Saturday, October 7, 2023

This week's creativity round-up... paintings, gold, quilting, planning, and paper dolls!

 

there are many finishes when making a quilt... finish the design, finish sewing together the top, finish layering the top/ batting/ backing and baste, finish the quilting, and finish the binding to finish the edges... finish putting on the hanging sleeve on the back and hang it up or put it on the bed!
this week I finished quilting this big quilt, wrestling with it under the arm of my little old machine. I mostly used mylar sprakling turquoise threads, purple threads, and a YLI variegated fall color cotton thread to do that. Mostly used my walking foot, but along the trees on the border I used free motion foot and hand guided the branches in YLI gold metallic threads. 

now for the binding, I think a dark orange fabric... 

this is ready to layer and baste so the quilting can begin

RSC people look at the project in light neutrals on the right

usually as I make a top, I am thinking ahead to how to quilt it. The stitching of 3 layers makes another design that can make or break a quilt. I have no idea how I'm going to do this one, as there are so many lines already, it's so large, and will be heavy to manipulate. Let me know if you have ideas! The fabric on top (left) is for the backing layer.

Mostly this week I tried to do some painting lessons from Willowing's free workshops...

here is a taste of what I tried... lots of black and white, and gold this week!

yes that's actually gold metallic paint (made by finetec)


it started as a line drawing with stabilo crayon, then dissolved with water to blend

it's not even or perfect or half as good as the teacher but I really like it, and the name is "clarity"

it shimmers in person! I love the stylized way to do feathers, black and white inks overlayed.

another line drawing done with stabilo crayon, then plain water on a brush to blend, shadow and blur the lines. It's random the way the paper and water work together, and I am just able to let go and watch the process. I went back and added in some darker inked lines at the end.

I've been working on 140 lb watercolor paper by canson 

one teacher offered free line drawings for paper dolls... I approached them like any other watercolor, blending tombow marker with water and using watercolor pan paints to blend color. How fun! 

Little LeeAnna used to cut out paper dolls as a young girl, remember McCalls magazine always gave us one!

  I enjoyed shading and mixing paints for the little treats but putting in tiny brads was challenging. The wings and arms move now though...

gold watercolor paint from finetec

 

I like that each one has a saying I believe in...

"we rise by lifting others"

and yes they are in our permanent Christmas tree in the family room, now decorated for Halloween

"Be kind, for everyone is fighting a battle"

I'll finish today's round up with "Ink-tober"   a festival of drawing every day this month! I am working my way through a list of links to daily pintangle lessons... during morning coffee...

it's about slow additions.... a line here, a line there, color in some areas... follow the lesson and just let yourself enjoy seeing the ink growing into a pattern. I use scrap paper, unwanted paper from the printer, torn in fourths, stapled together to make a sort of book to use. No worries, it's all recycled bits that other people might throw away. I use the backs for lists and well, this kind of thing

the inktober pentangle list is here: (scroll down for actual links)

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PHycEAPxv7_Ct9fKtONp3JdzT2AJuzFX/view

list of words to inspire you to draw/ink too: https://inktober.com/rules

having trouble leaving a comment? It's likely due to a computer update recently... here is a remedy: 

scroll to bottom of her post: https://quiltingjetgirl.com/2023/10/09/cloudy-night-sky-details-details/

otherwise, my email is lapaylor@gmail.com

linking with

design wall Mondays at smallquiltsanddollquilts

https://songbirddesigns.blog/monday-musings-6-26-23/ 

finished or not

off the wall Fridays

 

14 comments:

Helen said...

I've already told you how much I love the owl. Your black & white portrait is just fantastic! You should be very pleased.
I really like how you see all the many phases of quilting as different stages of finished.

Kathleen said...

I love the owl and the paper dolls - so much fun. Cracked me up at the many finishes in a quilt....I am always so proud when I finish one part, but then I count all the other parts....gheez...but we do get them really done. Have a wonderful few weeks of creating while I am off to Ireland. I am not sure I may just pick up rather than try to read through everything - we will see what connectivity and time is like.

Sandy said...

The Owl's eyes are wonderful. So expressive. As always the colors, the bright cheeriness of the quilts always makes me smile.
Sandy's Space

JanineMarie said...

I think all those finishes are great milestones along the way to making a quilt—and maybe that’s what keeps us going: the variety of activities and decisions needed. As usual, I’m admiring all of your art. The owl makes me think of Art Deco

Sara said...

The quilt is stunning!! Your owl really made me think "Harry Potter". The gold is what brings it alive.

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Your quilts are beautiful! What do you think about quilting it with serpentine lines, horizontally? I love your drawing and painting, and the paper dolls are so cute! Great decorations!
Thank you for sharing your art of the week, and linking up.

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

Your latest quilt is gorgeous! You quilted it perfectly. I have no ideas for your Lines quilt though I'm sure you will find the perfect solution as you always do! The top itself is beautiful so I would suggest simple quilting so as not to detract. Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss.

https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2023/10/11/wednesday-wait-loss-349

Ann said...

I loved the McCall's paper dolls. Thanks for the happy memory.

time4stitchn said...

So impressed with your quilt! And that you quilted it on your home sewing machine. Love, love, love it! You are such a talented artist at well

Susan said...

Beautiful quilt LeeAnna! Kudos to you for quilting such a large quilt on a domestic machine.

DVArtist said...

I am so taken by every piece of art on your post today. Just beautiful. Thank you for joining FFO and have a nice day.

Gwyned Trefethen said...

There are so many ways to quilt a quilt. The vibrant colors and rich patterned fabric, will likely hide any quilting you do unless the batting is chosen specifically to be high loft. Personally, I don't think the quilt needs anything fancy. I would be tempted simply to do an all over pattern. It could be as straight forward as stippling or grids. Leah Day has a fabulous selection of all over patterns. She just released a video of Halloween motifs. A fun one is a hand reaching up from the earth inside the plumes of traditional feather.

The Joyful Quilter said...

Magnificent quilts in the making and some marvelous artwork, LeeAnna!!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

What a gorgeous quilt you have quilted!!!!
and for the one with the strips = can you do line quilting in the opposite directions as the pieces?