I'd like to introduce you to Serenity Chicken - it comes from a photo I took of Connie's pet chicken, Biddy.
Serenity, of course, because I used up more of the black & white material such as used in the Serenity Series…she's 9.5"x12"…and I don't think she's too bad…and yes, the real Biddy does look like she's smiling!
I have four more chickens cut out from other kinds of material, so the rest of the Biddy Series will all be different, but still the same pattern - I'm also using some of the materials I hand-dyed at Connie's house for the backgrounds…that is only appropriate since Biddy assisted us all in the process….
Working in this series has already taught me five things:
►when working from your photograph, be aware of making too many small pattern pieces; look for ways to incorporate that piece into a larger one
►before adding the backing and the binding, be sure that all of the pattern parts are on the background and you have finished stitching everything down (it's really difficult to add it after the backing and binding is on…especially if it's a body part….no, really. trust me…)
►using a Sharpie marker is okay to mark out your pattern pieces onto the fabric before cutting out (especially if you are sewing on top of any markings not cut off) - but be sure there is something under the fabric besides your ironing board cover or you will have, in my case, chicken feet drawn all over the cover…
►let go of reality; it's just an interpretation of a chicken, so it's okay if some of the smaller pieces didn't get put on…
►always have enough pre-wound bobbins to finish the piece so there is no stopping to wind one…
So - on to the next chicken!
11/24/08
Serenity Chicken
I'd like to introduce you to Serenity Chicken - it comes from a photo I took of Connie's pet chicken, Biddy.
Serenity, of course, because I used up more of the black & white material such as used in the Serenity Series…she's 9.5"x12"…and I don't think she's too bad…and yes, the real Biddy does look like she's smiling!
I have four more chickens cut out from other kinds of material, so the rest of the Biddy Series will all be different, but still the same pattern - I'm also using some of the materials I hand-dyed at Connie's house for the backgrounds…that is only appropriate since Biddy assisted us all in the process….
Working in this series has already taught me five things:
►when working from your photograph, be aware of making too many small pattern pieces; look for ways to incorporate that piece into a larger one
►before adding the backing and the binding, be sure that all of the pattern parts are on the background and you have finished stitching everything down (it's really difficult to add it after the backing and binding is on…especially if it's a body part….no, really. trust me…)
►using a Sharpie marker is okay to mark out your pattern pieces onto the fabric before cutting out (especially if you are sewing on top of any markings not cut off) - but be sure there is something under the fabric besides your ironing board cover or you will have, in my case, chicken feet drawn all over the cover…
►let go of reality; it's just an interpretation of a chicken, so it's okay if some of the smaller pieces didn't get put on…
►always have enough pre-wound bobbins to finish the piece so there is no stopping to wind one…
So - on to the next chicken!
11/21/08
Cher's Snow
My friend Cher moved back to Indiana and sent me this photo recently; I miss seeing her and talking to her (of course, in this day and age of cell phones with umpty minutes and email etc. there is really no longer a good excuse...BUT....I digress....) - the photo shows why I like Texas. We don't get that snowy stuff very often....I remember thinking last winter, when it was snowing and I was walking to my car a zillion miles away, "Dang snow..." and then I stopped - right in the middle of the path - and thought "when did walking in the snow get to be NOT fun????" - so while I don't expect to get as much snow as Cher will eventually see (they do indeed have WINTER there...) - I hereby promise myself to re-discover the joy in it. Now...if I can only get Dave to see the same joy while he has to drive in it....11/11/08
Catch-up
Time flies, doesn't it? So...
I also got to have a new picture made with Ricky Timms (the other co-host of The Quilt Show) - the one from last year was kind of blurry - his quilts are astounding works of art and he's a great musician as well. I have an entire stash of his hand-dyed material.
Saturday (11/1) - in Houston, still at the International Quilt Show - I saw some incredible art and met a lot of fun people...
Alex Anderson (former host of Simply Quilts and now co-host of The Quilt Show) is someone I had met before - but while I was admiring some of her quilts in the show, I met her parents! and they are sooo sweet. I told her Mom, that "she must be very proud of Alex for being such a success" and she replied, "I'm not just proud...I'm in awe. I can't stitch a lick!"
Amazingly enough - I also met the Queen...you just never know who you'll see at a quilt show!
I also got to have a new picture made with Ricky Timms (the other co-host of The Quilt Show) - the one from last year was kind of blurry - his quilts are astounding works of art and he's a great musician as well. I have an entire stash of his hand-dyed material.
We also all went out to dinner and had a great time!
On Thursday morning, I drove down to New Braunfels for the Department's retreat and, while there took one of my favorite photos. Will have more pictures later (lots to sort through).
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