Where are you going?
What path will you choose?
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| photograph taken in Verona at Palazzo Forti |
What changes will you make?
What things will stay the same?
Wishing you good decisions and happy adventures for the new year!
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Hot Days of Summer
Being inspired means keeping your senses in good working order! All 5 senses!
How about this amazing tea as an inspiration for a quilt? Why not?
It has a great smell. It tastes amazing as an iced tea, which is what I have been drinking. It is so hot here in the south of Italy. It hit 39 degrees Celsius today!
Check out the amazing colour combination!
Blue, yellow, different shades of orange, dark brown (don't forget the tea leaves!)
You decide what shape to create, which block best tells your story.
When you use that quilt, you'll be remembering the time you made that tea, the hot days of the summer you spent in Italy.... or wherever you are.
Going back to the beach. Can't wait to get in the water and cool off!
How about this amazing tea as an inspiration for a quilt? Why not?
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| Queen West Tea from Tealish |
Check out the amazing colour combination!
Blue, yellow, different shades of orange, dark brown (don't forget the tea leaves!)
You decide what shape to create, which block best tells your story.
When you use that quilt, you'll be remembering the time you made that tea, the hot days of the summer you spent in Italy.... or wherever you are.
Going back to the beach. Can't wait to get in the water and cool off!
Saturday, July 1, 2017
Canada Day
Happy 150th Canada! What a great country!
I am in Italy right now so I won't really be celebrating like I would have been in Toronto.
Our prime minister Justin Trudeau was in Italy recently and people here are still buzzing about him!
They are so impressed with his ways, ideas, public speaking themes...
...and of course his looks!
There have been several articles in the Italian papers about our fine country with comments on our immigration policy. We are really such a good role model for the world.
(photos of the region by local resident, hobby photographer and friend, Domenico Vittorini. You can find him on Facebook)
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| I will be giving a few of these pins out to my Italian friends today. |
I am in Italy right now so I won't really be celebrating like I would have been in Toronto.
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| Our beach without umbrellas |
Our prime minister Justin Trudeau was in Italy recently and people here are still buzzing about him!
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| More coastline of the province Basilicata |
They are so impressed with his ways, ideas, public speaking themes...
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| Our town from above |
...and of course his looks!
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| Down the coast a little |
There have been several articles in the Italian papers about our fine country with comments on our immigration policy. We are really such a good role model for the world.
(photos of the region by local resident, hobby photographer and friend, Domenico Vittorini. You can find him on Facebook)
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Back in Verona
It feels good being back in Verona.
In the evenings, I am home and can do some quiet stitching.
I prepared the cloth and printed it before I left Canada and am now making marks on those fabric pieces with embroidery thread.
I noticed that because I travel often my art production has dropped off significantly. I definitely don't want to stop travelling so the only solution is to find a way to 'work' while I am away from my studio.
I do use this time to journal and collect ideas and I am still going to do that.
I love the way my life is going and don't want to change anything about it right now.
You yourself might like to consider travelling to Verona with me for my ten-day Italy Textile Trip. Next one is in Spring 2019. Click here for more details.
(the photos are old ones taken over past trips during the last 11 years)
In the evenings, I am home and can do some quiet stitching.
I prepared the cloth and printed it before I left Canada and am now making marks on those fabric pieces with embroidery thread.
I noticed that because I travel often my art production has dropped off significantly. I definitely don't want to stop travelling so the only solution is to find a way to 'work' while I am away from my studio.
I do use this time to journal and collect ideas and I am still going to do that.
I love the way my life is going and don't want to change anything about it right now.
You yourself might like to consider travelling to Verona with me for my ten-day Italy Textile Trip. Next one is in Spring 2019. Click here for more details.
(the photos are old ones taken over past trips during the last 11 years)
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Sense of Touch
I went to the Ontario Craft's new location on Queen Street West, Toronto.
I went to see Judy Martin's work that was exhibited in their gallery.
I entered the gallery and walked right by the work. I guess I was expecting My Light Green Heart to be much larger.
The warn linen looked so soft. You really did want to touch it and feel its softness and the folds and the texture of the layered hand-stitched circles.
Quoted from the gallery label:
Judy's work is grounded in the phenomenological idea that sense of touch is the most effective way to make an emotional connection with others and her surfaces are covered with hand stitching.
She used vintage Damask linen which she dyed.
I just received some antique italian linen which I printed on. The design of the weave shows through the printing and gives a lovely texture.
