Living and Dyeing Under the Big Sky

Sunset is Finished!

2012-02-02T06:17:00.000-07:00

Here is my Sunset, all bound and finished!

Here are some details of the binding. I have started mitering the fused binding at the corners. A tutorial of this technique is coming soon.

I continue to find the fused binding works really great. I am happy I can trim the binding so it extends the (mountain) block printing visually.

This piece makes me inexplicably happy. It is such a simple scene - I find myself wondering why I like it so much. Perhaps because I am so delighted with the effect of the "mountain" block. Or is it because sunsets are one of life's greatest joys? We have stunning sunsets nearly every day here at our home, and we really enjoy them. Our big windows face west, so we get a great view.

Sunset Quilting

2012-02-01T05:41:00.000-07:00

The quilting is finished.

Up close, you really get the details of the block printing and stitching. I am pleased with the luminous quality of the iridescent fabric paint I used for the printing (Jacquard Lumiere - gold).

I find I am really fascinated by the effect of the printing - not just for this piece, but for all the pieces in this series. I am intrigued by the way the underlying fabric and stitching continues to show through, yet is completely transformed by the printing layer. I am very inspired to continue my explorations with this series.

I have run out of the block printing plate material I use, so I have ordered more. I have experimented with a lot of different products, but my current favorite comes from Nasco, a school supply company. Click here to see what I ordered. This recycled, latex free product comes in many sizes, but this time, I have ordered it in a 12 x 18" sheets.

Next, I will trim and bind this piece.

Travel Log Tuesday - Lava Beds National Monument

2012-01-31T06:05:00.002-07:00

This is the entrance to Golden Cave at Lava Beds National Monument.
It is a very tight opening. You have to watch your head as you descend the ladder.

The floor of Golden Cave is covered in rough lava. Many places it is necessary to stoop to pass through an passage way. This cave has some loops. We actually got lost for a while and it was kind of scary. We really did not have enough light - just our headlamps which were inadequate in this very dark cave.

The reason this cave is called Golden Cave - is the yellow green or golden colored fungus that grows on the lava rock. It happens to grow here because it is just the right environment for it - temperature, humidity, and darkness are all factors in the environment for the fungus.

Mail Art Project - Week Seventy One

2012-01-30T05:45:00.001-07:00

Here is the fabric I used for the background. It was hand dyed (pink), then printed with the leaf fossil. I didn't like the pink, so I overpainted it with red fabric paint.

I quilted it very simply, then fused the fish fossils in place. Below, you can see how I stitched the fossils in place after fusing.

Today's quote:

"I have great faith in fools. My friends call it self confidence."
-Edgar Allen Poe-

Pepper Print - 100 Foot Square

2012-01-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

I am doing a lot of rummaging in drawers for this 100 foot square series.

I have always liked this piece printed with a green pepper. Apparently, I cut into it at some point, but I think there is enough to make both a 12" square and a couple of postcards.

Here it is after quilting. I decided to stitch a hand dyed specialty yarn to the edge for the binding.

Mountain Block for the Sunset Sky

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

This piece called for a new block. This one is 4" square - the size I am making most of my new blocks these days.

It is all printed and ready for quilting. I am loving the new block and am really pleased with the piece so far.

Block Printing the Sunset Sky

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Preparing to print this piece, I selected several blocks I like for the sky.

Here is the full piece after the sky has been printed. The printing is not terribly obvious at a distance (especially on the orange and yellow fabrics). However, note the top 6 inches of the purple areas that are altered by the gold and yellow printing!

Zig Zag on the Sunset

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

This time, I thought I would try using a regular, wide zig zag stitch to attach the collaged fabric pieces.

I did not use the darning foot for free motion. I set my machine for a wide zig zag stitch.

This went quick, much quicker than when I am using the free motion and creating texture.

I changed the thread several times.

Here it is all stitched down. Next, I will add the block printing.

Starting a new piece - Sunset

2012-01-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

For my next piece in the collaged / block printed series (I really need to get a better name for this series), I wanted to do something to represent a sunset. We get incredible sunset views at our place. Our home is elevated above the Yellowstone Valley floor and we have a good view to the west. I have always enjoyed the sunset colors and so I started pulling orange, yellow and purple hand dyed fabrics from my stash.

I felt the first one was not successful, so I redid it in a vertical orientation. It still does not look like a sunset to me.

Then, while driving into town during a sunset, I realized the problem was that I needed to create something to orientate the sunset. A horizon line. Duh! I pulled off all the fabric pieces again and replaced them. Ahhhh . . . . .much better. So, I pinned the fabrics in place. This one has the backing on as well. I am going to try zig zagging all three layers together at once.

Travel Log Tuesday - Lava Beds National Monument

2012-01-24T06:51:00.004-07:00

This is the entrance to "Hercules Leg" - one of the lava tube caves we went into.

As we climbed closer, the cave opening became more obvious. This is one cave that does not have a ladder or stairs, but has a natural, easily accessed entrance.

Below, you can see why they named this cave Hercules Leg - this huge pillar in the middle of the cave. It is possible to walk all the way around this pillar - it is a true pillar. It is amazing how well the flash lit up the interior of the caves - they were VERY dark inside. (headlamps and flashlights required!)

Here is Joe as we were leaving the cave.

Mail Art Project - Week Seventy

2012-01-23T05:40:00.002-07:00

Hand dyed, rust dyed cotton, melted synthetic organza, fabric paints, machine quilted.

Today's quote:

"What difference does it make if the thing you are scared of is real or not?"
-Toni Morrison-

Gelatin Plate Fern Print - 100 Foot Square

2012-01-22T06:50:00.000-07:00

Here is the next piece in my 100 Foot Squares Series. This is a gelatin plate print I did quite a few years ago from a fern I harvested in my sister's Portland yard. Ferns this size don't grow here (at least not in my dry yard). I placed the fern fronds inside a ziplock bag for the 900 mile drive back to Billings, then I put them in the refrigerator upon arriving home, and they kept for about a week until I was able to get a gelatin plate ready for printing.

