Thursday, May 4, 2006

Filling My Pot

Dscn1383 Hi Marti! This is Marti's quilt that was hanging at AQS. Marti lives here and comes to the Carnegie Art Quilt Network meetings and is a member of the River City Fiber Group and one of the curators for Form, Not Function.  This makes me want to just dive right into dyeing!



Dscn1384 This is DebR's other quilt in the exhibit...you go girl with your 2 quilts-in-the-exhibit self!  DebR's other quilt can be seen here with the lovely Gabrielle standing in as DebR's double. 



Dscn1432 This is Sheril's quilt who I've yet to meet in person but who is active in the state guild which I've just joined so possibly sometime in the coming months I'll meet her at a state guild function.



One of the main highlights for me was the miniature exhibit which I could hardly get close to for the crowd, but Teri had a wonderful miniature displayed and MAQS will now have a permanent exhibit of miniatures. 



Another highlight was meeting Gabrielle in person.  She saw me first and without hesitation I knew who she was and although way too brief it was like running into a friend that I hadn't seen in ages. Of course then I had to make sure I pointed out Gabrielle's quilts to my sister, Deborah, so that she could connect the dots.  And lord, my great grandmother would have loved loved loved her hand quilting stitches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   She favored small stitches that I never achieved to suit her.  Gabrielle, if you stop by and read this, who taught you to hand quilt and what tips can you share?



The Fine Focus exhibit enthralled me! I loved the size, the designs, and the space!  It really made me hungry to enter more exhibits.  We did make it over to Hancock's and Caryl's studio and she was there and was very gracious.  It will definitely be a stop next year when we return. 



There are no words I can muster that would be anywhere near adequate for the amount of details in both of Sharon Schaumber's winning quilts.  Here are images of the backs:Dscn1437 (click on the picture to enlarge the image)



Dscn1439 Dscn1435



  Below is the one quilt that I went absolutely ga-ga over.  The inverted triangle shaped jewelry around her head are actual metal pieces that hang loosely.  Dscn1408 It was made by Debra Svitil and is entitled Mwanamwali. Dscn1409 Dscn1410



This revigorated my love for faces so I came home and pulled out a dvd I had ordered a couple of years ago by Lura Schwarz Smith called Faces in Fabric.  In addition to watching it I actually made an attempt.  This is my great niece Carmen: Dscn1454



Another quilt that I had trouble walking away from was Future City Dscn1425  by Masumi Kako from Japan. It reminded me of the quilts of Anna Williams and Nancy Crow. An April 4th entry on Fibermania, Melody Johnson's blog outlines a history lesson on Ms Williams and her influence.



Deborah, not a quilter (yet), did feel inspired to embroider some past holiday gifts that had been languishing.  See what she did for me!Dscn1451 Dscn1453 I also have a nightgown with Karoda on it has well.  Wearing them just makes me feel fabulous!



Dscn1456 Dscn1445 And here are my new favorite earrings. Made of glass and purchased at Just Creations



Tomorrow I'm going to do 2 more faces in fabric using Schwarz Smith's techniques and also attempt one using Bonnie McCaffery's technique.  I've never been satisfied with ones I've made in fabric...I'll put a comparison up tomorrow or the day after...no, that will be Derby and we'll be at my parents for a cookout and our annual Derby pot....so hopefully by Sunday night.  One of them is destined to become my April journal.



Other things that I achieved this month is memberships...I joined LAFTA (Louisvile Area Fiber and Textile Art), I joined the state quilting guild and the quilt art chapter within the guild, I joined SAQA, SDA, NQA, and AQS.  The beautician that does my daughter's hair is also an art quilter and she has scheduled a meeting in late may for African American quilters that I plan to attend.  I'm really not a "joiner" type person, or at least I can say I haven't been much of one in the past but I am open to the journey and this all seems fun to me.  With the anticipation of moving in a few months I've become antsy and excited about having a room of my own to sew in and possibly dye and feed the surface design urge I have more fully and daydreaming about it has just about consumed me...but as my great-grand would say "a half caught chicken don't fill my pot" so I think the memberships have been attempts to fill my pot.



