Sunday, July 10, 2011

Good intentions, and some finishes

They say it takes time to establish a new habit.  Well, blogging is a new habit for me.  I really thought I'd be making at least a post or two per month, but time slips away.  Oh, well,  I'm here now, so what have I been up to?

Several finishes from my UFO pile - not sure where the pictures are right now.

More of the Needle Delights - Color Delights series.  I get this monthly as a autoship and enjoy Kathy's designs.  Each square is 72 x 72 on 18 count mono canvas with a variety of threads.  These are indeed delightful.

Have started some work on some correspondence courses.  I want to learn so many different things.  At least I have the instructions, and in most cases the materials.  Someday...

Big new start:  one of my stitching groups has started on Jeannette Douglas's "My Stitching Album".  The group started at a local craft store (which has since closed), working on Emie Bishop's "Unfinished Sampler".  Long story, that I'll save for another time.  Some people have left, others have joined, but the group continues to meet about once a month.

Here's a link to Jeannette's site and the project.  This is the first link I've tried adding.  You may need to copy/paste.
http://www.jeannettedouglas.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=65

Some of the group are doing the pages with Jeannette's thread packs.  One woman has picked some adventurous fabrics to personalize the look.  Another woman finds silks difficult to use, so we're picking some overdyed cottons. 

My choice? Well, I picked a 'base' fabric of Lakeside Linens Maritime White (32 count) for alternate pages, and an assortment of fabrics for the other pages.  My dream is to design some pages of my own to add to the book.  So if I start with a mix, it won't look out of place if I can't get a perfect match later.

And threads?  A member of another local stitch group was part of a 'class' at another shop that stitched this project.  Seeing a finished project instead of a photo is like day and night.  Gorgeous, and nicely stitched, and an inspiration. I realized part of my reaction to the project was that Jeannette's choice of colors aren't my favorites.  I think when this series was initially released, it came as a kit for each page.  We're able to buy charts and threadpacks separately, so I'm buying just the charts.

My threads -- let's talk about the cover page.  Jeannette used a light fabric, and the variegated blue/gold/green as the key color (Gloriana Blue Grass).  My choice is a darker fabric with Waterlilies Mulberry, Crescent Belle Soie Rosebud, and Au Ver a Soie blue -- 1715?  The front cover is nearly complete.  The wording is stitched over-1, so I need my lamp and magnification.

I've picked my 'key' color for each fabric, and now have put the pages in order

Some people might think it's boring to all work on the same project.  Because of people mixing and matching fabric and threads, we will have many different looks.

I will get pictures in  - but not today.

1 comment:

  1. Hi!
    Thanks for the comment on my blog! I've really enjoyed reading your entire blog and thinking back to my days as an EGA member and also my initial days as a blogger. Keep it up!

    I allowed my EGA membership to lapse years ago ... mostly because my journey with stitch came to a point where creativity, contemporary ideas, and exhibiting were growing and EGA's opportunities in these areas were severely limited. I juried into "Fiber Focus" but, to be honest, this group really didn't do enough to make the EGA dues, the FF dues, and entry fees for exhibits worthwhile. I found that unless one was interested in TEACHING contemporary design, there really wasn't much for the contemporary embroiderer with EGA. So ... I went solo, finally downsized my growing picture framing business, got a studio, and announced, "I'm going to be a fiber artist".

    Of course, without an arts education or any real training, this drastic change was very risky. Sometimes I went to my studio and thought, "My God, Susan, what have you done? How are you ever going to be an artist? What made you think you could figure out what to do in a studio?" I had no idea where all the big plans I'd dreamed of or the late night fantasy projects went. They just vanished with the dawn and I was in a studio staring at walls.

    Gradually, I just started working. Believe it or not, UFOs were among the first things I tackled. After all, they already had "a start". Of course, I finished everything differently than originally planned ... and most of my projects were actually "starts" from a "design class" ... so they were my ideas to begin with ... but UFOs really helped me settle into a new habit, that of being an artist.

    Like you, I kept a journal of my hours and projects. It helped me to clarify how I was spending my time. It helped me become "an artist", a real working professional. I gave up that journal years ago. Why? Because I got a blog! So ... keep it up. Blogs are wonderful. Don't worry about photos. Don't worry about readers or comments or even addressing the public. Write for yourself! Write to document your work. Write as if you are in a class for credit and will be graded ... not on content but on regularity. It will help! I know it.

    Although I write my blog "for the public", that is just a cover. I am actually writing for myself. Now, almost six years later, I use my blog as a working tool. I can actually "google" myself and a title of the work! It has come in handy for juried show applications, writing artist statements, and trying to remember what I piece even looks like!

    Good Luck! Keep it up! Thanks so much for the comment on my blog!
    Susan

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