I just LOVE teaching the Design Your Own Nature Quilt class! And this photo shows why. Click the image for a much larger view Isn’t this a wonderful quilt? It was made by Bev O’Connell and it’s called Button Zinnias. You can read more about Bev’s design process on this blog post. And, you’ll also […]
Ta-da! My White on White challenge piece is finished. See Winter Maple below. Click any image for a larger view Working with such low contrast was different for me, but I’m quite happy with the final product. The branches are drawn with oil pastels and outline stitched with black thread. I kept the stitching very […]
My quilt designs come from anywhere and everywhere, but frequently from the nature around me. Here’s a photo I took of a solitary maple tree in the winter. I loved the strong contrast between the bare branches and the blue sky. I photographed this tree from many angles, and I THINK the one below is […]
The students in my recent “Design Your Own Nature Quilt” class brought their artistic courage to class and bravely jumped into unknown territory. It was exciting! Most students found that their compositions were improved when they cropped their inspiration photos rather dramatically. Kathy was an example, and you can see her cropped photo below, at left. She was […]
This is my favorite class to teach, because the students learn SO MUCH! The morning is devoted to learning about design. Working on individual and group exercises, you’ll learn about focal point, composition, and loosely interpreting a photo. We’ll start with my own photos so there’ll be no pressure to get it perfect. By late […]
In my previous post I showed you several examples of trees I’ve created over the years. Now, we’ll take a look at tree trunks. Again, there is no formula for this. Just a consideration of what’s important about the trunks in question. Here’s an early art quilt, Autumn Breeze. Since it depicts Aspen trees, I […]
Since I do a lot of quilts inspired by nature, I often need to depict trees. But, I don’t have a set “formula,” since every situation is different. Instead, I notice what’s important about the tree(s) and try to capture that. In the Mountain Meadow, below, I just needed a mass of green with some […]
I’m trying something different. Rather than teaching for a guild, I’m renting a space in Melbourne, FL and personally coordinating all the class advertising and details. Kinda exciting (and scary.) August 1, 2011 Design Your Own Nature Quilt 6 hours, no sewing, $65, (includes $5 kit fee) Find full class details here, but first, check […]
I’m NOT a natural athlete. Back when I was taking tennis lessons, I just aimed for the middle of the opposite court and was happy to keep it between the lines. But, my instructor encouraged me to “hit with intent.” To notice my opponent’s position and direction of movement, and to aim accordingly. When making quilts […]
As you can tell from my messy studio, I’m still in the midst of the barn quilt. (I don’t do much cleaning up or putting away until the end of a project.) Click any image for a larger view. After buying all those new fabrics, I had to audition a few changes. What about multiple […]
