Art Gallery Scraps

AGF Package
AGF Package

I received a bunch of scraps from Pat Bravo at Art Gallery Fabrics. She offers them periodically and ‘scraps’ is a total misnomer.

The most bright and cheerful fabric was a scrap, but everything else was half yards or slightly smaller. Compared to what I consider unusable, these ‘scraps’ were a trip to the fabric store.

All the fabrics I got were in the yellow family. Some of them were gold. Some more on the brown side. There were two fabrics with words on them, which I liked, but refrained from looking up on Quiltshops.com.

My intent was to make an entire quilt with the foreground from this package of fabrics. I am not sure that is possible. The quilt might be a bit too boring. I have a few yellow fabric squares that I have been cutting, so I’ll see about adding those in.

AGF Fabric Scraps
AGF Fabric Scraps

I washed the fabric, as is my habit and got to work.

I took the opportunity to cut a few pieces for myself, but really, I cut them into 8″ squares to cut on the Accuquilt, which I did.

I think it is so interesting that Pat and her crew color coordinate the scraps. This is a fabric combination that I would never put together myself, but it is one, which is somewhat appealing and I am looking forward to the challenge of trying to make it work. I need to finish the Pink Donation top before I can start this one and I need to cut some background fabrics.

AGF Package - Love the stamps
AGF Package – Love the stamps

Creative Prompt #162: Grass

The grass is always greener

Buffalo grass

Lawn

Mrs. Grass Hearty Soup Mix

grass seed

Grass-fed beef

Bermuda grass

Blue grass state

Grass by Carl Sandburg

Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.
Shovel them under and let me work–
I am the grass; I cover all.And pile them high at Gettysburg
And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.
Shovel them under and let me work.
Two years, ten years, and the passengers ask the conductor:
What place is this?
Where are we now?I am the grass.
Let me work.

sod

blade of grass

“Grass” is the first single from Animal Collective’s 2005 album, Feels

Grass Lake, Michigan

Definition: Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the “true grasses”, of the Poaceae (or Gramineae) family, as well as the sedges (Cyperaceae) and the rushes (Juncaceae). The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns (turf) and grassland. Sedges include many wild marsh and grassland plants, and some cultivated ones such as water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) and papyrus sedge (Cyperus papyrus). Uses for graminoids include food (as grain, sprouted grain, shoots or rhizomes), drink (beer, whisky, vodka), pasture for livestock, thatch, paper, fuel, clothing, insulation, construction, sports turf, basket weaving and many others.

grass tennis court

Splendor in the Grass is a 1961 romantic drama film that tells a story of sexual
repression, love, heartbreak, and manic-depression.

The grass snake (Natrix natrix), sometimes called the ringed snake or water
snake, is a European nonvenomous snake.

 

grassroots movement

Leaves of Grass is a poetry collection by the American poet Walt Whitman (1819–
1892).

Grass Valley, California

Make your response simple. It doesn’t need to be a masterpiece. Take 5 minutes. Just respond and create a creative habit. Please post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and/or your blog, and how your work relates to the other responses.

The Creative Prompt Project has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. Are you already a member? I created that spot so those of you without blogs or websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted.

A narrow fellow in the grass (1096)

By Emily Dickinson

A narrow fellow in the grass
Occasionally rides;
You may have met him—did you not
His notice sudden is,
The grass divides as with a comb,
A spotted shaft is seen,
And then it closes at your feet,
And opens further on.
He likes a boggy acre,
A floor too cool for corn,
But when a boy and barefoot,
I more than once at noon
Have passed, I thought, a whip lash,
Unbraiding in the sun,
When stooping to secure it,
It wrinkled and was gone.
Several of nature’s people
I know, and they know me;
I feel for them a transport
Of cordiality.
But never met this fellow,
Attended or alone,
Without a tighter breathing,
And zero at the bone.

Wayne Thiebaud at the John Berggruen Gallery

There should be a reality show called Vendors Behaving Badly. It couldn’t be any worse than the reality TV shows on channels today. When copious amounts of caffeine and chocolate didn’t work, I took myself off to the John Berggruen Gallery to look at the Wayne Thiebaud exhibit they have on display.