Here is a link to a post I did when I printed the fabric.

The butterfly is a Thermofax screen print adapted from a photo I took on a Beartooth Mountain hike. I print with black ink onto orange hand dyed fabric, then add the white dots later with a paintbrush.

Upper Yellowstone Valley Quilt Finished

2012-01-21T06:50:00.002-07:00

This piece is now finished! As you can see, I opted to crop away about 13" of the sky.

Binding for Yellowstone Valley

2012-01-20T06:19:00.002-07:00

Time to put a binding on the Yellowstone Valley piece. I had some naturally dyed raw silk left over from the body of the quilt and this I got ready by adding Mistyfuse to the back. By the way, I have a new iron - and I love it. I put away my expensive and crappy Rowenta and picked up this Hamilton Beach model at Target for just $25. It gets good and hot and has a nonstick soleplate. It also gives off a lot of good steam. It is so nice to have good tools!
Here are the fabrics I have for the binding (above). The two pictures below show the binding in place - fused and stitched. I have also extended the lines of the screen print with a black fabric marker. I plan to enhance that area with the watercolor crayons, also - so it blends better.

Right side binding (before the watercolor crayons enhance the color here)

Left side binding

Cropping the Yellowstone Valley Piece

2012-01-19T06:06:00.002-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I have known all along the proportions of this piece were all wrong. I started out with a screen printed mountain scene that I wanted to work with. It had a little bit of sky and I added to that a bit. Then I realized it needed something more below the screen printed mountain scene so I added a piece of batting and fused some pieces of naturally dyed fabric to that. I just went with the size batting I had on hand and decided I would crop away whichever part needed to go when the time came. Now the time has come. Something needs to happen because it looks "less than" with the mountain scene going right through the center. In the image above, I have cropped away half of the grass foreground, creating a piece that really emphasizes the "big sky".
I am also contemplating cropping it vertically to create a different orientation. I am even considering making it into two pieces that will hang side by side.
Here it is with some of the sky cropped away. This brings the piece into a different perspective. It places the mountain valley off in the distance.
Finally, this image crops away a bit of each the sky and the grass foreground, creating a wide, narrow piece with a totally different feel.

Hmmmm.......

Printing the Yellowstone Valley Piece

2012-01-18T06:53:00.003-07:00

A few weeks ago, I posted my dilemma concerning this piece. It is part of a series in which I am using collaged fused piecing and block printing as the primary techniques. I found I liked it very much at the point where the collage was in place. I really loved the look of my naturally dyed raw silk fabrics in the foreground and I felt that block printing might obscure the subtle texture of that fabric.

After some deliberation, I decided to go forward with the block printing as originally planned. This is how I am working this series - it is all about using block printing as my primary means of expression and each exploration is a learning opportunity. So here goes. I carefully selected three blocks for printing the foreground. I chose to use only Jacquard Lumiere gold and copper paints. These are light and subtle.
Here is a detail (above) and the entire piece (below) after printing.
I do not feel I have done any harm with the printing, and in fact it is more interesting.
The balance is off, though, and I am going to have to crop this piece significantly for it to be successful.

Travel Log Tuesday - Lava Beds National Monument

2012-01-17T06:20:00.002-07:00

I am sharing some of my pictures from Lava Beds National Monument in a series of Travel Log Tuesday posts. Above, a maricopa lily.

This is a mushpot vent.

Mammoth Crater is a huge crater. We hiked to this overlook.

This is called Black Crater - it is a cone that is exposed above the ground. There are a lot of these in Lava Beds National Monument.

Mail Art Project - Week Sixty Nine

2012-01-16T06:37:00.001-07:00

Arashi Shibori

Hand dyed, pieced, machine quilted.

Today's quote:

"I love sleep. My life has a tendency to fall apart when I am awake, you know?"
-Ernest Hemingway-

Red Deconstructed Foot Square

2012-01-15T05:55:00.003-07:00

This is the second of 100 small quilts I am creating as a personal challenge. The fabric is a deconstructed screenprint I made several years ago using rubber bands as the resist on the screen. I have always loved this fabric, but have never been able to come up with the right way to use it.

Deconstructed Red Foot Square

2012-01-14T05:44:00.003-07:00

This is the second post for my personal challenge to create 100 12" square art quilts.
I plan to post my progress on this goal each weekend.
This piece is constructed of deconstructed screen printed fabric combined with discharged black fabric. I fused the scraps onto a piece of batting.

When I was satisfied with the arrangement, I used a free motion zig-zag stitch to permanently attach the pieces to the batting.

Here is the entire piece - I will trim it down to make my 12" square. I think there is enough here to make some postcards, also! More tomorrow!

Light in the Forest - Finished!

2012-01-13T06:41:00.002-07:00

Light in the Forest is finished!

I got a lot of feedback on this piece as I worked through it. I was not initially happy with it - I think primarily because the original hand dyed fabric was quite vivid and by the time I had the block printing finished, the colors were very subdued. It was necessary to use tinted and hued colors for the printing in order to create a bit of contrast - so the printing would show up. That was something I hadn't really thought through when I first started this piece.

I usually start my work with vague plans - and I work pretty intuitively. This usually works in my favor because I rarely scrap a piece - if it has any merit, I will usually see it through - working until I am satisfied I have done my best. If I were to do this piece over again (or wanted to try this idea of sunlight filtering through the forest again - which I might do) I think I would use very different fabrics for the background so that I could use more vivid colors for the printing. For the shadowy areas, I might try to go with a very dark gray. For the lighter areas, perhaps a very pale yellow. Hmmm - something to consider as I work through this series. Did I mention - I have committed to doing at least 10 pieces in this series of collaged / block printed style? I have a whole list of ideas to try out.

