Sunday, May 31, 2009

Playing with Sharpies

I finally had a chance to play with Sharpie markers and rubbing alcohol. This first picture is my coloring done on PFD fabric. Notice how scribbly it is. I found the larger tipped markers much easier to use, although the fine points gave just as nice a finished product. The light peachy orange circles are done with a fine tipped marker as are some of the highlights added to the circles. Here is the piece after I wet it with alcohol. I used about 1/4 cup for this piece and put it on with a foam brush. I painted with the fabric flat, but had to lean it to dry since the color was running off the fabric.
Here's a picture of the foam core board I pinned it to for the alcohol addition. Next time I'll try putting a piece of plain fabric underneath since I like the soft look.

And here is the final product. The green did not travel as well as the other colors. I can still see the scribble lines I drew. What I really like about this process is that the colors became more intense.

I will definitely do a few more experiments and then probably start on a hand-colored jacket!
Thanks to everyone on the Quiltart list who gave me tips about this technique. You are the greatest!
Lisa

Friday, May 29, 2009

San Diego Quilt Show Deadline

This is a reminder to all who live in the San Diego area. The deadline for entering your quilts and wearable art is fast approaching. Entries must be in by June 6. Remember that the piece does not have to be finished to enter it, just make sure it's finished by show time!

To find out more info go to: http://www.sandiegoquiltshow.com/index.php?page=quiltentry

This is a non-juried show and they are always looking for more wearable art in particular! You do have to drop off your quilt/wearable at Rosie's (Gosh, what a hardship! A trip to Rosie's!) on the specified date and pick it up at the same place after the show. If this is a real hardship for any of my students just let me know since I will be going down with my entry.

I hope to see your quilts and wearables at the show!
Lisa

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Play Day

Last Wednesday Mary Tabar came to my house and we had fun playing with the gelatin monoprints using techniques from Rayna Gillman's book.

Here is a picture of Mary working on a T-shirt (now why didn't I think of that?!)

Mary will be making some patriotic quilts soon and these flags might just show up in a quilt...


Mary played with some positive and negative prints using some plants from my backyard.
I enjoy playing with surface design ideas, but it is a LOT more fun when you have someone with you. Each person brings different strengths, aesthetics and ideas to the session and so much more is learned. Let's do it again some day Mary!
Lisa

Monday, May 25, 2009

Duckie Number Six

Yay! The last duckie! This one's name will be obvious, Mac, because I did McTavishing for the quilting. Or at least my version of it! I'll bet you're glad to see the end of the duckies, I know I am! I'd rather make more interesting quilts and jackets :-) but sometimes you just gotta make something for the house. Lisa

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Duckie Number Five

My daughter just came home from her first year at college so we both have a little bit of adjusting to do. She goes back to work tomorrow and I hope to get back to sewing as well. Meanwhile here is duckie #5. Elisia says he's her second favorite. I find this quilting pattern easy and yet hard to do. I prefer doing it freemotion so I don't have to constantly turn my work, but I first learned to do it using a walking foot. When quilting this one without a walking foot you have to be extra careful not to sew curves. No idea what his name will be... Spike?

Lisa

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Duckie Number Four

This one is obviously swimming in a bubble bath. It's name is going to have to be Bubbly. This is one of my favorite quilting designs, but I have to admit that it's a little more labor intensive than some of the others.

On a different note I was sad to see that our local hometown boy, Adam Lambert, did not win American Idol. I don't watch American Idol, although I did watch the last couple of shows, because I feel like it's more of a popularity contest than a talent contest. Still when I found out that Adam went to Mt. Carmel, where my kids went, and grew up just a few miles from my house I watched and I was very impressed with his singing. Oh well, I think America has "discovered" him, whether he won or not.

Lisa

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Duckie Number Three

If those are waves of heat coming off this duckie he or she is one very hot duckie! What is this one's name? Hottie?

This was a new quilting design for me and I like the look. I can think of times when it would be very effective.

Lisa

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Duckie Number Two

Here is the next duckie. Instead of stippling/meandering I opted for loops. Think of a ball of yarn unwinding with loops all over the floor. This duckie's name is Loopy!

There isn't that much difference between the loops and the stippling in the overall look other than the fact that the loops were a bit farther apart.

Lisa

Monday, May 18, 2009

Duckie Number One

I've been working on these silly rubber duckies for the bathroom wall. Here is the first one, all done. I think they need names, like the seven dwarves, LOL. The ducks are all pretty much the same, except for size and orientation differences. The only true difference is the quilting. Doing something like this is always a good object lesson for me. It confirms how important our choice of quilting patterns really is.

The background for this one is good old standard stippling or meandering. Maybe its name should be Stipply or Wanderer, but those don't sound very "Seven Dwarfish". Any ideas?
Lisa

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Happy Birthday Mom


Today is my mom's birthday. I called to wish her a happy birthday, but I guess she's out celebrating. So happy birthday Mom! And many more! Here's a picture of my parents at their 50th wedding anniversary a few years ago. It's nice to know I come from such long-lived stock :-)

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

List

I'm not sure how well you can see this, but the photo is of my weekly list. I'm very fond of lists and have about 6 for various activities sitting around on my desk, LOL.

As you can see it starts with the mundane, moves on to my long term career goals and is the remaining are current projects. I think one of the reasons I'm not getting much done now is that I'm working on too many things at once. The last 5 items are jackets, 2 of which are fairly tedious long-term projects and Duckies is a wall quilt (or perhaps a series of small wall quilts) for the newly repainted bathroom.

My new goal is to get some things on this list FINISHED, so I will have something to show you.

Lisa

Friday, May 08, 2009

Elaine's Quilt

There is nothing more gratifying than having a student send you a picture of the quilt they started in your class. Especially when it's as striking as this one. Here is Elaine Bierman's version of Wild Goose Chase. Lisa

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Texture Photos

Sorry to have been away for so long. I was a bit under the weather, as they say.

I did a quick walk around the property looking for interesting textures. I'm taking a Photoshop class soon and want to have some interesting things to work with. I decided to look up close at commonplace things.

Woodchips My front tire (this is the one that didn't go flat yesterday)
Stucco (BTW, if the colors seem a bit odd I tweaked them a tad in the only editing I know how to use. I wasn't going for veracity, but for interest.)
Moss in my sidewalk
Pollen on a moonroof that needs washing.

Jasmine buds
a broken place in my driveway

A brick
And a fuzzy closeup of an aeonium. I love the colors I got when I tweaked it.

Don't forget to look at the little things around you.
Lisa

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Yesterday Elisia and I went to see Wolverine. It was good, although there were several parts with too much graphic violence for me and I shut my eyes until it was over. The movie had lots of men with great bodies running around with little or no clothes on, LOL.

Last night we went to the Palomar Fashion Show in Escondido to see the garments made by the fashion students. Some of my fellow students from the pattern making class had garments on the runway. It was fun to see: loud music, interesting clothing (okay some were awful, but others were terrific) and some color combinations/fabric choices that have inspired me. AND, in case we hadn't see enough semi-nude men at the movies, male underwear models. Definitely a big hit with the ladies.

Lisa