"Happy Jack" aka "Smiley"

"Happy Jack" aka "Smiley"

"Happy Jack" brings a smile to my face and was so much fun to do.  He truly was a learning experience.  I wanted to do a whole cloth quilt but struggled with how to do the process.  I viewed Susan Brubaker Knapp's FAQ's on what paint to use and watched her video Dynamic Quilt Design for instruction.  Jack didn't start out like his final portrait below!

My Art Focus quilting group was challenged to exhibit an Autumn Quilt during the month of October at Carolyn Huff's Photography Studio.   The theme made it pretty easy to choose a quilt subject. Well, not as easy as I thought.  I originally wanted to do fall leaves, however by the time I could fit in time for the challenge quilt there were already 3 leaf quilts going into the exhibit. Needless to say I changed to a fall pumpkin and Happy Jack was born. 

The Paints

I combined Pro Chemical and Dye Transparent paints and Jacquard Textile paints. I purchased the paints from both Dharma and ProChem. 

The Painting

At one point during the creative process I was going to scrap the pumpkin.  My son, Bryan Rickerson,  came by one afternoon and asked me what exactly did I not like.  I didn't know and said so.  He is ultra talented.  He sat down and drew on Happy Jack's face....I loved the face and was excited to continue on.

The sky was exciting.  It was a spooky, scary Harvest moon type night sky creatively painted.  My excitement wavered from elation to deflation.  My hubby didn't like the sky from the beginning. When I'd ask him about how he thought Jack was progressing he made comments like "I just can't get past the sky".  My thoughts translated to "oh, what does he know anyway, he is only a painter and I am, well a "quilter".

Jack needed help and was taken to a quilt guild Art Focus member, Teresa Siefert.  Now, she intimates me because she is just that good at what she does.  However I'm grateful that I bit the bullet and took him to her. You'll never guess what she said to me at some point in her instruction.  She said "and what about that sky".  "Oh, you don't like my sky?" I replied.  "It needs work she said" and proceeded to show me how to soften it up.  And instructed me to listen to my husband because he paints!  Thank you Teresa!!

A wash was made to paint over the sky.  It began to soften almost immediately.

I took all of Teresa's tips using shadows and color to pop Jack's portrait. 

The eyes on the other hand were scary.  My hubby, who I am listening to by now, recommended I put plastic wrap over the eyes and paint to see how I liked the eye before I painted on the fabric.  It worked!

Eyes went onto the fabric easily and confidently but not before all the quilting was done!

Whole cloth painting/quilting is absolutely in my future.  I loved the process. He proudly displayed his smile downtown for the month of October.  Thank you Carolyn Huff! 

Happy Sewing!

Barbara

Sunbather

"Sunbather"

From Concept to PIQF

Here she is being displayed at PIQF in October 2016!  The making of her was a very long process.  I was pretty certain the entire time the work was progressing that "never again" would I attack such intricate work.   The process,  as taught by the ever so talented Melinda Bula at Asilomar in 2016, "would be my last" I declared boldly more than once.  That changed. I will most definitely work the process again choosing from one of the thousands of photos I've taken. In the end it was worth all the blood, sweat and labor that when into her.

 The Process

Prior to attending Melinda's workshop we were instructed to choose a picture.  I chose a photo of this beautiful Nasturtium.  It was among many photos taken  at various venues including home garden centers.  I've been known to take photos of flowers that attracted my attention at grocery stores. The idea being that one of these photos will make a great quilt "someday".

The photo was printed on 8 1/2 x 11 photo paper prior to class.  Marks were made on a second photo with a sharpie which delineated color variations.  Calculations were then made based on the size we wanted to have our finished quilt be and the marked off picture was enlarged based on the desired finished size.  

Additionally we were instructed to bring lots and lots of fabric!  Orange fabric hunting was on the radar for months leading up to the workshop.  Everywhere I went I was consumed by orange fabric. Never would I have guessed there was so much orange fabric on the market! Or that I'd need more then I brought!

After placing much of the large fabric details on to paper many background fabrics were auditioned.  In the end this lovely green batik was chosen.  It was very scary to lift the flower off the paper where assembly was taking place to plop it down on the background. The use of Steam a Seam 2 kept the flower surprisingly intact during the transfer.  This is the stage she was at when traveling home from the workshop.  She sat in this state for several months. The decision was made to finish her when I needed a quilt for my local quilt guild show that would fit the theme -California Dreaming- She won first place!

