Jounal Quilt Entry

Got in my studio today but don't say hurrah for me just yet. Spent most of the day doing paperwork that had been neglected for the last few weeks. I am all caught up now, but just with the paperwork mind you....not with the computer work, so a small hurrah would be appropriate (smile).

In the next few days I will also have to get to work on updating my website and.........reveal my little secret thing I've been working on. Stay tuned for that.

Here's a pic of my entry for the Houston Journal quilt challenge. I can show you it because I ran into a frustrating problem and therefore didn't get it finished before the deadline.

I painted the whole piece but because I painted a few layers over one section it didn't take to being machine quilted well. I would have to say it protested strongly and must have thought it looked quite good just painted.

Here is the traitor and I've made sure to point out the culprit in the pic above. I was quilting it to resemble a gust of wind (you know...the AIR element silly) coming in from one direction. You can see the first swirl I created. They're some big a _ _ needle holes aren't they?

Thing is I really liked this piece too. This would have been my first juried competition too (pouting lips here).

Oh well.........on to other things.


See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

What are YOU Drawn to?

Today is MONDAY!

Time for a post (bet you thought I forgot...HA!).

My FAB group met recently and I posed a question to them. I showed them 4 pieces of work that I had recently finished and asked them to tell me what was the common factor in all of them.

My thinking is that with their input I would get some more feedback on the direction my artwork was taking.

I see myself gravitating in a new direction. Don't misunderstand, I will keep designing quilt patterns because I still love making traditional quilts with a contemporary twist, but I think I'm defining, in a singular way, what kind of artwork really inspires me to create.

I've mentioned here already that I'm drawn to colour, line, shape and, more recently, texture (as opposed to pattern).

These are the art quilts that draw me in, that speak to my core, the ones that can suggest realism but does not convey a specific image; the ones that use colour as it's main tool and informs the piece with line and shape.

It got me to thinking about how each of us defines our art. Have you formerly thought about how and why you produce the things that you do?

What draws you to a textile piece in a show or gallery? What about it speaks to YOU?

Are you a person who prefers realistic images, pieces that tell a story and gives you images to respond to or do you prefer pieces that you interpret as you see it, where you get to inform the piece with your own thoughts and feelings?

BTW, the pomagranite piece at left is unquilted. The design you see is done in a dry erase pen on a piece of plexiglass, my way of auditioning quilting patterns.

I take pictures of each one as I draw them and can then refer back to see which one works best. This is not the pattern I have chosen to machine quilt it with.

If you've been reading my blog you've probably seen some of the things I've been producing . What feedback do you have? Any concise thoughts on the direction you see me taking?

No worries on me being offended. I say if you ask the questions then you must be okay with the answers you get.


See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

Greenpiece - March TIF Challenge

I bet you thought I would never post my March TIF Challenge piece. The very late unveiling is upon us.

I have had so much going in the last few weeks that my duty to my fellow TIF Challenge compadres has been shirked. My apologies. Okay, okay...the challenge piece.

Here's a detail of my stone quilting. I added the bunches of white seed beeds in clusters along the top. My daughter is not happy with the addition but hey...it's my quilt.

The challenge for April is change. Here's is Sharon B's take on what to think about.

"Some people see change as positive while others are fearful of change. People say we have to learn to live with change as change has always been part of life. As soon as we are born we start to grow in other words we start to change. How do you see change? That is the challenge topic this month."

Of course I see change daily in my kids, watching them grow and mature (well some anyway) and there's the change I, as one who is approaching the big 50, is experiencing. I see change in the sky from daylight to dusk; I want to see change in our world so we take care of it and preserve it for future generations; I see a change that needs to take place in us as humans and how we intereact with one another.

Change can be a wonderful thing if we think if it in terms of growth. We all need to grow, to evolve and become better people. Let's see what I can do with this one. Ideas are percolating...

See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

TIF March Update

One of the things I still find most challenging is the final process of making an art quilt. My March TIF piece is a study in the dreaded details of machine quilting. I'm usually not that happy with my stitches and had yet to perfect it (to me at least).

