Structure 4

This quilt is smaller than the last few: 36"H x 40"W, so finishing it went a lot faster. I also decided to shorten the name of this series, even though Structure is commonly used! I keep trying to add too many shapes and colors, and then I am not happy with it. when I subtract what I don't need, and find something interesting to focus on, it works for me.

New Work

I worked for 2 weeks, I made several quilts, some small, some larger, but I didn't like any of them. I folded them and put them away. I kept thinking about what I was trying to do with this series, which is to go back to a basic shape, to make the focus straightforward, and show the beauty of a few colors. In this quilt I used a gray and white as a background. Something unusual catches your eye, but there is sense of harmony.

Anatomy of a Structure:II

I sometimes wonder how I get to the end result? Art is really a process: trying different fabric shapes and colors, and making decisions: what helps me in what I am trying to say in this quilt? I know the process, but never know what the end result will be. I don't have a picture in my mind of the final quilt, but work on each step, one at a time. I like the 'solidness' of this quilt, its sparseness, I think it makes a big statement-it is 45"H x 75" wide! And it took a whole week to quilt. Now I am ready for #3, three shapes have been on my design wall for a week.

New Work

This quilt is big: 38" H x 57" W, and yet to be named. I found myself loving the way the long, thin quilting lines look on a quilt, yet on a quilt this size it takes a long time to do! It became the perfect thing to do during the busyness of Christmas and New Years. To me they look like pencil lines: not perfect, done by hand. This quilt came from wanting to use big shapes, and since there are fewer colors each shape becomes important. It feels like the ships at Lake Superior! massive, structural. I just finished another one, so I had better think of a name soon!

Organized Space, organized mind!

I have made another quilt in my square series, but found myself constantly being distracted by other shapes. I tried other quilts, but nothing worked out the way I wanted, so I am going to keep that shape in the back of my mind for the future. I am finding it so interesting to work with squares, and simple quilts. I can see myself sticking with this series, and staying away from other distractions for awhile. I was never able to stick with one series at a time, but now I see how I can work in a series, and just concentrate on that one idea. Going off into another idea seems to result in a less focused effort.

I have made changes to my studio space, and have moved the futon out to another room. I had space to put in a separate cutting table, and I love having a table that is taller and bigger, and I can cover it with cutting mats. I bought plastic containers for all my scraps, and have a separate one for each color: how organized!

Black & White

After making 2 quilt tops, I finally felt I had found a good direction to go, but felt frustrated with color. So I decided to go to black and white. What a relief not to have to think about color, but just design. I made 2 black and white quilt tops in the last few days, and am ready to continue, until I run out of fabric! Maybe then I will be ready to tackle color contrasts. I could see I was beginning to use too many medium color fabrics. When I look at my fabric choices, I see I have darks, lights, and brights but I seem to not be using them!

I have also been using my sketchbook to try out ideas, and to help me find ways to start the black and white quilts. In this one, I divided the top into 3 parts, and worked in one section at a time, then put them together. I had to go back and change some of the sections, but dividing the quilt into parts is a good way to work in a quilt that is not going to be made into blocks.

This is what I have been working on the last few days. I have spent a couple of weeks sending our youngest son off to a first job, feeling happy for him, and a little strange as he leaves home for the final time!
I spent at least a week trying to figure out something: putting fabric up on the design wall, later taking it down, trying to make something work. I made one quilt top that I was OK with, and went on to something else. This one is not sewn together, but the T shape has been interesting to work with, and something I will continue with. I spent a lot of time dyeing fabric, but when I start designing, I never seem to have enough colors.

I have quilts in several shows and locations, including Quilt National! I entered 3 quilts for the first time, and got in. That quilt has been sent off to be photographed for the book that goes with the show, which begins May 28th. Starting November 1st, I will have several quilts exhibited at the Prospect Heights Library, in their lobby. I have a quilt in the show Quilts=Art=Quilts, at the Schweinfurth Gallery, in Auburn, NY which begins October 31st.