PLAY DAY WITH SUZIE

Who's Suzie?
Suzie is a woman from Bellingham who travels to the waters of Desolation Sound every summer with her husband and friends. Last year she discovered some of my fabric for sale over at the Cortes Craft Shop and she was so excited, she just HAD to find me. She headed to Refuge Cove and asked for me but somehow we never connected. (All that searching made me feel so special!) She ended up with my e-mail and the rest is history!

Suzie is also a calligrapher, a very fine one at that! She does elegant work in a variety of formats. One of her modes is to write on my fabric. She stabilizes it with freezer paper (a friend of mine also recommended contact paper) and chooses her ink color to contrast with the fabric. Her pieces are lovely. This is an example of her work done on commercial fabric. I also love the beadwork at the bottom.

Her e-mail requested some more fabric, so when we drove through B-ham on our way to Mexico, I stopped and made a connection with her. The seeds of friendship were planted and on their way.

So once again, she found herself up my way and we planned for a play day in my studio. She deserted her boat-mates and was delivered to my house by her husband, Chuck, in their little inflatable.

She hadn't done much dyeing so I showed her a few techniques and we both just ended up with lots of experiments and fun! She was leaning towards oranges, and I was in a blue/purple mood. Funny how those color things go! I was a bit disappointed with our results as I could tell that the dyes were old and not up to the best color. But she was HAPPY! One of my favorite pieces of the day was made by making penny sandwiches on the cotton: a penny on each side of the cotton, then secured tightly with a small clamp. They produced a lovely dotted piece.And Suzie found a pine branch, attached it to her piece for dyeing, and yes, the form or impression of the needles could beautifully be seen on the finished piece.

We both had a great time and I can't wait to see what she comes up with. And I can't wait for next year's visit!

DISCHARGE MANIA

Once again I have been captured by the dye/discharge combo process. I know - it's pretty crazy to dye pieces of fabric, just to undye them again. But I am fascinated by the colors left behind after applying a bleach product, and I just can't seem to get enough of it. Plus, I'm scheduled to teach this process within my guild in a few weeks and I'm trying to get a good stack of samples put together. Even though the pressure is on, I'm loving every minute of it!

So my current quest with the dye/discharge combo was to incorporate a free motion quilting technique I refer to as "positive-negative", as freezer paper fills the negative spaces to frame the positive shape for quilting. I love this technique and find it produces a beautiful, clean shape just by staying within the lines. I started with a stack of dyed dark cotton (using a palette of colors that included about 50% black in each formula), plus a few small pieces of brights that I wanted to incorporate as accents. In the end, I hoped to not only learn something new about the process but also to create a tote bag for ME! I had been running around with an old, tattered, 3 times dyed Safeway cloth bag, and decided I needed to have something that better displays my work.

I began by sewing my darks in a log cabin-ish pattern, using a small square of bright for each center. I also made small (1" square) tabs out of the brights to be sewn around the top of the tote for a decorative effect. After I finished the full piece (approximately 24"x36"), I sandwiched it with a backing and batting and began planning for free motion quilting. I had a total of eight log cabin squares (four on each side of the tote) and each small bright square was to be the center of a flower shape that I would quilt to stand out and later discharge with a bleach product.

To help with placement, I cut a piece of freezer paper for each side of the tote. Even though it was whole cloth, I only wanted to work with one side at a time. I placed the freezer paper on my sofa cushion (shiny side down) and put the one side of the tote directly over it. Then I took a pin and poked through each flower center into the paper, so I had the exact location marked on the freezer paper. I then was able to take my compass and draw four circles, keeping in mind balance, space for borders, etc. One by one I cut out each circle with about an inch all around, then cut out the inside of the circle. I was left with a ring that I then ironed to my fabric, creating the circle shape just where I wanted my flower to pop out. To further secure the paper ring, I pinned around it. Now the flower needed a center circle. I used a 1" freezer paper circle for each center that I ironed and pinned over the small bright center square, but for an interesting effect, I offset it a bit (maybe a half inch). Now I started quilting inside, going back and forth between the center and the outside perimeter, creating one petal at a time. At the end, I tied back into my beginning stitches. After stitching the eight flowers, I proceeded with discharging.

