Partially Finished show at SCRAP

SCRAP is a non-profit organization located in downtown Denton, TX. It's mission is to inspire creative reuse and environmentally sustainable behavior by providing educational programs and affordable materials to the community.

Early this year I chose this big piece of purple fabric with an exploded yellow circle from the collection of unfinished projects SCRAP was offering for their Partially Finished show.

I saw it as something in outer space.

I covered the yellow circle with organza to make it more round 

and paint to add dimension.

I call it "Beyond Infinity".

30 x 24"

On September 6 during Denton's monthly First Friday art walk, 

SCRAP will host an opening reception featuring 10 artist that finished a project. 

Zero96 Brewing will be giving out free samples of their beer. 

There will be live spray paint art and craft vendors all beginning at 7:30.

The Partially Finished show will be on display in the 

ReVision Gallery for the month of September.

SCRAP is located at 215 W. Oak St in Denton, TX and open 

Tuesday-Friday from 12pm-6pm and 

Saturday from 10am-6pm. 

(940)808-1611.

Dye Retreat 2013

I attended my annual dye retreat last week. 

This was the 40th Anniversary of the first dye retreat.

Linda and Deanna started dying fabric in 1973 in Galveston.

I joined them in Galveston for the first time in 1986. 

Jill joined us in New Hampshire in 1991.

We went to Kathi's in Southlake in 1992.

We've been coming to Ken and Kathi's in Edom most years since 1996.

Tonya, Linda, Kathi and Jill.

See more history here and here.

Ken's wood shop provides a wonderful dye studio.

We cover the saws with plastic.

I dripped dye on some sateen on the line to create a sky.

I imagine this will be used for the barnyard for my "Omelet Sisters" chicken quilt.

I dyed a few T-shirts and onsies.

I dyed several pieces of flannel to make receiving blankets.

I helped Jill letter 18 sashes with the names of cancers for her Relay for Life team.

 Jill painted the colored ribbons on sashes.

 The relay is tomorrow. Good luck to your team, Jill.

Jill tried some confetti dyeing by adding dye powder to wet fabric.

She also figured out how to get the black lines on the lime green shirt in the middle.

Jill folded the shirt, mask most of the fabric, wrap with string and paint with thickened black dye.

Thanks Jill!

Linda drew lines on commercial velvet with cheap dishwasher gel.

She wrapped this fabric on a pole and dyed it turquoise and then eggplant.

Linda folded and clamped fabric to make a hexagon pattern.

Grace and Linda wrapped a dress on a pole.

I drew on t-shirts with dishwasher gel.

We had a great time.

Until next year...

"Overdye" polyester

At my annual dye retreat I often overdye clothes or fabric with Fiber Reactive dyes. 

This will only work with natural fiber fabric. 

 I recently came across a really cute dress at a garage sale in colors that
don't falter me. It's polyester so Fiber Reactive dyes won't work.

 Since it was only $2 I thought I would experiment with 

changing the color with Setacolor fabric paint.

 I used a capful of paint and three cups of water, submerged the dress until 

the fiber was saturated and hung it outside on a cloudy day to dry.

(Setacolor will sun print, or turn white under an object the is blocking the sun, http://www.dharmatrading.com/info/sun_paint.html)

 It dried too yellow to suit me... 

so I repeated the process with diluted cobalt.

I'm pleased with the dry color.

 The hand is slightly stiffer but it's still wearable.

It's in the Bag is tonight

I've created three handbags for the Greater Denton Arts Council's fund raiser,
It's in the Bag!

The party is this evening, May 9, from 5-7 pm at the 

Center for Visual Arts. 

400 E. Hickory, Denton, TX

Silent purse auction and Fundraiser

Sweet Tea, Bellinis, Savories & Sweets

Business dress, hats and gloves optional

tickets are $20 per person.

For more information call GDAC, 940-382-2787.

Fabric & Thread at the Black Box Theatre

Seventeen of my quilts are on display in the lobby of the Black Box Theatre. The theater is located in Denton at 318 E. Hickory between the Denton Record Chronicle offices and the Central Fire Station. It is 1 1/2 blocks west of the Downtown Denton train station.

The lobby is open during office hours Monday and Wednesday from noon to 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The lobby is also open during theater performances. 

My exhibit called "Fabric & Thread," will be on display until July 14.

I hope you will stop by for a visit.

Merging Visions Show at the Libraries

The Visual Arts Society of Texas (VAST) collaborates with the Denton Poets’ Assembly and the Denton Public Libraries to create an annual exhibit of paired original art work and poetry in celebration of National Poetry Month. The exhibit opens April 1 at the Denton Public Libraries and is accessible to the public free of charge during regular library hours.

This year a created a quilt based on a poem by Beth Honeycutt called "The Doorway of Another Decade".

I combined photos of the Greenwood Store in North Texas with photos of old screen doors and "painted" the bright colors in PhotoShop.

"Jimmy's General Store" 19.25 x 29.75”

The image is printed on cotton fabric and quilted on my home sewing machine.

My quilt is on display at the Denton South Branch Library until May 17.

There are 51 pairing of poems and art in the three libraries.

I hope you will get a chance to see them.

Dallas Show 2013

I entered four quilts and a challenge block in the Quilter's Guild of Dallas show this year.

 Roadie, 12 x 15”, won third place

Roadie, detail

  These are Roadie's humans and the owner of the quilt. 

Thank you for letting me borrow it for the show.

  

 Marrakesh Express, 12 x 12"

This quilt was a challenge from the Not Your Grandmother's Bee. We had to purchase less than $5 worth of material from the SCRAP store in Denton and create a 12 x 12" wall hanging. 50% of the items used in the quilt had to come from the SCRAP store.

 Marrakesh Express, detail

It's All About the Journey, 35.5 x 56” won third place

This quilt was inspired by a photo taken in 2008. I did a motorcycle portrait of my husband in 2005 and wanted a companion portrait with my bike. It's mostly raw-edge applique on hand-dyed sateen. There is also inkjet transfer, fabric paint on sateen, bridal tulle and recycled men's shirts.

 It's All About the Journey, detail

 It's All About the Journey, detail

 Visualize Whirled Peas, 32 x 78”

Entered in the Show Chair's Theme category, "Edibles"

  Visualize Whirled Peas, detail

  Visualize Whirled Peas, detail

 Visualize Whirled Peas, label

The Block challenge was Sunbonnet Sue in her Garden.