Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Getting Ideas

Another quilt show vending stint in the books, and though sales were abysmal, I received some good comments, most of all about my color combinations in my Creative Kits of mixed fabrics and embellishments.  The most frequently asked question I get at any show is, "where do you get your ideas?"  The short answer is, anywhere and everywhere.  I have more ideas than I have lifetime to make them. 

I'll address the color combination ideas today.  I have made it a priority to study the color wheel and know the various ways to combine colors (complements).  There are some excellent books out there on the subject of color.  Aside from studying color from books, take a look around you.  Make a note of the colors that someone wears that catches your eye.  Look for color combinations in advertising, on buildings, in store displays.  Nature is a constant source of ideas for me.  Take a look at this quick bouquet I picked from my garden (day lilies and Joe-Pye-Weed):

The maroon and peach of the day lilies are really speaking to me, and I am envisioning an abstract fabric composition with pink stitching added.  I suppose the real inspiration in this color combination comes from what was waiting for me in my kitchen:
Mmmm, fresh peaches and blackberries!  Yes, I get artistically inspired by my food sometimes.  So, tomorrow, I am going to set aside one hour to create a base composition of peach and maroon fabric and maybe start embellishing it.  There is a method to my limit of one hour, I like to challenge the notion that I encounter of "oh, I don't have time."  Check back on Thursday to see what I did with my one hour.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

A Hand-Dyed Haiku

The dye session form a couple of weeks ago turned out nice, more fall sort of colors, but lovely all the same.



I came up with a haiku poem late one night:

Bright colors on silk
Luminous damask linen
Lots of ironing.



I should be back to my usual Tuesday-Thursday posting schedule now.  I'll have something a bit more substantial next time...

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Delays

Last week's dye session grew into something much bigger than I could handle.  I am still washing out beautiful oranges, yellows and two different gray/green/brown blends.  I have to get this mound of fabric under control, along with lots of other projects, so this will be the only news from my world until next week.  Go make something!

Here is a quick photo of the pile of Tea Leaves and Safari Gray (Procion dyes) fabric from last week:


Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Summertime

It has been a challenge to sit inside, in front of the the computer for any reason lately... I have been taking in the amazing view I have of a valley filled with meadows and a bit of woods.  Cicadas buzz, the cricket chorus goes on constantly and butterflies float by my lookout on a second story porch.
Sometimes, I wander around and get mesmerized by simple things.  Last night, it was a stand of vibrant orange butterfly weed that captured my attention.  I look forward to the bloom of the butterfly weed every year.  One of my ongoing series is variations on a meadow or fence row featuring these flowers. 

The flowers, leaves and grasses leave plenty of opportunities to be captured in stitching.

I am in the midst of a fabric dye session, so check back on Friday to find out how my yellows and oranges turned out.