I appreciate all the suggestions and encouragement I received from my blog readers. It has been great fun!

Binding Finished for Light in the Forest

2012-01-12T06:35:00.003-07:00

Continuing on with "Light in the Forest". Yesterday, I showed how I cut the strips for the binding and fuse it in place. Today, I show the details of the attached
hand dyed, block printed binding as it has been stitched in place with a free motion zig-zag stitch.

Adding the Fused Binding

2012-01-11T06:26:00.003-07:00

Continuing on with my "Light in the Forest" piece, it is time for trimming and adding the binding. Last week, I showed the hand dyed, block printed binding fabric. It has fusible web (Mistyfuse) attached to the back.
I cut the binding strips with scissors to make them slightly irregular.

The binding was first fused to the front of the trimmed quilt, then I folded it to the back and fused it to back as well.

Travel Log Tuesday - Lava Beds National Monument

2012-01-10T06:57:00.005-07:00

Last July, we visited Lava Beds National Monument in Northern California.
I didn't get any of my pictures from that trip posted on my blog, so I will share them over the next few Tuesdays.

Over the last half-million years, volcanic eruptions on the Medicine Lake shield volcano have created a rugged landscape dotted with diverse volcanic features. More than 700 lava tube caves were formed when a lava flows hardened on the outside, forming a crust, while the molten lava continued to flow through the tube.

The landscape is quite open, the lava tube cave entrances are scattered all around the area. It is possible to explore the caves on your own and we went into several of the caves.

I'll post more about Lava Beds National Monument next Tuesday.

Mail Art Project - Week Sixty Eight

2012-01-09T06:33:00.002-07:00

Swallowtail
This Thermofax screen was created using a photo of a Swallowtail butterfly I took in my own yard. I used black ink and printed onto a marbled fabric (that I marbled probably 6 years ago or more). I don't think the images here really show the lovely detail of the marbled fabric.
The background fabric is a class sample from a class I took probably 10 years ago or so with Katie Pasquini Masopust. It cut up nicely into a couple of completely different postcards!

This week's quote:

"Not everything that is faced can be changed,
but nothing can be changed until it is faced."
-James Baldwin-

First Foot Square - Chickadees

2012-01-08T06:01:00.001-07:00

I rummaged around in my drawers looking for something to coordinate with the "silver" quilted background. This particular piece was hand dyed pink and screen printed with leaf fossils. I wasn't happy with the color, so I overpainted it with red. I thought it went well with the silver, so I decided to do some simple machine quilting.

I thought it needed some chickadees and in the image above I am auditioning some hand dyed specialty threads for embellishment. I decided to use the stitch the same thread to the trimmed edge of the piece to finish it off.
I am really pleased with my first "Foot Square" and am really excited about this idea1

New Challenge - 100 Small Quilts

2012-01-07T05:55:00.002-07:00

One of my new year's resolutions is to make a series of small art quilts that can be displayed together in a group. I decided to go with the 12 x 12" size, since that is a very popular size for charity auctions, etc. I also feel the squares look nice displayed together.

I am not sure I will be able to do so, but I hope to make one each week, and I will not stop until I have at least 100 of them!

So let's get started.
I am going to document the process and I hope to be able to post on my blog about my 100 Foot Squares each week on Saturday and Sunday.
My first one starts out as a random pieced scrap quilt. These pieces are left over from a larger piece "Hot Flash" that I completed in November 2011.

I wanted to do something different, so I decided to overpaint my small quilt.
I pulled out some metallic paints I wanted to try.
These Tulip paints are what is now sold in Michaels and JoAnns and even Hobby Lobby.
I used to be able to buy Pebeo Setacolor and Jacquard Lumiere locally, but that has changed and I thought I had best try out these products before paying for shipping from Dharma Trading in California!

I brushed these paints over the quilt as lightly as possible.
I found the silver much more dense than the gold (which seemed to disappear).
And by the way these paints really stink.
I had to leave the studio until the next day when they were dry.

Despite the nasty smell - I love the look.
What next?

Block Printing Fabric for the Binding

2012-01-06T06:22:00.003-07:00

I block printed the fabric for the binding.

I used several different green hand dyed fabrics and a variety of blocks for the printing.

Light in the Forest Birds

2012-01-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

I am pleased with the addition of the Goldfinches.

Auditioning Birds for Light in the Forest

2012-01-04T06:02:00.006-07:00

Birds were not part of the original plan for this piece, but I think they might be necessary.

I like the way the birds blend into the background.
So, I decided to go with the Goldfinches and I fused, then stitched them in place.

Quilting Light in the Forest

2012-01-03T05:41:00.000-07:00

I've done the quilting. Here are some images to show how it looks now.

Here it is after the quilting. I am still not thrilled with it, but I will forge ahead.

Mail Art Project - Week Sixty Seven

2012-01-02T06:28:00.003-07:00

"Pepper Print"

Hand dyed cotton, hand printed with a green pepper.

This week's quote:

"Advice is like snow -
the softer it falls,
the longer it dwells upon,
and the deeper it sinks into the mind."
-Samuel Taylor Coleridge-

Thread Auditions for Light in the Forest

2012-01-01T07:28:00.001-07:00

This is how I audition threads for a quilt. I pull everything I think might work
and lay them all out on the quilt. I will pull out threads and lay them over the surface to see how they look. I gradually remove those that don't work.
I am sure I will be using a number of different threads on this piece.

I am celebrating the New Year with good friends who are coming over for brunch.
I wish all of you a Happy New Year!

Block Printing Light in the Forest

2011-12-31T07:12:00.000-07:00

My vision for this piece is very clear. I want to create the impression of a forest with light streaming in through the trunks, branches, and leaves. To create perspective, I begin with smaller sized trunks in the distance.

