Bead Iterations- Week 5 Laura Shea

Nine more beads for the big project of 30.  The bead in the upper right hand corner is another new pattern inspired by last week's aha moment.  Hoping to finish the 30 beads and be working on the sculpture for next week.
Laura Shea

Week 4-Christi Beckmann

"Hint of Spring"
Pieced Fabric strips, paint, stitch.
Up here in the mountains there is a very subtle hint of spring as the snow melts off.
However there is certainly more snow to come!  But if we get little breaks from the snow we can feel hopeful!

Week 3 -Christi Beckmann

Our Cat Absaroka Beartooth passed suddenly on December 29, 2013.  This as complete as this piece will get as nothing I make will do this handsome fellow justice.  We miss him terribly!

Tree 5 - Jo Noble

This is a representation of the Great Plains. Wyoming/SouthDakota where the grasses are chest high and a lonely tree is out on the plains.
I stitched the grass to some tear-away stabilizer and layered onto a prepared stitched background.
This won't stand the test of time, but it was fun to play with the grasses, colors and wonderful spirally shape of my twisted fig tree.
Jo Noble

Dimensionality, by Judy Duffield

I was experimenting with the idea of visual texture, and so appliqued a variety of white shapes and fabrics on a white background. I quilted in a number of ways to create and accent dimensionality, and couched a grass seed head on for more texture.

Foothils Sunset, by Judy Duffield

I live right at the base of the Foothills and have been astonished by the sunsets since moving here from the East coast. I dyed this piece of fabric several years ago, but never had a fitting use for it, but the view and scribble stitch brought it all together for me

Totem, by Judy Duffield

I'm just at the start of my art quilting journey, so I've committed to once a month postings as I explore possibilities and techniques. This is an example of scribble quilting, Heather's week one example. I love all things birds, so a feather was a natural choice--a totem, of sorts.

Week 4 - Jeannie Spring

Wanted to show how words are one of the strongest separations of man to apes. Fused, scribble stitched and machine quilted.
Jeannie Spring

Laurel Bahe week 4

Im traveling with just an ipad and figured out how to get a photo into Picasa and up here.  Im cheating and putting up an old photo of works in progress, one of which I will use for the words theme of work four.

What fabulous work everyone's posting!

Here's my week 3--dyed silk organza and pearl cotton running stitch on tangerine-orange cotton.  I'm sorting this one into my warm/autumn pile.

Week #5 by I.V. Anderson

This is a "good memory" piece. Sunday was UFO Day at the gallery with Ellen Nepustill. We put the door bell on and all went downstairs to work. Good time with good friends= good memories!

It is hard to tell now, but the black is hand dyed cheese cloth layered and shredded which I hand stitched in place, even most of the ravelly threads. A sprinkling of matte beads with just a hint of color were stitched on so that their holes would show took much longer than I intended but wanted that look. The  accent is an industrial item that I thought would add a nice contrast.

Week #5 Prompt: Attempting Dimension, by Heather Thomas

 

Good Evening All,

Here is my piece for our 5th week.  The topic is "Attempting Dimension".  Use whatever means available to you to add real or implied three dimensionality to this weeks piece of art work.  Unfortunately, the dimension does not show all that well in the photo above.  I began with a piece of silk rayon velvet that I had dyed. I layered it up on top of wool batting, wool felt and backing fabric then I quilted the holy hell out of it.  The red orange, gold and blue/blue violet areas are all that remain showing of the velvet all of the dull brown areas are thread that has been heavily stitched to push those areas down and back and allow the colored areas to rise up above the surface.  

So, your assignment if you are willing, is to use whatever technique you desire to take your art work from two dimensional to three dimensional.  Keep in mind that for something to be three dimensional it must have a top, sides and a bottom and be able to cast a shadow. 

 Here is my piece at a side angle.  Look at all of that dimension!

And here is the back of the piece with all of the brown stitching showing up nicely against the white backing fabric;

Week #4 by I.V. Anderson

This piece was intended to be an opposite to last weeks, but I got carried away. Rather than natural these silk carrier rods are hand dyed with wonderful variations in color. Had to add a little rust which pumps up the texture. Makes me think of impasto painting with fiber!