I wish I could remember which recipe I used for the salmon and asparagus, but I don't. I just remember it was good and everyone was satisfied.  But I'm sure I'll try most of the recipes over a period of time and I appreciate those who sent them to me.  I'm a recipe collector and love to experiment in the kitchen.



19 comments:

  1. Thanks for the pic of my other quilt, Karoda!! (Wish you'd put yourself in it too!)
    That quilt by Debra Svitil - do you know if the shading in the face is done with paint or threadwork or some other way?

    ReplyDelete
  2. You've been so busy! Love the pictures of the quilts and how nice to meet Gabrielle in person. Glad you have your accessories labeled...if we room together some day, yours will say "Karoda" and mine will say "Princess Aspiring to Queen." :0 Good for you on your joining spree! Lots of inspiration on deck with these groups. Glad you're back...

    ReplyDelete
  3. You've been busy , sure sounds like you're a "joiner" to me now. It was great to see the pics.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Whew!! Your pot is full and I am excited for you. You sound full of life and energy and that is all good! thanks for the tour of Paducah!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is a lovely picture of you and Gabrielle on G's blog.
    I've got Bonnie's book too - must have a go sometime. Keep us updated on yours!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow! You've been busy! Oh, to live in Kentucky in the springtime...

    ReplyDelete
  7. You are wonderful. Thank you for even finding my quilt. It wasn't easy.
    Keep up your work. Have you finished your last piece? At AQS I bought a set of textile ink pens. They would be wonderful for finishing the edges of your children. Love, Marti

    ReplyDelete
  8. The piece you did of Carmen looks fantastic. Looks like you are going to be really busy with all of those groups. Where are you moving to?

    ReplyDelete
  9. wow the one of your great niece Carmen ... I would love to see the results and what a beauty she is indeed.
    Sandy

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh Karoda, love your embroidered gear! And great to see that pic of you with Gabrielle.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Did she say WHY? she put she covered the BACK side with crystals? I mean it looks great except for the sleeve on the back. If you go to the trouble of making the back so good, why not make it completely finished including the sleeve? I've done it on 2 big quilts & I know Elsie Vredenberg did it on one. It is a spectacular quilt,I just wonder why (it's a fault I have).
    Your guess on my 2nd blog is 1/2 right. I'll post the answer soon.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I like your faces! I took a class last spring with Joan Jones from "Seams Like Home" on faces. I planned to do something with my children's pictures - but WOW! So much to do, so little time!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for the lovely pictures. I am glad you are feeling energetic.
    Salmon and asparagus...mmmm. I cook them on the grill. Jen

    ReplyDelete
  14. Loverly photos... I'm baffled by making the back so pretty...
    While eating lunch one day last week, i heard the next table talking about a strange way to cook salmon. Get a complete fillet (1/2 the fish), season it and wrap in 2 layers of heavy duty foil, then place on the top rack of the dishwasher and run a full cycle. (no soap obviously). I'm not sure what the purpose is... except to say I cooked this in the dishwasher.

    ReplyDelete
  15. The photos are great...
    You are going to be one busy girl running to all those groups....I can't wait to hear about your experiences...;)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Fantastic! Love the photos and the things with your name on them! I joined all the major orgs like that too about a year ago. I figured, if I'm taking myself seriously, then I need to be a member of those associations because you never know what opportunities can result from doing so!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Looks like you've been very busy - Great job on your great niece's face! Thanks, by the way, for the encouragement on going back to school. I'm getting my masters in Teaching! (It's been quite awhile since I've done homework myself!!)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Karoda, thanks for dropping by - glad you thought Mrs S. was funny,too; I thought I was the only one! Loved reading through your blog. Can't BELIEVE the crazy medical system you guys have to suffer with. Seems if you're going to be unwell you better be rich.
    Will be back to check out more quilts :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Know you are very busy and hope you are well. Also hope that the prospective move is getting along with as little stress as possible (always an exciting and overwhelming undertaking).

    ReplyDelete

Swatching it!

Well, well, well...look who is swatching!  The plan (here goes...) is to knit my grand daughter a sweater.  This will be my first knitted ...