Retreat Reopening May 19-22 2022

 Please go to  pattsretreats.blogspot.com for info on my  new  retreat dates  and information for 2022 - (May 19-2022) YEAH!!!  Back on! 

Outside My Window...

Hello all who may have thought I was actually dead.  NOT the case... though a tough couple years.... moving /consolidating the 2 homes hubby and I have shared for now 13+ years...     This week, I spent the  week  teaching at  The Road To California Show in Ontario Ca.  GREAT SHOW !   The City of Ontario sits  in the shadows of Mount Baldy..... my home for so many beautiful albeit COLD winter years.
The painted/quilted piece below is not a competitive piece but instead a representation of things photographed and viewed literally outside my kitchen window.   For me, never before a bird watcher, I loved it and quickly saw dozens of Gods creatures at my very door step.  The mountain Blue Jay definitely stands above other winged birds that cluster near California mountain homes.

(click on photo for enlarged view)

Quilting Mixed Media

  Central image now quilted... My whole quilting plan was simple...a) outline stitch the stenciled areas and leave them alone ... b) Using matching threads in free motion... straight stitch outer edges of tissue elements to make sure they stay adhered , and c) enhance prominence of gold circles by stitching each circle with bright yellow/gold thread.  Not too hard a quilting plan.

The background fill could be anything unobtrusive... even a smaller meander would work great. Shown here is a simplified  rather relaxed version of the S curve fill sometimes known as McTavish..   the original thanks to the talented Karen McTavish who credited  Alfonso Mucha with some of her quilting inspiration!

All adhered elements (w/ one exception)  seen on this quilt top are either napkin: flower, butterflies) , bathroom towel tissue ( bird) , kleenex tissue(yellow circle elements), or handmade paper ( rust orange and gold vertical paper strips,  and paper with holes behind dark butterfly) ). The  exception being the puffed shiva paint stick stenciled swirls outline stitched  but left open to puff. Paper elements were  first adhered to background fabric using  matte medium as "glue", then top coated with same , then  air dried becoming softly "plastic", allowing for quilting atop elements.

 Note: Generally... edges  of  paper elements were stitched with matching or near matching 40 wt. thread.  I used needle size. SHARP 70 / 10  to achieve smaller needle holes . Click on photo to view enlarged image.

Media Mixing FUN!!!

For those that might have thought I died or something... not so..... I've  been embroiled in downsizing, moving, 2 houses to one...and the one a good distance away from the first 2... all this while working a hectic  traveling work schedule ...  What was I thinking??!!   Apparently, I wasn't!    Things are now changing !!!  
Friday of THIS week, I got to  lecture the previous day and then teach a mixed  media class  with Valley Quiltmakers in the Northridge Ca. area.  What a fun daytime guild.

There were lots of great  creations by students. Wouldn't you know my camera was not doing its job of capturing photos....   I did do a sample in class as a teaching tool.... so today I'm getting it ready for bordering  it.  Heres where we start...   The semi square image began with a lightly patterned(mottled) yellow fabric .  Then, using a artist medium, I added  rust&gold strips of  handmade paper found in Sedona AZ, top layer of polka dot kleenex, flowers, butterflies, bird from several pictoral napkins, ourchased in my travels. Finally I  added a stenciled background using Shiva paint sticks. Now  today... to select bordering  fabrics.

The  casual focus , yellow/white stripe will be THE border...   first an inner border ( about 2" width)  Then I want to add a rusty orange and gold fillet ( Finally a use for that orange  pack of fat eights purchased a decade ago).  As audtion samples...  I cut a 1 1/4" strip of rusty orange/gold cotton for a  1/4" "Fillet)  then a 3 inch yellow border.  I'm going for the general look layed out below.   The sample widths seem a good size. 

   First I added  to all 4 sides  a 1 1/4"  strip of rusty orange...  This is admittedly a larger width than will  be there at the finished product.... but we will be doing a trick working from the backside that will give us a perfect 1/4" rusty strip  at finish.  Its easier to achieve with this larger than ultimately needed width.

This is a trust me thing...   from the front... pin right sides together  with the light outer border yellow atop the rusty fabric  and overlapping at least 1/2 inch  beyond the rust fabric seam.   

