Inspired by Hollis Chatelaine

Who could not want to emulate one the century's best quilt artists...Hollis Chatealine? That combined with an improv challenge at a local quilt show ,inspired me to see what I could create. I took a piece of white fabric spritzed it with water and dabbed acrylic inks on it. I saw a face, proceeded to quilt it and then used a variety of paint, colored pencils and ink to create a piece. Borders were made from some hand dyed I made a few years ago.

Added some sheers

Played with some borders

Magic markers and squiggles of paint

More dye stick paints and heavy quilting

Tada........

Yard sale inspires some fishy fabric

So my summer is progressing, in betwixt and between building a roster for the 2016 MQX New England Quilt Festival (www.mqxshow.com ) I went yard sailing and found an awesome reference book about fish. as a young girl some of my happiest times were spent with my dad fishing, what better way to continue on in my journey to find my medium......here is what I created with the high flow Golden Acrylics, markers and inks

So now this is sitting and I decided to try painting a matte medium on the PFD fabric before painting . this was the result

And he needed some friends

So I decidedI didn't like the salmon and covered him over added borders

And now extended thesis outwits paint

I hope this inspires you to play, Stay tuned for my next for ray into the art of the painted quilt

Getting Buggy with paint and pen

I find myself with some unexpected free time this summer and I have decided to try and find a medium I love. I had taken a class with the marvelous Andrea Brokenshire during my April Show So I was inspired to find my own voice. Perusing the web I found some inspiring ideas and different mediums that looked very interesting. Judy Coates Perez had awesome samples using acrylic inks,I purchased some ....I bought high flow golden acrylics, Derwent watercolor pencils and fabric markers too. in order to take this seriously I made myself a designated drawing space with an architect desk, supply trays and brush and pen holders. The Internet was my reference tool, yard sales provides reference books too It was time to get rolling. inspired by Judy I decided I was going to make a bug quilt. here is the result. 

This was fun to do and I loved the intensity of the Acrylic inks, this piece sold quickly and inspired me to make more, on a bug kick I decided to uses a doodle I made on the paper 53 app and turn it into a quilt. here is the doodle

Here is the quilt

This really spurred me on and I decided to try another painted pieced and appliqués piece. Here is the result

As you can see lots of paints were splashed on and quilted heavily, onward to the next bug quilt.....

I printed off tons of bug pictures searching for copyright free images,on this piece I used PFD fabric and acrylic inks, I fell in love with the first splash

Isn't this cool ?

Here are some more process pictures

Magic markers, acrylic paint and ink were all used to create this piece. it's been a lot of fun and I hope you read on to see how a book inspires me to go oa fish quilt journey.

-Alcohol Inks Tap Transfer, Seta Color and Derwent Watercolor Pencil Fun to use

This is an experiment I just did using the above mentioned items, it was lots of fun and was certainly  a learning process.I started with PDF Fabric(Prepared for Dyeing) , spayed it with water and applied inks, I then set it out in the sun to dry. Here is a quick view of the process:

After it was dry I started drawing with colored pencils, sharpies, seta-color paints and applied transfers with TAP

Grief Quilts - The Making of Ward Wilson

We all lose things in our lives, sometimes the  hole they leave behind needs to be filled, soothed or remembered. To capture a moment in time, a feeling or a thought I usually turn to art quilting. Quilting is a passion that is cathartic. Time can be lost while creating, time well lost when one sees the object created.
I have made several memory quilts, I have given some to friends, some to strangers and a few I kept.
To start, I need inspiration and for me it needs to be something that touches my heart. Pictures, songs, tragedy of others or beloved pets. With that thought in your heart go to the drawing board and start your memory quilt.

One of my most recent works can be seen here. This quilt was made in honor of my neighbor Ward Wilson. I think you will enjoy its progression. This piece was gifted to his widow, Jane Wilson.

 I hope it inspires you to create your own grief quilt!

Treework- Twilights Gloam or Black Hole Sun

I piece of fabric, yep that is all I used in this quilt. I had spilled some setacolor on the floor this summer and wiped it up with this cloth, The trees are made out of the ends of the piece I cut off, The dye had not hit that area. I glued the strips down and then I added a little quilting. Of course it is still in progress. I have added magic markers, dye pastel sticks and some black thread but I am going to add lots more stuff.
I want to do some bobbin work on the trees , shredded threads. beading etc but for mow , I have approx 1 hour into the project and it's coming to life.
I love trees, I love the way the light shines through them I could stare at them all day. To not be able to see the light shine thru the trees is a bad day.
I encourage you to try this, it's a great technique very relaxing too!!!!

Tree Work or I should be Doing Something Somewhere!!!

This quilt gave me the best laugh I have had in ages, I had just taken it off my machine when a really good friend walked in and saw it, she exclaimed " oh my god , you should be doing something somewhere" and I started to laugh. During any givin day, I'm a home care provider for a person with disabilities, watch my 5 year old grandson, run a small quilt shop, machine quilt peoples tops and run the largest machine quilting show in the country with my dear friend Janet-Lee Santeusanio !!! Yes I'm a slacker I should be doing something somewhere LOL.
But thats why I did this..... Its made with fabric strips, water soluble glue sticks and laundry markers. Fast and easy to do . The embellished leaves were purchased in a pack of 50 for $1 .
This Quilt is for sale on Etsy.