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| My Light Green Heart, Judy Martin 2017 22.5"w x 29"h /57cm x 74cm To see the entire work click here. (artist's post from February 17) I apologize for these pictures. I took them with my cell phone and the colour isn't quite right! |
I went to see Judy Martin's work that was exhibited in their gallery.
I entered the gallery and walked right by the work. I guess I was expecting My Light Green Heart to be much larger.
The warn linen looked so soft. You really did want to touch it and feel its softness and the folds and the texture of the layered hand-stitched circles.
Quoted from the gallery label:
Judy's work is grounded in the phenomenological idea that sense of touch is the most effective way to make an emotional connection with others and her surfaces are covered with hand stitching.
She used vintage Damask linen which she dyed.
I just received some antique italian linen which I printed on. The design of the weave shows through the printing and gives a lovely texture.
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Labels
It is important to 'sign' your quilt.
You can do that in many ways.
A label is one way.
Here is a paper-pieced bunny I made in 2004. Love the ear!
Happy Easter.
You can do that in many ways.
A label is one way.
Here is a paper-pieced bunny I made in 2004. Love the ear!
Happy Easter.
Saturday, April 15, 2017
Con Affetto
I sometimes give titles to my quilts.... a friend of mine thinks it is awfully pretentious! :-) This one is called Con Affetto.
It means, with affection and comes from the note my Veronese friend wrote me. She is the one who gave me the hand-dyed heart I inserted in this quilt. Marina Tavella is an accomplished textile artist and teaches the dying workshop for my Verona Textile Trip.
The title also worked as over 100 half-square-triangles were 'by-products' from the Valentine's quilt...with affection. By 'by-products' I mean the secondary pieces that came out of making the X's and O's.
The back will be "quiet". Simple.
I will be teaching triangles at Eweknit next weekend. (April 22, 2017)
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| my latest scrap quilt |
It means, with affection and comes from the note my Veronese friend wrote me. She is the one who gave me the hand-dyed heart I inserted in this quilt. Marina Tavella is an accomplished textile artist and teaches the dying workshop for my Verona Textile Trip.
The title also worked as over 100 half-square-triangles were 'by-products' from the Valentine's quilt...with affection. By 'by-products' I mean the secondary pieces that came out of making the X's and O's.
 |
| Con Affetto, 32" x 40" |
The back will be "quiet". Simple.
I will be teaching triangles at Eweknit next weekend. (April 22, 2017)
Friday, March 31, 2017
Working on another quilt now that my sewing machine has returned from its check-up.
I missed it! It is running so smoothly now.
More simple shapes.
The half-square triangles were in a box, most of them left overs or by- products from the Valentine's quilt.
I have a good start with the 128 HST already done.
I missed it! It is running so smoothly now.
More simple shapes.
The half-square triangles were in a box, most of them left overs or by- products from the Valentine's quilt.
I have a good start with the 128 HST already done.
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Simple Shapes
You can make so many nice quilts ...
... using the simple shapes of squares and triangles.
I used this mini quilt (12" x14") as an example in the Binding Class I taught yesterday at Ewe Knit.
Students really enjoyed the class!
... using the simple shapes of squares and triangles.
I used this mini quilt (12" x14") as an example in the Binding Class I taught yesterday at Ewe Knit.
Students really enjoyed the class!
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Winter Quilt Finished...or not
I did finish my Winter Quilt last week but...
I hadn't finished assembling it and decided to add the binding strip on the part that was already quilted (bad idea!) (In my defence, I was going to visit a friend and wanted to bring some hand sewing for our visit!)
Later, I wanted to show it to a friend and so I rushed the rest of the assembly.
The entire thing started to go wonky and I hadn't noticed!
When I finished the quilt I couldn't believe how UN-square it was!! (how embarrassing ...with my experience!!)
I am going to remove the binding and square up the quilt and then reattach the binding and resew it by hand. I will never be able to use it knowing it isn't square!!!
Rushing is never a good thing.
NOTE: I undid the binding and marked the quilt edges to be equidistance from the horizontal centre seam line and just before I got the rotary cutter out I realized that if I trim the edges, the vertical seams of the panels will not be 90 Degrees with the edge. Oh brother!! I know that will bother me even more and will be more visible to my eye so I have decided to leave the quilt as is (I need to resew the binding on!!).
The good thing is I learned a trick for when I teach this class. I should start assembling it from the centre outward. Then turn the thing upside down and work the second side upside down from the centre outward.
