Muse on vacation

I wish I could say that I spent this past long weekend stitching up a storm. I didn't.
I guess the muse is on vacation.

What I did do is realize that I am falling woefully behind in my New Year's resolution to do a charity quilt a month. I have two tops ready to quilt, maybe even a third -- I just don't remember. So I guess that's what I'll be doing when I get back to sewing.

And I made a kippah for Noam for his bar mitzvah from one of my father's ties. I'm not sure he'll want to wear it, but it's there if he does.

And I made three bookmarks for Rafi's 60th birthday to go with a gift certificate to Chapters.

So I guess the muse hasn't totally abandonned me after all.

Explanation to follow

This is a my journal piece for Adar II. At the left is a plate of hamentaschen (oznei haman), the same technique I used for the postcard exchange I took part in. On the right is the opening of Megilat Esther, downloaded from the internet and freezer-paper backed printed onto dupionni silk. And the quilting, of which I an not particularly proud is a simple scribble in variegated thread. Here are my FibreArt Toronto "blue" challenges. This first one I made, bottom of the page, is my "playing it safe blue" -- same wavy pattern as previously done, very little quilting stitches but embellished with ribbon, braids, etc. The thought behind it was texture.
This one, immediately below, is my "outside my comfort zone blue". I started out with a technique I had meant to try but had never yet done--sewing bits and pieces of threads and fabrics between two layers of Sulky soluble fibre and then washing out the soluble. It turned out nicely and I got to use up all the bits and pieces from piece #1. Then I decided to try a wholecloth facing instead of binding, which allowed me to have a wavy edge to the piece. And agains, bits and pieces, beads and trims to add texture.

The next FiberArts meeting is on Pesach (Passover) so I won't be attending. The challenge is to make something recognizable for the house, i.e. potholder, tea cozy, etc. I am going to make a bookmark(s) which will take very little time. I made one for Jeremy for his birthday and he liked it.
Then I am going to go back to conventional quilting and try to finish off several quilts I have started.
And then, I am going to use my brown circle and make three wallhangings with them in shades of brown. Or maybe throw in some colour if the muse hits me.

I've got the blues

In my last post, I promised a photo of my Adar II-Purim journal.
I have been working on blue.
I finished one piece. I actually used the same wavy pattern as in a previous Fibre Arts Toronto piece I had made. I decided to do blue textures. So I used seven different blue fancy fabrics, and then some blue stitching and blue trims, yarns and beads for the seams between the blues.
It turned out nicely. But I was playing it safe, not really challenging myself which is what the FAT is about. So I decided to do another piece. I finally tried the sulky water soluble stuff and sandwiched bits and pieces left over from the first blue and other blue and white projects. It was fun and I think I may use the technique again. Then I made fabric beads using straws. And put some textured yarn down the sides. Now, since I'm being so "creative", I may just give it a wavy edge and use the facing technique from the last Quilting Arts magazine. But I couldn't find my QA mag this morning.
And I really hope to post photos today, tomorrow or on the weekend.

Last day of procrastination, ha ha

It's Sunday and although I did get a little done this weekend, it's quite a little. I still have most of the day ahead of me but at my current rate of procrastination, I can't all that much happening.
I did get some work done while my houseguests were here. After a failed attempt at grommeting my challenge bag, I went to Fabricland and bought a different kind of grommet and did manage to finish that part. I still have to decorate the four side joins -- I have the trim, I just have to get started. And I have to figure out how to thread the top.
I finished my postcards and mailed them out. In the end, I made hamentaschen from lovely fabric, with beaded "mun" (poppyseed) centres on a creamy background with the same hamentaschen fabric as the border. My backs were not that successful, I attempted to incorporate a "ra'ashan" (noisemaker) into the back by filling a straw with beads and placing it between the stiff stuff and the fabric backing. The idea was good, the execution, not so much.
I bought 15 metres of 12" wide Steam-a-seam lite on sale at Fabricland. I guess you can see where that's going.
My challenge for the next Toronto Fibre Art group is "blue". I'm not sure where I'm going with this yet but I thought of incorporating some weaving into it. And maybe some solvy water soluble thingy.
Last Saturday, I went downtown. I had made tentative arrangements to meet with Devora at the Textile Museum but didn't fix a time with her and she wasn't home. So headed down on my own. I got off at Bloor because I was hoping to drop into Chapters. The store isn't there anymore. Shows you how often I go downtown. So I walked through Yorkville which had been transformed into an outdoor ice sculpture gallery. The work, as usual, was amazing. The thing that bothered me was the incorporation of the sponsors' logos right into the ice. Two beautiful dolphins flanking a Holt Renfrew logo? Feh. Put your sponsorship sign elsewhere and let the art be art.
I didn't stay there too long because a) it's still winter and although the sun was shining, it's still winter; and b) the sidewalks hadn't been plowed from the last snowstorm and walking was treacherous in the crowded conditions (shame on you, City of Toronto and/or Yorkville businesses).
From there I went to Eaton's Centre to Indigo, which was still there but didn't have the book I was looking for ("Second Helpings, Please" for Johanna).
My cell phone finally rang, and it was Devora and we made arrangements to meet at the Textile Museum. By the time we got there it was around 4 p.m. and the museum closes at 5 p.m. So we did a very quick walkthrough. There were two main exhibits -- "The Blues" which was a combination of the colour blue and the music. So there were blue fabrics using varying dye techniques as well as blue jeans. Although I avoid doing anything where my hands get dirty, I may have just been inspired to do some dyeing... The second exhibit was of North African fabrics from Morocco, Algeria, etc. I was sorry that we were so rushed. Next time I go, I will leave myself plenty of time to roam.
I had about 5 minutes in the gift shop and saw some uneven edged fibre art pins, probably atc sized at a whopping $29.99 price tag. Makes you think...
On our way to dinner at a vegetarian restaurant on Baldwin Street (where, btw, the food was not bad and well priced) we passed by a Curry's Art Store where I bought two shiva paintsticks -- irridescent silver and gold.
So all in all, it was a very good day.
Sunday, Menachem was off so we went to Chapters at Bayview Village and got the cookbook. Then we met up with Alissa and Mel for lunch at a place on Yonge Street just north of Steeles. The price was right and the company great but I doubt if we'd go there again.
This weekend, I'm trying to get back into a creative routine.
Yesterday, I finished my third journal quilt for Adar. It's an 11" X 8.5" Purim theme. On the one side I have a plate of hamentaschen, same technique as the postcards. On the other side, I have Megilat Esther with the opening text of the megila printed onto duppioni silk. My quilting stitches leave something to be desired but part of the challenge of the journal quilts was to practise said stitching. (photos to follow).
Today, if I can get my act together, I am going to work on my "blue" and see where that goes. I was planning to make a treasure box but yesterday, I made a sample box of a different type and I am not enamoured of the idea. I may just make another 14" square blue multi-technique piece.

