Playing with scraps--bookmarks

Last summer, I developed the habit of doing small sketches with my tea at breakfast or lunch, of flora, fauna and flotsam that I'd picked up while on my walks on the trail or at the beach. I'm trying to get back into the habit. Today, I did a small one of a lobster claw picked up at the beach last weekend. My husband sighed when he saw me pick it up because he knew that the table would be gathering all these odd bits again. He complains, don't they all, but thankfully, he ignores it.

 After breakfast, I went out this morning to get the flat tire fixed and oh boy it is hot! I truly am happy to be able to retreat to my sunny, but cool, (thanks to A/C )studio with it's window onto the garden. I glanced outside occasionally while  I played with my painted canvas background and scraps. I noted but did not stop for photos when the robin siblings came to play in the fountain.

Instead of working on the runner and curtains that I should be doing, I've been playing with the fusible scraps that I cut out yesterday for the painted canvas background .

I arranged a small section and ironed the pieces down.



Taking this piece to the sewing machine, I proceeded to do some sketchy outlining of the flowers and leaves with black thread.

It really brings it alive doesn't it?

Next, I cut it into two sections about the right size for bookmarks. Then I decided it needed a little sparkle so I cut out some Angelina fiber bubbles that I'd backed with fusible.

The last step will be to attach a fabric backing (the blue) and zigzag the edges. Is it any wonder why I generally save these for gifts and don't sell them? They would be expensive book marks although they are fun to do--akin to cutting and pasting in kindergarten. very relaxing.

I just went out to answer the phone and checked the thermometer in the shade on the deck. 33.4C. I was my husband confirming our date for a quick supper at a family type local restaurant. Yay, I had more time to play today with no dinner to start. It's too hot to barbecue and he plans to head to the golf course afterwards.

I'm linking to The Needle and Thread Network.

Meandering

Yesterday, was a nice day here, but I did spend part of it at our last guild UFO day where I worked on cutting and sewing a new cover for the deck swing. Later, we had dinner out with family to celebrate the 99th birthday of a great aunt.
Before dinner, I went for a short spin on my bike along my usual snowshoe trail. I was able to bike along most of the more open spots except for this section.

The leaves are just beginning to bud and the ground cover is still pretty sparse. Spring colors are appearing if one looks carefully. Love the color in this new little fir tree!

There are pretty little things. The catkins on the dogwood are open.

Today, I spent my short time in my studio happily and mindlessly meandering back and forth on the background piece for the tulips.

No matter how I tried, I could not get all the sparkly bits to show.

Now, I need to decide how I will applique the tulips.They have fusible on the back but I'm wondering if the color in the background might show through. Also, I would like to have some extending beyond the background edges and I need to think about the best way to do that.

Tulips

Last night, I cut out a few bits of fused fabric tulip shapes to audition on my layered. I was anxious to see how it would work before I continued laying out the background strips.

The sun has come out again and plans to stay for a while I believe. The plan is for me to go outside for an hour or so in the morning or until I'm too sore to keep going, come in for lunch along with the application of ice packs, and then I head to my studio for some art play.

This  morning's task was to finish transplanting my rhubarb further along the fence where it will get more sun.

I know it looks pretty blah now but I am so proud of this, lol! It took 2 days and involved digging up the grass and sifting through rocky soil, sieving out what I could get out of the still partly frozen compost bin and adding it to the patch, digging up the rhubarb to move and laying in the brick border; all done gingerly and at a turtles pace, so as not to aggravate the joints. But oh, it is so good to get outdoors and into the dirt!

I used the ice packs during lunch and after tea, I m0oved into my studio. I was anxious to lay out more fabrics for my tulip background. What you see below is just an idea of where I will go with it.

The orange is brighter in these second two pictures than the first one. After a recent little photography lesson, I m experimenting with new lights. At the moment I'm using natural light and a  light on a stand. I have a second light bulb but need another stand.

The fused tulips and swirls are laid out to get a feel for the placement and color. I will take them off and stitch down all the layers of background fabric before fusing them on.

The plan is for the free motion stitching to enhance the background as well as providing soft transitions between the layers.

I picture it as a long narrow piece with some of the tulips extending outside the edges.

The Wave and prepping samples for a workshop

I'm so anxious to get some stitching done on the Wave, but I'm giving a workshop on my birch tree method. in a week and I've got to get the samples and supplies ready.

At least, I ironed all the little bits that I added yesterday so I could clean of my ironing board.There are a few small changes that I made even since I took the picture. Now, it's laying next to my machine with some thread colors picked out. Also, I just ordered some colors that I'm missing. Hope they come soon.

