I haven't been sitting idle all this time...

An older post sitting in draft...

I also made a baby quilt for my nieces third child, a baby girl...Laila Grace.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture.  

In between, I have been working on a peacock quilt, which is have to finish after I finish 2 baby quilts I am making for a cousin who delivered twins prematurely in Dec.  The shower is Feb 1st, so I have to get them finished. 

I can't believe I haven't posted since September!  I have been quite busy sewing, so it seems strange I haven't posted :-).

Here are just a few of the things I have been working on...  I quilted 2 pieces for a friend this fall. I really loved the green and white piece the whole time she was making it.  She has it already, so I can share. Not sure how we'll the quilting shows up, but she loved it.  The other one, I will show after she picks it up.  The quilt didn't really speak to me when she was making it, but as soon as she asked me to quilt it, it started talking real loud.  I had such a great time quilting it, it had such a strong identity. As you know I am not a traditional quilter, but this piece has changed that :-).  

Next I had 2 tuffets to make for my great nieces Christmas presents.  I had seen them at the Mancuso show in Manchester, Maine in August and knew exactly who I had to make it for.  The pattern is by Auntie Anne's Too, in the Wingspan Crafts booth.  I brought the forms at the show, wish I had brought the pattern, but I figures it out.  I also used my embroidery unit for the first time, adding a monogram to the back of the ribbon.

Yes, I still exist!

So many of you have probably wondered where in the world have I been....  yikes over a year since my last post.   So much has happened, life has changed, but I have kept plowing through.  But yes, all is more than ok.

There has been too much that has happened to try to catch you up on a year of my life, so instead, I will share some quilts and then over the next few weeks I will fill in some of the blanks...

So consider this a picture post :-)...

See You Soon....

Hugs!

Dream Big

This year my chosen word is "Focus" and so I am going to use that as my reason for being so quiet this first quarter...lol...  yeah that is my story and I am sticking to it... :-)

No seriously, I have been very focused the first 3 months of the year creating art.  My first series for the year is called "Dream Big".  It was inspired by the anniversary of man's first walk on the moon and Misty Copeland being named the first female African American Principal Ballerina for the American Ballet Theatre.  The main feature of the series, you have already seen the beginnings of and it still needs it's final touches, so I won't include it here.

Instead I want to share the supporting cast.  6, small, 19" squares....  I made all the tops first, because I wanted the energy, the emotion to flow from one piece to another.  Then I quilted them all and then of course I embellished them.  My husband thought it was an assembly line..  but for me it felt like I was in a zone..  as if they were all one piece...  connected in some way.  and I don't think I could be happier.  It is the first time I have worked like this.  Not my first series, but the first time I moved freely from one to another as I created them.  I would get so far on one and stop...  couldn't figure out the angle of the dancer or the color or type of clothing, so I would pick up one of the others, until bam, I knew what the other piece needed.  The same went for the quilting and which motif I would use where.

So without further adue...  here they are.  Only the first 2 have names that I am happy with at the moment, but that is ok..  it is part of the process....

Reach for the Moon

Leap of Faith

 On Top of MY Game

Giving It All I Have

Why Not

Yes I Did!  

I am still playing with ribbon color and ribbon length, so you can still see the pins in this pick...

I hope you have enjoyed a peak into my last 3 months...  I so enjoyed working on these...  It was actually a creative high....  This week I posted the first 2 in a couple of quilting groups on Facebook and the response was overwhelming.  It was really humbling.  Actually had a few people reach out to inquire about buying a piece.  Yes, it felt good....  I love it when others love my work as much as I do.

In addition to these pieces...  while I waited to decide how to embellish them,  I started on my next series...  the focal piece is almost done.  All quilted in fact...  and I have sketches for the 6 smaller pieces done as well.  Not sure I will go underground again as I create..  I never plan, I just do as I feel...  which is why it is important to me that the viewer feels as well. :-)

Hugs...
Renee

The Rhythmic Art of Thread, by Harlem Needle Arts

I was fortunate a couple of weeks ago, to get the chance to go to the Opening Reception of The Rhythmic Art of Thread, by the Harlem Needle Arts group.  The exhibit which is up until January 15, 2016 is at The LeRoy Neiman Art Center in Harlem.  

