Playing catch up

After returning from a lovely trip to the great northwest, I didn't have too much time to follow up on the fast and fun, cut and paste quilts that we played with in the Freddy Moran workshop. I did manage to get a couple more pieces pasted together and even quilted 2 of them!

sample to explore raw edge quilting on the pasted pieces
15 X 27

completed piece began on day 2 of the workshop
27 X 46  

more playtime
36 x 54
soon to be quilted 

Next I  was off to Italy for a few days.  What can I say, my cousin, Beth, twisted my arm to the point that I just couldn't say no to her offer to join her along with a group of other delightful folks.  Being my second trip in 2 years, once we arrived I felt more comfortable being able to set out on our own with a smaller group, and had a fabulous time.  From Montepulciano, to Rome, to Sorrento and the Isle of Capri, it was non stop gorgeous scenery, food and wine, and superb company.  I cannot wait to return.  Maybe next year?  I won't bore you with too many vacation photos.

We are so excited ~ having a burger at the airport ~
ready to go

View from our hotel in Sorrento

Positano

the beach at Sorrrento

Trevi Fountain ~ I tossed in lots of coins to assure my return

the highlight of the trip
seeing the Pope Francis up close and hearing his sermon
in St. Peter's square  

the Mediterranean Sea ~ ahhhhhh

Hope that wasn't too many photos to be boring

Back to Tennessee again, for a couple of weeks and I was off to Arrowmont.  I attended a workshop on shape resist and natural dyeing taught by Joan Morris.  I really can't say enough about this class.  Joan is a fabulous teacher and a world class artist.  She has been working with shibori/shape resist and dyeing for 30 years, and made it look sooooo easy.  And, all of the folks in the class were a delight to play with.  A hugely talented group, I must say.  I was so inspired and can't wait to do more.  Unfortunately, I was so engrossed in the class that I failed to take many photos of the class.  But here are a few of my results.

my karamatsu design
cotton backed silk, with tannin and mordent 

Pulled and tied off then dyed in natural indigo

the stitches are cut and pulled  

cotton side of the design after being ironed ~ a soft indigo color

the silk side of the design after being ironed ~ a shimmering blue green  ~
silk does not take natural indigo dye as well

more karamatsu ~ not yet ironed 

Kumo  

mokome on silk
not ironed.  

This is so intriguing and challenging. I didn't think I would ever return to hand stitching, but this has revived my interest. I want to make clothing using some of the designs and perhaps even incorporate it into my art quilts.  The fun never ends.  There is always something new around the corner.  Never say no to learning a new technique.

New Ways vs. Old Ways

I tried a new technique with this project.  Rather than dividing the pattern into often oddly shaped pieces, I opted for panels.  Let me tell you, it really made a big difference when sewing all the sections together.  All the panels lined up perfectly (well perfectly for me) and was quite a bit easier to stitch together.  

"The Old Road to Home", measures 45" x 70" unquilted.  

The gray geese are also sewn together and ready to be quilted.  Now to get this one quilted as well as it's mate, the bird house.  Methinks these guys will get along well together.  

Now to get busy with the quilting part.  I do know I want to use silk batting for light, summer quilts.  What I don't yet know, what to use for the backs.  Try as I may to choose a softer, neutral, perhaps solid backing, I keep pulling out all sorts of my old large scale, patterned Alexander Henry fabrics.  Can an old girl ever get on board with the new ways?

totally fiberliscious

The excitement continues.  See what I received by mail the other day!  My very own autographed copy of

DRUM ROLL ........

TA-DA.................

I am completely thrilled with Victoria's book filled with delicious eye candy.  The layout seems more innovative than lots of other books on quilting.  For instance, the center section of this book has all sorts of ideas on making your own improv blocks based on the good ole basic traditional quilt blocks.  These ideas can certainly jazz up your repertoire in the use of fabrics and colors.  What fun.  

There are tons of scrumptious examples of quilts created with "made fabric" blocks from 15 Minutes Play groups interspersed through out the book.   Victoria has successfully gathered quilters from over the world to share blocks with one another to fulfill each individual's ideas of their own quilt.  Each challenge could keep me busy for years.

Of course there are Victoria's own superb quilts.  Whimsical, witty, colorful, striking, totally deboxed are some adjectives that come to mind as I flip through page after page of 

15 Minutes of Play

If you are looking for inspiration, got nothing to do with that bag of little scraps, bored with the same old stuff, and feel the urge to play for just a few minutes every day, this is your cookbook.  Easy peezy recipes. Laid back ingredients. Results guaranteed to warm the cockles of your heart for a lifetime. 

