Testing 1 2 3

I tried out a block for a bigger gift quilt.

These eight and a half blocks went together quickly. Less thinking. More sewing. That's the power of using a pattern.

From a fat quarter of the bolder print I got six 7" blocks. Two of ones shown used other prints. But I've nixed it for the project.

Oh well. Another idea is brewing.

Start of a new year

Staying up past midnight on December 31st is an activity of a distant past, but I have other new year traditions.

Typically on January 1st I'd go for a long walk to slow down and savor fresh beginnings & new possibilities. Every new year, a book store holds a sale - any 3 calendars for $10. So one for the pocket book, one for the wall, and one for the desk.

Like many others, I set goals - rather than resolutions - for the year (see previous post). I've don't usually select a word for the year, but this time Matisse supplied one (images from desk calendar).

verve (vûrv) n.

1. Energy and vigor, especially in artistic performance or composition

2. Liveliness: vitality

Great word! Merci, Henri!

Wish you all a new year full of verve!

Little improvisations

On the road or away, when I couldn't cut and sew, I made little 2.5-inch square samplers of embroiderery stitches - lessons gleaned from Laura Wasilowski's Thread-U-cation Thursdays.

I love the way this square turned out.

But this square. Hmm, needs what? It's lacking something. Or maybe delete some stitches.

Old new tried & true

With long term intensive projects at work and at home, 2011 doesn't look promising for studio time  Work means much frustration. Home means much disruption. So what about artistic goals for 2011? They're less concrete, more nebulous, reflecting the state of affairs - guidelines.

Something old, something new,

Something tried, something true.

Old. During studio clean up, I unearthed many ufo(ld)s. I will not finish them all nor are all of them worth finishing. More workshops mean more ufos. So I will finish at least one for the EBHQ's biannual show in 2012.
New. I may not have time in the studio, but creativity doesn't take a break. I have ideas and am itching to start new work.
Tried. Something I've done before – like redoing an exercise from a workshop. Or someone else has done before -  maybe even adopt a pattern.
True. I feel the emergence of a series.

What else is store for 2011? Three week-long workshops. End of February: Indianola, WA for Nancy Crow's Lines, Curves, Shapes & Figure-Ground Composition, Part II. Mid May: Crow Barn for Dorothy Caldwell's Human Marks. End of September: Crow Barn again for Nancy Crow's Lines/Curves/Circles, & Figure-Ground. I am backing out of Carol Soderlund's Layers upon Layers in October since I haven't dyed a thing since last fall's True Colors and probably won't.

I know, I know. At some point I must stop taking workshops and develop what I know. While I am still earning a paycheck, I will continue taking workshops. Until retirement rolls around in a few years. Where I started almost four years ago seem light years away. Even if I haven't made many tops, haven't redone workshop exercises multiple times – all is not lost. Everything is starting to meld and jell. A little voice is speaking up.

A candid look

Who works here? It's terrible, isn't it?!


That's a view of my work table. Just push things aside and I'd have a teeny tiny working space. Or pile the stuff elsewhere and I'd have more room. I'm sure you're much much neater.

Yes, the studio has been screaming for an overhaul. It has reached a tipping point 'cuz I can't find things.

So no more! By the new year I will have it cleaned up and re-organized. So I can get back to quilting again.

And start a mess anew.

Happy holidaze

Lots of good cheer
to all far and dear.
May your stockings be stuffed
with more than enough
to give you a kick start for the new year!