New Extreme Embroidery Project

Not long ago, I bought a Yazzii bag. What is a Yazzii bag you might ask, well...at my last retreat, one of my friends had a small bag with her. She had it filled with her wool applique supplies. She had decorated the front of it with the cutest wool applique project. I really loved it and thought it would be very useful, and decided I "needed" one. I ordered one that was a bit larger than hers. This is what mine looked like when I got it. I put the ruler beside it so you could see how large it is.

(I know, I know...you are saying what's the big deal--why did she want one of these "ugly" bags.) Well, this is what my bag looks like now. I decided to draw a design and use my "extreme embroidery" to decorate the front of the bag.

I took the "ugly," undecorated bag with me on our trips to Colorado, Arkansas, and Lake of the Ozarks (which we did the last three weeks). I worked on my "extreme embroidery" for the cover while we were gone. It is REALLY a good thing I can stitch in the car. I finished it during the trip and appliquéd it to the bag when I got home. Here is how I did the finishing.

I blocked the piece and colored around the edges of the embroidery using my black Pentel Gel Roller for Fabric. (In this picture, you can see I have colored around three of the edges--not the top.)

I finished coloring the edges and cut it out.

I was a bit concerned about the middle of the embroidery piece being too loose, so I added MistyFuse the front of the bag. (Just enough so it would be covered by the embroidery.)

I also covered the back of the embroidery with MistyFuse and ironed it (MistyFuse to MistyFuse) to the bag. (Jane Dunnewold told us in a class I took from her that if you want something to stay fused when using MistyFuse put MistyFuse on BOTH pieces.) After fusing, I used a blanket stitch to attach the edges to the bag. I'm pleased with it.

I got my "large" Yazzii bag from Amazon here, but it is available from lots of places. The bags come in other sizes and colors. Mine is about three inches deep and has eight different pockets along with a deep compartment where I store balls of pearl cotton. I'm really happy with it. (I'm not affiliated with Amazon or Yazzii in any way. I'm just a happy customer.)

I'm off to visit my sister and head to another retreat (my first of three in October)! I'm hoping to have some retreat photos to share with you. Stay tuned.

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23rd Annual Juried Art Exhibition at Krempp Gallery

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had a piece juried into an exhibit here in Jasper, IN, at the Krempp Gallery held during the month of September. Well, yesterday I finally had a chance to see the exhibit.

This show is an "all-media" show. There was only one fiber piece in the entire show (as often happens in exhibits like this)--mine...

My piece, "Then We Pray"

This piece ("Residuum" which was labeled "mixed media") by Gweneth Dunleavy. I would consider it a fiber entry too (although she didn't list it as such in her description).

There was sculpture

(Top--"Aquagirl," limestone, by Eric Harmon; Middle--"Pseudochlea," foam and fiberglass, by Bob Zasadny; Bottom--"Hyperbolic Parabolids," foam and fiberglass, by Bob Zasadny)

(Left--"Crossing Over," mixed media, by Pamela Deaton; Right--"Safe Haven," mixed media, by Pamela Deaton)

and LOTS and LOTS of drawing and oil painting (again typical for an "all-media" exhibit).

(Top Left--"Southwestern," Honorable Mention, oil, by Wyatt LeGrand; I didn't get the name of the apple painting; "Great Gray Pumpkin," Honorable Mention, acrylic on canvas, by Kathy Houghton; Left Middle--"Shop Talk," pastel, by Laura Pommier; Bottom Left--"Building Demolition," Honorable Mention, oil on canvas, by Todd Snyder; Right--both pieces by Charlene Jobe, oil on linen)

I think it is always interesting to see what the juror chooses for awards. The top left was given an "Award of Excellence," the top right was given an "Award of High Honor," and the bottom was given the "Best of Show."

(Top Left--"Sentinel," oil on canvas; Top Right--"Shenandoah: Daughter of the Stars," oil on canvas; Bottom-"Sisterhood," pastel, by Laura Pommier)

Of course, I haven't shown you nearly ALL of the exhibit. If you'd like to see it in person, it will be open through September 30th, 2016. The Krempp Gallery (in Jasper, IN) is open Monday-Friday-8:30 am-5:00 pm, Thursday's- 8:30 am-7:00 pm, and Sunday's-Noon-3:00 pm.

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Actors Theatre Exhibit (LAFTA)

A group to which I belong is having their annual juried exhibition at the Actors Theatre in Louisville, KY. LAFTA (Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists) has fiber and textile pieces on exhibit during September and October located in the Sara Shallenberger Brown Lobby, the Mezzanine Lobby, and the Victor Jory Lobby Spaces at the theatre located at 316 West Main Street in Louisville, Kentucky.

The times of the exhibit are: Tuesday – Friday: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday: 1 p.m. – 10 p.m. (all times listed are Eastern time) The theatre is closed on Mondays and non-performance days, however exhibits are available for viewing by appointment at 502.584.1265 Ext. 3145.

The following artists have pieces in the exhibit. (Some have more than one piece included.)

Lisa Austin, Karen Buckingham, Pat DeReamer, Gweneth Dunleavy, Judy Goodwin, Susan Grant, Sandy Gudorf, Linda Witte Henke, Marliese Johnson, Trish Korte, Sally Lackner, Deborah Levine, Kathleen Loomis, Sallie Manassah, Sue Marshal, Alyce McDonald, Luci Mistratov, Marti Plager, Felice Sachs, Beth Schnellenberger, Kevin Rose Schultz, Debbie Shannon, Barrett Shaw, Pat Sturtzel, Joanne Weis, and Vickie Wheatley

You can find more information about the exhibit here.

