The magic invisibility cloak revisited

 I've been doing a lot of hand stitching these past few days and spent some time looking over the Magic Invisibility cloak to re-clue my eyes and fingers.

My stitch repertoire is limited in the first place so I didn't want to miss any tricks and keep from getting bored with the current project.

I wear this often and some of the elements have suffered and need some attention.
The base shirt was a very worn, thin chambray workshirt. I'm thinking I may have to salvage the elements I like the best and relocate the onto a sturdier base..maybe something in a smaller size.

Book Review!

If you are a regular reader here chances are you have more than a dim notion about how to go about making an art quilt but how many times have you been asked by the uninitiated to explain what an art quilt is and how you actually make one?  Now you can point them to a valuable resource.

Some of us know that grabbing fistfuls of cloth, clenching scissors in your teeth and running howling into the woods at night will not get the job done. Like any endeavor worth pursuing, it's good to have a guidebook written by a master.

I'm please to have been asked to review such a book. “Inspired to Design – Seven Steps to Successful Art Quilts”, by Elizabeth Barton, is a comprehensive overview of the process of making a successful art quilt written in a user friendly voice with clear emphasis on good design.

Petergate (36.5"w, 53"h) 

The first time I saw an art quilt was at a solo show of Elizabeth Bartons work hanging in the gallery at the Hudgen's Art Center. I had been making crazed bed quilts and I was stunned by the idea of textile art being afforded all the respect due any painting or sculpture in a contemporary art gallery. I was hooked hard then and have been fumbling my hopeful way every since.

This book is a distillation of her years of experience and success as an internationally recognized artist and teacher. Liberally illustrated with selections from her amazing body of award winning work, “Inspired to Design...” will do just that  and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a light on the path. 

You can buy an autographed copy direct from Elizabeth for $35 (which includes priority mail delivery inside the USA)  by emailing her directly.  

You'll thank me later!

A Summer Day, Long Ago (46"w, 28"h) by Elizabeth Barton

The Sunday stitchery

I spent the morning working on the little piece that Sweetie was sleeping on yesterday after sticky-rolling her fur off of it.

It's clear to me that time spent with my hands busy at something familiar and comforting like this leaves the mind free to think about other new things from different perspectives.

 






There was also this very timely post about size  by Altoon Sultan

new WIP

The more I work on it the more I like it. Big, four by four feet and could get bigger. So far it's all pins and possible paths.

The past six hours have been blessed escape from the world and technology - the madness in  Boston, please be over.

And I'm coming out of the stone age phonewise going from a pre-blackberry to what I call a Pokephone. All this poking and swiping reminds me of cats in a sandbox. The learning curve is very steep.

And speaking of them, Sweetie looks like she is trying on a new pair of legwarmers this morning. She is seriously aggrieved with the weather going from the overcast 80s to the brilliant 50s overnight...springtime in Georgia.

cloth sketch

I extended my studio time last night by taking the scrap and tool basket to bed to do some cloth sketching while listening to TV. It helps me loosen up before working on  bigger pieces on the design wall

This one is only 22x25 - I like having a small piece to hold and work on at the same time that I'm designing something large that will most likely will be worked on the machine.

But today there's a homecoming to prepare for - my Goodman is headed back to me!