Eco-dyed Quilt

I know. It’s been a long time no blog. I’ve been busy eco-dying. Sooooo much fun. Successes. Failures. Surprises. Love it.

Here is an entirely eco-dyed quilt of many samples. Hand quilted and tied. Tried to machine quilt it but lost all the lovely puffiness that only silk seems to avail.

YELLOW QUILT FINISHED

The Yellow Quilt was finished and presented to Grand Daughter Nadine for her high school graduation.

The butterflies on the focal fabric, circa 1950, were must too big to use  except as pieces but I appliquéd one to the back and used it as a label.

A DOZEN SHADES OF GREY

On May 15, the Uncommon Threads Art Quilt group that I belong to, had the opening of our exhibit entitled “A Dozen Shades of Grey – The Art of Aging.” This occurred at the Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin MO and will stay up until July 6. Following is the cover of a small book that was put together showing all the pieces in the show. It can be purchased for $10 and if you are interested just email me.

LIFE LINE

This is my Life Line – BUCKET LIST

ACT YOUR AGE

STILL STANDING

And you’ve seen this before – THIRTEEN MOONS

Four Yellow Blocks

Since I was tagged on Facebook by Susan Leslie Lumsden to show some of my work every day for five days, it’s made me work. Good show Susan. Caroline S. Daley is the tag for today. Her work is such fun.

Yesterday I showed an old piece. Today I’ll show what I’m currently working on – a yellow quilt which will be a gift for someone who likes yellow. Here are the first four blocks, untrimmed. There will be a total of 16. Yes, it’s certainly YELLOW.  The squares that are off center in each block are from a vintage butterfly fabric. Each butterfly in the fabric is about 8″ square. Much too large so I’ve cut 6″ square out of it getting pieces of butterflies. Looking at them I think they are almost flower like. I’m not overly fond of yellow but I think it’s going to work. I keep trying to tone it down and I can see that one lighter yellow strip it too big so I’ll trim it down. This is a Quilt As You Go project and will have a narrow sashing of a darker, gray-ish color.

Art Challenge Day Two “The Gift”

I’ve been challenged on FaceBook by Susan Leslie Lumsden to show a piece of my work every day for five days. This is day two and I decided to post it on my blog as this is an old favorite that I want to share.  Titled: “The Gift.” When it was made there were advertisements every Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Valentine’s day for this mixmaster which stated: “Don’t give her just one gift, give her five,” meaning it was a multi-task mixer. Remembering a Christmas when I was newly married, and I didn’t like to cook and didn’t do it well, I received nothing but KITCHEN gifts. What a disappointment. This art piece enshrines the damned thing with a party aporn made of hankies, a shiny metallic halo, and a velvet red roof. Along the bottom are images of a circa 1950’s housewife with her “beloved” mixmaster. Before I forget it, I challenge Ellen Eiford White.

Yellow Challenge

My latest challenge is to make a yellow quilt. I’m not overly fond of yellow and have been dragging my heels but a day or so ago I ran across this yellow retro butterfly print in my stash and began to wonder if I could do something with it. The butterflies are huge, like –  8″ x 11″.

Yesterday, while at the Quilt Sampler shop in Springfield, MO I saw this batik and said to myself, “YES” and bought it.

Then came home and started pulling out other fabrics. I think I can make this all work together. and it just might be fun. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Stay tuned.

BASTE

this  title could also be titled”Determination” or “Hard-Headedness.” I have been trying to sew a piece of silk to a strip of velvet for a art quilt. The silk crawls and the velvet slithers. After two ripping outs I finally got it. Baste, baste, baste.

YES. And, yes, I will clean it up and remove the basting and the little stray threads. The black thread is not basting. It’s decorative.

First Eco-Dye for the 2015

This is a great way to start the New Year. I spent hours studying the blog posts of Terrie-Smiling and think it’s going to pay off. She is so open and sharing with her techniques. I tried the rolled up milk carton core wrapped with the silk covered in plastic wrap, and steamed it. The finished piece is not  pretty but it’s getting close to what I want. Better than that, IT WORKED. Yay! The red leaves at the left are poinsettia, then oak leaves, and I think the middle leaves are Bradford Pear, then more oak leaves . Eager to try more.

Scarf is about 12″ x 72″

                                    Detail

CRYSTAL BRIDGES

We’ve just returned from Crystal Bridges Museum of America Art in Bentonville, Arkansas where we saw the current exhibit “State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now.” It runs to January 19, 2015 and if you are anywhere near northwest Arkansas I urge to see it. Not only is it a fantastic display of current American art showing everything from fiber to film, but the admission is FREE! The following two pics are of the museum.

And being a fiber artist myself, I was particularly drawn to the fiber in the exhibit

 

Jeila Gueramian –  Collected vintage crochet and knitted objects

Gina Phillips – Pieced, painted “quilted” fiber

Adam Eckstrom & Lauren Was – collage of lottery tickets

Miki Baird – cut photo images

Four women studying cut paper with individual typed letters. I forgot to write the artist’s name.

Watching Nature

A couple of days ago I discovered little birds alighting on the sunflowers to feast on the seeds. Since it was such a beautiful day, I lay on the grass with my camera trying to catch one in the act. Couldn’t stay there long ’cause the grass was itchy but got one in flight.

 

Then I discovered a very large mushroom. It’s about the size of a softball. Plan to watch it to see how it develops.