THE FUN BEGINS

I have all of the parts of the blocks sewn together.

The idea was to have the blocks in more managable parts so I can move them around the design wall easier.

So, here we go...

The design wall

A beginning

Adding more

Trying to get the colors to flow

Looking for problems

Tweaking

Moving a few offensive parts

Okay, where do I stop?

Don't think I like that bright one in the center...

A few more adjustments

Are we getting close yet?

Here's where I stopped because I was satisfied.

Don't hold me to this plan....I could change it completely tomorrow!

But at least now I can start making the blocks....lots of curves yet to sew.

CAUGHT UP

I got the pieces all cut out and sewn together for the parts I was missing.

So, that should be all of the straight-line sewing I have for a while.  It's back to sewing curves, curves and more curves.

At, least I hope so....I didn't count them again.

It can be very pleasant up in the studio.  The weather lately has been very nice.  I have windows open on opposite sides, and sometimes I'll get a nice little breeze blowing through.  There's a bird feeder right outside one of the open windows and occasionally I will hear the chatter of little birds.   But what really makes it nice is the music.  My husband is a vintage stereo nut and he has set me up with a very nice system.  It's a Marantz 2270 with JBL monitor speakers.  It rocks.  I have my Zune hooked up to it and I set it to play randomly of all the music I've loaded onto it.  There is everything from Classical to Hard Rock, from Jazz to World Music, even some Zoe Keating, Tony Bennett, Mozart and Kronos Quartet.

BACKING UP

Oops.

I just discovered I don't have enough parts for all the blocks I need.

Have you ever made a quilt?  Well, if you have, you know you are always counting the parts.  At least, I am.

I count the pieces as I cut them.  

I count the parts as I sew them together.

I count the blocks, and the sashings and the borders and anything else you might need.

After counting everything - twice.  I discovered that I was short some parts.  And, I discovered I was short those parts because I was out of any 'light' fabric.  That's probably why they didn't get cut out.  I had purchased some really cool fabric that went with all of my other Lexington fabrics at Pacific Fabrics last fall.  I remember thinking I should go get more of it before it was all gone, but apparently I didn't.  It's a sure bet there isn't any of it there anymore.  So, before heading to the fabric store, I checked out my massive stash.  Whoa!  the perfect fabric was in there this whole time.  It appears as though I was holding onto it for just this project.  And, there is more than enough!

So, it was a step backwards.  I cut out the missing pieces and now I'm back to sewing corner pieces together.  Just a short side trip.

But...more bad news.

While I was counting all those pieces, I discovered I haven't cut out enough of the center X's.  They are the biggest pieces and use up the most fabric.  I'm short 13 pieces.  Hmmmm.

Good thing I bought lots of fabric.  I'm pretty sure I will have more than enough for those (they aren't the 'lights', they are cut from everything else).

Then, I'll have to count everything again.

WRAPPING BOARDS

I want to paint a bunch of faces.

I want them all on the same size canvas.  Square.

I priced the 10" by 10" wrapped canvases and decided they were too expensive and I would just get some Masonite and ask my sweet husband to cut it into 10" squares.  Which he did.

Then it occurred to me that I don't really like painting on masonite, it's too smooth.  I don't like the way the paint goes on.

I thought a lot about different ways to get some 'tooth' or texture onto the boards.

I thought, I could wrap them in canvas.  But, I'd have to buy a bunch of canvas.  Expensive again.

I thought, I have lots and lots of fabric.  I could just wrap them in fabric!  That might even be really interesting.  It opens up lots of possibilities.

Then I did a lot of thinking about how to do it, to wrap the fabric on and have it adhere, no bubbles.

So, I've been putting it off for a while now.

Darrell (husband) did his part, he cut the squares out long ago.  They've been sitting there, waiting.

So, today, I looked through my fabric stash and found some sacrificial fabric that I know I'll never use.  There was probably two yards there.  Doesn't matter what it looks like, it will be getting painted over.

I wrapped two boards today just to see how it went.  I glued it down with acrylic matte medium.  It went way better than I thought it would.

SELF PORTRAIT FINISHED

I finished my self-portrait.   As I explained earlier, I was in a situation that was very stressful and wasn't getting any better, only worse, with no end in sight.  I was miserable and wanted things to change.

I made a change.  Things are much better now, and I don't feel this way anymore.  But I needed to express it.  

forlorn

adjective

1.    desolate or dreary; unhappy or miserable.

anguish

noun

1.    excruciating or acute distress, suffering, or pain.

I can't decide which fits the situation better.

Here it is, thorns and all.

This is acrylic on canvas, 10" by 10".

FRIDAY FUN

The done-pile is getting bigger than the not-done-pile.

ONE SET

Well, I missed working on the quilt on Monday because I ended up working later than I should have.  And I missed Tuesday.

And Wednesday I had a class after work...

So, here it is Thursday already, but I made it into the studio for a few minutes and got one set done.

(I'm using an old wool blanket over my ironing table, it works great, but it makes pictures confusing, doesn't it.)

PIECING CURVES

Wow, how long has it been since I worked on this quilt?

Too long.

I have lots of excuses, though.

But, I spent a good hour or two today, organizing and sorting and trying to remember where I left off, so I could actually do some piecing.

It's all curves for a while, I better get used to it.  

Hopefully, I'll get good at it.

I am going to come out to the studio and spend a half hour every night this week.

Watch me.