Month: October 2020

Left Overs Again: It’s Not a UFO. It’s a Quilt in Waiting

| ellenanneeddy

When I finish a quilt, there’s this awkward sigh of relief, then this restlessness. And then I go scramble around in my unfinished quilt pile. I’m not really comfortable with finishing. I’d rather dink along at length until I’m really bored with it or until I have a deadline, whichever comes first.

So I pull out my pile of unfinished quilts

Bugs in Bloom

I’m not one of those people who feels they must finish every quilt. Not every quilt works the way you want it to. Sometimes you learn much more from a quilt you don’t want or need to finish. It’s all an experiment of a sort. I don’t believe there is shame in not finishing a quilt you don’t like.

But sometimes something that got backshelved really is worthy and I just need to get back to it.

All Time is Spiral in a Garden

I had an urge to play with sapsucker bugs.

I love these. They’re made with two tear drop shape.

And if you do it right the same shapes that make the bugs will also make the flowers.

I found two pieces I’d played with a bit in class. They both were perfect for the bugs and blooms so which should I choose?

I’m still not sure. But while I was at it, I cut pieces for a praying mantis to go with them. Here she is just as raw fabric.

And here she’s fleshed out with most of her stitching.

I’m not there yet with this. I’ll show you more about the decision on backgrounds in another post. My point is that the process of going through the left overs brings me to new and old ideas both. I may have to try it with the refrigerator next.

You’ll find more left over stories in my post Left Overs: The Art of Including Something Left from the Past.

Love Gifts: The Quilts You Make Only for Love

| ellenanneeddy
Don’ts Birthday Card

I’m not a good card person. It’s also not like I’m in an area where one can buy cool cards. The major shopping card centers here are the Walmart if you’re being fancy and the Dollar Tree if you’re not. It’s not a personalized collection, either way.

But birthdays are special and need celebration. And for the first time in my life I have someone who’s here consistently in my life. I’ve had wonderful adoptive family over the years, but they tend to ebb and flow at need. No complaints. Just an understanding that it is a mutable thing.

Silk flowers add to the textures!

So for Don’s 67th birthday, I did a piece of silly art, something I would never make for sale, but that is just about him. I don’t regularly use prints of any kind in professional work. But for this, they are too fun to resist.

He loves frogs, and my favorite birthday song is “Happy Bird Day, two Ewes.” And since it was frogs, the happy turned to hoppy.

I love fabric for many of the same reasons I feel limited in paper. Fabric is so much more sturdy. It forgives obscure and odd embroidery, and comes in metallics too. What’s not to love? And there’s all kinds of spaces for little hand written notes in between the lank spaces.

I hope you have someone who deserves special little cards. And I hope you have a space that lets you make what you dream to make for love.

The Thread Magic Studio Opening: I’m Ready!

| ellenanneeddy
937 Jump at the Moon

I finally feel I’m ready to open my studio to you. In a virtual world, that’s a bit, well, virtual. It’s been functional since May, but I finally have things in a state where I can show you.

I’m excited because the journey here has been so much more than just a new work space. it’s been a journey out of a wheel chair and onto my feet. It’s been a journey where I had no heart to make things to a place where fabric springs back into life under my fingers. It’s been a journey back to my heart.

912 Fly Delight

I have a no whine on line rule. I’ve whined in the past, but I try very hard not to. Not that it isn’t ok to work through the hard places, and online is a place of support, but I find that it’s more public than I want and it tends to be boring for everyone else. And it can make you feel more stuck than you are. But I did hit a dark spot, several years back before I married Don, and I didn’t think I would quilt again.

But feelings are only feelings. And knees are fixable. Both can fix with rest and time.

Don stood by me through all the hard stuff. Then he gave me his house as a studio. And to my shock, and awe, I am able to create again.

932 Leafy Ladybug

So in celebration for that, in thanks for Don’s endless support, and in gratitude to God and the people who’ve held me up, I’m announcing the opening of the THREAD MAGIC STUDIO in Galesburg!

What does that mean for you?

New Quilts: Available on Etsy

910 Hummingbird
911 Damask Rose
936 Swoop Dive
922 In IReeds 2
934 Lily Rising

First off, I’m offering new work on sale for a short period of time. I haven’t been able to produce steadily for five or six years. Come see what I’ve been working on!

New blog posts:

Full of information and inspiration to help you out of the box!

New Fabric:

I’ll be able to offer dyed products again for sale. I’ve always sold fabric and thread to students. Now you can schedule a video call, pick out the fabric and threads you want or have me dye exactly what you need. My fabric is needle ready hand dyed cotton full of light sources and excitement.

Lettuce and Roses

Independent Studies:

Although I won’t be teaching on the road, I will be able to offer independent study time on line or at the studio in Galesburg. Come to the studio when you want. Stay with me and learn what you want to learn. I’ve had people come for specific classes, come just to learn one skill or another or come to solve a problem in their own work. It’s your time your way.

932 Leafy Ladybug

I’m also exploring who might be interested in a video critique and support group? And willing to mentor. Basically, I’m back.

Please come see my brand new work.

933 Moth Mandela

And thanks for all of you, who have supported my art for all these years.

If You Must Be Square, Make It Move: The Spiral Secret

| ellenanneeddy
Hummingbird

We’ve talked about how elongated quilts are already in motion, just because of their shape. But how do you make a square quilt move? One easy way to do it is to design a moving shape inside the square

All Time is Spiral in a Garden

A spiral is a visually moving shape that fits easily into a square.

Flying Rose

Here the rose is constructed out of spiral shapes of sheers, twisted in among each other.

Even just a thin spiral vine can energize this group of dragonflies.

Silent Splendor

Sometimes the spiral is in the stitching.

Sometimes it’s in a leaf.

Moth Mandela

Sometimes it’s just ordered shapes.

But a spiral anywhere will help carry the viewer’s eye across the surface of the quilt.