A Little Chocolate to take your mind off the Problems

This pic is only related to quiltmaking through the fact that it is partially chocolate. Also, this blog wouldn’t exist without a keyboard and the Internet.

The real reason for posting a strange picture is that I am having some trouble with the blog so posting is not happening as timely as I would like. My fabulous “hostess” is trying to work on it. You may see some bizarre changes or weird things happening. Please just ignore the man behind the curtain and continue with your creations.

Thanks for your patience.

clipped from www.geekologie.com

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Responding to the Readers

The Girl with the Green Lips
The Girl with the Green Lips

Last weekend I posted the latest iteration of the Tarts. Mostly, I get really nice, short comments on my posts. I was surprised and delighted to find a long and thought provoking comment from SherriD.  She wrote:

“You are more of a trained artist than I am, I think. You’ve taken classes or studied art perhaps? So I am only asking these questions in order to understand as I have not taken any art classes or quilting classes for that matter. :)

1. Why did you choose to have the purple background and the pie’s innerds almost the same shade? (btw, I like the orange crust very much!)

2. On three of big corner pots, are you going to embellish them with perhaps something like thread painting?

3. Have you considered adding cookies or scones? I noticed that you have in a row, cream and sugar, then two cups, then a cupcake with another cup.

I hate to say things about someone else’s work but I really am curious as to the “why” in your projects. This is such a happy quilt in process. I love the colors and have really enjoyed watching the progress.”

Thanks to SherriD for taking the time to post a comment – a long and thoughtful comment. I thought responding through a post would be a great way to spark conversation about SherriD’s thoughts among all of my readers.

I was not an art major in college, though my major did allow me a lot of opportunities to take classes outside of the required courses. I took art history classes, studio art classes, Swedish, German, political science (blech!) and many others. I have also taken a lot of continuing ed and adult ed classes in art practice. I am not so much trained in art as informed by the classes I have taken.

In a roundabout way, I have tried to answer SherriD’s questions below.

I have taken a number of art classes and lots of quiltmaking classes. Many people think it is a badge of honor or courage not to have taken any classes and to have taught themselves. I applaud you for your fortitude. I just don’t have it in me to learn by myself. I learn by someone showing me and by doing, so I take classes regularly. While I am not interested in taking art practice classes right now and I am interested in taking more quiltmaking classes, I enjoy taking classes, in general, for a number of reasons:

  1. I don’t learn well by myself with books, especially something completely new.
  2. Even if I never finish a class project I always take something away from the class or the teacher.
  3. I like being a  room with other people. I enjoy seeing what they are doing and how they are reacting to the teacher.
  4. I work mostly alone, so classes get me out of the workroom.
  5. Classes re-energize me when I get back into my workroom.
  6. I get turned on to new sources of inspiration, such as books, blogs and websites by the teacher and students in a class.
  7. Classes clarify things that I don’t understand.
  8. I am a visual learner so I learn best when someone shows me how to do something.
  9. Classes make me think about things in different ways.
The Girl with the Green Lips, detail
The Girl with the Green Lips, detail

This is one of my favorite pieces from a studio art class. It is colored pencil on Bristol Board and I took the class from Wayne Thiebaud’s assistant at the time. I wish I remembered his name, because I would LOVE to thank him. You might recognize the image from an old Lancome ad featuring Isabella Rossellini. I also took a framing class after college and framed this piece myself.

The other thing I do is practice. When you see a piece of pie appliqued down as part of the Tarts, what you see is the final piece. Sometimes I sketch many, many drawings before I make a pattern and cut fabric. I don’t consider myself to be an accomplished drawer (if that is a word). I do feel like I am getting better and I feel like I am getting better because I practice. Drawing skill is not something with which I was born. I feel that most people don’t have it when they are born. Drawing is a skill a person needs to practice. If you want to draw well, practice. You will draw a lot of crap before you draw something great. The thing to remember is that if you practice you will draw something great.