Week #3 by I.V. Anderson

The contrast play of this piece is very subtle; very small variations of color. Texture is the main toy here, with the silk cocoon it is almost 1/2 inch thick! These are all dyeble items we have at the gallery in their natural form. Silk, cotton, jute, hand stitched in place.

Week #2 by I.V. Anderson

This piece is a study in contrasts, one of my favorite design elements, The base fabric, Osnaburg, is ruff and matte, with an almost soft handwoven look & feel; also matte is the hand dyed cotton contrasted with the sheer which is a metallic silk that is crisp, almost crunchy. Silk / cotton.  Shiny / matte. Glittery / rust. You get the idea. Yea for finally figuring out how to post.

Week #4 by Heather Thomas

 

Good Evening,

Here is my piece for the past week, week #4.  I finished it a few days ago but have been struggling to find the time to get my post up.  I features hand writing on rusted, old metal using a beautiful light blue and silver metal leaf along with a leafing pen for the adhesive.  I quilted the background very closely with straightish lines then quilted words in the silk blue/gray fabric then added the metal pieces with glue then hand stitched them to add more visual interest.  The metal says simply, "Art is the answer, the quilting to the right of the metal says"..... is all she heard when she asked the question, Why am I here?" Like my other pieces, this one is gallery mounted and is 8" square.

Rachael Goldman week 4

Mai Nahar - Flowing Waters, the first lines of one of my favorite songs by Israeli artist, Idan Raichel. The background was shibori dyed, then stamped. The words are lettered on paper that was distressed using distress inks and then roughly torn into strips. The hearts are rubber stamps on fantasy film. Rachael

Wisdom in Many Languages

 

I liked the idea of a handwriting exercise, but I am disappointed by the way this turned out - maybe if  I had had time to embroider it, I would have liked it better.   I took the word "Wisdom" and found it in several different languages.  I then arranged the words "Wordle" style and finished with  two images for Wisdom and two quotes.  I like Aristotle's quote: "Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom."   I am getting to know myself as an artist - flaws and all.

 

 

Diane Anderson

 

 

Bead Iterations Week 4 by Laura Shea

Six more basic beads for the sculpture. The seventh bead on the right is a new pattern for this bead.  I am so excited about this new pattern.  Even though I only made one cluster of 3 blue beads, I found that I will be able to make a symmetrically positioned pattern on the opposite side of the polyhedron. Which started me thinking about a different approach to how to look for patterns. Warning math to follow (lol): So I started thinking about the many ways to divide 30 (the total number of beads/edges on the dodecahedron) by 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 15. Then considering each number-- how many patterns can I get with each number. What you have been seeing here is me working up to all 30 patterns of 1 as well as throwing in some other patterns to break up the monotony. These 30 patterns of 1 look identical until you fix them in space so that you can see what each of the "roving" single blue bead polyhedra look like next to each other. My plan is to wirework the 30 beads together, but I am not quite sure what the configuration will look like. Not to be too nerdy about it, I will probably go back and reclassify the extra patterns when I have the basic 30 finished and grouped in the sculpture. It may not translate to non-math lovers, and I am thrilled that doing this weekly project has opened a new gateway of focusing on how to  look for edge color patterns on polyhedra.

Week 4 Debbie Helser

This is another 8 X 10 piece. I used a piece of dyed cotton velveteen and stamped the swans with one of my carved stamps then outlined them with metallic embroidery floss and added some details and the painted cheesecloth.  Most of this was done by hand since I didn't have a machine with me last week. I added a few ripples on the water by machine today. I've wanted to do something to play with this stamp and I like the results.  I'm finding it fun and freeing to play with these small pieces.  ~~Debbie Helser

Week 4 "Two of a Kind" by Denise

Again, I used a hand-dyed fabric for the background that consisted of gold and purple dyes. The purple alphabet square was used under the hand-dyed gold fabric. I dusted the cobwebs off my home embroidery machine to stitch both quilting designs and the "text" banner.  It was a good excuse to reacquaint myself with my embroidery machine.  The purple batting was purchased from Heather during one of her classes.  The "frame" is couched cording.  Denise Pitonyak

