Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Solids and Stripes

Recently I have been investing in commercial cotton solids, and have discovered how much faster it is to hand over the credit card compared to dragging out the dye equipment.  I was thinking I was augmenting my hand dyeds but it turns out that my hand dyes are augmenting my solids. I am calling that  stack a rainbow, pretty much. OK a pastel rainbow, but it's summer so that's appropriate.
Then I thought I would pull fabrics to coordinate with one of my new stripes and wouldn't you know it, I am right back at Roy G. Biv... a box of kindergarteners' crayons.
 Will I ever get past red, yellow and blue in my work?
ON the other hand, they do look scrumptious together, so I may let bygones be bygones and do up a quilt with these, when I can settle on a design.
In the meantime I decided to clean up the studio and store the leftover strips from my recent Stripathon, which is pleasant work for an afternoon. I have a small box of print strips and an even smaller box of solid strips. I am grouping them by color so I can remove a group when I need them.
Putting all of those away was a satisfying feeling.
And then....

I wanted to sew SOMETHING. Anything. So the box got reopened and I just started putting strips together. And in no time at all I have a small beginning or a small work, depending on what I feel like next time I enter the studio.
















Now here's what's interesting to me about this piece. I would probably never decide to make a quilt with these colors, but just doing this improv work shows me that I can expand my usual palette and get out of myself. I should make this a regular challenge. The nice thing is that these analogous colors automatically work well together. I should know this. OK I am learning this.
I should mention that I never did get my boards yesterday for the new pin up walls. Since I am going to town for knitting today, I am hoping to load them in my van and find the Command hooks at Staples, if not at Lowe's.

And now, your Daily Dawgs. ZZZZzzzzzz





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15 comments:

  1. I understand the 'I need to just sew something', but mine is usually I want to cut up something!

    I like reading your posts, but now I find myself wondering what the dawgs are up to before I get to the end of your post. They must brighten your every day.

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  2. After a trip away, I thrilled at playing in my batik remnant bin!

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  3. When you buy your 'commercial solids' what product do you get?

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  4. The dawgs seem to really enjoy each others company. That is a really delightful pastel quilt they are relaxing on.

    Learning and expanding is simply a wonderful experience. You seem to really be enjoying this period of development.

    As usual you are such an inspiration and a good story teller to boot.

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  5. I laughed out loud when I read that you "discovered how much faster it is to hand over the credit card compared to dragging out the dye equipment."

    That's SO me.

    All the best - Chris

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  6. Is this fused or sewn? I know you usually fuse your work. What commercial solids do you prefer?

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  7. back to the design wall and the command hooks, I can't tell from the picture how they are holding the wall up?

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  8. I just know you will post pictures of how you use the Command Hooks for the wall and your quilts, right??

    Love the new colors, but your hand dyes are to die for!

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  9. 1ove the block full of colors you wouldn't usually quilt with... identifying with the line about the credit card vs the dye equipment

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  10. Anonymous12:54 PM

    your quilts are nice, but why do you believe they are worthy of any price if dogs lie all over them?

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  11. Thanks so much for the Puppers. I am so glad they love each other and snuggle so much! What a blessing!
    ~Leslie

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  12. Mel - I sent you an email that has a link to 50 cent off Command Hook Coupons. Those hooks are not cheap.
    I see now the link to the coupons is right on the front page of the website www.command.com.

    For those of you that don't understand how it done. The foam design wall sheet edges are slip into the hooks. (the space between the hook and the back of the hook. The side hooks will be on their side and the top hooks will be upside down. The bottom hooks will be in their proper position.

    (think of how those little clear mirror clips are used to mount door mirrors with. Then use the large Command hooks the same way around your design wall foam sheet)

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  13. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  14. Okay I've broken down and bought some stripes....so we shall see.
    Brenda

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  15. This won't really have success, I consider like this.

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Hello,
So nice of you to drop by. I love your comments, and if you would really like a reply, please email me at fibermania at g mail dot com