My favorite product (so far) is a Clorox bleach pen. I never use the applicator pen it comes in as I find it too globby. I prefer to use a fine metal-tipped applicator bottle that I also use for applying gutta to silk. After I squeeze the bleach product into my applicator bottle, I then carefully "color inside the lines" by squeezing the solution onto my quilted areas. Did I say carefully? I hope so, because a mistake could be project-fatal, but so far I've been happy and successful (without too much worry and stress) by using this applicator.

I should mention about safety and bleach products. Always read labels on the products you buy so you know what you're dealing with. FOR ME, I don't wear gloves, but will always wash my hands if they come in contact with the bleach. I also try to work in well-ventilated areas (outdoors is great), but if not possible, I make a point of only working for short periods at a time. FOR ME, I don't like breathing the chlorine product. I think I only discharged 2 or 3 flowers at a time on this project.

Now I was ready to quilt the rest of the areas surrounding the flowers. I chose to do a simple heart-shaped leaf, moving in and around each flower and also the bright tabs I had placed near the top. I turned out to be a bit more tedious than I expected, and in retrospect I would have chosen something a bit simpler, perhaps even a small stipple as the flowers are what stand out, not the background quilting.

My cloth was ready to make into a bag, but first I had to wash and dry it to get the bleach out. I used my Safeway bag as a pattern for size and handle length as it has proved to be perfect for me. I found a bright parfait for lining and sewed in pockets. To finish, I chose eighteen old buttons to add to the tabs and to the centers of the circles.

I am so happy with the finished product. I love the colors within the flowers and they are set off beautifully with the dark background. I am happy I chose bits of bright fabric for the centers and the tabs. My decision to offset the center of the flower (in relation to the bright square) helped to create another point of interest. If I could change anything, I would create fabric for the whole tote from one color palette- background, brights and lining. This one seemed to work well but I know how beautiful all those compatible colors from one palette look in a finished piece.

Will I throw away my Safeway bag? Not on your life! But this one is already packed with all my daily traveling essentials and has taken its place in the arena of "favorite bag of the moment"!

TIME TRAVEL

Earlier this week, I returned from a near weeklong visit to a place I lived many years ago during the years of first being married (the first time, out of two) and giving birth to my son. The years were 1981-86 and the place was Gustavus, Alaska, then population of 100 in the dead of winter. This past visit was the first time back in 20 years. In 1985 my son, Ben, was born in Gustavus, and he was one of four in that era's "baby group". It was only natural that we four moms established a habit of taking a daily walk with babes in backpacks which included all the sharing that young mothers are known to do. Last Monday, one of those backpack infants (Erin) married Ben's cousin, Travis. By returning to Gustavus, I stepped into a family scene of my past and was warmly welcomed by all. I was also reunited with some great women friends, and was included in the daily dock walk which resembled the walks I previously described, minus the backpacks and babies. Back in my Gustavus days, I worked at the local school as a teacher's aide, and cooked at the local Gustavus Inn during summers. Here's friend and owner JoAnn in her typical welcoming mode.She also has found a voice in her art and I so enjoyed seeing her projects in the fiber and watercolor realms. JoAnn's work is full of color and lightness and whimsy to me.JoAnn was also displaying quilts of another of our backpack kids from days-gone-by, Breena, who now is a recent marine biology graduate AND quilter. This quilt is a bookcase of her favorite childrens' books. It probably should be rotated 90 degrees to the left to look like an actual bookcase with books, but I liked reading the titles; I'll Love You Forever has always been one of my favorites too.Another highlight to the weekend was seeing my former sister-in-law, Donna, who also was starring in the role of "mother of the groom". (She played the part well!) She is the proud mother of 6...her 3 boys (ages 33, 30 and 27) and her 3 girls (ages 4, 5 and 6 or thereabouts). Yes, 4, 5, and 6...it's enough to make me exhausted just thinking about it! Her beautiful girls are recent adoptees from China and last Monday they were special little flower girls to precede the bride and groom. Sweet cousin and ringbearer, Jackson, follows along.I enjoyed traveling around town, seeing how things had changed in the past 20 years. Gustavus has acquired many facilities and businesses that make living there (particularly in the winter) much easier and better for one's mental health than back in the old days. A beautiful new library is certainly a welcomed addition. I knew I couldn't miss visiting this place that now displays what I refer to as my "divorce quilt". I had collected squares from other women, all with the theme of Canadian geese, to piece together and construct borders during those weeks prior to leaving my marriage. There are big chunks of my emotions stitched all over that piece.