Tarts, June 14, 2009, with Pie
Tarts, June 14, 2009, with Pie

SD: “1. Why did you choose to have the purple background and the pie’s innerds almost the same shade? (btw, I like the orange crust very much!)”

In this piece, and often in other pieces, I struggle with the limits placed on me by the color wheel. I love color and, sometimes there just aren’t enough. When selecting fabrics for pieces like the piece of pie, I often decide on the background based on other large pieces in the quilt top first. My criteria for background vary, but often have nothing to do with the image on top of the background. I never thought about it before SherriD asked about my choices.
I examined my process and found that I figure out a good background and then go to work on the main image. In this case, I wanted to use the purple fabric for the inside of the pie because it looked like blueberries. It turns out that I didn’t put all the pieces together in my mind or on the wall until I started to stitch the pieces down. Normally, my rule is to “make visual decisions visually.” This is a classic line from Lorraine Torrence.
I always know that I can remake a block, so I decided to put the block up and look at it for awhile to see if it was too purple.

SD: “2. On three of big corner pots, are you going to embellish them with perhaps something like thread painting?”

The piecing and machine applique’ I am working on now has come to be barely the first step. My thinking on this piece was clarified, somewhat, after I took the Pamela Allen class. I decided that I needed, and wanted, to embellish this piece. At this time, I am focusing on getting the top together. I need the piece together to use as a canvas for the embellishment. I don’t know right now if I will use transparent fabrics, like organza, or Perl cotton, or beads or all of the above. I will, almost certainly, add some steam in appropriate places and some designs to areas I think are too plain.

As I often say: Stay Tuned.

SD: “3. Have you considered adding cookies or scones? I noticed that you have in a row, cream and sugar, then two cups, then a cupcake with another cup.”

Yes, I have considered cookies and scones. Because of their shapes, they don’t make good candidates for standing out and people knowing what they are. They are too flat, I guess. I also don’t want to introduce many more whites and beiges to the piece.

One of my goals with my quiltmaking has been to be about the process. It is hard, because my personality makes me very goal oriented. I realized a year or two ago that making a lot of quilts wasn’t as important to be as making good quilts that interested me. Since I don’t make my living by quiltmaking, I felt it was more important for me to enjoy what I was doing more than just getting it done. It is a struggle for me, but I have to keep trying.

Creative Prompt #20: Circle

Some ancient historical sites have large stones laid out in a circle.

Rings are circles as is the sun, the moon and other planets.

Marbles, beach balls, bouncy balls and playground balls.

See the Creative Prompt page if you have questions about this project.

Post the direct URL where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog post, Flickr, etc) in the comments area of this post. This practice will keep all the artwork together. If I find art or pictures by other artists on this topic, I may post them in the comments as well.

There is more information on the recently updated Creative Prompt Page.

Art Everywhere

I have a thing about art vs. craft. People obsess about art vs. craft; craft vs. art. For me, it is simply about making stuff all the time. I just want to make stuff. I just want to make stuff all the time. If I can’t be making stuff I want to think about making stuff. As I have said on numerous occasions, I’ll let history decide whether I am a crafter or an artist. Or you. You can decide for yourself. I don’t care right now (may later!)

When I am pout and about, I look at everything with an eye towards inspiration.

Last Saturday, I went to Fisherman’s Wharf with my dad and sister. Dad had been in San Francisco in the 1960s with the Navy. He likes to show us how much he knows about the City and toss out names of fancy clubs he got into for free (The Pine Club?? Anyone heard of it??). He wanted cioppino and decided that Alioto’s on the Wharf, since Scott’s in the City is now closed, was the place to get it. I would, normally, never go there. That’s what he wanted and I didn’t have a better idea, so Alioto’s it was. He loved it and was so happy with his cioppino.

Alioto's Cioppino, June 2009
Alioto's Cioppino, June 2009

Afterwards we walked around with all of the tourists. I saw some flowers and walking around art that made me smile.