A few weeks ago I attended the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, VA and had the pleasure of taking an advanced quilting class from Linda Feidler. She taught us how to start and stop effectively, what to use in particular areas to enhance the quilt and had us quilt a few of the designs that she regularly uses.

Whatever mojo she put on us as we sewed has worked. GreenPiece is homage to Linda for getting me to step into the light. ..and like machine quilting!!! Who knew I had it in me to get down to the details and get it right.

I used a 40 wt trilobal polyester thread in emerald green (muddy greens are just not my thing) on a dark maroon 12" square of fabric. The next step is beading, not too much but just enough to give it some light and shimmer. Here's a detail of the unfinished piece.


See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

A Free Pattern for Valentine's

I've never been one to celebrate Valentine's Day in any big way because I feel love tokens, notes, etc. needs to be given all year long. This year though I decided that we should all be able to declare our love for that special someone in our lives and I thought a scroll, like those used for town proclamations, was in order.




You can make this "Love Scroll" for your significant other or, if you have a twinkle in your eye for someone new, you can use this scroll to give them a little hint about your feelings.







The finished size of the "Love Scroll" is 9"x 22". Just think, a bundle of love in a little fat eighth! I've even added some ties on the back so it can be rolled up just like a scroll. The heartfelt bee is all dressed in pink for Valentine's instead of his usual worker bee yellow. With the ease of fusible this little declaration of yours will be done in no time!





For the next few days I will be offering this as a free pattern. Email me (click contact me at sidebar) and I'll get your free pattern right out to you. Have fun with it and have a little love on me :-)


See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

Take It Further February

St. Andrew's Cathedral, Wells, Somerset, England

Okay it's February and I've got to gear up to take on the next TIF challenge. This month's concept from Sharon B is an interesting one. It's a question this time:

"What are you old enough to remember?"

Sharon B wrote a little about what she remembers. It includes man walking on the moon, Lennon getting shop, vinyl records (oh my gosh that's a throwback isn't it...records!), using wood stoves and a whole lot more.

Bristol Cathedral, Bristol, England

My mind is reeling with all sorts (not that I'm THAT old mind you) and this month I want to start sketching ideas in my journal so that not only can I record it so you can see, but also to get it the habit of using my sketchbook again to tease out my ideas.

Floor of Roman Baths, Bath, England

I tend to think about things in the early early morning (my brain seems to be on a 3 o'clock idea schedule, definitely need to reconfigure that) and I usually just jot things down on a small post-it pad by my bed. That's not enough for me anymore. I see all sorts of sketchbooks from other artists and love looking at their progression so I have a two-fold mission this month.

Stay tuned, I hope to do more postings as I work thru this month's challenge.

If you were doing this challenge what things are you too OLD to remember...that you'd like other people to know of course?

BTW, here's the palette for this month.

See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

Rolling Out the Old

So this last day of 2007 came upon the Howes household and what do you think we did? We let it crawl in slowly, and lazily go about it's duty of counting down the hours while the whole household just did the same. We had our last family breakfast of 2007 at 12 pm and just a little heads up for everyone...6yr olds do not get the concept of eating brkfast for lunch. Nada, nope, no way!

I decided though that I should end the year as I want the new one to
start, by making ART! All thru the months leading up to Christmas I saw boxes being made and decided I'm supposed to make one as well. I'd created a fabric collage made from pink strips sewn to a base and then covered with an irresdescent sheer and quilted the heck out of it. It had been staring at me for a couple of weeks and I was tired of it's accusatory look that said "DO SOMETHING WITH ME, DARN IT!"

Whether it wanted to or not, it was going to become a box and it had better be glad I didn't turn it into inchies, doggone-it! Anyhoo I figured out sizes for each piece and started cutting - 1 bottom (4" sq), 4 sides (2 1/2" x 4"), 1 lid top (4 1/4" sq) and 4 lid sides (7/8" x 4 1/4").