Switching to a different, larger block, I move to the lower front and print those trunks and a few branches.

Next, I start adding leaves. I am finding the coloring kind of challenging.
I want the leaves to show up against the vivid colors of the background fabrics.
This means I need to use muted colors for the printing - trying to create
subtle contrast.

Here it is fully printed below.

I have to admit, at this point, I am not overjoyed with the results.
I actually liked it better before the printing.
Hopefully I can improve it with quilting and embellishments.

Printing Blocks for Light in the Forest

2011-12-30T07:35:00.002-07:00

I sorted through my printing blocks and pulled out these (above) for leaves.
The ones below are for the trunks and branches and grass.

Free Motion Zig Zag Stitch

2011-12-29T07:04:00.004-07:00

I used a free motion zig zag stitch to put the edges of these pieces together.

I used a couple of different color threads.

I really like the effect of the free motion zig zag on the fabric collage.

Something New - A Light in the Forest

2011-12-28T06:55:00.004-07:00

Continuing with the collaged / block printed series - I am doing this one a bit differently.
I rolled out Mistyfuse to cover my Teflon ironing table. It overlaps in the middle but that's OK.
Then I start laying out the fabric pieces.

I already know this one is going to be a forest with light streaming in
through the tree trunks and branches, so I start with yellow.

Here it is all fused, with batting fused to the back of it.
I really like it. Next, I will stitch around the edges of each piece of fabric
with the free motion zig zag stitch.

Auditioning Block Printing

2011-12-27T06:15:00.000-07:00

Last week I showed my progress on a new piece that I has been collaged, fused, zig zagged, and screen printed with a landscape scene. I had the original intent to add my usual block printing.
However, I am really liking the way it looks now.
Before I ruin this piece, I feel I should do a trial run with the printing.
To do this, I fused a small piece using up the last of the naturally dyed scraps of raw silk and cotton from the larger piece.

Then, I covered that piece with the type of block printing I thought I would use.
I was slightly disadvantaged in this process, however - because I was out of the gold Jacquard Lumiere paint I would like for this piece. Instead, I used copper (all I had - more colors on order, but I am impatient). The copper is too dark, I think.

Putting the printed piece right up next to the screen printing - it doesn't look bad.....

Or - I tried leaving a bit of a space between the screen printing and the block printing (below).

Often, posting images up on my blog helps me with my decision making. Not so today.
I do not love the block printing with the screen printing so much. However, I think that may be partly due to the fact that the paint color is a bit too bold. I would be going for something much more subtle here - just a shadow of printing.

Mail Art Project - Week Sixty Six

2011-12-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

"Orange Bars"

Hand dyed cotton, machine quilted, fused.

This week's quote:
"Inanimate objects can be classified into three major categories;
those that don't work,
those that break down,
and those that get lost."
-Russell Baker-

What Next?

2011-12-25T07:38:00.001-07:00

Merry Christmas!
This piece hangs on the design wall while I celebrate the holiday with my family.
I must admit I am sort of stuck on this one.
In my original plan - the next step would be block printing in the sky above the screenprint and in the foreground below the screenprint.
However, I really like the look of the collaged natural fabrics in the foreground.
I am concerned that block printing could overpower the piece - and obscure the interesting natural fabrics! Hmmm.

I'll eat some Christmas cookies while I mull that over.
I hope you are having a wonderful holiday!

Painting the Watercolor Crayons

2011-12-24T07:31:00.001-07:00

To make the watercolor crayon colors more vivid, I painted the area with water.

Merry Christmas!

Free Motion Zig Zag

2011-12-23T07:23:00.002-07:00

My technique for getting everything attached is to stitch around the edges with a free motion zig zag stitch. This creates a nice texture that I really like.

Fun texture!

Yellowstone Valley Fused

2011-12-22T07:08:00.003-07:00

Here it is all fused and hanging on my design wall. Notice the difference between the top part (where the fabric pieces are attached to the fusible batting) and the bottom (where I added fusible web the the back of the fabric before placing it). Next, I will do the free motion zig zag stitch to hold all these collaged pieces together.

Fusing the Upper Yellowstone Panorama

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

I decided to work this piece in the collage technique I used for Stone Wall and Hot Flash.
I added Mistyfuse to the back of a group of hand dyed blues and built up the sky. This piece measures about 36" wide.

After I finished with the sky, I realized it needed a foreground. Going through my stash, I found my pile of naturally dyed fabrics really represent the color of mature grass very well, so I selected several of these for fusing (below)

Yellowstone Valley Vista Screenprint

2011-12-20T06:39:00.001-07:00

I came across this screen print while I was cleaning up my work table. I had originally printed it over a year ago, and had put it aside. This screen is adapted from a very old book of mountain valley sketches that belonged to my paternal grandmother. It is a handmade booklet 28" wide x 10" tall (bound on the left). On the cover - in hand printed letters it says,"Maps from Hayden Survey Gallatin, Madison and Yellowstone, Vol 2 1872"

I traced a map / sketch of the Yellowstone Valley, enlarged it, and created a series of Thermofax screens that could be printed side by side to create a panoramic view of the Upper Yellowstone Valley.
This valley - also known as Paradise Valley is very special to me. I lived in this valley for 10 years, and built a log home there (1979-1989).

I printed it onto a blue hand dyed cotton and colored in the print
with watercolor crayons, but had not finished it.
I think I will try to do something with this piece now - rather than putting it away in a drawer.

Mail Art Project - Week Sixty Five

2011-12-19T05:48:00.002-07:00

"Peace Angel"
Screenprinted, fused, watercolor crayons, block printed fused binding.

Today's quote:
"The reason angels can fly is because they take themselves lightly."
-G.K. Chesterton-

Angel Postcard Process

2011-12-18T06:25:00.002-07:00

My Christmas Postcard this year features a screen printed angel.
I made this Thermofax screen from a pencil sketch I made last year.
I printed her on white fabric with black ink.