Now flip over to the back.. We'll be stitching this outer yellow border ( which we don't see in this pic below.  We are preparing to stitch a perfect 1/4" ... guided by the left side of your 1/4 inch pressure foot.   Notice here at the top I also extended a chalk line straight up from the original seam line where the rusty fabric was added to the inner border..( did same at unseen bottom)  Stitch top to bottom guided by the stitching line to the left of your pressure foot. 

 Looking from the back.... This is the result

When you  turn the mini quilt right side up and press out the outer border... you see a perfect 1/4" "fillet" of rusty orange. I turned back the edge of the outer border  held by my trusty scissors so you clearly see the extended fabric underneath.  It's a great stabilizer so if it doesn't show thru from a top side view... you can leave  all alone and move on. 

 In this case as I was sure would be the case... because the yellow strip is rather sheer cotton,  you CAN see the rusty shadow so...

Flip the outer yellow border back (Right Sides Together)  and trim away excess rusty fabric. 

Once finished all the way around/ border pressed... we've got a top ready to be sandwiched and quilted.  

ANOTHER DAY! ;-D 

Headed to Houston

The Annual Teacher Donation Auction for  this Novembers IQA Festival....   a small sweet bird....

 Framed in sateen.

Very Fun MUG RUG

I'm not often enthralled with the Mug Rug Idea....    'but  here I saw a great THANK YOU opportunity for a welcome lady at our new 55+ HOA community. I know Joan is a coffee drinker and wanted to thank her for the hour+ she spent going over rules, regs,  and social connections for our Mountain View Community.   Painted, quilted, and bound in an hour and a half! Nice 'therapy' for me  and generally pretty sweet result.

A Beautiful Creation

Sometimes a quilter gets handed a gorgeous piece to quilt in a way that further enhances its beauty. I love this quilt by friend Kelly.  It was great fun to design quilting to support her appliquéd circles. I'm pretty happy with it but for having to return to her. Definitely worthy of an important position in the home. Click on photo for enlarged view.

Lovely Day at Raincross

What an absolutely fun day with friends ! These friends and so many others enjoyed a quilting showcase, tea sandwiches, desserts in the garden of Raincross Living in Riverside Ca.  Wanabe Quilters member Carol Brodie lives there so both she and her pastime became the focus of the day.   L-R Carol B, Patt Blair, Prudy Andrews, Janmarie Halliday, seated Hilary Field, Karon Cornell, Peggy Huerta, seated Loretta Beaumont. We missed those unable to join in the celebration. ;-(

I've captured but a very few of the  45 showcased quilts.... apologies.. I missed pics on so many gorgeous quilts.

Here below is muah with "Wanabe Dining"... one of the groups favorite things... our monthly gathering for fun and lunch at a members home.  This quilt is a silly representation of each member dining around a colorful table... our placemats?... the silver Nordstrom boxes  in which we often stored UFOs. 

When someone gets married ... we offer up a happy  quilt and a party... In this case for Laurie Lyon who missed the  quilt show day vacationing in Cabo San Lucas. Poor baby! 

This is Karon Cornell's Christmas gift to her first year secret pal... Laurie.  Spectacular!  Karon is rightfully proud of this piece.. and hint  to Laurie... please will it back to her.   ;-D 

I was moving too fast for a good photo  of "My Circle of Friends" but this is one of my favorite quilts made by Phyllis Reddish.  This Friendship group is 27 years old...    We won't quit !! ;-D 

 Two members, Carol Brodie and Carol Culbert  designed and made this mini quilt. The pattern was later enlarged for both wall and full  bed size and became the opportunity quilt for North Cities Quilt Guild in Placentia, Ca... NOT once... but twice over the years.. ( I bought $280.00 worth of tickets and didn't win.. argh!) A beautiful quilt, indeed

Phyllis Reddish is masterful and prolific.  This joyful Christmas appliqué is one of many spectacular holiday quilts. 

Such a great day... thank you Raincross and especially their staff lead Lauree who made everything happen! ( I spelled it right Lauree! yeah) 

My last upload... a quilt almost unknown to most of my friends.... "App'd to Paint" was part of a traveling exhibit which returned from France a few mos. back. The concept.. Create an App ( application) quilt 40" square  but for rounded corners. The App should represent who you are.  I'm a painter at heart so... why not paint the paint itself!   Happy Quilting!!!  

