Garden Girl and Kite Boy

Garden Girl and Kite Boy
36" x 36"

This quilt is about ambivalence. One hand holds on tight while the other cuts loose (literally with the scissors). The result? Your heart feels completely yanked! Even though mixed emotions are a pretty common experience, it doesn't make them any easier to deal with.

This quilt is exhibiting NOW at the Austin Area Quilt Guild Show. I also just found out that it has been accepted to Art Quilts XIII: Lucky Break in Chandler Arizona. I am thrilled!!

This quilt also features a number of my hand dyed batiks. I had so much fun making them and getting to use them in this quilt. I also have an unusual found object, the kite string holder. I found it in Cleveland OH at a park (where I was simultaneously loosing my cell phone, nope never found it again). I was there for taping for Quilting Arts TV.

To Sketch or Not to Sketch?

To Sketch or Not to Sketch?

I started making art quilts by drawing everything first. Then I would carefully transfer the pattern to freezer paper, or some other technique, and effectively duplicate my design in fabric. Then I tried NOT sketching first. It was scary! I mean really frightening to me. Without even trying, a picture of what I would be creating would just visualize in my head. I worked with the fabrics in a raw form, cutting and placing until the composition was just right, or even good enough. Yikes! Letting go of perfectionism is not for the faint of heart. Now I alternate between the two. I decided that different artists have different processes and it is important to honor my own process. If I feel compelled to draw my idea first, there must be a reason to it, and that's okay. Or sometimes, I will just be sketching and an idea forms from the shapes I've drawn, and then I decide to make it into a quilt. The most surprising thing to me has been the art I made without drawing first, it always comes out much better than I expected.

Full size quilt block, 16" x 16", the quilt varies slightly from the sketch below, but incorporates many of the same elements

3" x 3"

For the next example, there are slight differences. The jay's tail was placed lower to allow more room for the quilting motif, "Take these broken wings and learn to fly." This sketch was full size.

No sketch was made prior to making this quilt. This is a close up of my new quilt, Garden Girl and Kite Boy. I'll post the full view later. It will be at the Austin Area Quilt Guild Show,Sept 26-28.

The Flying Cat Boys

The Flying Cat Boys Kitten UPdate: (you did get the pun, yes?) The boys are still looking for a permanent home. They are inquisitive, playful, cute, adorable, affectionate, and hungry little lions. Their little cat spirits fill our home with love and chaos.

Pumpkin and Garfield seeking just the right cuddle spot. Me? Happy to be of assistance in this matter.

Smokey Joe finds comfort in the nook of an arm, this time it's mine.

Vanilla Bean has discovered the guinea pigs favorite cardboard tube....maybe he was a guinea pig in a previous life?

Vanilla Bean and Garfield asleep in a deep well of pillows (forming the sides), and a soft yellow blanket. The flash woke Garfield up, sorry baby!

Pumpkin falls for a mermaid.

Pumpkin and Lamby...together at last!

See, this really is quilt related! They are sleeping, ever so gently on my quilt. How cute is that?