Sun prints and "Joy"

I pulled out my inks, (Tsukineo) and Prisma pencils to put some details into Joy's flowers.

I love the flowers I did but I am not going to use them in this piece. I like the look of the simple sun print better than the dolled up ones. It is closer to what I want the piece to represent. Hopefully I can get it out of my head and onto the design wall at least close to what I see.

I did put some detail on a few of the ones set aside for the piece but not much and I stopped short of overload, at least I hope I did.

These orange pics are a before and after. This one will go into "joy".

Here is the design idea before the added details.

I am still hoping to have worked on this enough to have it ready for hand embelishing before we leave for Florida. The thought of sitting on (or near) the beach with the kids playing and me stitching is very peaceful.

I could use some peaceful, how about you?

Where will Joy lead?

The sun dye pieces I did the other day caught in my head and Since I finished the commission quilt top I decided to throw them on the design wall.

I love to use my digital camera when I am designing. I take a picture of everything I audition, put it in a folder on my computer and then I can flip back and forth between them. It really helps to see the strong points and the flaws of a design.

Something like this

There are more pics, but why bore you? This piece is called "Joy", and it feels like it. I was thinking lap quilt but one of the layouts shouted wall hanging so that is where we head. It is something I plan on having fun with and not fretting over. Some ink, beads embroidery. Just joy. That is why the Lord made artists, to bring Him glory with pure Joy. I pray I bring Him some kind of glory. At least a smidge.

Now for the extra sun dyed pieces, should I put them on Etsy or hoard them? They were not planned, just a fun jaunt, but I do like them. They have that suede look you can do with MX dyes and soy. Yum, eye candy.

Dead Mouse

I killed a mouse yesterday. On accident. I feel stupid and horrible. I get mice in my studio on and off all the time. They eat my paint sticks. So I trap them in these humane little cubes that they can get into but cant get out of. Then I take them to the woods and let them go. Usually.
I put out the trap when I saw him meandering about, no biggie. A piece of shredded wheat and some peanut butter. Healthy mouse food. Then I left the studio.
The problem was I didn't go back for a few days. With nothing pending, no rinse out no wash no nothing I forgot about the trap.
Like I said, stupid and horrible. Poor mouse died in that little "humane" cube. Scared confused and hungry.Probable more thirsty then hungry, after all he had the BAIT. UGHHHH.
I told the Lord I was sorry, and He forgives, Oh Praise Him!
But the mouse, the poor little mouse.....

Random Tuesday

I sat down to finish the commission quilt today. I sewed one long seam and knew I had to oil and clean.

I love my old singers, being able to take care of them myself, being connected to all those who sewed before me. Yes, dramatic, but I do love those singers!

I rehabbed and sold them for a few years. It was always gratifying and profitable. I stopped when I had no more room in the house. I sold them one by one, the good ones I had nurtured. I miss my treadle redeye the most. Although my green Godzilla finish was pretty cool.

I kept my 99 - Althea, and she resides in the living room so that I can sew when the family is sitting down.

An old 127 hand crank that is just gorgeous, her name is Sonya.

My black featherweight- Grace, she is in my dry studio and she is the one who had the "spa" treatment today.

Belle is my mint green featherweight, she goes with me when I travel. I bought her in Florida when I was down visiting for my niece's graduation. (this is her graduation quilt) I found her, Belle, in an antique shop. She needed some work but she was still beautiful and strong. I replaced some inner broken parts, cleaned her , tuned her up and Voila! When I came home with her she road on the plane in my lap. That was a pain, but completely worth it!

I also have a 201 in the attic that I use to free motion quilt with. Now she could use a bath!

So today, so far, I sidestepped the last few seams on the commission piece but enjoyed some time tinkering with tools.

Not bad for a random Tuesday, I am so blessed !!! :o)

Sun printing

Here are some pictures of the sun prints I did. I use a soy/mx dye mix for my sunprinting. I wanted to get into the sun and work so I just did some quick ones. I do like them, I think I am going to make a quick lap quilt with them, maybe take it to florida with me in May to do some light handwork on it. Who knows. The pictures are after heat set but before washout. I used several of my "uglies" and a comercial print. I have not used a comercial print for sun prints before, it went well.

It is scrap from my daughters applique quilt from like 1997. I don't think i will ever be out of those left overs!

Upstate Ny in April

Upstate NY in April.

Last week I was snow dyeing, this week I did some sun printing.
I was thrilled with the snow, I even emptied all of the food out of our extra freezer to fill it with snow. I collected 13 buckets of the fluffy white stuff. I love the extra variable the snow can add to dyeing. It changes strike rate, crawl speed. Everything can be tweaked and explored. Endless opportunities. I have put some of them up on my Etsy site, some I have set aside to use, some I still need to list.
Truth be told I am at the point that I am just into the fabric, the first stage of creation. Kind of like the kids, as they continue through life and need me less and less I try to fill life with other things. I do not feel drawn to them (the fabric) as I am drawn to the clean white pieces screaming for color. I love them, I created them, but I am hopeful that they will belong to someone else to continue them on to completion.
I sell them to continue buying supplies and to see (hopefully) what they were meant to be. Where they may lead someone else.
Which is exactly my job with the kids, I just can't sell the kids :o)