Saturday, April 28, 2012

Orient Express

I finished a new jacket that I have named Orient Express because it was so quick to make. I had so much fun that I think I'll make another using a different oriental print.
I hope you like it as much as I do!

Lisa

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Garden Pictures

Here is the Protector of our garden. His job is to oversee all visitors and make sure everyone new sees how beautiful he looks sitting on the wall.

And this is a photo of a mystery flower we have in our garden. I have no idea what it is, but it's pretty!
 Here is the entire plant. It's approximately 30" tall and the flowers are 3-4 inches across.
If anyone knows what this is I'd appreciate it if you could let me know!

Lisa

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Trees

I've been working on a series of large bargello style jackets using surface design techniques. Here is the latest one done using positive-negative freezer paper stencils of trees and Jacquard fabric paint.

Hope you like it as much as I do!

Lisa

Sunday, April 08, 2012

April Snowmen

Our April meeting has come and gone. I took a few pictures of the newest snowmen for your entertainment.
Dorothy's snowman by Pat. As you can see Pat made a snow-woman all dressed up for Easter. There are lambs and bunnies as well as Easter eggs.

Lisa's snowman by Thelma. Thelma made my snowman melting away in April showers. It has rained so much there is a rubber ducky swimming in the melt-water puddle, a button has fallen off and my snowman's branch arms are sprouting leaves. How clever!

Marlys' snowman by Veronica. Veronica has a couple of adorable chocolate bunnies building a snow-bunny. They look good enough to eat! Flowers are starting to peep through the snow. Summer will definitely bring some unusual challenges to our snowman projects!

Pat's snowman by Dorothy. Dorothy made Pat's snowman on green grass overseeing a pair of bunnies and some beautiful Easter eggs.

Thelma's snowman by me. I went with an April Fool's Day theme and put Thelma's snowman upside down. With a nod to Easter, a pink bunny is helping himself to a piece of the snowman's carrot nose. His jester hat is resting on a sign that says April Fools.

Veronica's snowman by Marlys. Marlys went with the April showers theme and gave Veronica an earmuff clad snowman with a colorful umbrella.

Despite some initial reluctance from some members of our group (I can't draw a snowman!) I think you'll agree that everyone is doing a terrific job. We are all amazed each month with the different ideas we each come up with. Such creativity!

Lisa

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Weekend Mini-Retreat

Pierre is away with the Boy Scouts so I had a few friends over for a weekend of sewing and fun. Most lived close enough to go home to sleep, but one brave soul stayed the night as well!

We got a lot accomplished and had a terrific time, too! And we learned a new card game, Shanghai Rummy, on Saturday night.

Here is the start of Dorothy's (blue and purple) and Thelma's (orange) Tumbling Blocks baby quilts.

And this is how far they got over the weekend.
Dorothy's is on the left, Thelma's in the middle and Veronica's art version of Tumbling Blocks is on the right.
Marlys worked on adding borders to her One Block Wonder quilt. Here it is before the final border.

Me? I was green with envy at the beautiful quilts they are producing. I was hand sewing the binding to 3 sample size jackets for my new jacket pattern, Versa. Ultimately boring work, but much more enjoyable with others to chat with. I also drafted the back of a new jacket and selected fabrics for it.

I definitely recommend quilting retreats to everyone and if you don't have the time or the money to go on an organized retreat, have one at home with a few friends.

Lisa