Then, I used watercolor crayons to color the angels. I have two boxes of watercolor crayons. I like the Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Watersoluble Wax Pastels (which are slightly more intense and also a bit more expensive) than the Staedtler Karat Aquarell Watercolor Crayons. I use both, though because they have different colors in the boxes I have.

I decided I would mount the angels on a commercial print for the background.

I applied fusible web to the back of the angel printed fabric, then I painted with water to make the color more vivid.

After the angels are dry, I will cut them along the black lines so I can fuse them to the background fabric.

Malibu Sunset Finalist

2011-12-17T06:22:00.001-07:00

Here is what I settled on.
Next, I plan to add some digital prints of sunset photos I have taken.
I will probably need to adjust the color before printing the images on fabric.

More Auditions for Malibu Sunset

2011-12-16T06:14:00.000-07:00

More digging through my stash to audition complimentary fabrics for this piece.

No decisions yet.

Malibu Sunset

2011-12-15T06:36:00.002-07:00

Ok, so I did a little more digging and this is what I have pinned to the design wall now.
I like this combination. The title has already been decided - Malibu Sunset - at least it can be the working title. I love it when a title pops into my head early in the process. That's when I know things are working - it represents something to me and informs my process.

Raw silk companion for Olive

2011-12-14T06:32:00.001-07:00

I was digging through a drawer, looking for something with a little bit of olive green in it.
I pulled out this hand dyed and overdyed raw silk that was probably done about 8 years ago (give or take). This, I like with the olive green deconstructed screen printed fabric.

I think there is enough visual interest here, that I will probably not need to do any additional printing to make this work. What do you think?

Auditioning Companions for Olive

2011-12-13T05:25:00.002-07:00

This is not my usual approach to designing quilts, but I am determined to use this olive green deconstructed screen print. I just started digging through my drawers for something to go with it. Here are a few of the things I put up on the design wall.

The pink is a hand dyed raw silk, screen printed. The black is discharged with bleach, and there is block printed fabric here, as well.

None of these choices really do anything for me.

Studio Interview with Quilting Arts Magazine

2011-12-13T02:41:00.003-07:00

I was recently interviewed by Ellen Seeburger, Assistant Editor of Quilting Arts Magazine, and she has posted the interview on her blog. You can see the interview on Ellen's blog here.
Ellen asked me about my studio and my work.

Mail Art Project - Week Sixty Four

2011-12-12T06:11:00.001-07:00

Black, White and Red

Hand dyed cotton, fused and stitched commercial cotton. Machine stitched, hand sewn buttons.

Today's Quote:
"Who says nothing is impossible?
I've been doing nothing for years."
-Author Unknown-

Deconstructed Screenprinted Fabric

2011-12-11T06:34:00.001-07:00

Have you heard about "Deconstructed Screenprinting"?

It is a process in which one creates an image on a screen using thickened dye and some type of resist. This is allowed to dry. After it is set up, the dye is activated with alginate (a thick liquid) that is screened over the dried pattern on the screen. Repeated printings yield different looks as the dye layer is worn away gradually with each print.

This is a fabric that I screen printed using that process.
I had a problem with bleeding - and I hated the way it looked, so I overdyed it with bronze.
I have petted and admired it for a long time, but have never been able to use it.

Today, I decided I am going to do something with it.
I started by cutting it into 13" strips. These were sewn together to make a long narrow strip.
I like the looks of that. Now what?

Christmas Cactus

2011-12-10T06:30:00.002-07:00

My Christmas cactus is also in full bloom right now.

This one blooms 3 or 4 times a year for me. It always blooms from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Usually again around Easter. Then often in the summertime, as well.

This is a plant that seems to thrive on neglect. I have had it for at least 10 years.

Orchid in Bloom

2011-12-09T06:10:00.002-07:00

My orchid is blooming! It's so exciting!

I brought this plant home in September.
My mother had an orchid that had overgrown it's pot and she divided it into 4 pots.
She handed this one to me as I was walking out her door last fall.
I didn't hold out much hope for it, as I tend to be rather neglectful of my houseplants.

Apparently it is happy in my studio, because it has 3 stems of blossoms.

Placemats for Thanksgiving Dinner

2011-12-08T06:00:00.001-07:00

I wrote about making these place mats and table runners in several previous blog posts.
You can see the blog post showing finished place mats here.
I promised to share a table setting of them - so here is our Thanksgiving dinner table.
Actually two tables - set up together so all 13 people could sit down together.
13 people, but I had made only 12 place mats, so I set my place on the table runner, which extended all the way to the end of the table. (I guess I need to make a couple more place mats for occasions like this!)

Thanksgiving dinner was served from a buffet set up in the kitchen.

Hot Flash Finished

2011-12-07T05:59:00.000-07:00

Here is the finished piece - "Hot Flash" - pieced hand dyed and hand painted fabrics, block printed, machine quilted, fused binding.
I do think I am going to have to sew some beads on this one!
That will take a while and it won't get done this month!

This is the bottom edge.

Quilted Binding

2011-12-06T05:53:00.002-07:00

To finish the raw edge fused binding for this piece, I opted to quilt into the binding.

I am really pleased with this effect.

I feel this is the perfect finish for this piece and I also really love how firm and straight the edges are. This piece will hang nice and straight with this fused and quilted binding.

Mail Art Project - Week Sixty Three

2011-12-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

"Geckos"

Hand dyed cotton, screen printed, glass beads.

Today's quote:

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia."
-Charles Schultz-

Binding the Hot Flash

2011-12-04T05:41:00.002-07:00

Here are a few more pictures showing the binding fused to the front of the quilt.
The binding has no quilting stitches - yet.