I'm back

It's been 20 days since my last post. We had houseguests and times were interesting. As much as I enjoy having company, it was a bit constricting -- didn't always have access to the computer room. Also, because our routine was off, I didn't have enough studio time.
Anyways, no more goats and hopefully back to normal-ish.
Oops, later than I thought.
OK. Notes to self for next post: work done since last post, Textile Museum.

Departure from creativity

Or maybe just creativity of another kind.
I'm spending this weekend is cleaning. I know, I should have warned you to sit down first. But we're having company this week and I have some catching up to do...
I have divided the house into zones -- upstairs, main floor, family room. And interspersed, laundry.
My mission for today is the upstairs. On the upstairs level I have three rooms, a bathroom and a hallway.
I started with the bathroom and not only is everything clean, I also went through, organizing drawers and throwing out junk. There's still some stuff that DH has to part with, but hey -- it's coming along.
The computer room with a sofa bed aka spare bedroom is clean, except for setting up the bed and making it.
The next room is our bedroom which isn't terribly difficult. I'm not touching my studio until everything else is done because if I go in, I may not come out.
The sore spot on this floor is the hallway. It where stuff which is no longer needed (i.e. childrens' books in Hebrew, old tapes, miscellaneous books, a no-longer working laptop, etc.) sits until the decision is made to finally get rid of it. That decision may just happen today.

I did have a creative week. Last week I posted about the iris folding circle. I made two additional circles. One is chocolate brown organza sewn in ripples. I actually envision different types of threads, ribbons, etc. covering the rows of stitching. The other is five or six waves of various hues and textures of brown. The problem is that none of the three circles are really compatible with the others. So I may just forget about the challenge and make three separate small pieces (each approx. 14" square).

I am also just about finished my FibreArt Toronto bag challenge. I received a gift of Bo-Nash from Larkin from the QuiltArt list. And did some foil transfer. I need to practise in order to know how much to sprinkle, how hot the iron should be, how long to iron, etc. But it did give a nice shimmer to the bag. I sewed the bag together. Still need to add the grommets at the top. I have grommets I've been practising with on scrap fabric but haven't yet gotten them to close without leaving sharp edges. I also want to put some braiding on the four edges which will gather at the bottom in a tassel.

And I must finally sit down and do my fabric postcards. Oy, there's the theme of Purim/Pesach/spring but I still don't know what to do.

So I'm off to laundry now and if I finish all my tasks for today, I may still get in a little studio time.

Iris folding

Yesterday afternoon, while pondering the coffee/tea challenge, I started thinking about fusing fabric to a coffee filter and doing origami folding. I headed to the internet for instructions and couldn't find what I was looking for. I did, however, find instructions for iris folding. It's usually done with coloured paper.

I downloaded a circular pattern and got Menachem to enlarge to the size I needed.

This morning I started. Instead of folding the fabric strips in half, I just folded under about 1/4 inch. I placed the strips face down following the numbered order and pinned everything. Then I flipped it over and stitched down the pieces.

Now after having done it, I think the next one I will strip piece, sewing onto paper or press and seal and remove the paper/p&s when finished.

I now have to decide what and how to attach it to a background and what else to do. I have some thoughts but am not sure yet. That's why I have all day to play.

I guess it could also be done with ribbon (no ends to fold under). I might just try the Magen David (Star of David) that someone posted on IJQ.