Tree 4 - Jo Noble

The idea was to show a beautiful tree against what it had become. You can see through the tree and I really liked my free-motion stitching. Well, turned out to be a rather nice, if unusual Christmas card. HMMM. So I thought I would garbage it up and put pieces of text and string all over it and hope I got rid of the "twee"ishness.
I used yarn and a machine blanket stitch for the edging. I like this edging application.
Also found out I have been using my white felt as batting cause I put it in the wrong container! (Darn and darn again!)
One more tree to go and I'm off to another series!
Jo Noble

Words Week 4

I used a piece of fabric I had painted, then painted it with Golden Digital Grounds clear.  I made a "word cloud" at wordle.net, and printed that onto the piece of fabric.  The "Words bring Attention" were applied with TAP, making sure I reversed the printing.  Keats Scott

Ulla Westermann - Week 4

I like this quote by the Dalai Lama. The words are written with a silver marker. I chose warm colors that remind me of the robes of Tibetan monks. The colors are a little more cheerful than they appear in this picture. The piece is 14" x 10".

Sarah Ann Wells week 2

My first landscape!  Originally I had a straight line of trees and was going to use metal behind some to invite you in BUT:  1st layer background of random sized and colored triangles fused directly to the batting suddenly dictated a path and the metal no longer worked!  So much for preplanning, I should know by now the piece will tell me what to do!  The second layer is a gray sheer w/ slightly wrinkled texture (looks misty in person), the top layer is various fabrics (including the black which has paint in 3 colors rolled on to create texture) fused to the sheer.  The whole thing is quilted (metallic thread on the trees) and then faced. 

Week #4 Prompt: Hand Writing

Hi,

Since we had hand stitching last week I thought it would be fun to turn to hand writing for this week. The idea is to add the written word to your work.  This can be done in any number of ways.  As shown above, you can machine quilt your chosen words or like my piece from last week, you could emboss the words in metal. 

You can hand write your words with markers or paint them on with a brush or you can collage them on as shown in I.V.'s soul collage cards above.
It doesn't matter how you add them, this weeks prompt is to simply add some written narrative to your work - so, let's get writing!
Heather

Rachael Goldman week 3

I was looking through my photos, looking for photos of my oldest, who turned 16 today. There was a photo of a sunflower against the bright blue summer sky. Perfect for the gray February day I was experiencing. I used a piece of gelatin printed fabric for the background. And the petals of the sunflower is dyed with Dy-na-flow, shibori style, on muslin. The brown is leftover yellow that I then made brown with some markers. I added a whole bunch of French knots, and a running stitch along the petals. It is 9x9.

Ulla Westermann - Week 3 - Word games

The hand stitching took a little longer but I had fun with this challenge! The letters and hearts are hand stitched. The yellow orange earth is appliqued and decorated with some fun french knots. The background is mostly quilted with echo lines. It's a happy quilt!

Yin Yang Heart by Jeannie Spring

For Valentine's week, the Yin Yang Heart: hand appliqued, hand embroidery, the word "love", hand quilted and machine pieced.
Jeannie Spring

Thinking of autumn

I was away in the windy city all week & didn't have lots of time to work--but, voila, the second of two leaves, this one for autumn.  The leaf was painted on Kona cotton, then overlaid with silk organza dyed with a diagonal design, and a few beads stitched on top.  Not too thrilled--the whole thing got a little wonky in the quilting process, and I wish the leaf stood out a bit more.  I might do a new version for next week, but meanwhile...

Week 3 Handwork

Here's my little quilt this week - a Valentine theme.  It was a challenge to get this done, normally I do my handwork at night in front of the TV.  With the Olympics on it was hard to get done.  The butterfly and rose are "store bought", it's been fun going through my stuff to see if I can use it in these projects. Keats Scott

Week 3 - Second Piece of Twelve - NancySwanton

This was supposed to be a flower, but with the outline circle, it looks more like a dinner plate :-(  I do like the purple French knots around the center. I had this all fused, quilted and bound before I decided to add the hand stitching.

