Embroidering Branches for Dimension

Embroidery on the Vintage Silk Collage

Auditioning embroidery threads.

Spring Blossoms - Finally Finished

I've been working on this one for quite a while. I've shared a lot of the process since I've done little else besides working on our gigantic home improvement project.

I am satisfied with the final result, and the deadline has arrived.

My 4 year old grandson, Airus has repeatedly asked if he could have this quilt. He has probably brought it up at least a dozen times.

Glass Beads for Sun Rays

After punching up the leaves and the flowers on this quilt, I felt the sun was a bit weak, and I decided to add some beads. I wanted to go kind of funky with the look, so I auditioned a bunch of different colors and types.

I decided to use a variety of beads on each strand to create visual interest. Below, I have dumped a bunch of beads onto the tray.

3D Silk Ribbon Flowers

The hand cut bias silk ribbon was a satisfactory solution to my time crunch - needing to get some flowers in the foreground of this quilt and up against a deadline.

The ribbon frayed a little at the edges, but I don't think it detracts too much from the effect. I thought I would be embroidering stems and leaves, but now I am not sure it is necessary.

Making Silk Ribbon

This is an experiment. I wanted wide silk ribbon for the flowers at the base of the Spring Tree quilt I am working on. I did not have time to order it, and actually I doubt it comes 1" wide, which is the size I thought I would need. I decided to make my own. I dyed a yard and a half of China silk using Procion MX Golden Yellow.

The dyed fabric was cut into bias strips 1" wide.
I will use this to create the flower petals - silk ribbon embroidery.

Mail Art Project - Week Three

This week's Mail Art Project is Gelatin Plate Printed cotton. It has a Paint Stick rubbing, screen printed black birds, and hand embroidery.

Mail Art Project - Week One

Fiber Art Postcards: handpainted cotton, block printed, screen printed,
machine quilted, hand embroidered, glass beads.

Mail Art Project Launches!

Today, I have launched my Mail Art Project. This is an idea I came up with
during a creative slump in my studio.
As I transition from summertime outdoor recreation and home improvement project mode into chilly weather indoor creative time - I usually have a period of self doubt and restlessness. This year, I found myself with additional distractions related to family matters. Feeling somewhat helpless due to distance - I decided to try to reach out to selected family members living far away. I wanted to be able to connect without being invasive and I decided to mail a small art postcard every Monday for the next year!

I have chosen 3 distant family members to be year-long recipients for this project.

Here is what I have written on the first postcards:

You have been chosen as a weekly recipient for my "Mail Art Project".

I have challenged myself to create a small piece of mailable art and to send it
by mail every Monday for the next year.

This first group was mailed on Monday, October 4.

I have one extra postcard this week and I will happily mail it to one of my blog readers.
If you would like to be a Mail Art recipient for this or future mailings, please send your name and snail mail address to my email - please put Mail Art in the subject line. I will draw one name at random each time I have an extra piece to go out. You will only need to send your name and mailing address to me once - I will just keep them all in a folder on my laptop. You can find my email by checking my profile.

Skylines Challege Piece

My Skylines Challenge Piece is now finished! Except for the commercial "skylines" fabric - all of the fabrics are painted and printed by me.

I added glass beads and hand painted silk ribbon to the screen printed flowers to create dimension.