Showing posts with label Helen Geglio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Helen Geglio. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

The Vignette Quilt Along

 I stumbled across the Vignettes Quilt by Heidi Parkes on Instagram.  I immediately purchased the pattern.  I love  Heidi's work and also welcomed the idea of learning more about the principles of art.  I have been exposed to some of the terms and basics in other classes but never have had a good understanding of them.

Whether designing intuitively or approaching a design with a plan we all use the same six elements of art.


Line, color, shape, form, texture, value and form.  I am using this quilt along as an opportunity to reframe some childhood moments and memories.


In this vignette, there is some oriental fabric representing Naha, Okinawa where I was born and Taiwan where we also lived.  The dark blue fabric represents  depression, mine and other family members  The drunkard's path quilt block reflects a family predisposition.  On a happier note, the gingham represents dresses loving sewn by my mother for me.



Misty was the first movie I ever watched in a theater and the only one I remember going to with my mother.  I was five and cried hard for Misty!


Sunbonnet Sue is an example of appropriation.  I found two blocks at a flea market in Asheville recently. I slept under a Sunbonnet Sue quilt with royal blue sashing for much of my childhood.


This remnant from an old quilt was a gift from the class I took with Helen Geglio.  I chose this to represent my father.  It is made from shirting fabrics and his favorite color was red.  You can also see some vintage lace trim. 



Some indigo dyed lace trim for more texture and the tape measure fabric on the left for growing up and for always being the tallest in the class in elementary school.

I am enjoying this QAL and especially all of Heidi's prompts that encouraging sharing our images and commenting on each other's work.  Looking forward to adding some intuitive embroidery and hand quilting to this.  Quilt on friends.



Sunday, June 13, 2021

Please Don't Feed the Bears-Arrowmont

 Last Sunday I drove up to Arrowmont for my much anticipated class with textile artist,  Helen Geglio.  The class "The Keeper's Quilt" was about using treasured textiles in a newly designed quilt.


This is my fifth visit to Arrowmont and it is something I look forward to each year.  My only disappointment year after year was never seeing first hand the much lauded black bear visit.  But during lunch one day, two bears ambled through.  They did not approach us even though we were eating about 30 to 40 yards away at the picnic tables outside.  What a treat!


The class was exactly what I hoped it would be, a relaxing yet deep dive into using old textiles and hand stitch.  Helen is a knowledgeable and generous instructor, both in sharing her design process and materials.


One of my favorite aspects of the class was seeing her work close up and working with an old quilt with fabrics from the turn of the century and the 30s and 40s.


There is a whole back story about the fictional Hesperia, the maker of the old quilt Helen brought for us to use.


The class was small, only six of us.  It was a really pleasant group of like minded people of all ages.


Helen had us do some small samplers to practice some techniques.  My first was titled "Night Watch" .

We all worked then on a primary project.  Here are some in progress shots of mine, "Three Sisters".





Here are some of the other projects from our class.



Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Delightful Dilemma

 Last year my annual trip to Arrowmont was canceled due to COVID.  That makes this year's trip all the more precious.  I am taking Cloth, Needle and Stitch: The Keeper's Quilt with Helen Geglio.  I have been collecting old pieces of quilts, lace and trim.  This weekend I did some natural dyeing.


Osage Orange


Logwood

It did not take long to dye my way through seven yards of linen and some commercial text print fabric.




My array of purples and gold



I also took some of the leftover dye stuff and steamed some wrapped bundles for some variations.






I threw some yarn into the pots for fun.


For the dilemma, do I approach the class with a plan...there are so many possibilities ?  Or do I pack up a bunch of odds and ends and see what happens. 



What a lovely problem to have.