Following the Fabric

I’ve been working on a new quilt, using fabrics I dye-printed during my last dying session. As you can see, I made them to go together.

Dyeing with Forethought. Ellen Lindner's fabric dyeing results. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

To get started, I pulled these out, along with every fabric I thought MIGHT go with them. As usual, this stage was a rather ugly mess.   (I was toying with the idea of using some pure red bits along with the pink.)

That seemed like overkill. I removed some busy high-contrast fabrics, most of the red, and tried out a little blue-green.

Following the Fabric. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Much better. I was ready to move ahead.

There was a fabric combo in this collection that was really exciting me: the pink and black polka dots and the yellow-green print top left, with the little twiggy shapes. I liked the way the sharp little twigs contrasted with the round dots. Unfortunately, the photo above shows ALL the twiggy fabric that I had. I knew I would have to use it very purposefully and that it’s limited size would also dictate the overall size of the quilt.

Here’s the entire piece of twiggy fabric plus what I thought was an appropriate amount of the polka-dot. I quickly committed to the central composition and stitched two primary seams. Everything else is shown in audition stage and is only folded and pinned.

I really liked the vertical strip of black and yellow-green stripe just right of center (above.) I made it by carefully cutting a strip from the fabric with the large yellow-green rectangles. I was very happy with that result

Below, I added more fabric on the right. The black spacer between the stripe and the dots was needed as a calming note.

Following the Fabric. An art quilt in progress. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

I wasn’t sure about the large rectangles on the left, shown above. They seemed to be sorta taking over. I removed them and concentrated on the right side for a bit. This corner combination seemed about right.

Following the Fabric. An art quilt in progress. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

The left side was definitely going to need some attention. At this point it needed some weight (black) and some pink.

In the next post I’ll show you my progress.

Ellen Lindner

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“Mr. and Mrs.” Complete

My quilt, Mr. and Mrs., is finally complete.

Mr. and Mrs., an art quilt by Ellen Lindner. AdventureQuilter.com

Mr. and Mrs.

Here’s a detail shot.

Mr. and Mrs. - detail, an art quilt by Ellen Lindner. AdventureQuilter.com

This quilt is about my parents. There were married 66 years. My dad was a hard-working farmer and my mom did the book work and cared for four children. Although not prone to romantic gestures, they were devoted to one another. Their complementary roles resulted in a thriving family and a prosperous business.

I printed all the fabric (with thickened dye.) I pieced the background like a complex Tetris game. That took a LONG time, but I’m very happy with it. And with the whole quilt.

Mr. and Mrs., an art quilt by Ellen Lindner. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

This quilt is available for purchase. I think it would look really great in someone’s home!
43.5”h x 42”w, $1900

Ellen Lindner

8

An Exhibit by Jill Kerttula

Maybe you’re familiar with the fiber art of Jill Kerttula. She’s known for her realistic scenes and rich textural techniques. I recently got to meet up with her to see her exhibit in Charlottesville, VA.

We were greeted by this fabulous piece, Crowd of Strangers. And that’s Jill standing with it.
Jill Kerttula exhibit. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Most of the pavement in the piece above is actually woven to create texture. The whole piece really deserved study.

As you can tell, Jill is a people watcher. She showed us her sketchbook that she carries with her at all times. She uses it to sketch people in everyday situations, such as riding a bus or waiting in line.

Jill Kerttula exhibit. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Jill is also an extremely talented photographer with a keen eye for composition. She often photographs everyday events and uses them as inspiration for fiber art or paintings. For this exhibit, it was mostly the latter. I just love these!

Jill Kerttula exhibit. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Ciggy Break

 

Jill Kerttula exhibit. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Summer Reading

 

Jill Kerttula exhibit. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Dance Lessons

 

Jill Kerttula exhibit. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Fresh Daily

Aren’t they great? They’re very much in the “slice of life” genre and I really enjoyed seeing them.

Jill’s exhibit has now closed, but you can see all the pieces on her website. I encourage you to take a look.

Thanks for the tour, Jill!

Ellen Lindner

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Restoring an Old Home

My brother has recently undertaken quite a project. He’s fixing up an old home that’s on a farm he purchased. Here it is, Mountain Glen.

Restoring an Old Home. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

We don’t know the age. We think mid-late 1800s.

It’s located in the middle of pastures and fields, with lovely views. This is the view from the front porch.

Restoring an Old Home. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

And the back. (There are cows in the pasture shown, although they’re out of view in this photo.)

Restoring an Old Home. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

There’s an aviary near the parking area. This would have been used for homing pigeons. I love the shape of it.

Restoring an Old Home. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

The foyer/hall in this house is one of the biggest I’ve ever seen. It rivals fine historic homes like Monticello and Mt. Vernon, (homes of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, respectively.) This is the view from the front door.

Restoring an Old Home. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

And this shot was taken about half way back, looking toward the front. It’s HUGE!

Restoring an Old Home. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

It also has some pretty stairs that curve at the bottom.

