Dolores Quilts

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2014-01-25T08:03:00.003-08:00

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Dolores Quilts

Photos of My Power Suit Quilts

2014-01-14T21:19:00.002-08:00

Here are photos of my powersuit quilts from the returning exhibits.

They are made only with suit fabric and the striped tie from my kit.

Women of the Bible Quilt

2014-01-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

Was thinking about my women of the bible quilt. Dolores Quilts - Women of the Bible Here is a link that gives pictures of each quilt and poem and more information

I just found that there is a women of the bible quilt along starting now. It is a women's bible study and 52 week of quilt blocks. It uses simple block patterns to represent each study. They use the Women of the Bible devotional book by Ann Spangle and Jean Syswerda. Here is a link to the yahoo group. http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/WomenoftheBibleQuilt/info I have no connection but thought it was worth passing on.

2014

2014-01-09T21:11:00.001-08:00

As usual I started out the new year with a new word and cleaning my sewing studio. This years word is choice. Last year's was evolve. I think I have improved some of my skills and am hoping to continue improving my drawing skills. Choice is my word this year because there are so many -- choose to find time for art, chose to keep things organized or not, choose to practice and hone new skills ... I chose to recover my chair while I was cleaning. I really like it. The main cleaning is done, but the small sorting goes on.

I have finally made the commitment to unstitch my goddess for my mother earth quilt. Taking out tight stitches in 2 pieces of 1 inch foam stacked and fabric was tedious. I love the new results and can now finish quilting the background and adding the beaded spiderweb. Then for the trees and 3-D leaves.

I celebrated my 50th birthday early by having a half century celebration party. The party was to thank all those who have made my life what it is. The menu was lasagna, spaghetti, garlic bread and vegetable soup. I also baked two chocolate cakes from scratch and made chocolate molded pretzels. Family brought fruit and veggie trays. We had a great time. Guests were to entertain me. Even my grandson stood on a bench and sang in front of everyone. I wrote and sang my own old age song to the tune of My Favorite Things. (Side note - the malox version going around the web was not written by or sung by Julie Andrews)

Power Suit Quilts

2013-12-09T22:02:00.001-08:00

Saturday, my 3 power suit quilt challenge pieces were returned. They have been on the road since September 2011. They have been in numerous venues and shows. There were a total of 108 quilts in Cyndi Souder's Power Suits challenge. Power Suits also appeared in the Fall 2012 issue of Quilt Trends magazine. Here is a copy of the venue schedule they traveled.

Saturday, October 22, 2011 4-8pm	Exhibit Opening and Artist's Reception at Artistic Artifacts Free admission
Sunday, October 23, 2011 noon-5pm	Artistic Artifacts Cyndi & Judy will be available for questions Free admission
October 24 to November 23, 2011 during shop hours	Artistic Artifacts; Free admission
March 14-17, 2012	Lancaster Spring Quilt Show Host Resort, Lancaster, PA
June 7 to July 20, 2012	The Morin Gallery at The Arts Center In Orange Virginia National Bank -- 102 East Main Street, Orange, VA The Law Offices of Sean D. Gregg -- 111 East Main Street, Orange, VA
August 1-4, 2012	Upper MidWest Show/Machine Quilting Today Oconomowoc, Wisconsin (near Milwaukee)
September 7 to October 27, 2012	School 33 Art Center 1427 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21230 Artist's Reception: September 7, 6-9pm
January 24-27, 2013	Road to California Ontario, California
March 1-31, 2013	Del Ray Artisans' Gallery Alexandria, Virginia Power Art; Featuring Power Suits/A Show Within a Show Showing selected Power Suit Quilts
June 27-29, 2013	NQA 44th Annual Quilt Show Columbus, OH

3 Day Dog Quilts - Dog 2 Thread painting

2013-12-09T21:21:00.000-08:00

I finally found time to sew today and finished the pug. There is always a stage where you think that it all looks bad, and too much thread has been used. This is when I keep going and add some more. Here 's a look at the thread I chose to paint the pug. The following are some pictures of the dog in various stages of being thread painted.

3 Day Dog Quilts - Dog 2 fabric

2013-11-25T20:08:00.000-08:00

Fabric Dog Stage

Here are some pictures of the process of adding the fabric to my canvas sketch. I free hand cut all the fabric, added each piece and then choose and cut another piece. I think the blue and purple under the black thread painted layer will help add dimension.

To hold everything together until covered with thread painting I use a bit of elmers washable school glue and freemotion zig zag stitch with invisible thread.

3 Day Dog Quilts - Dog 2

2013-11-25T19:07:00.000-08:00

Sketching

Here is Dog 2 - such a cute little pug. I will need to narrow the black section on his face a bit. The camera angle really distorts the face on the drawn picture. The sketch on cloth will be where I make the changes before adding the scrap color layer.

