Paper Making

What a fun workshop! I took a two-day paper making workshop at Paper House Studio.

sculptural paper made by one of the teachers

Great teacher. (thanks Flora)

ME making paper

I made about 50 sheets of paper using different pulps and adding threads and fabric inside some sheets.

my paper back lit

I signed up for a book binding workshop in September at CBBAG and I hope to be able to use my wonderful hand-made paper.

paper marked with "tear drops"

two layers of paper with a piece of hand dyed fabric inside.
It looks very different when it is dried.

I'll explore with stitching when I get back. Some of the sheets are very thick and I am sure they can take it.

the press used for the last stage of drying

Dijanne Cevaal Made the Cover

I picked up a magazine in anticipation of my upcoming train ride to Montreal.

Australian textile artist, Dijanne Cevaal,
 has her travel blanket on the cover of
Quilting Arts, December /January2013 issue

My friend Dijanne's work has made the cover of the latest Quilting Arts magazine.

They have a good article about her- she's in the Spotlight.

Last spring, I signed up for her on-line travel blanket course. I am sorry to say I have not finished the work. I had planned to stitch during the summer but that never happened. I still will get it done. It will look great. Her on-line class was really fun to do! Here is another look at my blanket.

CONGRATULATIONS, Dijanne!!

If you are interested in her class, click here.

When I was in Parma, Italy, translating for Dijanne in her free-motion class, I bought this small piece from her.

Dijanne Cevaal's free motion work.
I did frame it...ah, framing artwork...
I will comment on that in a future post!
You know not all ART has to be framed!!

Affirmation from an Expert

I loved hanging out with teacher/ textile artist Pat Pauly. I liked her energy, her way of teaching, her course material.

Pat Pauly speaking about her work

I loved her style of art work which is why I took her class.

Pat Pauly's work piled high on a table

Some of the steps we took in the class for our art experience are things I already do so that was an affirmation for me.

Things that I agree with...

Machine stitching can NOT save a piece...actually I knew that from experience (ugh) but it was good to hear it again!

Pat Pauly pointing out some machine quilting designs

Just because it was sewn in a messy way does not make it art!! (I have heard that excuse for textile art work before and it was upsetting! Glad Pat agrees.)

more of Pat Pauly's work

Only have one thing on your design wall at a time otherwise it can be distracting...need to do more of that! Since I work on several things at a time there is always too much stuff hanging up.

Pat's latest work (can't remember any titles! Sorry Pat!!)

Scrap Class Coming Up

Hearing the words ‘spring cleaning’, one has visions of getting out there in the garage and throwing out old rusted tools, or heading to the basement to collect unused treasures, or going through closets and giving away seldom worn clothing.

How about you look to your fabric bins! Every quilter stores fabric.

Scary!!

Spend a nice Sunday with friends sewing up a super-fun and fast quilt top using those stored fabrics! I am known for teaching scrap quilts and the key thing I teach is how to make your personal combination of colour work. Wouldn't it be nice to reduce your stash of fabric....so you could make room for more?

Sunday, April 29, 2012

10 am to 5 pm -bring your friends, your sewing machine and your bins! Appropriate for ALL levels.

$40.00 includes lunch prepared by local caterer Urban Fair.

Theatre Direct rehearsal space at the Wychwood Barns, 76 Wychwood Avenue, Toronto. (south of St Clair, west of Bathurst)

Sign up!

Travel Blanket

My on-line course continues.

The first step was dying some fabric.

Three dyed fabrics to consider. I wanted to use the middle one
but the one on the left turned out to be better.
Sometimes you have to listen to what your fabric is telling you!

The next step was looking for fabric that would help me tell the story of my travels.

I am ready to layer the back, the flannel and the top together and baste it using the tailor's basting stitch.

Then comes the stitching. I am looking forward to that part. I bought some nice threads.

4 small hand-dyed silk spools, made in Romania (Valdani)
 and a gift from my friend Gabriella
of hand-dyed silk thread from Umbria

Colour

I signed up for a knitting class at the Purple Purl. The class took place at the art gallery next door. The sun poured in and the art around us was so inspirational.

Art work by Eva Koller Davis.

I learned so much from our teacher Glenna C.

Since we were doing a class about using two or more colours when knitting, she went over the colour wheel and some colour theory. As in quilting, people have trouble deciding what colours to pull together.

Student, Eva's, work at the side.

This is my sample.
Just as in quilting, one who really knows looks at the back of the work!

The teacher called us advanced. Woohoo!

Teaching this Fall

Since I will be in one place for the fall, I have decided to do some teaching! Classes will be held in Toronto, east and west locations. Classes include quilt making my machine for beginners, paper piecing, quilt-as-you-go and a 'come and sew' morning. Please view my schedule here.

Below are some of the happy beginner students and their projects. Most of the photographs were taken at our Quilt Recital, spring 2010

Accuracy Course with an emphasis on
values (lights, mediums, darks)

Community Project-Jones Public Library
Victorian Crazy Quilting
the youngest quilter explains

Course: Setting your Blocks on Point
We touched on the Floating Stars block.

Log Cabin Course

9-patch beginner class

9-patch beginner class

9-patch beginner class

9-patch beginner class

Isn't it fun that the 9-patch beginner quilts look completely different yet they are all made from the same block! I pride myself on that. Everyone's work SHOULD look different.

learning

I have had trouble putting together this last piece. Not sure why...the deadline, my trip to Europe coming up, things on my mind...

I decided it was time to re energize with some classes.

I have enrolled myself in a summer course in Mixed Media at the Toronto School of Art.

Never stop learning.