Garden Art
Garden Art

I love these starfish shaped garden sculptures. I love that they are a bit hidden, but if you look you can see them. I also like the glass rondelles embedded in the metal. I want to hide things like this in my yard. Sadly that means I have to stop sewing and start gardening!

To Infinity and Beyond

Infinity Blocks by Jaye, mid-June 2009
Infinity Blocks by Jaye, mid-June 2009

I got a little behind photographing and posting blocks from my Infinity project. (I think last week was just a bad sewing-posting-making week). Anyway, here are some of the newer blocks. I made a few more after I snapped this pic and will post those later.

I was attempting to try out a different layout from the layout in the May 13th post. I like the four white squares together. I am a long way from the end, however, so we will see once I get more blocks.

SIL said she was sending me some blocks via DH-transport, so I expect those on Sunday. As usual, stay tuned!

Quilt Layout Inspiration

Possible Quilt Layout
Possible Quilt Layout

The picture is of wrapping paper covering the door windows of a studio space. I saw the paper and thought the design would make a good quilt layout.

I noticed the four patch-like red block alternating with the  slightly tilted asterisk. I think that once could alternate the asterisk with a star block or some round design.

Art is Simple: Make Something

Linda M. Poole, part of the creative prompt ‘team’, posted this on her blog. It reminds me of another similar work by Dana Barbieri, which I posted about on June 8.
clipped from lmpoole.blogspot.com

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Taking simple elements, such as letters and making something out of them is a great place to start if you are creatively stuck.

Tarts Progress Nearing Finish Line

I was out of the house almost all of last weekend, which is not my usual routine.  While I had fun, I was disappointed not to get to spend copious amounts of time working on my projects. Still, as I mentioned on Wednesday, I did fit in a bit of work around the edges on the Tarts.

Tarts, Pie with no stitching
Tarts, Pie with no stitching

I played around with different looks for the piece of pie. I drew one, first, that the viewer looked at straight at, e.g. the viewer did not see the top of the pie at all.  It didn’t really work for me. I didn’t like the look, so I reworked it so that the view had a more angled view.

I didn’t have a good pie crust color that I wanted to use (‘wanted to use’ being the critical phrase, here) The orange makes the viewer do a double take, IMO. I will do something, perhaps, with the quilting on the piece to tone down the orange a bit. The orange does blend in with the other orange fabrics in the whole piece.

Tarts, Pie with Stitching
Tarts, Pie with Stitching

After I place everything the way I want it on the background, I stitch it down. In the last few pieces I have also been topstitching in addition to the machine appliqued zigzag stitching. I don’t think you can see the topstitching in this picture, but people who are able to view the piece in person will be able to see it, I think.

I picked the background to make a triangle with other purple pieces at the top of the piece. I picked it after I picked the ‘filling’ fabric. I wonder if they don’t allow each other to shine? I think this particular block looks better as part of the whole than by itself.

I left a bit of the fabrics above and below showing so you can see how it fits in close up.

Tarts, June 14, 2009, with Pie
Tarts, June 14, 2009, with Pie

Here is the whole current piece. I kind of miss that big white rectangle at the bottom and am having trouble assimilating the pie. I think I will manage to get used to it. I can’t imagine a big white rectangle in the piece would be a great design decision.

Am going to try to get to some studies for the silverware next to the red cups. I am also thinking I will add a few more black and white squares to the checkerboard on top of the frothy drink.

Creative Prompt #19: Journey

Are you on a creative journey or a journey that involves planes and luggage?

What inspires you when you travel?

Here is a lovely poem about a journey which I found at Poem Hunter:

Journey to Be by Mark Slaughter

I think I’ll journey out some day to wondrous lands afar,

Or even chart a journey to a distant blazing star.

But rest assured that where my journey sees to take me to,

Always know that when I go, this journey takes you too.

