WIP: the latest in publicly available textile and wearable technology for Canada Day

New in my inbox this morning:

Canada Post has issued a Canadian flag stamp made of rayon fabric.

For an update on wearable technology, read "Machine Chic: Can wearable technology actually look good?", published by Canada's "The Walrus" magazine.

WIP: serendipity through an artist's date

For a while, I have been trying to think of a concept to develop for a fundraiser for TN&TN subscriber and Princess Bubbles Creates blogger, Angela. She wrote a couple of weeks ago about the Her Cup Runneth Over fundraiser. I have not yet committed to create an original design (for an art bra) for Angela's fundraiser for the HopeSpring Cancer Support Centre, but I am getting closer. My serendipitous journey began many months ago.

In a writing class, wonderfully creative Manchester playwright and poet Louise Wallwein introduced me to Julia Cameron's "morning pages". At first, I thought morning pages were a good opportunity to list all of the things that I should be doing, while what I was actually doing (i.e., writing my "pages") was keeping from doing what I would rather be doing. I had a hard time committing to morning pages, but through perseverance, I began to understand the benefits.

I met Louise in January of 2014, so I guess I've been writing morning pages for 17 months now. I was not an easy convert, but I am now at the point where I don't feel prepared for my day unless I've written my morning pages. I have also had what I consider to be many creative breakthroughs, with is a purpose of writing morning pages.

From morning pages, I graduated to Cameron's "artist's dates". I LOVE my artist's dates. I take artist's dates with other people (my Mom included); but I don't often tell the other people that we are on an artist's date.

A couple of weeks ago, my "date" took me to Gimli, Manitoba.
After visiting a couple of studios as part of the Interlake Artists' Wave Tour, my date took me to Lifa and the used book store. I wasn't looking for anything specific, but ended up with Diane Fitzgerald's "The Beaded Garden".

Fitzgerald's The Beaded Garden

Standing in that used book store, smelling that fine fragrance of old books, and recalling the deep love of flowers of a good artist friend of mine who passed a few years ago.... the concept for an art bra began to take form. I will continue to let the idea steep.

This design will be dedicated to Lillian.

WIP: "Sparkling Gemstones" part 2 - measure twice, cut once

Somehow, I misplaced my rotary cutter about a week ago. I was sure it would turn up as I sorted through my things. I didn't feel like sorting, so I used scissors to cut my LONG strips (I used a jelly roll and supplemented with a batik) into blocks. I know what you experience quilters are thinking... now THAT was a mistake.

I have forgiven myself; I was simply anxious to make some progress with my quilt top. At least that's my excuse.

To make a long story short, I bought a new rotary cutter and did a LOT of squaring of my blocks before sewing them together.

Now that everything is squared away, the strips are going together nicely. Perhaps I'll have the top finished in a couple of days.





I'm linking to TN&TN's WIP Wednesday. If you are Canadian and have a fibre art blog, please consider joining! I am always inspired by what others are doing; the link-up allows me to quickly see a variety of projects. Thank you to everyone who posts!

WIP: button blanket

For a number of weeks, I've been thinking about how to incorporate a button blanket feel into a quilt or quilting project. As I'm working away on a quilt tonight, listening to CBC Radio1, I just heard of Christina Gray's successful struggle to wear her traditional regalia to her call to the bar. Gray is of Tsimshian/Dene/Metis heritage.


I fell in love with the button blanket immediately when introduced to it when taking some classes at the University of Alberta, way back in the late 1980s. The University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology had hosted the "Robes of Power: Totem Poles on Cloth" and the U of A had catalogues (see photo) of the exhibition.


I think I know how I'm going to incorporate the button blanket concept into a project. I must, though, let that idea steep for a bit.

WIP: "Sparkling Gemstones"

This week, I have been working on the "Sparkling Gemstones" pattern from Pam and Nicky Lintott's "Jelly Roll Quilts" (2008). I started this quilt top quite a few months ago, perhaps even more than a year ago. Something else took it's place in life's priority list. Until now.

A number of years ago, I was apprehensive about taking on quilting. Mom lent me the Lintott book to get me started in quilting. I have enjoyed their patterns and I have enjoyed sewing with jelly rolls. 

5 inches of blocks to sew

If you look at the photos in my other posts, and if you know the book, you'll recognize several of the patterns. For me, these quilt tops come together very quickly and I am quickly able to appreciate a few hours' planning and sewing. I now see, though, that it is time to send this book back to Mom. I've had if for years and have made all of the patterns I think I want to make.

It's time for me to find another source of patterns and ideas.

the palette

It is also time for me to start relying more on myself to mix and match patterns, solids, and colours.

It's time.

I'm linking to The Needle and Thread Network's WIP Wednesday; I hope you visit the site and if you are a Canadian, link-up to our network.

WIP: my TN&TN Feature Friday post!

Thanks to the good people at The Needle and Thread Network, my blog is one of the Friday Features posts! You can read it here.

I am very appreciative of the attention.

TN&TN

I will be hosting the TN&TN Wednesday Link-Up for a while; if you haven't already joined, please consider doing so. Information about TN&TN is at:
http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca/p/welcome.html.

