If it's Friday it must be...

Time flies when your having fun doesn't it? I have been busy with Quilt Festival, and am getting very excited! We have almost all the images of the Israeli quilts, and they are, apparently, amazing. I am so looking forward to seeing them in the flesh, and then the gruelling task of working out the hanging. I am helping on that , but next year, may well take that side on too.

Not had much of a chance to be in the Studio, so every moment I am is precious. I really should be working now instead of writing, but thought you might all forget me! I have had the opportunity of working with the children at the London Hebrew School. What an amazing experience that has been. I always make the thank you gift for the visiting Guild President at the Festival, but thought this year I would see if I could get the children involved. I came up with a design, they came up with the designs for their blocks, and here is the result!

I free motioned the centre block of the Chapel in Ailsa Craig, and the children did the surrounding blocks. the sashing is ice dyed silk. I free motion stitched around the designs and added a little extra where I thought it needed it, the hardest block was the snowflake! We were able to make two which was just a joy.

Same centre, but different blocks although there are a couple of repeats.  The sashings on this one are painted with Colour Vie paints. They were a joy to work with, and plans are afoot for the children to do the presentation.

As far as my own work goes? Well I have finished my piece for the Horizons Exhibit at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, UK, for August, I just have to make my sample piece now so that it can be handled by visitors to the show. It's the first time, I have entered a show abroad, unless you count the US, but I am looking forward to hopefully, seeing it in August.

Well, I must go and work on a new design now. we have someone at Church who will be ordained as a  Deacon in November, and I need to make a gift for him.

Those Eureka moments

It's funny how things come about. I've actually had time in my studio this week, something of a rare occurrence, and have enjoyed being here.

I took a workshop last Saturday with my friend, Maggie Vanderweit. She never fails to inspire me and she has taught me so much that I have been able to use in my own work. The class was on Sketchbook Stitching, I have to think about how I say that, it always comes out oddly "skitchbook stetching" or something equally silly. The class certainly wasn't silly, and I had a wonderful time as always, Maggie's enthusiasm and instruction make me want to shut the door on the world and create.

I turned out four fairly decent pieces which I am rather pleased with. Maggie showed us how to transfer our designs onto fabric, and then free motion stitch on the machine and then paint using either watercolours, in pan or pencil form, and other methods.

I used an Indian red rayon thread, and Inktense pencils, which are a love of mine. The first image is of a fishing boat on the beach in Hastings, East Sussex. I had to make the trip back there last year to see my Father. It wasn't an easy trip to make, or a pleasant one, but that's the way things are sometimes. All I know is that he was thrilled to see me and we spent time together while he was in Hospital talking about Art in general and my work, which he loved.

The old fishing huts and fishing boat

A barnacle encrusted anchor

It gave me great pleasure to leave my mini portfolio with him so that he could look through it when he wanted.

I spent a lot of time on my own while I was there, and the weather was beautiful for February, so, I took myself and my camera off to the Old Town and spent the day taking photographs as I knew I would never go back there.

I took the printed photos with me to the class not knowing if I could use them but pleased that I have, it's turned into quite a cathartic exercise. I was excited about using them and had some lovely shibori dyed fabric that I did last Summer and was going to use it but hated the thought of cutting into it, but the way the fabric dyed reminded me of sand. In the end, I found a piece of blue ice dyed fabric which was just perfect, so spent an afternoon plotting my design.

I liked the layout as I didn't want it to be regimented and I had done the anchor on the diagonal rather than straight. Having got the pieces fitted together and stitched, I then pondered the quilting. My lovely Shibori piece was the inspiration for it, so I did wavy lines and pebbles all over the blue. I think it works well and I was glad to try out machine quilting again, I am getting looser every time and the more practice I get, the better I will be.

It's not perfect, but it's a good start.

So, this morning, I decided I really should tidy the studio, and was putting things away when I came across a piece of cheesecloth that I had dyed. I was thinking about how I was going to bind the quilt, it was then I had my Eureka moment. Why not use the cheesecloth? I don't like things all neat and tidy, it bothers me unless I really feel I need to do a "proper" binding. Then I took it a step further, what if I draped the cheesecloth over the front of the quilt? After all, it has a fishing theme and the cheesecloth does look a little like fishing net. So that's as far as I have got with it today, pinned to the design wall and thinking about where to go next, I may need to add some beads to it. Hmm, there's another class I can do.

