It's too Short

My Deep Spaces entry that is, - what were you thinking? There was way more take up in the quilting than I expected. I don't usually quilt this much, it is very dense, and even though I had added extra length for that reason, I didn't add enough. Do any of you have a good idea of how I can add another inch without it looking like I did? The background could be described as string pieced, and I have thought of even possibly adding a short fringe that would give it the needed length. I guess the other question is how carefully will they measure. Having not entered this show before I don't know if the inch would even be noticed. I don't know how strict is it. Let me know what you all think. - and no I can't post a photo until I am sure I wont enter it.

last night was great

Bonnie Hunter was the guest speaker and she was fab!! I knew I would enjoy it because she is a scrap quilter and does some string pieceing she is a kindred spirit. I brough two of my vinatage string quilts to share with her and she flipped, and photographed them. Purchased one of her books so I could have her sign it. She inspired many last evening, traditionalists and art quilters. I have gotten a few really good thoughts on things to do at the shoppe as a result of Bonnies talk, and the reactions to her work that I saw happening all around me. The reveal of the challenge showed a great variety of work, with a bolder feeling than last time. It seemed to me that there was less of a need to keep it looking like the photo, and a sense of more freedom of both technique and image. The next one is a lovely photo of a pair of Zinnias ( I think that's what they are ) and the challenge is to interpret in black white and grays. I think I am going to do it entirely in thread work. I am so happy that the idea has already come to me. This time I may get the piece done the way I envision and actually have time to get the hand work onto it. Exciting, ideas are flowing hard and fast today. Lastly, but not least, I got my center for the round robin back and they did a great job with it. They didn't add much in the way of new fabrics to it, but did a great job working with the bright color palette and dealing with the asymmetry of the design. I wanted to put them up to a less technical, more aesthetic challenge and they rose to it in a wonderful way. I now need to decide if I want to add to it and then quilt it. The official reveal is in June. I will get photos of my challenge piece and the round robin as soon as I get new batteries in the camera.

big night at guild

Tonight, at our guild meeting, Bonnie Hunter is the speaker. She is a scrap quilter and I am looking forward to her lecture. I have a vintage scrap quilt that resembles one of her designs so I will bring it along to share with her. Sharing inspiration is what guilds are all about - even sharing inspiration with the guest speaker. When I go out to lecture I love it when members share things that they know I will like.

It is also the reveal for the second Art Challenge. Got my piece mounted yesterday and It is pretty nice. Had planned to do a bunch of hand stitching on it, but I ran out of time. Of course, I had made the original piece way larger than the requirement, and it turned out that I had enough quilted to make two, so I will do the hand work on the second one.

It is also ( I told you it was busy ) the last trade off of the round robin. This time we get back our own center. I can't wait to see what they have done with what I sent around. Based on the other pieces that have come through mine will be a challenge. The strong color, the hand painted fabric, raw edge applique without fusible behind it, Should be interesting. Just in case you don't remember, here is the piece I sent around. I will post it again after I get it back for comparison. I am wondering if the sawtooth lady will put one here too. Of three pieces not our own that came around, she put a sawtooth on two of them. I really can't wait to see the results.

lots to do.

The Art Challenge piece got a coat of viridain All purpose ink last evening. It ran into the stencils a bit more than I had expected, but the colors are good. I am now thinking some thread painting in some shiny threads within the designs themselves, and perhaps some more surface design. Getting the motif and then not looking at the photo anymore has allowed more to happen that I expected from this design. I want to work with a few more layers so the almost Asian feeling of the motif isn't so strong. I like the exotic association, but it is not where I am at, and I don't want that to confuse the issue. Now that I have a base motif to work with, I have found a small piece of lace trim that has the right kind of motif that I could do rubbings from, and two different rubber stamps that also have the right feel, one of which I had carved for another project. The piece is due one week from today, and in the meantime, my hubby will be away, I have to get the taxes done, and my daughter needs the PowerPoint for the backdrop of her solo ready for dress rehearsal on Tuesday. SO we will see just how far this piece goes.