Good Grief Quilt

Uncommon Threads, an art quilt group that I belong to, has made a funeral quilt to be used for each of us when we die. When the last one dies, it will be donated to a museum. Sounds morbid, I know, but a couple of members researched the subject of funeral quilts and discovered that they have been used for several centuries as a cloth or covering of caskets for people who couldn’t afford a nice casket or during the Victoria era covered with embroidery and fancy work. Maybe it was just another excuse for us to have a challenge, but it was accepted with enthusiasm. Our only problem was that no one could agree on the color, so it was decided to make one side warm colors and the other side cool colors. Each member made two blocks; one cool and one warm. It became such a magnificent project that we decided to create a book. I did the photography and Merrilee Tieche was the editor. Each member has two pages to depict their blocks and to tell why, what, or how they were inspired. Below is the cover, front and back. Click Book Preview in the sidebar to see the first 15 pages. It can be ordered from Blurb. There is much more history and explanation in the book. Enjoy.

Back in the Saddle Again

Got the bug to do some little studies. Here are three more. Can you find the cat hair on one of them? Oh, good grief.

I’m really in the mood to do more of these, but we’re leaving next Tuesday for Durango, CO to attend the Intermountain Weavers Converence and then on to a camping trip in Wyoming. Too much to do to get ready.

SFA Dye Workshop

This past weekend I led a dye workshop for Springfield Fiber Artists. It was pretty loose and everyone did what they wanted. I was just a helper if they had a problem. I think everyone had a good time and learned at least one new technique. Here are just a few samples. I almost forgot to take any pictures!Linda Compton

Mary Lou Holmes

Marty Corcoran

Barb Arnold

Witch Grass

You say, “She’s reached the bottom of the barrel to find anything to show.”

But, look at this. It’s a rather inspiring design. Sketch it. Make a stamp from your sketch. Make a stencil from your sketch.   Change the colors.

Excuse me, while I go pull more of this x@%!# stuff out of the flower bed. I’ll get to the drawing later.

Lemons to Lemonade

You’ve heard the old saying:  “When you get lemons, make lemonade” haven’t you? Well, here’s the lemon; an out-of-focus picture of my flower bed. They were ALL out of focus.

And here is the “lemonade” after being manipulated in photoshop.

I think I can do something with this.

Eat, eat, eat

The last two weeks have been busy as can be. First there were two carpenters putting a new roof on the house, replacing half of the living room ceiling and rebuilding the cold air return. Then we attended our annual high school reunion in Willow Springs. It started out as a hamburger cook-out in a park down on Main Street. On Saturday, there was a pancake breakfast, a brunch, a luncheon, and a banquet.

This past Saturday, I attended the SFA, Springfield Fiber Artists, annual pot-luck salad luncheon at the Holmes house, way down in the gilly-woolies, through beautiful hills, woods, and farm land. Here we are on their back porch, eating as usual. I wish you could hear the creek just past the lower right corner of the picture. Life is good in the Ozarks and, if nothing else, we eat very well.

Detail

The current wall quilt, that I’ve been working on, is finished. I don’t want to show the whole photograph until it’s been exhibited, but here is a detail.

It is a photo image with stick figures silk screened over it, hand dyed silk velvet with pieced cotton satin stitch-appliqued on top. Hand quilted and machine quilted. The silk velvet was difficult to work with, but not so difficult that I don’t want to try it again. The drape and sheen are so beautiful.

Three peonies

It must be due to the cool, wet Spring that we’ve had, that the peonies are outstanding this year.  I think they have inspired me to create a wall quilt that I’m working on now. Too soon to post a picture, but stay tuned!

Beauty in the Ugly

Here is a photograph of two wilted tulips taken at dusk on the dinning room table, way under exposed. After playing in photoshop this was the result. Not bad; I think.

Spring Abounds

I hiked on a little trail through the woods near my house. What a beautiful Spring after so much cold, wet weather. Watch out for the ticks and chiggers; they’re out there too!  Ask me how I know!