Pumpkins!

I have not worked on the World War I poppy quilt in the past couple days, besides, I feel like writing something offbeat.  Lately, I have had pumpkins on my mind - palettes piled with pumpkins (and gourds too). 

Look at all of them!  I have been occasionally visiting a nearby produce auction to fill in gaps in my winter pantry.  The cucumbers for my great pickle canning binge came from this auction, along with other purchases of things I have not successfully grown myself.  I'd love to buy a palette of pumpkins, the variety of shapes, colors and textures are fascinating, even though I know they won't last long.  Some of them would be good eating, they would freeze well if I had room in the freezer.   

At this auction, the pumpkins are sold in large lots.  I could buy a bin of 50- 100-some traditional orange pumpkins, or a lot of 30 of the mix that you see above.  Of course, I'd want the mix of colors and textures of all the odd varieties.  What would I do with so many plain, boring orange pumpkins?  Well, what would I do with 30 warty, skinny, flat, chunky, smooth, blue, green, tan, and white ones?  I'd love them, save seeds from them for growing next year, and try to come up with a way to commemorate them in an art quilt.  Yet another idea!

World War I Challenge Progress

Sadly, I am missing the entry deadline for this quilt, it is still not finished.  I'm not upset by missing the deadline, I will still finish the quilt and since I am going to be a vendor at the show it was to be entered into, I will have it on display (and for sale) in my booth.  I have a few more things to add to it, but here are a couple of detail images of the quilting and the very cool stamens in the poppies (hand stitched - straight stitches with French knots).  Enjoy!

images and design copyright RPS

This week is quieter than last, so I really have every intention of posting on Thursday... will it be about the finish of this quilt, or something else?

World War I Challenge

Yikes!  It has been a while since I posted here.  I have gotten wrapped up in  the World War I challenge piece that I mentioned previously.  The challenge is a poppy themed quilt, inspired by the poem, "In Flanders Fields."  Here are some in progress images:

First, my initial idea involved rubbings from gravestones in a nearby cemetery.  I only found a metal medallion indicating the grave of a World War I veteran.  In my collection of fabric collage stuff, I found a vintage hanky with some red poppies on it, and a felt tobacco premium flag  (Belgian flag, of course) from the World War I era.  I wanted those two items to be a part of the collage.

Image and design copyright RPS

Adding the flag and hanky would be the last steps in the collage, at this point I really needed some poppies.  I free-motion quilted the outlines of the flowers and leaves:

Image and design copyright RPS

Then, I colored the poppies with crayons, and heat set them by ironing.

Image and design copyright RPS

At this point, I wanted to add some detail with hand stitching, so I auditioned the flag and hanky again, changing the planned locations for them.  I didn't want to hand stitch where the extra pieces would cover my hard work.

Image and design copyright RPS

Check back on Thursday to see how the hand stitching and additional quilting turned out.

Stitching the Summer Flowers

Slowly, I am am adding hand stitching to both of my little summer flowers series.  The hand stitching slows down the progress of a piece, which brings up a significant dilemma.  My art quilts are all about a multitude of textures and details that includes lots of hand stitching.  It also adds exponentially to the time and therefore the selling price of the piece. This occurred to me as I started to stitch yesterday on these little flower quilts.  

Image and designs copyright RPS

One hour's worth of stitching on the day lily, fifteen minutes on the Joe-Pye-Weed.

I have been intending on having 8 x 10" art quilts as a more affordable option to customers at future art fairs.  The more hand stitching I add, the less affordable they are, but leaving out the hand stitching compromises the integrity of my vision for the quilt.  So far, I have worked on the Joe-Pye-Weed for one hour and 35 minutes and the day lily for two hours and ten minutes.  I could split the hour I spent piecing the bases, since I made two bases in that time, that would bring down the times for each.  The hand stitching is something I like to do, but it is going to wreck the cost factor.  Take a look at the Joe-Pye-Weed (the one on the right above), I have a long way to go!  

That day lily really needs some leaves...

Assorted Side Projects

Why, why, oh why did I buy a bushel of cucumbers at the produce auction?  Because I had no idea how many of the little green guys I would need for a batch of bread and butter pickles.  I've never made pickles before, but I really wanted to try this year.  The yield was at least 24 pints of bread and butters, and an unrecorded amount of dill spears - my mom took home a bunch of pints, so I don't know the exact figure. 

The moral of this story is: don't hold back, just jump in and do what you want to do!  The pickles are delicious, and I still have fresh cucumbers - lots of them.

I have set the 8 X 10" flower series aside for a few days, I have been working on a World War I commemorative piece for a challenge.  Here are two steps in the development of the 8 X 10" prototype for the final piece:

Image and design copyright RPS

Step one: a grave marker rubbing with a Shiva paint stick and free motion sewn "drawing" of poppies.

Image and design copyright RPS

Step two: color the poppies with crayon and Pentel Fabric Fun pastel dye sticks.  Hand stitching added to center of the poppy on the right.  One evening's work, that's all.  I'm off now to start the actual challenge piece.

Another Ten Minutes

We all would love more time to create, but we all have busy lives - believe me, I'm right there with you!  I have a point with my "ten minutes" series.  I waste a lot of time everyday messing around with truly foolish stuff, and in breaking the progress of this small art quilt into ten minute increments, I am hoping that I am inspiring you to find a few minutes each day to pursue something that you have been wanting to do.  Give up ten minutes of internet time, skip a TV show for a half hour of good creative time, work on something while sipping your morning coffee, or while waiting for a pot of water to boil.  At the end of one week, astonish yourself with how much you have done on a project.

Image and design copyright RPS

The next ten minute step on my Joe-Pye-Weed mini collage was to couch yarn for the stems, and spot glue the leaves in place so that with another ten minute block I can sew the leaves into place.  After that, I will be ready to start hand stitching the pink florets.  I am looking at the real thing as I work on this, but I am not trying to make an exact botanical illustration, it is a personal interpretation of a flower that I love.

I'll get back to the day lily next week...

Out and About Creating Art

I have touched on this before, and I will keep bringing this up in the future.  If you make something, it is so important to get out and make what you make in front of people.  I spent the weekend with two sewing machines and an embellisher/felting machine at a local art fair.  I am always amazed and pleased at the way people are attracted to watching someone create their wares.  I was sharing a tent with two other artists/crafters, and we always had an appreciative crowd.  Take any opportunity that you can to stitch, draw, paint, etc. where you can be observed.  Talk to people about what you are doing, encourage others to learn to make something.

I've also gone on here before about artist trading cards, and I am now making a point to carry some of my own finished ATCs along with some blank ones and a small kit of art supplies.  Last month, at a non-art event, I was approached by an adorable young girl who was asking anyone and everyone if they wanted a picture.  As is turned out, she had made a bunch of tiny crayon drawings and simply wanted everyone to have one!  What a great kid!  I have tucked the drawing I received into my art journal, and I wish that I could get one of my ATCs to her.  From now on, I will be prepared to encourage anyone who wants to make a card in return for one of mine.  This is a great way to get children to value creativity and art, get them to realize that art is valuable and should have a role in our lives.

So, I now have a challenge for you.  Take ten or twenty minutes, make something (try some artist trading cards) and give it away.