The Doubler

 "The Doubler" 24 x 33"

My quilt called "The Doubler" has been juried into the VAST 44th Annual National Visual Arts Exhibition. The show will be on display at the Center for Visual Arts in Denton from April 26 - June 1.

The opening reception will be from 6:30 - 8:30 on April 26.

"The Doubler" detail.

Ready for Dallas Quilt Celebration 2012

I just finished my wall quilt of Rusty for the quilt show in Dallas this weekend.

 

"Rusty's New Teddy Bear" 16 x 23"

 

"Rusty's New Teddy Bear" detail

I asked Rusty to pose with it but he's a little camera shy this morning.

Our chickens are getting bigger but not old enough to lay eggs yet.

I'm looking forward to a fun and inspiring weekend at Dallas Quilt Celebration 2012.

 March 9-11, 2012

Dallas Market Hall

2200 N. Stemmons Freeway

(I-35 at Market Center Blvd)

Friday    10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Saturday    10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Sunday    12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

www.quiltersguildofdallas.org

Valentine's Day

I've made a mini quilt for my sweety for the last six years. 

I gave Rusty a pink elephant this morning. 

He ripped it apart immediately.
All that's left is a leg.  :)

I hope you had some chocolate today.

Boro Scarf

In December Melanie Testa began her Rockstar Boro. She explains it here. Originally a boro was a repaired and stitched Japanese indigo garment. Melanie is using this method to decorate her red velvet jacket.

Deborah joined the boro stitching party with an old t-shirt she is turning into a scarf. See her last post here.

I have a collection of green felted wool and cashmere sweaters. I bought a pair of green silk pants from a thrift shop and used the silk fabric as a base to stitch pieces of wool for a scarf.

I placed the softer cashmere at the neck.

The swirl on the left is the felted cuff from one sweater and the flowers are made from the hem tape from the silk pants.

Stitching "Practice Flights"

I ran across this old article by Karin Winter from the August/September 2008 issue of Quilting Arts magazine about pet portraits. 

I liked Karin's collage approach and thought I would try it for my Merging Visions entry this year. I quilted the background before I added the bird outlines and bird fabric. 

 I used colored pencils, paint sticks and marker to add shading.

I'll probably try this method again. It's very freeing and fast.

Backyard Experiment

DH has converted our former pool pump house into a chicken coop. 

The girls arrived a week ago. A Barred Rock, an Ameracana, a Rhode Island Red and a Silver Laced Wyandotte. They were hatched in late October so we don't expect eggs until April. 

We're still trying to figure each other out. 

Rusty is obsessed with the new smells and sounds. I don't think he will be allowed in the yard when the chickens are out of the coop. Sigh. 

I had hoped he could control himself.

I just planted a small garden of greens today. Swiss Charred, Collards and bib lettuce. The package says they are frost tolerant and should produce in 50 days. 

I can't wait.

Practice Flights

I've been busy with graphic design work lately and haven't had much time to sew.

I have managed to begin the piece I'm doing for the 2012 Merging Visions show. 

I'm trying a new raw-edge method for adding my birds. 

 

Rusty's friend Roady is spending the week with us while his humans are out of town. So far so good.