  

Student Work Extraordinaire

Three cheers for Gloria Muano  ( Southern California ) from my April 2018 Painted Quilt Art Retreat  in Temecula.  Next years  April 2019 class/retreat dates, info. appear at pattsretreats.blogspot.com.


  Here are some of Glorias stellar works from this year:

Top of the list...  one cute flaming red-haired grandson.  Sooo cute.  Looks real to me... Nice job Gloria.

Gloria spent much of her youth on Catalina Island, Ca.  This is her representation of tile work found on the island.  

Fun and simple graphics here... great quilting!  

I'm pretty lucky to find such fearless and fun students.  

Warrior at last

Ever had a year you had more stuff than hours in the day...    This has been one of those with little end in sight.   BUT.... I have one piece finally finished... started last summer...   A challenging floating on a sea of white Native American warrior... 'Tis a beautiful ink rendering on fabric  completed by a long time student and now friend.  Asked to quilt this for her, I was happy to help ... but the age old question for quilters... HOW to quilt it and show off and support the artwork without the quilting distracting.  Lots of fret over this magnificent warrior.

The easy part... the head dress of fur... where thread should not be seen thus monofilament used to create the 'puffs.' 

Parallel horizontal lines somewhat grounded the central image ....  a red satin stitched chevron keeps the viewers eye on the quilt top... ( Thank you Libby Lehman for being and showing how to do this ... years ago class now coming into play) ;-D 

 And lastly some Native American symbols top and bottom finish it off. A warm golden thread micro stipple shows off the symbols without drawing attention.   A peek in the upper right corner shows fabric that likely will become binding.  This is one of  the few times I know binding will add something to wall art piece.

That said... I am still moving from my Claremont studio to my new home.  The longarm move is complete.. yeah.  Now working on the " supplies "( art and fabric, etc) Moving is for the very young. Normalcy will come... but 'tis a few mos.  away. 

THANK YOU Ricky , Alex, Quilts Inc, and IQA

Bob R from Houston show was so kind to send me this pic last week.  I was so danged nervous at the Houston Intl.  Awards ceremony.   Big deal for me to receive double the pleasure for having BOTH Ricky and Alex present my award sponsored by TheQuiltShow.com. Class people they are and Ricky was suffering through that smile with knee pain.  Thanks Quilt Show staff (one and all.)

WHERE HAS She Been?!

Beats me!   I'm not dead... not fading away for all time.  I have been teaching... showing work , doing some custom quilting for hire when I could... I'll be back on line once things settle down a bit .  Sometimes life takes turns that consume us.  No pity party here.... just is...   A stepson  diagnosed in May with glioblastoma turned many lives upside down. By the grace of God and love of family, it has brought family members even closer.. in constant collaboration in supporting and dealing! Out of state family hit a different rough spot which took a toll we are dealing with and seeing positive results.  Enough said. I've just had higher personal priorities of late as I'm sure many have.   I just looked up a 2016 instruction I posted  to give a friend and realized  by lack of posting, I seemed to have vanished!! 
Good news nonetheless... My very large White Knight Horse earned a blue ribbon  last month in Houston... and now lives with a new owner in the midwest.  Shock! Nice surprise!   Have a great safe holiday all and give thanks for all the good you have in life!!    Holiday Hugs....   Patt

Loving this Baby Owl

On the same cruise... another painting.. this time a baby owl just out of the nest... on it's own.  Drawing down and covered... the beginnings of this baby begins first thing with his tender left eye... That has to be good so I enjoy the rest of the painting.   I don't think I've painted anything more tedious than the owls body of feathers.  Painting owl feathers is definitely a "Journey" of patience and change.

(c) 

I can hardly wait to quilt this piece. I can feel the craggy grey/black twigs.

                                             (c) image

Cruising The Waterways with "LaLa"

Sometime back I was given owner permission to paint this gorgeous dog named "LaLa"  I'm doing this on a cruise ship.. Perfect time to relax and paint.
Drawing down, fabric taped over and away we go... first the eyes and face .... then blocked in wet into wet body colors.
 I rather like this unfinished..out of focus look... I may do this a second time and keep it loose.

For this effort, I chose to stay real. "LaLa" painted... now to frame out with a bit of white fabric and gray to keep a fresh clean look.. 

Quilting is back home and so fun.  Wind sweeping upward into the clouds so quilting was too.

