Kathy's Pets

Well, one is hers, one a friends!!!  I Love it when I receive photos of finished student quilts so I get to brag about their work.  Earlier this year I taught a 2 day painting retreat in Sutter Creek, Ca. ( way beautiful town and much fun). Most of the focus was on animal portraits and Kathy ( who also raises a variety of chickens) created this adorable portrait from a photo of her 'flying hound.' Not only is this final product great, I think she must be a pretty good photographer to catch an in flight photo like this reflects.  Kathy has great attention to small details and makes wonderful and subtle transitions in value. Gotta love this sweetheart!!!

It's equally exciting to see when students continue creating.  Kathy must have great friends as well as being one herself.  I understand she created this portrait for one of her dear friends. Lucky friend!!!!

Natures Medallion Designing

If I didn't have enough fun doing the first Mirror Mirror Lets Design entry, here we go again.  Here I first chose a simple contemporary leaf motif.  As in the Mirror Mirror Let's Design  posting last week, I first drew a few copies of the same motif on tracing paper,  played and placed them in a pre graphed 45 degree angled wedge on graph paper.  Below, the mirrors have not yet been placed directly on the pre drawn lines.

 Once the mirrors are moved in to the perimeter lines, you can view the beginning of the medallion.

So I'm saying I think I can work with this design and I glue down the pieces of tracing paper.

I again added some linear elements to unify the 3 leaf motifs.

I finished this piece off with my original intention of
1) adding a structured border with layered feathers
and
2) adding several of natures multi legged insects crawling through the medallion.
In this image (unlike the mirror mirror entry, I have yet to decide and draw in the background fillers.
This entire piece began with the simple idea of critters here and there, and the simple leaf motif shown on tracing paper separate and above the designed wedge.

Using the wedged mirrors, I get a decent view of the overall plan.

The last  design thing to do (unfinished here)  is to create a new/ clean tracing on ONE sheet of tracing paper. This finished tracing will become what is used to mirror and enlarge for the final pattern.

This time, I'm remembering to double outline (echo) the edges of feathers and other elements which will have a textured filler added up next to it.   This is the time to do this... BEFORE the fillers are drawn in or decided upon.
Sadly.. The designing part of this is the fastest and somewhat the most fun as cloth marking and quilting will be a major time effort.

Diane's Beautiful Fairy

Diane Hansen (of Chadler, AZ)  attended a workshop with me last year in Arizona. She'd been ready to paint for decades and when she found ink on fabric using my general techniques, she was on a roll within minutes of beginning. Consider this piece copy written as it is her own ( and only her) authorized interpretation of a European artist.

Diane painted 80+% in my annual  May retreat ( see pattsretreats button on the link list on the side bar), finished it at home, and has it quilted and faced.  Diane lets no grass grow under her feet. It's finished and is spectacular.

(c) copyright

Mary's Lion from Houston

I'm thrilled when I get photos of pieces painted in my class and finished. BIG Congratulations and thanks to Mary Campiano from Santa Fe. Her lion looks wise and is bordered and quilted.   YEAH!!!!   What a great feeling.  I'm teaching  Painting With Inks at Houston this year too.  Thanks again Mary.

click on photo for enlarged view

Mirror, Mirror, Let's Design

I've been busily working on a surprise gift project so can't post... argh!....  But I do want to share a wonderful experience within the last week where I attended a class... YES I got to take a class with Sharon Schamber for fun!   What a ton of fun this was.  This is definitely not a comprehensive description of the process or artistic discussion on composition and design, but gives you an idea of how things work. You'll want a class with Sharon to get a detailed understanding. Sharon does have a DVD on this process so you might want to check it out.

.... on a piece of graph paper, with an angled perimeter representing 45 degrees of an ultimate 360 circular medallion design...
... I found and drew in multiples ( on tracing paper) a simple standalone motif.
 ...I placed reflective mirrors along the left and right edges of the 45 degree wedge.
...  Beginning from the center or top edge of the pie wedge and working outward  I arranged/rearranged motifs to positions that appear complimentary in the mirror view. Once happy with the reflected image....  I glued the repeated motifs in place.
Click on photos for enlarged view.

... I drew something (linear)  integrating the motifs.
 ... Continuing to work outward toward the edge nearest the viewer, I drew on tracing paper a butterfly, cut it in half vertically, and glued one next to left side of the mirror wedge, the other to the right.

The mirror reflections are starting to show what the medallion will look like.

 ...    I added new elements and 'am preparing here to create feathers on these draped spines of circles.

 ... I am creating a structured border adding an additional motif on the left and another feather spine where later feathers will layer behind the horizontal lines.

 ...  I also did draw in the type of background fillers I planned.

The end result is mirrored and duplicated til the final design is complete.  The ultimate design is targeted to be 40" x 40" as a whole cloth quilt.

