Stitching Away

Two very quick progress reports today.  First, the sample of the Upcycle project:

Image and design copyright RPS

I simply took a piece of muslin and drew a portion of the trick or treat lettering in marker.  Then, made some hasty sketches of chickens and free motion quilted them on my little Elna model 50 "Grasshopper."  Then I began to go over the marker letters in chain stitches, at the same time auditioning two different weights of WonderFil Eleganza thread.  In all of the drawing classes I have had, my teachers always stressed the importance of drawing directly from the real thing, don't try to draw from memory.  These chickens are proof of that advice. 

I have dabbled a little bit with one of the little Mardi Gras series - the ones where I was supposed to finish one a week - here is some hand embroidery that I am pleased with:

Image and design copyright RPS

I am off to at least find pictures of chickens.  There is a barn full of chickens within sight of my house, but I don't know the neighbors well enough to ask them if I could hang out there for a while drawing their laying hens. 

Progress on the Upcycle entry

Finally, I am rolling along with something!  My entry for the SAQA Upcycle show is taking shape.  My first step was to cut the base fabric, and baste the large chicken feed sack pieces to it.  I also raw edge appliqued some small printed feed sack pieces to have a little color where the chicken feed bag pieces don't quite meet.

Image and design copyright RPS

Next, I played with the location for the secondary focal point pieces - chunks cut from a vintage printed tablecloth (check out the mid-century mod chickens) and a fun hanky with some more funky chickens on it.

Image and design copyright RPS

Once I had a good idea where the focal points will go, I started to place pieces of printed feed sack in the lower right corner.  The pieces will be raw edge appliqued, and I will use the same technique in the upper left corner.

Image and design copyright RPS

My next step is to make a small sample of the trick-or-treat part of the whole piece feed sack and try quilting it with thread sketched chickens.  I plan on outlining the trick-or-treat lettering in dark gray chain stitching.  Check back on Thursday to see how that goes.

More Unfinished Business

What is it about quilters/textile artists that we seem to amass so many unfinished projects?  Just about every quilter I have known has a sizable stash of "UFOs" (unfinished objects), and some even take pride in having more UFOs than other quilters.  Are other artists this bad with not completing things?

Anyway, I have not touched the Mardi Gras 8x10s" in the last week.  I picked up another project that I started a year ago: a collage that started with a tea towel.

image and design copyright RPS

The only thing that the tea towel had on it when I dug it out of an auction box lot was the embroidered clover flower and leaf at the bottom (and some stains).  It has come a long way, hasn't it?  I am building up a band of mixed stitches across the surface and I have some other small fancy pieces to add to it. 

image and design copyright RPS

Like many of my collages, I don't have a vision for the end of this piece, I will know it when it looks right.  The important thing is to realize when it is time to stop, I don't want to overdo it.  Maybe this weekend I will do something with the Mardi Gras series...

Picking up Pieces

In 2017, I had a great idea to make an 8 x 10" art quilt each week, an idea that numerous other artists have successfully embarked upon.  My take on the project never made it out of the idea stage.  I would still like to attempt it, though thanks to the multitude of other things I am attempting, I am not going to let it rule my life.  If I get one art quilt done in a week, great, if not, it is due to making other things.  If I get four done in a week, well that would be something.

Earlier this week, I cut up a piece of my Mardi Gras blend dyed fabric and started playing with bits of green, yellow and purple fabric. 

Since it is Thursday, and this is all I have so far, I doubt that even one of these will be done by Sunday, but at least I am moving along with one of my many ideas.  Now, go make something!  That's what I am off to do now.

Distractions and Decisions

When embarking on a project specifically for a call for entry, it is crucial to read and re-read the entry rules numerous times throughout the process.  The ideas I posted last time for the SAQA Upcycle show, I have set aside.  The dyed tablecloths that I selected are too big!  I don't want to cut them down to size and lose the neat finished edges that those vintage damask linens often have.  I have many more options for upcycle ideas.  Behold, the very ambitious trick-or-treat bag:

This is a vintage feed sack that once held 100 pounds of chicken feed!  Some enterprising youngster turned an empty feed sack inside out and scribbled his Halloween dream on it, as you can see above.  I'd love to know where the kid who had dreams of filling this bag lived, to think that he could get 100 pounds of Halloween candy.  This had to be the plot of a teenage boy. 

Continuing my early planning for this Upcycle entry, I have pulled printed feed sacks from my collection and vintage kitchen linens with chickens on them.  I'll be collecting candy wrappers over the next couple of months.  I'll also be looking into an old candy brand from the past, Chicken Dinner.

Next time, look for a peek at another series that I am starting.  I don't seem to have enough to do!