Never again will the use of black and white photos go un-used.  The process of pushing the photo to black and white allowed the depth to come into view.  The color brightness and darkness became more obvious.  Fabric selection became easier when looking at the black and white.

The Mess

Notice how neat the fabrics are, the floor has only a few pieces of fabric on it.  Progress was in the beginning phase.  Now how the fabrics are neat and tidy, the floor clean until.....

More detail on flower, more mess!

I wonder where my scissors are!

The layering of fabrics details the flower as the process was made. The flower is really beginning to take shape here.  Many fabrics were used. I lost count early on but I do know I had over 100 fabrics to choose from to start with.

Some of the colors on the petals were changed and fine details were eventually added.  The flower was coming alive.  It was about this point in time I began to love the process.  The 10 Emotional Stages of making a quilt as described by Kathy Mathews were in play here and I was beginning to like my quilt again.

The border took a lot of time to decide on.  Auditions for many color combinations over time took place.  The final decision was made based on the color wheel.   I used a triadic color combination when choosing the border color to help bring the orange and green together.

Some New Tools 

A few new tools of the trade were added to my studio.  The first is this pulley (really chain and clamp) type system which was attached to the shelf just to the left of my sewing machine.  The clamps hold the weight of the quilt while free motion quilting. I had no drag on the fabric making quilting a dream!

The clamps are easily in reach at all times making adjusting the weight of the quilt easy.


The black S clamps are user friendly, even for me.


It was less then 20.00 for this quick fix solution to the weight problem of the quilt.


Prior to this all my quilts were smaller and didn't need the weight "lifted" in order to quilt.

The second addition was two lights that have these great sturdy clamps on them.  I put one in front and one in back of my machine which provides me with maximum direct light.  

Staring, Staring and more Staring

Staring at the progress was time consuming!  From the sewing machine I could prop her here in this position and see all the detail.  After hours of quilting I'd sit back to analyze my work.  I think studying the piece and planning the next move is just as important as picking the fabrics.

And picking the threads!  I ended up with about 50 spools of orange thread!

The main part of the quilt was quilted to my satisfaction however, I didn't like the background at all so it was ripped out and re-done.

My constant companions in the studio  are friends -the seam ripper and tweezers!

No quilt is complete without a pretty back!  I like this fabric a lot.   It is heavier weight decorator fabric which helps the quilt hang smoothly.

I hope you enjoyed the journey of the making of Sunbather from concept to PIQF!  PIQF was my first judged show and I don't think will be my last.

Happy Sewing
Barbara

My First Mystery Quilt

Mystery Quilt

I've decided to do a mystery quilt, after all, how much time could it take and how much fun will it be!

When I saw a friend, Mel Beach,  post that she was doing it I just had to give it a try!

Here are my chosen fabric.  It is kinda hard to choose fabrics when you don't know what the pattern will be.

Here they are cut and ready to go!

If you want to participate here is the link to the Mystery quilt

http://meadowmistdesigns.blogspot.com

Stay tuned working on the next step now!

ICE DYEING ADDICTION PART 2

Ice Dyeing Addiction

Part 2-The results

The Beauties!

 The exciting part of dyeing happens when the final iron out is complete and the actual results emerge.  The ice melting and color combinations, exciting as they are, are not what they seem.  I've been trying to think of what I could compare my excitement with.  What comes to mind is the planting of a mixed pack of seedlings.  You watch them sprout, grow up and then finally the bloom...the awe!  This is what it sort-of feels like to me to see these pieces of white fabric emerge into these beauties!

The large pieces are generous 1 yard cuts.  I put  thread into each of the melting pots of ice so they picked up the extra dye in hopes they'd match the fabric.  I can certainly see the possibilities for each of these pieces.  Enjoy them!

I know this will not be the last time I do this!

Full Size and Thread The Perfect "Forest"

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Detail of "The Forest" with thread.

"Autumn:

Detail #1 of "Autumn"

Detail #2 of "Autumn"

"Under the Sea"

"Under the Sea" Detail #1

"Under the Sea" detail #2

"Fire"

"Fire" detail

Avocado silk scarf.  This scarf was donated to CASA 

Detail of "Avocado"

"Bronze"  silk scarf

Detail of "Bronze" silk sarf

"Berry" silk scarf  ....shhh this is a birthday gift of my sister. 

"Berry" silk scarf.  I hope she likes it!