CELESTIAL EYED GOLDFISH by Gladys Love

When this theme was announced, I immediately thought of moons, stars, planets, the milky way, and other galaxies.  I also thought of two people I know with kind of "celestial" personalities....lovely, gentle, sort of ethereal persons who constantly amaze me with their ability to see life as magical. 

However, since I don't have that kind of personality.....I had to really think to come up with something that would fit this theme.  I googled images for "celestial" and got many many that would fit in with what I had been thinking.  And then one popped up that made me laugh and I thought it was perfect. It made me happy! It was a "Celestial Eyed Goldfish".  Here is the photo that I worked from. 

I have had the great pleasure of taking a class from Carol Shinn (http://www.carolshinn.com/) who is well known for her thread painted works of art.  I decided that would be the perfect way to present this little fish.  It was printed onto canvas with an ink jet printer, and away I went, stitching in all the colors and trying to duplicate his comical expression.

 

I wasn't happy with the way his tail was not visible so I took artist's license and drew it in.  Here it is partially done. 

 

I was quite happy with the way this looked and continued filling in the tail.  I had a little helpful input from my son, who raises koi, as to the colors in the "fantasy" tail.  I learned from another project that it was important to do the eyes first or they look terrible after all the other work is done and then your project is wasted.  So the order of work was the eyes, the body, the background and then the tail. 

I was quite pleased with how the canvas flattened out behind the fish as I progressed with the colors.  A learning experience as I made some of the stitches go different directions and I think this helped.  When all done, I cut him out of the canvas so he was a free form "patch" that I could apply to a 12 x 12 background. 




The background is a technique learned from my friend Joan, who did one of our challenges with strips of old silk.  We had split two skeins of these strips between us so I decided to use all my "watery" colors for the background.  Here is what it looked like as I played with the
background.  I was dissatisfied with the white edges showing.  I had carefully trimmed the canvas away and then pulled out the warp threads to give it the thready edge, but the canvas color made too much contrast with the background for my liking.

So out came the fabric pens and I colored the front and back of each section to match the thread beside it.  This was better.  I was quite happy with the look of the silk so did some free motion quilting to fasten it down, added some embellishments and here is my "Celestial Eyed Goldfish".

 

And here is a close up of the threadwork, and a photo taken of it flat to show the three dimensional effect in the eyes and tail. 



I think my beading is not random enough so I may be adding more to make it look more natural.  I'm told random beading is the most difficult!  Apparently that's true!   Now, on to LOVE! 

TEA TIME by Diane B.

a Whimsical Challenge

I started working on this challenge with thoughts of a fancy cat design but found it needed to be in a vertical format.   On to more thoughts and I came up with this idea.  

I never do fusible type quilts so this method was fun for a change.   The floral fabric was from a friend’s stash.   The background was quilted on to Timtex and most of the design fused then stitched on.   An enjoyable project.

JUST A TOUCH OF WHIMSY by Karrie Phelps

I have to say this really was a fun challenge! It was great to not take this piece to seriously and just have fun. The Comox Valley is known for its Glacier so I decided to "dress the Glacier" up a bit. 

I threw in a few of my favorite colours and decided to add a whale (I was going to add a flying pig made of wood but decided he was too large and the whale didn't need company) this is all fused on top of a pieced base - two fabrics the sky and water. Just a few tippy trees and Voila! 

NOT RESPONSIBLE by Gladys Love

In a life filled with responsibility for elder parents needs, I found "Whimsical" a difficult theme to work with.  At one time in my life I made art dolls and thought I could easily do something to that effect, but my energy is at a premium these days and I couldn't get started.  

Then I saw something on the Internet, done by Susan Lenz. This reminded me of a class I took with Eileen Neill, entitled "Meltdown and Burnout".  Very fitting for right now, as it was when I took the class too come to think of it.  

Anyway, I read the article and thought "now THAT looks like something I could have a lot of fun doing."  I don't have to be responsible for lining anything up or making anything fit....total fun and frolic with no reason attached.  Pretty whimsical for me lately!  

So here's what I came up with, including the reverse, complete with a little bobbin snaggle! 

I have to say I truly enjoyed the process and will be doing it again.  It is laid out on some fabric that is 100% unknown content but I knew it melted so that was what I wanted.  I didn't think the color mattered, but in the end it added to it.  I used a 13 x 13 square and I laid out the first series of squares in varying fabrics....quilting cottons, cotton lace, velvets, satins, whatever I could find.  Then I put a little pinch of fusible webbing on top of each square and put smaller squares, cut freehand, on top of the first layer.  Then I did that again for the third layer.  The squares shifted a bit but I felt that just added to the composition.  

Next I added some bits of fusible wherever I thought they would be good and laid some bits and scraps of foil over that. The entire work was pressed and everything stuck together.  I pulled the foil off and was happy with what was left.  I covered the project with nylon tulle and free-motion quilted in each square, being sure to make lines from each square to the other to hold it all together.  