Here are a few of the pieces by people I know.

These first 3 are by Laura Gadson.

I love this piece...had to hold myself back from buying it.  Hopefully it will still be available after the holidays ....  It is all wool felted,

This piece is made by Lisa Shephard.

These two are by Sherri Shine,  Correction, Sherri is an artist I do not know.  But, I would love to meet her.

Hope you enjoyed the view!  Why don't you try and make a trip to the gallery.  There are many more beautiful pieces on display!

Forgot to share...

I almost forgot to share the quilt we made for the 20th Anniversary of Storytellers in Cloth.  As I mentioned in my last post, this group of women have been getting together once a year to quilt and enjoy one another's company for the last 20 years.  I was invited to join just in time for their 15th anniversary celebration, 5 years ago.

In prep for the 20th Anniversary, they asked all of the 50+ women to make a block that would go into a quilt to commemorate the occasion.  Most were asked to make 6 1/2" blocks, 5 (including myself) were asked to make 18 1/2" blocks to serve as medallion blocks.  We were all given one fat quarter of either blue or yellow fabric and we were allowed to add other blue or yellow fabrics, but nothing else.  The blocks could be embellished, but the embellishment could not protrude more than 1/2".

Well, here was my contribution....  I used my Silhouette Cameo cutter to cut the letters, so much easier.  I love my Cameo...

And here is the entire quilt...  51 - 6 1/2" blocks were submitted, by 46 quilters, plus the 5 medallion blocks.  It is amazing how the piece just shines, considering we all took the design to a different level..

A weekend of bliss...

Run, run, run... Work, family, obligations.  That is my life, and while I love it, it is weekends like these that make it all worthwhile.  Yes, I admit, I love my crazy life, but in the end it is being able to enjoy the pleasures of life that is so great.  Take my vacation to Italy this summer, along the Amalfi Coast.  Oh it was wonderful.  But as great as it was, I still believe spending a weekend with my quilting sisters, doing nothing but quilting, chatting and laughing is even better!  Crazy right?

Think about it... and you just might agree...

I spent 4 days with 62 women, who all love to do the same thing I love, yet who won't care a bit if I sewed all weekend, or just strolled around chatting with everyone, never opening up my machine... Who encourage me to stretch my boundaries, but yet are just as happy if I just sewed squares all weekend.  No demands, no expectations, just be there and allow yourself to fuel your tank anyway it needs to be fed!

On top of all that these women are amazing artists, all at different levels of self awareness, accomplishment and notoriety.  This was the groups 20th year of getting together (I have only been a member for 6 years).  To celebrate we put on a show that we opened to the public.  One viewer who is the president of one of the largest Northeast Guilds made a very valid observation....how often do you get to see a wonderful show, where all the quilters are in attendance and of whom you can asked questions on technique and materials?  I would venture to say never.. That is except for last weekend.  All but one of the 50+ quilts, were made by someone at the retreat/show!

I didn't not take pictures of them all, but I did take pics of some that were new to me or moved in such a way I wanted to share them with you...

Here are pieces made by Yuanita Yaeger...http://www.juanitayeager.com

Here are some quilts by Lola Jenkins. Lola was our featured speaker for the weekend as well.  She is not a member of the group, but we are hoping she decides to come back and join us again.

I think you would agree... Absolutely wonderful.... Now you know why I enjoy getting together with these amazing quilting sisters.... Pure inspiration!

Until next year you quilting sisters....

Renee

Fire Dancer Wins at Quilts Unlimited!

So while my last post was about the show, I forgot to let you know that Fire Dancer was awarded the NQA Ribbon for "Best Use of Color". I was jumping for joy, right along with the dancer in the quilt.

At the reception last month it received wonderful comments from viewers, as did my two other quilts in the main exhibit.  

Interesting enough, even though I added some shading to "On Pointe" to highlight the fact that she was casting a shadow on the floor, with the bright lights of the gallery, only I knew the shading was there.  Guess that piece comes back into the studio when she comes home for a bit of a touch up.... 😌.