The Flu

I've been out the past couple of days with the flu, today's goal is to not go to bed before 9 pm, we'll see.

Prairie Potholes No. 12 Detail

Prairie Potholes No. 12

Prairie Potholes No. 12

2008 - December

8.5 x 10 inches

Visit the Natural Surface

Visit The Natural Surface

Envy... Green with Envy

by SweetScarlett

Oh Quilt Where are Thou?

Somewhere in this pile of fabrics is my new Prairie Pothole Series, to supplement my large selection of compost dyed, natural dyed, and rust dyed fabrics is a bag of natural dyed silk carrier rods dyed in rich vibrant red violets, deepest golden, mysterious purple and palest pink!

Prairie Potholes

I'll have to post pictures next week on the results but I've finally be able to break past the circle thing - well sorta. Anyway more next week on this series, maybe I'll even get into the wet studio??? Here's a sneak preview of what's on the docet for this new 12 panel series.

Freezing Rain

Well it looks like we will be getting some ice after all, I was hoping it would stay to the south and we'd only get snow. Oh and we may still get 9 inches of snow on top of this mess. Here's a picture from the previous snow storm.

Prairie Potholes No. 19

I need to hang this piece up and get a better photo of it I may add some sheer dots to it still.
5x7 inches - December 2008

To Frame or not to Frame

I’ve noticed a rush to stretch quilts around stretcher bars/frames of late and am seeing a good many of these go up for sale on etsy.com. Not all pieces are meant to be stretched, maybe it needs to be matted and framed, maybe the piece needs a shadow box, or MAYBE it actually needs a sleeve sewn to the back and hung on the wall like a traditional wall quilt.

What I am noticing is a bunch of quilts that have been stretched and it does more to detract from the piece than it does to help it. I remember my screenprinting professor, Tim McIllrath, coming unhinged at one student who stretched what “was” a lovely hand stitched screen printed piece, unfortunately it distorted the stitching – which is something I’m seeing in a lot of pieces, and when the student removed it from the frame the damage had been done and was fairly permanent.

When deciding how to finish a piece one must really step back from their baby and ask themselves does this piece stand on it’s own merits with or without a border/matt? How will stretching this piece affect/effect the stitching, pattern, piecing, embellishments, etc?

There is no easy answer to this dilemma expect to experiment with scraps, stitching techniques etc. this will give you your answer. It is, however, very disconcerting to see what would otherwise be a gorgeous piece stretched around stretcher bars and I suspect the artist doing so believes that the pieces will sell better in doing so – and this couldn’t be further from the truth especially if you are looking for collectors for your works.

Also sometimes a piece simply needs a large plexi frame, this would include the sides, expensive yes but your beloved creation may find a home much sooner in doing so.

Pathless Woods

Moonarchdancer created this gorgeous treasury

Prairie Potholes Set

The set together this not a layout I really care for with the two larger pieces on the right side I think they need to be set out in their own space.

Prairie Potholes Set

I finally got them hung up on the wall for their official portrait together, I much prefer the green wall. These may end up looking blurry I'm having problems with resizing images of late for some reason.

Studio Mess

Still cleaning! I'm almost done cleaning my sewing table which has stuff on it again. But the floor is all picked up and the carpet ready to be cleaned - see previous post. Now to find a spot for the stuff on my table and I'm ready to start working on a new series.

Studio Clean Up

:Proof that I've been cleaning my studio - I may actually get the carpet cleaned this weekend I've found so much floor. Those are Angel Spots - caused by one incontinent sheltie

Got Wool?

My living room has turned into a wool room! Not for long though I have to clean the east bedroom and once it's cleaned I can move John's office out of the library and put my wool into the library with the rest of the left over inventory from the store - which isn't much these days. I'm hoping to sell the remaining fixtures etc., and soon. For now it's a good use of the space I just need to find room for my poor loom!