Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
Somehow I got it into my mind that this looked like a gift. Not sure why, thus the name.
To make this block, please print or look at the rotary cutting guide (see below). Piece the 3 small squares and then sew them to large rectangle.
I would suggest a minimum of 3 different colors or fabrics, but 4, as I have used, would work well, too.
This is not part of my regular series of responses. I just had a desire to try my hand at responding in watercolors this time. I didn’t follow the color of the original photo, exactly. I used colors that were similar and made me happy, well, at least for the bottles and the tree. I drew the picture in a modified kind of not looking at the photo kind of way. I tried to look at the picture and not my paper, but I did glance at the paper now and again just to orient my pen. I didn’t draw enough lines for the tree and had to add them later. The tree needed more definition than the paint gave it.
The supplies I used were a set of Crayola water colors and a medium Pitt pen.
Watch this video from Danny Gregory and be inspired to do something wonderful for your response.
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, also, 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 and websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted. Post yours and get kudos!
Save 20% this week from Cafe Press using the code TA0802. You can buy from any shop, but especially the Artquiltmaker Store. 😉
Learning
Everyone on the web seems to be way better at Photoshop Elements than I am. My friend, La, tries to give me little tips, but I forget by the time I get home. As result, I have helped to organize a class at Always Quilting on August 27, 2011, 10-4 and is taught by Lynn Koolish of C&T fame. It is open to everyone though the BAMQG and CQFA folks have had a two week headstart on sign ups. The class is now on the shop’s website. You can register via the website or by calling their shop at (650) 458-8580. Hope to see you there!
I was listening to an episode of Creative Mojo the other day (via podcast) and Mark was interviewing Patrick Doughty, an artist whose medium is sticks. I wasn’t terribly interested in the work, but find that I can always learn something. He said something really profound in response to a question about getting stuck. He said (paraphrasing) that it takes time to get into the groove of creating. He creates every day or only takes short breaks. this helps him not to have to get back into the groove, because he is already in the groove. This is a really important part of how I work. I think, write or read about quiltmaking every day I cannot be at the sewing machine. I cut, press, fold and organize fabric when I can’t sew (like last week when my machine was getting services). Every other time, I sew. I am always in the groove, because my work is in the forefront of my mind. I do get stuck on projects, but then I move to another project or cut, press, fold and organize my fabric.
Quilt-a-Longs
I think I talked about the Farmer’s Wife Quilt-a-Long. There are a lot of blog posts, discussions and projects blooming out of it. I saw on the ModaLissa site that the United Notions people are having a Hen Party (go read the post) that also has to do with FWQAL. Perhaps I do need to jump in…meaning ‘need’ in the broadest and most non-committal sense of the word.
Camille Roskelley of the gorgeous red dotted chair blog, ok the Simplify blog, has posted another group of her Farmer’s Wife blocks. I love them! Perhaps I do like grey after all. I think I have get out my Ultimate 3-in-1 color tool and see what I can learn from her color scheme.
How about my Block-a-Long? Have you made any blocks? Let’s see them? Are they boring?
Color
I am reading a book (review soon-ish) and I realized the author was not doing complicated piecing, but was creating complex color stories to tell in the form of a quilt. I am intrigued by this concept, especially after working on FOTY 2011. I ran across the Michael Miller site, which is doing color stories every week also. During the week of July 20 they had an aqua and red color way, which you know I love.
Media
I am feeling like Miss (Ms?) Popularity lately. I never was one of the cool kids at school so I am not quite sure how to handle it. I was recently interviewed on episode 2 of the SeamedUp podcast. It was fun to talk to the SeamedUp ‘girls’ and get to talk about design a little bit, my blog and life a little bit. They produce their podcast in a very professional way, I think, but laugh a lot along the way.
I was listening to a recent Annie Smith episode and heard about Cori Blunt. I took a look at her website and blog. Her drawings are really sweet, I especially like her bike pillow. Of course, I probably wouldn’t do any of those quilts, but I can admire them. I do like the way she did the sashing around the star blocks in the Cherry Tweets quilt. Very clever.
In conjunction with her episode #166, Amy of Creative Mom Podcast post GORGEOUS pictures of stairs with mosaics on the risers. Even if you don’t listen to her podcast (which you should!), go take a look at these photos. They are wonderful and make me want to do some mosaic work on my stairs.
