WIP Wednesday

Whew! This past week just flew by for me. I do love having a lot of things going on because it stops me from being lazy, which is easy to happen. I've been getting up early, like 5am early, in order to catch up on my shows on the DVR and to sew. Then I have classes and then work, which some days has kept me til midnight. Long days, but with some coffee I am able to get through. I'm really trying to keep my weekends for working on personal projects, housekeeping, and cooking for the week. So far, so good.

Starting last Saturday I have been sharing what I am doing for school. I will have a lot to share this Saturday as well. For my painting class alone we have to paint 10 paintings for Thursday. Here's a sneak peek of one. This one Chad even loves and wants to frame. Funny thing is it was just a quick exercise in getting paint down.

Mmmm brush strokes....

Now onto my update on my personal projects! Linking up to Freshly Pieced for Lee's weekly linky.

Completed:

None this week.

Progress Made:

Halloween Mini - I finished both side of this and just have to quilt it. Definately will be finished by next week's update and will be the first thing off my FAL list! Double whammy!

Garter Stitch Scarf - I have been doing some knitting on this too. Nothing big enough to show in a photograph. I have been thinking of making this my default couch project and knit for at least an hour a day.

Drunkard's Path QAL - I trimmed another set of blocks. I still have some to go and lots of sewing.

No Progress:

Sewing Machine Cover
Project for Migration Blocks - can't decide how to quilt them.
Wedding Present (embroidered towels)
Kaleidoscope QAL
Zig Zag QAL
Tangerine Tango Challenge - stalled until I pick up some Konas.
2012 Color Challenge: January - stalled until I pick up Konas.
Curves Class (starts Feb 1st)
For the Love of Solids Swap - just waiting on partner assignment to start.
Sparkle QAL - I have picked out my fabrics and am waiting on the cutting instructions.

Made in Cherry QAL (maybe?)
Birthday Present for BFF - Her birthday is Thursday and we are getting together Friday. This is my priority project. Good thing I know what I'm making.
Mouthy Stitches Swap - waiting on partner assignment.
Swoon-a-long - Depending on if I can find the right fabrics for my plan.
Dessert of the Month Club - need to buy supplies.
Embroidery Journal Project - still thinking of what I am going to do for January.
Embroidered Ornament set - I totally have been forgetting to put this on the list. Oops.

New:

Mini QT Swap - signed up and waiting for partner assignment.

Surprise, surprise, I found yet another new challenge out there. I did miss the first one for this year, but that's ok. I may make something up for it anyway, even though I missed the deadline. This new challenge is the Project Quilting put on by Kim's Crafty Apple. It looks like the next challenge will be posted January 22nd, so if this is something you're interested in, check it out! There are prizes involved too.

I swear this list cannot get any longer any more. At least I will have one done next week.

How are your projects going?

Random Monday

After sifting through my stash yesterday, I decided on fabrics for the Sparkle QAL. I wasn't going to participate in this one unless I found fabrics at home. Here is what I pulled.

I had been collecting the western themed ones to make Chad a quilt. I still want to, but need more than what I have right now. So in order to make something that would please him, as well as me, I'm making a mini with these. The fabric on the left will be the backing, the next four are for the sparkles, the linen is the background, and the print on the right will be the binding. In person, the linen contrasts more with the two lighter prints, but seeing it here, I may find something else to use. (And that may mean buying a solid. Good thing Konas are on sale this week at Joann's.) Any thoughts?

I'm also debating on joining the Made in Cherry QAL. I would again make a mini, but for this one I figured out measurements for it to work. For this one, again, I am shopping my stash. I have some lingering charm packs without a project in mind, so if I do decide to do this one, I will be using these fabrics. Very dark and muted. I don't know what solid I would use for the background yet. The draw to these fabrics is the small scale prints on the charms.

Chad tells me all the time I love taking on too much, so why not. At least minis won't take as much time, right?

I did also join another swap on Flickr. This one is the Mini QT Swap and they swap minis six times a year with different themes. The group is very friendly and I can't wait to make my first one. The theme for February/March is the movies. Very open-ended indeed.

Since I had today off of class, I decided to go to the thrift store and look for some old books. This online class I have been taking on creativity has project instructions for making sketch books out of old hardbacks. I found quite a few contenders but only left with three.

My big find though was this copper tray from Turkey. It has a stamp on it of what I'm assuming is the maker, but also has the city in Turkey where it was made. A quick search online didn't yield anything on the maker's (?) name, but did pull up many webpages in Turkish. Even if I never find out more about it, I love it and it is now hanging out in my sewing nook.

Now off to finish up some homework. Happy Monday to you all!

Studio Saturday

Welcome to my first weekly recap of the projects I am creating for my classes. I figure having one set day to update would be best for both you and me.