Restoring an Old Home. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

As you might expect, it has rather grand rooms on each side of the hall. This is a composite shot of the “grey room.” Every room has a fireplace and the front rooms have windows that come all the way down to the floor, like those seen on the right.

Restoring an Old Home. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

This is the outside view.

Restoring an Old Home. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

My brother has quite a job before him! The home was lived in until around the 70s, so it has electricity, plumbing, etc., but he has to add air conditioning, update the bathrooms, and make MANY cosmetic changes. The plan is to use it for a vacation rental home. I think it will be awesome!

Ellen Lindner

 

6

Dirty Dozen Exhibit in Cape Canaveral, FL

Y’all, I am SO fortunate to be part of the Dirty Dozen Fiber Artists. This group of women is not only artistically talented, but great friends! What a blessing to each of us.

Here’s most of the gang viewing our current exhibit. Can you tell we’re having fun?

Dirty Dozen art at The Cape Center. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

L-R: Linda Geiger, Ruth Anne Parker, Gabrielle DiTota, Perlie Petrillo, Sandy Shenker, Ellen Lindner, Kathryn Robinson, Dij Pacarro, and Anne Kobus. Not shown: Jill Brown, Andrea Luliak, and Becky Stack

Our group is mostly about making art, but we also like to occasionally display our work. Right now, we have 19 pieces in an exhibit called Fiber Arts: An Ancient Local Tradition. The oldest textiles in the world have been found at an archaeological site in our county so this exhibit was curated to honor that. It’s on display at The Cape Center, in Cape Canaveral, FL. It’s a very nice venue, with most of the artwork well lit. Visiting is free and it will be up through October.

Here are just a few of the wonderful pieces on display.

Gabriele DiTota’s huge banana leaf is the largest piece in the exhibit. To make it she printed an actual banana leaf with cyanotype. The title is No Bananas Today. It was made during the pandemic, when many things were out of stock at the grocery store. She has text on the piece listing several other things that were also hard to find.

Dirty Dozen art at The Cape Center. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Gabriele DiTota with her piece, “No Bananas Today.”

The Cape Center was specifically looking for pieces with a local or environmental message for this exhibit, so Sandy Shenker’s piece about Red Mangroves fit right in. The title is Keystone, reflecting the importance of these plants in the ecosystem of our local river/lagoon. Can you see those BIG roots?

Dirty Dozen art at The Cape Center. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

“Keystone” by Sandy Shenker

Anne Kobus created this wonderful quilt, Sunward.

Dirty Dozen art at The Cape Center. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

” Sunward” by Anne Kobus

Andrea Luliak made this triptych featuring the life of a sunflower. She calls it Life Cycle.

Dirty Dozen art at The Cape Center. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

“Life Cycle”by Andrea Luliak

“Salty Air and Sunshine” was made by Kathryn Robinson. It include sheer fabrics, computer printed ones, and hand stitching.

Dirty Dozen art at The Cape Center. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

“Salty Air and Sunshine” by Kathryn Robinson

Hanging high, in the most prominent corner, are 3D fish made by Joan Engel. Part of an earlier work about the plight of fish in polluted water, all of these live in our local river/lagoon. Now displayed independently, they make great shadows on the wall.

Dirty Dozen art at The Cape Center. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

*By Joan Engel

I hope you get to see these great pieces for yourself!

Ellen Lindner

6

Food and Flowers in Siena, Italy

While in Siena, we stayed in a lovely inn. This was the view (on a rainy day.)

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

It was very early spring and things were just beginning to bloom.

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

This photo is looking back at the building.

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

We had our fanciest meal in Siena. We think our table was located in an old wine cellar. Here’s hubby trying to decode the menu.

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

I’m sure the staff thought we were rather strange, since we didn’t order course after course as those near us did. I got an appetizer only and hubby got an entree only. But, we did share dessert.

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

It was tasty and not overly sweet. The berries were currants, something I’d never had before. We saw them in things several times.

BTW, black truffles were in season and we had them in multiple dishes. Yummy!

Here’s an interesting take on creme brulee, (from a different Siena restaurant.) They set the sugar topping on fire as they set it down before me. I had to wait for it to go out and by that time, the sugar was hardened, and still warm.

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

We had some very good food, but I also got adventurous enough that I encountered some things I didn’t care for. Like melty warm, soft pork fat on toast. No thank you. (It was part of a Tuscan crostini sampler.) They love their fatty pork!

I’d definitely enjoy visiting Siena again.

Ellen Lindner

 

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Siena, Italy

Siena is a small medieval town in the heart of Tuscany. The city center is maintained to look the way it did in the 1300’s. It’s very picturesque (or, it would be, if seen on a sunny day. It was rainy and overcast for us.)

The piazza and the town hall tower are the center of the action. Everything sits on steep hills. Can you tell how steep this street is, plunging way down over the course of one building?

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

The streets are very narrow, with no sidewalks. There’s just room for one way traffic and vehicular access to the city center is tightly restricted. When a vehicle comes pedestrians just ease over to the side and no one gets excited.

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

A Gothic church sits at the highest point in the city, made from white and dark green marble.

