A simple life

I came back from Italy only to be consumed for six weeks by two intensive projects for the job I didn't retired from. By the half year mark, my studio routine was non-existent and creative accomplishments sorely lacking.

I resolved to fix that with judicious pruning. I limited my gardening activities, limited my already limited housekeeping (furthering its decaying state), limited my social life, limited my internet usage and stole away to work in the studio. I've now re-established my nightly studio routine and made good headway on an(other) intensive project, so I can ease up on my monastic life.

You want to see what I've been working on? I'm not ready to show you the whole thing. You'll have to be at the Crow Timber Barn in Ohio to see it. I'll be there from October 7th to 11th for Nancy Crow's Potpourri II workshop. This top will be there too.

Yet I can't have a post without a photo. So here's a teaser:

corner of four modules

A continuation of circles with straight lines.

I previously teased you with this. Well, I wasn't happy with this which was a very symmetrical four-square, about 40x40. I took it apart and made six more modules. Still wasn't satisfied and made another six. After 60 hours just piecing, I'm happy with this bigger (100x60) better relative.

Oh, life should be so simple!

You be the judge, part 2: quilt no. 3

This is the last of three quilts for you to judge. If you missed the introductory post, read about this little experiment here.

As a judge for a juried quilt exhibition, look at the following full and detailed digital images. Click on images for larger views. Then respond to each of the following nine questions. Or get a score sheet in pdf format for all three quilts here.

quilt no. 3, 21x21 - full view

Quilt no. 3 - detail

Judging criteria from Elizabeth Barton's Ultimate Quilt Judging Algorithm:

1. Did it attract your attention? Yes = 1 or No = 0
2. Did you want to look at it for  5 minutes = 1  or  for 5 seconds = 0?
3. Looking longer, did you see something more?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0
4. Did it stir something in you?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0
5. Was there anything in it that distresses/disturbs/bothers you?  Yes with artist's intention = 1  or  No = 0  or  Yes but unintentional = -1
6. Is it fresh & new = 1  or  is it a development of something familiar = 1 or  is it old hat = 0 
7. Is the value/color strong/balanced/interesting?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0.
8. Do the colors work together?  Yes = 1  or  No, but they clash for a good reason = 1  or  No, colors clash for no reason = 0
9. Does technique awe and amaze you?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0

Total and leave a comment with the score. Further breakdown or additional comments would be welcomed too. Or e-mail me your score sheet.

You be the judge, part 2: quilt no. 2

This is the second of three quilts for you to judge. If you missed the introductory post, read about this little experiment here.

As a judge for a juried quilt exhibition, look at the following full and detailed digital images. Then respond to each of the following nine questions. Or get a score sheet in pdf format for all three quilts here.

quilt no. 2, 16x17 - full view

quilt no. 2 - detail

Judging criteria from Elizabeth Barton's Ultimate Quilt Judging Algorithm:

1. Did it attract your attention? Yes = 1 or No = 0
2. Did you want to look at it for  5 minutes = 1  or  for 5 seconds = 0?
3. Looking longer, did you see something more?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0
4. Did it stir something in you?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0
5. Was there anything in it that distresses/disturbs/bothers you?  Yes with artist's intention = 1  or  No = 0  or  Yes but unintentional = -1
6. Is it fresh & new = 1  or  is it a development of something familiar = 1 or  is it old hat = 0 
7. Is the value/color strong/balanced/interesting?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0.
8. Do the colors work together?  Yes = 1  or  No, but they clash for a good reason = 1  or  No, colors clash for no reason = 0
9. Does technique awe and amaze you?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0

Total and leave a comment with the score. Further breakdown or additional comments would be welcomed too. Or e-mail me your score sheet to maddonaellen-judge@yahoo.com

You be the judge, part 2: quilt no. 1

This is the first of three quilts for you to judge. If you missed the introductory post, read about this little experiment here.