3 day dogs- dog 1 finished

2013-11-16T07:43:00.000-08:00

Okay so it took more than 3 days, but only because I didn't get around to sewing. I spent 3 hours last night doing the thread painting over my fabric dog. I am really please with the texture and the colored fabric that shows threw all of the thread. Used 3 bobbins of sulky invisible thread for the thread painting. I used mostly Isocord thread on the top which is one of my favorite threads. Seven colors used, not including the Superior metallic for the collar. I cropped and added a backing and batting and then out lined the dog and areas I wanted to stand out. The background was densely free-motioned quilted with a variegated Superior thread in the top a and variegated brown in the bottom. I used another whole bobbin just for the background even though the entire piece is only about 8 by 7.

3 Day Dogs - Dog 1 (day1-2)

2013-11-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

I've been very busy and have not posted lately. My newest project is to try and improve my drawing skills and my thread painting. I downloaded some copyright free images of dogs. I am using 1 day to sketch the dog and transfer to fabric, one day to freehand cut out fabric and tack it down. The third day will be to finish with thread painting. Now I'm not planning on spending an entire day, just allowing a short practice time.

Here are some pictures showing my transition from day 1 to 2.

Sketch redrawn on duck cloth

I changed my mind on the black back ground after sewing all the loose fabric down. It looks too much like it is the dog's fur. Here is a cropped pic of the before and after change.

Pigs in Mud Cake

2013-10-07T17:07:00.001-07:00

really liked the pig cake I saw on pintrest, so here is my version.
First I made my favorite and easy chocolate cake from scratch. Super rich chocolate and no egg or milk so my daughter can eat it. All you do is pour all the ingredients in a bowl and stir with a fork. I'll post the recipe later.
I used chocolate frosting then covered it with a mix of melted dark chocolate chips,white chocolate chips mixed with almond milk. I used pink and white fondant kneaded together for my pig color. Other colors were white fondant mixed with food coloring. Here are some other views and some close ups.

Hogs -N- Kisses sign and basket of towels with mud drips.

Pig floating with drink

Pig in hat with flower

Pigs soaking under water

Pig with nose emerging from mud.

Anyway hope you enjoy our pig fun. My daughter and I enjoyed making this project for my mother's and my husband's birthday dinner.

My first latte'

2013-10-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

My very first latte'! No still wouldn't drink one, but since they look so cute had to felt one in a teacup.

Vintage Singer Machine

2013-09-04T06:47:00.001-07:00

I was browsing through a quaint little antique and junk shop last week and found a nice cabinet for my daughter's machine. I thought with some work it would be really pretty. Then I found it housed an old singer. Now that was covered in black grease and layers and layers of dust. I plugged it in and it worked great. So now I am the owner of a 1948 model 15 Singer sewing machine.

The cabinet turned out beautiful just by rubbing it with dark oak restoring stuff. The machine cleaned up quiet nicely, as well.

My silk dyed fabric from Betty Busby's workshop.

2013-08-11T04:07:00.002-07:00

Here are some dried samples of silk dyed over lace and other textures done in Betty Busby's workshop. Be sure to click the thumbnails to see all the detail.

These silks were dyed first and then have shiva paintsticks added.

I am planning to add tree silhouettes to this one for a recreation of the view from our back porch in the morning. (actually I see this from the kitchen sink window)

Betty Busby Workshop

2013-08-10T21:20:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday and Friday I was privileged to get to attend a workshop given by Betty Busby. We learned about non-woven materials and painting and dyeing with paintsticks, acrylics, ink-intense pencils, and fabric dye. Betty is an extremely good and generous teacher. We learned a lot and had lots of fun. Here are some pictures of the workshop.

Not mine- but one of my favorite pieces

A section of one of Betty's quilts

Berea Quilt Extravaganza

2013-08-04T05:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, My quilt "Trail of Tears receive the Viewers Choice Award at the Berea Quilt Extravaganza. I was really honored as there were so many beautiful quilts to choose from. I was genuinely surprised. My thanks to all who voted. The greatest aspect was not the award, but finding how my quilt touched people and evoked emotion. Here is a picture of the Berea Arts Council director and me in front of my quilt.

"Trail of Tears

2013-07-23T22:08:00.001-07:00

This is my road trip quilt for my Berea group. It is entitled "Trail of Tears." It is to commemorate the Cherokee Indians who suffered during the Indian Removal Act.

Poem:

Trail of Tears

Spring does not erase

Our passage

Nor warm the lingering spirits

Left behind, far from home.