Two hints....your stitching thread has to be COTTON!  Metallic thread needs to be added at the end when all your melting is done!  

And secondly, the work shrinks, even if the majority of the fabric is cotton and you wouldn't expect it to....so if you want to try one and make it twelve by twelve, start with something over sized.  I suspect it would be easier to cut off a row of squares rather than try to add two to gain the size requirements!  

I LOVE TURTLES by Margaret Kelly

The 12 x 12 group topic this time was "Whimsical" ......."I love turtles". Of course I had to eat the chocolates first :)

I then heat shrunk the wrappers and attached to black background fabric for the body of the turtle. That cost me a few needles, let me tell you! Head and legs are also of black fabric with copper painted on for contrast to the dark background.  I drew faintly on the background where I wanted to place the turtle, then attached the heat shrunk cellophane (floral wrap) to show bubbles in the water.  Also the background is actually 4 small pieces of my hand dyed gradation fabric sewn together.  After the "bubbles" were sewn down, I added the quilting lines.  And finally I added the turtle, binding etc. 

Now...... where did I put that other box of chocolates.....

The Next Challenge

Time for a new challenge.    

What fun to be able to pick one.

The next challenge topic is 

"Whimsical"

Something happy or fun.

Something to make you smile. 

Funky.    Fanciful.

Have fun with this one.

Create something wild and wonderful.

March 31^st  2013   is the due date.

A Touch of Frost

This has been a challenging topic.  My first thoughts included snowflakes in various techniques.  Too complicated.

I remembered a photo I took awhile ago of leaves edged in frost. 

The leaves are made of silk fusion. They are edged in a  non-fire ceramic glaze snow found in my cupboard from years past.   The background is a hand dyed  Judy Robertson fabric.  It was a perfect colour for the leaves. A fun project.

Diane   Boyko.

INCANDESCENT MARILYN by Gladys

When this theme was announced, I had to go to the dictionary to look for meanings and interpretations.  What I found was:

Incandescence is the emission of light (visible electromagnetic radiation) from a hot body as a result of its temperature.^[1] The term derives from the Latin verb incandescere, to glow white.^[2] Incandescence is a special case of thermal radiation. Incandescence usually refers specifically to visible light, while thermal radiation refers also to infrared or any other electromagnetic radiation.

Having read this there were multiple ideas swirling in my head.  But that's normal.  I'm an idea person, and seldom a completion person!  How's that for True Confessions?  However, back to the theme.....almost immediately I came up with this idea and tried to think of reasons not to do it, but nothing else came out of my hands so here we are.  I started late in my attempts to do something to do with fire, which didn't work, and then finally got down to what I wanted to do in the first place.  They say listen to your heart and I should have because I'm happy with and had fun making this piece.   

I thought instead of light or the normal sources of heat, I thought of sex appeal, which is another elusive kind of heat.  There has been of late, a lot of resurgence of interest in Marilyn Monroe, the all time sex symbol for my generation.  Here is the picture I chose to use for a reference, found on Pinterest.  

Looking at this photo made me wonder what it was that radiated the sex appeal she was famous for.  Was it the looks?  There have been lots of women just as, or even more beautiful.  Was it the body language?  Or was it the diamonds?  I don't know and probably never will, but I truly enjoyed interpreting this photo to my 12" x 12" interpretation of Incandescence.

The project is worked on a black background which has a few sparkles on it.  The face and hair are layer upon layer of chiffons, both polyester and silk.  The face and shoulder are obviously carefully cut to indicate the appropriate shadows and shapes.  But the hair I truly enjoyed doing.  I just free hand cut teardrop shapes of all the colors of chiffon I had in yellow, pale yellow, glittery yellow and white and stitched down each piece as I went along, building up the shades and shapes and covering what didn't fit with a couple more layers.  A really free way to work and I enjoyed every minute of it and am happy with how it turned out.  The embellishments (did you know I love to embellish!!) are bits of treasures from my collection, a single earring, a strip off a dress from the thrift shop that I tore the diamonds off and kept, and a set of plastic eyelashes designed for Halloween but perfect for enhancing her sultry look.  The binding is metallic fabric and that was a trick!   

Thank you Barb, for coming up with such a great theme.   

INCANDESCENCE by Dale Kathryn

From 69 to 12

(From the Moon to Mars)

I can't remember when/how I decided that it was time for something completely different - but out came my  Embellisher for this challenge. I machine-felted chopped up bits of sheer polyester fabric, metallic ribbon and fabric, and silk fabric to strips of black Kunin felt. When I was pleased with the overall strip, I attached the next strip. If I didn't like a section of the strip, I removed it. The first section is in the centre right of the following photo.

 

As I continued to build on the strips, I got more and more excited with the possibilities. I over-layed and under-layed the metallic ribbon before needle-felting it - which left a trail of little sparkly bits throughout the house.  

