Play it Forward

Last week, I lost my dear friend Joan Dawson. 

She was my friend, cheerleader and mentor.  If I had not met Joan, I would  never have had the courage to enter quilt shows.  And trust me it takes courage.  I've had more rejections than I care to remember.  I remember mentioning to  Joan that I would NEVER enter a show.  That didn't last long.  Joan was a master quilter and artist.  We had very different styles in quilting but Joan would always say to me, "Listen to your heart."

I met Joan at Keepsake Fabric in Bothell, WA. The friendship developed when we would meet on Mondays to work on projects. Others in the group talked about entering quilt shows. They talked about shows in Paducah Kentucky and International Quilt Association (IQA), Houston, Texas, and Road to California.  Joan had been accepted to two major shows.   However, she was not interested wasn't interested in competing at that level.

Like Joan, I want this blog to encourage people to follow their own creative arts hearts just like Joan did for me.  Afraid to try new techniques?  Go for it.  Never tried to make your own pattern, go for it.  Every creative thought in your mind, write it in your journal.  Be like Joan.

I will miss you Joan. 

Here are two of Joan's quilts Butterfies in the Willows and Diamonds in Bloom.  Both quilts are in the book Doubledipity by Sara Nephew.  See you next time......Pam

 

The Perfect Spot

Normally, I don't show anyone a new quilt until it's been accepted to a major show.  I have many that I thought were great quilts that have never been accepted.  But, because of starting this blog, I've decided to share how I create my work.  This inspiration came from a very bad quick phone picture at the barn where I boarded my horse. This is Summer, Jimmy and Andy. They came to the barn as kittens, but have been given the best of care and secured every night.  Summer picked me as her favorite human from the start. As soon as she spotted me at the barn she ran to the stall to be with me and my horse. Sadly she died last year.  I wanted to do something as a remembrance of the time I was at Five C's Farm.  It still saddens me to think of her gone.
















This is Summer.


First I started drawing the image on stabilizer instead of fabric to reduce "drawing up" that happens when thread painting. I made each cat separately.




As I am working, I always have the photo next to me. Notice they are on a car.










Here I am testing out backgrounds.










In the photo I could not see the window or the wipers.  This next picture is of my own car and I drew them onto fabric from this.








The final step is the quilting.  For the last year, I have been using Superior Kimono silk thread for quilting. I love that it's 100 weight and looks so beautiful.

 Give it a try. I am taking some time off until I
start my next quilt.



Until next time, Pam

Watercolor

A few years ago I started taking drawing and painting classes to become a better art quilter.  This was all new to me, but I soon became entranced with watercolor.  I love how water moves the paint, and happy accidents can happen.  The act of drawing opens your mind to the world.  You see things you never noticed before.

Last year I painted my sister in laws cat as a gift.  Just as with quilting, animals are my favorite subject.  I try to put their souls in the work.  After drawing the image, which can take a few hours, I wet the paper front and back.  Then one color at a time light to dark, I drop in color.  Then, I staple it and let the whole thing dry.




Here, I was testing out a background before I added it.












Finished work.







By the way, I do commissions.  See you next time......

My First Blog Post

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Hello everyone!  I am so excited to be able share my art quilts with you.  This is my quilt, "Day Dreamer".  It was inspired from a photo of my dear cat Noel. 

This quilt is out making the show circuit right now.  Next week she will be in Chattanooga, TN, and then in October she will be in Des Moines IA.  She started out at the Road to California show in January, then onto Paducah KT.  It is such an honor when I get accepted to these wonderful shows.

I start by drawing the image on fabric.  Then, I fill in with thread, one color at a time.
As you can see I am never sure how the quilt will turn out.  I create one part at a time, and make decisions on my design board.

See you next time....Pam