I look forward to doing another design maybe a wee bit more simple but I do like this result!!! Check out www.SharonSchamber.com and TheQuiltShow.com to really learn about Sharon's approach to her work. Sharons classes are a ton of fun!!!   I'll be posting a quick overview of a second design on 6-26-2013 so scroll to that entry if you'd like.

A Facing Finish

I've shown these a few times over time but 'am finishing a mixed media class sample here with a facing rather than a binding.  Once the quilted top is done, and after I've blocked and squared the result, I add a 1 3/4 " border of sorts using a 1/8 to 1/16" seam.  I've used a thin batting as it is easier to complete this effort satisfactorily.  The seam will ultimately be rolled to the back of the quilt thus the reason for the tiny seaming noted on the raw edge below.  Also note the outward edge has been turned under and stitched as a later hand stitch finished edge. Though not shown easily here, I usually from the front side... do a stay stitch in the 1/8 inch seam.  Doing so helps stabilize the finished edge and helps the hand stitching effort yet to come. Click on photos for enlarged view.

 After turning and hand stitching 2 opposite sides in a manner to be shown in following photos. Next I trim away excess fabric at the very corners of the remaining 2 sides.  This trimming minimizes bulk in the ultimate corner turn.

 I spay a sizing or starch (even water will do )along the "to be turned back seam and then iron press "IN" the corners.

 I iron turn the corners so I can see the stay stitch turned to the back, pin in place, and air dry.

  Once dry, hand stitch as you would a clothing hem or binding, and ta da!! done

Mixed Media Quilted

Never got out of my jammies today. That alone is reason to be a happy girl.  I added to to the day's pleasure by finally quilting one of my mixed media  class samples. These elements are matte medium napkins, handmade papers, stamped tissues.  Tons of fun to create... now to quilt.

 Click on photo for an enlarged view of the finished wall quilt.

Father Christmas Ready to quilt!!

My basket passing roundabout quilt top is finally finished and ready for quilting.  Some may recall I have a fun friendship quilting group that monthly meets and takes a project from another quilter and works on their project for a month.  At the end of a year... the originator gets their basket back to finish it up.  At the beginning of 2012, I created a central  image of a Father Christmas free motioned machine embroidery for a user designed roundabout. All I did after the Embroidery was provide washed/"Retayned" red and white fabrics, and put the final border on it.  The rest of the design came from my friends.  So it finally is bordered and ready to be quilted.  I've wanted a red and white quilt for a long time so 'am mighty happy it has finally arrived.  I'm out of town (Sedona, AZ)  finishing so no design wall to photograph on.  Click on photo for an enlarged view.

Blubber Blubber...I Hate to Leave

What a wonderful time I've had here in Austin, Texas. I cannot say enough about the warm, friendly, and fun people in the Austin Area Quilt Guild. Last evenings meeting included a special show and tell featuring the work from our Painted Quilt Art Class over the weekend.

THANK YOU AUSTIN!!!!

Austin is Awesome!!!

What a joy!!! I just taught a 2 day  Painted Quilt Art class here in Austin, Tx with members of the Austin Area Quilt Guild.  Such a fun, adventurous group!  Public thanks here to Frances (program VP) , Mary and Jan (Workshop  Officers) for a wonderful time.  This group was"cranking" big time.  I was able to capture a few pictures as yesterday ended so will share them here. I love to show off students work both  paintings finished and in progress.
Here are but some of the varied fine work from the last 2 days...   Please consider all photographs and patterns as copywritten     I'll begin with RENEE's Iris

Kitty captured these 2 adorable dogs. These are Kitty's 2 generation dogs.

 Lee chose to interpret a photo of a sweet dog to be featured in an upcoming fundraiser guilt.

 Rats... I'm a bit uncertain which magnolia this is... there were 3 painted.

(c) patt blair pattern

 Marie produced a serious set of tiger eyes. There were a couple more tigers painted but somehow not photographed.  I was pretty much brain-fried though mighty happy at day's end. Nice work all!

 (C) patt blair pattern

Kathleen ( www.thequiltgal.com)  created a piece honoring her beloved kitty. 

 AND a lovely rose.

 Mary Kay is painting her beloved therapy dog Caleb. I would love to meet Caleb. He's  beautiful inside and out. Don't you want to hug this animal?

 Sharon has her dog nearly finished.  ( My apologies that I missed getting a photo of our other Sharon's ( Sharon C.) floral Datura.)

 Holly took on a bold challenge of this bee hive and wow... it is well on it's way to something exceptional.

Sandy had some great fun creating this whimsical butterfly. 

                                            (c)  patt blair pattern
I'm showing 3  in progress dragonfly pieces...

                                                                            (C)

(C) 

(C) patt blair pattern

 Frances is a great photographer.  The shot on the left is her own photo of El Capitan in Yosemite ( one of natures most magnificent places on earth ). To the right is a closer view of  part of her in-progress painting of her photo image. I have no doubt the finished piece will be exceptional.

                                             (C)
I surely missed a few photos of other work.. Rats...  THANK YOU ALL for a great 2 days.