Starting the Year with Commissions

It seems that every year, January begins with new commissions.  I have three commissions to get the jump on right now.  One is for a yarn embroidery of the Aspen grove (thanks K. !!), one is for a large view of the drive to a lake for a friend of mine (thanks G.!) and the third just came in this week that I'm also excited about.  A couple who live 2 hours north of here came to my studio with images of their fields for me to work from.  They are corn farmers!  I've never stitched out a corn field before.  They brought me fantastic images and beautifully lit too!  I can't wait to start.  I keep gazing into these photographs and seeing silk ribbon, french knots, and lots of machine work.  It'll be great!

I took this image of their images in black and white so you can see the texture.

When this is done, I'll be preparing my booth for the 2nd Annual Modern Quilt Guild showcase.  Then I'll head into production for Gardenscape which is early April this year.  For all of May and early June I have continuous travel around Alberta and Saskatchewan to teach workshops.  I was hoping to get into public schools a little more this semester but now I'm booked solid.  Oh well.  My stitch mentor often says, 'one cannot dance at every wedding'.  : )  She's right.

my 'tool box' in black and white

Oh it's hard though!  I want to create more garments.  I want to weave.  I want to apply to some call for entries.  I want to...  I want to.  There's more ideas stewing around that drive me crazy.  It's like my muse is having a party.  All I can to is one day at a time, and keep adding to my bucket list so I don't forget all these ideas swimming in my head.

: )

She Sews, She Scores!

Over past several days I have been working on two commissions.  One is for B. in the USA.  She asked for a threadpainting of Blackstrap Lake from the photo I took last fall.  It's coming along really great.  I admit I had to stare and stare at it for the longest time to figure out where to start.  After I agreed, I took a good look at the photo and was overwhelmed with how much landscape is in this piece.  Now I have the 'underpainting' pretty much complete and can now move forward with adding all the trees.

Incidentally, I often work sideways or upside down.  Turning a piece allows me to see things I may not have noticed before.  It's helpful!

For the next phase of this piece, I have all my colors pretty much pick out.  Each tree has a lot of highlights and deep shades.  I have no end of autumn colors in my stash.  Literally - boxes of threads.

beginning my selection

The second commission I have started is from Y. in Australia.  It's G O R G E O U S  - a photo her husband took.  I started selecting me threads...

I have made a good start stitching out this one, however I feel I don't have just the right purples.  So - a shopping I did go.

Sad news - Creative House Sewing & Education Centre will be closing.  The owners are retiring and their building along with both businesses are for sale (the second being Broadway Embroidery).  They sent an email out at the beginning of the month that they are having a sale on everything (20 - 50 percent off).  I will really miss them.  And that space - it is so sunny and beautiful.  pout pout.

So to support my friends in their retirement, I bought my purple thread from them.

And pink thread, and orange thread, and variegated thread, and cotton 12 weights, and rayons, and metallics, and prewound 100 wt bobbins, and hand embroidery needles, and packs of machine needles, and wooden crochet hooks, and loads more hoops for teaching, and fabric...

AND

...two sewing machines.  Yup.  I picked up the last of their Janome classroom sewing machines for my own teaching.  SCORE!  ps - if you are in Saskatoon, they are on Ave I between 20th and 22nd st W. and open Monday to Thursdays only for the rest of the month.  They have TONS of Wonderfil threads, Bohin notions, and beautiful fabrics too.

Okeedokee - off to work on the threadpaintings!  : )

Talk soon,

Linking to TN&TN for WIP Wednesday

Commissions on the Go

Starting the year off with a BANG!

Friday night is the closing reception for the Dimensions 2013 show at the SK Craft Council.  I hope to attend that.  It will be nice to visit there.  I feel badly for missing the Boutique opening.  Gosh darn this cold snap.  UGH.

She's Blooming!, 2013.  on tour

Sunday, I'm teaching a Beginner Threadpainting Class at Bernie's.  It was postponed due to illnesses and emergencies from last November.  I look forward to that class!  I love going to Bernie's attic.

I'm also in process with four commissions.  One is a secret.  (Shhhhh.)  One is for a threadpainting of a photo I took at Blackstrap Lake in the fall.  (Thank you!)  Another is for Y. in Australia.  Her husband snapped a photo of these purple trees canopied over a roadway.  That will be fun!  I have never seen purple trees before.

