"Creativity is like breathing . . .

  . . . when you make stuff, you’re exhaling," says Matthew Inman of The Oatmeal.  Creativity is the most wonderful of feelings.  Getting to express that in what I make is even better.  Above you see at least seven projects.

I got some black denim from a friend so I decided to try a Shibori method of dyeing.  Well, in this case I discharged the color (soaking it in bleach and vinegar).  I laid the rocks on the denim then rubber banded each of them in a random order.

 I had the idea that it might turn out white with the bleach but got kind of a greenish beige. Kind of looks like flowers.  There's enough fabric to make a handbag and a clutch purse.

The next Shibori project involved olive green canvas.  I folded the center into four folds and clamped rocks in three different places.  I was amazed to see the fabric turn a kind of copper color instead of white.  Unfortunately the rocks were too slippery and fell out when I changed from bleach to vinegar so I got some flat washers and clamped those.  Since it was a copper color I thought I might add a little gold for an accent.  I think I got carried away but I still like it.  I used Otter Wax to make it a waxed canvas.  Kind of reminds me of a tortoise shell.

 

 The final Shibori project was a piece of canvas wrapped around a large coffee can.  You start with a rubber band to hold it on the can.  Then you wrap twine around the fabric and push it up to the rubber band and keep doing it until all the fabric is squished up.  The whole thing gets put in a dye bath.   I've also used Otter Wax to make this a waxed canvas.  My plan is to make a clutch with a dark teal flap.

 I used India ink to draw a design for this canvas.  It will be paired with a black waxed canvas to make a handbag.

And last, but not least, I plan on making a bag to carry my computer in.  While looking for leather to make another bag, I ordered what I thought was hot pink suede.  Turned out to be a rose color.  I haven't decided yet if I'll pair it with another leather, or upholstery fabric.

The best part is I'll get to use my new sewing machine.  New to me, that is.  It's a Singer 31-15 treadle machine. The only power is me.  I've been told that I'm now ready for the Zombie Apocalypse. I think I'm even getting the hang of treadling.  A good thing to know when you're sewing leather and waxed canvas.

The Influence of a Good Teacher Can Never Be Erased

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week and I’ve definitely had some good ones.  The freshman English teacher that encouraged my writing; or the choral director that helped make the whole musical experience a joy.  Of course, there were the ones that I didn’t particularly like because they pushed me into doing things I didn’t want to do (or think I could) which helped make me a better person in the end.

As for my sewing career, my mother was the most influential teacher. Followed by my Home Economics teacher in high school.  Is that even a course anymore?  If not, it should be.

Now, in present day, I have Craftsy classes.  An online site where you can take 1100 classes including cake decorating, woodworking, or paper crafts.

Jacquie Gering first taught me improvisational quilting using the slice and insert technique.  I was able to take what I learned to give a presentation to the Modern Athens Quilt Guild.

Creative Quilting with your Walking Foot was the second technique I learned from Jacquie.  I could now quilt my own quilts on my domestic machine.

I had a long-time fear of inserting circles for my quilts.  I did take a class from Anita Heady at Sewcial Studio and while her applique methods are impeccable, I’m not much of a handwork person. Cheryl Arkison came to the rescue with her Inset and Applique Circles by Machine class.  My fear is now out the window.  I also took that technique and taught it to the Modern Athens Quilt Guild.

Anita Heady also taught me how to do string piecing.  A technique I've used many times.

From Elizabeth Hartmann and her Creative Quilt Backs and my friend, Marybeth, who says that a plain quilt back means you don’t care about your quilt, I have learned to make my quilts reversible (if you don’t think that the label gets in the way).

Making Leather Handbags with Don Morin was my next adventure.  I didn’t quite have the confidence to use real leather on the first one I made so I used upholstery fabric and pleather.  I was encouraged and have been making leather handbags ever since.

The sewing group I belong to in Atlanta called City Wide Couture had Mary Ray as a guest speaker a while ago who taught quilted jackets.  Being so impressed, I signed up for her Craftsy class The Fashionably Quilted Jacket.  They included a jacket pattern with the course but it wasn’t quite me and while I planned to make it anyway, I never got around to it.  I did use her techniques on a winter coat.

