When my fellow Frayed Edges and I started talking about the “Letters” challenge (see the posts in July about our Frayed Edges show at the Camden Public Library), I was working on my online lino-cutting class with Dijanne Cevaal (posts here and here and here and here).  I wanted to use writing on the fabric similar to how Deborah does, and also to perhaps make some linoleum blocks or screen prints to print onto the fabric. As I thought about the title for my pieces, I thought about the conversations that happen at the lunch tables at the Getty Museum…

Lunch was lovely! (and I have NO idea why the watermark is now smack in the middle of the photo!)

and realized that words make letters  make conversations.  Then I realized that it wasn’t just about the literal conversations, but about the interplay, or the conversation, between the sky and stunning lines of the architecture, between the museum patrons and the artwork, between the straight and curved lines in the buildings, between the buildings and the equally stunning landscape.   Conversations among the elements and principles of design–line, shape, form, harmony, rhythm, contrast, repetition….  and finally, the conversation between me and the materials:  white cloth,  dyes I used to color the cloth, and  thread.

Here are my three pieces (click to see larger):

I based the center piece on two photos:

This was the main photo; I used the two chairs on the far side of the table, but didn't like the position of the chair close to me

The chair in the foreground became the one on the near side of the table, but I had to account for the change in the location of the sun

And the smaller pieces were based on photographs I took of the buildings.

It is the contrast in straight and curved line, stark stone against the brilliant blue sky, and the shadows cast by the lines of the architecture and the lines of the bistro tables and chairs in the patio that sang to me.  At first I was going to make the center piece based on one of the buildings.  Then I realized I’d really to have a least a snowball’s chance in a very hot place of selling my work, and the chances of selling a quilt of the Getty Museum (located in Los Angeles) while based in Maine was pretty much less than zero.  So I switched gears and focused on those wonderful tables and lines and shadows.

With all the tumult in my life, the lino-cutting and screen printing, which I thought I would use to texture the cream colored cloth for the stone used to face the buildings and pave the courtyard,  just didn’t happen…I ran out of time and just didn’t get to explore the use of letters in the way I had hoped.   But I did write on the quilt to create the shadows on the table and chairs where there are vertical surfaces on the slats.  It is *really* subtle now that it is quilted…I’ll confess even I have a hard time reading the words! But I promise…the words ARE there (maybe it’s the way conversations fade and vanish into dim memory?).

Before I got to the writing, however, I had to make the cloth.

The fabric dyed for the tables and chairs, on my green-painted studio floor

Then I had to mess around with the cloth.  I couldnt decide how to make the shadows.  I tried darkening the light stone cloth.  I tried lightening the dark gray cloth.  I used various methods.  I didn’t like them!  It looked like paint on the paving stones–not shadows.  Somehow I needed more transparency, and any sheer fabrics in my stash were to shiny/cheezy-prom-dress stuff.  So I decided to try doing the shadows with thread at the quilting stage.  Hmmm.

I tried paint, pencil, ink, assorted other painats, bleaches and discharge agens. Nothing quite worked for the picture in my head. Hmmm....

Then there were the table legs…here, the freezer paper patterns for all the table and chair components that were metal.

No, not white spaghetti, but to-be table and chair legs

Then the construction process began.  I decided to try something new.  Having tried it, I can tell you I will NOT do this again!   Usually when I create a fused top, it is an independent thing… I fuse the top on my non-stick sheet, moving around as needed.  This time, I decided to try fusing things to a base, in this case a large piece of embroidery stabilizer.  This stabilizer is (when used under embroidery or applique) water-soluble and turns into little bits of polyester fiber, which helps add loft to the applique or become a bit more batting.  What I didn’t think was that by fusing the fabric to it, I would make it impossible for the stuff to “dissolve”.  Erk.  Not so great.

Here’s the top in progress:

The initial "sketch;" I used my digital projector to project the photos onto the paper, then outlined and created the composition from a couple photos.

The fusing begins. I cut freezer paper patterns for the paving stones, then cut from various light and dark areas of the hand-dyed cloth to get the varied appearance of the terrace.