I did a fast sketch to place the vanishing point over a bit.  I'm waiting back to see what she thinks before I start.  While they were having spring, we were in the middle of Autumn.  The Blackstrap commission is all oranges and yellows, so it will be nice to work on both of these at the same time.

That one is quite busy when you really look at it, so I'll have to think through it a bit to get it work and not look like a giant mash of threads.  I've condensed some things, and edited the length a bit.  I look forward to working on the deep shadows and bright sun in both these pieces.

The last one is this.  It might look simple, but it will be more challenging for me since it's not something I have done.  This is a paper pieced wall hanging that my friend J. made.  She would like me to add some bling - some texture, stitching, and embellishment.  It's hanging in my studio awaiting inspiration.

J. felt the yellow was too overpowering.  I will likely use some soft yellow fibre packs I got from Nells Embroidery out of Vancouver.  She does custom fibre packs.  She's awesome.  : )  For now, I began to remove the black threads from the yellow fabric.  They were bothering me.

The slope is odd.  Most farmland on the prairies aren't on steep hills like that.  I'm tempted to round it out a bit.  We shall see.  I have my ideas...  : )

That will be my January.  Stay warm!

A Good Long Weekend (and new work)

I had a good long weekend.  Great things happened!  I was told that some of my work arrived in Scotland as a house warming (set of 3 landscapes) and the new owners are loving them!  Wow - that's exciting!  I shipped two pieces off to the other side of Canada also.  I started hooking a rug with some of wool Kari sliced up, and some of the silk I dyed with Patti.  I harvested lots of fruit from my lazy-prairie-woman-garden.  (All perennials and re-seeders.)  I did some baking.  Each morning, I did a little of this...

ah the sun.  ah the quiet.  thank god the mosquitoes are gone.

The weather was awesome.  It's been a very nice summer.  The dragonflies are out full force so we don't need mosquito spray anymore.  What else... oh!  The Fringe Festival is on!  We hung out there for a bit.  This weekend we are getting company from some very special friends.  My husband started renovating (many trips the hardware store).  During the weekend I managed some really good progress on my next-up commission.  It's been a long while since my last thread painting.  I've been up to my ears in postcards last month.  SO - take a look!  I am H A P P Y with this.  : )

(above) The upper left picture is the source photo I took from the highway.  The lower right piece is a bare bones thread painting.  I'm auditioning fabric for the red granaries.  You'd think it should be red-red.  But it's not.  This brick red and deep orange batik piece is perfect.

(below) I found the right rooftop fabric by flipping some over to show the backside.  Check it out!

Now I'll thread paint some more.  I'll do a bit by free machine, but the rest is all handwork.  I'll put in grasses, alfalfa, and then a shot of canola.  That will be French Knots of course.  By the way, I'm schedule to do a public stitching demo at Prairieland Park on Friday night!  Maybe I'll be finishing this while I'm there.  That will be fun.  Please say hello if you stop by the Saskatoon Exhibition.

Have a good week everyone!  Linking to WIP Wednesday at TN&TN.

New Commission

This will be a fun venture!  I got a commission this spring to do a threadpainting featuring red silos.  At first, I was worried about finding them.  I don't like to use other people's photos as source inspiration.  The photos are the art too, so I just feel it's wrong.  I could ask permission (and have in some cases) but lucky me!  On the way home from my mom's cabin last weekend, I spied RED SILOS!  I still can't believe I took a straight shot from the road! : )

a group of red silos between North Battleford and Saskatoon one evening

Red silos seem pretty rare.  Most silos I see are metal and shiny sliver.  Red ones are painted and built of wood.  You know what happens to wood when it stands out on the prairies through years and years of four seasons?  (I took this next photo a couple of years ago near Pike Lake, SK.)

Notice how the wind goes one way and the building leans the other?

I love that photo.  Hehe.

I'm excited to start and really thankful the inspiration just suddenly appeared.  : )

Well THANK YOU very much.  You have just read my 999th blog post!  Hmmm... I'll have to think of something clever for tomorrow.  STAY TUNED!

First Finish of 2013

Took me long enough!  : )  I actually have six new pieces started.  I'm feeling extremely accomplished about that!  My first two priorities are commissions that were requested during the December show.  This one is heading off to New Zealand!  Awesome.  It's Cranberry Flats 2.  I added some super-fine French Knots and even managed to sign it with silver thread.

