3) Post the number of days I have worked in my studio in 2015 - 32/126

4) Perform a random act of kindness - Done.

5) Night Vision - 

a) Add the label - On hold until I need a second label

I have no travel plans for another six weeks. I am really looking forward to hunkering down in the studio on regular basis. Here is where I will be focusing:

1) Mondrian Tackles Fibonacci - (Due May 1, 2015)

a) Finish beading
b) Wash and block
c) Trim to size
d) Make and attach bias binding
e) Make and attach sleeve
f) Make and attach label

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) Post the number of days I have worked in my studio in 2015

4) Perform a random act of kindness

5) Night Vision - 

a) Add the label - On hold until I need a second label

I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.

Week in Review 2014 - 04/18

Ariana 

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

Sample block for the Community Quilt Workshop

Last week I left you with this cliff hanger: "It is down to the wire for finishing Tumbling Blocks. The big question is what will happen first. Will I finish the quilt or will my grandchild be born?" The answer is in, Ariana arrived on April 14 and I am still completing the finish work on her quilt. Heavy sigh, since I hate to miss a deadline. Still, I am delighted to welcome my fifth grandchild and second granddaughter to our family.

One of the reasons I didn't have Ariana's quilt done before she was born was because I joined a local artisans collective. Their mission was to fill a popup gallery with art, music, poetry and workshops. I am one of the artists, have volunteered to run a workshop I titled "Community Quilt," am organizing the schedule of gallery hosts and of course attending some of the numerous planning meetings. The exhibition is next week. We have built it. Now, fingers crossed, the community will come to see what we are about and engage in the numerous interactive art events. The hope is that this will be successful enough to become an annual event.

Even with all this excitement I did manage to move ahead ever so slightly with my published plans for the week. Here is how it went.

Detail of Tumbling Blocks border quilting - backside

1)  Tumbling Blocks I (Due April 30 - however, Ariana had other plans) 

a) finish quilting the border - Done!
b) block and square up the quilt - Not yet.
c) make the binding - Started
d) attach the binding - Not yet.
e) make the sleeve - Not yet.
f) attach the sleeve - Not yet.

2) Leah Day projects.

a) Baste the face, torso and arms to Express Your Love II. - On hold until the quilts with deadlines are completed.

b) Do Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting lesson. - Not yet.

Actually, I was very tempted to do this, but decided to save it for next week when I would need a free motion quilting fix. 

We were encouraged to use puff paint.
I don't own any, so I substituted glitter glue.
I just can't resist all things sparkly.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Done!

Traci Bautista was the teacher for Week 16's lesson, titled "In the Moment." The premise was to create the piece intuitively with each new mark and shape being suggested by what had come before. This is the first mixed media piece I have done where I felt my text work actually enhanced versus detracted from the piece. 

4) Little Lake Butte des Morts in Fall (Due August 3) - a commissioned quilt - On hold until quilts with earlier deadlines are completed. 

Start piecing the quilt.

5) Tickling the Ivories - make and attach the label.

My priority for next week continues to be finishing Tumbling Blocks. I am very confident that I will meet my goal of mailing it to Ariana before I head out in a few weeks to give her the grandmother seal approval, a kiss on that precious baby's head.

1)  Tumbling Blocks I 

a) block and square up the quilt
b make the binding
c) attach the binding
d) make the sleeve
e) attach the sleeve

2) Leah Day projects.

a) Baste the face, torso and arms to Express Your Love II. - On hold until the quilts with deadlines are completed.

b) Do Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting lesson.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments.

4) Little Lake Butte des Morts in Fall (Due August 3) - a commissioned quilt - On hold until quilts with earlier deadlines are completed. 

Start piecing the quilt.

5) Tickling the Ivories - make and attach the label.


I am now linking up to two blogs on Friday's. The first is Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting Project and the second is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays.