Oh thoe pesky ideas and then their imperfect execution! Keep practicing and your hand will get steadier! New adventire for you this year..... :)

January 2014 ------------- The New Year!!!
 

Would love to see your WIPs! What are you guys up to?

Here is one I just presented to a commissioned client. (I am so glad to see the back side of this one.Worked on it since Sept.) Doesn't look very tidy in the photo but it did get blocked and hangs straight and flat. The client was bowled over. They are musicians and wanted it over the sofa in their new house in bright colors. Quilting is all sorts of musical symbology. So all was well there.


I have had some interesting experiences these last few weeks as I am sure you all have. Holidays, party making and interacting with lots of people tends to do that. For me it has meant being invited into several new circles of people. Consequently I have been invited to be a part of 3 international art shows this year. This has me madly considering and making new works of course. My creative juices are in overdrive right now as you can imagine.

For this reason I am going to have to relinquish being at the helm of this project. We certainly get a lot of lookers here and I think this is such a valuable place for people to come and discuss and be a part of the 'artsy' end of quilting.

Anybody want to step up and steer this boat? Perhaps several people? All that is needed is a topic and some input. I am going to be checking in and showing off work as I go along but the tyranny of a deadline and topics is something that won't figure into this year's work flow for me. The topics we've had the last while have made me stretch and explore new territory and techniques and I sure hope it continues!

The best to all of you in this new year and thanks especially to my good friends made on this board..............

Why is it always good news/ bad news? You've done a great job, with your encouragement, advice and example, Suzie! Thanks for starting this and keeping us going! I'm an idea person, more than a completion person. If there's someone who would like to work with me I'm willing. I can come up with themes, but might never actually finish anything , lol. Who would like to come play?

oh, my goodness! I was so upset by your news , Suzie , i forgot to mention how gorgeous your piece is, and how excited i am for your art show acceptance! You go girl! Love the quilting ! You be sure and post here often! We are behind you every step of the way, and don't want to miss a thing!

Your piece is gorgeous!!

Nancia, thanks so much for your kudos! ...............I blush. It is over 100 degrees here and working on a large Q sounds way to exhausting. I think I will lay here on the couch and 'design'.

I will be checking in and contributing where possible.

Very pretty! I like this one better than the first one.

I've just found this thread and it seems to have died. Is there an easy way for me to find each months challenge with reading 101 pages of posts?
Cindy

We could all post some suggestions and any one who is interested could vote. I'm really busy using up scraps and finish ing ufos, but would like to practice my art quilting skills.
I'm thinking I should choose a size/format so that one decision is made and they will look good hanging together.
How did everyone do theirs before?

Challenges for all
 

Mainly I posted a topic or idea ie; 'express the weather outside this month', or 'use a majority of colors in your scrap bag and depict some aspect of your home - a small or large object, the floorplan, the entryway...' etc. Usually works were any size but my pet theme is to try and have someone who looks at an art Q of mine feel something. So I would make my criteria as above. Absolutely not necessary of course and others in the group were more flexible with their experimentations. ie; Use purples and work must include circles and be 14 x 20 or larger. These are always a fun stretch to just 'do-it' without needed an overall theme to express.

So just post anything you have in mind and see if anyone else wants to play. I do suggest a deadline tho or topics drag on forever and never get done--so one month is just about enough tyranny usually for experiments. When you get into work you have heart and soul invested in then a longer time is usually needed.

So post whatever is on your mind. And hopefully others will do the same and a great deal can be learned.
***
I started this thread so we could work out on new skills and ideas plus giving each other ideas of how to achieve various effects.

I stopped as I have an international art show to participate in at the end of this year and so needed more than a month for an experiment and coming up with topics for others and time for this thread were running low. But do go for it-------please I want to come back when the show is done.

Meantime here is my latest work........ Dragon's Tongue (this is a special real type of tornado that is a spontaneous fire)