Cranberry Flats mini # 2 (actual size)

Since we didn't discuss frame color, I have these options for her.  *p.s.  It's not for you to decide. : )  It all depends on what she likes, the color of her walls, and her current decor.

White

or 

Black

Sweet!  This is my third piece going off to the other side of the earth.  That is so incredible to wrap my head around.  Off to finish more handstitching.  See you soon!

Trees!

The detour I took to that Fall scene really paid off.  I came back from the long weekend completely ready to do this.  I have threadpainted trees a five times now.  I was nervous about the trunks of these, but oooh it turned out superb!  Want to see??

detail of a commission in progress

This is the 'ugly phase' : )  It's true...  it looks rough still.  I've done more machine work on this since I took the photo.  Now I am ready to hand stitch the foreground and really make this piece sing.  We'll see how far I get this week...

p.s  I'm still looking for extra copies of this particular issue if any SCC members wouldn't mind passing one on to me when they are done?  PLEASE & THANK YOU!

   *                                               *      *                                                         *                            *
* p.p.s. * Did you know we are getting our first snowfall right now?  * The grass is still green and it's melting, but there's the white stuff! * : )  * I don't mind.  * I went for a nice long walk this morning. * it's mild out and very, very quiet. * All the children in the park were heading off to school with their tongues sticking out to catch some. * My youngest boy claims that the first snowflakes of the season are always the sweetest. *                                      *               *                                        *
*
off to sew...

Stuck in the Trees

Here it is... the long awaited commission for D.  She's the one who said, "just make me something.  Be creative."  I don't want to make her something she might not love.  I had to probe a bit more and did get the words green, summer, and trees from her.  This image popped into my head.  It was from the end of Bergheim Road, east of the city.  I found it the day I went searching for flax.  I've always wanted to stitch this one!  Here's my process so far...

choosing fabric colors, source photo nearby

It all begins with the perfect sky.  This one was a section of cloth from Dahn (sounds like Dawn) Cassleman in the Yukon!  She's at the Wilderness City Quilter blog.  I don't dye - or haven't much yet.  So when friends send me sky fabric, I'm quite thrilled.  It was a terrific barter for the thread I sent her.  I stick all the land pieces on with glue.  Lapel Stick works best for me.  I know many threadpainters dye or paint silk backdrops first, or transfer photos onto the cloth... but the way I do it means I can begin stitching right away.

machine stitching, blending colors, painting with thread

I go top to bottom in the scene.  It really is like painting.  I add thread by color where it's needed.  I blend.  I have stitched into the sky before, but this is nice the way it is.  Plus, it will be somewhat covered in tree boughs when I'm done.

One of my favorite parts of the process is finding the right colors - whether it's the base fabric or the threads for stitching.  My thread stash is SO HUGE (yes - I am indeed bragging here) that it's like going on a scavenger hunt in my sewing room. Fun.  ; )  It's incredibly satisfying to find the perfect color match.

i always have the right color since that garage sale last summer!

I love love love to work with variegated threads.  Look how perfect this next spool will be for the brush in the corner of that scene!  (See?  The constant exclamation marks tell you I'm excited!) 

auditioning thread

I got to the point yesterday where I had pretty much finished the background.  Here it is so far!

7x9... maybe a tad bigger.

My plan is to stitch in the trees by machine, and then embellish the foreground by hand.  I am nervous about the trees.  It was a lot of work, and there's no going back if I screw this up.  I figured that this time, I need to have a plan and sketch it out a bit first.  I came up with this idea to have the opening off centre.  I love the way the tree line top is in a V-shape.  It has nice movement to it.

sketching out a plan...

Now I am 'stuck in the trees'.  I spent an hour trying out thread and combinations of threads, and a variety of stitches & tension alterations.  I'm getting close... I think I'm ready but WHEW it's time to call it a day.

practicing up for the trees

There you go!  Linking to WIP Wednesday at The Needle & Thread Network.  See you there.

Frames, Photos, Threadpaintings (oh my!)

I have lots of news today!  I had a meeting with a local framing store to entertain the idea of passing that job on to someone who knows how to do it and has all the right supplies.  No more coupon trips to Michael's.  No more wiring frames.  No more 'making the art to fit the pre-cut mats'  !!!  Ooh I can't wait!  I'm hoping that I will have my December show all framed professionally by them.  If I'm a regular customer, I can likely get a good price.  Plus, I plan to still mount my own work which cuts down cost.  Sigh.  Oh it feels FANTASTIC to move forward this way.  It won't affect the current prices of my work.  I raised them back in the spring and I feel they are good where they are at. 