My last class is Fabric Patterning with Wax Resist with Malka Dubrawsky.  I love her use of color and I’ve even bought the wax, the dyes, and electric skillet to try my hand at it.  So far, I haven’t even opened the skillet box.  I will.

I so appreciate all the teachers in my life and I’m glad that they share their expertise with so many of us.  Hooray for teachers!

Not All UFOs Are In New Mexico

The recent closing of our local quilt shop, Sewcial Studio, is a sad thing for me.  Selfishly, I can no longer jump in my car to go and fondle and ogle the gorgeous fabrics that Anita displayed.  

On the bright side, I’ll be able to work on the quilts I’ve been meaning to piece together.  Get the ideas out of my head on to the fabric, while gathering more ideas for the fabrics I couldn’t pass up while they were on sale for the last time.

Couple that with our last meeting of the Modern Athens Quilt Guild.  I was very inspired by Sylvia Schaefer’s (http://flyingparrotquilts.com/) talk on "Designing with Negative Space".

As  you can see, I haven't gotten far with that inspiration, and I'm still not 100% sure what I'll do, but it's out of the cabinet and on to my design wall.  A step in the right direction.

Why this sudden urge to turn my UFO’s into FFO”s? Not sure, but I like getting things done; that feeling of accomplishment; the chance to unleash my creativity.

Unfinished Object - 

 

Finally Finished Object

And, while I 'm working out how I'm going to finish the yellow and gold quilt, there's this UFO that I'll start quilting today.

That is, if I don't get too dizzy quilting circles over each pinwheel.

Giving It the Old College Try

When I told people that I was going to Penland, I got a lot of positive reaction.  "Wow, you're going to Penland?"; "I wish I was going to Penland"; or "I went there and it changed my life."

 

Dining Hall

I didn't feel any big change while I was there; except for eating salad for almost every meal.  But then I also had three huge meals cooked for me every day, so who was I to complain?

School tuition, supplies, room and board; and all the other things I needed were stretching my bank balance had me wondering was this really going to be worth it?

Then I walked through the doors of the Lily Loom Building and I knew that my leap of faith had paid off.  I was among artists and people who were serious about what they created and I was going to be a part of it.

I had been making handbags out of recycled materials and wanted to start using more leather; not the skirts and jackets I got from a thrift store.  Combine that with a short course at Tandy Leather learning a few techniques and I was ready to up my game.

My class was Upper Textiles Accessories.  Our teacher was Leigh Ann Hilbert from  Overlap Sewing Studio in Asheville, North Carolina.  She was very giving of her talent; a fun person to be around, knew her stuff like nobody's business.

Our studio assistant, Meri, was a gem.  She works with Leigh Ann at The Dry Goods Shop, a United Craft Front (a collection of makers, builders, and designers).  Besides handling all the paperwork for our class, she tirelessly cut fabrics and leather; got any supplies we needed; and was the go-to person for just about everything.

I so appreciate both of these women.  They made my week.

My space BEFORE it all started.

Our workspaces AFTER we got going.

Our first day was spent learning about the different types of leather.  The first project was a belt.  Confidentially, I wasn't much interested in making a belt since I don't wear one or know anyone who does so I just fiddled with all the different ways to tool, burnish, and dye the leather (this is not my tooling).

 

Each day Leigh Ann gave demos on what we would be doing for the day like cutting strips of vegetable tanned leather for purse handles.

This was also my first experience using waxed canvas.  I brought some that was waxed with beeswax.  I was the envy of the class with my waxed linen.

We spent hours creating, laughing, and learning.  There were incredible artists there.  Two or three had never sewn before and made some amazing bags.  I loved watching their faces as their handbags came together.

The Bags

Our Crazy Class

Here are links to  a few more of the artists from my class:

S Tector Metals

Morgan Hill Creative

I brought a camera but  didn't take any pictures so thanks to Michelle Eason, Lori Pickering and Sarah Tector.  I hope you don't mind that I cut and pasted pictures from your Facebook pages.

Besides all the basic skills for textile surface design and working with leather and waxed canvas, I learned to try new things. I have a thirst for learning more about using dyes, and stamps, and different ways of manipulating fabrics and leather.

I'd say I have the foundation now to be more fearless and I hope my new bags will reflect my week in the mountains.