Squaring up

Extra fabric hangs around the edges of this improvisational piece from the Lines Curves Shapes and Figure/Ground workshop. It was cropped for my last post, but as you can see here, it really needs squaring up.

I have no tried and true method to square up pieces bigger than my worktable. This one is about 54w x 42h. Here's how I did it this time.

I smoothed it out on the design wall, picked a side to start, then chalked a straight line. Using my biggest square ruler, I rotated around and chalked other sides with the hope that the last side would be at right angles to the first one.

To review I pinned fabric strips along each chalk line. 

I see I could've started with another edge. Okay, once more around.

Comparison of the two photos side by side.

Until I can get to a big table to cut and sandwich it, I securely pinned the strips along the chalk lines.

Next time I'll try squaring it up in Photoshop first. How do you square up?

Making peace with piecing

Have you ever done something, enjoyed it so little that you do your best to avoid repeating that experience? Here's an old post about an exercise from Nancy Crow's Improvisations, Let's Experiment! workshop two years ago. Can you tell how much fun I had?

If I'd known I'd be working similarly last week, I might not have gone to Indianola for Lines, Curves, Shapes and Figure Ground, Part II.  I stuck it out. Straight lines and edges, fairly simple composition, consistency. Amazingly finished all exercises except one.

 




















I didn't mind the process so much this time. In fact, I see advantages to working this way. The big question: will I voluntarily work this way again?

To & fro

The trip to Indianola started Thursday after work. I drove through a dark and stormy night to Diana's home in Davis.

Weather forecasts warned of a big Arctic storm coming down from the north. What an inauspicious start for a trip taking us over high mountain passes near the California-Oregon border.

My travelling companion, Diana, wanted to cancel the whole trip. I doggedly held high hopes of getting through it. After checking road conditions, we started out the next morning. Through rain, light snow flurries and biting cold winds we got through all the passes to Eugene, Oregon. Optimism rewarded.

From there it was free sailing Indianola. And free sailing on the return back. Lots of rain. The weather warmed up. No snow. Just two very tired persons: one napped while the other drove.