Fun Week Teaching!

As usual, I’m behind on my bog posts. With that said, I have had the best week teaching.

 Last Saturday, Brenda Keith, with Quilt Shop in the Oaks in Abilene, came with three other wonderful, funny and absolutely awesome ladies for a dye day. These ladies were great, open to learning new things, making a mess and cleaning it up before they left. I truly enjoyed the day of dyeing, showing them new methods, laughing and feeling like I was a new part of their sisterhood.

Thank you Brenda, Maria, Cheri and Terrye for the fun day! I can’t wait to get Show n’ Tell pictures!

Yes, it was HOT. We did our best to stay cool while we were ice dying

Yes, I had to get in on the dying action by making a "sample" piece.

Yesterday I had another great day teaching at Must Love Fabric in Grapevine. My ladies learned my favorite piecing process, Wave Piecing. Yes, this is the method I used on my quilt “Prism Refraction” that won an Honorable Mention at the Dallas Quilt Show this year. I had 11 ladies, some I new already; the others are now new friends.

We spent the day getting past needing a straight edge and being able to cut with a flow. This method is so freeing and you are able to channel your “Inner Improv”.

Thank you ladies for the great day and wonderful conversations. I was on a “teaching high” all evening.

Old dye test was a success. I love the way the colors came out. Several of these pieces are going to be great background pieces for some art quilts.

One piece of the discharged pink silk is being ice dyed. I want to see how it comes out before I ice dye the second piece. Plus my ice maker hasn't caught up completely from yesterday and I didn't have enough ice to dye both pieces. I can't wait to unveil and wash it tomorrow to see how it comes out.

The fabric that I "Ice Parfait" dyed yesterday is in the washer. I looked at it earlier and I love the way several of the pieces came out. As I was looking at the fabric I had clearer vision for our bedroom quilt. I need to sketch out my ideas so I can start working on it next month.

Off to make my top pattern and fold up these beautiful pieces of dyed flannel. Glad I know I can hold on to my dyes for a while.

Happy New Year and New Goals

Ice Dyed Fat Quarter in my Etsy shop

As usual, time gets away from me and I'm late on my New Year's post. I spent time looking back to my posts a year ago and realized that I've come a long way in the past year. I don't think I created as many pieces are art /art quilts as I did in 2010, but I accomplished a lot. A year ago I opened my Etsy shop and it has been a success, in my opinion. Those of us that sell our creations, always wish for more sales, but I can't complain. I'm happy with the progress. I started selling my hand dyes at quilt shows and have 4 shows planned for this year, so far. My dyeing methods have grown from parfait dyeing, to snow dyeing, to ice dyeing. I have dabbled a little more in surface techniques and this year I plan to expand more in this area. I feel the direction I want to move this year with my art quilting is calling for an expansion in this area. I tried some new styles of art quilting this past year and plan on trying to be more abstract this year, but using the influence of structures and geometric objects and colors that are out of my normal palette.

I hosted Sandra Sider for a weekend, while she was here for critiques and lectures (she is a lot of fun!). I learned so much in the few days that I spent with her and it has given me a broadened view of where I want my art quilting to grow. Thank you Sandra!

Part of my plan for this year is to take time to photograph new structures to use in my art. I usually get up and head to the studio, but this year I'm going to make an effort to have a day or two each month to spend time outside and photograph.

This past year I was able to show in three different quilt shows, this year I already have three planned and need to spend time planning others to enter and broaden my scope of entering quilts, that means, I need to get busy and create some more art quilts!

The Dallas Area Fiber Artists have their annual show in April and this will be my last show as Show Co-Chair. When our new board takes over mid-year, I have volunteered to be President and have several ideas in mind to encourage our group to expand and grow as artists and in membership.

Well, I'm sure there is more in my brain that I wanted to share with you this morning, but right now I have to get busy and photograph more fabric for my Etsy and Art Fire shops. The end of the year was very good to me and now I need to get busy and post post post!

My big thrill of the year? Having "Old Alton Bridge" included in the Lone Stars III;Texas Quilts Today book and the "Truck Quilt" included in IFQ Quilting Scene Magazine. Plus being interviewed by the Alliance of American Quilts. Being in these two publications and being interviewed made going to IQF so much fun this year, especially since Jeff went with me to enjoy the festivities and see all the quilts.