While it was up on my design wall, I added some cheesecloth in the area where I want the white frothy water to go. I'm not going to use it; I just wanted to see how the white will look.

My workshop is on the shibori tree method that I wrote about in Quilting Arts magazine , April/May 2013. Even still, Im in love with this method.

After wrapping the can with string and some marbled batik,fabric which is scrunched down as I wrap, I dab on the grey/white fabric paint.

Removing the string right away prevents the wrinkles from getting too permanent. After drying, I heat set it and then add some grey shadows, some grey branches here and there, and the  black marks which are so indicative of the birch trees.

I've done the right side only to show the difference.

Here I'm auditioning some fused tone on tone white fabric for some foreground trees.

Before I fuse them down, I will add stabilizer to the back and do a little free motion stitching on the background.

It's been a pretty productive Monday, as I've got bed sheets on the line, I was snow shoeing (probably the last day before it rains) before noon, and I've thrown together a blueberry rhubarb crisp which is in the oven now.  I am tired, but a good tired as the saying goes.

My daughter's cushion covers; more on the wave

Well, my daughter, Caley did manage to finish her cushion covers for her apartment before she left yesterday afternoon. I put them on my cushions for the picture.

I quite like her choice of fabrics from my stash. Even though she hasn't sewn in about 8 years or so, and then just the basics, she did the whole thing with my guidance. She quilted in the ditch vertically and horizontally. The back has a Velcro closing.

After a snowshoe trek on the fresh snow with my friend this morning, I had a short rest (with a shut eye), and then I went into my studio to do a little more on The Wave. This is based on a photo that my son recently sent me of himself winter surfing.

I'm working at my ironing board, using a tracing paper overlay, drawing and cutting fusible backed fabrics as I go. I've got the tracing paper taped to the top of the interfacing backing, so I can flip it down to draw the pieces and then lay them into place with tweezers.

I keep referring to the picture on my I Pad for color reference, going back to my tracing paper pattern to cut shapes.

I have already stitched the background trees with the snow and netting on top. The netting greys the fabric a bit as I didn't have quite the right color. The turquoise color will also be greyed with either netting or stitching.

Yes, no surfboard yet. I'm still working on getting all the basic shapes laid down. This is a small piece, maybe about 9 by 11".

I hope you're creatively enjoying your day.

Playing with free motion

It was one of those days where it was supposed to go one way and went instead in a completely different direction-- in a good way though. Yoga this morning was cancelled due to more snow on the way, but my friend and I wanted to do something, so we went snowshoeing. The snow was light and falling gently with no wind.

Then our other friend is leaving Friday for the South so since it wasn't yet snowing too heavily, we met her for lunch to wish her bon voyage.



After finishing another bagette yesterday, I could do  something new. I didn't really have enough time to get into my larger fiber art pieces.

 

 Still in the mood for rummaging into my scrap boxes, I found some pieces that weren't big enough for bags but just right for bookmarks.

It is so fun!
Cut the prints
 Back them with a heavy stabilizer.
Add some fusible backed flower and leaf shapes (from a fusible scrap box)
Spread some threads or ribbon bits (collected from fiber art projects and friends)
Lay tulle on top

 

Free motion stitch it all down. See what a difference a little stitching will make?

Add fabric to the back and zigzag around it.

I'll add them to my box where I collect little gifts to use for friend's birthdays and such. Add some tea and boo for a perfect personal; little gift.

After retreat

My retreat had it's ups and downs! I arrived at 9AM Thursday morning and proceeded to work on my Queen sized quilt. By Friday I had it put together except for the white border strips. Typical for me, I thought I had the math all figured out, but, while it is plenty long enough, it could have more width. Because the sashings are done in one long strip horizontally, it would look funny to add a vertical row. I either have to accept the  width or add another border.

There is about a 10" drop on each side right now.

Of course at lunch I couldn't resist some bird feeder photography. These are pine siskins which I saw feeding off a ladies hand on facebook. I stood outside for about 10 minutes with no luck. I'll have to keep trying. In the picture below, I was attracted to the beautiful wingspan when I noticed the one on the right.

I also had time to put together this zippered pouch from a bit of my painted and stitched canvas.

Friday night, I did not sleep well and was very tired on Saturday. I seemed to be having some shortness of breath and decided to go home after supper on Saturday. I had enjoyed most of the retreat at least. As usual, we had lots of fun and laughs, along with quiet conversation, sharing of ideas, fabric and supplies (what a generous bunch), and good food-- a little bit too good!