As a judge for a juried quilt exhibition, look at the following full and detailed digital images. Click on images for larger views. Then respond to each of the following nine questions. Or get a score sheet in pdf format for all three quilts here.

quilt no. 1 - 16x16

quilt no. 1 - detail

Judging criteria from Elizabeth Barton's Ultimate Quilt Judging Algorithm:

1. Did it attract your attention? Yes = 1 or No = 0
2. Did you want to look at it for  5 minutes = 1  or  for 5 seconds = 0?
3. Looking longer, did you see something more?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0
4. Did it stir something in you?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0
5. Was there anything in it that distresses/disturbs/bothers you?  Yes with artist's intention = 1  or  No = 0  or  Yes but unintentional = -1
6. Is it fresh & new = 1  or  is it a development of something familiar = 1 or  is it old hat = 0 
7. Is the value/color strong/balanced/interesting?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0.
8. Do the colors work together?  Yes = 1  or  No, but they clash for a good reason = 1  or  No, colors clash for no reason = 0
9. Does technique awe and amaze you?  Yes = 1  or  No = 0

Total and leave a comment with the score. Further breakdown or additional comments would be welcomed too. Or e-mail me your score sheet after quilt no. 3. 

Week of many tasks

Away from home without sewing machine and studio space, I did some handwork. Finished binding this one for EBHQ's annual Show and Tell:

mini whole-cloth with trapunto

And after burying threads on this one, I could then say the quilting is done and it's ready for binding or facing.

circles with straight lines, quilted 

I kept busy with other things during the week . . .

. . . pruned in the orchard before the rains:

branches and logs from a felled tree

. . . helped move a very heavy metal desk:

new office, old desk

. . . picked up bags of walnuts:

a dozen old walnut trees line the driveway

. . .  cleaned out the pantry:

vintage finds

For some reason I ended up at the supermarket every day, but stayed out of the malls and big stores on Grey Thursday and Black Friday. 

The barn is now holiday-ready with new l.e.d. mini-lights:

barn with new lights 

A big 8-foot square block just below the prow would be a fabulous addition, don't you think? Something bold and improvisational. Would love to see the neighbors follow suit.

Quilt as desired

Are you someone who can be ready for a trip at the drop of a hat? Then return home and jump right back into your routine without much jet lag? I am envious because that's certainly not true for me. Out of state trips always knocks me out for a week.

This two-week trip was wonderful despite a couple of hiccups. I re-connected with a long time (not old) good friend near Detroit. Together we took a short trip to Toronto. Then I'm at the Crow Timber Barn for a workshop - Machine Quilting: Inspiration, Design, Critique with Sandra Ciolino. I'll save the hiccups for another time and get down to what you really want to know about - the workshop.

iso right thread color & weight for Golden Sol

Sandy, our fearless leader (she prefers facilitator), not only quilts beautifully, she's a great teacher! Communicative, structured, generous, caring, attentive, open, non-threatening, organized and more. The qualities you wished all your teachers had. She deserves lots of credit for setting up an environment for everyone to thrive. What a difference five days made!

We were a small group of seven with not a bad apple in the bunch! Couldn't ask for a better group of people!

Machine quilting wise, each of us started in a different place - from little to some experience. But that was okay. Sandy gave each individual plenty of attention and guidance from wherever we were. Nudged and nursed us along until we were quilting with confidence.

We were also diverse stylistically. I expected more Nancy Crow students since it was at the Barn. Instead three had never taken any workshop with her and two had taken only one workshop. So we had a diverse range of quilt tops to critique.

The critiques were a fabulous learning experience. These were not a show-and-tell what's-good-what's-not likes-dislikes kind of free-for-all. Sandy provided a timed 5-step structure adapted and revised from Art + Quilt: Design Principles and Creativity Exercises by Lyric Kinard. Of course everyone wanted to know how to quilt their tops - our reason for being there.

The critique structure really worked and we really got into the swing of it. Sandy even joked she'll packaged us up and take us on the road! I got some helpful feedback and am no longer stymied by my larger tops.

The very first exercise was another fabulous learning experience. It made us take the plunge. Jump off the cliff. But in a non-threatening way. It opened up options. Very freeing. We learned there are no rules for thread color, thread weight and stitch lines. Sure, fiddle with the thread tension until that works. Otherwise, quilt as desired! 

I've heard that many times but was clueless as to what that meant. Now I know. There is no one way, no perfect way. Explore, experiment, play. Trust your instincts as an artist and quilt as desired.