Also at the library is a history quilt that was headed up by JoAnn. Local history goes back a more than 100 years, and my son's family is a big part of the lore of this small town. I recognized many of the names of the featured families. The black and white photos added a wonderful vintage feel to the quilt.Reconnecting with friends, attending the wedding, seeing my son, re-experiencing the beauty of the Glacier Bay area, and being welcomed by my former husband and his family were certainly affirming for me. Time travel it was, and five days was perfect. I don't think I'll wait 20 years for my next visit.

FIRST FRIDAY WEBWALK - AUGUST 2008

Ode to Summer Sun

Going going gone...

the horizon line,

day's end,

or seasonal changes.

Life giving

or energy sapping.

Shining with anticipation

or heavy

with unrelenting heat.

The steadfast light of

hide and seek

or shadowplay

reminds me of life's circle.

Silent orb now casting new light

on my break of day.

Happy August and welcome to my First Friday Webwalk...honoring none other than our faithful sun! Here in Desolation Sound, we haven't seen it for a few days (lots of rain!), but today it is peeking out and the forecast is for brilliant skies.

You would think that after so many days, months, and years of saying, "where'd July go?", "where'd 2007 go?", or back in working days, "where'd the weekend go?", that I'd finally figure out the answer to these questions. But I continually verbalize these queries TIME after TIME, perhaps thinking that THE answer will miraculously come to me or to someone else who will share the truth I constantly seek. The simple answer: it's GONE, OVER, DONE! The garden's beauty has peaked. The morning light is later to arrive. The squirrel's are beginning their seasonal pre-gathering chatter. The hummingbirds are disappearing from the perches I have left for them.

As it comes, it goes. Steady and true. Same but different.

A new day. A new opportunity. A new inspiration.

DOGS IN THE COVE

For the visitor to Refuge Cove, my summer home, all that is evident as one floats into the cove is a smattering of houses built along the shoreline, a series of docks (with a fueling station) and a ramp leading up to some local businesses ( a well stocked general store, a coffee shop, a used book shed, a new "mystery" structure). What one doesn't see or get to experience are the lovely forest trails, the rustic residences, the community embellishments that the visitor can only imagine as they view the surrounding area form their boats. Being a land and housing cooperative, our property is private, so the only territory open to the visiting boater for exploration are the boardwalks and a small trail in the commercial area. This trail consists of about 50 feet of pathway and is aptly named the "PET PATH".

It seems as though dogs and boaters go hand in hand these days. Both power and sail boaters enjoy their summer holidays with their beloved pet or pets, well-dressed in doggy life jackets. I even saw a good sized pooch in a kayak last week. Now that's love!

With dogs comes dog poop, and being experienced in traveling with our dog, I know first hand that this can be a problem. We were lucky: a small dog that trained easily to "go" on a fake grass doormat. As we tossed her tiny pieces overboard, we'd see other boaters rowing their dogs to shore for relief.

So when dog-owning boaters come to Refuge Cove for fuel, groceries, or some goodies from the bake shop, they also make the pet path a popular destination. As you can imagine, this now was a major problem for us. We were finding little plastic bags everywhere, and ferns on the pet path were well fertilized. Locals would groan at the sight of another dog!

Solution??? Now we have the "dog waste compost station" which you can see posted at the entrance to the path. A wire cage, a shovel, and a bucket of sawdust makes up this sysytem which boaters have been terrific at embracing. (There are those stubborn ones who seem to love their baggies.)

So bring your dogs to our fine little berg! We welcome them and we welcome you! Just be a responsible pet owner and use our canine composting system to keep our community happy and clean.