This last picture shows the quilt turned over - before fusing the binding to the back.
This picture shows the hanging sleeve and the corners. You can also see the sheen of the Misty Fuse on the back of the binding fabric.

Fusing the Binding for Hot Flash

2011-12-03T05:32:00.000-07:00

Here is the fabric I have printed for the binding. It already has the Mistyfuse fused to the back. It is ready for me to cut into strips for the binding. I cut it with scissors to create an irregular edge.
Then, I cut it into pieces about 4" or so. There are a lot of different colors and prints on the quilt and I have tried to match them to some extent.

Below, you can see the yellow circles have been extended from the body of the quilt out to the binding. The rest of these pictures show the binding after it has been fused into position on the front of the quilt.

The binding fabric does not have any quilting stitches on it - that is how you can identify it in the pictures here.

The Hanging Sleeve

2011-12-02T05:30:00.001-07:00

Here is the back of Hot Flash with the sleeve sewn in place.
I always place my sleeve 1/2 to 1" from the left and right edges. This way, my quilts can hang
on the wall with the hanging slat completely hidden from view.
I just drill holes on each end of the slat.

Hot Flash Quilted Full View

2011-12-01T05:20:00.002-07:00

Here is the entire piece on the design wall after quilting.
Next, I will trim the edges and bind it.

Quilting Finished for Hot Flash

2011-11-30T05:13:00.002-07:00

The quilting is done.
I am not sure how well you can see the silk chiffon overlay in the images here, but I really like what they do to the entire piece. The silk is so sheer that the paint does not really show up as well - it becomes a ghost of a print.

The background fabrics are of varied fiber content. Of course all my fabrics are hand dyed or hand painted. However, some of these are acrylic satin, and raw silk - which give the piece a nice glow. I do not use commercially printed fabrics except for my backs.

Quilting the Hot Flash

2011-11-29T05:10:00.002-07:00

Did I mention - I think I am calling this piece "Hot Flash"?
I have several pairs of gardening gloves that I wear for machine quilting. The rubber bumps on the fingers help me grip the quilt more easily. This pair is on it's last legs. The rubber bumps are nearly worn away!

Mail Art Project - Week Sixty Two

2011-11-28T06:00:00.003-07:00

"Chinese Gold"
Hand dyed cotton block printed and screen printed. Machine quilting and hand embroidery.

Today's Quote:
"Health is the greatest gift, contentment is the greatest wealth, faithfulness is the best relationship."
-Buddha-

Extra postcards are going out this week to:
Judy in Flagstaff, AZ
Susan in DePere, WI

Thread Audition for Hot Flash

2011-11-27T05:02:00.001-07:00

Now this piece is pinned and ready for machine quilting.
I always audition my threads before beginning. The five above are from Aurifil.
The group below is a mix of polyester and cotton threads.

Pinning the Layers

2011-11-26T05:07:00.000-07:00

For machine quilting, I prepare my work by stretching the backing to my work table using big clamps. Over this, I lay my batting, and my top. Then I pin with safety pins through all three layers.

Red Glow - Printed

2011-11-25T06:36:00.002-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! I am cooking turkey today and having a big crowd of family for dinner. But I do have some progress on the red piece to share.
Here it is - printed - needing a few touch ups that I can see now that it is up on the design wall. That gold spiral in the upper left corner bothers me - I want to tone that down a bit.

In previous work - I have been doing another layer of printing - usually screen printing. However, I really want to push myself to work simpler, more abstract, and more minimalist and spare. I would like to try to stop at this point, finishing with quilting and binding, but with no further embellishment. . . . .

Printing the Red

2011-11-24T12:27:00.002-07:00

I use a plastic disposable plate for my paint palette. This one has been used many times already, but here I have puddled gold and orange metallic fabric paints. I use a wide sponge brush to apply two colors at once.

I chose three hand carved blocks I thought would work best for this piece.

Here's how it looks as I start printing:

And a couple more details so you can see the effect.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Quilting Arts Cover!

2011-11-23T19:53:00.003-07:00

I am thrilled to have my work featured on the cover of the latest Quilting Arts Magazine.
The December 2011 - January 2012 Issue arrived in my mailbox today.
I think it looks great! This is the second time my work has made the cover!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Seeing Red

2011-11-23T06:57:00.001-07:00

I was very happy with the way my piece - "Stone Wall" came together - and I thought I would like to tweek the process a bit - by sewing pieces together rather than fusing them to a background.
I pulled my scraps of red, yellow and orange and started tearing them up and sewing them together. Here is what I had by the time I decided to be done:

I wasn't really all that pleased with the way it looked - too blocky along the stitch lines. I wanted to soften this a bit, so I dug out this lovely piece of hand dyed silk chiffon (below). I added fusible web to the back of it.

Then, I cut the silk into rectangles, which I fused in strategic locations.

Here is how it looked by the time my silk was all used up. Better, eh? Next to do the block printing.

Stone Wall Completed!

2011-11-22T09:12:00.003-07:00

Here are a couple of closer images of the binding from the front. It was block printed commercial cotton, fused and stitched with a free motion zig zag.

Detail of stitching.

Here is the full image. It looks rather wonky, and that is accurate. I cut the edges and bottom to be slightly irregular.

It always feels good to finish a project!

eBay Auction of American Alliance for Quilts Donation

2011-11-22T03:05:00.005-07:00

The small quilt I created for Alliance for American Quilts is currently being auctioned on eBay. This quilt won first place in their annual contest. It has shown in various venues over the past 8 months and now it is being auctioned to generate funds for the organization.

You can view the auction here.

Mail Art Project - Week Sixty One

2011-11-21T06:54:00.004-07:00

"Pencil Posie"
To make this postcard, I drew on muslin with a colored pencil. Then, when I got the fabric wet, the colors became more vivid and less clear. I was disappointed in this piece when I made it and it got thrown into a drawer for a couple of years. When I started the postcard series, I started digging through my drawers looking for failed art quilts that might be interesting cut down to make postcards. This one, I think is quite successful.

