Monday, December 31, 2018

My Studio: Where Women Create

While I am not ready for the magazine crews to arrive & shoot pictures, I am thrilled I took the time to organize one of the main storage units in my studio. 

My guideline was simple:  If I planned to finish the project in the 1st quarter of 2019, it received a basket in the storage unit.  Only current and pertinent work was allowed to take a spot in such a valuable real estate space in my work room.

Leftover supplies from previously finished projects got shuffled back to my storage room.  I had the yellow collapsible storage drawers folded in a pile.  They got pressed into service.  I even have 4 empty cubby holes at the bottom of the unit to be used.  I may move the empty baskets from the top to another room (which one is a mystery to me!) and put the quilt tops I would like to quilt on the top of the storage unit instead.  When they are buried in the storage room I forget about them.



Not bad for a couple hours of work!  Now to organize the space under my cutting table.  

My little Sweets and her family are in Israel this week.  Dad works for United Airlines so they have flying privileges & both were on vacation.  His work schedule has changed so my baby watch hours will change in the new year too.  Here she is working the obstacle course I set up for her.  :-)


Have a Creative Day, Y'All!

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Being Intentional: Inspirational Photos

My major 2019 goal is to sew more raw edge fabric; either for sale as yardage, for wall hangings or for smaller projects. 

As I was thumbing through a massive 800+ page Vogue magazine, I realized advertisers had hired professional graphic designers, photographers and models to get my attention.  When I looked closely at the page's composition I could see some dynamic color combinations, element placements and themes staring right at me.  What a great inspirational source!

I intentionally pulled out pages that really spoke to me.  I scanned them into my photo files, marked them with comments, punched holes in the originals & added them to a new notebook.  I also added a section to my handwritten journal & noted the picture file location; a new habit I am developing. 

Here's a wonderful selection of the Neutral + Blue pictures I pulled from the Vogue magazine ads.   Each of these pictures could be interpreted in very different yet similar raw edge (or any quilt) pieces.  Because I strongly believe blue is the best color in the world (except for PINK), these pictures would inspire me to work in the color combinations represented.

How about you?  Could you see using them as the basis of your work? 

 So Elegant and So Casual!  What's not to Love? 

 Be Still My Heart!   Pastel Blue + Neutrals  Heavenly! 

  Look at that little orange belt.  Yep, that's what I'm talkin' about!  Love!  (Orange + Blue = Complementary Colors)


This is a QUILT in all sense of the Word!

Intentionally looking takes practice.  Maybe you will try it in 2019.  I will! 
Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Being Intentional: Recording Ideas & Photos

As I was looking through my almost totally blank journal the other evening, I did read the few quilting notes I had written from 2009-2010.  It was fun to reminisce over the finished projects I had noted in the journal.  And my ideas were pretty good for the projects I had planned were I still on that quilting journey. 

There were, however, some notes that were, "Huh?"  I wondered what I was thinking about at the time.  I couldn't even recall the focal point of the project.
Toward that end, I've decided to make more intentional project notes; documenting the ideas along with the questions I have about the process & the project.  Now I plan to include photos too.  I would love to include photos in the journal but I don't plan to print any of them.  I'm really a no paper type gal.  I don't take or use any more paper than I absolutely have to use.  And that goes for straws & plastic too; especially plastic.

Yesterday I pulled an old project off the shelf I've thought about finishing in 2019.  I'll write about it in another post when I start it.  I've been thinking of it frequently; along with the few other quilts I want specifically for myself-to enjoy now & for the rest of my life. I know I won't execute it as I had originally planned but I wasn't really sure if I liked my new plan for it. 

In my journal I've given the quilt its own section.  I titled and dated the entry.  Feeling very accomplished here!  I listed my ideas and then my unsolved questions. Then I took photos of some of my ideas. Once I loaded the pictures on my computer I renamed them with notes significant to my journal entry. I went back to my journal and wrote down the specific address of the computer files. The big breakthrough is documenting the specific location on my hard drive where I can find the reference pictures. That is a big honking deal.  I have spent so much time over the course of my quilting life looking for pictures in "obvious" folders.  I probably could have tamed that beast years ago but I wasn't being intentional enough to stop and follow through on necessary steps. 



One of the photos for a future finish with an old project idea! 

Have a Creative Day Y'All! 