I also cut the same from Fast2Fuse.com and a lining fabric. I sandwiched the Fast2Fuse between the top and the lining fabrics, right sides facing out, and fused all three layer between two pressing sheets (no need to get the iron all messed up on what is supposed to be an easy art day). Then came the tedious part of satin stitching all the edges (40 of them to be exact).

You've got to understand something, for some reason, unbeknownst to me, I can't stand doing satin stitching. I don't know if, in an earlier life, my only job was to satin stitched garments (probably by hand, no doubt) or that I resent the use of all that gor-gee-ous thread just for the darned edges or that I could be reading a new issue of Quilting Arts Magazine during that time or what. I just don't like to satin stitch! I'd rather do needle turn applique (which I've actually come to like). When one actually convinces oneself that raw edge applique is now one's favorite form of applique then you really really know that I strongly dislike (I save "hate" for really good stuff) satin stitching.

Okay, don't laugh, truthfully it wasn't all that bad. I got thru it anyway. Above you can see the pieces set up to be joined. I butt the edges and, increasing the length on my machine, I ziz-zag stitched the edges together. I did this in one continous stitch and broke the threads only when I reach the beginning threads. Then I turn it over and re-enforce the stitch form the inside by zig zagging over the butted edges again. Repeat same with box lid.

When finished, the sides of the box and the lid easily fold up. As you can see from the photo above I cut the box top sides in a curve before I satin stitched the edges. Gave it a little more pizzazz I thought. I then folded up the sides and whipstitched the sides into place. I even remembered to hide the knot by starting on the inside of the box (below).

It's fairly easy to hold the sides whilst you sew them up. No pins are needed at all. Be careful when stitching though cause the thread kept getting caught and I'd realize this 4 or 5 stitches away and notice that the thread wasn't pulled all the way thru. No matter, I really like what I ended up with. I really really like the way the irrisedescent sheer fabric is frayed all around the box.

A few hours later here is my finished fabric box. The year 2007 has passed along a great treasure. I am grateful for all the good that rained down on me and mine in 2007; a family to love, a new direction to follow and a belief in myself and my art that was a long time in coming.

In my 2008 Dream Box I will put all my dreams and goals for the coming year, a special space for all the good things to come.

I wish all my friends, and the many more friends I will make in 2008, a wonderful New Year filled of lots of love, happy contentment and creative success thruout the year. Hurrah!

See ya next time, "In the Hayloft",

Take it Further Challenge

In order to challenge myself and not wallow too deep into procrastination (which has been a good friend in the last few years but needs to find another shoulder to sit on) I have joined the Take it Further Challenge.

Sharon B of In a Minute Ago, came up with this one and each month she will post a key concept. Our challenge is to take the idea , develop it and push it towards a resolved design during that month.. She will make it even easier on us by posting a colour scheme as a 2nd option should we not want to complete the design concept. An even cooler thing is I can work in any medium I choose as long as I make one project per month. So for all those other techniques I wanted to try.....here goes!

I really think I'm gonna enjoy this. It fits in with my working small concept but will also challenge me to think on the spot towards a finished project and get me working more on art in my studio. Much like the Houston journal project that I couldn't commit to at the time, I get to work intuitively in a fairly quick time frame which I'm not used to but need to train myself to do.

The Take it Further Challenge (TIFC) begins in January '08. Please visit again each month to see my progress as I have committed to posting my projects each month. Also check out the TIFC blog in my sidebar to see the other 277 artists (can you believe that's how many signed up?) who decided to challenge themselves.

BTW, check out the Santa's new elves. Just click on the link below. Enjoy!
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1658668882


See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

A New Pattern

I finally finished my latest pattern called "Bloom Where You Are Planted". Yeh me! It is a small fused wallhanging measuring 24"x 31" (see some detail shots below). Even the black and white border is fused down.

The story behind this quilt started with my 15 yr old daughter who, at the time, was struggling with her identity among her more slighted "advanced" friends and trying to find some much needed self-confidence . Her solution was to move to a diffferent school. Ix nay on that! Things were not insurmountable so I sat her down to talk and basically told her to stand her ground, don't change who she is at the core (which is a very sweet and caring person) and to "bloom where she was planted". No matter the difficulty BLOOM! I think this is a great quilt for a girl's bedroom to remind them that their beauty will shine no matter what.

