This has been an exciting week! Our Quiltart challenge, Dia de los Muertos 2014, has been published this week, and can be seen here:

www.quiltart.com/dia

My own piece, 'My Ofrenda' along with my statement about my inspiration and methods can be seen along with the 15 other artists who responded to the theme of the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, celebrated Oct 31 - Nov 2, particularly Nov 2, or All Souls Day:

    
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Here are a few pictures of my kitchen work spaces:

I love my kitchen/studio/nursery/workspace. It's small. We live in a smallish cottage and even so I really think I have the best of all worlds except a dedicated eating table. We are casual here. It's all good until the cats want to bask under the lights on top of whatever I'm working on.

What I'm working on:

Cloister Garden is almost there. It is very fluid til its quilted down.  I already see a change that will happen. This part is fun for me, but somehow, as usual, I feel like I'm doing the process backwards. I've cut large background rectangles which means unpinning most of it, but I shouldn't complain because I am happy while doing it. Then the sandwiching, and then the quilting begins. It's moving right along. I have the Sacred Threads deadline in mind.

Here is Fritzy, one of our cats. She and Smokie drink from the glass pitcher on the window sill and pretty much no where else. They are fascinated with running water but not fans of being wet:

They will be nine years old next month. They'd been abandoned in the street out front and we found them and they moved in.

I'm linking to Nina Marie's Off the Wall Friday, where there are lots of current blogs to peruse!
 
http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com

In the season of giving thanks, I wish you peace.

Sue

New work this week

Hello friends! I thought I would give you a look at what Im working on this week. It is so helpful, objectively, to look at photos of progress.

We went to the storage unit for some books and hand dyes that I knew were there, somewhere. It's amazing how a 5X10 unit can still take forever to search through! Its mostly all my books and bookcases, because of remodeling the cottage. There in the far corner, at the very bottom of the last milk crate, was 'We the Living', by Ayn Rand. It is my favorite of her work, and the inspiration for a white on white minimalist kind of art quilt that has been in the back of my mind for over a decade. I am closer to starting it, but not yet. The book I will read for the 3rd time starting this week.

I also wanted some hand dyes, tie dyes really, that I thought might be good for big stitch hand quilting, and found 3, although not the one I wanted. Here is the one I chose for the project:

I use a spray basting method that works like a charm, for machine or hand quilting. My favorite spray is Alene's Crystal Clear Tacky Spray. I can't always find it, but over the past few years there has been a burst of similar products on the market so I dont have trouble finding one for my purpose without too much trouble. Here are the steps I take: Iron top and backing and lay out backing on a surface that is protected and washable. I use my bed and then wash the top blanket. Spray the backing thoroughly and lay the batting on top, smoothing it nicely. Then I iron it, backing side up. I rarely iron batting although I sometimes will hit it with steam from my iron and hover over it (only cotton, never poly or wool). Take the ironed back and batt back to the bed, batting side up. Spray the batting thoroughly. Lay the top carefully over the batt, smoothing again. You can reposition once or twice without messing up the batting. Then a thorough ironing, both sides, til it is crispy smooth and neat all around. I let it cure for a while, some hours to a full day, then sew away! I have made a number of small to lap sized quilts this way and I love it.

The other piece I'm working on this week is a tapestry of broderie perse, or fussy cut appliques. I want to try for Sacred Threads, and so the inspiration is a cloister garden. I've added some of my Spoonflower prints, and have been alternately delighted and despairing all week as I attempt to put the puzzle together. I intend to cover the entire surface with cut pieces of fabrics and then quilt the whole thing down once I complete the surface. I used a similar method for my Dia de los Muertos and was so happy with the outcome, it made me wish I'd been working with that method for longer. Here is a picture of the progress:

I want to fill the open spaces with greenery and flowery fabrics. I refuse to despair, even though I doubt myself pretty regularly. If I ignore it for a day or two usually an idea or two will occur to me, and I try again. Having finished the day of the dead piece has really encouraged me to continue moving forward with this idea.

Speaking of Dia de los Muertos 2014, we should be seeing the full results of our challenge uploaded quite soon, maybe even by the end of the night tonight. I know it is in good hands! Thanks again to all who participated! Can't wait to see them.

I wish you love

Sue

Hello quilting friends!

Now that Dia de los Muertos is finished and on its way in the world I turned my attention to my work space. I hit a blank wall with the purple and orange 'winged square' quilt after I added the 1/2" dk purple border, so I hung it on the wall where I can study it for a while:

Once I hung it up I saw exactly how I could quilt the large lavendar areas. That made me really happy. Beside it is the peach begonia that put on such a sumptuous show this summer.

In order to make room for winged square to hang on the wall I had to take down :

The fabric its lying on is the backing I pulled for it. First I will do more surface design contrast work, and then it gets the sandwich treatment. Then I'll add a border cut from the lighter backing material. I think I'll use 2 shades of purple and a grey for the quilting. For starters!

I cleaned and oiled my sturdy old Bernina, she is strong and tough and ready to continue quilting this personal favorite quilt that is also all hand dye and tie dye:

Above, the yellow tie dye quilt is lying on top of the third quilt I ever made. I was/am in love with Kaffe Fassett and it is one of his patterns. It was my first machine made quilt and the only bed size quilt I've made but its been on the bed at one layer or another since we were married, April 8, 2000.

I enjoy quilting this yellow quilt, it's happy yellow is a favorite and lifts my spirits. I feel peaceful while I'm working on it. It is called "New Native American".

I moved my cacti indoors for the winter and they are keeping me company across the back of the countertop. Under the ironing board/table el are begonia and geranium that I'll over winter in the cool kitchen with us. The sun shines on them every afternoon for a while and they seem very happy. Some are in bloom and have been for weeks. A few are gifts given years ago. They are good working companions:

If thats not enough, I have the front and back of a 36 X 36 white wholecloth to be handquilted waiting at the back of my ironing board for a good jumping off point for the center. Art makes life good. I think once January gets here I will mix some dyes and see what happens. Hopefully nothing to the white wholecloth! I have a pile of different cottons and linens and the sugar feedsacks and maybe there will be batik involved. Mulling.

I wish you peace!

Sue