The Stack

It's all about facings, labels and sleeves in my sewdio today.  I've finished several pieces and have to get two ready to send off to that exhibit in France I mentioned.

The Stack

I like to use a 'pillow-case' facing when I have enough fabric, preferably to match the backing.  You can see that I'm not particular about what I use for backing -- I have yards of that brown-and-white print.  It was given me some years ago in a bag of fabric someone didn't want.  If I don't have enough fabric for a pillow-case facing, I will make one out of strips instead -- generally without mitred corners.  Life's too short to fuss with mitering!!

The top piece you see there is "Big Sky Country", and right underneath that is "Rural Rhythms".  The third piece down (see that bit of blue sticking out?) is one I set aside several months ago because I was having trouble with it.  I didn't like the way the ribbon I was using seemed to pouch out.  I removed the ribbon, densely free-motion stitched the underlying quilt -- and put it away.  I'd dyed more ribbon, but was still worried about how it would lie on the top.

Sunday, I decided "Enough is ENOUGH!" and I dug the piece out.  I worked on it most of the day; after adding the ribbon, I went back into the trees and the bush on the lower right with a bit of paint and pen to add some texture.  Here's what it looks like now, facing applied and waiting for a label so I can finish the back:

Waiting for the Train (C) 2014

Detail - water and rushes

Detail - truck and rushes

I accented the ribbon with a bit of tapestry yarn.  Then, in addition to having 'firmed up' the underlying quilt with dense stitching, I applied a very light dusting of Bo-Nash bonding powder on them and pressed the heck out of them.  They still have texture but they lie flat and don't 'pouch out' from the surface.  I'm happy with it at last!  (For the original inspirational photo, click HERE.)

And one thing actually got finished yesterday:

"Little Sheep" Pin Pillow

Design: One of the "Little Sheep Virtues" from Little House Needleworks. Size: 6" square before stuffing. Stuffed with 100% wool batting from stash.  :-)

'Scuse me now...I have some backings to finish!

Winter School and Other Things

Those of you who've been following this blog for some time have likely figured out I'm a bit of a perpetual student.  Having finished with the C&G (December 2012) I pretty quickly set up a "Self-directed Summer School".  It should come as no surprise then that late last year I signed up for an online class with Pamela Allen entitled "About Contrast".

We are now almost through Week 2, so I thought I'd share what I've been learning.  Karol Kusmal is a class-mate; I've been relieved to read in our class forum that she's been having challenges similar to mine.  (Grin)

We've begun with some colour theory, and in Week 1 had to try out mono-chromatic or low contrast pieces.  I had a miniature in mind already, so I submitted this as my first piece (yes, I shared it recently HERE):

January Afternoon (C) 2014

It didn't quite meet expectations (only 2 fabrics used), so I tried again, but still in miniature:

Sample with stack of potential fabric

Again, not quite...so I promised to work larger and from a wider stash of fabric for Week 2.  :-)

This week we had to create a 2-colour work, preferably in collage style.  I'm not fond of collage, even though that's how many might classify my pieces.  I prefer to think that my main technique is a combination of piecing and fused applique.  Semantics aside, here's the stash I dove into for my second piece, focusing on blues and browns:

I cut out a foundation fabric that was 18" square, thinking I might use this for my next 15 x 15 piece, as our February/March theme is "Contrast" (I kid you not!), applied fusible in my usual way and, thinking about my favourite local landscapes, drew inspiration from this photo:

Slough on the way from Mirror to Alix, Alberta

From which I'd originally created this miniature:

Autumn at the Slough (C) 2013

And yesterday afternoon I put together this collage:

Working Title: Big Sky Country: Autumn at the Slough Redux

It needs sandwiching and quilting to become anything...so we shall see what transpires.  :-)

Other Things have continued under construction: Mark on the Body (a new post on that blog next week); Deterioration of Civility (embroidery happening now, quasi-trapunto, to be shared later); my daughter's sock (heel turned, working down the foot); and this newer piece -- from Little House Needleworks "Sheep Virtues" series, for my friend B's birthday in early February:

Friendship Sampler

(I'd love to collect the series but money and time don't permit it.  You don't wanna know the size of my embroidery supply stash -- the third "F" in my company's name, 3F: Fabric, Fibre and Floss...)

Linking up with Nina Marie's Off the Wall Friday (even though it's now Saturday morning)...and going back to my stitching.  Why don't you pour a cuppa something and join me?