I think I heard about GenerationQ magazine from Adrianne at some point in the not so distant past. I was reintroduced to it last week via an article they did on smartphone quilting apps. There are two that are interesting to me. One is block pattern app similar in concept to Around the Block, one of the most useful books in my library. The other, which constantly made me think of TFQ is the Fabric Stash by Blueshift Software app. She needs this app. This one does not get high marks, but the writers say that the portion where you can document your fabric stash works really well. It seems easy to photograph your fabric and keep it handy on your phone when I go shopping, especially for projects like the Food Quilt where I am trying to get one piece of many different fabrics. it is on the pricey side for apps, but it may be worth trying out. Now to get Blueshift together with SeamedUp so I can zap my fabric from my phone straight into SeamedUp. That would be awesome (at least in my head).
Other Artists
Lil Sissy passed on a good blog post from Kelly Rae Roberts. I think it worth reading and keeping in mind. Short version: there is a time to dream and a time to savor.
Vicki posted an Art Saves story on Crescendoh. I didn’t know about those stories until I saw a link on Vicki’s site and happened to click on it. Very interesting. I like the stories.
Fabric
Last week, Julie of The Intrepid Thread post some photos of new fabrics in her shop. She posted:
They were some fabrics I saw when I was on my quilt journey a few weeks ago. When I saw them at New Pieces I thought that I couldn’t possibly use such fabrics, but when I saw the pictures Julie posted, I thought they might be fine if I cut them up. Is there a meeting point between fussy cutting and strip piecing that would allow the beauty of some of the larger motifs to come through? What do you think?
This block reminds me of a log cabin. If you look from right to left it has that feel. It is actually from Blockbase rather than one of my own design and is called #4117.
To make this block, please print or look at the rotary cutting guide and start piecing the elements of the block together from right to left.
Make the small unit in the corner (made up of green, periwinkle and the pink dotted fabric), then piece that to the blue patch. Piece the yellow and purple together, then join that unit to the blue/corner unit. The pink is sewn to the those two units and the fuschia finishes it off.
Four of these blocks put together with the corner unit in the center would look really interesting. The example looks like it is spinning.
New Log Cabin #15 Rotary Cutting Guide
A few days ago, I put out a desperate plea for additional star blocks and you came through brilliantly! Thank you!
My mom got hers additional blocks in first. She was heading off to vacation when I called her and got a few blocks made before she left. She will probably be mad to hear that I didn’t use them yet. Sorry mom!
Michelle contacted me out of the blue and asked if she could contribute, then she came through with flying colors. She made a vast array of the blocks, so I will have many more blocks to work with. Thanks, Michelle!
My SIL also came through spades. She has a large, stand-alone embroidery machine and embroidered a bunch of blocks. These will give the last quilt a different look.
I also made the binding for the Stars for San Bruno #2 and will send that to the quilter tomorrow. Now I am more excited to start.
Glad to have you playing along!
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 and to which you can post your responses. Have fun and link to your responses! Ask a friend to join, too! You can respond to the prompts together. I created that spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted. Post yours and get kudos!
Take flight
In flight
cheap flight deals
book flights
Microsoft Flight
flights of inspiration
track departing flights
Wright Brothers
Charles Lindbergh
transatlantic flight
dynamics of flight
Flight 93
Angel’s Flight
take flight
Flight of the Conchords
human flight
bird in flight
flight patterns
maiden flight
flight attendants
space flight
Definition: –noun 1. the act, manner, or power of flying. 2. the distance covered or the course taken by a flying object: a 500-mile flight; the flight of the ball. 3. a trip by an airplane, glider, etc.
HAH! Fooled you! I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. Really, the blog was busy yesterday with the Primal Green information. Priorities, you know.
But, we are back in the Block-a-Long saddle. Thenewest block, which I named 9 Patch Foundation is a very similar block to the 9 Patch and the 9 Patch Go Round. Can you see how they relate to each other? Can you see that they are the same type of grid?
If you saved some strips or patches from either of those blocks, you can use them for this block. If you are brand new, I am providing the directions for your convenience.
9 Patch Foundation Rotary Cutting Directions
Please post blocks you make to the Block-a-Long Flickr Group, or on your blog with a link in the comments section below.
Did you go and see the show? This is the last week to see it. Primal Green is a show of environmental art quilts at the Main Branch of the San Francisco Public Library.