I hadn't finished assembling it and decided to add the binding strip on the part that was already quilted (bad idea!) (In my defence, I was going to visit a friend and wanted to bring some hand sewing for our visit!)
Later, I wanted to show it to a friend and so I rushed the rest of the assembly.
The entire thing started to go wonky and I hadn't noticed!
When I finished the quilt I couldn't believe how UN-square it was!! (how embarrassing ...with my experience!!)
I am going to remove the binding and square up the quilt and then reattach the binding and resew it by hand. I will never be able to use it knowing it isn't square!!!
Rushing is never a good thing.
NOTE: I undid the binding and marked the quilt edges to be equidistance from the horizontal centre seam line and just before I got the rotary cutter out I realized that if I trim the edges, the vertical seams of the panels will not be 90 Degrees with the edge. Oh brother!! I know that will bother me even more and will be more visible to my eye so I have decided to leave the quilt as is (I need to resew the binding on!!).
The good thing is I learned a trick for when I teach this class. I should start assembling it from the centre outward. Then turn the thing upside down and work the second side upside down from the centre outward.
Monday, February 20, 2017
A Winter Quilt
On this "Family Day" holiday, I am sewing my latest scrap quilt.
I started it a while ago. I made it to show as an example during a scrap class I taught last November. It is a variation of the pattern I was teaching.
Anyway, this quilt is about the snowy days of winter.
I did embroider a few cypress trees ....from Italy.
I should be done at the end of the week so I will post again to show you the finished product. I like this quilt.
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| quilt as you go assembly |
I started it a while ago. I made it to show as an example during a scrap class I taught last November. It is a variation of the pattern I was teaching.
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| Heart fabrics for February's Valentines, a bit of a Paris fabric since I was there in December, some yellow for the sun I miss so, fabric printed with words for all the emails I write to my Italian friends while I am here in Toronto, a Christmas fabric. |
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| Panels hanging on my design wall. Even though the fabric reads as white, there are so many colours! |
Anyway, this quilt is about the snowy days of winter.
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| This is the binding fabric I bought. It works nicely with the back blues. The 1/2 inch that will show on the front will add a gentle punch. |
I did embroider a few cypress trees ....from Italy.
I should be done at the end of the week so I will post again to show you the finished product. I like this quilt.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Using Fabric Scraps
I love making scrap quilts.
When I teach, I impart the tricks I have learned over the years of experimenting with scraps to the students so they too can make a successful scrap quilt.
But that knowledge is compartmentalized ....in the quilt drawer. Whoever thought I could do the same with yarn!!
I have lots of 20 gram bits after making socks for the past years. Like with fabric, I just didn't want to throw those 'valuable' bits out. I also didn't want to do what many quilters do. That is bring a small piece of fabric (yarn) to the quilt store and buy $200 worth of fabric (yarn) to 'match' it so they can use their scraps! Makes no sense.
So I applied my knowledge of making scrap quilts and what do you know? It worked!
I divided the yarn bits into the same VALUE groups- like I do with fabric.
I am knitting two rounds with each colour therefore spreading the colours out, exactly how I would piece a scrap quilt. My hand knit socks are looking great!!
Keep in mind that quilter's cotton keeps going up in price. Make an effort to use what you have. It is really rewarding coming up with a solution!!
When I teach, I impart the tricks I have learned over the years of experimenting with scraps to the students so they too can make a successful scrap quilt.
But that knowledge is compartmentalized ....in the quilt drawer. Whoever thought I could do the same with yarn!!
I have lots of 20 gram bits after making socks for the past years. Like with fabric, I just didn't want to throw those 'valuable' bits out. I also didn't want to do what many quilters do. That is bring a small piece of fabric (yarn) to the quilt store and buy $200 worth of fabric (yarn) to 'match' it so they can use their scraps! Makes no sense.
So I applied my knowledge of making scrap quilts and what do you know? It worked!
 |
| Medium values |
I divided the yarn bits into the same VALUE groups- like I do with fabric.
 |
| This is the dark value group. Yes, even the pink ball |
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| Even though there are many values in this ball there are many strands that are dark. I notice that the purple and blue strands are repeated in the other balls. I see the orange is light but as a colour it is complimentary to blue. There is some orange in another ball in the group. The purple is visible is several balls. It will work. |
I am knitting two rounds with each colour therefore spreading the colours out, exactly how I would piece a scrap quilt. My hand knit socks are looking great!!
Keep in mind that quilter's cotton keeps going up in price. Make an effort to use what you have. It is really rewarding coming up with a solution!!
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