If you would like to purchase this or any of my patterns please email me at
crzyqults@hotmail.com.


I am planning on launching my website,
RedBarn-studios.com, in January for all the world to see. On my website I will be offering my patterns and original artwork for sale plus a list of workshops I will be doing at shops and nearby venues. Check back soon for notice of my website launch. I can't wait!


See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

A Gift for a Friend

Last week I went to a baby shower for a good friend who also happens to be my neighbor. She got all the regular things - car seats, stroller, bottle and breast feeding paraphernalia and all manner of clothing.

Being a different sort of folk I decided to get her the Boon Frog Pod , a cool looking green froggy thing that scoops, drains and stores all those bath toys. Don't know bout you but I always found the job of gathering the toys after bathing the kids a tedious job, especially the ones you had to stretch for at the back of the tub - arrgrh! (we always enjoyed the splashing much better anyway).

As I looked at all the things she received that day I also got to thinking that I wanted to do something different for her. This small quiltlet is the result. I collect all sort of sayings and this one sort of presented itself to me as I went thru my collection.

I had originally intended to put a a sleeve on the back but decided to do something different. I'm going to cut a 3/8" dowel to size, paint it, stitch it to the back of the quilt then tie a colourful chiffon ribbon at the ends for hanging.

She's decided not to find out the sex of the baby so this had to be in neutral colours. It's only about 12" square and came together quite quickly, even for me. I'll see her later in the week and surprise her with it.

Back to writing pattern directions for me. I should have this new pattern (my latest) up on the blog in a few days. Also will have an update on the next few classes I'll be teaching in the new year.


See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

Punche Needle Mania...Oh No!

A friend and I have recently discovered punch needle embroidery. Boy is that darned stuff addicting. I finished the above piece in about 6 hours over two days. I just couldn't stop punching that fabric. My kids thought I was obsessed because every time they came into the room there I was hunched over this small frame...poking that tool again and again .

My husband was on a business trip when I started this piece and when he got back he just couldn't get use to the punching noise so I had to stop for the night on day 1. Oooh man was I having serious withdrawal symptoms that night. All I could thing of was the fact that I would get to it tomorrow.....

" Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow,
you're only a day away"

Anywho...I thought to put it in a frame but I have an idea for a small quilt. Hopefully I'll get a chance to finish it this coming week.

Isn't that about the cutest little house you've seen? Speaking of houses, been working on a new house quilt. Will show that soon.

See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

New Small Piece

I have not had much of a chance to get into my studio lately and sorely miss the action that happens there. So, last week, instead of working on a big quilt I chose to cut up a piece of fabric that I hand dyed last year with my group, Pandora's.

I like to work small sometimes cause it gives me a chance to keep my fingers and head busy with some creative stuff but it doesn't take a ton of time!

I've always wanted to work with just one fabric but I always thought it would be with a commercial fabric, finding some way to try and make each piece I used look different. You know how hard that can be.

For this piece I just cut strips from the yard of fabric, then cut those into smaller rectangles. Because it has a nice mix of toned down blues and purples it worked quite well as a one fabric piece. I wanted to work quickly and not think about things too much so I fused the rectangles to a large piece of fusible web. Next came a frame for it.

My daughter helped me audition the border and we settled on a cool eggplant batik. I cut a rectangle to include the borders I wanted, fused a piece of fusible to the back then...beleive it or not, I cut a whole in the middle for the hand dyed center section. I told you, I really didn't want this too take long. I then fused the two to a larger piece of batting. Top was done!

It's not quilted yet, been testing out some ideas and I still have to add some embellishments, thinking about beads or bundles. Got that last idea from Sonji Hunt (June 25th entry). You have to take a look at her work, the colour is what drew me in at first. Ooohwee!!

Gotta run, you may have not noticed the time of this post but I really should get some rest. I have an early day tomorrow.


See ya next time "In the Hayloft",