Tuesday Teaser

The Tuesday Teaser subject this week is:

'sole survivor'

Join in fun, and share with others your own Tuesday Teaser

drawing & collage, or words & short tale.

It’s easy, so grab your sketchbook or some paper.

1. make a timed drawing (5 minutes) of something/ anything that comes to mind when you think about the teaser

2. create a collage (15 minutes) using the drawing ideas to guide your way

Or if you love is of words…

1. make a list of all the words this week’s teaser makes you think up (5 minutes)

2. create a short tale (15 minutes) using your word list

I'll be posting the design group's sketchbook results on Monday-next.

I'd love to share yours, too so email your drawings or word wanderings to me... Tuesday Teaser and I'll include as many as possible!

Quilting Begins on the Yosemite Chapel Quilt

Though my day yesterday was filled with catching up with emails, getting correspondence underway again and general paperwork.... I happily found time in the afternoon to get some stitch time in. In the first picture today, there is a look at some of the completed couching... yes, I did say completed!

With the couching done I started to contemplate the machine quilting that I wanted to have on the piece.

When I begin this process, I hang the quilt back up on the wall and let it tell me where 'line' may be used to enhance the design. Afterall, quilting adds thin lines to your piece and this may be used to add detail, or used to pull entire sections together. (for thicker line elements I use embroidery floss hand sewn)

To get started I pull out threads I believe may work out well and lastly, I grab one of my favorite tools -- a Chacoliner/ by Clover.

I've included pictures that show the threads & chacoliner tool. Then below are two photos of one section where you can see how I use the chalk tool to block in my stitching and finally, how that same section looks after being quilted.

The quilting will continue... then it's on to the point where I square up my quilt and machine stitch that pile of  binding onto the edges

But, that's not the end --- it's just the beginning, and you'll have to stop back again to see what embellishments I'll pick to use. 

Happy Stitching!

Yosemite Chapel - Quilt Saga Update

I am home and in-between travels to Texas and Iowa -- and, luckily for me there is a bit of time that I am able to keep working on my Yosemite Chapel quilt. Right before leaving for Quilting Adventures in Texas I stitched and stitched away to get the top done. I thought it would be fun to show during the evening when the teachers got to share their own work.

I did manage to get it all pulled together, but I have to admit that in the process I broke my own rule.....'never cut or sew on anything important after 9pm'. Being a morning person, by nine at night I start to really slow down and through the years I have learned - or so I thought... well, thinking, just this time/ I was so close..

should have thought again... would have saved a lot more time and effort if I would have just waited til morning.

In any case, the quilt top is DONE, done, done and lickity split it was layered and pinned.

This is how it traveled to and was shown in Texas - along with the original unfinished quilt top. The folks there totally understood me when I declared that I must have been possessed when I chose those fabrics. I think most of us have been there!

Since coming home I have been working on the next step - couching yarns -- so the saga will continue...

Tuesday's Teaser - Sketchbook Challenge

The Tuesday Teaser subject this week is:

bingo

  Join in fun, and share with others your own Tuesday Teaser
drawing & collage, or words & short tale.

It’s easy, so grab your sketchbook or some paper.
1. make a timed drawing (5 minutes) of something/ anything that comes to mind when you think about the teaser
2. create a collage (15 minutes) using the drawing ideas to guide your way

Or if you love is of words…
1. make a list of all the words this week’s teaser makes you think up (5 minutes)
2. create a short tale (15 minutes) using your word list

I'll be posting the design group's sketchbook results on Monday-next.
I'd love to share yours, too so email your drawings or word wanderings to me... Tuesday Teaser and I'll include as many as possible!

CHALLENGE: How about a little sketchbook twist? Every once in a while it's good to through a little twist into these stretching exercises. How 'bout spilling all your collage strap materials onto the table; then close your eyes and grab a handful. Using just these scraps create a collage... no peeking now! Have fun.

Sketchbook Postings - Exit Serenely

Exit Serenely

I shared this little 'get started' exercise with my workshop attendees in Texas and it was quite a lot of fun to see all the different takes and sketches these little words evoked.

My own drawing started with eyes - first open - then closed - then discretely averted as one might do when slowly backing out of a room. At least one of my students sketched a serene picture of the BIG exit and others chose versions of rivers running - water exiting...

Meanwhile, my design group at home also used these words and I hope to be able to share the pics later on this week.

What came to your mind?

Homeward Bound

below are just some of the students
& (of course)their quilts. Enjoy!

Well, the fabrics are all packed up and have made
their way home now, but the learning, laughter and fun have left their imprint on us all --

Over the Shoulder

Mounds of fabrics in the hands of quilters - especially quilters with 5-days where they get to hang out with other quilters, learn from fun teachers, have someone else cooking.....turn into wonderous things. On this particular day we can take a look over these adventurous souls shoulders and take a peek at just what they are stitching together.

It would be cruel not to share some of the work these guys have worked on all week, so hope you'll stop by again soon to check them out.