The Wallace Stegner Environmental Center is one of the special collections at the Main Branch and, after a year of work with the Library, CQFA has over 20 quilts and other fiber art on display. The quilts all have an environmental theme. The show will hang until this coming Saturday July 30 and be available to viewers during the Library’s normal open hours. Don’t wait until the last minute! Oops! It is the last minute. Go TODAY!
Primal Green, the art quilt exhibition at the San Francisco Public Library, has some information on the Green Stacks portion of the SFPL website. Hope you can see the show.
Hope you can stop by and see it. Check the library’s website for hours.
Yes, I am mixing it up a bit. What are you inspired to make from this photo of a detail of Philly’s Magic Gardens? I posted more photos a few days ago.
Have you done them all? Have you done a significant number or some? Any?
Did you add links to your art? Contributed to the Flickr Group? Have fun and link to your responses! Ask a friend to join, too! You can do the prompts together.
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, also, 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 and websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted. Post yours and get kudos!
This block is similar to #10, the 9 patch Go Round. The sizes are very similar to the 9 patch. Use the Top Columns #13 Directions to make this block and post your results to your blog or the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr Group with a link in the comments section.
I designed these blocks so they would look complicated once put together, but they are easy enough to make quickly and you can use them as leaders and enders.
Yes, I am back in the saddle, too. I am working on the last few prompts from before the break, but back in the saddle.
This one is different from my normal style of response. I got a bug in my ear to do it this way after looking at some Zentangles, so voila’! I responded in a Zentangly kind of style.
One very exciting element of this photo that I noticed when I was processing the picture was the quality of the pen line. Oooh la la! I really like the way the line looks. If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you will see the line. You will also be able to see the detail of my inexpert drawing, which will hopefully encourage you to just respond. The pen I used is one that I use regularly for writing. It is a Pilot G-2 07.
Have you done them all? Have you done a significant number or some? Any?
Did you add links to your art? Contributed to the Flickr Group? Have fun and link to your responses! Ask a friend to join, too! You can do the prompts together.
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, also, 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 and websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted. Post yours and get kudos!
stem cell
flower stem
starting point, basis
The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition
The stem is the component on a bicycle that connects the handlebars to the steerer tube of the bicycle fork. (Wikipedia)
organic skincare company
stop or reduce, as in flow or tide
stems of words
stemming
Definition: 1. the ascending axis of a plant, whether above or below ground, which ordinarily grows in an opposite direction to the root or descending axis. 2.the stalk that supports a leaf, flower, or fruit. 3. the main body of that portion of a tree, shrub, or other plant which is above ground; trunk; stalk. (I really like #1, especially ascending axis…)
Want to contribute? I could use some more blocks.
Friendship Stars and Sawtooth Stars are both easy and relatively fast to make.
All star blocks are welcome!
Block background: dark blue
Block design: Yellow star (any pattern, technique, eg. embroidery, painting, silkscreen, etc)
Block size: 8? finished (8.5? unfinished) or smaller (we will work with any size)
Remember to sign your block!
The heat is on in many parts of my area while we are socked in with fog. In an homage to the heat of summer, heat is the word.
The heat is on
race heat
Miami Heat
in the heat of the moment
Heat, a movie from 1995, directed by Michael Mann
sweat
Heat may be defined as energy in transit from a high temperature object to a lower temperature object. An object does not possess “heat”; the appropriate term for the microscopic energy in an object is internal energy. The internal energy may be increased by transferring energy to the object from a higher temperature (hotter) object – this is properly called heating.
extreme heat
heating and cooling systems
Lickin’ the Heat
turn up the heat
when the heat rises
put the heat on
Help Desk software
dry heat
“If it ain’t the heat; it’s the humilty” — Yogi Berra
heat safety
“Anger and hatred cannot bring harmony. The noble task of arms control and disarmament cannot be accomplished by confrontation and condemnation. Hostile attitudes only serve to heat up the situation, whereas a true sense of respect gradually cools down what otherwise could become explosive. We must recognize the frequent contradictions between short-term benefit and long-term harm.” – Dalai Lama
rising heat
feel the heat
“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen” (widely attributed to Harry Truman)
summer heat
heat relief
heat transfers
commercial heat press
Beat the summer heat
desert heat
Havin’ a Heat Wave [a tropical heat wave] – Marilyn Monroe
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.
The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. Are you already a member? I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted. Post yours and get kudos!