I'm using a multi value blue twist... a thread type I seldom use on competitive quilts as the twist can sometimes be interpreted as an irregular length stitch

Overall...looking pretty sweet!

The Dawg is done!

I was so very tickled when a beagle had won the Westminster Dog Show a while back... They are so danged cute.  So frankly to put a smile on my own face, I had painted one on my recent retreat in Sedona. The "DAWG" is now quilted, bound, hanging sleeve complete. He still tickles me.

Lots of thread on this doggy.

Click on photo for an enlarged view.  Contact Patt with questions about The Dawg!

Apron Tails Flying

This is a group project for a friend...   You know... the type that deals with UFOs.  This started with individual Apron blocks made by the Wanabe Quilters of Orange County, Ca.
Time to help out the blocks owner by putting them together, adding sashing and a border ,  making a quilt sandwich and quilting it for the owner.  No idea where the old pattern came from but it has turned out really cute.   Since this is Father's Day.... I'll showcase the matching His and Hers aprons. What a hoot!

One of my favorite blocks...

 The overall quilting is  now finished and ready for binding....

  

Tucked Away To Play

I am on hiatus in one of my favorite places on earth..... Sedona,  AZ voted some years back as one of the ten most beautiful cites in the U.S.   Gotta be true!
 Because life has been a bit tense of late ( bad news about health of my step son. etc... I was ready for downtime and some fabric painting.) I am able to take a full set of Tsukineko inks and markers with me in a small plastic case.   heres how I travel with them... even internationally ...   Bottled inks in a plastic case... Fantastix applicators divided in small plastic bags in low to high numeric range.   Pretty simple plan... easy enough to pull out the needed fantastic and inks as needed.

This is a "friends traveling alone together" experience meaning we have separate rooms  next door to each other...   rooms on the edge of Oak Creek.    Well, somebody has to stay here.  ;-D   While we are all quilters, one is piecing,  one is drawing, one painting.  We spend time together daily and also have downtime on our own. Perfect.

I needed to paint some small fun things as relaxation  therapy. First up a playful beagle. He made me smile.

Then a small bird .. this time not painted on white fabric but a pale soft green batik.  As long as the base fabric is a light value... these transparent inks can  completely change color and value.

..After being here a couple of sweet  relaxing days....  I am ready to work on a more complex project. 

While I seldom do this... this time I am doing a smaller painting before tackling my large project of the same subject.  I do this when 1) the  ultimate piece is pretty important to me,  and 2) I want to discover  where the bumps in the road will be and maybe how to solve them before I embark on a really large project.  

The subject : a barn owl in flight....   here's the early start - up close. 

(c) patt blair 

This will be a long width, short length composition...    Plenty of time invested... close to the end of the learning process.  Time to let my eyes rest before I make a really big mistake.

(c)  patt blair

Click on any photo for enlarged views. 

Viewers Choice - Spring 2017 Paducah

How Sweet This Was...

"White Knight" 52.5 L x 60"W"

detail quilting:

The drawings for this piece sat  rolled up in the corner for 3 years ... ready when I was.  The problem??.... How to paint that massive mane I wanted. Finally.... 'caution thrown to the wind and off I went..... painting seemed much like weaving.. or maybe braiding. All good. 'Happy he is done.  Click on photo/s for enlarged view.

The Pride of a Lion

Well, what else would you call it...?  I've wanted to create a class piece like this for some time... just what animal??  The  self created challenge.... no more than 6 inks, 1  black marker, and an on hand black pigma pen.  I chose a mid value purple, blue, yellow, orange, cherry pink, and lime green.    I created a basic contour drawing, placed it under my favorite painting fabric... and away we go.  Using a black fabric marker, the the eyes, nose, and mouth are marked in. Simple enough.

Next I decided which color I would use as a dark. and blocked that in.

 I then added some would-be lighter , warmer colors...  yellow in the eyes.. Then a puzzle fest began adding some orange.

Once the yellow and black around the eyes were dry.... some extra warmth. darker value on the edges of the eyes.  Starting some dry brush value of blue.. then the creating in the zone journey began until...

He was one colorful and proud lion.  Once all ink was bone dry.... The black marker returned to add a FEW interesting darks and swirls.  I'll likely try this approach again. Soooo fun!

Couldn't stand it.... quilted!!