Another Wall Hanging

This one is a quilted wall hanging and it’s done from instructions in a book. 

Well, that’s not totally accurate, there were instructions in a book that I looked at and I really liked the quilted wall hanging that was pictured, but the book had to go back to the library before I was able to write down instructions. 

The result, it sort of resembles the one I saw and it was done by guess and by gosh because I’ve never done a quilted wall hanging like this.  My “Walks of Life” piece doesn’t count because it was small quilts put together.

The project has some flaws but that doesn’t bother me.  It’s a first, I had fun, it’s hanging on a wall in my house and I plan on doing more – of my own design.

It’s been awhile since I’ve been an active blogger; however, I still have managed to read other blogs and I learn a lot from them.  You may be interested in some of them.

One is Desiree, her blog is The Clothesline.  I started following her because I love her wonderful watercolors but she also does pastels, multi-media and fiber art.  She’s got a couple of fun collage tutorials on her site too.  Pop over and have a look.

A Beautiful Plein Air Day

I sketch when I’m painting en plein air and this is what I did this week.  A group of us get together every Tuesday morning and head out somewhere to paint.  This week we went to Hemlock Crossing. 

They have a wonderful warm room with huge windows overlooking the area and since it was a cold morning we made use of the space.  We’re thinking this will be a good place to paint in the winter.

Before settling in to paint we took a short walk to see the color and my photos don’t really show it…

the start of our walk   a view standing on a bridge

a view of the river

and again from another spot

Next week we’re hoping to go south to Saugatuck and paint on the Felt Mansion Grounds. 

Making use of fabric scraps

Awhile back I did some stitch and slash projects using several black and white fabrics and one black and white with color.  I loved the combination and didn’t want to waste it so I gathered up all of the scraps and ironed them to a fusible interfacing. 

That gave me enough fabric to make a small bag and these four change purses.  The bag isn’t done yet.  I hope to get it done sometime this week.

Three of the change purses along with a few others will be going to the Holland Area Arts Council’s Holiday Boutique.  The purse and one change purse will be going to the Gallery Uptown where there will be lots of gift items for holiday shoppers.

More about stitching

Yes, I’m still stitching and finding that I can get just as lost in a sewing project as I do in a painting project.

I’m hearing my grandmother:  “Jack of all trades, master of none.”  I guess I’m a master of being a jack of all trades because I love every one of the different media I work in, paper, fabric, yarn and metal or a combination of all of them.  A wall hanging I recently finished is based on paintings I had done.

The photo isn’t very good because I don’t have the space to photograph something that’s 5 1/2 ft long and I didn’t finish it until the night before it had to be delivered for an exhibit. 

Once that was delivered I went back to stitching purses getting ready for the holidays.

I’m still painting too but nothing major.  A group of friends get together every Tuesday to paint en plein air.  I sketch but my scanner is currently not working so I can’t post any of those.  Once it’s fixed (or I’ve been forced to buy a new one) I’ll be back to posting weekly.