Oh, and I must confess. Not only am I promoting Victoria's book, but just wanted to let you know that one of my quilts is in this book.  (page 63)  And, I was a block contributor to quilts made by 15 Minutes of Playmates.  Yeah, I am totally shameless.  

Thanks Victoria

I look forward to your next book.  

Oh yes, and your upcoming fabric collection!  

Your next move is to order this book here,

cuz I am not showing any more photos.  

Don't want to get nabbed for copyright violations.  

heehee

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all

the Nancy Crow workshop at Shakerag Finale

I must also tell you of another go getter of a woman who has a way with color and fabrics, my friend Cathy.  We met back in April at the Gee's Bend retreat in Alabama.  I was excited about my upcoming workshop with Nancy at Shakerag and told her about it.  Cathy was able to obtain a spot in the workshop and we had a fine reunion.  She is such a kind and giving person, full of energy and fun.  An amazing woman to watch in action.  Check out her blog, livelovelaugh-cathy.blogspot.com to see her progress on composition # 2.

                     Her composition # 1 is equally as beautiful, 

as you can see.

And now it is time for me to fess up.  I was one of the students that didn't complete composition # 2.  In fact, I didn't even get a good start on # 2.  We began by making more striped fabrics following certain criteria.  Thirty fabrics to be precise.  I got a good start with these 3 pieces, since the directions were pretty concise.  

Then, as you can see, I ended up all over the place as far as color.  Totally incoherent, er-ah, non-cohesive.  And if you take the time to count, I didn't even make 30 fabrics.  I was pretty burnt out by fabric # 27 at 1:00 am.  

After staying up way past midnight 3 days in a row, 

fog had set up permanent residence in my brain.  

Commenting to Nancy the next morning, that I didn't yet have all my fabrics completed, she said, "too bad.  We've got to move on."  And that was just fine with me.  What the heck was I going to do with this mess, I wearily asked myself.   

First of all, we cut a strip of varying sizes from each of our made fabrics.  

And from these strips of fabric we had our choices to work with in restructuring a new composition.  

Again, Ms. Cannot Make a Decision, was all over the place.  

I have 3 compositions in one.

Ok, let's divide these into separate compositions.

It was a start.  I won't be boring by showing all the configurations I tried.  Let's just say, that they were really bad.  The harder I tried the worse they got.

And to be honest, I think I must have deleted the pictures of my wall as it appeared on Friday afternoon.  Or maybe I just didn't even take any pictures by then.  I truly do not remember.  I packed everything up, loaded my car.  Had a delicious last meal at Shakerag and headed home.  After recuperating physically and mentally for, oh let's say 25 days, I began again.  

compo B, yet to be decided


I decided to begin anew with some of these parts.

compo A

I will spare you scrolling through the multiple arrangement pictures.

 Here is where I am today.  

approximately 50 inches x 70 inches at this point and growing

I wanted to work with less colors for a change of pace and try something totally unlike anything I had ever done.  I don't want to make a clone of the many, many
Gee's Bend-ish, Nancy Crow-ish pieces that I constantly see all over the www.  Still looking for something different.  As my blog descriptions states in the
About Me box


still searching, diligently.


I feel that each person learns at his or her own pace.  I can sew very fast, but I do not work fast.  I am methodical and plotting.  What I see in my mind doesn't always look good on the design wall and I constantly change my designs as I go.  Whether it be an improvisational piece or something taken from a photo to a sketch to a pattern.
In my mind, when I am sketching or drawing with pencil and paper, I will begin with an idea or a focal point.  From there, I expand and do lots of erasing.  The same with "drawing" with fabric.  I am still more comfortable beginning with a focal point and then  "sketching" or sewing more fabrics to add until I am happy with what I am seeing.
From there I can work on that vague vision until it becomes reality.
Constantly erasing and redrawing.

As much as I respect Nancy's methods, I cannot say that it is my preferred method.  Plus the fact that abstract composition still escapes me.  However, I am now even more determined to learn. I do plan to try and do more smaller pieces in the future using her methods. Granted, I am not likely to make a 5 foot by 6 foot quilt a week by my methods.
For now, I will incorporate things that Nancy taught and try and be more open minded.  
I learned so much in this 5 day workshop, not only about art, but so much about myself.  Even though I did not come home with a completed piece, those days and nights will stay with me forever, as a great learning experience.  Nancy boosted my ego tremendously. I got my money's worth and then some.    
Thank you Nancy Crow.                           

