Back in the Saddle...almost

I am ready to sew again.  The summer was too crazy and I just couldn't summon the energy.  However, if you follow me regularly you know that I created other things.  I enjoy my "quilted" fence and found some gorgeous, big, colorful hummingbirds to hang on it.  No butterflies yet, but they are in my future. Crowds of family and friends have spent time here visiting, hiking, eating and laughing.  Life was constantly crazy and fun.  We were packed tight in our little cabin, but no one complained.

I make birthday cards for all my kids and grandkids and September is a mad month with six birthdays.  Each card features at least two photos of the person, a unique design and a personal note.  I am getting started on these as I clean up the sewing room, which served as an extra bedroom when the family was here.  I will get back to sewing in a day or two as I process all the laundry and get the room back into sewing mode.

In the meantime, here are some of my favorite cards from over the years.  These are designed to be folded in half horizontally to form a card about 4" x 5".  The inside of the card has a couple more pictures with the same theme as well as a short, personal note.  I use photos from my personal collection and create a collage for each card in Photoshop.  Playtime!

He will soon be applying to the Air Force Academy (probably).

She is currently a junior in college.

Marshmallow boy...

...to college graduate.

I seem to always find time to create something and along the way get ideas for quilts.

Sew some happy seams this week or create something that gives you joy.

Stitching Away

Progress on the second incarnation of my quilt is going beautifully.  Happy dance!!  I took time to figure out how many of each kind of block I need.  There are three end pieces on the pattern that are different colors so every block is not quite the same.  Having a plan to do a bunch that are the same is speeding up the process.  Chain stitching with paper piecing does not work for me, but doing several  blocks that are alike helps in the efficiency department.  Today there are no problems to address and no photos of any interest.

I mentioned a while back that I make birthday and graduation cards for my grandchildren with photos of them.  I use Photoshop to create collages.  Reports are that the kids love them so that is gratifying.  One of my readers expressed interest in my cards so I will use today's blog to share some.  I know, they have nothing to do with sewing, but they have everything to do with creating.  I get antsy when I don't have anything creative going on.  The cards are each printed on half of an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of card stock and are folded in half.  Below you can see the front and back.  On the other side of the paper (the inside of the card not shown here) are a couple more photos and a personal note.

Sew some happy seams today.  I wish you time to spend with your family.

Creativity

I am not drawn to self-help books or those that delve into deep philosophic concepts.  I much prefer a good thriller or detective novel with an occasional biography thrown in.  I also like science, photography and quilting magazines.  In that vein, I read an interesting article in Discover magazine - "Creativity" by Lacy Schley (Jul-Aug, p 50-1).  As you may have gathered from my first sentence, it is not deep.  Each paragraph is in a separate container, sort of like the blocks of a quilt.  Easy reading!!!  I found it interesting so I will summarize very briefly.

"What Do You 'Need' to be Creative?"
1.  Low inhibition levels caused by brain activity where less information is filtered out.  The result:  more information coming in, leading to more neurological connections.

2.  An inner drive that causes you to be so passionate that you MUST do something about it.  I call this my inner bulldog.

3.  An open personality that leads to the desire to experience more things and opportunities.  You are likely to be curious, perceptive, imaginative and intellectual.

The article does not indicate whether these qualities are the result of nature or nurture.  Does it matter?   Where do you fit on the continuum?  I find that these criteria fit me pretty well, but not perfectly.


The other part of the article focuses on "How Can You Spark Creativity?"

1.  Have hope.  Even when you are not sure about a project, hope motivates you to at least try it.  It tends to jump-start your creativity.

2.  Take a hike.  It gets the endorphins going, which make you feel really good about yourself.  Stress levels are reduced, which promotes creative thought and problem solving.

3.  Work on your own and then share with a group.  Group discussion can ofter help that gets ideas flowing.

4.  Meditate.  Not necessarily formal meditation, but rather nondirective where you allow your thoughts to flow wherever they want to.  This activates brain areas associated with memory retrieval and emotion.  It generates ideas and solutions.

5.  Think differently.  Break out of your usual habits.  Try something new.

6.  Just do it!  The more you try, the more chance you have of expressing your own creativity.

I look at the above and realize that I have probably used all the jump-starters at one time or another without realizing that I was sparking my creativity.

The most recent new endeavor for me was to take a class where I created a picture of my dog from lots of little, bitty pieces of fabric.  I have done similar projects before, but I learned a new method and created my dog with a completely different look than I would have done on my own.  I went kind of wild with color, which was really out of my comfort zone.  Next week I will share my journey so far with that project.

Sneak peak of "Dixie"

Sew a Happy Seam this Week and do something really creative.

Creativity

My house is still in disarray.  My sewing room is crowded with stuff that doesn't belong there.  I am quilting black on black, which is frustrating because it is hard to see.  I need the magnifying thing that fits over my head and that is a nuisance.  I took a break and sewed a different spot with red on top and black in the bobbin (backing is black, top is orangy).  When I looked at the back it was clear that my tension was off so I ripped it out.  That's my day so far, and we all have those days sometimes.  Life is just that way.  OK, I'm done venting!

