Three Naked Ladies Blooming Finish

Three Naked Ladies Blooming In the Moonlight Finish

Isn't that a grabby title? I thought so. (wink-wink)

Still dedicated to digging out my languishing UFO/WIP/PUPs, I pulled the Three Naked Ladies Blooming In the Moonlight last week. (This project is 2 1/2 years old.) I'm hoping most of you can't read that. 

Change or Transformation: The Endeavourers

Id. Ego. Super Ego.

This month's challenge prompt for the Endeavourer's art quilt group is 
Change or Transformation. 

How do you interpret change or transformation with cloth and thread? 

Art is meant to appeal to your past experience, emotion, and senses. An art quilt is simply art made with fiber transformed into cloth and thread, and a batting sandwiched between the layers. How does one convey the meaning of something so abstract as change or transformation through fiber?

The Endeavourers: Nature: Ice Dyed Mandalas Quilt

"Divinity"

Last year seemed to be too busy to breathe, so I thought carefully this year before I committed my time. One pond I dove in to was joining The Endeavourers. They are a dynamic, adventurous group of quilters willing to take risks exploring their world. Sure, it's with fabric, but still it's a unique opportunity to express our opinion or feeling through fiber. That's typically more than we focus on when piecing a standard quilt. It's a bonus.

Tiki Beads Quilt

TIKI BEADS

Even though my last post promised more details on the Super Scrap Project, I needed to clear my design wall before proceeding. This is a simple little project, and perfect to pack  for a weekend trip.

Fall Quilts, Wool, and Wool Dyeing In the Microwave

Transitions

Summer has unofficially become fall here, though the calendar says it's still over a week away. It's 54 F this morning, and I'll have a cool studio today. I confess that sweltering heat does not bring out my creativity, and also that I've taken a little hiatus while coming to terms with my art and craft. Both points have made it more difficult to return to the studio daily, though I'm in and out. It's not an excuse, and there's no reason for me to apologize. It just is. You know, I'm finding that makes more sense to me recently. 

Vintage Slow Stitching

The Luxury of a Slow Stitching Project

An upcoming long weekend away had me nervous for lack of a project to take along. I improvisationally pieced some simple log cabin blocks the night before. Though the project was started at the 11th hour, the idea had been brewing the whole week long. Something simple. Something graphic. Something old.

#BraveQuilter for September Is OPEN!

Slow Stitch Project

This week has been a push every day. I've been sticking to a list of things that need to be done, and it's been working. Staying on track can be hard when there are so many distractions, especially when you're surrounded by tempting fabrics. But we have a weekend break coming, and I had nothing portable to take and stitch. I kept thinking of these beautiful blue cottons I'd recently dyed, and my growing stash of feed sacks. Throw in some vintage buttons, and it just seemed to feel good together.

New Ideas to Finish Whole Cloth Prints

Whole Cloth Prints

The stack of prints I made from deconstructed silk screening was perfect for some experimental stitching, quilting, and beading. Most things I'd seen had little or no stitching, and so I had few examples to compare what might be ideal. Once again, I found myself exploring new territory. (I like that!) I made myself a rule:

When the print itself carries so much interest, the addition of any ornamentation needs to add to it without competing. 

When Difficult Quilts Happen to Determined People

The Best Part So Far 

Just in case you're asking yourself why on Earth I would make this my opening photo, it's because it's the best part of the quilt at this point. 

How and Why to Make Dye Test Swatches

Accurate Record Keeping
Is Important

Whether you dye or quilt or paint, keeping track of materials is a very important issue for us all. I know quilters who snap a picture of stack of fabrics they purchase to remember what they got. How about noting on the receipt the special fabrics and amounts, and snapping a shot of that? You will not only know how much you have of a certain fabric, but also what you paid for it. This is helpful if you are making a custom quilt for someone, and want to be sure you're recouping your costs.

Using Inks and Paints Not Labelled Safe for Fabrics

Green, Green Ohio!

The lilies are about to bloom. 

Can you see all the different

shades of green?

While heading toward the middle of July here in Ohio, the rain is soaking us less often. Yards might have a bit of browning, but for the most part it is still very green. I think it's natural for our surroundings to influence our work, and sure enough, I mixed up some grass green printing ink for a project.

Embellished Deconstructed Screen Print

'A Royal Afternoon'

This 11" x 29" art quilt has been in progress several weeks. 