Sweet Memories are Made of This

So, back to my somewhat regular routine.  Not that I could ever say I have a routine.  I sorta do whatever, whenever, and try to enjoy what may come.  After returning home from Alabama, and my most wonderful new friends departed for the great northwest, I dragged around for a few more days, still reminiscing about the fun we had.  You might have read about Nifty's, Bonnie's and Tina's purchases while shopping around Cleveland.  After finding those treasures, we hit the thrift store and each bought a few shirts. Then the girls treated Steve and me to a delightful dinner at our favorite local restaurant.  A few martini's, some nice wine and delicious food gave us new strength to head home and cut up the newly purchased shirts.  We continued laughing and cutting up into the wee hours.

Tina rescued the "seams" from all the boxers and shirts and made balls for the cats to play with.  Sorry Tina, but the cats don't get those balls.  I found a much better use for them.  The smaller ones are perfect for filling up the glass of my new Target lamp.  Now to make more more more.

Instead of getting back to work on my dogwood quilt, or any of the other projects that I have started.  I just couldn't wait to play with those shirt scraps that we shared.   I decided to make Friendship Star blocks.  Along with scraps from Tina, Bonnie and Nifty, these shirts turned out to have just the perfect color combinations.  For me at least. I think it will be the perfect quilt full of memories that will last forever.

Got twelve blocks whipped up in no time.  Not sure where it will go from here, but I've got lots of scraps left and it will continue to grow.  As I hope our friendship will continue to grow.

check out the pocket
another "Nifty" idea

Alabama Folk School part 2

Great Friends, Great Fabric, Great Food.  Just can't get enough.  Still reeling with with all the thoughts and memories that will serve me for a long time to come. 

I must take the time to thank Sarah Mills Nee, the director of the Alabama Folk School.  She and her husband are an amazing talented couple.  Sarah and her crew made the daily operation and schedule go smoothly and effortlessly to those of us participating in the workshops.  Everything was done to make our experience relaxing, inspirational and enjoyable.  If you like music or crafts, I can not say enough about this special spot.  They offer classes from nationally know artists and musicians and I can guarantee that you will get your money's worth and then some.

Thank you Sarah and the staff of the Alabama Folk School and Camp McDowell

Mary Ann Pettway - Gee's Bend
Sarah Mills Nee - Camp Director
Anne Robertson - Quilter

Now back to quilting

Mary Ann Pettway posing with her top ready for quilting
Can you tell that she is a fun lady?  

Bonnie

At the end of the workshop, everyone "hung" their quilt tops with blue painters tape to the windows.  Here is Bonnie (sorry Bon, not such a good picture) with her two quilts.  Bonnie has a delightful webpage with great pictures and descriptions of our time together.  Jump over to On The Way and read all about it.  Bonnie is a wonderful artist and you must also visit her web page and art gallery.    Hey!  I just had an idea.  Maybe the Folk School should put Bonnie on their list of teachers!  What fun that would be!!!!

I love the idea of hanging our quilt tops in the windows.  It was magical 

Nifty

Tina

Kim and her very cool GB piece

Suzie made lots of great pieces!

Cathy used her wonderful hand dyed and stamped fabrics

Looks like Cathy and I will be going to a Nancy Crow workshop together!
The fun never ends, my friend.

                                   

Anne had a blast with this one
I cannot wait to see more of it!

I began making more posies on day 2 and laid them on another bark cloth curtain panel. Soon got a bit bored with the posies and looked over to see what Victoria was up to.
(footnote: Tina made a posey for me too - the one on the top with stripped outer edges
Thanks Tina! )
(Do you think I am easily distracted?)

OK, so, back on track.   I scrambled around for some pale neutrals from the table of "shared fabrics" and made this little block:

Mary Ann and China graciously signed it for me
My plan is to hand quilt this one, frame it and hold on to it forever.

So ends the saga of my Camp McDowell/Alabama Folk School experience.  You can see all the other quilt tops if you jump over to the other sites that I mentioned in today and yesterday's post.  As I said, I am being a bit lazy here.  Or is it a case of TMI?
Whatever, there is just way too much to ever fit into one little blog. 
Happy trails to you
until we meet again. 

Alabama Folk School

I have just returned from a trip of a lifetime.  No, no, not an exotic trip to some far flung destination.  I am talking about Nauvoo, Alabama.  

The Alabama Folk School at Camp McDowell seems to have been a well kept secret.  From me, at least.  Last winter my friend, Nifty, gave me the heads up on her plan to come south to learn from the ladies of Gee's Bend.   Naturally, I could not pass up this opportunity.  Along with 17 other ladies from all around the country, we made quilts with the guidance of Mary Ann Pettway and China Pettway of Gee's Bend, AL.