I love Wayne Thiebaud’s work.

I love the way his brushstrokes look. I love the way he paints regular things. The cakes and pies and other desserts are kind of special, but they are also normal. I strive to be a bit influenced by his work in my own drawings for the Creative Prompt Project.

Letter Tray
Letter Tray

One of the things I like about his painting of the out tray or letter tray (don’t know the real title) is the writing. The way he painted the writing really makes it look real, if a bit blurred. I am interested in his technique, because of my recent attempts at including writing in my Creative Prompt Responses, e.g. #141.

I tried to notice things about his work and not do just a “drive by” viewing. This was an interesting selection of his works. I had seen similar paintings, but I am not sure if I have seen these exacts images.

I prefer his cakes and desserts to his landscapes, so I made myself really look at the landscapes this time. I think of Mr. Thiebaud as using very thick paint. I didn’t see that as much in this exhibit in general, but also didn’t see it in the landscapes. I wonder if he uses a flatter painting technique with his landscapes? I was able to still see the brush strokes when I looked at the paintings at an angle. I couldn’t see 3 dimensionality, however, looking at the painting straight on. The strokes on the backgrounds were very vertical, which I think added to the sense of extreme hills.

The landscapes were almost a caricature of the City. He used subtle colors and different colors that one would expect for a landscape – blues in the trees, turquoise and yellow. The colors add interest and are effective.

There were a few paintings from the 1960s and some from 2004, 2007, etc. It was very interesting to see the evolution in his work, not only in technique, but also in the changes to his series.

Hats and Shoes
Hats and Shoes

One thing I noticed in the Hats and Shoes painting was the pink ceiling was a slightly lighter pink than the wall. Very effective.

I am pleased that I went. I would love to have the space as a studio!

26 Projects – June Update

This list is really funny. I want to scratch items off of it, but I don’t want to rush through them either. I find that, now, I pick up a project and intensely work on it until it is finished. Any projects on this list are projects I have decided I want to work on. At least I want to work on them at the moment. If I decide I don’t want to work on them anymore, I will abandon them.

Here is the list, again, still in no particular order, except that I have put some of the “mostly finished” projects at the end. This time, like last, I have moved the finished pieces off. Still 23 WIPs left, because I added the Wonky 9 patch. Darn you inspiration!

  1. Original Bullseye: needs border, backing, quilting and binding, which are all hard to do if you can’t find the project. It is lost. I know it is in there somewhere. As I mentioned, I did a test and found that my original idea didn’t work. I think a plain border will set off the blocks fine IF I ever find the top. Bleah!
  2. Corner Store:  All blocks are made (an additional 11 were made on 6/17). I have now sewn all the blocks together in groups of 4. On 6/17, I also started sewing the groups of 4 to each other.
  3. Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered. Cutting fabrics as I go
  4. Infinity blocks: Am starting to think this would make a good nephew quilt.
  5. A-B-C (A-Z) BAMQG Challenge – I am actually not sure if this should be considered a WIP (Please say no!), because I just barely have enough blocks with which to make something. I am making good progress. I have S and T blocks on my mind. I am really thinking about just making all the blocks, putting sashing around them and then trimming the sashing a bit so the blocks are all a uniform size. They are not wildly off, but they are a bit off… I could bring them to BAMQG as the blocks are due. We’ll see.
  6. Aqua-Red Sampler – steady progress has stopped and the class more than the quilt is really weighing on my mind. As far as I know Frances has finished her Dresden Plate, so perhaps we will start up again soon. The next class was going to be fusible machine applique’, but I haven’t gotten past cutting out the templates. Perhaps I should skip to machine piecing curves?
  7. The Tarts Come to Tea: I haven’t quilted on this since April 2011. I need to work on the quilting. I was making good progress and then got sidetracked. I have been quilting another quilt and that is getting me back in the swing of quilting. Now that my machine is happier, perhaps it is a good time to take this piece out again? I would like to finish it.
  8. Garden: I started this piece in a class with Pamela Allen in 2006. As mentioned, I used this piece for my beading demo for the 2012 EBHQ Voices in Cloth show (March 17), which means that I added some beads. I started on the machine quilting late in April and am almost finished with the background. I was kind of stuck on the flower petals, but may FMQ them now that my machine is feeling better.
  9. Flower Garden: I still find the ‘flowers’ too spiky. I think I need to soften them up a bit.
  10. Moon and Stars: need to finish hand quilting. This quilt is not interesting. This is month 2 that I have thought this is a candidate for abandonment.
  11. Pointillist Palette #4: Fourth is a series of 6 quilts; needs tiny square patches sewn together. Good leaders and enders project. I wonder if I cut the squares accurately?
  12. See: needs satin stitching.
  13. Self Portrait: started in 2006 at a class at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, Virginia. I like the piece, but don’t know where to go from where I am. Mouth? Hair?
  14. Spiderweb: need to make sure that I have the right number of blocks for the size quilt I want to make. Need to make sure I have the border pattern and start sewing border blocks.
  15. Under the Sea: class project; like the design, but not the colors much.
  16. Flower Sugar Hexagon: sewed more hexagons together. Sewing Y seams is a bit of a chore, so I get tired of doing it after awhile.
  17. Young Man’s t-shirt quilt: have cut up the t-shirts and am still in the process of applying fusible. He cleaned out his drawers and found some more t-shirts to add to the quilt. Oh Yay! <– just a bit of sarcasm
  18. New: Super Secret Project: top, back and binding made. Ready to go to the quilter. Stayed tuned. ;-)
  19. FOTY 2011: at the quilter, needs binding.
  20. Flowering Snowball: Top and back finished 5/13/2012; ready to go to the quilter
  21. Stepping Stones: at the quilter, made binding, which she will sew on for me and then I need to hand sew.
  22. Jelly Roll Race: at the quilter. Needs binding, quilting, sleeve.
  23. Wonky 9 Patch: needs quilting and binding.