Placing the chairs and table top.

Checking out the sky fabric. This railing and table scene doesn't really exist... but I so wanted the contrast of stone and sky, and most of the tables are in a courtyard area. So I made up a terrace that has a railing and sky in the distance!

Next, I had to figure out what my made-up railing and side wall would look like.  Straight across was too boring, so I added the angled wall.

This looks like it can work

Finally, the top is done:

The top, done, before it started looking like a brown paper bag, wrinkled!

Next post I’ll talk about the quilting, at least the first part of it.

This summer our younger son was invited to be a part of People to People’s trip for middle school kids to Australia!  The kids are apparently nominated by teachers, school staff, even other “alumni” of the program.  We don’t know who nominated Eli, but are thrilled he was able to go.  As part of the trip, the kids stay with a family for two nights and typically take a gift from their home state.  Eli took some Maine honey and Maine maple syrup, but we thought we’d add a special something:  a quilted piece made by Eli and me.

The finished piece. Aqua hand-dyed fabric by me, gold/green leaf prints by Eli and me, quilting in green by me (mom)

Eli picked the leaves from our land in Hope, we printed the fabric together, then I quilted the piece.

The wall-hanging/table-runner while being quilted

Originally, I thought this could be a table runner, but despite heat-setting the Jacquard Lumiere paint when I did a test rinse and dry (I like to wash to-be-used gifts so folks aren’t upset by the change from never-washed to the way a quilt looks after washing), some of the paint came off.  Wonder if I didn’t heat-set enough?  Anyway, it still looked nice….and in looking at the before and after washing pictures, maybe it didn’t lose as much paint as I initially thought.

Sewing down the binding by machine; I first stitch the binding to the back, then turn to the front. The wooden thingy is (I think) a cuticle stick; it was included to help piece a John Flynn miniatures kit, and it works even better than a skewer in some instances because of the blunt tip. I will now be recommending this tool along with the skewer to my students.

A close up of the bottom right corner; for some reason, the thread looks red in this photo...it is actually green!

Close-up, center left

On Sunday between teaching in Harrisonburg and teaching in Floyd, I used my morning to work on my final two pieces for the Frayed Edges Letters challenge.  I knew which photos I wanted to use, but needed to do my tracing and drawing.  I then slowly tootled my way down to Floyd, only a couple hours south of Harrisonburg and maybe 30-35 miles north of the North Carolina border.  Talk about beautiful country!   I turned off the interstate to a rural highway to a rural road to my hostess’s house, and snapped this view:

Virginia is so beautiful....

In Floyd, thanks to quilt artist Susan Brittingham, we were able to work with the Shenandoah Valley guild to share the expense of my travel so that I could teach in both venues…way cool!  There are some pretty impressive artists and quilters in the Floyd guild, the Old Church Gallery Quilt Guild (I was only a tad nervous ahem!).  Again, we did a lecture, a half-day (Balinese Garden) and full-day (Tame Fiddly, Fussy Threads).

I love it when students look this happy!

Here, a student is testing various stitches on her sample on the left, then decorating her block at the machine

I encourage students to make a practice sample, then if you don't like the stitch or your thread choice you don't have to pick it out! This student was smart, saving fabric by using the cut-out bits (the darker blue) for practice

After the end of the first day, a few of my students kidnapped me and took me for a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway....thank you Sallie and co.!!!!! Here we stopped at the Chateau winery

Looking east from the parkway to the Piedmont (which in French means foot of the mountain)...sigh...so beautiful!!

Stenciling with paint...some new variations

LOVE the copper on black

Two ladies busily painting; we start the class with the painting, then do the talking about threads and needles and tension and fussy thread while the paint dries, then move on to stitching

Several of the students were in both classes, and decided to combine the projects into one...cool!

The students cut out leaf shapes from the freezer paper, then stencil

Another "combined" project with bright happy colors

The silvery green is lovely!