I don't have much to share visually today, as many things are still in the planning stages, or I haven't created the next project yet. To recap and for those of you who missed my post where I discussed my classes, you can expect projects from painting, sculpture, as well as my photography class which is on alternative digital processes. I am addicted to the darkroom so I am going to try to squeeze in some time there on the side.

For the first assignment in painting we had to do our best acrylic painting. There were absolutely no parameters for this assignment, which some do think is helpful but in fact, having parameters can make creativity flourish more than when everything is open.

There were some interesting paintings submitted and some students who didn't do anything. We weren't graded on this, but he wanted us to just paint so we had some sort of benchmark in which to compare at the end of the semester.

My painting was this.

Someone commented that it reminded them of watercolor, which is interesting considering I sketch with watercolors. I know I can do better and really wasn't sure what to paint. I fall back on using my dogs as subjects and could have done that here, but I don't want to overuse them for class. I cannot grow if I keep doing the same thing, ya know.

Our next assignment is to do another painting, again whatever subject or size, but we have to use three things that other students did with their paintings. I haven't started this yet because I'm not sure what to paint again. I may use one thing and do a nonobjective painting. One girl just put paint to paper without a plan, so that is something else I could do. Whatever direction I go, you will see it next Saturday.

For sculpture we are to make up a minature of what we want to weld. We are making assemblages first and he suggested gathering materials as well over the weekend. The subject matter is completely open ended. I have ideas and really need to flesh them out tomorrow and Monday. We don't have class Monday because of MLK Day, so Wednesday is when this is due. We are also having a welding demo since only myself and one other student have welding experience.

In photography we are to assemble photographs to scan. She wants them to be photos that there would be two differing sides of the story behind it. Her assignment was pertaining to family, but I talked to her after class about my situation with family, and was given the ok to use photos with other relationships. Her example was if we had a photograph of our parents, who happened to be divorced, and ask each of them their side of the story. My parents do happen to be divorced, but never would talk about why they were, and as such, I will never know.

I have picked out a few different photographs and am interested to see what the next step is after we scan them. I am hoping it doesn't have a whole lot to do with sitting at a computer. I am also really hoping that this class will be worth it in the end because I am torn between challenging myself and spending four months doing something I hate (sitting on the computer for hours and hours on end). Time will tell on that one.

I'll be spending Sunday and Monday working on these projects and hopefully squeezing in some work on my WIP list. I hope you're having a great weekend in your part of the world!

WIP Wednesday

My classes started yesterday and while most students call the first days "syllabus day", that isn't the case for my studio classes. They are normally 3 hours long and the first day for each entitled talking about the syllabus and projects to be completed for a couple hours. I have assignments due already, and really should be working on them today instead of reading blogs, but I'm not sure what I want to do.

For painting, we have to do our best painting. Any subject, any size.

Photography's assignment is to find a photographer's work I like and bring in examples. The class is not what I had thought it would be. For one, since I am in Photo III I should be able to pick my projects for the semester. Two, the focus on the spring was supposed to be film, or so I was told. I do not care for digital photography, especially sitting at a computer editing. I would much rather spend hours in the darkroom. Instead of all that, this semester's class focus is on alternative digital photography. I do admit I am intrigued because we will be learning how to print on any surface: fabrics, wood veneer, sheet metal, etc. Because of the level I am at, I will also have more freedom in project presentation, which will be nice. She wants us to combine our favorite medium with the processes we will learn, so I've been working out ways that I could combine this with fibers. I do have sketches and ideas down already, so that should help propell me through the semester. I am disappointed that I won't be able to work on what I wanted to do, which is learn early photography methods, such as tintypes, but I may be able to fit that in on the side. At any rate, this class is going to challenge me and may surprise me in the end.

Finally, for my sculpture class, we need to make up a model for a human-size sculpture we will be welding. Aside from one guy, I am the only other student in the class who has welding experience. That should be interesting for the others.

Enough about school for now. I'm thinking about taking one day a week to share with you all what I'm working on in school, and contain it there so you can choose to read about it or not.

Speaking of a schedule, check out Mollie's (Wild Olive) post today about blog planning. In December I was planning out my future blogs, and even scheduling some in advance. I really liked the organization of it and that I could write a few at a time instead of wondering what I could post every day. Currently, the only thing I have planned out is these weekly WIP posts, but I will be returning to more planning, especially since I am so busy now.

Now onto my weekly progress. Be sure to check out the other WIP Wednesday posts over at Lee's place and give your support.

Completed:

January Stitch-a-long - I made my couched piece into a banner. See this post for all the infomation.

Progress Made:

Garter Stitch Scarf - I have done some more knitting, but not enough to really show progress. Today's not a great day for photographs either, as it is heavily overcast and snowing a little.

Drunkard's Path QAL - More blocks have been trimmed. Have I mentioned that I find trimming to be tedious?