WIP: "Stitches"

Committing to posting a WIP brings back memories; I haven’t reported WIP in years. My first real experience with WIP was in the clothing manufacturing industry. I was fresh out of university and ready to dive into the fashion industry with both feet.

My experiences in the fashion industry were literally awesome. They were extremely impressive. They were extremely daunting. They inspired great admiration. They instilled great apprehension and fear. What I hope to have gained from years of perspective and other experiences in other industries is a more cultured, educated, and deeper sense of adventure in creative ventures.

I hope you enjoy my perspective on my various projects. I can’t tell you at this time what direction I’m headed. My honey tells me that my creativity is organic: ever-evolving, alive, and reacting to the environment.

I’m not always very good at finishing a project unless I have a “due date”.  Perhaps committing to a WIP Wednesday will help me to reduce my fabric stash, and finish projects.

I must thank Monika Kinner-Whalen for the “pruning” her garden of commitments; she has given me the opportunity to add to my garden. I’ve been a keen observer of Monika’s work for a couple of years now. Her excitement about and skill with using textiles creatively has reminded me of what I have missed about textiles for a couple of years. I can only hope that I can provide you with something as enticing as what Monika has created for many, many Wednesdays.

I have kept many blogs, but am starting Laurel’s Stitches (http://laurelsstitches.blogspot.ca/) from scratch. Right now, I need a clean canvas. I am currently quilting, but I do sew, embroider, knit, and crochet pretty much as my muse nudges me. Thank you for reading and I hope you continue to follow along with TN&TN.

I have no photos to share with this post and I promise to get better with time.

Linking to WIP Wednesday at TN&TN.

WIP: yesterday’s soft shoe making

A couple (or more?) of years ago, Mom asked me to make some shoes to replace the one that was lost on a puppet that she keeps for her grandchildren. Before all of her grandchildren are too old for puppets... maybe I should fulfill my promise.

The photos below track my prototype making. 

All that is left is finishing the top of the shoes.

WIP: finishing touches

I bought fabric for a quilt for one of my nephews years ago... and finished that quilt yesterday. That nephew has aged since I bought the fabric and I wonder if he has outgrown the little dog theme and pattern on the print I used in his first quilt.

I chose to make a second quilt, with an architecture/travel theme in more “grown-up” prints and a subtle colour scheme. I am not, though, satisfied with not adding a border (as the quilt pattern I used suggested). The lower half of the quilt is pictured below.

I think I will add a border. I wonder if I should add a strip of solid steel grey fabric. If you have any ideas that would help me, please leave me a comment. Thank you!

WIP: binding for boys’ quilts

As I read other’s blogs, I am inspired by how many quilters are so committed to finishing projects. 

Now that I have machine quilted my first two quilts (I usually have someone else quilt them for me), I’m mostly finished sewing on the binding. These quilts (above and below) are for two of my nephews.

Today, I want to reproduce a pair of shoes that I promised to do for my Mom years ago (eep!). If my memory is correct, one of the shoes had gone missing, so Mom asked me to make a new pair for a cute puppet that she keeps for the grandchildren. Initially, I was thinking that I would make the shoes from a piece of leather; I don’t know what else I have on hand that might be better suited to a cute little pair of shoes. I’m also thinking of adding some colourful laces.

WIP: sorting

We are getting some much needed rain. As the freshly-made vanilla ice cream custard is churning, I am sorting through photos that I’ve stashed here and there in too many different folders.

I must get better at taking photos regularly while working on a project. From the photos I have, I realize that I would work away on a quilt and then, as many of us do when we have a problem, ask Mom for help. I have obviously taken a photo at a spot when I wanted Mom’s opinion, emailed or texted her the photo and then moved on with the quilt. In some cases, my memory of the quilt has disappeared, until I rediscovered the photo.

I had fun working on the green, grey, yellow, black solid, print, and batik quilt. I am sure many of you recognize the pattern. I recall giving this quilt away, but don’t recall who I gave it to.

I loved the way the brown batik quilt turned out. It is also a pretty common pattern and I know it went to a good home. 

I have no good recollection of the colourful batik quilt. I think maybe I gave it to a good friend as a yoga inspiration. If that’s where it is, it’s a good home. I hope that I removed the whitish strip in the middle, the bright blue one to the right, and the pinkish coloured one on the far right. To me, those colours just don’t fit.

WIP: maintenance

I love looking at other artists' studio space. We creative people might call that space by many names, most recently my studio space was the guest room. I've been inspired by Monika's drive to find and perfect her space (see http://mysweetprairie.blogspot.ca/). I'm currently trying to create some space for me, so I've been moving things, taping, and mudding. Tomorrow, I'll be sanding and mudding.

My WIP pile is now stacked in a mountain in the dining room. And, I couldn't find a better time to replace the padding and top on my ironing board. I hope to finish that project today.

Linking to WIP Wednesday at TN&TN

WIP: work in progress

Although I've never of thought my stitching as work - as in what one does in a job, or to get something tangible in return (usually money) - it is something I do to create a result. The best result for me is knowing I did well with what I had on hand when I started the project.