Red

I am feeling a little behind in terms of showing pictures, recording photos in my sketchbook, and generally keeping track of what I am doing. But I guess it works out OK since I can show a red quilt on Valentine's Day. I have made several quilts like this in many colors; I like seeing one color too: the shapes you can get are so interesting. I tried something different with the quilting, which took forever, but I was just not sure the best way to quilt it. This quilt is 34 "H x 41"W.

February

As February begins, I finally finished something! I had made several quilt tops recently, but ran out of batting, and backing fabric. The store was out of the batting, so it had to be ordered. This quilt started as something simple, but I did not like the way it turned out. I cut it up, inserted more fabric and sewed it back together. My camera was not working, so I do not have pictures of the process. Then I cut it up again, and sewed different sections together. This is not a way I usually like to work! but I like some of the shapes here. This quilt is long-64 inches wide, by 35 inches high. The colors were inspired by some small pottery bowls my mom gave me once, that are hanging in my studio.

Last week

I started the week with the squares of yellow, then went on to work on quilting another quilt. I kept my eyes on this quilt, trying to decide what would come next, and how far I should go, and how it should end. By Thursday I was ready to come back to it. I liked ending it with blue. I think I am done! At least I am done with little pieces of fabric, and look forward to starting something with bigger shapes. This quilt is about 5-1/2 feet square.

A New Year

Everyone seems to be posting about accomplishments and goals for the new year, so I thought I would join in on that. Especially since as I began making a list, I realized how the things I had done last year affected me and my work.

Just before last year began, I moved my studio space upstairs, to a spare bedroom. Even though the space was not really bigger, it allowed me to have a big design wall, and a better work space. It really changed my quilts, and allowed me to make bigger ones.

At the beginning of the year I made a book online of my best quilts. I found it was good for me to choose what I wanted to be in the book; I had to decide what I thought was best, and what quilts were not. Now I have a record of my quilts and plan to do that again this year.

I attended Quilt National this year, and getting into that show and going to the opening was almost unreal. Again, making a decision on what work I wanted to enter in the show, and then have it get in was really a validation of what I have been doing. I will definitely try again in the future, because I found it pushed me to really think about what I am doing.

I began a process of creating a new logo, and postcards, which I handed out at the One of a Kind Show this December. One of my sons and his family gave me a bag with my new logo as a Christmas present! Next I would like to get new business cards, and possibly a web site.

There were shows I didn't get into, and shows I did, but with quilts I was not expecting would get in. That gave me a lot to think about in terms of shows: what are they looking for, are there trends going on that I am not a part of? I think you can't get too caught up in getting into shows. It makes you feel good, but in reality you have to be yourself and do what you are passionate about, and find ways to get your work seen by other people.

This quilt is something I have been working on over Christmas, when I was interrupted by Christmas preparations, and company. I could do a few blocks at a time, and make strips. It is not finished, this is just the top. But it reminds me I want to learn more about color, and be able to dye more and more wonderful colors!

What a Show!

I had a wonderful experience at the One of a Kind Show in Chicago! It was Thursday - Sunday last week-a group of 600 artists. The show is advertised as a way to buy unique gifts, and talk to the artists themselves. I had never done a show before, and really enjoyed the time I spent at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. There were so many people there, and I got a lot of positive comments from people who stopped to see my booth. It was also fun to talk to other artists whose booths were near mine and hear about their experiences selling their art. I had postcards made to hand out, and most of them are gone! Now I am going to let it all sink in; the comments, thinking about what sold and what didn't, comments from other artists-and decide what the next step will be. It was fun to sell some of my ColorForm quilts!

How to Work?

Last week was frustrating; any time I had at the design wall seemed to be a matter of putting up fabric and taking it down. I must have handled most of my fabric, changed my mind, and went from small to big to small again. Finally last night I decided I needed to stop and think-what am I trying to do, and how do I usually do it? When I make a small quilt I am working from scraps of fabric, and often the shapes appeals to me, as well as the color. When I am working big, I start with the color, then need to make it a certain shape. After I find I like a certain design, I refine the shapes and lines. But can I do that bigger? I will have to try again! It is so hard to see what I am doing because I can't stand back from the design wall very far. This quilt is about 30 x 37, and I want to try bigger now.

New Work

Where have I been in the last month? I have been working on 2 larger quilts, but haven't finished them yet. I am enjoying the fall weather, especially since the trees in our yard haven't dropped many leaves yet. I had a fantastic trip last week up to the north shore of Lake Superior, where the peak fall color is mostly over, but is beautiful none the less. I forgot I hadn't posted a picture of my latest ColorForm quilt, which is #15 and is 17 x 25. I am planning on putting it in the Illinois Artisan booth at the One of a Kind Show in Chicago. I am looking forward to having a booth at this show-booth #3121, so if you are in the area Dec. 1-4, stop by!