Finished or Abandoned projects that were on the list:

  1. Stars for San Bruno #2: Finished! YAY!
  2. Pavers. Finished! YAY!
  3. Kissy Fish: Finished! Yay!
  4. Pineapple: Abandoned; will remake blocks at a later time with more care.
  5.  Stars for San Bruno #3: Finished! YAY!
  6. Food Quilt: Finished 5/24/2012. YAY!!!!

More Donation Blocks

Pink Donation Blocks
Pink Donation Blocks

I am working steadily on the pink donation blocks. I have all 16 finished, though I just had 12 finished when I started writing this post.

I have the Corner Store on the portable design wall, so as soon as I finished the last donation block, I started to cut sashing. I haven’t cut all the sashing, but started to sew sashing onto donation blocks anyway in between sewing Corner Store blocks together.

I can’t see the blocks all together yet, because, as implied, both design walls are covered (could I, possibly, do fewer projects at once?) with other projects (A-B-C Challenge, Swoon, FOTY 2012, Corner Store).

Pink Donation Blocks
Pink Donation Blocks

I have about 6 blocks sashed and need to cut a bit more sashing.

In between sewing, I also cut some ~8″ pieces to make additional pink 2.5″ squares for a future donation quilt. I used the ~8″ pieces to cut 2.5″ squares using the Accuquilt. I have a big stack waiting for me to sort.

Donation blocks-Pink
Donation blocks-Pink

The blocks are all a bit different, but I used many of the same fabrics, as I did in the Blue Donation quilt.

I intended to make the top and back and give it in to the Charity girls at the BAMQG, but since my sewing machine seems so happy, I wonder if I could practice some free motion machine quilting on this piece? The last time I did free motion quilting, it was such a disaster that I might have developed a phobia. I have to see if I can do it…physically, too.

Fabrics from Mrs. K.
Fabrics from Mrs. K.

And there are more pink quilts to make as Mrs. K sent me more pink fabric. Just what I needed. 😉

I am going to use the large piece on the left as backing. It is a very soft lawn, I think, and a bit thin, but I think it will be fine. Most of the fabrics Mrs. K sent were shards and strips. I washed them all and am preparing to cut them up into squares. A couple of the pieces, in addition to the lawn, are larger – FQ sized or so. Perhaps they will go on the back as well. We will see.

Workroom Chaos

Jem
Jem

You know what this means, right? Yep, the 9000 was in the shop. Bleah.