Deconstructed Screen Printing: Fabric Art

Embroidering a Deconstructed Screen Print

It was very difficult to figure out what it needed, and I put in hours of stitching that I later ripped out. I'm glad I persisted, though, because in the end I'm happy with the piece.

How to Successfully Combine Hand Dyed and Commercial Fabrics

Welcome to the Pink Doxies' guest post for 

Sew Cute Tuesday 

at Blossom Heart Quilts!

Note: As a guest blogger, this same post is appearing on Blossom Heart Quilts today. Use the link to view there, and link up to the Sew Cute Tuesday Link Party!

I'm Julie here at Pink Doxies, and I do more than make quilts. I'm a fan of improv design and a longarmer, but I also like to print, paint, and dye fabrics. Surface design is fast becoming my favorite thing to do. For dyeing, Procion MX dyes are my pick because they are both versatile, and will not fade the way some dyes will. I can create a soft, pastel palette, or one that is saturated, bright, and beautiful! When I've dyed the fabric a perfect color, I'm sure it will stay that color because these dyes are chemically bonded. I'm such a color fanatic, and I love the process!

"You spend all this time dyeing them, 

but do you use them in quilts?"

Adding Layers to Hand Dyed Fabric with Paint

Personalized Notebook Covers

It's been a few days since I've given you any news from the studio, but a lot has taken place. Let me start by saying there are several projects going on simultaneously, and I'll try to catch you up.

Keeping records is very important when you experiment as much as I do. I note measurements, temperatures, dye colors, processes, etc., knowing there's no way I'll ever remember everything. But one problem I keep having, is not being able to locate one special notebook to keep everything together. Dyes in one, paints in another, etc. I have at least a dozen composition books and journals going, but recipes all need to be kept in just one.

Dip Dyeing Details

Dip Dyed Fat Quarters

Yes, I know I was supposed to stick with stamping, but I wanted to try out a different dyeing technique I'd read about. That, and I still owed fabric to Jennifer @inquiringquilter for winning the April link up for #BraveQuilter. Let me give you a quick run down on how this process is different, and the recipe is at the end.

Low Tech Printing: On Fabric

 Cabbage and Valspar Interior Paint

My cabbage had seen better days, but instead of composting it, I stripped down the outer leaves, and sliced it in half. One half was saved for supper, but one was destined for a print. It was hard to hold on to, so I stuck a fork in it for a handle. A tiny bit of paint on a sheet of foil, and it was easy to pull a print off of it. Was it stunning? Nope, but I could see where it might have potential for a background. Can you see using parts of it as frothy wave action? Most definitely!

Dark Sky Compliant: Another Art Quilt

"Dark Sky Compliant"

So, you ask, "What is that?" I'd never heard the term before I saw a notice asking everyone in Sanibel, Florida to modify all their outdoor lighting. In a nutshell, it means reducing light pollution while allowing the stars and moon to be more visible to people, but more importantly, the wildlife that biologically depend on it. Sea turtles nest on the beaches there. The loggerheads depend on the moonlight to lay their eggs, and the hatchlings to find their way back to their ocean home. Reducing artificial light gives them all a better chance at birth survival.

Beading and Embellishing the Naked Ladies

All day long I thought I could just run inside, and get this post written. All day long, it was one thing after the next, and it turned out very prolific. I spent some time playing on Instagram with @gogokim and #missingmarket. Quilt Market is going on right now, and there are lots of us living vicariously through the feeds from those there. Oh, to be...or not, but it does look glamorous and fun. We're still having our fun together on Instagram. I'm PINKDOXIES. Look me up.

Fabric Printing, Stamping, Dyeing, Painting, and Putting It All Together

Some days I sit down to write, and wonder where in the world to start. You and I both may well admit that I I work in a widely scattered pattern. It may appear that there is nothing linear in my thought process, but I swear there is. Imagine all the puzzle pieces out on the dining room table. I've finally found a few that fit together nicely.

PRINTING

I am a type junkie. I love the printing word, or just single letters or numbers, but maybe numbers most of all. I found some perfect balsa wood numbers in the scrap booking section, and turned them into stamps by painting them first, and then attaching wooden clothespins to them. (Why clothespins? Seriously, they were within reach, and I could hot glue them on.)

An Update On the Naked Ladies

Spring is harder on my quilting hours than the holidays. As fast as it rains, the grass grows, and so do the weeds. I have to sneak time to work on my projects, and there have been days at a time I didn't get anything done at all. Add to it a little planned getaway last week, and I felt pushed and stressed.