A Quilt For SAQA

I am starting the quilting process on a 12" x 12" piece that will become part of the 2015 SAQA ( Studio Art Quilt Associates) September Auction supporting the advancement of the Art Association.  When you attend a major show like Houston International and see large gallery exhibitions, you can know some part of this to be auctioned piece helps makes that happen.

 The quilt top is a custom giclee print (of one of my oil paintings) on fabric. I am working on silk so you will see sheen on the surface as light reflects like crazy... a good thing!  I am starting here to lay in some thread work in the mane and face.  The question for me these days is what NOT to quilt.  Click on photos for enlarged view

I am saving the white areas and white thread til last... almost there.

The white areas of the mane are fun and stand out the way I intended in the original painting..... BUT... I think it needed a tiny bit of securing so as not to stand apart too much. 

He is pretty well secured.  Next post I'll work on the luscious red and black silk background.

Class project painted, quilted in less than a week

 I am so impressed with Linda Neri...   Talk about hitting the decks running.  

Linda painted this 18 x 24" piece  at Modesto, Ca Countryside Quilter's workshop

last week... then shared the following note and photo 

...With her okay... I get to share with you. 

"As you can see, I have been busy.
Here is my finished dragonfly that I started in your class last Wednesday.
Although I felt intimidated with the technique and the materials used, I am very
 happy with the finished piece. And I do plan to do more, you have 
inspired me. Thank you so much for the class, and your help."
  Linda Neri

 Congratulations Linda...GREAT work...  Keep stretching!  

Oh... Big Kitty Returns

Last summer I began a long awaited companion piece to a earlier piece titled Winter Hunt. In that piece, a mountain lion  pushes way through snow and brush in search of a meal.

I always wanted to tackle a summer season equivalent, so this time this withdrawn/generally shy cat will sit high atop a mountain rock formation highly focused and studying prey below.  This new cat began it's life in 110 degree heat of Cabo San Lucas. He (?)  came home in a partially painted state so today, this cat is back on my home studio work table to get sky and clouds blocked in .. then the overall piece refined with small details and corrections.

 I think I have a couple days work to fill in/refine this painting. I  do love finishing a painting but know the REAL work comes  in the quilting. On average, for every day I spend in the painting process, I can add a full week of quilt time. First things first though....  

No room for a design wall?

I seldom piece quilts or I would have a large design wall.... but honestly have little room left for one.... The solution.... large wood framed-stretched canvases covered with flannel. Here there are two shown..side by side and  leaning against my unseen painting work table.When unused, they are stored back to back upright behind an always open door to the room. It seems to work well for the occasional need... here as I begin to layout colorful Christmas tree blocks.  I still need about 3  more rows of trees/half trees  but I'll get there as taxes are done and sent last week... YEAH!!!

I  confess I sew on small blocks when nerves are up and time is little. I will shortly return/ continue work on a painted piece begun months ago. I'm excited to get back to something calling to me for weeks.

Piecing it together

Who knows when I will have an opportunity to design and add a border to this whimsical, fun quilt so I have put the blocks together so the quilt center can be called DONE!  This pattern is called Bit of Bliss. I changed (redesigned) three of the later blocks ( tea cake server, radio, larger heart on top left)  and think I would have changed the shoe and the telephone were I to do again... ... but this is a sweet idea of a quilt... to represent those things that bring the owner joy/bliss.

Longarm Quilt Top Floating

New best Longarm Friend here. If you 'float' your quilt top.. you'll love this... and perhaps I'm the last to know of this use of something designed for another purpose.   Meet an 18" magnetic bar designed for storing  metal knives and tools. Such a bar would normally be screwed onto a wall with tools/knives added/removed as needed.    In the case of a longarm quilter floating a quilt top and batting at the top 'belly' bar ... 4 or 5 of these bars applied atop the quilt top along the belly bar should hold your top nice and secure.  One caution... these are mighty strong magnetic bars that  should you ever allow them to connect to each other might keep you from getting them apart.

 I got these at a Harbor Freight Store.   They were found in the clamps / ties, and hinges  hardware section.. not the magnet section.  I don't know if all Harbor Freight stores are set up the same but since the signs above aisles appeared to be mass produced... I might guess yes. If so.... it is aisle 7. I paid $5 U.S. + tax per bar.   'Suspect you could order online as well.

 Can't wait to given them a try.  Much thanks to Gammill dealer friend Kelly Gallagher-Abbott of Jukebox Quilts for this tip.

EASTER EGG Puzzle

Gotta laugh

QUILTING IN THE DESERT January 2016

 QUILTING IN THE DESERT 

is coming next January 25 - 29 2016

5 days of fun in Arizona.... 

Click here to go to http://www.quiltcamp.com

to check out venue and classes.   

I look so forward to teaching here!  Arizona in January??!! Wonderful! 

No.. you don't have to paint this... but instead anything you like.

 I just did this large piece  titled 

 FAMILY RESEMBLANCE a while back as a challenge to someone who said,,, I can't draw or even use clip art drawings to create.   This was a royalty free black and white clip art line drawing I merely enlarged. This one makes me smile!  

Well.... I draw... but one doesn't have to. Go to pattsart.com, and click on EZ drawing method (actually tracing)  and see how to use your photos to create a drawing that will be your guide to painting.  

This is 5 days of painted quilt art and art quilting  .  This is quite a reasonable package price.  Check it out....