Sitting Nude

I always wondered why paintings had such odd names, like ‘Reclining nude’ and here I am doing the same thing. Maybe it will get a better name before it makes it into public. After all your kind comments about the ‘Nude triptych’ (Hmmm that didn’t get a better name) I spent a long time playing with a new image. Today I have got as far as the master drawing. It takes me a surprisingly long time to get the drawing done, about 3 hours, and I still need to ink it. Still I’m one step closer. I haven’t decided what colour it will be yet. I do know I don’t want to use flesh tones. I am tending to either blue or flame. I like the idea of doing a smooth image in flame colours. I suppose it doesn’t really matter as once I have the drawing I can make as many as I like from the same pattern.

I have also managed to cut 36 solder spots. It might not seem like much of an achievement but I find it very difficult to do repetitive things. 30 unique blocks no problem, 30 identical I will get bored by about the third block. Strangely this solder is going to be the hardest part of the project for me, even though they are really simple to make. Of course they also need hand sewing, another no no for me.

Early night for me or I won’t get up in the morning for Sandown. I am looking forward to it but I am far happier taking photos than being in them, and I know there will be cameras there.

Eeeep 65 blobs of solder

‘Peek-a-boo’ is now quilted and has a very ’80’s look. I love it. Even better for having been done quickly and early. I quilted it in simple lines about 1/4″ apart. I used invisible thread so it would blend well with both the black and her face. I had been planning to use black thread in the black areas but I think there would have been too many starts and stops in a small area. I will post a picture later when I have taken one.

I then moved on to ‘See Sound’, the problem with doing new and exciting things is you have to work them out for yourself. I can’t think of anyone I can call and ask how to make solder in fabric Still I think I have cracked it and it only took 2 attempts. Now I just have the other 63 to do. At just over 5 min each it is going to take a while. Still I suppose I can stuff and sew solder in the car on the way to Sandown tomorrow. I have also realised that if there is handsewing involved there is a limit to how big the quilt can be when it has stiff interfacing in it. I am sure I looked very funny trying to find ways to reach all the way around each solder blob.

Peek-a-boo

To try and keep myself on track I pre plan what I should do for about 3 weeks at a time. It doesn’t always work out as planned but it does mean I never sit around wondering what to do. When I checked the diary today it told me to work on Peek-a-boo. The idea was that by having a break from See Sound I wouldn’t get bored and it would get finished quicker.

It still seemed like a good idea so this is what I have been doing today. I had already prepared the master drawings so I could submit sizes to the Harrogate quilt show. I used the same fabrics I had selected for Miss Baltimore. Those lips are Miss Baltimores shoes and really aren’t that orange. Her eyes were some fabric I had pulled out to make the shadows in Miss Baltimore’s hair but never used. It was a really quick low stress project.

I didn’t have any of my usual interfacing here and I didn’t want to have to go to my storage unit and get it so I tried some dressmaking interfacing. This interfacing has rows of stitching running through it and is very stable. I like the way it has behaved as a base and I think I might use it again if it quilts up well. As ever it is more expensive but it might be worth it for the added stability in wall hangings.

I am planning to start quilting her tomorrow. I know how I want her to be quilted but I haven’t decided which machine to use. I think I might go for the domestic to give Robin a chance to play on the longarm before the NEC as he wants to use it to quilt his entry. On the other hand, it’s a lot easier to do on the longarm. Decisions decisions.

Miss Baltimore Update

So do I drag this out and put this entry on in order or do I put you out of your misery. I guess most quilters can figure it out given the show doesn’t open until tomorrow and I have an update. I has a rather odd phone call this evening, a lady asked for Mrs Ferret, then lost reception on her phone. It took several minutes before she had enough signal for me to be able to return the call. During that time it was puzzling, here was someone calling me, in the evening but not knowing I am just Ferret, I never use a title. Turns out she was from Grosvenor exhibitions calling to tell me I have won the long arm prize at the National Quilt Championships. I am beyond pleased, this is the award I really wanted. I didn’t think I had a chance in the theme category (they have to give the prize to a hand sewn Baltimore beauty really, I wonder if they did) but I thought the quilting was good and I was hoping I would get a judges merit certificate. This is so much better than that. Fortunately I was planning on going to the show on the Sunday to collect my quilts so I can go to the awards ceremony as well. No idea what I have won, and honestly I don’t care. They appreciated my quilting and that means a lot.

To celebrate we had to go and eat sushi Well what else would I do. So I took the opportunity to photograph the sushi rice. I want to make myself a wall hanging that says “Will quilt for sushi” and I want the letters to be spaces in quilting that looks like rice. I think it will be fun. The tricky bit I think will be making sure I don’t let the grains of rice align when I quilt them. When we got home we went for a walk in the park and chatted to dog owners to collect pictures of dogs as source material for more quilts.

As you can see from the pictures I have been working on ‘See Sound’. I traced the lines for the front onto the fabric. I really need to get a light box, the window does work but it really makes my arms ache and thus takes far longer than it needs to. I’ve also started stitching the lines in. I think it looks really good. It isn’t as wrinkled in real life as it looks in the pictures.

