Triple Play Exhibit

All of the QuiltArt 2009 Journal Quilts are on display in an online ehibit called Triple Play

You can start out on my journal quilts, or start at the beginning and read about the exhibit.

Each artist made 5 or 6 and submitted
three for the exhibit.

These are detail shots from the five that I made.

My series was based on edges. I was interested in exploring the edges of the fabric scraps I was limiting myself to using for this series. All of these scraps are from projects that I've completed over the last year. Several had very frayed edges that were texturally interesting to me, so I wanted to learn how to use those irregular and 3-d edges to best effect to convey more than just line at the edge of a shape.

Scant Sketching

Here it is. The sum total of my creative output in these post-surgery weeks. A half-hearted sketch done just to see if I could even sketch left-handed or not. It is of part of my fabric scrap pile. I'll just say it looks a heck of a lot better than my writing, which looks like an over-enthusiastic four year old's first attempts. But it felt nice just to sit in my creative workspace for a little while. Tomorrow I'm planning to attempt some left-handed scissor action....woohoo!

Thankful For Leftovers

Just a little leftover paper flower from the Give Thanks banner. This one was a little wonky and looked too different from the other ones to fit in on the banner, but I couldn't throw it away or afford to send it off to the Island of Misfit Toys. So I gussied it up with some inspiring words, purple paper, glitter (natch) and a red fibery thread. I have it hanging off my thread rack right above my work table.
I'm thinking one could make some very unique and cool tree ornaments in this manner...hmmm, even with a favorite fabric you've stiffened up instead of paper.

Note, this was done before hand surgery, back when I could hold and use scissors.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope your hunt for the perfect turkey goes more smoothly than this!
We are cooking at our house and then bringing all the goodies to the designated feast location, my mom and dad's. Mom made the pies and we're doing the rest. I am not helping much, besides finding recipes and making the shopping lists and helping people figure out where to find stuff.
I did manage to make the Spiced wine cranberry sauce with just a little spice measuring assistance from my son Alex, this stuff is the best, yummm. It made me feel a little bit more like normal to be cooking at this time of year. Hard to express how frustrating it is to not be able to chop anything, but that's a temporary thing. Sure brings into focus how thankful I am to normally be able to wield a knife and be productive in the kitchen! Or scissors/rotary cutter in the studio for that matter!
Definitely counting my blessings this year. Hope you are too.

Another Banner Begun

Happy Thanksgiving eve! Here's another project I started before I'd realized the whole hand surgery thing was going to happen and be so danged limiting.
It was supposed to be an easy peasy appliqued banner and to be done for our Thanksgiving family celebration. Well, not this year. On the bright side, I suppose I have a big head start for next year! It is going to say Give Thanks like the paper one that I did manage to complete. Well now I guess I have time to fool around and find just the right font to use for the letters, maybe this one.
Or maybe I'll just make a giant sawtooth border using these huge triangles for the fallen leaves quilt.

Fallen Leaves

Here are the last four blocks I made for this years' work on the Falling Leaves/Autumn/Thanksgiving quilt. Almost all of the components were cut out and conveniently stashed with all the leaf blocks and fall fabrics. They were leftovers from the block swap that got me started on this project way back when. This maple leaf traditional block really makes a nice negative space shape when you put four blocks together. That effect is one of my main reasons why I enjoy making traditional block quilts on occasion. Those secondary patterns really engage something in my brain.

Quilts & Color Video

Recovering from surgery on my right hand. Can't do much at all, since my hand is immobilized so that the tendon can heal. Getting Very Boring! And four more weeks to go in the splint.

So, I made a video of the quilt related pictures I have up on Flickr. Animoto the online program I used. It is really fun and easy to use. I am trying to decide whether to renew my membership or not, as I haven't used it too much over the past year.