Forward motion

I have been fussing with Cloister Garden until I doubt there is room for more. There are two voices in my head, one says EDIT the other says go all the way and farther. Somewhere in the middle is the end of this design process. I'm ready to quilt it, esp before I start to lose interest. So far so good:

The quilting will bring out the cloister bldgs and help to balance the strength of the flowers. I believe. This is my second full on raw edge fussy cut quilt and I'm still teaching myself  how to do it.

I'm also working on a couple of small lap size contemporary quilts. One is utilizing some Pennsylvania Dutch fabrics I happened to pick up in my fabric ramblings:

I will want an Amish or PA Dutch style of patchwork so we'll see where this goes...probably simple...it is destined to be hand quilted in my 18" hoop. I'v gone through 3 different hand quilting projects, looking for a satisfying experience. I hope this is it or it will go in the pile of 'yet to be quilted' quilts. The idea for this quilt dawned on me while rummaging for the fabrics for this other lap sized contemporary:

This one will be a log cabin variation using those flowers each for the center of each block. This one could go either way, machine or hand quilting. Much will depend on how many seams there are. It's still just an idea but I am going to cut out those flower squares, next, no matter what. It's the best use of that 1/4 yard which is the most common size I buy.

Here is one of my earliest quilts, made for a doll bed about 2001:

I know it's not close up but it might be my first free motion machine quilting, on the border, which makes it more likely 2000. I was in love with pink and brown quilts for a while there! My mom has my Chocolate Covered Cherry quilt on her bed, along with another I'd made for my step dad. None are actually bed sized. I just dont have the patience or the room. My very first quilt was a miniature 9 patch. I'm comfortable expressing myself in smaller sizes.

Wishing you the celebration of Light!!

Love, Sue

The Solstice Approacheth

Soon it will be the solstice, and so we begin to celebrate the returning of the light. My nod to the season is my big wreath out front, wired with lights glowing. I'll leave it on 24/7 til March, or as close to spring as John can stand it. I love to celebrate the season of light in every way I can. Am thinking of paper snowflake garlands and as we get a bit closer I may indulge in making a few lengths.

The first thing I did when I came home was to make changes to Cloister Garden. It went from this:

to this:

There's more but you get the idea. I'm about to layer the sandwich with basting spray and then finish the surface design. I have lots of quilting ideas and that is hugely encouraging. It also says I'm on the right path. I feel that way with this quilt.

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I also sandwiched up a quilt I made at a Kaffe Fassett workshop in MI about 10 years ago. I started to big stitch hand quilt it but changed my mind and took it all out when we got home:

Instead I will machine quilt it. I feel confidence now that I didn't before and so it's in process. In line behind the yellow hand dyed quilt.

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I want to announce a new Quiltart challenge that I am hosting:

2015 Quiltart Challenge "Patterns in Nature"
Due: February 28 2015

An unconventional challenge with no boundaries aside from these definitons of 'art and 'quilt':

Art: the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
Quilt: Quilting "refers to the technique of joining at least two fabric layers by stitches or ties. In most cases, two fabric layers surround a middle layer of batting (cotton, polyester, silk, wool or combinations of fibers) which is a lighter, insulating layer."

Please reference this web page to peruse options to express Patterns in Nature:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patterns_in_nature

Choose your pattern(s) and use unconventional means and methods to sew it together and then quilt it.

The materials are as varied as your imagination: thread, yarn, beads, paper, feathers, lace, cardboard, metal, findings, plastic, anything goes if you can make it go. Are you telling a story or sharing a vision? Does it hang on the wall or is it free standing?

 Be thinking about why you do what you do, so that you can offer an artist statement. Be brief, add your name and location and email/webaddress and send with the finished pictures to me no later than Feb 28 2015.

Send them to me at:
Please use only your original images.
No size requirement. The only requirement is that it must meet the standard of a quilt: 2-3 layers held together with sewing/tieing. Your materials may be as varied as your imagination.

Email me if you're interested in participating.

Kind regards
Sue Kaufman
Drums PA
suzkpa@yahoo.com




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I'll be linking up to Nina Marie again, on her blog for Off the Wall Friday:


http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Wishing you light in the season of darkness.

Sue