First of 12 Eileen King

I just love the vibrant background red fabric and have wanted to use it in a quilt.  The petals of the flowers were created from different brightly colored fabrics, fused together, and outlined with black marker.  I like working with the design element form.  Though not apparent from the picture, the flowers and leaves slightly float over the surface of the quilt.  Eileen King

Tree 3 - Jo Noble

Thanks again to Google Images for their whimsical tree. I machine stitched the trunk and used yarn to couch the bottom. Them I hand sewed the little stars. What I like most is using the blanket stitch attach yarn as an inner border. It's bumpy and has great texture. Two more tree to go in this series, then I will do another series of five in another genre.
Jo Noble

Fire Season - Diane Anderson

A couple of years ago, I took Heather's fabric dyeing class.  I selected one of the pieces of cotton that I had dyed in a folding process, and proceeded to hand embroider.  I did not have a "picture" in mind; instead I just let my fingers  go and this is what I created.  I call it "Fire Season"  which happens in the summers here in Colorado.  The left side is ""destruction" and the right side is "rebirth".  I used the stitches that Heather shared with us, and like her, my favorite is the French Knot.
Diane Anderson -

Week 3 Riley Franklin

I am late on week 3!
This painting is inspired by some botanical drawings I recently discovered.
Hand plant for the hand stitch week :]

Laurel Bahe week 3

I added stitching on my machine not by hand this week; just not enough hours in the day.  I'm happy with this little 5x7 inch hooter and may add some more dark colors now that I see it on my computer screen, I think it needs more contrast.

Laurel Bahe  

Bead Iterations Week 3 by Laura Shea

Five more beads in the quest for 30. The top three beads are patterns I think I have previously diagrammed, and I have to check. Doing this even though my medium is so different than everyone else's is helping me get my creativity going again.  I took Heather's design class in an effort to combat several years of illness getting in the way of creating, writing and finding a new frontier in my work. While I've been beading I have been envisioning how I will put the 30 beads together and display them. That will be a challenge!

As for using hand stitches-- the above beads are all done with hand stitching (not however what Heather had in mind).

Laura

Week #3 by Debbie Helser

This is Debbie's piece for week #3.  She asked me to upload the photo of it because she is in Hawaii.  

Heather

Thanks for posting, Heather! This started as a piece of canvas painted with thickened dyes, including the hand-carved stamped bird. I put it on a piece of painted batting and started stitching the bird. I
included a piece of crocheted wire, the tooled metal and some embroidered stitches. . This piece speaks to me loudly right now. I am finding lots of inspiration in Hawaii for future weeks! --Debbie

Week #3 by Heather Thomas

 

Hi All,

Here is my piece for week #3.  It is machine quilted about every 1/4" with straight lines then stitched with circles of various sizes in the strip of silk.  Then I hand stitched on a bunch of industrial rubber grommets in various sizes using straight stitches in various lengths.  I added some French Knots (I love French Knots!) inside a few of the circles.  I like the simplicity of color and the shinny thread against the coarse Oznaberg fabric.  All in all, I'm pleased with the piece.

Heather Thomas

Week 2 Debbie R

First time working with metal. Stitched to background fabric with metallic thread.

Week 2 Jeannie Spring

Tried doing the metal rubbing and was a little frustrating, but i think with practice I would be happier with my results. 9" x 12" piece using hot glue to attach metal rubbing. This is supposed to be coffee beans. then fused on the plus pieces and satic stitched around.
Jeannie

Week #3 ~ Using Hand Stitches

       This week, the challenge is to use hand stitches on your work.  Here are some drawings of stitches that will hopefully help you along the way.

       The first drawing is of a backstitch.  This is a great stitch to use to outline something or just for adding simple lines.

       The second drawing is of the blanket stitch.  It is a great way to add a decorative edge to an appliqued shape or to finish the edge of a piece of work.

        The third drawing is of a French Knot.  I love French Knots, they raise the surface of the work and add such lovely dimensionality.

The fourth drawing is of a hand satin stitch.  This is a great way to add fill in an area and really accentuate the stitched design. 

 This fifth drawing in of seed stitching or ricing.  It is probably the best way to add texture in negative space that I've ever tried with hand stitching.

This sixth and last drawing is of the stem stitch.  It is a great way to achieve a heavy line that can add lots of emphasis as the outline of a shape or as a line alone.


So, try any of this stitches or some of your own favorite hand stitches in this weeks piece.  Have fun and enjoy the process.

Also, please remember to put your name in each of your post titles and sign your comments too.
Have a great week,
Heather