I have more good news!  One of my photos was selected for a provincial themed calendar.  I just got the email from SGI to announce that they are sending me a $500 honorarium for that.  WOW.  At the top of my lungs I hollered, "WOOHOO!" for a half hour and did (mental) back flips around my living room until I could calm down enough to phone my mom.  She gets that calendar every year and always encourages me to enter.  This is so awesome!  I haven't been this pumped up for a long time.  This prize will pay for a lot of framing too.  It just couldn't be better timing.  BIG SMILES all around. 

Good news comes in threes, right?  Well, here's my last bit.  I 'Finished it Friday'!  Apparently it's B's birthday soon and she sounds pretty darn excited about this commission.  ; )

"Prairie Summer" 2012  (sold)

Prairie Summer, 2012   4x6" Double matted & framed

Thank you once more to MeinkeToy for the $25 gift certificate and also for the goodies you sent my way.  And now, the winner is...  KIT LANG! : )  Congrats!  She was picked randomly by my six year old.  I'll pass Kit's email on to MeinkeToy and they will get in touch with you.  : )

Have a great fall weekend everyone!

Things I Love Thursdays

I love hand stitching French Knots!

I love how is adds to the piece!  

Things go from 2 dimensional to popping with texture and depth. 

commission in progress

 I hope she loves it too! ; )

 

Nice!

Nice!  That's how I feel.  Commissions always make me a bit nervous.  When it comes to the machine stitching, I worry that I'll mess it up.  Yesterday I completed the free motion sewing on this one and I couldn't be happier!

work in progress... flax and canola fields for 'B'

This is the point where I move to the hand embroidery.  Just a couple hundred French Knots, and I can finish & clean it up.  I'm aiming for a 'Finished-it-Friday' though I'm not sure I'll have it mounted, matted & framed until next week.  I wish you could see this in person.  The photo doesn't do it justice.  I need to set up the tripod.  I cannot for the life of me get a well focused shot of this.

In progress... linking to The Needle & Thread Network for WIP Wednesday.

Finished It Friday!

Lookie!  I'm done.  I finished the edges, added the purple flowers she wanted, and have it mounted & matted.  Oh, and I signed it too as usual on the mat and stitched into the art.

'Denmark' 2012 (detail)

I'm mailing this to Australia frame-less for the buyer to save on postage fees.  It will go into a standard 8x10 frame.

Wouldn't you know it?  As one thread-painting commission rolls out, another rolls in!  I was asked to do a 7x9 piece.  It will be a commission like none I've done before.  "Jut make me something.  Whatever you feel like making."  Oh my!  She wants a lot of hand stitching, a summer scene, and perhaps some trees with more land than sky.  I think I know exactly which one I will do...

But first... on with the big memory quilt of Steffi's.
Have a great day!

Commissions Progressing

I'm diligently working away on two commissions in anticipation of creating some exciting new threadpaintings!!  Enough diversions.  It's time to get these completed.  Our weekend of solid rain proved good for something!  So... here is Denmark, the commission from Australia.  I've been a bit stumped by the picnic table in the photo.  Finally I figured that I would trace it onto fusible and then press it to fabric & cut it out.

I used my new Mighty Bright light under my extension table for a quick makeshift light box.

Tracing was hard!  I don't trace things.  I'm surprised how tough that was.  I did it though.

Actually, I did it twice.  The first time I chose a fabric that I later realized was way too dark.  haha  Dark as in pure black. So I redid it in the darkest brown I have.  Now I'm working on stitching some life into it and embellishing some of the foreground.  Then Megan - I'll be done!!

I'm also excited to announce that I've fused interfacing onto the backs of enough roughly cut blocks (from my late cousin's clothing) for at least half of the quilt top.  My bad.  I've had this fabric from his mother for about a year without being able to muster up the courage to start this project.  I was totally overcome with fear of messing this up.  So far, so good!

Tonight it our quilt guild's year and potluck.  I can't wait.  It will be a big gathering with fund, games, and lots of exciting announcements for the next biennial show!  ; )  I tried to convince a member to tell me what the theme will be, but she laughed and would not budge.  hehe  Good for her!

See you tomorrow (or tonight)!