With inadequate choice of threads, I didn't get far on the circle with straight lines shown at the top. So I started on these two small black and white compositions in the workshop:

geometric stitches with white, variegated white, variegated gray and black

organic stitches with contrasting variegated thread

A lot of intensive quilting. Geometric stitches requires focus whereas organic stitches flow more. By late morning Friday, I could only doodle:

stitcher doodles 

more stitcher doodles

Many thanks to Nancy Crow for going forth with the workshop despite our small group. Without your faith, this enriching experience would not have happened. When she offers this workshop again, go for it! You won't find a better teacher than Sandy nor a better facility than the Barn.

Apropos, Perfect Happiness was the title of Robert Genn's Tuesday Twice-Weekly Letter, which led with this quote from Winston Churchill: "The way to be happy is to find something that requires the kind of perfection that's impossible to achieve and spend the rest of your life trying to achieve it." Read the rest of it here. 

Madly piecing

Yesterday, while gathering supplies for the Potpourri workshop, I found not one good rotary blade in the house. So today I'm making a quick run to the store before loading up the car because I'm leaving at the crack-of-dawn tomorrow.

Prior to this I've been buried in the studio. Nancy had pointedly directed workshop returnees to come back with at least three new pieces. I counted only two: Orange Rhyme & the brown one from last year's workshop. Neither entirely new, but now finished quilts rather than tops (hey, that's progress - twice the production of years previous). She'd said before she'd rather see new quilt tops than finished pieces. So feeling the pressure to produce something new for no. 3,  I got the behind moving.

The genesis of circles with straight lines was here & here. I continued explorations here, here, here & here. After madly piecing  for days, I have no. 3 about three feet square. Here's a peek.

detail

Well, now you know: deadlines help my productivity. Otherwise I'd be chasing rainbows until the cows come home.

How about you? How do you manage your creativity? Or not? Do you set deadlines and goals? Do you set daily time in the studio? Do you focus on getting a finished product? Or do you allow yourself to just explore?

Just right

I went back to the drawing board but kept returning to my conumdrum with the quarter circle. I had to resolve it.

first one is too wide

second one is too tight

third one is just right

Like Goldilocks I kept trying until I found the right fit. Goes to show it pays to be stubborn tenacious.

Trial & error

I feel like a film director. Actors are following the script but the results are unexpected.

On the left - lost curve & on the right - found curve

Planning gets me only so far. Then I must test the plan - sew it up. Perserverance (i.e. stubborness) helps. So considering the varied results for part 1, I did a trial run of part 2 using the goofed square.

part 2 trial - white only

Gee, I had a stronger impact in mind. Back to the drawing board.

Day in the studio

. . . to further explore circles.

I goofed the first one.

A more systematic approach for the next one. Systematic means less prone to error. At least it gave me an approach for the next quarter circle.

Took most of the day for one quarter circle - about 20" square. A long term project is in my future.

New circles

Piecing circles with straight lines again.

on the wall

 Circles differently from this or these. And discovering possibilities.

Possible madness

I was just there in May. But in less than two months I'd be off to the Crow Barn once again. I'm taking a dip in the dyeing waters with True Colors with Carol Soderlund followed by a week of Strip Piecing & Restructuring with Nancy Crow.

Last time there I got a very clear message: make pieces between workshops and concentrate on tops rather than finished quilts. So I'd started here with a black and white study. Then I got off on a tangent. 

First circle was shown here. Yes! a circle is piece-able with only straight lines. (Don't listen to naysayers calling it a multi-sided figure.) The struggle with bulky seams around a second smaller circle showed I needed a little more method for this madness. 

I draw the circles with a compass and then locate equidistant points for the tangents. Points too close together mean struggles with bulky seams. Points too far apart call the naysayers out of the woodwork.

With a little math, I pieced two more circles, one smaller, one larger.

Ooh boy, possibilities!

Hole-lee, mole-lee!

There I was in the middle of my b+w study when an idea took hold. I was off and running with options and variations before cutting any fabric before taking a stitch. It's all I can do to keep the idea in check and stay focused. Do you have that problem?

I love skinny lines. Kathy Loomis' Art with a Needle posted about an art date with skinny lines. I also want to make circles or curvilinear lines. Together they resulted in a sketch of a circle made only with straight lines.

The sketch looked familiar - where have I see that before? I was channeling Andy Goldsworthy!  Here is his work for comparison against my pieced piece on the right. Maybe I was subconsciously influenced. Or maybe it sprang from my love of math, particularly geometry.