May 12, 2015

Tomorrow is my 41st birthday. I'm seeing all those crow's feet and age spots and gray hairs. I'm dreaming of the summer I was 22 and was able to wear a bikini with a pierced navel in public.

With these thoughts I created "Fleeting Beauty."

The root system is based on a human spinal column. It is made from couched thread and embroidery.

I used huge pieces of gorgeous hand-dyed fabric from Carol Eaton. This piece really looked like a rose garden to me the moment I saw it. I mixed in some commercial fabrics.

The quote comes from the Rubaiyat, Verse XXVIII.

Oh, come with old Khayyam, and leave the Wise

To talk; one thing is certain, that Life flies; 

One thing is certain, and the Rest is Lies; 

The Flower that once has blown forever dies. 

I really liked the zig zag edges when I had finished piecing the diagonal rows so I decided to try and keep them. I thought facing them would be too difficult. So I sewed the quilt together like a pillowcase and flipped it right side out, pushed out all the corners as best I could, then quilted it.

Yes, I am painting the finished quilt. I thought those white roots needed a little extra strength to show up better, so I went over them with some pearly white Tsukineko ink using a fantastik.

Here's to 41, and another trip around the sun.

June 1, 2014

I've been working on a big, heavy quilt all weekend. Constructing and quilting such a monster is exhausting. I feel like I've been wrestling a bear.

I successfully installed some grommets.

I finished the applique and embroidery on the Captain Aust block today. Now on to hand quilting. This will be auctioned through Baltimore Applique Society.

May 28, 2014

I got a lot done today. I started by taking two steps back and doing lots of unsewing.

Then lots of quilting and lots of cutting out letters.

I can't reveal an image of the whole thing because I'm trying to enter it into a competition that allows no published images. But I am very happy with my progress. The spray paint was a leap of faith, and I'm very happy with the way it looks like a charcoal drawing.

May 25, 2014

Gallery sitting at the SAQA regional exhibit Tarnish at VisArts.

Of course, I brought handwork.

Amalia came by with her family for a visit.

May 22, 2014

One of many current projects.

I have decided that seed stitch is the "meandering" of hand embroidery.

I think I finally understand how one would hand quilt a meandering design.

February 20, 2014

A drum bag repair.  I replaced a zipper, and added some appliques to cover a rip.

I added blanket stitching around the applique edges to hold it down. 

September 10, 2013

I'm having too much fun adding embellishments to my crazy brains blocks.

August 24, 2013

to save some time, i added some of my embellishments with my sewing machine and clear thread. i'm having fun with embellishments and embroidery on these crazy blocks.