One of my fav’s on my Did List, is this quilt I made of my daughter.  From a distance, it looks like a photo…but close-up, all the eye sees is tiny little pieces of fabric.  Using a computer program that turns a photo into basically a paint-by-number print out, 12 different colored batiks, and some heavy duty embroidered quilting…I’ve come up with the quilt below.

Yes, those are tiny little pieces of fabric.  I’ve included a “close-up” and a smaller image to help you see this “optical illusion.”  You could also just squint at the larger picture to get the idea.  The photos really don’t do this justice!

Quilt of RE (detail)

Quilt of RE (distance)

The hardest part is choosing the fabric and arranging them from light to dark.  This is made a little easier by photocopying your fabrics (in black & white)…you want to judge the values of the fabric on a grey-scale, going light to dark.  When the fabrics are all pieced together, your eye will only register the VALUE, not the color.  (It’s recommended to stay away from red or pink fabrics, however – because your eye will see the red).

I’ve already got another one in the works…this time, a picture of Billie Holiday! Wow, that woman could sing!

Peace

Photo of RE

So many people have the BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator) – and for good reason…this free-motion “foot” is incredible.  But…so many our so nervous about even trying it, that it remains tucked away in it’s cute little tin box.  Time to open that box and start stitching!!  These classes were designed to help you become COMFORTABLE with free-motion stitching. You’ll be amazed at the incredible results you’ll get!  In the first class, you’ll be stitching cables and feathers…and I’ll bet you’ll even be able to write your name in stitches!

For anyone in the Palos Heights, IL area…I will be teaching my popular BSR classes in July @ Susan Marie’s quilt shop.

Quilt Designs With Your BSR (1st in Series)

Become more comfortable with your BSR – it’s fun!  We’ll start with the basics of machine quilting, including discussion of supplies, notions, threads, batting, design marking, etc. You’ll have plenty of time to practice and get comfortable before jumping into feathers, cables, motif designs, as well as stipple quilting and free motion.  There will be a lot of in class practice before you start on a whole cloth wall hanging project.  You” be amazed at the results you can obtain with the BSR!  This is a PREREQUISITE to Skill Building (2nd in Series).

Saturday, July 17, 9:30 – 1:30 pm, Class Fee $35

Skill Building 1 With Your BSR (2nd in Series)

You have played a little with your BSR foot – everyone tells you to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and PRACTICE.  But where do you start?  What do you work on?  This fun class will get you going on a small, whole cloth quilt with all types of designs to work on.  The designs are already pre-printed on the fabric and include stippling, feathers, cables, cross hatch and more!  We’ll show you where to start on the quilt, which designs to do first, review the structure of various designs so you’ll learn to “see” the flow and structure of the design.  Threads, basting and batting will also be reviewed.  Come practice with others, it’s more fun this way! (Fabric Panel and booklet is in your kit.) This is a secondary class to “Quilt Designs with Your BSR”

Two Saturday Sessions: July 24 and 31, 9:30 – 1:30 pm, Class Fee $55 plus kit fee

(The BSR and a Bernina machine are NOT necessary – ALL machines with free-motion capabilities are welcome.  (You must be able to drop the feed dogs and a darning foot is required.) )

Hope to see you there!

Peace

Hand Dyed Jelly Rolls (2.5″ x WOF) and Charm Packs (5″ squares) will be up in my new Etsy Shop soon!  These are all die cut, with my wonderful Accuquilt Studio, so you can be assured accuracy on every cut.  Great product and wonderful customer service.  I stopped by their booth at Quilt Festival in Rosemont last month and looked at what all the fuss was about.  Took some literature home with me…surfed their website…and went back the next day to by my new Studio and as many dies as I could possibly afford.