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In the Show

I have some art pieces that are out and about and thought I'd let you know where you might see them (should you choose to do so). I just got a

two of your pieces (Remembrance and Metamorphosis I) have been juried into the annual LAFTA (Louisville Fiber and Textile Artists) show at the Actors Theatre in Louisville. The show will take place from September 1 - October 31, 2016.

This is "Remembrance"--the piece that did not get chosen for the Marie Webster exhibition in Indianapolis. I still love the piece and knew it would find its place. I'm hoping to get it into other shows as well. I have to get a sleeve on it yet. I haven't done that, because I always dread that part of the finishing.

Thankfully, "Metamorphosis I" has been fairly successful getting into exhibitions. I really think part of that has to do with the fact that it is framed--galleries and museums seem to be more familiar with that format rather than dealing with hanging a "quilt."

"Then We Pray" was juried into the Jasper Community Arts 23rd Annual Juried Art Exhibition at Krempp Gallery, 951 College Avenue, Jasper, Indiana. The exhibition will be held from September 2nd through September 30th, 2016. The reception will be held Thursday, September 8th from 5-7 pm. That is a free event with refreshments and a cash bar. The gallery is open Monday-Friday-8:30 am-5:00 pm, Thursday's- 8:30 am-7:00 pm, and Sunday's-Noon-3:00 pm.

This piece is hand quilted, has a handwritten background, and has lots of extreme embroidery (the caskets in front). I'm always excited when I get juried into ANY exhibit, but I am particularly excited when a piece is juried into a show that isn't totally a fiber arts show. Sometimes quilt artists struggle to have our work recognized as "fine art" and not utilitarian craft. In this exhibit, my fiber piece will be shown with paintings, sculpture, woodwork, photography, and other mixed media.

The piece I did about my Mom and my struggle with her Alzheimer's is still touring with the traveling Sacred Threads exhibit. It will be out until sometime next year. You can take a look at the traveling exhibit flip book here. You will see my quilt and the story of my quilt by flipping six pages into the "book." You can take a "gallery walk" through the full 2015 Sacred Threads exhibit here.

This quilt, along with the others in the traveling exhibit, will be displayed at these locations.

• November - December 2016--The Rectory, 17 College Street, Norcross GA 30072, Cultural Arts Center 678.421.2025, www.norcrossga.net
  
• January-March 2017--Texas Quilt Museum, 140 W. Colorado Street, La Grange TX, 979.968.3104, www.texasquiltmuseum.org
  
• April 2017--Best of the Valley Quilt Show, McDermont Field House, 365 N. Sweet Brier Street, Lindsay CA, , 559.625.5430, botvquilts.com
  

If you get a chance to see this traveling exhibit, (or other fiber art exhibits) let me know.

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What's In a Name?

I have made some progress on my new piece. The applique is done, the stitching is done on the top, and the piece has been appliquéd to the background. All that has gone (albeit slowly) fairly smoothly. Here's the latest photo; it is what I envisioned.

It is the largest art piece I have ever made coming in at approximately 75" wide and 25" high. That made it a REAL pain to baste (and I'm sure the quilting won't be any more fun since I'll have to deal with all that bulk in my machine). I started (and finished) the basting yesterday.

Here is the real tricky part for me. I have to give it a name. I can't just keep calling it "my new piece." I'm just terrible at coming up with names for my pieces. I think it sort of looks like a dry creek bed or the bottom of a canyon. As I was working on it, I kept thinking of dry ground and the swirling fires that result from the lack of water--drought, parched, canyon, arid, etc. What would you name it? I'd LOVE to hear any and ALL suggestions.

 

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August--Nashville (Indiana) Retreat 2016

I just got back from my latest retreat in Nashville, Indiana. We get to stay at a great place called The Cornerstone Inn. I only get to see these ladies twice a year and really enjoy our time together. The girls at this retreat come from all over--Minnesota, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, and others. This retreat is less about work for me than pleasure. I only do handwork (primarily because the space is SO limited), spend time visiting, and spend time shopping. Nashville has some great little shops and some really good restaurants.

I finished the stitching and cutting out of my extreme embroidery piece. I still haven't decided how I will be displaying or finishing the piece. I also worked on some extreme embroidery pins, my "forever" hexagon quilt, and the hand quilting on my "Bouquets for a New Day" quilt.

Here are some pics of what other people worked on. Several people were working on blocks and didn't show their pieces. Robin worked on a child's quilt. How cute are these!

She finished this round robin quilt by putting on the buttons and yoyos.

She got the binding sewn onto this quilt and one other quilt she brought with her.

Rita finished this 3-D looking quilt top.

Debby was working on blocks from "The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt" book. (Love those oranges!)

Karen worked on the embroidery for this miniature.

Nancy finished this baby quilt top.

She also finished this "Bionic Bag." I LOVED this bag--it has LOTS of zippers and compartments. She used an adorable sewing-themed line of fabric from Moda.

I bought this little piece of pottery and the "rug" it is on from a great shop in Nashville. There is a "frog" inside the pottery to hold flowers and leaves or whatever you might want to showcase. Having this little flower at my "work" station during the retreat made me smile. I'm thinking I'll be taking it to retreats from now on.

 

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