We’ll start our journey out from here by horse and cart of old,

The seaside docks – and journey pauses – where we shall behold

A noble schooner for the journey primed to launch as planned:

To sail with dolphins cross the seas then journey back on land.

And so our journey goes by foot to conquer mountains tall:

A chapter hence the journey reached, with scenes that should enthral.

But when we tire, let’s rest our journey, stretched in fields of flowers,

And bathe atop the mountain from the journey – autumn showers!

Refreshed our journey takes a turn – we’ll venture back for home,

But first we’ll let the journey take a tangent just to roam.

And in the winding route, this journey’s bound to bide content,

But most of all take heed – let’s make our journey life’s event.

See the Creative Prompt page if you want to know how to participate in this project.

Post the specific URL or deep link where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted in the comments area of this post. It is an easy and good way to keep all the artwork together.

There is more information and inspiration on the Creative Prompt Page.

Sketching #18: Moon

Moon #1
Moon #1

I did the first moon prompt response after doing one of the drawings with the facade of the building. I wasn’t terribly happy with it, especially as I did more drawings and became one with my PITT pen.

I have to say that I kind of like doing the same drawing over and over with minor variations. It gives me the opportunity to work through some kind of drawing. I would love to do series of quilts and I have some, but they take so long that I don’t really see it as practical. Of course, I’ll never be bored!

Moon #2
Moon #2

I did a second moon prompt response after I did the sun drawing, because I thought they needed to be a set.

The World Steppin’ Out in Quiltmaking Style

I recently listened a podcast (CraftSanity or Annie Smith, can’t remember which) where the hostess interviewed the Lizzie B Cre8tive girls about their new book, Whimsyland. I am not much of a pattern person, so Lizzie B Cre8tive patterns never really registered on my radar until I heard them on podcasts. Also, the whole applique’ thing is love-hate with me, though you wouldn’t know it since I have been working on the Tarts for months

Anyway, I received an email from Liz and Beth about the fun tour that their editor, Kent, is doing of Europe that sent me to their blog. I laughed so hard when I saw these pictures that I just had to share. Take a look.

clipped from www.lizziebcre8ive.com

trevi_fountion

pope
clipped from www.lizziebcre8ive.com

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obama_and_the_queen3
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One Down, Two To Go

Flowering Snowball, June 14, 2009
Flowering Snowball, June 14, 2009

The weekend was filled with picnics. Both Saturday and Sunday included hot dogs and potato salad, chats and a bit of sun. It was nice to be outside, but I was pretty tired after all the sociability. Also, I didn’t get to work much on my projects.

Sunday was a beautiful day to be outside. After greeting lots of people, I was able to sit and do some hand stitching. I had some of the block (right) finished, but did most of it at the picnic. The completion of this block means that I have only two blocks left to make for the center of the Flowering Snowball quilt.

I still haven’t designed the border, but put an idea into the Sun Creative Prompt response. I know what I want; I just have to figure out how to make it a reality.

Please…I Need a Pear

People are coming up with fabulous stuffed pincushion-like items. I saw a chicken not too long ago that made me want to start a collection. Now Retro Mama has a pear. I want this pear, but I am terrible at stuffing things. They always come out misshapen and too soft. Perhaps I will have to practice?
clipped from retro-mama.blogspot.com

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Small Tarts Change

Tarts, June 12, 2009
Tarts, June 12, 2009

I have been staring at this quilt on my design wall for months. I am glad it is progressing; the end is finally in sight. I will be very glad when I get it sewn together and off my design wall!

I made one tiny change to the arrangement of the Tarts Come to Tea. Can you identify the change? You can see the previous iteration on the June 4th, 2009 post. What do you think?

OK. I won’t keep you tortured in suspense. I moved the china cups up. I am still considering their new spot. It is less fabric and seams next to the twirly handle coffee pot. Also, it is fewer cups next to each other. The heart makes a bit of a break for the eye for the middle cups. My eyes were looking at all of those cups in a row and wondering if they would fly off the quilt.