Here is the entire group.

Today's quote:
"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put a soul into."
-Henry Ward Beecher-

Extra postcards are going out this week to:
Lynn in Woodstock, Illinois
Lillian in Delta, BC, Canada
Del in Placentia, California
and Frances in Grafton, Vermont

If you would like to receive one of my Mail Art postcards, please send your full name and mailing address to me at cstcharles@q.com. Please put "Mail Art" in the subject line. I will add your name to the drawing.

The Back

2011-11-20T09:01:00.004-07:00

As you can see, I opted for irregularity as I trimmed this piece. To achieve this look, while also having a piece that would hang straight, I first trimmed it to a perfect, straight edged rectangle, then took the scissors to it to create some waves to the edges.

One of the nice things about having a solid, contrasting background is the way the stitching shows up. However, having all that stitching show up so clearly makes it possible to see every single irregularity and tension problem, etc. This piece is intended for an invitational show - don't expect to send it to a judged show, so I indulged myself and went with the solid black backing.

I stitched the edge of the fused binding with that same irregular free motion zig zag I used to connect the fused fabric pieces together.

Fusing the Binding

2011-11-19T08:41:00.004-07:00

I applied fusible web to the back of my binding fabric, then I cut it into strips about 1 1/4 " wide.
I used scissors to achieve slight irregularity on the edges, which I felt would compliment the rustic nature of this piece.

I then cut my binding into smaller pieces - varying from 4" to 7" long. I laid my trimmed quilt on my Teflon covered pressing table. The binding sections were placed along the edge and fused into place with the iron.

After I had the binding pressed in place all the way around the front, I turned it over and folded the binding over the edge, fusing it to the back using the iron.

This created a very nice firm binding, giving my quilt a nice firmness I have never achieved before!
Here's how it looked on the back (before stitching)
And this is the front of the fused binding, prior to stitching.

Printing the Binding Fabric

2011-11-18T08:32:00.002-07:00

I chose a wide strip of black cotton lawn, left over from the quilt back, for the binding.
I realized it needed to be printed, so I pulled out some metallic paints.

I printed the entire length (60") . It is about 18" wide.

Stone Wall Quilted

2011-11-17T08:23:00.002-07:00

Here it is with the quilting finished!

Next, I will trim and bind it. I plan to try a new technique for binding this piece.
Stay tuned.

Stone Wall Quiting

2011-11-16T08:17:00.003-07:00

Time to quilt this piece. I chose three thread colors. A Signature cotton variegated, a Aurifil cotton in rust, and YLI black cotton threads.

I decided to follow the printing pattern with my quilting stitches.

Glacier Lake Trail Views

2011-11-15T11:45:00.003-07:00

A snowy view of Glacier Lake. This lake provides the water supply for Red Lodge. As we were leaving, we met up with a young man who was coming up to close down the dam for the winter.

This view is from partway up the trail to Glacier Lake,

These tree skeletons are at the highest point on the trail.

Mail Art Project - Week Sixty

2011-11-14T06:50:00.002-07:00

Here is the "crazy quilt" I cut up to create the postcards. Because the satin frays so much, I glued it to 120 lb watercolor paper, then cut it to size after it was dry.. Then I stitched the edges with a satin stitch.

Today's quote:
"The statistics on sanity are that one in every four Americans suffers from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're OK, then it's you."
-Rita Mae Brown-

Glacier Lake in Fresh Snow - October 2011

2011-11-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

We didn't go all the way to the lake. I was a little concerned about the steepness of the trail to the lake - with all that snow on it.

So we had lunch on a rock above the lake. It was sunny and comfortable, but at this point I was glad I had my down vest.

Snowy Beartooth Trail

2011-11-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

Glacier Lake Trail

We recently took our five year old grandson Airus on an autumn hike on the Glacier Lake trail in the Beartooth Mountains.

There was a dusting of snow on the plateau. As we climbed higher, we got into some ankle deep snow.

Rustic Neutrals Cropped and Closer

2011-11-11T11:18:00.000-07:00

I thought you might appreciate a closer look, so here is a closer detail.

And here it is with cropping - closer to what it will look like when finished.
I am actually considering adding some screen printing - I've made some prints from the painted Indian robe I saw at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. I am contemplating adding a battle scene across the center. Will mull that before doing anything drastic.

Rustic Neutrals Stitching

2011-11-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

Well, the stitching that binds all the scraps together is now complete on this piece.
The working title for this piece shall be Rustic Neutrals.

I am pleased with the result of the stitching. It creates a lot of really nice - really rustic texture that is pleasing.

At this point, there is just the scrap layer fused to the batting - no backing on this thing yet, so I am going to have to come up with some sort of plan for quilting it. I do not want to detract from either the printing or the edge stitching, so I will have to mull that a bit.

Working out the Stitching

2011-11-09T15:49:00.000-07:00

So, here it is now, with the stitching in place and a bit of cropping - the full piece above.
Below, I have two detail shots to show the stitching.

I use this free motion zig-zag quite a bit in my work. I do think this is the look I am going for on the other piece. I am not looking forward to it, though - it is tiring for me to do this repetitive side to side motion in order to create the EKG type lines.

Guess I will just do it in small spurts.

Does this piece work on any level? I wish I thought so. I guess it will become some really smashing Mail Art Postcards.

Practice Piece in Red

2011-11-08T15:40:00.002-07:00

I wanted to make a smaller piece of fused scraps in order to work out how I will go about stitching things together for the larger piece I have been showing here over the past 3 days. I had the perfect sized scrap of fusible batting already. I happened to come across some pieces of deconstructed screen printing that I created several years ago. I LOVE the fabric, but have never been able to come up with the proper thing to use it for. I have cut it into smaller and smaller pieces - and still have never been able to come up with anything.