I had the pleasure of reuniting with Nifty and Tina from Seattle, and meeting Nifty's sister-in-law, Bonnie, from Salem, OR.   I also had the pleasure of meeting Victoria, a.k.a. Bumble Beans,  and Kim from NY after reading their blogs for a long long time. They have both already posted some great pictures and reads. Victoria shared lots of great ones on her  Flickr link  Another new friend, Cathy from Birmingham, AL has posted great pictures and stories on her blog that you will enjoy checking out.  Sweet Diane from Birmingham posted some great pictures on Picasa.  Ann, from Jackson, MS also has a blog and a website.  Jump over to see what she has going on.  So, I am taking the lazy way out.  You must jump over to see their pictures and descriptions.  I promise you won't be disappointed.  

                      But I must tell you about this lady.  Cherrye Parker

left to right:
China Pettway from Gee's Bend, Cherrye Parker from Brimingham, AL, who had never made a quilt, and  Mary Ann Pettway from Gee's Bend.

Cherrye arrived with fabrics that she had purchased in Africa and a sewing machine just purchased, still in the box, with not a clue how to use it!  Not only did she learn to use a sewing machine, but completed the top and began to learn hand quilting.

Just look what she accomplished as a novice sewer/quilter.

My hat is off to you Cherrye!

Cherrye also wrote a very touching note to all after returning home.  With her permission, I am sharing her thoughts:

 but mama said we'd learn to quilt

           a note from Cherrye Fincher Parker

When I was a little girl, mama would sew a few clothes and crochet.

Somewhere along the way she stopped sewing and taught my friend, Juanakee

and me how to crochet...

but mama said we'd learn to quilt.

Mama, Mrs. Lillie M. H. Fincher,  and I crocheted lots of blankets for Cassandra, my sister, Jasmine, my one niece, Mu Dear, my grandmother - Dr. Gertrude C. Sanders, and family friends. We shared good times together completing each others crochet projects. I enjoyed creating the body of the blanket and mama would do the edges and the fringes.....

but mama said we'd learn to quilt.

Years passed fast... work, new experiences, travel, marriages, divorces, illnesses,

job promotions, joys, disappointments, God's grace keeping us strong...time changes a lot of things...

but mama said we'd learn to quilt.

Mu Dear had a stroke at the age of 90 and mama took good care of her for two years until she went Home...

and mama said now we'd learn to quilt.

100 days after Mu Dear went Home, I guess she got lonely because

mama went to sleep and followed her Home too...

BUT MAMA SAID WE'D LEARN TO QUILT!!!

Three years later, Grace brought me to the company of some awesome women, representing eight different states and 2 phenomenal quilters from Gee's Bend at the Alabama Folk School.  With my brand new in-the-box sewing machine in hand, no thread, Joy in my heart and my mama's spirit dwelling in me, I worked hard to make my first quilt top. Mary Ann and China showed me how to bring it all together and several of my new friends added a stitch here and there.

Mama said we'd learn to quilt.

We did.

I know she was there.

Each one of you have blessed me.

Love ya'll,

Cherrye

(Cherrye's sister/best friend, Juanakee, passed away 5 years ago from breast cancer.) 

Here we are, in our final hours together, still laughing

And now to the beginning:
Day 1

China is amazed at Victoria - the day has just begun and she has already gotten half a quilt pieced!  

Where do we begin?

(left to right)    

Mary Ann, Bonnie, Tina, Nifty, Barb, Victoria, Cathy

Nifty & Tina stitching away while Mary Ann confers with Bonnie

(Note the extra large classroom with lots and lots of natural light.  It adjoined the cafeteria and made it oh so easy for meal breaks.  The food was just plain wonderful, I might add. 

Mary Ann shows us a top made by another Gee's Bend lady

Using old boxer shorts from my hubby & son (much to their dismay) and cut up for me by Nifty, Tina and Bonnie.  I brought along a bark cloth curtain panel from the 1950's, as well as bundles of Kaffe fat quarters given to me by Bonnie.  This is the beginnings of my Gee's Bend interpretation.

China suggested that I use this dark green along with the bark cloth.  I agreed, tentatively, but secretly, I didn't like the idea.  But then, why did I come here?  Just to do my own thing?  NO, I wanted to dig into the creative thoughts of a lady from Gee's Bend!  So I reluctantly decided to go with her suggestion.  

I am so happy that I did so.  And I think China was pleased too!  Ya think it looks a bit Gee's Bendish?  I promised China that I would quilt it immediately and not go home and stick it in a drawer.  

Bonnie incorporated some blue "flame" fabric given to her from Tina

Nifty's in progress, using pieces cut from her baby clothes made by her grandmother.

Tina's all together, using some blue and white vintage fabrics from her Mom.
Isn't it great!!!!

Okay, so if you have gotten this far, congrats.  Enough for today, but I promise that there will be more to come.