Finished

Yesterday I finished a project I have actually been working on for several years. It didn't work out the way I planned and isn't the work of art I thought it might be. That's okay. What I'm finding though, is that there is a tremendous emotional "let down" with having finished something I was that invested in. I have spent the day just puttering around and not really accomplishing anything. I don't seem to know what to do with myself. I wonder if others feel the same way.

Happy Day!

I finished the Golden Labyrinth and took it off the frame. Disaster! When the fabric relaxed, the couched gold distorted! I had no idea how to fix this. I took it to the framer, who had it finished and back to me within 4 days and it's perfect! Isn't it great when you have a framer who's a genius?

I've also been trying to figure out how to use some silk paper I made last summer. I made a journal quilt that seemed to work and then discovered that I didn't have enough of the very beautiful and totally "right" background fabric to make anything bigger. So I picked another fabric that works but isn't my first choice. A friend has been struggling with how to crate wind in her work. I wanted to try, and ended up doing it in FMQ. Not too bad, but I did learn that my FMQ would really benefit from a stitch regulator! Now to try something else. Not sure what.

Been missing

It has been awhile since I published anything. I have been very, very busy working on my golden labyrinth piece. I have finally finished the goldwork and now just have the rose quartz chip beads that surrond it to do. I had hoped to get it to the framer on Monday but I took some time off this afternoon to take a book binding course! What a delight! It was a very simple sewn book, but it's finished with a pretty blue cover and some beads sewn onto the closure. I even had enough supplies left to make a matching book mark! But, the stress on my wrists was enough to make any fancy stitching impossible tonight. I'll have to sleep in my wrist braces tonight,and hope that I can get some stitching done tomorrow. I know that people are finding labyrinths a source of peace, and I'm finding the same peace working the very repetitive couching, so much so that I want to try a similar piece with a slightly different concept. I have been reading about the turf labyrinths made, mainly in Britain but actually, all over the world. They have been around for hundreds of years but are now finding a revival. People are finding peace by walking the cirles carved into the very earth itself. What if I tried to represent this type of labyrinth in a quilted hanging? I think I'm having an "aha" moment. This may well be my next project.

Saturday Evening

I spent last evening with friends. It was a get together organized by the local embroidery store. We all pitched in, and then a huge supper was provided, some games, and gossip, and shopping. It's nice to touch base with friends this way, and it's a relaxing way to spend the evening. I guess this is the time of year when we examine relationships, being thankful for those we value and finding out who values us.

Today's the day

Just the lull before the storm. This will probably be one of my busiest days of the year. Two sales today, the only two all year long. One is at the Craft Museum where I have five (count'em) ornaments on consignment. Shoppers there usually go for cheaper stuff, so I'm not optimistic, but I still volunteered to be there for the morning. Then this afternoon a sale at Dalnavert Museum. I have a little more stuff there--some of my boxes, but they still tend to be a litle pricey for Winnnipeg. I'll be there for the afternoon. Then rush home and off to a social gahering at the local needlework store. At least there I'll get supper. I had to scramble to get some take-along work for that as most of the stuff I'm doing now either isn't portable, or requires too much concentration to work on in a crowd.

Over the next week I'll be very busy getting teaching samples ready to present at a meeting December 3rd. I have to do a presentation to the Embroiderers' guild on Post Cards on December 1st ( Have to remember that it's a Pot Luck, and find food somewhere) Then every spare minute will be spent working on my labyrinth, as they want it finished for January 1st. Sorry, it's for publication and I can't post any pictures.

Emotions

I've been trying to make some sample journal quilts depicting emotion. This is very, very difficult. I wonder if you can ever create something showing emotion, if you are not actually experiencing that emotion at the time. I wanted to depict "joy" and tried to make fireworks. They came out fairly well, but not nearly as bright or as cheerful as I had wanted. Then I tried for anger. I painted the fabric with blacks and greys, thinking of adding slashes of red. I tried to make the grey as a background of a maelstrom, by swirling the colours, and then using large drops of water to create voids. I wanted a central focus as I know I'am much more comfortable with asymetry. The painted fabric was wonderful! But I just couldn't force myself to add the red. It needed nothing. I FMQ'd the swirls and added a few crystal beads and now have a wonderful little journal quilt, but it has nothing to do with anger. There has been a thread on one of my internet groups on showing emotion with quilts. They are talking about how hard it is and now I believe.

I need the journal quilts as I've been asked to teach a course on journal quilting. Now how do you do that, when journal quilts are so very personal and very much one-of-a-kind?

I have applied for two shows this fall, and now know that I will be involved in both of them in some way. I was stunned when I heard. I never expected that sort of acceptance so early in this journey. But both pieces were metal thread, hand embroidered. I guess people like the shiney stuff. At the same time I'm starting on the intermediate metal thread correspondence course. Bit of a giggle, there.

Update

Well I did make money at the sale. Not a lot, but enough to encourage me to try again. Now I've managed to get in to the studio and clean up a bit. I actually found some threads I had put aside for the flame piece I mentioned awhile back. I had forgotten I even had them. When I pulled them out and tried them against the fabric I dyed, they went together perfectly! If only I could find the time to actually do it. I now have two classes to prepare for. One on the trapped flower technique I mentioned back a bit, and the other on journal quilting. I've also promised to make a presentation on fabric post cards to the Ebroiderers' Guild on Dec 1st. Maybe I should start working on that. It is just so great to look at my calendar and realize that next week I have no meetings etc and can spend all day in the studio if I choose to. The next big sale is the 25th but I've decided not to kill myself trying to make a whole bunch of stuff that won't sell. I have greeting cards, postcards, purses and funky bags. That will just have to be enough. Also, it would probably be an idea to at least think about doing some housework! It would be neat to get a few more pictures on this blog too.