"ONE PIECE WONDER" DAY

I love making my own fabric and this method is one of my all time favorites because the results are so unique and unpredictable!
Last fall I was rummaging through my stash of dye tools and I came across a 10" long haircurler - much like the ones I used to roll my hair up in when I was a teenager, except longer. I remembered using it ages ago in some sort of dyeing trial, but didn't remember the details except that the results didn't impress me. My mind began to imagine a new way to use it. This is what I did:
I took a white fat quarter and folded it so it ended up being a folded strip about 6"-7" wide. Then I rolled this strip onto the curler, being sure that the fabric favored one end of it. To secure it, I wrapped rubber bands tightly all along the fabric.
Then I placed it in a cut off water bottle, one tall enough hold liquid to cover the fabric. I placed the cylinder inside with a funnel down the center of the curler. Now I started pouring my dye solutions, followed by soda ash. I allowed a time interval between each color, perhaps 15 minutes. When full of liquid, I waited an hour or so, then I rinsed each cylinder in water and cut the bands off to see what miracles would unroll. These were beautiful!
It is up to the dyer to decide when to add the ash. Perhaps you want to dip the entire cylinder into soda ash, prior to pouring in dyes. Or start with the fabric either wet or dry. There are many variables to play around with here, as is true with all dyeing projects.
Now I have a nice array of tools for my "one piece wonders". I have purchased a variety of plastic placemats from the dollar store that I use to wrap my fabric. Actual curlers work well too. I know that some dyers are using pvc pipe with holes drilled into it. Anything that filters the liquids through the fabric will work well.
Did I say filter? One day Tom was changing our water filter in Mexico. With further inspection, I discovered that my long roller is actually the inside of the water filter. I carefully cut away the old paper casing and I had a new tool! Now all my friends and neighbors are saving them for me!
(That is, until I show them this technique and they start saving them for themselves!)
So the photos you are seeing here are taken from a "one piece wonder" day I had last week. I had a bundle of BLAH! fabric that needed help in the form of overdyeing, so I wrapped the pieces onto my filters and curlers and plastic placemats and went at it! I happily unrolled a dozen plus unique and beautiful fat quarters to add to my hand-dyed stash.

Try it, you'll like it!

FIRST FRIDAY WEBWALK - JULY

I have enjoyed the First Friday Artwalk in Mazatlan so much that I thought I'd continue it on my blog. Why not? - friends and neighbors and tourists stopping by to have a look at what's new in my studio, chatting, having a snack and drink, perhaps even purchasing a piece of my work or some fabric. At least that's the Mazatlan version. Here you can just read and enjoy!
Coincidentally it's also the 4th of July. I'm sure some of you out there wonder about why that matters to me. Even though I live in NORTH AMERICA (Mexico and Canada), by birth I am American, and some things, like the 4th of July just don't disappear from your being, even though you're living in another country. This has always been a special family get-together day in the U.S.. Today we are happy to have Tom's daughter and grandchildren with us, keeping the family thing going. Dinner with friends and family, picnic fare, a few sparklers on the cake. It's the 4th!
The 4th is also a special day for me as my dear dad passed away on this day 12 years ago. Art was a lover of life, had a hankering for travel, and grew beautiful flowers! He considered me his gypsy child and his everlasting message to me was "whatever you choose to do in life, I love you". Wow! I am so grateful for his words. And so, in memory of Art (we called him "Art the Fart" behind his back in our youth, snickering, feeling a bit guilty...) I want to display these two quilts that I made a few years ago for my grandchildren. (The first is shown at the top of this blog.) They remind me so much of him because of the bright plaids I incorporated with my hand-dyes. Yes, he was one of those men who wore bright plaid pants. (Tom calls them "David Lindley" pants, after the musician who always wore the polyester version.) Art wasn't a golfer, just a guy who wasn't afraid to be himself.Moving on, I want to display the finished product I featured in my blog entitled "Discharge Dyeing". I added a beaded fringe of paper beads and buttons, a set of tabs at the top, and hung it on a copper pipe in my living room. I am very pleased with this piece. One of my goals this summer has been to teach myself to paint on silk. I have a big stack of habatoi silk scarves and I am pumping out about 2 per week. With the steaming involved, my success rate isn't very good (maybe about 40%), but I'm plugging along and enjoying it very much. Here's one I have on the frame at the moment, a vision of what's going on in my garden....GROWTH, COLOR, LIFE! And last but not least, I had a busy day of dyeing up my "one piece wonders" using a stack of cotton pieces that really weren't too interesting or useful. I happily have about 20 new overdyes that definitely will be used in my work. Here is one of the many I produced. I hope you have enjoyed July's Webwalk! Come again next month and see what I've been up to! Happy 4th!