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Becoming Intentional

I'm looking forward to 2019.  I've pulled out a favorite notebook to use for journaling.  I collaged it back in 2003 and have never really used it as I had intended.


I have quite a few "good intentions" projects around my studio; well, truthfully, around my life.  I plan to be more intentional in 2019.  I think that needs an accountability label: Intentional2019.

When I look at previous projects, I still love them and I love the expectation I had for them.  I feel like it's time to finish them.  I plan to journal their progress here so you can enjoy the process too.  When looking back at my previous blog I realized friends liked the posts that really showed how the progress drove the projects.  I plan to return to that style of blogging here.

I'm eager to explore some new information & ideas.  I don't watch TV unless it is very intentional.  I spent a lot of time while growing up without TV and I've always felt TV was a major waste of my time.  I have a TV even though I never turn it on.  I have basic service so I can only use it in one room that has the antenna hookup.  That room is now my fabric storage space and it is pretty crowded.  Brent's comment is pretty spot on:  "Boy, Mom, it didn't take you long to fill this room up!" Point well taken.  I agree.   So, if I want to watch TV, I have to carve out a spot amongst the boxes of fabric.  I might do a little rearranging in there and make it more comfortable or not.  I hadn't really planned to put that idea on my To Do List.  heh. heh.

Last night I was looking through the PBS website and noticed they have a series called Craft in America.  I was able to watch 2 programs back to back.  Talk about an exciting series!  Glimpses into the lives of very successful artists was so captivating.  If you are interested, the link is here.

One artist who caught my attention was Deborah Cross.  She began her career as a weaver & quickly realized her dressmaking skills could propel her past the competition.  She has a dedicated portfolio designing jackets and coats.  She has transitioned from weaving her own fabric to using manufactured fabrics.  Lovely work and great glimpse into her studio.  She has an assistant who has been working for/with her for 30 years.  I would have loved that kind of relationship through my years of fabric work.

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Deborah's website is here.

Here's a short clip from PBS of her studio.




   
If you Google her name, you'll find lots of great pictures of her jackets.  Very inspirational. 

I was able to get my TShirt Quilt onto the longarm last night.  I thought I would start the quilting today.  Instead I went to my neighborhood thrift store looking for a quick drapery solution.  I didn't exactly find what I was looking for but I did find a few new treasures.

I visited with another thrifter.  She had an adorable nativity set in her shopping cart.  When she decided not to buy it, she found me and offered it to me.  Of course I bought it. 


And because I am feeling a rebirth coming and I love this pretty simple butterfly and the fabric is soft and the price was good, I bought this pillow for my reading chair.  :-)


Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 


Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Improvisational TShirt Quilts

Commissions were finished in time for the holiday and I have a little breathing room before I start on the new ones for January.  I'm going to use this week for my own personal quilting and to experiment with some ideas rolling around in my head.

I have a huge collection of tshirts; some are my own and some have been purchased.  With all the tshirt quilts sewn lately, I decided maybe I wanted one too.  Once I pulled favorite colors & cut big pieces, construction was a breeze.  I like the improvisational nature of my quilts lately.  Putting all the colors together is very liberating. 





I still had plenty of cut pieces leftover when I finished sewing this queen sized top.  I rather like the idea of piecing something else and just adding a new color tshirt or two into the new quilt top.  I'm contemplating the whole thought of just keeping the tshirt quilt production moving along from this one big quilt.  I have a few hefty boxes of knits from which I can pull plenty of good shirts.  All the leftover bits will be funneled into the raw edge work which I expect to dominate 2019.


This top is currently 45 x 60 which is a nice size itself.  I could enlarge it to a twin size.  I'll see how motivated I am!

I've been looking at some new ideas for machine quilting.  It's been awhile since I experimented with anything new.  These smaller pieces would be good canvases for experimenting; although tshirt knits are not the best candidates.

Have a Creative Day Y'All! 
Not too many more days of 2018 left

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Merry Christmas!

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Image may contain: 1 person, indoor


Merry Christmas!  
May the Blessings of the Season
Remain in your Heart Forever!

Monday, December 3, 2018

Last 2018 Market


Oh My Goodness, those donut holes just melted in my mouth! 

Last holiday market of the season.  
Time to finish some commissions for Christmas before I take a little time off for myself.  

Have a Creative Day, Y'All!