Stitching with the "cranky" threads isn't so difficult once you learn the tricks and tips

That green one, stitching begun

Remember the lady who used the cutouts for practice stitches, ditto for the stencils; you may be able to see she has written notes to herself about stitches and threads

Quilting happens! I like how the color-printed black cloth works with the metallic paints

More quilting

And my hostess's piece...wonderful! (PS...Hi Pauline!)

Here's a soul who loves quilting as much as I do!

Another practice piece...fun to see the differences in the stitches

Stunning colors and stitching

And on the start of my trip home, I was headed toward the rural  highway that would take me to I-81 and rounded the bend to see this…luckily no one was behind me and I could stop and grab the camera!

Leaving the Floyd, Virginia, area

Thanks so much to Fran Miller and the Shenandoah Valley Quilt Guild and Susan Brittingham (who teaches for QuiltUniversity.com by the way! You’ll see the gorgeous countryside in her quilts) and the Old Church Gallery Quilt Guild for inviting me, their hospitality and kindness.

As we packed up on the second day in Floyd, one student came to me to say thanks.  She had told me earlier that her husband had died last summer, and at the end of class she told me that her sister had passed away a  month before, and this was the first good day she had had since then.  What a gift she gave me by sharing that…  that’s what quilting is about.  Sharing, comfort, joy in the making, learning–and it’s not just quilting that you learn.  Here’s to more good days.

The Shenandoah Valley Quilt Guild (Thank you Fran!)….invited me to teach in Harrisonburg, and I was thrilled to be able to return to an area that I used to love to visit when I lived in DC in my 20s and 30s.  We scheduled a lecture, a half-day class (an abbreviated version of Balinese Garden) and a full-day class (Art Uncensored).  The guild was so charming and welcoming, and had a lovely venue in a retirement center with a large, well-lit room–with good a/c since it *was* Virginia in summer!

Although it has taken me too long to get to posting these photos, I hope you’ll enjoy the students’ work:

The view from my hotel in Pennsylvania where I-80 crosses I-81...wow!

For a treat, rather than going fast I took the old Shenandoah Valley highway 11. Love the old stone and wood buildings...

And the rolling fields of the Shenandoah valley (snapped quickly through the window)

My corner of stuff displayed at the Harrisonburg class

In Saturday's class we played with paint! and veggies and other fun stuff...

Our youngest student, going into 7th grade, made this lovely flower with the bottom of celery!

And more...she really liked the painting!

Printing with leaves (from the grounds of where the class was held!)

And using stamps...this time gold on a dark cloth

Fran, the program chair, and her great grand daughter

Love the "fuzzy caterpillar".... And one student asked if I had used the "Dashed" stitch, the one she used on the green spikes. I hadn't, but I sure will now!

And playing with decorative stitches

Thanks so much to Fran and the wonderful ladies and gentlemen of the guild–I hope I get to return to Virginia and West Virginia to teach!

Back in early 2010, Kathy, Kate, Deborah and I started talking about having another show.  Since we had a fun time with the five-by-five challenge (see blogpost here), we decided to do another special set of quilts for this show.   Here are the four of us in front of the twelve  pieces.

"Letters" quilts and the four Frayed Edges

Using the wonderful press release that Deborah wrote as my start, here’s what I wrote to accompany the exhibit:

Letters

The Frayed Edges Challenge, 2011

For our first group show in 2006, also held here in the Picker Room, we worked on a group challenge which was a great success, so we decided to try it again.  This time, we chose the theme Letters, to celebrate the written word, our shows in the Camden Public Library, and our love of letters which all of us have used (some more than others) regularly in our art quilts. 

The centerpiece of the collection is a set of four triptychs designed especially for this exhibit. Each artist created two small art quilts with a third larger piece in the center. The artists embraced the theme “Letters” in many different ways. Kate, the Bowdoinham town librarian, used graphic novels (cartoon-books) as her inspiration, while Kate Daniels was inspired  by the children’s book Tillie Lays an Egg (and received the permission of the author to use the name and image inspiration).  Deborah explored images of letters in envelopes and words on cloth.  Sarah’s more subtle approach uses words as shadows on the table and chairs and in the quilting to explore the idea of conversations.