I think I will be grinning randomly for the next few days, at least until I pick up the award. Mikki if you read this before Sunday you’ve picked a fine time to be efficient I was going to surprise you.

PCB begins

I had planned to take yesterday evening off after I delivered the quilts but I guess art doesn’t play by normal work rules. I drew up the master drawing for the front of the PCB quilt ‘See Sound’. All the positive comments for the nudes has got me thinking about my next nude. I spent several hours playing last night and I think I have 2 more planned, but you will have to wait a while for images. I think I’m going to do a female sitting with her knees up as my next one.

I also spent a long time talking to an old friend, who is now writing graphic novels. In the course of the conversation I was reminded that I was planning to make a quilt inspired by the art of Frank Miller. So obviously I had to go and look through my books for ideas. He does some great illustrations of rain. Specifically he has done a bridge. The rain and the bridge are left the white of the page and everything else is filled in with black. I think this idea would work well in fabric so now I have to start looking for either a bridge or a very ornate building.

I’ve been very pleased with my progress today (especially after a very late night last night). I’ve drawn up the master drawing for the back of the PCB, and I remembered to write on it before I forgot which way round it went. I’ve also managed to put all the tracks on the back and quilt it. The tracks are made out of some amazing fabric that Doug at Patchwork Corner found for me. It looks both dark green and coppery, depending on how the light catches it. Even better it can be ironed on a cotton setting. Fantastic, I am kinda prone to forgetting I shouldn’t iron some fabrics.

The tracks are held down with steam a seam 2 lite. I’ve run out of the spray fusible I usually use, which I think has worked to my advantage. I think the spray would have come through the fabric. Also the extra weight it adds will work in my favour on this piece. I want to make the quilts as rigid as possible (whilst keeping them as textiles) so they won’t sag when I add the components. To help with this the I am making the front and back as separate quilts and joining the at the end. Each has the outer face with the design on, a layer of wadding and a layer of pelmet vilene. It also seems to be stopping the satin stitch from distorting the face fabric.

Tomorrow I will try and work on the front of the PCB. The marking are only 3mm wide so I don’t think I will be able to use bias tape for them which is what I had planned. I am going to try just quilting the details on using the satin stitch I used to outline the tracks. Hopefully the vilene will keep it all flat and strong. If it doesn’t want to play I can always start making the blobs of solder to finish off the back side.

Empty coop

All the quilts have flown taking my show quilt total for the year to 9 so far. There are another 12 on the list already which take me to about September. Two of these are already almost finished and another 2 should only take a day or so each. The nudes turned out to be almost too big for the car. Bit worrying as I am known for being able to fit anything in a Capri. Well I suppose I am safe for now as it did fit. They lady who took it from me was a bit shocked by the weight I did say it was heavy.

For anyone going to Sandown, please believe me that Loki didn’t have creases in when I delivered him. I strongly suspect he will have by the time he makes it to the wall. They had so many quilts arriving today. There was a queue when I arrived and a longer one when I left. So although we gently rolled him to get him into a bag, it then had to go into a big pile of quilts.

Last year I was surprised to find the people accepting quilts, pinning on hanging sleeves. Apparently someone with quilts for sale had delivered them without sleeves and the ladies were kindly adding them. I thought that was above and beyond the call of duty and I am not sure I would have done that. Well this year they had an even bigger pile that needed the same treatment. I was shocked. Surly if you want to sell a quilt you want it well presented, and you are expecting them to hang your quilt? As such I would want to put in some method for them to do this. I think these ladies deserve an award for service to the thoughtless. I hope they do bring it to the attention of the quilt owners.

Now on to the next batch. I have 2 more I need to get done for the Festival of Quilts at the NEC. I am doing a globe and a PCB. A PCB is a printed circuit board, an electronic gizmo This one is a sound to light converter. It has a microphone and when it picks up a sound it lights 4 LEDs. I am enlarging it to 10 times it’s original size. This includes making 3D components. Also it will be a working PCB. I am looking at putting in 5 LEDs for each one in the original so hopefully it will be obvious when it lights up. I think I broke the chap at the electrical shop where I bought the LEDs. I asked for advice on the super bright LEDs as I needed them for a display in a well lit exhibition. He talked me though it and I chose some. His first problem was that I was buying 20, apparently people don’t do that. The he asked where I was exhibiting, was it the electrical show at Olympia? “No,” I said ” the NEC”. He thought for a minute and said he couldn’t think of any electrical shows there. “No it’s the Festival of Quilts, they will be on a quilt”. There was a nasty noise as his jaw then his brain hit the floor. That was the end of sensible conversation with him. Whups.

I had a similar conversation with Greave and Thomas globe makers. I bought 2 globes from them and asked for permission to use them as source images for a quilt.
“A quilt?”
“Yes”
“Globes are spherical”
“Yes”
“Quilts are flat”
“Not necessarily, I want to make a spherical one”
“But it won’t fit on the bed”
“No it will be art”
“Oh”
But they did give me permission and shipped me my globes, which are great. I guess I need to send them a picture when I have it finished. The finished item will be called ‘Tread Lightly’ and hopefully will have trapunto footprints. I say hopefully as I haven’t quite worked out the logistics yet, I want to do all the quilting while it is flat so I have to make the footprint join up when it is assembled.

