woven text

Fabric strips woven into a page from a Greek translation of The Iliad. Another rustic heart.

"Be patient toward all that is unresolved in your heart. and try to love the questions themselves." ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

The views from the two windows on my third floor studio. I don't have skylights but my next door neighbors do.

one secret spot

I've been working on a variety of hearts. This one is similar to the white sampler and is comprised of fabric, paper, beads, buttons and lace. It's a rustic piece with raw edges and I did enjoy making it. 

Earlier today I came across this quote by poet Louise Driscoll: "Within your heart, keep one still, secret spot where dreams may grow."

This is another view.  It is extremely cold here today.

a future project

Knowing how much I enjoy this particular mountain, my husband surprised me with a Christmas present of this piece of art by Margaret DuBois. This is an enamel. One of my planned projects is to do my version in fiber.

This is a photo I took from the car last fall as we were in sight of Tinker Mountain. 

a few days

Last week we drove to Massachusetts and this window was inside our hotel room. Although the picture looks dark, the room was actually very bright. The bridge was in New York.
The hearts were the sewing project I packed but only one has been appliqued onto a background square. Later we spent a couple of days in the mountains in Pennsylvania where I found these keys in an antique shop.

full wolf moon doll

For January's full wolf moon, I've used a quilted and embellished circle and a transparent cylinder for the body that includes images of wolf eyes. Also inside are rocks collected from a long ago vacation in Maine and bits of shimmery fabric. Embellishments include beads, found objects, hardware store findings, and crocheted wire with beads.

blue fans

Twenty-five years ago today was a Friday. I had been commissioned to make this quilt and I spent the day cutting out the pieces.

a little curve

Coiled wire, a curved glass piece and some beads. A beaded yo-yo. I don't know what the curved glass piece is for, probably a glass marble for flower arranging. I found a bag of them in the dollar store. About postcard-sized and not yet titled.

seventeen circles

Last fall I started a project that I left "simmering" while I thought about what to do about the center applique. I had decided that my original choice was too jarring so I put it aside and now I'm happy with my selection of a more subdued fabric. I'm wondering why I made 17 of them. Maybe the intent was to use 16 squares (4 x 4) and I made a spare? Now I'm actually thinking of using 9 of them and experimenting with the stitching so the end result will probably not be as traditional as it now appears. By the way, the blocks are all different.

a slow process

Some of the projects currently on my design wall. Things seem to be moving slowly. Well, actually, my projects seem to be moving slowly while time continues to zip along.

vintage sparks

Mostly vintage, I think I originally copied this pattern from a magazine I checked out of the library, long before I ever worked there. I returned the magazine before I quilted this small top so now I have no memory of my original intention. But that might be fun! I'll make something up, reckless embellishment maybe?

returning to color

Stripes and spirals, too. Returning to color.

moon doll

This is my progress so far on the Full Moon Art Doll Challenge hosted by Bea at Dog in the Hole Studio for January's full moon.


While the planned end result is an art doll, at this point it still looks more like a quilt.

sashiko

This little piece was my first (and so far only) attempt at sashiko. I had put it aside after completing it because I was disappointed with the result but since I did enjoy it I may try again.

erosion bundle in the snow

So far my erosion bundle has survived the snow and wind. Once in the middle of the night I awoke to imagined visions of it coming unbundled and blowing scattered throughout the neighborhood.

kind, true, necessary

This is a small project I also started on New Year's Day. There was an interesting article in today's Wall Street Journal about things to consider regarding words:

"Is it kind?

Is is true?

Is it necessary?"

a mixture

Yarn in the middle. An experiment in incorporating different textures.

blue and white

This weekend I thought about working on something white but instead worked on something blue.

The snow was lovely and outside it was peaceful and quiet.

really experimental

Something about this fabric inspired me to try something totally different. Since it isn't yet finished I'm not sure how it's going to work out. This is really kind of like using cheater fabric for me because in most of my work, the sections I'm working with are actually handpieced or appliqued in tiny increments.

then: using a hoop

My husband took this photo of me working on one of the first quilts I made. I think this was actually the second quilt I made and it is a wall hanging size log cabin. We still have it because I gave it to him for a Christmas present that year.

intent

Intent is the word I'm considering for a focus for this year. My intent, not someone else's. And taking the time and making the effort to define what it means for me and the work I'm creating.

twenty ten

Happy New Year! Last night we had lovely large snowflakes and the view outside today is white and still. This piece is postcard-sized with a scrunched center square and sparkly beads.