We opted for a single larger art quilt about 36 inches wide but of varying height to permit design flexibility, and two 12×12 inch squares on either side. The size of the smaller pieces were inspired by Deborah’s work and participation in a very successful group, Twelve by Twelve, (blog: http://twelveby12.blogspot.com/)  Their collection of quilts was published in a book this spring.  A display copy of that book is on the glass case by the doors, along with a non-circulating copy of Sarah’s book ThreadWork Unraveled and a non-circulating copy of Creative Quilting with Beads, which features projects by all four of us. 

And a photo of the four sets without us in the way (click to see larger):

The Letters Challenge

Green House Mantra by Deborah Boschert

DeborahsStudio.com

Green House Mantra by Deborah Boschert--click to see larger

To fully explore the theme “letters” for this triptych, I wanted to include obvious, but symbolic images. This led me to the idea of letters written to loved ones and envelopes received in the mail. There is something so personal and expressive about this kind of communication. I created a sheer envelope with just the idea of a letter inside. The collage of fabrics and shapes leading up to the house in the center piece might represent a porch or doorstep. There could be packages waiting or a message whispered through the windows.

I also love exploring letters, words, stories, voices and ideas in books. Tiny books are nestled in the leaves of the tall plants on the side pieces of the triptych. It’s as if the leaves are unfurling a message of growth. Several of the images, techniques and motifs in this triptych are regular parts of my artistic lexicon. I return to them again and again like a mantra. I love the repetition of stitching tiny wild flowers, cutting stone shapes, stamping painted circles and writing on fabric. The house shape acts as a foundation for these techniques and images. In the same way, a home provides a foundation for many other aspects of life.

Splash*Kaboom*Pow by Kate Cutko

Splash*Kaboom*Pow by Kate Cutko--click to see larger

barnofopportunity.blogspot.com

The “Letters” theme had me thinking immediately of individual letters as graphic elements, each letter having its own negative and positive space.  In the world of graphic novels (comics) letters often stand alone as strong graphic elements.  While I do not pretend to be a huge fan of graphic novels, as I librarian I see that this genre draws in readers of all types.   I do love to look at the art in the pages of graphic novels.  In these 3 pieces I went with classic comic book action words, and direct, bold color so that the letters could be as powerful as their shape and their meaning. In the center piece I included a small glimpse into the artwork of Tin Tin, Zita the Spacegirl, and Jellaby.

Conversations by Sarah Ann Smith

Conversations by Sarah Ann Smith -- click to see larger

you’re here at my link!

Letters make words make conversations.  These pieces were inspired by the stunning architecture of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, where there are conversations between buildings and sky, architecture and art, friends and sisters, landscape and architecture, sea and sky and stone and seabreeze, and in my case, artist and cloth, cloth and thread, friends and art. 

I began with photos from my visit, words to recall that day, white cloth and dyes to create the colors of the sky and stone and wood and glass.  The words include those specific to that day:

Sea breeze sister friend Leonardo dragon teaching aching feet dragons lunch bougainvillea rough smooth stone water sound shadows…

And words about art and design:

Line shape form function rhythm repetition harmony contrast unity space ….

Tillie by Kathy Daniels

Tille by Kathy Daniels -- click to see larger

Studiointhewoods.blogspot.com

Which came first, the chicken…or the letters? In this case, it was the chicken, observed at a country fair and stored in memory until called forward and committed to fabric and stitch. As she hung on the design wall, a chance statement from my 6-year-old granddaughter turned her into what she is today: “Nana, you’re making Tillie!”  Tillie is a chicken from our favorite book at the time, Tillie Lays an Egg, by New Hampshire author Terry Golson.

Letters, printed and written, are showing up more often as design elements in fabric art as well as other mediums. They can stand alone, as Tillie does, BOLDLY, or can be part of a story as the smaller 12×12 side pieces attempt to portray. With Tillie, there’s no guesswork in who she is and what she’s about!

In a while, I’ll share the process of making my series. Stay tuned!