New agers, neo-pagans join the curious to greet summer solstice at Stonehenge | CP24.com

New agers, neo-pagans join the curious to greet summer solstice at Stonehenge | CP24.com



Now I have to admit that this is really off topic, but Stonehenge and the Solstices ( or is that Solstii?) are a weak spot of mine. One of my art pieces that gained some acclaim was inspired by images of the winter solstice. The idea of the longest day always bring s a bit of a sadness to my being, as I face the idea that we are now winding down to winter......really!) And my climbing roses are fading.

But what always disappoints me in these articles is they leave out all reference to dancing in the nude. I think I read too much fantasy. (I also think I'm going in a little stir crazy here. I'm grounded and hubby is enforcing it and I'm going nuts doing nothing, hence this rant!)



I just finished getting out my Dear Jane blocks and putting them on a wall and I discovered I have duplicated 2, and 3 very nice blocks have nothing to do with the Quilt pattern at all!! It's enough to make me want to strip down and go running madly into the field. (Neo-pagan part of me that is)

Sigh. The voice of reason, ( and mosquitos) teaches me patience and humility.

I think I'll go fry my brain in the sun.

With a mojito!

 

The Cows Came Home ( or Anne's 7 Shirt Quilt)

I thought this quilt would take me longer but if was completed in 2 days. Perhaps because it was hot out I preferred my basement studio.
The SID went quite quickly because I was able to stitch "stairs". Long arm machines want to do horizontal and vertical before curves so they track very well. As my basic machine does not have clamps for straight lines, its always a little iffy. When the seams are well pressed there is usually no problems.

This is a large quilt, 95 x 101, very generous and manly.
The medallion in the light blocks worked very well and adds just enough interest. I'm sure my friend will be pleased.

S.I.D. till the cows come home

I value my friends and I do my best for them as a customer, but this one is going to try my patience as well as my back. Its another version of a Shirt Quilt, and is almost all stitch in the ditch.
The part that isn't is a custom design on point. (I will remind myself several times over the coming week that it was my suggestion.)

 

This is a large design, 15 inches and it goes in the plain blocks between the 18 inch stacked blocks.

I could have drawn it on the space but I opted to draw it out on light tracing paper. This way I could duplicate it quickly and accurately by stitching the pattern with an empty needle.

After it is pinned and stitched over, its simple a matter of tearing away the paper and cutting the threads. Partial blocks are merely sections of the design.

New techniques

After coming home from the show with the catalogue and studying the pieces I liked again, I knew there were a few things I was going to try to incorporate in my Natural pieces. I'm cooling my heels right now, busy mounting a customer quilt on my longarm. As a favour to my friend I'm also prepping her backing. She had had one ready but I thought it was the wrong choice for her quilt. So she left me a bolt of backing fabric to make and prewash. ITs in the dryer now and the front is mounted
BUT
This technique for making evergreens more dimensional has haunted my sleep and thought.

I'm not a fan of using a hoop with my free motion work, but it may be because the piece is all assembled and bulky. Getting the hoop under my presser foot on my Jenome always meant I had to dissemble the foot, place the hoop and reattach the foot. This small hoop doesn't require that. At that point if there is distortion it becomes a problem. But this method has you pre sewing parts to be layered. In this case evergreen boughs.

 

So this is an individual branch stitched onto a nylon netting. This is really exciting for me, thinking ahead to different layers, levels and colours. The results are then cut and layered and using invisible thread, anchoring the work with NO distortion. As long as the pieces will fit under the presser foot it can be added. But Wait...it can all be hand stitched too as there is minimal bulk.

Think trees, flowers, grass...feathers. WOW

Go BIGGER or go Home

On Thursday last, my husband and I journeyed to St. Catherines Ontario to view the CQA Quilt show. He is a BIG supporter of my work and I value his perspective and eye.
While I was unable to get any pictures of the juried show, there was an invitational exhibition of past winners and works by recognized Canadian teachers and members of CQA. (I still have no idea what the difference is between Realistic and Representational classifications.) One thing I did learn was I need to think BIG. I did see a few techniques that I intend to incorporate into my work and am now more than every convinced I need to start painting my own fabrics. But here are some of  the photos I took. ( So many old ladies ruined other pictures...oops I'm in that category now.)

 Enjoy and be inspired.