This is just the very beginning of my little foray into the wide-world of Etsy and selling my little beauties! The name of my shop is “Blue Frog Fabrics.”  So keep an eye out for this little guy:

Hand Dyed Fabrics for Quilters & Crafters

Stay tuned…pics and more info will be coming soon.  I’ll have a lot of rainbows of color…warm and cool, light and dark, as well as a few very interesting gradations.  All of the fabric is high quality cotton, with a wonderful hand (not too heavy for those that like to applique). I’ve used Procion MX dyes, and each piece has been washed at least 2x with Synthropol, to help ensure the colors won’t bleed.

This fabric will be great for quilters, fabric artists, crafters…anyone who wants to work with beautiful, richly colored fabric!!

Peace

Frieda Anderson’s newest book, “Fabric To Dye For,” is out – and it’s a winner!

I’ve created just about all of the colorways in her book and am LOVIN’ IT!  There are no fancy recipes, just simple instructions…and great results.  Here’s a sneak peak:

More photos and info to come!

Peace

PS – I’ve got 100 yards of new fabric coming in.  Keep a look out for charm packs and jelly rolls in my hand-dyed colorways!

So – time for a shameless plug for my Mom’s New Etsy shop!  Yeah, Mom!

Her silk scarves are all hand-dyed and/or hand-painted, and quite simply:  BEAUTIFUL! Scarves have been all the rage in Europe forever and we’re finally catching on here in the States.   I’ve talked her into a couple for myself, but she has plenty more and loves making them.   So keep checking her site for new ones.

Click here to go to her Etsy shop:  Sparx

Here’s just one of the many she has for sale.

Thank you & Peace.

Here are photos of some of my first pieces:

The flower was my first piece done in a watercolor class at the La Grange Art League.  I painted the cat while following a tutorial on Wet Canvas – TONS of info on that sight for ALL types of artists…a wonderful community of very generous artists…a DEFINITE must see!!

Who knows where tomorrow will take me!  I’ve no clue…all this started with a little Color Theory Class! :

Peace,

Geri Ann

I have never really drawn anything in my life, other than some doodles and cartoon like creatures.  But I’m actually quite inspired by my little friend.  Below are some pics of some quick sketches that I have done.

So, thank you, my little friend, Jack!

I’ve always been fascinated with the fact that a person could scribble some simple lines and create recognizable images. (I apologize for some of the darker images, could quite get the lighting right on the photos.)

Peace.

I started off with a light sketch in pencil…everything else was pretty much done backwards…then I colored in the flower and leaves with my new watercolor pencils, drew the lines with my Micron Pen, then wrote my journal notes, and finally applied a watercolor wash.  Still, I’m much happier with it than I expected to be.

Peace

Doodle with watercolor pencils

I was playing with my Prismacolor Water Color Pencils last night.  These things are beautiful. After making various swatches of the various colors, I wanted to draw something.  It was late, and I couldn’t come up with any ideas…so I doodled!  Then I colored in the doodle with the pencils, overlaying yellow and red to make orange…and blue and red to get the purples.  Basically, just mixing the colors on the paper.  Then, using my small waterbrush (another great invention), I started wetting the colored areas of the drawing.

Here is what I came up with.  It definitely showed me some of the possibilities I could have with actual sketches.  Pretty exciting! And much easier and faster to use than my tubes of watercolors.  I tried to just use mostly primary colors to test the mixing capabilities on the paper.

Let me know what you think…I’d love to see any work you’ve done with these types of pencils!

Peace

Below is my first sketch.  It is taken from an old Japanese woodcarving by Choki (c 1795) and is entitled “The Courtesan Somensosuke with an Apprentice.”  However, it’s my version, and I ran out of paper to include her apprentice.  So…she’s just goin’ solo!  But isn’t that usually the case!

I found the design in the Dover book “120 Japanese Prints.”  I love these old Japanese designs!

The Courtesan Somensosuke, with apologies to Choki

I’ve decided to be brave, to take the plunge.  To draw, to paint, to sew, to color….and put it all out there in the world.  Time to listen to my positive, more quieter inner voice…and embrace and enjoy my creativity as much as I do others’!!!

Peace