Of course, I did an oops, and trimmed about 1/4 inch too much off one side.

After I did that, I added some hand- and free-motion stitching and then some semi-precious chips, glass and metallic beads. The edges are just a few rows of black satin stitch. Bamboo batting and Kunin felt backing (which you are NOT allowed to see!)

And here it is ... Curiosity.

Thanks for the great theme, Barbara!

Manhattan IS an Island!

The year 2009 was a very special one in my life.  The publishing of my first book, followed by a trip to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for spring quilt market, and that followed up by meeting two very good friends in New York City for 5 days.  An absolutely fabulous time that left an indelible memory and set the bar very high for anything to match it! 

When the theme "Island" was chosen, and it wasn't my first choice....we can thank Joan for this one, I had so many ideas that I didn't know where to start. Joan knows.....she heard about all of my ideas....seagulls on logs, grandmas with babies in their lap, etc.  Procrastination being one of my stronger character faults.....I thought and thought, but there was no action.  It was an easy theme for someone who lives on an island (Vancouver Island), and especially when that someone knows people who live on even more remote islands which she gets to visit regularly!  There were also the predictable "No Man is an Island" phrase....and you should have seen the man I was going to create....but I digress! 

I was pondering between three of what I thought were really good ideas when one of the friends I met in Manhattan and I went for a long beach walk here at home.  She wiggled her eyebrows and said "Manhattan is an Island"......and smirked.  That was it.  I loved the idea.  So here it is. 

This is a collage/improvisationally pieced/bead embellished/thread painted and quilted representation of some of my favorite things in New York City.  There are so many more!  But I chose these from my photographs, printed them on fabric, pieced them into pieces of sari silk (yes I shopped where Joan did), clothing, hand dyed fabric, lame and best of all, some words (Manhattan, Times Square, Grand Central & Broadway) are from commercial fabrics purchased at City Quilter in NYC!  

I love to embellish my work, and in this project I worked with individual sequins and learned how to lay them out in a line.  Not my favorite enterprise, but they seemed just right to represent the marquee lights.   I used some square sequins that are meant to represent windows on the NASDAQ building, and trimmed them to varying sizes to fit with the shape of the building in my photo.  I have more embellishing to do, but this could go on forever so I thought I better just post it as it's close!  I want to add some thread painting and a few more beads.



Bwama Island

I took a photo of Bwama Island, an Island in Lake Bunyoni, Uganda a few years ago with the idea that I would someday make a quilt to remind me of a visit to Bushara Island. I also took 2 classes with Sue Benner, one on abstraction and the other about landscapes. I love the way she uses strips, and decided I would try her method. I love the result, and am anxious to make more using the same technique.



The strips I used are sari silk purchases at the Back Porch quilt store in Pacific Grove, California. They come in a variety of colors and designs and are twisted up into a skein, much like yarn. Obviously my someday is here! This exercise stretched me somewhat, and I am anxious to do more.

This is the full size 12 x 12 picture of Bwama Island challenge quilt. Actually, it is terraced fields given by the local Diocese to women who are able to till the land and feed their families with the produce. I used raw edge strips, laid out to represent the terraces as they rise out of Lake Bunyoni. I have folded some pieces to create abstract plants and thread painting to make the reeds in the lake.

OK Barbara, what's the next challenge theme? Gladys is sitting beside me as I do this because I am technologically challenged, and she promises to have hers posted today as well, and when she does, she'll start nagging!

Hi - from Dale

 Water Colours - water-colour paper, Pelikan water-colours, beads, metal leaf, hand-made cords, Perfect Pearls, silk dupioni, etc.

I was delighted when Gladys invited me to join this group and I am very much looking forward to the challenges and meeting the other members.

I am not a professional or trained artist. I used to make most of my own clothing and took courses in pattern drafting. (I thought I wanted to be an architect when I grew up, but found out there was a physics component ... then there was all that math ...!). Anyway, I made several wedding outfits - two of which were from patterns I drafted from scratch) before deciding that I needed to do something more "me". One of my first experiments was with fabric paper - before I knew there was such a thing.

At this particular moment, my sewing room has had two coats of fresh paint, the trim is in place, the new laminate flooring is down and the room is completely devoid of anything "art-quilty" (including furniture) because it's spread all over the rest of the house.

My husband and I share our home with a Chocolate Lab, three indoor cats and a almost-feral barn cat we had spayed and for whom we bought a $60 heated cat bed.

When I originally posted this as an email, my sewing room was virtually non-existent. However, I have now just about finished refilling the room. A rug to go under the desk (so I can spill paint, ink, and glue - and not ruin the new laminate flooring) and a blind will arrive sometime next week.

For some reason, we elected NOT to keep the filthy slime-green carpet that was lurking under the not-quite as filthy beige carpet. The slime-green carpet was glued to the subfloor. My husband had to scrape the residue off and nailed a new subfloor over top.