So here was my chance - I started mixing in some pieces of discharged black.

This small piece - if successful - could become a small work of art - if not - it will cut up nicely into postcards for my Mail Art Project!

So far - it is mediocre, but remember - this is a practice piece.

Mail Art Project - Week Fifty Nine

2011-11-07T06:44:00.002-07:00

"Double Eye"

Hand dyed cotton, block printed, machine quilted.

Here is the hand carved printing block I used for this postcard.
Today's quote:

"You have to wake up in order for your dreams to come true."
-J.M. Power-

Block Printed Background

2011-11-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

What a difference!

I showed this piece a few days ago when it was just a lot of scraps fused to a piece of batting.
At that point, it looked like a lot of scraps fused to a piece of batting.
Then, I block printed using my hand carved printing blocks and metallic fabric paints.

Now it looks much more unified to my eye.

Details below and above.
I am still undecided about how I will stitch these pieces into place. They are not very well attached - the fusible is not holding them very well - some have come detached as I moved the piece around the room from the ironing table to the print table to the design wall. Sigh.
I may have to resort to pins to hold things once I start sewing.

I will do a practice piece to work out the process for stitching.

Preparing for Block Printing

2011-11-05T15:24:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, I showed a fused background I was working on. This is my first time with this technique and I was less than thrilled with the initial results. I find I always like things better after I have put my personal stamp on it, and even though all those fabrics were hand dyed, hand painted, rust dyed and discharged by my own hand - I find I am really attached to the block printing process.

So, here goes. I sorted through my box of printing blocks and pulled out those I felt would lend themselves well to this piece. Next, I will sort through my paints - and will most likely stick with the Jacquard Lumiere metallic paints for this one. Stay tuned!

Fused Background

2011-11-04T06:53:00.001-06:00

I have been thinking about this technique for quite a while. I have admired the work of artists who begin by creating a background of fabric pieces fused to the batting. I must admit it was fun cutting and laying out the fabric pieces to create this background.
I pulled hand dyed, hand painted, rust dyed and discharged pieces from my scrap drawer, cutting them to size and placing them on a large piece of Misty Fuse. Then, I covered the whole thing with a Teflon sheet and ironed away until everything was attached.
But now there are a lot of loose edges that will need to be sewed down. I think it would look smashing if they were hand sewn, but yuck, I don't want to do it - would take too long and would be tedious since this piece is so large - currently 24 x 45". I really don't want the hard edge of machine stitching though. I have decided I will do some block printing before doing any stitching. Once it has been stitched - the thread will interfere with the printing process, so I want to get that part done first. Not sure how the printing process will go with all those loose edges!
It does look much better cropped (above). I can imagine it will be much improved by block printing, as well. Stay tuned!

Fish Hatchery at Giant Springs

2011-11-03T08:46:00.001-06:00

There is a fish hatchery right next to the Giant Springs. These are Rainbow and Brook trout.

Giant Springs, Great Falls, MT

2011-11-02T08:35:00.002-06:00

After touring the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, we enjoyed the day a bit more by visiting the Giant Springs area just up the road.

This water is traveling all the way from the Belt Mountains. It remains underground for the entire trip and I believe there was information indicating it takes 50 years for the water to make the trip (I can't imagine how they know that!)
Anyway, we really enjoyed visiting this area. It was a really beautiful autumn day and we don't really get to spend much time together as a family because we are scattered all across the state. It was a good day.

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls, MT

2011-11-01T08:15:00.002-06:00

Recently, family members met in Great Falls to celebrate my mother's birthday. We had a nice lunch in the meeting room at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, followed by a tour of this wonderful museum. Above is a view out the window of the Interpretive Center.

The location of this museum is significant because there are a series of five waterfalls in the Missouri River here - spread out over quite a few miles (can't remember how many miles 20, maybe?). The Lewis and Clark expedition had to portage around them. It was a task that they expected to take just a few days, but it ended up taking many weeks. The terrain was so very steep and rough. It was hot. There were lots of prickly pear cactus puncturing the men's moccasins and they were getting infected feet. They survived a major hail storm with baseball sized hail in the midst of the transport. Very dramatic.

Below is my favorite piece from the tour. I love this hand painted buffalo robe. It tells a story.
In my studies of rock art, I have learned that there are some "more modern" pictographs and petroglyphs in this style - at least they show horses and bows and arrows and some even show rifles.

I am so inspired by these images. I have been wanting some images like this for creating Thermofax screens! Hmmmm.....thinking about a new series!

Mail Art Project - Week Fifty Eight

2011-10-31T06:51:00.002-06:00

"Pretty Face"

Hand dyed cotton, overpainted with acrylic. The screen printed face is something I found on free clipart, but I modified it (redrew it without the hair).

The text printed to the right is a screen print I made from an old ledger book my maternal grandmother (Grandma Marie) used to have. I cherish this ledger book because it has a lot of my grandma's writing in it. She was a schoolteacher before she married and she took the minutes of at the school board meetings. The screen print I used for this piece is a page of minutes from a school board meeting. In the back of the book, Grandma had written some recipes. I just love this book for the eclectic mix of my grandmother's life that it contains! I am sure that in hard times - paper was hard to come by and that is why she used the back of the book for writing her recipes.

Today's Quote:
"Women are like tea bags. We don't know
our true strength until we are in hot water."
-Eleanor Roosevelt-

Buck Deer in our Yard

2011-10-30T08:01:00.001-06:00

We very frequently see does in our yard, but today we had these two nice bucks hanging out down towards the ravine.

On to the Next Beet Print Piece

2011-10-29T07:57:00.002-06:00

The next beet gelatin print piece was ready for machine quilting, so I got started on it. This one is on a fusible batting. I love not having to pin, but I have discovered this one is too large for the fused batting approach. I am getting some puckers.