Week in Review 2016 - 09/16

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

Lola relaxes in the sunshine just
to the left of my sewing table.

I must have some reptilian blood. Yesterday the sun was blanketing my studio in a way it rarely does in Appleton, Wisconsin. I was tempted to climb atop my sewing table and let the sun envelope me. As you can see my cat thought her condo, just to the left of my sewing table was purrfect. It is amazing how an afternoon of sunshine can elevate my mood. I was able to experience the progress I made on Siren's Song in a way I haven't for weeks now. 

Although Siren's Song still has a long way to go before it is finished, I have started my next immersion project. I signed up for SAQA's Seminar on Stitch. You must be a SAQA member to join, but the seminar alone is worth an annual membership. SAQA's Education Committee has pulled together a series of articles, created videos, provides a discussion Board and yesterday we had our first video conference. The highlight for me was learning about Yvette Stanton's book, The Left-Handed Embroider's Companion. Actually she has two books, the other is for right handers. If you are left handed, you know why I am exploding with joy over a book that breaks down approximately 175 different embroidery stitches from a left hander's perspective. I've already placed my on-line order. 

I spent a focused hour or so each day this week on the Stitch seminar, but I also found time  to attend to the following:

Detail from Siren's Song taken after several
rows were pieced together.

1)  Siren's Song - finish piecing the partial blocks that will be surrounding the sunset. - Done!

Even better, I seamed together the blocks in the top two rows and then stitched those blocks together. 

2) Free motion quilting practice - No

3) Do some surface design work - Done

I'm counting all that research/reading on Stitch as doing surface design work.
4) Beware of when I find myself shutting down and find a way to stay open. - Yes

The National Bike Challenge is wrapping up. I made my 2,000 miles for the summer. The trick is finding ways to bike when the weather is conducive or as I did this morning, finding an alternative exercise vs. not exercising at all. 


In competitive sports such as biking, running and swimming, training involves gradually pushing farther, harder, faster through speed drills and endurance bouts. Shortly before a key competitive event that practice drops off dramatically. This is called tapering. The body, used to expending much greater energy gets jumpy, eager to do the work it is used to. I feel tapered. I am ready to attack Siren's Song next week. I feel as though I can power through the final piecing. Then it is on to the next challenge - the quilting! Why stop there? Here is next week's plan:

1)  Siren's Song:

a) Finish piecing 
b) Piece backing
c) Prep for quilting
d) Begin quilting

2) Free motion quilting practice

3) Do some surface design work

4) 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.

Week in Review 2014 - 02/07

Another Life Book 2014 assignment completed.

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

I am left handed. I didn't give this much thought when I was growing up until my school had tennis as an option. I showed up at the courts with my fellow students and the teacher asked if any of us were left handed. I was the only left handed one. She then said in what sounded to me like an exasperated voice, "well just do what ever I do only backwards." No surprise I am not a tennis player. However, one of my strengths is that I am a problem solver. I believe I owe this in part to being left handed. Tennis is not the only thing I have had to learn by finding my own way. I believe that being a problem solver is the key to being able to salvage many an artwork that at first glance seems destined for the trash. I would go so far as to conjecture that problem solving is to art as building strong flexible muscles is to an athlete. This week my mixed media lesson asked us to create a piece listing our positive qualities. Perhaps I should have put being left handed on the list. :) 

Another positive quality was my positive, take charge attitude as I plunged ahead with my newest WIP (work in progress) and attacked a few other projects besides. Here is how my week played out:

1) Tickling the Ivories aka Got Jazz - Due March 15th

Background for Tickling the Ivories

I spent 2006 - 2008 working nearly exclusively with black and white fabrics. Periodically I like to return to that palette. It never grows old for me.

a) Select the fabrics - Done!
b) Plan out the basics of the quilt - Done!
c) Start the quilt - Done!

2) Express Your Love II - A Leah Day project.

a) Finish piecing the arms from hexagons. - Done!!
b) Baste the face, torso and arms to the quilt. - This will have to wait until my quilts with  pressing deadlines are completed.

3) Do Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting lesson. - Done

Leah dubbed this Broken Eggs. It worked up nicely from
an aesthetic sense, but I definitely need more practice
before committing this one to a quilt.
It is the first time in a long time that I have had
a significant number of hesitation burrs on the backside.

4) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Done


There were actually three assignments taught by Tamara Laporte, the brains and organizer behind Life Book 2014. All of the assignments used spray inks, something I don't own. I do have some spray fabric dyes so I substituted those. I expect I would have been happier with the inks. I have so much to learn as a newbie to mixed media. The fact that I was able to follow a PDF on how to draw a face in profile seems like a miracle. This is my second time creating highlights and shadow in a face. I even got courageous and did some planned dripping.

5) Tumbling Blocks I (due April 30) - Continue piecing the quilt. - I didn't get to this. However, I did remove the pieces from my design wall in piecing stacks. This way I have my design wall back and should I find myself with some free time I can always piece the next stack/column.

6) Little Lake Butte des Morts in Fall - a commissioned quilt due August 3

a) Draft the contract - Done
b) Select the fabric - Not yet
c) Start piecing the quilt - Not yet


Let's see if I can keep the momentum going next week. Here are the next steps in my various projects:

1) Tickling the Ivories - Due March 15th


a) Add the accent appliqués 
b) Prepare the quilt sandwich
c) Start the quilting

2) Leah Day projects.

a) Baste the face, torso and arms to Express Your Love II.
b) Do Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting lesson.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments.

5) Tumbling Blocks I (Due April 30) - Continue piecing the quilt.

6) Little Lake Butte des Morts in Fall (Due August 3) - a commissioned quilt

a) Select the fabric
b) Start piecing the quilt


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.