Wagons rumble on, as we lie
In shallow graves, names not spoken.

Four thousand brethren forever
On the trail where we cried.

Betrayed by broken promises,

Forced to leave the land

We tended for countless moons.

Miles and miles through frozen valleys,

Trees the only witness

The wind the only answer to our tears.

What I've been up to...

2013-07-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

I have not posted because I have been busy working on my challenge quilt for QAK, Quilt Artists of Kentucky, Quilts with a Kick Exhibit. The challenge this year: “Search for an APRON to inspire your design for the 2013 QAK challenge. It’s that simple! No strings attached to this challenge except to use a technique new to you. Search your kitchen drawer, your mother’s, grandfather’s!!, anybody’s. Try boutiques, flea markets… The apron is the impetus, not to be copied, for your work. “

The exhibit is now up at the Berea Arts Council. They did a fabulous job hanging so many quilts. The Exhibit runs from July 8th - August 23rd. My Quilt has a very long title: "Broken Apron Strings; Women Pioneering Reform in Kentucky." Eight of these quilts quilts and a couple of alternates are selected from this group of quilts and photos are submitted to the American Quilt Society (AQS) as entries in the Guild Challenge quilts that are shown at the AQS show in Michigan the following July.
So with this possibility no photos available.

I will also have another challenge quilt I am working on for our "Road Trip challenge. My quilt is called "Trail of Tears." I cannot show a photo, but I will share the original poem I wrote for this quilt. A special thanks to my husband who assisted with the editing. This quilt will be hanging during the Berea Quilt Extravaganza Exhibit August 2nd and 3rd.

Trail of Tears

Spring does not erase

Our passage

Nor warm the lingering spirits

Left behind, far from home.

Wagons rumble on, as we lie
In shallow graves, names not spoken.

Four thousand brethren forever
On the trail where we cried.

Betrayed by broken promises,

Forced to leave the land

We tended for countless moons.

Miles and miles through frozen valleys,

Trees the only witness

The wind the only answer to our tears.

Quilt Blogger's Festival - viewers choice

2013-05-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

Nominate your favorite quilt from the festival for a Viewer’s Choice award by going to this Quilt Blogger's Festival and scroll down to the large nomination box.
My quilts are Fruit of the Spirit and Feeding Time. Look around at all the categories and nominate a quilt for the viewers choice. Come back and vote for the best in each category.

Fruit of the Spirit

2013-05-23T19:35:00.002-07:00

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Spring 2013

It's time for the Blogger's Spring Quilt Festival.

Please thank the organizer Amy from Amy's Creative Side for all her hard work setting this up and the wonderful sponsers

This year we are allowed to enter two quilts. My 2nd quilt is "Feeding Time." It is entered in the Art Quilt category. This quilt is 65 1/2" by 75".

This quilt is made of batik, my hand painted fabric, cotton. It is my original design. The four corner flowers were cut stacked and cut freehand. The two side panels were stacked and the design was drawn freehand and cut with scissors.

This flowerer was free cut from one piece of black and put over a batik fabric and appliquéd . If you look you will notice that the flower contains a dove and a figure inside. The roots (cursive words) were cut as one piece of fabric and appliquéd.

Have fun looking at all the quilts and take time to vote on your favorite!

Feeding Time

2013-05-22T18:55:00.001-07:00

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Spring 2013

It's time for the Blogger's Spring Quilt Festival.

Please thank the organizer Amy from Amy's Creative Side for all her hard work setting this up and the wonderful sponsers

This year we are allowed to enter two quilts. My 1st quilt is "Feeding Time." It is entered in the wallhanging category.

Feeding Time was inspired by the following haiku poem that I wrote:

young geisha delights

envisioning diamonds and pearls

koi flash and sparkle

Size: 53 ½" X 41 ½"

This quilt is my original design. The background is constructed using curve piecing of batik and some of my hand dyed fabric. The Black outline was cut from whole cloth and fused to fabric and then appliquéd to quilt. Tree branches are made dimensional using trapunto. Cherry blossoms are made of fused fabric and beads. Some fish are overlaid with angelina fibers.

This entire quilt was constructed and quilted on my home sewing machine.

Close-ups

What else is in bloom today!

2013-05-20T14:06:00.003-07:00

A few new Iris and other flowers.

Everything's coming up roses!

2013-05-20T13:26:00.003-07:00

Today in my garden: roses

More Gorgeous Iris in the Garden

2013-05-18T21:25:00.001-07:00

Here are some of the Iris blooming now. Enjoy! Sorry you can't stroll by and smell the terrific fragrance.

What will I be?

2013-05-05T20:06:00.001-07:00

My tulip has issues, it longs to be a lilly