Baby Here, Quilt finished

So my cousins baby boy arrived at 9:48 pm Monday. I got the blue satin binding on yesterday. No more time to put that job off. I made them a wedding quilt, made a baby quilt for their first, had to do this one. Both previous quilts were greeted warmly, but when the thank you came I was thanked for the Blanket. I know it's just their lack of the right vocabulary, and I don't think she has any experience at all with handmade items, but it still is a bug in my side. Ok, enough, I will get it packed and shipped out today, and hopefully the information on the label will educate them on the "Quilt".

I am getting ready for the new year, I am now on face book, under my name, Diana Louie. Friend me. I am reaching out for a new stronger artistic network. I am participating in the Sketchbook Challenge with a number of prominent Quilt Artists, and I can't wait for that to begin. Click on the button on the right for more information on that, or to join in. In fact, some of the artists I know have been discussing a word for the new year, and this year mine is going to be network. I'll keep you all posted.

Are you out there?

Not one person requested the pattern after the last post. Are you out there? Is there a problem with the settings here that make it hard to post? The whole point of this blog is to keep in contact with creative people, and if something is not working I need to know. In the profile is my email, if you tried to post and it doesn't show up please try to let me know. All this technology is still new to me and I am increasingly finding my way without tech support from my too busy hubby.

I must get the binding on a baby quilt to send to my cousin, the baby was born last night, so no more putting it off. A little boy and all are doing fine. I had hoped to spend some time today working out the bugs in my technology, but it is time to finish the baby quilt.

New Projects for the New Year

Yes I know that most everyone including myself, is trying to finish things for the holiday, but there are two new things that I need to share.

First, is the Sketchbook Challenge. About a dozen very creative people have gotten together and linked up their blogs to create this. They are all going to work a sketchbook ( each their own) with a different theme each month for 2011. At the blog, there are profiles of each of them, and links to tutorials and images on flicker of some of their sketchbooks. The badge in the right and column should take you directly there for more information. They have made this public and have invited the Quilt Art World to work along with them. I have every intention of doing just that and I think that anyone who is serious about creating original work should get in the sketchbook habit. I will happily post images from mine here as the year goes on.

Second, I am thanking those of you who read this with a free project. I have been making pillow boxes for gift giving from greeting cards on and off for many years. They are easy, green and look great if you have a pretty card to start with. If you leave a comment on this blog before Christmas Eve I will send you the pattern and instructions by email. Just click on "Your thoughts ??" and follow the instructions, remember that if you comment as anonymous, I wont be able to send you anything.

returning momentum

Art making is a funny thing. You can go for weeks without any inspiration strong enough to combat the tired at the end of the day, then up comes a deadline that forces you to get going and the ideas flow so fast you can't keep up with them. The Art Quilt Challenge for my guild is due this Wednesday and so I needed to really get going. In two days, the piece is conceived, quilted, collaged, and quilted some more. I want to add some hand work to it and get it mounted as per the challenge instructions today, because now that I am working on something that isn't for the Holiday, the plan for the Deep Spaces piece has sprung to life. Now to get it done too, that one is due is January. I don't yet know if I am allowed to post a photo of the Art Quilt Challenge piece, I will add one if and when I hear a positive answer, If I can't, you will just have to wait until the First Dutchess Heritage Quilt Show which will be Columbus Day Weekend, 2011.

** We had the big reveal last night, great work, take a look at this link http://wildwomanglamgirl.blogspot.com/

Just in case, here is mine.

New Stamp

Over the weekend, I carved a beetle out of a white rubber eraser piece. I used an exacto knife and did it kind of quickly, with Halloween, it was a busy time but this is small and the general outline of a beetle is easy for me so I grabbed a minute or two and did it. I didn't get to try it out until last night, in my sketchbook. I got a design I wasn't expecting because the eraser had light imprints of the logo (I think) scattered over the flat surface of the eraser. It came out like dots on a ladybug!! Usually weird things that "Go Wrong" are problematic, but this worked out great. I don't know yet if the dots will show if I stamp on fabric, but they are great with a stamp pad on paper. Very cool. I wonder if I can use it on the header of this blog? I have wanted to put a few bugs in the grass near the dandelion, this one might be just right. I will spend some time trying to figure this out, watch for the new critter to appear!!!