Or so, I thought. It wasn’t really bad, though. I took the 9K to a place I used to take it to. The owner is a used car salesman kind of guy, but I wasn’t happy with the last service, so, at TFQ’s urging, I went back.

I took the machine in on a Friday and they called me SATURDAY to pick it up. I kid you not! I was amazed. The repair guy said that he had several similar machines to service, so he did them all at once. I went on Monday after work (2 hour round trip) to get it.

Closet Chaos
Closet Chaos

Houseguests arrived that very evening. You know what that means, right? No sewing. Yep.

No fabric pressing or fondling. Nothing.

I didn’t get to test the machine. I took everything down – iron, ironing board, cutting table and put it all in the closet. I am fortunate to have a husband who may not like it, but doesn’t complain about the way I have taken over the upstairs closet. I pinned the Corner Store pieces to the portable design wall and made the bed.

I didn’t get to test the machine until Friday. Yes, the following FRIDAY. Friday afternoon, as a matter of fact. I am glad I took it to the car salesman shop, though, because my sewing machine feels like her old self. The feet are actually holding the fabric to the bed of the machine. I had forgotten that it did that. The repair man said there was a belt problem.

I sewed like a demon on Sunday. Stay tuned for that report.

Block-a-Long #60: The End

Framed Block #60
Framed Block #60

The End kind of gives it away, doesn’t it?

Today’s block is the last AQ Block-a-Long block. The project is ending. I am starting to run out of ideas and repeat myself. Since this project never really caught on, I don’t feel bad about ending it.

I have learned a lot about a variety of different things from this project. I really appreciate that aspect of it. It started out one way and for one purpose and ended completely differently.

This is the same block that I used in the Joel Dewberry challenge with BAMQG last year. I love this block for some reason. I thought it would be a great alternate block for those of you who do not want to put all different blocks together. This can’t possibly be an original block, but I wasn’t able to find it in Blockbase, so perhaps it is.

The pattern for Framed Block #60 is posted.

If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made. The Flickr group will stay open until it starts to annoy me or add to my workload.

I haven’t decided what I will post on Monday after next week’s block. Perhaps antique blocks? Perhaps inspiration? Stay tuned for something, hopefully, new and exciting!

Thanks for the happy memories!!!

Cupcake Block

Cupcake Block for Mark
Cupcake Block for Mark

Lynn of Country Crossroads Quilt Shop started a project to make a quilt for Mark Lipinski. The theme was cupcakes and the block to the left is the one I made for him. Lynn said that he likes pink, so pink it was. I had the pink dot out for the Swoon #6 block, so I used it for the background. The cupcake pattern is from the Tarts Come to Tea. I just made the cake part a bit taller so it looked robust.

Lynn must be a woman to be reckoned with, because I got a photo of the quilt and someone delivered the quilt to Mark in time for his birthday.

Mark Lipiniski Cupcake Quilt
Mark Lipiniski Cupcake Quilt

I was really thrilled to get a photo of the quilt from Lynn.It is a wonderful quilt. There is a block in the upper left corner that has the Facebook “Like” thumbs-up symbol. There is a really a lot of nice work in this piece.

Captain Cupcake
Captain Cupcake

Someone also made him a very cute chef’s hat. I saw a photo of Mark wearing the hat on Linda Lum deBono’s Facebook page.

Just fun.

Sketching #115

CPP Response #115: Flight
CPP Response #115: Flight

As I mentioned, I did a number of drawings in one day. The Flight response was one of those drawings. I did a lot of similar drawings, which does a couple of things:

  1. Gives me practice without having to worry about a lot of new shapes;
  2. Gets a lot of drawings done in a short time

Perhaps cheating, but perhaps just rote practice.

Mini Quilting Update

A couple of years ago before Memorial Day, I came down with a  terrible cold or the ‘flu. I didn’t go to the doc, so I don’t know which. I don’t get deathly (yes, slight exaggeration) ill very often, but during that time I had a 102+ fever for multiple days, aches and pains, cough: the whole 9 yards. I was in bed for about 10 days. You nurses are asking why I didn’t go to the doctor, I know. I spoke with her several times and everything was under control.

