January Journal Pieces 18, 20, 21, & 22

Week 18, Intention, AKA Word of the year

I started with blank muslin

Wrote in some intentions with a Pentel gel roller for fabric

Then added the first layer of color with water soluble crayons

Used a rubbing plate and shiva paintstiks to create the concentric circles

Letters were done with Misty Fuse and a sheer fabric

Week 20, Elements

 Found and acquired objects

Week 21, Two Gold Ladies

 Experimentation rubbing shiva paintsticks and lace followed by first time gold leafing on silk

Week 22

 A friend gave me a piece of felt she made and I combined it with some fabric I dyed this summer

The whole piece is hand stitched

Thanksgiving piece finished

This is a peice I started for Thanksgiving week and recently finished

I wanted to express my appreciation for opportunities,

combined with support, that have allowed me to blossom and grow.

I started with this picture

I sketched my hand with a Pentel gel roller for fabric and painted the background.

I created the flower pot using painted batting.

I free motion quilted these details

I made leaves using scraps of green fabric

After several weeks of trying to figure out how to make the flowers I stumbled across a bag of napkin holders at the local thrift store that were perfect. I added some color to them with Shiva Paintsticks.

The last step was to add some dimension to the leaves with stitching so they curled.

December Journal Pieces 14-17

Week 14, Circles

For this piece I experimented with stamping techniques.

I started stamping with the end of a pool tube.

Then used this sponge I found at the local grocery store.

I used the edges of various abjects I found around the house, including
bubble wrap. I sewed on plastic rings from milk cartons and added some hand stitching.

Week 15, More circles

I used small metal circles that I collected from disassembling satin bow-ties.

Week 16

An experiment in composition and found materials

Week 17, Christmas

I wove together neck straps from the disassembled bow-ties and

used sheers for the objects.

We had fish and a big blue bottle of wine for Christmas dinner.

FIber Arts Explosion at Marwen

This past fall I taught an art quilting class to 6-8 graders at Marwen.

Marwen is a non-profit that educates and inspires

under-served young people in Chicago through the visual arts.

I had a teaching assistant, 16 female students, and a lot of fun.

The girls loved working with fabric and sewing on a machine.

I was invited to teach the class gain in the spring.

November Journal Pieces 10-12

Week 10

 Painted Self Portrait

 Close up of stitching

 Week 11

I used scraps collected from shirts purchased at thrift stores

The strips are the button section

 I stitched right down the middle of each strip

 Week 12

I liked the way the last piece looked, so I experimented further

 I used the shirt cuffs for strips

Reworked Journal Pieces

This is week 3 reworked

I added binding, the hearts, and some hand stitching

 The hearts are from a good friend's wedding

from way back in 2001 (I think)

 Week 9 reworked with hand stitching around the flame

 and some beads to the candle flame

I am happy with the new results.

52 Journal Pieces, October 2011

Week 5: Chaos

Experimentation with my Janome needle felting machine

I attached it to plastic canvas to create peaks and valleys

Week 6: Leaf

Inspired by a leaf I found on a Sunday walk

I made a rubbing of the leaf using Shiva Paintstiks

and painted over it with Jacquard textile paints

Week 7: Giraffes & Beads

Inspired by the article Collaged Fabric Panels by Mary Hettmansperger

in Quilting Arts magazine, Feb/March 2008

Week 8: Circles & Squares

Inspired by a technique I once saw Judy Coates Perez demonstrate

using Jacquard textile paints on cotton batting.

The batting had been painted years ago. I used black felt for the background.

Week 9: Adrian's birthday

Inspired by my husband's b-day & the Out of the toolbox article on Pentel gel roller

for fabric by Maria Elkins in Quilting Arts magazine, Oct/Nov 2011.