More on the Round Robin

So I was all ready to work on the round robin, knew what I was going to do, and then I measured it so I could cut the for the round I was adding. It is beautifully pieced, nice and flat, and I thought about a 12 inch finish. Nope, 12 inch cut. This changes all the math, anything I piece needs to end up 11 1/2 inches finished. Not many units that are easy to measure on a quilting ruler work with that, so I need to change my plan. I think I will make templates from the diamonds she used, and work with that size, perhaps adding a thin sash with cornerstones to bring the finished size to something that will make it easier on the next person. After talking to several people doing this project ( in other Groups ) I think the challenge feels like a bit much for some of them. Perhaps a session by the committee on Round Robin ethics and etiquette would have been helpful. Using a round robin to eliminate poorly made or measured blocks isn't a fair thing. I can handle it, but I know that not everyone would be able to do something nice with that. If the block was far enough off that you rejected it from the project or abandoned it totally then you should not pass it to someone else in this context. The object of this kind of project is not to have someone else fix your work. ( apparently, a number of people have used reject blocks for the centers ) Sorry about the rant. I have taken this a a challenge and an idea is formulating, I will post a photo when I get my round on it. Now I must get back to the drawing board - literally.

Quilt Sold!!

OK, so it doesn't happen very often yet, so I still feel like celebrating when one of my pieces sells. This one was a scrap quilt I made as a class sample years ago, North wind Block, Scrappy, set in an asymmetrical barn raising, with a discharged fabric on the back. Just a lap size, but warm and cuddly, and looks great on the wall too. The purchaser is taking it to Switzerland as a gift for her mother. She took a photograph of me holding it so she could show her Mom - who is a beginning quilter. Made my day yesterday. It is amazing how much that kind of validation can do for a person. I was a little annoyed at my hubby, I was so happy, and he didn't exactly jump for joy for me. He does sell his artwork for a living, and is also on a very tight deadline right now, but still. So I am sharing my good news with you my readers.

Round Robin Update

Last night was the guild meeting at which we got to find out who else was in our group for the round robin, and pass the center blocks to the next person. The variety of centers I saw were a diverse collection, and there was quite a bit of wondering what to do with THIS!!? Anyway, I passed on my piece and received the center I was to work on, and it is beautifully pieced, an 8 point star, in soft gold and green Asian style prints- and she put lots of fabric in the box too. However, I am really glad I read her "Getting to know you" Changed the whole thought of what to do with my round on her quilt. Under the Favorite block category she wrote No Art Quilts. I am curious what she will do when she gets my center.

Also last evening the Art Quilt Special Interest Group put out their first of (I think) four challenges, they gave us a photo of sunflowers and the challenge is to interpret a part of it in a 8 x 10 horizontal format quilt. That seems much less of a challenge to me than the round robin. Either way, it feels good to have some freedom with these projects, instead of constantly making samples for the store. We have until the December meeting for both projects. Ill keep you updated.

Round Robin

I have not yet gotten the borders on my sisters quilt. I have chosen a stripe for the outer border that needs to be fussy cut and the long tables in my classroom have been busy and unavailable for some time now.

I did however get the center square for the Guild Round Robin done, its 18" finished with a background fabric I painted years ago that has been waiting for the right project. The applique shapes are from the book, Fusible Magic by Nancy Johnson Srebro. The lavender ones show better on the piece in person, but I am fairly happy with it.

I am always telling my students that they should join challenges, and things like round robins to stretch their skills, and when my guild announced this one I had to put my money where my mouth is. The hardest part for me was that I kept having good ideas for the project, that I was then afraid that no one but me would want to work on it. - That spells disaster for a round robin! So I decided to use some of the units from the Fusible Magic Book. I am nearly done the sample top for a Block of the Month at my store using that book, and it has been really fun. For the round robin, it gives the person to get it next a place to go to if they get stuck. We are also allowed to include some fabric so I am sending along some hand painted pieces that I like with this. I used fusible applique that is stitched down by machine with raw edges. I'd love to hear what you think. Please leave a comment.

Welcome

This blog is dedicated to my fiber art. I am highly inspired by the small creatures of the world, bugs, marine invertebrates, and yes spiders. These under appreciated beings are so critical to the functioning of their ecosystems that in many cases the whole food chain would break down without them. We need to be careful stewards of our world if we want it to be preserved for future generations.

My main media is quiltmaking, but I have no trouble incorporating whatever material gets the job done. I have used meltable faux stained glass (that even glows in the dark! ) and dorito bags to name a few of the less than traditional materials that have graces my work. Wall pieces also mean that I need not worry about washability, although permanence is important. Painting and surface design techniques have been entering my pieces in a more important way in recent pieces.

Currently I have to create a bed quilt for my sister. The top is awaiting its borders and I will be doing some bobbin work and hand quilting it. This is my baby sister, and it is her wedding quilt. She is an avid beach goer, former lifeguard and her house is only minutes from the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound. This photo is the top so far. It is based on Vertical Visions by Laurie Schffrin. Although I rarely work from someone else's pattern, this one fit the project so well I did it. Of course I changed it some, and the quilting plan I have for it will move it firmly out of the range of copy cat quilting, I do credit Laurie - a good pattern is still a good pattern even when it's not all mine. The colors are much softer than I usually use but this suits her and her groom very well. After all, the gift should be suited to the recipient. Getting the borders on wont take long, but the handwork, I will probably be right down to the wire, their set date is early July next summer.