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.

Not my grandmother’s stitching

After a long dry spell I did get back to some painting but in preparation for a wall hanging.  Meanwhile I’ve been playing with fabric.  I come from a long line of stitchers. 

On my mother’s side my great-great-grandmother was a tailoress, she made suits for young boys in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. 

My great-grandmother stitched quilts.  My grandmother did every kind of stitching and when she was widowed very young and had to earn a living she opened a knit shop. 

My aunt, Mother’s only sister, was an expert seamstress and made all of my cousin’s prom dresses.  She was the practical sister.  My mother, the not so practical one, was a designer and while she designed and made her own clothes as a teenager, when I was in need of a dress for a special occasion rather than make me one, she gave me one of hers and helped me restyle it to suit me.

While I didn’t think I liked sewing I’ve always been a fabric junky.  I have a stash of fabric.  Awhile back I had posted that I was starting a quilt project.  While surfing around on the internet to learn more about quilting I came upon a couple of on-line classes that sparked my interest. Add to that interest – it’s been hotter than blazes and my sewing machine is in the cool basement.

This piece is something my mother might have done had she played with a sewing machine like I now have but it’s a far cry from anything my grandmother would have done.  This one isn’t finished, I’m ready for the last lesson in the Stupendous Stitching class.

I don’t think either of them would have done something like the two purses that I did with layers of fabric – The Stitch and Slash Class  but I sure had fun.

The paintings that did get done are part of a series, “Walks of Life” and since I’ve been playing with fabric I decided that they will be transferred to fabric along with some that aren’t done yet and I’ll be using some of what I’m learning in these two on-line workshops.  Here is one of the paintings in the series… “Still walkin’, just goin’ a little slower now”

Another painting started

It’s been a long dry spell; however, I did get some images in Florida that inspired me.  This is the stern end of an old rowboat that was obviously a working boat.  Those usually get my attention and I have visions of at least 4 paintings based on this boat . For now, just the stern end with the lines laying on the seat.  The initial drawing is done; now to transfer it to watercolor paper and then the slow process of masking and pouring. 

I think I’m going to do this one twice.  First a small piece to add to three other boats that I am thinking of reframing in a different way.  No decisions on that yet as there are several possiblities floating around in my head.

For the moment I’m just happy to have a painting underway.

Working with metal and other stuff

My mind is running full tilt with so many ideas that I haven’t really been able to do much finished work; I’ve been going in circles it seems.  I have done a lot of experimenting though.

First with metal:  I made a couple spinner necklaces based on a lesson  in Wrap, Stitch, Fold & Rivet by Mary Hettmansperger.  I didn’t have all of the  equipment or materials so I worked with what I had on hand.  The photos are fuzzy but you can get the idea anyway…

Then with fabric:  I’ve been working on a quilt project over on Craftsy.com.  This one is my favorite so far.

And I’ve done a little more experimenting with painting on fusible.  The gull in this was painted on fusible, then stitched to the background fabric.

 

And finally, I decided I need to do a Prayer Flag, praying that my mind will stop spinning and land on something to focus on… The flag says Dream but along the side it also says “Then DO, only you can make your dreams come true.”

Along the way I did some sketching too but I haven’t bothered to scan those so I can’t show you.  Trust that I am working,  just not focusing.  Guess my muse decided she needed some variety, she was getting bored.  Hopefully, the focus will come and I’ll get back to regular work and regular blogging.