Month: March 2015 | Crazy for Fiber

March 2015
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Archive for March, 2015

Ta Da!

Tuesday, March 31st, 2015

This thing has taken over my life and is all finished but the facings. It received a very favorable critque from EB. I was very frustrated with the quilting. I thought I might have the patience to do evenly spaced quilting lines, but it quickly became apparent that I am not OCD enough to do that. EB thinks it looks better with my wonky lines, anyway. So I am relieved and happy. Let’s just say, there were a lot of threads to bury! It is 24 X 42 inches.

I thought I would turn this 180° to see how it looks, but I think the top one is better. Now I need a title.

Great news! Lisa and Clay made the drive from Oakland today with two angry cats and Wilfredo, their dog. They had to stop half way and get a second cat carrier. They are settled into a temporary rental while they look for their Portland home. It will be so great having them here. I am a happy Mom.

Posted in Family, Machine Quilting, My creations, workshop | 3 Comments »

Piecing Progress

Friday, March 27th, 2015

Here is the result of several days of frustration. A few days ago, I finished piecing the skinny lines.

Then, I made the decision to piece it all together and then quilt rather than qulting each piece and then putting it together. You piecers out there probably know that when you take a piece of fabric and start slashing and inserting lines, you get a very wonky thing when you are done. Some of the pieces were way off in shape and size and I had to add some fabric and lines and do some fudging to get them to work. I am working on the bias in some of the pieces, too. So now, it is ready to be quilted into submission. I need to go get some thread, first.

I am also working on the next Printed Fabric Bee piece which is due in a couple of days. The theme is Mola. Here is what I used to make thermofax screens.

Reveal will be in a couple of days.

Wednesday, we were able to pick up our ceramic objects that had been glazed and fired. Love my zombie foot and hand!

I got a bit carried away with the metallic wash on the plate, but all in all, I am happy with my first attempt at something like this. Those are delicious black currant macarons on the plate, a gift from my friend who makes these in many flavors and colors.

And this is the reason that I am moving and feeling like a slug right now. POLLEN!! I have a mean sinus headache and vertigo, my seasonal malady.

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Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, March 25th, 2015

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Peacefully Piecing

Monday, March 23rd, 2015

I am doing it. I am piecing these skinny lines. I went round and round with input from EB about what fabric to use for the background of this. I just couldn’t make myself comfortable with the commercial fabric. Just not me. EB felt the gray had-dye had too much texture which would fight with the lines. So, after STASH meeting on Thursday, I stopped at the studio and picked up some PFD cotton and ecru and a black procion dye. I carefully mixed dye and tried to get as even a coverage as I could in large plastic bags in my utility room.

The ecru was the winner. The gray which I tried with diluted black was too lavender. I have been able to complete 4 pieces of the puzzle. I sometimes have to unsew and try again, expecially where I have the crossed lines. EB has suggested that I quilt each piece separately and then put them together. I think that is a great idea. This will end up being 24 by 42 so that I can enter it in the High Fiber Diet neutral show, which has specific sizes.

Last Wednesday was our local SAQA meeting. We had a presentation by Paula Benjaminson, a SAQA member who spent many years in Africa. She showed some of her fabrics and quilts made from African fabrics. I loved this dress.

Fabric detail:

Here is lovely piece of mudcloth.

And this printed fabric.

I have been busy with meetings and other things. My knee is getting better.

Oh, the best news is that Jayme got her first choice for her pediatric residency – Stanford Children’s hospital. This means they will stay in the Bay area. Mark can keep his job, but they will move out of San Francisco and closer to Palo Alto so that Jayme will not have as much of a commute.

Paige’s 3rd birthday party is coming up. She had a party this past week-end. We had to miss it, but her other Grandma sent me some photos. Here she is chomping on a cupcake!