No Progress:

Sewing Machine Cover
Project for Migration Blocks - can't decide how to quilt them.
Halloween Mini
Wedding Present
Kaleidoscope QAL
Zig Zag QAL
Tangerine Tango Challenge - stalled until I pick up some Konas. They are on sale next week at Joann's though. Hopefully they have the colors I want.
2012 Color Challenge: January - stalled until I pick up Konas.
Curves Class (starts Feb 1st)
For the Love of Solids Swap - just waiting on partner assignment to start.
Sparkle QAL (maybe?)
Made in Cherry QAL (maybe?)
Birthday Present for BFF

New:

Mouthy Stitches Swap - all signed up and waiting for partner assignment.

Swoon-a-long (maybe? Depends on if I can find the right fabrics.)

Dessert of the Month Club - I'm sure you have seen other people post about this. I love the design for January so I had to join. I need to pick up materials before I start.

Embroidery Journal Project - This is a free-for-all project and I have been only thinking about what I will stitch up this month.

I think that's everything. I am taking another online class about tapping into creativity, but not sure how much of that I will share here. It's not really an end point anyway, so the outcomes/projects from it will get their own post.

Boy, do I need to get to work on this list! First up, homework, then fun. Happy Wednesday to you!

Inspiration: Native American Art

This weekend didn't result in much work on my ongoing projects. Instead, I mostly spent it preparing for classes to start tomorrow. There was a lot of football watching, including the championship win by my university's team, and the start of the the 2012 bull riding season. I also took a field trip to a local museum on Saturday. I had already seen the exhibits they are showing, but wanted to view one that is ending soon again. Of course since I was there, I wanted to walk through the other exhibits too.

One exhibit was comprised of new work that the museum has acquired. Again I found myself drawn to a select few pieces. All of them happen to be created by Native American artists, so I thought I would share them with you as a source of inspiration. (The photos are from my cell phone as I wasn't intending to take pictures.)

I didn't make notes on who exactly created these works of art, just that they were all Native American. The exhibit that these pieces are a part of runs until April, so if you are interested in knowing more details, let me know.

First up is a wall hanging made from tree bark. From afar, it reminded me of a quilt.

Upon examination, you can see that the bark is sewn together.

Next is this dress. At first, I thought it was carved from wood but it is actually ceramic.

Finally, this cushion is quillwork. Beautiful, and I could see this created with any number of materials.

Those are what stuck out for me. I love going to the museum to see what others make from everyday materials. Especially in Native American art, the use of natural materials is stunning. I come home and look at everything differently.

How was your weekend?

Couched Name Banner

The January stitch-a-long over at Feeling Stitchy is to make a couched piece. I have been wanting to stitch along with them since I started following last summer, but haven't had the time. Floresita is making a New Year's banner with couching and I loved the idea of a banner, but instead of Happy New Year, I chose to use my name. I needed something special for my sewing space afterall. So I took this stack of materials...

And after a few nights of couching, turned them into this.

Just one quick picture of the entire thing because it was very windy today.

Here's a close up. I used bits of leftover yarn from my last cowl for the letters. The banner is beefed up a bit because I fused fleece to both the front and back pieces. Floresita posted a little tutorial on how she did her couching. For mine, I marked the banner pieces with water soluable pen because I was using cotton fabric. I haven't used that type of pen on felt, so I can't say how that would work.

So that's my quick finish for today! If you're interested in a tutorial on how I did any part of this banner, let me know. I would gladly whip up another one.

Have a great weekend!

TTT: Picking a Pattern

One reason why I shouldn't be allowed to buy new fabrics or yarns is because I immediately want to use them. This wouldn't be an issue if I also didn't abandon the other projects I have going on. So it is taking all of my will to not cast on both of the new yarns that I bought.

Both are deliciously soft and if I could manage, I would wrap the silk/camel blend around me to wear always. I forgot to mention yesterday, but my local yarn shop also carries a buffalo down blend that almost made it's way home with me. However, the over $50 price tag kept it in the store. For now.

I know I want to make a hat with the Madelinetosh. The Marrakesh is where I'm not sure. I haven't worked with lace weight yarn before. So I spent some time searching on Ravelry to see what other people have made with both of these yarns.

It didn't help me decided yet, but I thought I would share with you the possible patterns I may use. I do intend to knit or crochet these up in the coming months.

First, the Madelinetosh...

Crooked Paths hat. Image source.

Lace Leaf hat. Image source.

Rosebud hat. Image source.

Sourwood Mountain gloves. Image source. I am thinking about going back to get a second skein just so I can make these to match whichever hat I choose.

And now my beloved silk and camel...

Fern scarf. Image source.

Indian Feathers shawl. Image source.

Sezession I shawl. Image source. This one is standing out as the frontrunner.

Any of them stand out for you?

Linking up to Making Rebecca Lynne for her Thursday Think Tank. Hopefully I will have a finished item to share with you tomorrow.