At the end of it, I felt weak and off balance and still generally hungover from this bout of whatever. I exercise regularly and am fairly strong, but I was shocked at how fast I got weak. I had to go back to my exercise routine slowly. I had to build up my lung capacity. I had to get strong again.

During the last week, I have not been able to sew. The last fabric related thing I did was drive an hour each way to pick up my sewing machine from the dealer. And that was really driving and listening to podcasts.No fabric was harmed in this activity.

I am, as we speak, putting my workroom back together. I had morphed my workroom into a guestroom. I pulled out the cutting table and decided to cut some fabric I had pressed last weekend just to warm myself back up. Weirdly, the rotary cutter feels strange in my hand. I didn’t get a smooth cut. I feel off. I am not gliding smoothly back into the groove.

I am trying not to panic. I get stuff done, because I can I can move in and out of the groove quickly and seamlessly.If I panic I will start to spiral and no good can come of that.

I am at a loss for handwork at the moment and that would have helped during the week. Feeling fabric is good. I need to get some handwork ASAP.

I am going to change my rotary blade, put on a book, take a breath and try again. I can do this.

I am out of the groove.

Creative Prompt #161: Foam

packing peanuts

foamcore board

Soybean foam-core crib mattress

meringue

foam roller

foam mattress

memory foam

upholstery foam

Definition: The use of foam in cuisine has been used in many forms in the history of cooking. For example, whipped cream, meringue, and mousse are all foams. In these cases, the incorporation of air or another gas creates a lighter texture and/or different mouth feel. More recently, foams have become a part of molecular gastronomy technique. In these cases, natural flavors (such as fruit juices, infusions of aromatic herbs, etc) are mixed with a neutrally-flavored gelling or stabilizing agent such as agar or lecithin, and either whipped with a hand-held immersion blender or extruded through a whipped cream canister equipped with N2O cartridges. Such foams add flavor without significant substance, and thus allow cooks to integrate new flavors without changing the physical composition of a dish.[1] Some famous food-foams are foamed espresso, foamed mushroom, foamed beet and foamed coconut. An espuma or thermo whip is commonly used to make these foams through the making of a stock, creating a gel and extruding through the N2O canister.[2]

foam cushions

foam insulation

half foam roller

Blue Cheese Foam with Port Wine Reduction

closed cell foam

skinny decaf no foam latte

extra foam

 

Definition: A foam is a substance that is formed by trapping pockets of gas in a liquid or solid. A bath sponge and the head on a glass of beer are examples of foams. In most foams, the volume of gas is large, with thin films of liquid or solid separating the regions of gas.

An important division of solid foams is into closed-cell foams and open-cell foams. In a closed-cell foam, the gas forms discrete pockets, each completely surrounded by the solid material. In an open-cell foam, the gas pockets connect with each other. A bath sponge is an example of an open-cell foam: water can easily flow through the entire structure, displacing the air. A camping mat is an example of a closed-cell foam: the gas pockets are sealed from each other, and so the mat cannot soak up water.

Foams are examples of dispersed media. In general, gas is present in large amount so it will be divided in gas bubbles of many different sizes (the material is polydisperse) separated by liquid regions which may form films, thinner and thinner when the liquid phase is drained out of the system films.[1] When the principal scale is small, i.e. for a very fine foam, this dispersed medium can be considered as a type of colloid.

The term foam may also refer to anything that is analogous to such a foam, such as quantum foam, polyurethane foam (foam rubber), XPS foam, Polystyrene, phenolic, or many other manufactured foams. This is not the purpose of this page.

Make your response simple. It doesn’t need to be a masterpiece. Take 5 minutes. Just respond and create a creative habit. Please post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and/or your blog, and how your work relates to the other responses.

The Creative Prompt Project has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. Are you already a member? I created that spot so those of you without blogs or websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted.

Sketching #158

CPP Response #158: Bird
CPP Response #158: Bird

This is another prompt where I wanted to do something more elaborate, but I just didn’t know what. In the end I just did a kind of flock of birds.

I have been looking at birds lately and wanting to draw them. Amy from the Creative Mom Podcast did a project with drawing birds and that inspired me. I did the one giant budgie, but I need more practice.

There is always the opportunity to do another response.