Week in Review 2016 - May 13

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

This is a workflow collage of the steps
I took from an original photo of pansies
to the graphic image I transferred to
fabric in order to quilt it.

I've been on a tear this week. You might even say obsessed. That is the way it is sometimes when I am creating something that I need (said in a teenage, long drawn out vowel as in neeeeeeed) to see the finished product. It also helps that the piece I was working on has no clear exhibition path at the moment. In other words, I am making it for the shear joy of creating. Of course this obsession has a good chance of getting me in trouble down the road. Why? Because I set aside my plans, plans made with deadlines and purpose and instead focused 100% of my attention elsewhere.

Fortunately, several of the items on my list were accomplished as part of the obsessive momentum, as you can see:

Here is the metamorphosised pansy image before it is quilted.

1) Work on Sunrise Abstraction - Not so much as a nano second

2) Free motion quilting practice - Done! 

Stitching adds texture and detail. Click on the image
in order to get an enlarged view.

Definitely click on this image, the backside, in order
to see just how obsessed I was with the FMQ.

This week's Art on the iPad assignment focused on creating a series of images and artwork that built on the prior image and/or artwork. Adapting images through various apps on the iPad is relatively fast. I am even getting good at bring images from one app into another and sending images to my various devices. In other words lack of technological know how is no longer  the issue it was when I started this journey five weeks ago. Phew! However, translating an image to fabric and that fabric image to art - well that takes time. My choice was to enhance the image with stitch. The piece measures 11" H x 16". You would think it wouldn't take that long to free motion quilt. However, since I am using many different threads and multiple patterns, it is turning out to take far more time than anticipated. All those thread ends need to be buried. I spent 1 1/2 hours doing that yesterday. I still have a few more sections to quilt. I do plan on leaving some areas open (not quilted) because I love the bas relief effect.
3) Do some surface design work - Done!

This week I experimented with three more apps that were introduced in Art on the iPad. These apps focus on creating patterns, such as kaleidoscope effects. If anyone knows of a good app for creating tessellations, particularly one that could be used in fabric as a repeat, please share them with me.
4) Beware of when I find myself shutting down and find a way to stay open. - Done!

The National Bike Challenge started up again on May 1st. This is my fourth year as a participant. Last year I went all out, by riding 3,000 miles between May 1st and September 30th. The reality of the challenge is that the advantage goes to the riders who ride frequently versus are weekend warriors who ride one or two days per week, but go great distances. It is so, so easy to look at the weather and the demands on my life and want to skip a day. This week has been particularly challenging with rain on and off most days and winds. The winds where I live can be a steady 8 - 10 mph most days and then have gusts in the 20's and 30's. It is tempting to stay inside. So, far I have ridden every single day of the challenge. I will be heading out again shortly after I publish this post.

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.