Oh yes, I opened a new pack of cheesecloth and painted it so that I will have something to bind it with too as there wasn't enough with my draping.

New Year, new thoughts

Already into 2013 and thinking about what to do next.

 The project I started is not doing so well, but there is room fro improvement and I think it will be ok in the end. I think I rushed it, and didn't give enough thought to what I was trying to do so things haven't been going so well! My first mistake was getting too excited about the fabric and not working on having enough stabilizer to stitch onto, consequently, the piece" bags" in places. I will post a picture of it very soon.

On the upside, it has made me more careful about what I do with the next piece so some good has come out of it!  have a busy week ahead, I am teaching a class on Tuesday in Manipulated Landscapes. I am really looking forward to it very much and have been busy gathering things to take that I think the students might want to use. I hope I will be able to take photos of their work to post at a later date.

I finished this piece a little while ago. I am really pleased with it and it has drawn many compliments.

I seem to be locked into landscapes and will be taking this piece with me on Tuesday to show at the workshop. I also have other projects running through my head, but they will have to wait.

Rock pools by Cynthia McNair · 365 Project

Rock pools by Cynthia McNair · 365 Project


This has been a very small and quick project.

 Have you ever noticed that fabric speaks to you? Sometimes it just yells at me and I have to do something with it. I have a gorgeous hand dyed piece hanging in the studio which screamed so I have started work on it, it is such a vibrant piece and I am using sheer fabrics on top so that the colours still shine through.

This small piece of silk shouted and it hasn't taken me too long to put it together. I was thinking I might add some beading to it though to make it a little more interesting, sometimes my work can be too subtle for its own good and needs to pop. The rock pools might be a good place to add some beads.

I have also been trying to make postcards, have to keep up with demand! Its a great way of using some of my hand dyed fabrics, sometimes it just looks at me challengingly until I come up with a plan, so postcards it is.

Dedication

The Banners were dedicated on Sunday morning. I went to the service and was thrilled to see them hanging as I hadn't actually had anywhere to put them here that was high enough! They measure 104 x 41 inches, so they are not small!!

I then thought about how dedicated we artists are, be it for fibre or paint. There is always so much to do and it is alway a struggle to dedicate the time to our Art. I have space in a Gallery in Port Stanley, I love going there to see the Art it really is very inspirational and I feel comfortable in that world. My struggle is having enough work to fill it and I have been busy trying hard to get pieces made as I really need to change my display. I have made a batch of postcards, and was then asked to make some for the Church Bazaar this coming weekend! Talk about short notice, but on the other hand, it does make you concentrate more.
I now have to work very hard to get more small pieces made so that I can have enough to keep my space fresh and interesting, I haven't changed the display for four months! Oh well, I am sure I can make some small pieces, they sell better than the bigger ones anyway.

Banners and Postcards

A busy week! I have been trying to get postcards made ready to take to Port Stanley next week, and have managed to get a few done.

                                                            A Postcard






Still a long way to go though.

Tomorrow sees the dedication of the banners at St Christopher's Catholic Church in Forest. I was asked to make them and now they are hung ready for the Mass tonight, and ready for Mass tomorrow. I have put up a display of work. Hopefully the congregation will like them!

A quieter week

Last week was very busy lots going on and we had been at the Creativ Festival in Toronto which was great
fun! We took three Israeli quilts with us, and helped Pix Martin show quilts that she designs, and others that will be in the St Jacobs show in May next year.
I was glad to get home, but it was fun being in the big city for a little while and I slept well last week.
This week I am able to spend time in my studio which I am looking forward to. I feel such energy in it and I am thoroughly enjoying it, I seem to have my creative groove back which is good.
I started an Art group which was formed with members from the local quilting guild with the idea of helping them to make Art Quilts. We had a good first year, meeting every other month which takes the pressure off and we work on 9x12 inch pieces only. That way, it is not overwhelming. This year, our numbers have swelled to 12 and include two teenagers. We had our first meeting of this year yesterday, and I was thrilled with what they were doing. I have Sandra Meech's "Connecting Design to stitch", a wonderful book and I am drawing some of the exercises from that. I think if they simplify what they are doing they will enjoy it more and I think they are beginning to understand that.

The end of this week will be busy as the Banners I made for the Catholic Church in Forest are being dedicated , I am looking forward to seeing them hung and will supervise it on Friday!