I was reading a very uplifting article in American Quilter by Thomas Merton, "Transformation: Art from Within."  He tells about how several churches got together to provide opportunities for prisoners in a local correctional institution to do creative activities.  These activities also had a spiritual side beyond individual beliefs, time for discussion and much more.  Can you imagine having to log out every piece of equipment used for a project, and then log it back in when the session is over?  I will never look at my sewing tools the same:  seam ripper, stylus, scissors, pins.  The inmates respond positively to the chance to do something creative, and I am sure some of them never imagined they could create anything.  The goal is to help them transform themselves as well.

The article mentioned two particular women from rival gangs who ended up sitting together because all other seats were taken and they had no choice.  These women learned about each other and found common ground, which broke down engrained barriers.  In many ways creating something of beauty was freeing for them as it is for us.  The art that the inmates have created will be on display at the San Jose (CA) Museum of Quilts and Textiles from September 12 through November 2015.

This is what keeps me sewing, drawing, painting and taking photos.  It is so uplifting to create something.  It doesn't matter if you use a pattern and sew together traditional blocks or if you start from scratch and design your own.  We each have our own talents and inclinations so listen to your inner voice and enjoy your creativity.  It truly is a source of freedom and accomplishment, even on a bad day.

Wild Gaillardia aka Indian Blanket - work of the Supreme Creator

BTW after my session with the seam ripper I put red thread in the bottom, tightened the tension and sewed up some nice looking quilting.  Was that cheating to put red thread in the bottom just so any glitches won't show?  Of course not.  I am looking to make my quilt and my quilting look the best it can with the skills I have.  Besides, that fire-red stitching looks great on the black backing (especially with the adjusted tension!).

TIP:  They say you shouldn't go to bed angry.  When training a dog you always want to finish a session with something she does right.  Try to rectify at least some of a sewing mistake before you quit.  You'll be more enthusiastic about returning to a project if you are ready to move on.

Creativity is allowing  yourself to make mistakes.  Art is knowing which ones to keep.  (Scott Adams)

Sew some happy seams this week.

Fusible Methodology

I am busy again building my Phoenix bird and have developed a methodology, which helps with color choices.  I made enough errors at first that I have two nice pieces on which to practice thread painting, but that can't continue so I will share with you how I ended up managing the process.

Iron fusible material to the back of selected fabrics.  I use Soft Fuse, which I buy in a roll, but it also comes in sheets.

Fused fabrics

Draw the finished design on freezer paper in ink for better visualization and to use as a master copy.    Trace a copy in pencil also on freezer paper.  Number the pieces, note the intended color of each one and mark the edges where you will leave 1/4 extra fabric (little red arrows).

Master copy of drawing

Place the master copy on the ironing board and press it down (it is freezer paper after all).  Lay a silicone sheet over it.  You should be able to see the drawing through the sheet.  A few pins will hold it in place.

Now you are ready to cut up the pencil copy as I discussed in a post last month, cut the fabric around your little freezer paper patterns, and tack them onto the silicone sheet with the tip of the iron using the drawing underneath as your guide.  Align the freezer paper edges of each piece with the adjoining pieces, just like working on a puzzle.

TIP:  Cut out one little pattern piece at a time.  Don't cut up the whole thing while you are watching tv.  You'll never find which piece goes where.

Align the freezer paper patterns

This is where I ran into problems.  I couldn't see how the fabric colors interacted as I proceeded.  It was a little like painting with a blindfold on.  The colors on my pattern sometimes needed to be slightly changed.  My first attempt became a tester for thread painting because it was way too yellow for my red bird.  I had to draw a new pencil copy from the master copy and start over.  My solution to the visualization problem is to pull off the freezer paper pieces as soon as there were no more edges to align with that piece.  This way I could better see how the colors were working out as I went.

Remove patterns to assess color

Ahhh!  Much better.  Yes, I had to do my bird's wing over, but now it looks really nice, and I am a happy camper.  I also had to do one set of tail feathers over.  The cost of doing business I guess, but it has been very handy to have these cast-a-ways for thread painting practice.

TIP:  I've said it before, but in case you forgot, I repeat.  Maintain a positive attitude and turn your creative brain loose to solve your problems.

When all the pieces have been assembled with freezer paper patterns removed, you may want to make a change or two.  You still can by gently pulling pieces apart and replacing what you don't like.  When you are happy cover the completed artistic creation with another silicon sheet and iron it all together.  When cool, you can lift the whole thing off the sheet at once and put it up on your design wall.

TIP:  Always remember to admire your beautiful work and pat yourself on the back!  You may keep this tip private, but it is important to feel good about what you are doing.  If you don't, then step back and figure out what is bothering you.

