Seascape Sample - Final

I must have played around with the placement of these two for, all told, an hour. No position was wrong but with such a small background the balance had to feel right. This is a personal thing.

As this was a small piece I gave it a traditional binding.
I enjoyed the FM work. It had been a while since I tried something like these two fellows.

Al Cote Workshop Piece - Second Time Around

Back in April I attended a workshop to make a 'rug' using a multi fabric stitch and cut technique. Al Cote hails from the Niagara region and has shown and taught for quite awhile.

You may recall, I was really unhappy with the results. It was just................,  blah  😝

This topic had been on my Fibre Arts group agenda for our 'day at the quilt store' bi-yearly event where we shared and taught each other, or finished major projects. We had to cancel because of other commitments but everyone still wanted to try this. At our last evening get together we worked on these pieces.

I can say I'm much happier with my second attempt, delighted even. So after stitching and clipping each 'window', facing and hemming the edges, then washing and drying (with baited breath) its done.

I like it.
I'll use it.

I can't see right now how to incorporate this in the things I usually do.......but.
I'll have to think.
(I may finish the first now.)

Purse Workshop

Ten of us met at the quilt shop today and had a really fun and productive time.
Three made the same model but most brought their favourite pattern and we cut and stitched and gabbed from 10 till 3.

No one finished but the deadline is this Wednesday coming, when we meet again on our regular schedule. I'm thinking at least half will have them complete.
Some got only as far as 'dressing' the materials today, but all are unique and a definite reflection of the sewer.
Enjoy!
( Oh yeah, we also booked the facility for our fall project in October.)

 

Workshop with Maggie Vanderweit

We're lucky in Guelph to have this talented artist live nearby. It gives us access to a lot of her workshops.      http://www.stonethreads.ca/

She gave an Abstract workshop yesterday for a large number of my guild members.
I attended.
I've decided I STILL don't understand ABSTRACT.
I just don't get it. I'm sure it has a lot to do with my expectations.
I was very comfortable with the first part. We distressed the canvases by cutting them apart and reassembling them. That was mindless, but I really didn't know where to go from there.

I saturated mine with paint while others were more delicate? adventuresome? using stencils and stamps.

I was disappointed with my results at the time, (though one was acceptable), but today I'm feeling a bit more kindly towards all four of the pieces. Maggie said I would!

This morning even the backsides had their merits.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

But that's why we attend workshops to step out of our comfort zones. Maybe we should attend with NO expectations.

LOL

The first of each series is the raw distressed canvas. That was fun. Yesterday I hated this one. I'm feeling warmer towards it now.

Unfortunately a worm slipped into my head and this now evokes the monster from the Netflicks "Stranger Things". But maybe that's OK.

 The back has an entirely different feel!

Yesterday this had been the best of the lot. Today? Nope!

A friend tried to salvage this one by applying some of my cheesecloth. I would have used red, she chose pink. It DID make a difference.

This last one???? Doh!

So I haven't a clue what I'm going to do with these. It will be interesting to see if this experience affects my future work in any way. I still have the cloth I created last summer with Maggie.
At the moment.....it's too precious to use.
Thanks Maggie!!

Weekend Past with Maggie Vanderweit

What with all that's happening in our house lately, it's taken me a while to process all the information I gleaned from my Natural Dyeing course from Maggie Vanderweit of Stone Threads Studio in Fergus Ontario

www.stonethreads.ca


The new background of this post is one of the jaw dropping pieces I created on Saturday past. While I've dabbled in this for a while, (I like cheap and dirty), there were a few nagging "hows and whys" that I couldn't find the answers to. I have those answers now and can move forward with this 'new' medium to play with colours, my garden and the surrounding countryside.

I had lots of fun with 10 other like-minded ladies. It's a little late in the season and right now my plate is so full, but I will get back to this.

In the meantime here are a couple of my "keepers". I have lots of time to decide how to use this new source of interesting fabric.