Week in Review 2017 - 02/10

We frequently see this fox walking
in front of our condo, or dashing across the
lake. This photo was taken by our neighbor
Lynn Riviere from her condo. This could
be the view from my studio. :)

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

Sometimes before you can make pots you have to start with the basics. I recall from my grade school days being taught the importance of working the clay before you began to sculpt with it. The goal, if I remember correctly, was to meld the clay into a unified blend with no air bubbles. The point being, before you can begin to create, even to experiment, there is prep work to be done. 

I focused one of my studio days on working out the basic structure of my design on EQ7. I'm still a relative newbie with the program, although I have made it a point to do a tutorial of 15 minutes to an hour most weeks for a while now. The design I wanted to play with pushed the limits of my knowledge. It is part of making pots, trying this, testing that, a step or two forward only finding I must start further back. 

Possible design for Picking Up
the Pieces 2 created with EQ7

With my other studio day I began the experimentation of the best way to piece the compass block. My instinct is to turn to paper piecing whenever I need precision piecing of this complexity. Where I have gotten stuck in the past, though, is combining paper piecing with curves. I decided to give it a whirl anyway. Much to my surprise, since the seam lines are straight, the piecing worked well. Even more exciting, I was easily able to turn under the outside and inside curves with an iron. This meant I didn't need to use glue or starch. No glue or starch means those products don't have to be washed out after the work is quilted. 

My studio time was truncated this week by other obligations. This can be an advantage. It kept me focused. Here is what I managed to do:

1) Finishing Where Have All the Flowers Gone? - Done!

2) Design Picking Up the Pieces #2 - Started

The design may change. The one shown is my favorite from multiple false starts. I'm going to play a bit more with color placement. I do want lots of open space. Where you see white, will be more of the background (sky blue fabric). I want to make my quilting a strong part of the design, and lots of open background is a good way to showcase it.

I used my yellow scraps to test the advocacy
of paper piecing an arch. The arch is machine
appliquéd with a blind hem stitch. This method
was comfortable to do. I'm pleased with it
technically, too.

3) Finish Picking Up the Pieces #1 - Not yet.

4) Pot(s) made this week - Done!

I made many pots on EQ7 as I worked out how to translate my design concept onto the screen. Most of the attempts were deleted. Sometimes it is just easier to start over, rather than fix problems. This is precisely why I like using EQ 7. I can make many more pots designing on the computer, than working with fabric.

5) Free motion quilting practice - Didn't get to it.

6)  Attach a sleeve to Siren's Song - Started

Next week I plan on trying another method or two of creating the arches for Picking Up the Pieces - 2. I also want to spend more time on EQ7 playing with my design before I commit to actually making it. It is good to have plan, while staying flexible. Here's mine for next week:

1) Work on the design for Picking Up the Pieces #2

2) Finish Picking Up the Pieces #1

3) Pot(s) made this week

4) Free motion quilting practice

5)  Attach a sleeve to Siren's Song

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 2016 - 2/19

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

EQ 7 design that will guide me
through the piecing of
Sunrise Abstraction.

There are times when I find myself coasting. Maybe this isn't such a bad thing. I can only push myself hard for so long. Coasting doesn't mean coming to a grinding halt. Instead, for me it is a time to do work I am comfortable with that doesn't present major challenges. Even writing this post - I am opting to make it short and to the point.

I do have work to share. All the work was enjoyable. None felt pressured. A good week really. My coasting resulted in the following:

1)  Finish Deep Waters  - (Due March 15)

a) Finish attaching the sleeve; - Done

b) Create and attach the label;  I have opted to table this until the label is absolutely needed since I prefer to print two labels at once when I can.

c) Add it to my website. - Done! 

If you follow the link to my website you may note that I have renamed this piece. It is officially Reflection #2.

The piecing of Sunrise Abstraction has begun.

2) Work on Sunrise Abstraction - Done!

Mini stippling surrounds Hari Walner's
Teddy Bear FMQ motif.

I had the sunrise section  cut and set to piece but didn't like some of the hand dyed fabrics I had chosen. The value was right - but the hue felt off. It is for times like this I am grateful that I love learning new skills. I simply pulled out the orange and yellow dye and created a six fabric range of pale orange to a paler still golden orange. Much better. You will have to trust me, since I neglected to take pictures of the less satisfactory fabric choices.

3) Free motion quilting practice. - Done!

I doodled for a bit, but eventually decided what I really wanted to do was whip out one of my Hari Walner designs purchased nearly 20 years ago. Isn't that teddy bear beyond precious?

4 Do some surface design work - Done!

Playing with mini gel plates.

I treated myself to some Mini Gel Printing Plates that I was eager to experiment with. What I love about the mini plates is that they adhere to an acrylic stamp plate. This way I can use them as stamps. It gives me more control of what I am printing where and I can print on as large a piece of fabric as I can layout and reach. Years ago I picked up some stunning wooden Batik stamps with leaf designs. I used several of these to create the patterns on the gel plate after the ink was applied. It was far more time consuming of a process than I expected, even after I developed rhythm. I printed on white PFD Kona Cotton. The effect was too stark. So, when I was dyeing the orange fabric for Sunrise Abstraction I tossed my printed fabric in the dye bath with a nothing ventured, nothing gained attitude. I much prefer the over-dyed look.

5) Beware of when I find myself shutting down and find a way to stay open. Done!

Not everything I choose to pursue in my studio results in something that delights me. In fact it seems those moments are rare. It might be easier to stop making art. Why put myself through so much angst and second guessing? Doing the work - good, bad and ugly - is essential to grow. I have to give myself regular pep talks to stay open to the fact that growth in art is not linear for me. My progress is more like a series of mountain ranges with peaks and valleys. The difference now versus 30 years ago is that the mountains are much more substantial and the plunge, because of those brief moments at the top, feels deeper than before. 
I will continue to make art, because for all the angst, it is as essential to my life as breathing. Here is the plan for making art next week:

1)  Finish Reflection #2  - Create and attach the label either when needed or when I have a second label to print at the same time.

2) Work on Sunrise Abstraction

3) Free motion quilting practice


4 Do some surface design work


5) Beware of when I find myself shutting down and find a way to stay open

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.