One more comment on the color problem.  I often preview my colors by designing in Illustrator, but this was too complex a design and I didn't want to take the time to draw every feather on the computer.  Pencil is easier for me in this case!  Colored markers or crayons?  Can't make changes.  Colored pencils?  I don't have enough color variety in my set.  Watercolor paint?  Possible.  I didn't even think of using them until now.  The other thing is that colors on paper or computer do not always translate into the fabrics available.

TIP:  Sometimes you just have to make what is available work for you.  That's where creativity is a real friend.  Your artistic ability is there, and the more you use it, the better you get.

Happy stitching this week.

Spiral Quilt - Part III

I read an article the other day which tells of a study that purportedly proves that there is a correlation between messiness and creativity.  I have not seen the stated scientific evidence, but I can attest from personal experience that this is a possibility.  I have several members of my family who learn differently, but are tagged with a misnomer as having "learning disabilities."  These individuals are not "disabled," but highly intelligent people who find some academic pursuits an uphill challenge.  They are incredibly creative and talented, and they tend to be unperturbed at being surrounded by chaos.

Does this mean that others of us, like me, are not creative?  I live in a box, I am a good fit in academia, and my creativity freezes when disorder creeps into my space.  I look at lots of art and quilts and it dawned on me that I have trouble creating the free-flowing designs that I love.  They never turn out to my satisfaction.  I successfully devise equally creative designs, but they tend to follow the lines and blocks of order and symmetry.  Does that mean I am any less creative?  I don't think so.

Why did I go off on that tangent?  I don't draw well, but I was never given sketch books as a child and none of my family did any freehand drawing so I got a late start.  I was given coloring books, which I loved.  I was so happy sitting down with my box of 24 crayons and would have drooled over a box of 64.  I loved coloring in the lines with plain color and later with shading.

Coloring in the lines is what this spiral quilt is ready for and I still love doing it.  It is like my coloring books and can be translated into fabric to be sewn into a lovely quilt.  Below is a colored version of the pentagon-triangle wedge (See Sprial Quilt Part II).

Versions A and B use exactly the same triangle and pentagon, but in version B I flipped the pentagon horizontally.  Turn your imagination loose and try lots of combinations and colors, then rotate the wedge(s) and see what you have.  Here are two ideas:

Once I have my spiral to a place where I like it, I head for my fabric stash and audition fabrics that I have that are close to what I want.  I always say I am going to use my stash, but you know how it goes.  You always need something you don't have so you have to go shopping!  I print (you can draw) a paper wedge, cut fabrics to fit and glue them on with a glue stick.  Then I take a photo, bring it into the computer and rotate it (you can use your mirror and/or imagination).  After flipping, switching, moving, and adjusting fabrics I settled on the design below:

"Reverie" fabric audition glued on paper, photographed, and rotated in the computer.

Because the fabrics are glued down roughly, the details are a bit wonky up close, but I was able to see a good approximation of the finished design.  I planned a black background so added the black triangles onto each wedge.  They are a single triangle of fabric added to each top side of the pentagon so there are no Y-seams.

TIP:  Turn your imagination loose during this process.  You can use all kinds of fabrics:  prints, batiks, solids, and more.  They can all work beautifully.

Next week I will show you my way of organizing this complex design so that it is easy to assemble.

Final Border Blocks

The last, pieced borders for my Lifetime quilt go only on the top and the bottom.  These blocks at 7 1/2 inches square are larger than the side blocks and sit side by side with a 1/2 inch sashing to separate and frame them.  At the ends of the border strips are star blocks anchoring each corner of the quilt and reflecting the star idea of the center motif.  In the Illustrator drawing the stars are all the same, but in actuality, each star is different.  All these blocks were paper pieced if I remember right.

Top Border in Illustrator

As you can see, the center presented a problem as it is not quite long enough to accommodate two more square blocks.  This is where some creative fun comes in.  The first design was supposed to go with the floral border idea that was long defunct.  I love the cardinal, but he is better off in a tree than in my quilt.

Open star with bird (Ick!) in Illustrator

It seemed like a good idea once, but I tossed it and began to play with other ideas.  Here is the final, paper pieced open, tilted star:

Final open star in Illustrator

In the Illustrator version above the background opacity is reduced so I could see to plan the background pieces.  Now to put it all together. I didn't have quite enough fabric for the 2 1/2 inch framing border so I stitched a 1/2 inch border first in a different fabric and then added the wider one.  I still came up short so used a different fabric (same as the 1/2" border) in the corners so it blends as though it were part of the original design.

"Lifetime" top is done!

All Done!  Doesn't that make you feel all squeaky clean?  Ah, really not done yet as it still has to be backed, batted and quilted.  Stay tuned for what I did for a backing.

TIP:  Misfit spaces are a great opportunity to turn your creativity loose.

TIP:  There are loads of ways to solve fabric problems in borders and there are books available full of inspiration.  Piecing them is cheaper than buying yardage if you have something suitable on hand, or piecing may allow you a smaller purchase if you have to buy more fabric.