Instead I chase the marauding guinea hens out of my yard and into the neighbors with a camera which stops my dogs from barking. A win win situation all around.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Zipper = headache = no logs
I've been avoiding making logs lately, because I have yet to solve the zipper issue that I think exists. I've had lots of interest in the log bolster, but I have been procastinating going into production, even if it's only a small edition until I resolve the no zipper/yes zipper issue. Once the fabric is constructed it's not easy to seam accurately due to the thickness of the fabric, so thinking about installing a zipper just becomes a headache. Zipper = headache = no logs.
Instead I chase the marauding guinea hens out of my yard and into the neighbors with a camera which stops my dogs from barking. A win win situation all around.
Instead I chase the marauding guinea hens out of my yard and into the neighbors with a camera which stops my dogs from barking. A win win situation all around.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Pictureless on Long Island
I had such a great week of fiber activities to blog about last week…but didn’t take any pictures. What was I thinking? I had the camera with me but neglected to use it. Not on the fiberarts field trip to Manhattan with my very pregnant friend Deborah---Sullivan Street tour of Purl Patchwork and Purl Soho yarns, Global Table, or on to lunch at Le pain Quotidian, or up to City Quilter for a very interesting talk by Donna Wilder, Free Spirit fabrics founder. Great! No pictures! People talking about making things all day long. No pictures!
Went to a meeting of the Spinning Study Group of Long Island in Smithtown, in an historic barn--- 50 or so people, all ages, arrived to set up their spinning apparatus, roving, yarn and projects! Everyone was so willing to share information about their wheels and fibers---I’m joining that bunch! Can’t wait for the next meeting---but once again, no camera.
April will be better. I won't forget to feed the blog!
Went to a meeting of the Spinning Study Group of Long Island in Smithtown, in an historic barn--- 50 or so people, all ages, arrived to set up their spinning apparatus, roving, yarn and projects! Everyone was so willing to share information about their wheels and fibers---I’m joining that bunch! Can’t wait for the next meeting---but once again, no camera.
April will be better. I won't forget to feed the blog!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
log cabin or cabin fever?
I'm accustomed to sending pictures from my window to my family on the opposite coast to confirm or deny our weather as reported on the national news. So here's the grey and drippy weather report from the windows overlooking the Peconic River.
That monochromatic stuff going on outside inspired me to work on this multi-colored chenille piece. Based on the traditional quilt block, Log Cabin, I thought it would be a witty topping for a handmade twig stool, get it? Log Cabin---twig stool! Humor aside, it's another multi-color, technicolor, no colorway approach so I can use up all my commercially dyed flannel. What remains are the centers of the log cabin block, a red square to symbolize a chimney, at least that's what I remember about it. Spiraling strip or back and forth strip? I'll throw it in the washer and see how the red centers look and then finish it up on this grey, drippy day!
That monochromatic stuff going on outside inspired me to work on this multi-colored chenille piece. Based on the traditional quilt block, Log Cabin, I thought it would be a witty topping for a handmade twig stool, get it? Log Cabin---twig stool! Humor aside, it's another multi-color, technicolor, no colorway approach so I can use up all my commercially dyed flannel. What remains are the centers of the log cabin block, a red square to symbolize a chimney, at least that's what I remember about it. Spiraling strip or back and forth strip? I'll throw it in the washer and see how the red centers look and then finish it up on this grey, drippy day!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Log Jam
Some might be aware that one of my other obsessions is logs and/or twigs. A few years back I purchased a number of ebay footstools and one of my favorite finds was a stool made from a log. I envisioned it with a chenille bark cushion, taffeta ribbons...
More log items followed... bolsters, more stool covers. Who doesn't love their logs soft and huggable?
So when I was contemplating an entry for Lark Book's 500 Tables last month, I turned to logs for inspiration, naturally. I started two tables about 2 weeks before the submission was due (good planning). I was felled by the flu for about a week, I rallyed and completed one of the tables for the photo and got the entry in the mail. Pphew! (Table #2 is in a dormant state, as yet unfinished.)
This is how Table #1 log table happened! I laminated layers of 2 inch think dense foam for the logs and then I whacked away at them with one of my favorite tools, the electric carving knife. I stitched together the bark fabric by layering flannel fabric, stitching on the bias, slashing through all layers, then stitching the stacked bias strips onto a backing, then finally washing and drying it. I wrapped the bark fabric around the whacked foam logs and hand stitch them closed or secured them with velcro. (The pictures below are the ones I take along the way just to record the process for myself and to get a different view of the piece through the camera lens).
Table #1 was tentatively put together the night before I had to photograph it. The next morning I couldn't balance it when I tried to position it in front of the seamless paper. A few hours later, sanity restored, I solved the problem by flipping the base log upside down!
We'll see how Lark responds to this soft log table.
More log items followed... bolsters, more stool covers. Who doesn't love their logs soft and huggable?
So when I was contemplating an entry for Lark Book's 500 Tables last month, I turned to logs for inspiration, naturally. I started two tables about 2 weeks before the submission was due (good planning). I was felled by the flu for about a week, I rallyed and completed one of the tables for the photo and got the entry in the mail. Pphew! (Table #2 is in a dormant state, as yet unfinished.)
This is how Table #1 log table happened! I laminated layers of 2 inch think dense foam for the logs and then I whacked away at them with one of my favorite tools, the electric carving knife. I stitched together the bark fabric by layering flannel fabric, stitching on the bias, slashing through all layers, then stitching the stacked bias strips onto a backing, then finally washing and drying it. I wrapped the bark fabric around the whacked foam logs and hand stitch them closed or secured them with velcro. (The pictures below are the ones I take along the way just to record the process for myself and to get a different view of the piece through the camera lens).
Table #1 was tentatively put together the night before I had to photograph it. The next morning I couldn't balance it when I tried to position it in front of the seamless paper. A few hours later, sanity restored, I solved the problem by flipping the base log upside down!
We'll see how Lark responds to this soft log table.
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