Woo-Hoo

All done. Miss Baltimore has her label on and everything is packed ready to go. I guess it is time to find out where I am supposed to be going

This is a whole new experience for me. The quilts are done and waiting to go but I can’t just leave the house and deliver them. I am finished early and I have to wait a couple of hours before I go. I’m not sure I like this. I think I will stick to my last minute rushed then you don’t have time to fret.

Things they don’t tell you about quilting

So lets start with the good news. I’ve got three quilts packed up ready to deliver tomorrow. I wanted to take a good picture of “Ginko Typography” today but it rained almost constantly. That’s Wimbledon starting for you. I guess the one on the bed is good enough for identification, and as I am taking it straight to the show it should manage to get hung and I can get a good picture then. If they turn all the lights on this time.

Loki is proving to be tricky. I don’t want to fold or roll him as he has a lot of trapunto and is tending to crease. He is just too big to fit in the clear bags I use to move quilts in. Also I know the show will try folding him up to give him back, they did last year with Skadi Not a lot I can do about it though so I guess I have to try not to worry.

The nudes have been given VIP treatment and bring me to the first thing no one told me about quilting. You need a respirator. I have a huge cardboard tube and I needed to cut a bit off to pack the nudes. No problem, have hacksaw will travel. As I start I see very fine dust, fine wood pulp and glue, hmmm that has to be about as good for you as MDF dust and off I trot for my respirator. I bought it for when we work on the fuel dragster as it gives off some nasty fumes but I use it far more for quilting. Indigo dying needs nasty chemicals as does natural dyes, so add it to my list of essential art tools I got the nude wrapped in canvas and wrapped onto the tube, discovering the second thing no one saw fit to mention. Weight lifting is not only advised it will happen. The tube a, canvas and quilt turned out to be remarkably heavy. I am so glad I am not trying to post this one. I figured as it was going to couriers warehouse I had better prepare it to withstand anything.

I followed that weight lifting with some more. Folding Ginko should be a strong man sport not only is it heavy it is stiff too. My back says I should avoid folding it in future. I am so glad that I have sent them a warning about this quilt, and I will mention it to the people who take the delivery as well. I really hope they don’t try to hang it on a flimsy frame. I can’t wait for next winter and the chance to have this on the bed.

Finally Miss Baltimore is almost ready to pack. She still needs her label but it only got printed at 10pm so it can wait till the morning. I have tried to take some pictures of her but they aren’t great. I either need to be able to take it outside or buy a flash that works with the wide angle lens. Funnily enough I prefer having the sunny day for this job, then I can spend money on fabric not more photograph equipment. I am fairly pleased with her, but she creases really badly, and it seems to be impossible to get them out. I am hoping some will come out while she is rolled and the rest will drop out. I suspect they won’t but I have run out of ideas to fix them. I didn’t think the quilting showed up very well in the pictures of the front so I have included some of the back as well. Her face really doesn’t look that scary from the front. I still haven’t added any more quilting to the face. I think the only way to put more in would be to add diagonal lines over her whole face. The mock up we did on the computer looks OK but not great. If in doubt leave it alone, I hope that works.

Cats

Ok, seems that blogger only allows five pictures per post, so here are the cats. I figured that as I had to make another post I would add another picture. Loki is the black and white cat, Skadi is the tabbly. Yes all my cats have norse names I hope that I will make a portrait of each of them.

Ta-Da

Here they are at last. All done. These are my nudes. Please excuse the background. I haven’t got anywhere plain to hang my quilts. I think I will have to look into renting a photographic studio at some point but not right now. At the shows I expect the will all be hung on black back cloths which should make the nudes really glow. I was looking at the effects of colour and technique on an image. The grey one is made up of quarter inch squares, which is what was needed to get the look I was after but never again. It was so boring to do and quite stressful. Sneezing or even breathing hard could move the pieces. The red one was the quickest and the most fun. It is all little triangular shards of fabric. I love that the end result has the look and texture of oil paints. I will be doing more like this. I am thinking of trying a landscape in this very soon. The final panel in blue is the same technique I use for all the cat portraits and Miss Baltimore. They are all quilted in much the same way, trying to pick up on the contours of the female form. I have loved working on these and I already have my next nude lined up. I have got as far as the master drawing but I can’t work on it until I have got the other show quilts out of the way.

The cat is called Loki. He is the second of my six to have his portrait done, last year I did Skadi as a class project in Realistic Fabric Portraits with Marilyn Belford at www.quiltuniversity.com. Skadi won second place at Sandown last year. I’ve done a lot less thread painting on Loki. He sat for months while I tried to decide what I was going to do. I finally made up my mind when a very good artist I know said I had already captured the quintessential black and white cat. That was it, he was finished.