Happy New Year everyone and I pray that your creative dreams and goals are accomplished this year!

Ice Dyeing Again!

Even in the midst of Christmas shopping and making Christmas presents, I had to spend a few minutes in the dye studio yesterday and ice dye some fabric. I needed some fabric therapy. This piece (one yard) is Strongest Red and Clear Yellow. I also dyed a half yard and four fat quarters. I don't have time to load them online yet, but if you are interested, drop me an email and I'll make time to take pics and send them to you.

While these beautiful pieces of fabric were washing and drying I got to work in the studio and made this precious tool belt for my grandson (he's pretty precious too). I already had this in the plan when our son asked me to make Hudson two tool belts. One for their house and one for ours, that way he can help Paw Paw in the workshop. I used fabrics out of my stash. Faux suede  and Building Blocks by American Jane Patterns. I found an online tutorial for the pattern. One-Hip-Mom has a great blog with the tutorial. The tool belt went together quick and easy. She has some other great tutorials on her site too. Check it out!

Okay, time to get back to work on the next little Christmas surprises!

Ice Dyeing, Oh My Goodness, I'm Hooked!!!!!

Okay, in my post day before yesterday I told you about my first day of  "Ice Dyeing". I'm hooked, hook, line and sinker. This is the way I'm going to work for a while. Just look at what happens!

These two are already posted on StudioJulesArt on Etsy.

Colors used: Lilac, Fuchsia, and Clear Yellow

Colors used: Slate Blue, Basic Red and Lemon-Lime Green

Can you believe how beautiful and gorgeous these fabrics are! Here are the other two. They are in my StudioJules Art Fire studio.

Colors used: Lilac, Fuchsia and Clear Yellow

Colors used: Slate Blue, Basic Red and Lemon-Lime Green

11-11-11

Double Tulip Quilt, Quilted by Alma Baugh 1966

As we look back in history, World War I ended, on the 11 hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. When I was checking FaceBook this morning there was a post from The Quilt Index reminding me of the significance of this date in history, along with a post of a quilt made in 1918. I'm reminded the "quiet" way women have played such a strong roll in our history by creating quilts to warm their families, give direction to slaves through the underground railroad, pass on family histories and love, oh, the list goes on. I appreciate this important piece history and how it has played in our lives and how it has evolved into elaborate traditional quilting and art quilts. I give great thanks to the pioneer women who passed down this tradition to their daughters and granddaughters. There is a history of quilters on Mom's side of the family. The picture above is of a quilt on my quilt rack. Two of my grandmothers' cousins made the blocks in the 1920's and then her step-mom (the only great-grandparent I knew) quilted it in 1966. After Mimi finished the quilting, it laid on my bed. My mom kept the quilt until my 40th birthday and then it became mine. Lucky me! I'm so blessed to be able to treasure this piece of family history and know the history of the blocks and quilting. When Mimi was quilting this quilt, the blocks were old enough that the fabric was thin and fragile. Mom asked why she was spending time quilting a quilt that was already in slightly poor condition, and the answer was that it was the best way to spend the day and to pass time.

Today, I treasure getting to spend my days in my studio, passing time, continuing a family tradition of quilting, even though it is in art quilt form, not traditional quilts.Well, I periodically make traditional quilts, just ask my grandkids!

Dye selection

 Yesterday I spent a good part of the day dyeing fabric. In the August/September 2011 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine, there is an article on Ice Dyeing. Oh yum! So yesterday I decided it was a great time to try it. Here are some pictures of the beginning of the process. I selected my dyes and dyed 2 yards per color selection.

Fabric, Ice, Dye

I only had enough ice to dye two color selections, so I'll ice dye the other two tomorrow. Lucky for me, we have a nice under the counter ice maker!

In the instructions it said to cover the fabric, ice and dye with a cover, well I used my favorite fiber, cheesecloth. I also put some cheesecloth at the end of the tray to sit in the dye run off. Can't wait to see how it all comes out in the wash later today.

Cheesecloth over the ice

Here is a picture of the fabric and cheesecloth, the ice has all melted and is ready to start the rinsing and washing process. There will be pictures tomorrow of the completed pieces!

Ice has melted and ready to wash! Love these colors!