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Traveling along the right side of the church and around to the back we encountered “the steps of death.” Or, that’s what we called them. Marble steps, wet with rain, and no handrail. Eep!

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

They didn’t look as scary when viewed from the bottom, but I can tell you they were pretty tricky!

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Nearby we found a small grocery store. Don’t you love the way they leave the leaves on the lemons? I thought they were so pretty.

Siena, Italy. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Even in the rain, it was fun to explore.

Ellen Lindner

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Adding Interest to a Background

My current quilt is progressing along nicely, (but slowly.) I spent a LOT of time piecing the background and was quite happy with it. But, I wanted to tie the background of angular shapes into the design more. Since I planned to use large circular shapes in the foreground I thought skinny circles in the background would add interest and unity.

First, I auditioned fabrics for the background circles. I wanted them to be fairly subtle. Maybe about 5 or 6 of them. I thought these would be pretty close. But is that darkest blue too dark? We’ll see.

Adding interest to a background. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

I drew the circles on my computer sketch and used that as a loose guide. I spent a good bit of time cutting the fused fabrics and arranging the circles. Here, 3 of my planned 6 are in place. But not attached yet! I pinned everything and studied it before fusing the circles in place.

Adding interest to a background. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

What do you think about the dark blue circle, top left? I think it stands out a little, but I think it will work.

And this is where I am now. The background circles have been fused on and I’m working on the two foreground circles. (The colors are actually much brighter and I’m in love with them!)

Adding interest to a background. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

OK, what about that skinny blue circle now? I think it’s okay, since the strong red foreground elements will attract more attention.

One thing that didn’t work: a wheat stencil. Actually, the stencil itself worked fine. But, it was just too large and too different from everything else. I’ll save it for something else.

Piecing a Green Background. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

I’ve been thinking about the title. This piece is about my parents. My working title was “Daddy Was a Farmer, Mama was a Southern Belle.” While that’s a great title, I don’t think it goes with the narrative of this story. I’ll simplify it and am still thinking about. Maybe I’ll use their names, the number of years they were married, or something along those lines. I can still reference farming and southern hospitality in the artist statement.

I’m getting close!

Ellen Lindner

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Planning a Foreground Design

I’ve been wanting to do a series of quilts about my family. I made the first one, Happy Family, which used circles to represent people.

"Happy Family" complete. An art quilt by Ellen Lindner. AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Happy Family

With that one the circles were an 11th hour addition. For the next one I wanted to be much more intentional.

After selecting green for the background of my current quilt it immediately got me thinking about my dad, a farmer. I decided to make a quilt about both my mom and my dad. My mom is a very gracious southern woman, who excels at entertaining, gardening, and cooking. I think of her as a Southern Belle, because she’s a beauty, as well. Thus, my working title became “Daddy was a Farmer, Mama was a Southern Belle.” (Note: my mom is still alive and she’s given her blessing to this title.)

Piecing a Green Background. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

So, how to depict these two with circles??? I knew I wanted to use red to contrast with the green. And it had a sort of farm feel to me, since farm equipment is often red.

I drew a sketch on the computer and began to audition my ideas on the design wall. I thought Dad (or Daddy as I often addressed him,) needed a big red sort of tear shaped oval.

Planning a Foreground Design Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

But, Mom needed to be more curvy.

Planning a Foreground Design Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

And slightly pinker.

Planning a Foreground Design Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

I managed to find enough red fabrics for my purposes and I’m loving these colors together!

I was REALLY tempted to complete these two shapes, but I began to think about how much easier it would be to quilt the background before adding the circles, especially since I intended to add quilt a few more blue and green ones. So, I quilted the background and started auditioning fabrics for background circles.

Planning a Foreground Design Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

The background circles will be MUCH skinnier than the foreground ones. Maybe pinky width.  And they’ll have much lower contrast, serving as a background of ancestors.

The pace on this piece has finally quickened and I’m really enjoying it!

Ellen Lindner

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Piecing a Green Background

For my latest quilt I envisioned an interesting green background with vibrantly colored circles in the foreground. I got to work on the background with my usual technique of auditioning fabrics and designing as I went along. I chose green, because I had A LOT of green fabric. Plus, I had a theme idea that would work well with green.

Piecing a Green Background. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

It was SLOW!

Piecing a Green Background. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

I would piece a section, audition a section, and repeat.

Piecing a Green Background. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

Thankfully, my efforts paid off and I was quite happy with the way it was developing.

To add interest in the less patterned areas I added several little skinny arcs.

Piecing a Green Background. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

I used red here and there to go with the fabrics and to support the red fabrics I planned to use in the foreground.

Here it is finished and I’m very happy with it. I think it has enough pattern to be interesting, but not so much that it will compete with the foreground.

Piecing a Green Background. Ellen Lindner, AdventureQuilter.com/blog

I think there’s one commercial fabric in there, but otherwise I dyed all of them. I love using my own dyed fabric!

During the time  it took to piece the background I had plenty of time to think about the foreground. I knew I wanted to use red in some very curvy/circular shapes. Auditioning red fabrics was next on my list.

Ellen LIndner

 

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