Vintage Singer Machine

I was browsing through a quaint little antique and junk shop last week and found a nice cabinet for my daughter's machine.  I thought with some work it would be really pretty.  Then I found it housed an old singer.  Now that was covered in black grease and layers and layers of dust.  I plugged it in and it worked great.  So now I am the owner of a 1948 model 15 Singer sewing machine.

The cabinet turned out beautiful just by rubbing it with dark oak restoring stuff.  The machine cleaned up quiet nicely, as well.

My silk dyed fabric from Betty Busby's workshop.

Here are some dried samples of silk dyed over lace and other textures done in Betty Busby's workshop.  Be sure to click the thumbnails to see all the detail.

 These silks were dyed first and then have shiva paintsticks added.

I am planning to add tree silhouettes to this one for a recreation of the view from our back porch in the morning. (actually I see this from the kitchen sink window)

Betty Busby Workshop

Last Thursday and Friday I was privileged to get to attend a workshop given by Betty Busby.  We learned about non-woven materials and painting and dyeing with paintsticks, acrylics, ink-intense pencils, and fabric dye.  Betty is an extremely good and generous teacher.  We learned a lot and had lots of fun.  Here are some pictures of the workshop.

Not mine- but one of my favorite pieces

A section of one of Betty's quilts

Berea Quilt Extravaganza

Yesterday,  My quilt "Trail of Tears receive the Viewers Choice Award at the Berea Quilt Extravaganza.  I was really honored as there were so many beautiful quilts  to choose from.  I was genuinely surprised.   My thanks to all who voted.   The greatest aspect was not the award, but finding how my quilt touched people and evoked emotion.  Here is a picture of the Berea Arts Council director and me in front of my quilt.

"Trail of Tears

This is my road trip quilt for my Berea group.  It is entitled "Trail of Tears."  It is to commemorate the Cherokee Indians who suffered during the Indian Removal Act.

Poem: 

Trail of Tears

Spring does not erase

Our passage

Nor warm the lingering spirits

Left behind, far from home.

Wagons rumble on, as we lie
In shallow graves, names not spoken.

Four thousand brethren forever
On the trail where we cried.

Betrayed by broken promises,

Forced to leave the land

We tended for countless moons.

Miles and miles through frozen valleys,

Trees the only witness

The wind the only answer to our tears.

What I've been up to...

I have not posted because I have been busy working on my challenge quilt for QAK, Quilt Artists of Kentucky,  Quilts with a Kick Exhibit.  The challenge this year:  “Search for an APRON to inspire your design for the 2013 QAK challenge.  It’s that simple!  No strings attached to this challenge except to use a technique new to you.  Search your kitchen drawer, your mother’s, grandfather’s!!, anybody’s.  Try boutiques, flea markets… The apron is the impetus, not to be copied, for your work. “
  
The exhibit is now up at the Berea Arts Council.  They did a fabulous job hanging so many quilts.  The Exhibit runs from July 8th - August 23rd.    My Quilt has a very long title: "Broken Apron Strings; Women Pioneering Reform in Kentucky."   Eight of these quilts quilts and a couple of alternates are selected from this group of quilts and photos are submitted to the American Quilt Society (AQS) as entries in the Guild Challenge quilts that are shown at the AQS show in Michigan the following July.
So with this possibility no photos available.

I will also have another challenge quilt I am working on for our "Road Trip challenge.  My quilt is called "Trail of Tears."  I cannot show a photo, but I will share the original poem I wrote for this quilt.  A special thanks to my husband who assisted with the editing.  This quilt will be hanging during the Berea Quilt Extravaganza Exhibit August 2nd and 3rd.

Trail of Tears

Spring does not erase

Our passage

Nor warm the lingering spirits

Left behind, far from home.

Wagons rumble on, as we lie
In shallow graves, names not spoken.

Four thousand brethren forever
On the trail where we cried.

Betrayed by broken promises,

Forced to leave the land

We tended for countless moons.

Miles and miles through frozen valleys,

Trees the only witness

The wind the only answer to our tears.

Quilt Blogger's Festival - viewers choice

Nominate your favorite quilt from the festival for a Viewer’s Choice award by going to this Quilt Blogger's Festival and scroll down to the large nomination box.
My quilts are Fruit of the Spirit and Feeding Time.   Look around at all the categories and nominate a quilt for the viewers choice.   Come back and vote for the best in each category.

Fruit of the Spirit

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Spring 2013 

It's time for the Blogger's Spring Quilt Festival.

Please thank the organizer Amy from Amy's Creative Side for all her hard work setting this up and the wonderful sponsers

This year we are allowed to enter two quilts.  My 2nd quilt is "Feeding Time." It is entered in the Art Quilt category.  This quilt is 65 1/2" by 75".

 This quilt is made of batik, my hand painted fabric, cotton.  It is my original design. The four corner flowers were cut stacked and cut freehand.   The two side panels were stacked and the design was drawn freehand and cut with scissors.   

 

 This flowerer was free cut from one piece of black and put over a batik fabric and appliquéd .  If you look you will notice that the flower contains a dove and a figure inside.  The roots (cursive words) were cut as one piece of fabric and appliquéd.

Have fun looking at all the quilts and take time to vote on your favorite!

Feeding Time

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Spring 2013 

It's time for the Blogger's Spring Quilt Festival.

Please thank the organizer Amy from Amy's Creative Side for all her hard work setting this up and the wonderful sponsers

This year we are allowed to enter two quilts.  My 1st quilt is "Feeding Time." It is entered in the wallhanging category. 

  Feeding Time was inspired by the following haiku poem that I wrote:

young geisha delights

envisioning diamonds and pearls

koi flash and sparkle

 Size: 53 ½" X 41 ½" 

This quilt is my original design.  The background is constructed using curve piecing of batik and some of my hand dyed fabric. The Black outline was cut from whole cloth and fused to fabric and then appliquéd to quilt. Tree branches are made dimensional using trapunto. Cherry blossoms are made of fused fabric and beads.  Some fish are overlaid with angelina fibers.

This entire quilt was constructed and quilted on my home sewing machine.

Close-ups

 

What else is in bloom today!

A few new Iris and other flowers.