Sometimes...

size does matter.  That's one of the lessons I learned from this bit of sampling.  I really wanted to do some sort of free-motion quilting in the grassy areas, but quickly realized that creating the sharp-pointed 'stippling' in a tight space was tough on my shoulders.  I wasn't keen on doing it over a larger area.

Wait.

A larger area... Of course!  The final piece is going to be at least twice the size of the sample!  What could I do in that larger space that would be effective?  I decided to consult FMQ guru, Leah Day, via her FMQ Project -- and I found Lesson #37 -- "Jagged Lines".  Perfect!

To get an idea of what they'd look like, I tried them in the tiny space left on my sample -- see that brown area on the far left?  (Yes Carolyn, you and I were on the same wave-length here. :-)  Thanks for your comment! )

Then I added some hand stitching to see what it would look like (sorry; this one's a bit blurry).  I like it!

The 'what ifs' continued -- next with the sky.  Now, I'm not fond of stitching in the sky.  I'm always concerned about over-doing it.  However, I did try this:

It might work in the larger piece if I can get into the rhythm of the sky fabric, where clouds 'need' to be.  I know that others stitch in the sky, but they're not always working on batting.  (For example, I believe that Monika works on two layers -- fabric and some sort of stiff backing -- Timtex or some such thing that's not batting.)  When you have a stiffer substrate, your sky stitching has quite a different look to it, right Monika?  :-)

So...I reserve judgment on whether or not I'll stitch in the sky on the final piece.

There there was the bark.  I did go back in and play around with tiny bits of painted fusible web, with very ho-hum results, so I decided to try a technique I learned in a workshop with Anna Hergert in Edmonton in the spring of 2010:  stitched, painted and distressed paper napkins!

First you stitch a grid on your favourite paper napkin.  This one is from an inexpensive pack from a dollar+ store, free-motion stitched with whatever I had in the machine (brown, I think):

Next you paint the grid with textile paint.  I had brown textile paint (Jacquard) and black artist's acrylic, so I mixed 'em, diluted with a bit of left-over brown dye I'd mixed up a while ago:

You let that dry.  Then you spritz it with a water bottle, and distress it with your fingers to get this:

Actually, I think the plastic in the black acrylic paint kept this from being as distressed as it might have been.  On the other hand, it enabled me to get a firm tug on a piece, tear it off, and apply it to my tree trunks.  I used a touch of glue stick for the sample, but on a larger piece, I would stitch it down.

See the dark bits on the centre tree trunk?  See how much more effective it is than the snips of black-painted fusible web on the other tree trunks?  See how on a larger piece you'd have to be very judicious in your use of this material so it wouldn't overwhelm?

Yep; sometimes size matters!

Lots Going On

First, some friends of mine are giving away goodies for this Blog Hop Party to which they belong.  There's Margarita and Kit, for example.  Both make wonderful textile art -- and Marga combines her fabric with paper...

Then there's The Needle and Thread Network (TNTN), a network of All-Canadian (sorry, eh?) needle-workers of any and all stripes, celebrating its First Anniversary with a series of give-aways.  The Network is operated by my cyber-friend, Monika -- she of the stunning (to use an over-worked adjective) threat-painted postcards and pictures of the Canadian prairies.  What's not to like?!

Then there's Sandy H. of Q4TROU (Quilting for the Rest of Us), who is coming up on Podcast #100, and will be giving away even more goodies...

Looks like creative cyberspace is replete with generous spirits!

Stay tuned: I have a couple of major anniversaries coming up in the next few months...and yes, there will be a few giveaways.  :-)

Meanwhile, however, I continue to plug away at The Work At Hand.  Blessed with a couple of cool, breezy days -- let's refer to them as 'Autumn Previews', shall we? -- I have been working indoors.  Wednesday, while my kitten, Pookie, was missing, I put up eight large jars of pickled crab apples.  Friday, to celebrate her safe return home, I froze some more green, purple (yes) and waxed (yellow) beans.  Today, I made kale and potato soup (!)  for lunch.  Totally yummy -- from ingredients provided by my CSA (Sandy, you know all about this sort of thing, don't you?).  Tomorrow...I'm thinkin' carrot soup -- with the tops, too!

Next I quilted my C&G piece for Activity 10/11 -- Shadow Applique:

I used free-motion straight stitching (no, this is not an oxymoron -- just ask Leah Day)  I wanted to replicate the funky not-so-straight lines of the cheesecloth layer, and I really liked the effect I got.  I used a thread (Sulky 40 wt) that would complement the background to keep the effect muted.  Here's a close-up:

Today?  Well...
First, I washed up the Stepping Stones Socks, from Clara Parkes' Knitter's Book of Socks, made on commission for my friend, DH.   Shown -- a detail of the cuff.  Isn't it pretty?  The yarn is Emu Superwash Double Knit, which means it's a bit heavy for just shoes, but would work well alone (think: house- or bed-socks) or in clogs, or in boots.

I've recently finished 2 hats for our 'knitting tree' at church:

#3 - Shining Star -
pattern by Canadian  Kate Gilbert

 The "Shining Star" hat was made from left-overs from the Dr. Who Scarf -- Lion Brand's Vanna's Choice Solids in 'Eggplant' and Scarlet' -- both acrylic.

#4 - Dibdin - pattern by Berroco

 "Dibdin" was made in Noro Himaraya wool yarn from my stash.










Next, I mounted 'Triangulation' onto its black mat board, ready to send to Gail Harker for her fund-raiser:

'Triangulation' (c) 2012

I think the mat board really sets it off, don't you? (yes, I know that's both a loaded and a rhetorical question; no answer is expected!)

I like it so much that I have another piece planned, and will send Gail two.





Then I took the bull by the horns and confronted the thread-painting I knew I needed to do to finish this piece:

Working title: "House" -- simply the first in a series of abandoned Alberta buildings I want to re-create from photos...You might recognize a close-up piece finished earlier..."The Watcher".  In fact, I showed "House" in an earlier post, before the roof was finished, before the quilting and thread painting...Now all it needs is to be bound/enveloped and labelled, and to have a sleeve for hanging.

But...if it's to be a series, there really should be at least three, so I will be re-visiting photos in up-coming weeks to figure out the right piece.

To take a break, finally, this afternoon I began to assemble the 9-patch blocks I've been making from flannel given my by somebody (!).  I bought some solids to use in between, and a different print for backing, and will put the entire baby-style quilt together for our "knitting" tree at church:

This evening? I think I'm going to kick back and relax!  Maybe even watch an episode of The Quilt Show...

Have a great rest of the weekend, eh?

The Sunny Side of Life

Monica's approach to our seems-too-long Canadian winter has given me pause.  'Shame on me!' I thought when I read her blog this morning.  Time to turn my restless, grumpy attitude around and bloom where I'm planted.






Who cares what the Groundhog says?  I'm choosing to enjoy the ride into spring!