Sunday, I went to emergency and an ECG showed an electrical block. Once questioned though, and  it was ascertained by the doctor that I could get my heart rate up to a good rate during exertion, I was assured that I would be fine to go and see my family doctor in a couple of weeks. I'll likely be referred for some further tests.

Today, I've been low key, spending the afternoon in my sewing room putting together a little baguette from this pattern.

I made the small one from a leftover screen print that I had painted with Neocolor II crayons, as in my latest article in Quilting Arts magazine. You can find the link to the issue in my sidebar. Following a bit of experimentation with the new machine, I added a bit of free motion stitch too.

Even though my intention was to make a couple of these for possible gifts, I also want to keep one for myself. Although it's not really noticeable, I put the print in upside down, blue on bottom, green on top, lol. Good enough for me; I have some binding clips that need a home.

I hope this Monday finds you healthy, happy and creative in some small way. Tell me about it if you like.

Meandering over the middle ground and rocks

I really didn't have much time today for sewing but i cannot resist adding a little free motion meandering to my fiber art piece. I did my chores, made chicken soup for supper, and I need to go finish a date loaf for which the dates are soaking.

This morning there was a pair of new birds at my feeder. Purple finches. The male is the reddish hued one.

I wandered into my studio to pack up a bit and ended up doing a little more free motion stitching on my rocks. I had to drag myself away.

It's starting to come together stitch by stitch by stitch, line by line.

Now, I really must go get something done. Ill be going to yoga tomorrow, plus a few errands and then retreat first thing Thursday morning.

One last thing. I have to show you pictures of our yard after the most recent storm.

My front walk.

My back yard.

A cushion, some thread painting, applique

I know the title doesn't sound much like I'm paying attention to my word for the year and staying 'focused'! However, my interpretation of the word means that I want to focus more on the moment, trying to be present when I'm creating (that's easy), when I'm eating or exercising, or basically doing anything. No more burnt pots!

I started the day intending to paint the trees onto my newly painted sky for the rocky hillside piece. I did go into the studio this morning and cut out pieces for the background hillside and some of the snow.

I like to draw my pattern onto freezer paper which I then iron onto the right of my fabric which has fusible already ironed to the back. This way I don't have to worry about reversed pattern pieces and I can see how it's going to fit as I go along.

I've laid it out with some of the pieces of the snow on the shrubby hillside part with the sky fabric in behind.

I did not paint the trees onto the background fabric after lunch because I wandered into my studio with my cup of tea and got lured to the sewing machine. That is the joy of having a studio where you can leve everything set up. Everything is sitting there waiting (calling) to you.

I added some fir trees to the background of my little shanties piece.

My thought at the time was that I'd just add some firs and then I'd go paint on my other piece. Of course I kept pulling out more thread colors and one tree led to another.

 I finally had to stop for my afternoon snack.

I had pomegranate with cottage cheese, my favorite! 

I'll make a cup of tea now and go sit down in my new happy place with my knitting and a bit of Downton Abbey.

I've set out one of the new cushions that I finished even though I find the pillow form a little too full. I'm going to open it and take out some of the stuffing.

You might notice that I've tried out a bound edge just like on a quilt-- an idea I came across somewhere on the net.

 Now, for my cup of tea before dinner preparations.

Puzzling together some rocks

A large snowstorm has caused many cancellations here today. I would normally be out for most of the day, but I'm never against some found studio time. I did a few chores this morning and I made a batch of granola.
After lunch, I headed into my studio. This is the view through my window.

'

If you look carefully through the grey haze, you'll see the bluejay that made a few attempts to land on the snow covered suet before he managed it.


I've been thinking about how I want to approach my next fiber art piece. It's a little different for me in that it has some rather intricate rock pieces in the foreground that need to be cut and fit together. I've started there because it will take me a while to get the pieces all drawn and fit together and I haven't got the background done yet.
I started by drawing a master pattern on white paper and numbering the rocks. Then I traced them onto the paper side of freezer paper.

I cut each rock from the freezer paper and ironed it onto the right side of my fabric which has fusible ironed to the back. I've laid a few pieces out to see how they'll fit but I won't take the paper off with the numbers until I'm ready to iron it all together.

I'm not completely sure how I will do the background  yet, but I have a couple of ideas which both involve some paint. I will be home again tomorrow and I may just get some time to paint some fabric.
 I think this project is going to keep me busy for a while.