JW's: Garden Greenery

Green is my Dad’s favorite color.  Growing up in a green house with green kitchen cabinets and oh yes... that pure green carpet - ugh!  It wasn’t that I detested green, I just appreciate the entire rainbow.  Funny how some things revisit my life.  Our green house exterior is a prelude to several shades of green walls throughout the interior.   Even my new studio remodel is now awash in a pale yellowish green paint. 

Actually I’m surrounded by green because my favorite outdoor home hobby is gardening with special attention to adding a variety of greenery amidst my flowers.  My husbands summer priority is keeping our lawn the lushest green on the street and then we both play on golf greens as often as possible in our spare time ~ depicted with the green grass border fabric.

My quilt subject is dedicated to enjoying God’s green earth whether it is in my garden, on the course or in my mind.  I sketched this ornamental vignette with pencil and paper to actual size, then transferred the design using dressmakers carbon to trace the outline directly to my hand-dyed fabric background.  I originally intended to embroider the scene in black thread but chose to work the lines and shading entirely with a Pigma MICRON 01 permanent black archival ink pen for the finest detail.  It is acid free and my number one choice for writing my quilt labels on fabric.

Embellishments include 1/8th inch satin ribbon, various glass beads and a wire beaded dragonfly I made almost 10 years ago.  I wanted to keep the background simple so I used (60 wt.) Madiera clear monofilament for my topstich and smoke colored  Madeira monofilament for my bobbin thread which I free-motion quilted around the drawn shapes after the beading.  I tacked the dragonfly on last.  I think more light contrast would have helped the overall look but I worked with what was on hand.  My studio is spread to all corners of the house and garage so this was more of a challenge than I usually encounter to be finished on time.  

PS.  My first photo isn't true to color or in clear focus.  I took several shots indoors and out with various settings.  I was having trouble with my camera and low batteries.  I will replace with a better photo as soon as possible.  I'm heading to the golf course - I'm in a tournament in 2 hrs.!  I have cut this blog submission close because I just finished the piece an hour ago. 

Judy W's "Interwoven: Through the Ages"

"Interwoven: Through the Ages" 

by Judy Wedemeyer

My reference to 'through the ages' is an interweaving of past, present and future  projects and memories.  (Past) is highlighted by recycling vintage black wire beaded earrings.  The flower was one of many I made a few years ago while experimenting with melting black plastic fruit tray dividers into flower bases. I was planning on incorporating them into weatherproof yard art somehow.  Batik fabric in aqua and orange tropical colors are inspired by my daughters beach themed, Hawaiian destination wedding scheduled for April 2014. (Future)  And of course (Present) is the creation of this current challenge piece.

A foundation of mixed ephemera and threads from various art quilt projects were laid on dyed cheesecloth, interwoven and then sandwiched between two sheets of Water Soluble Solvy foundation.  Included materials are painted Ludura, upholstery threads, plastic netting, dyed silk cocoon pieces and dyed cheesecloth.

I bobbin stitched a variegated metallic thread while machine quilting with a clear mono-filament top thread in a wavy grid pattern.  Once stabilized, I cold water rinsed the Solvy away, towel pressed the 'fabric' and iron dried it between parchment paper.  The tissue paper and gold foil candy wrapper pieces were embedded after the wash and dry cycle.  Unfortunately I got heavy handed with the iron and melted the green netting pretty much into oblivion. : /

Quilt Basting Spray adhered the interwoven section to the orange batik background fabric.  I ironed fusible fleece batting (Thermolam) to the backside of the batik before bobbin quilting a diagonal wavy grid in metallic thread. After quilting, I sandwiched top and back right sides together, cut a small slit in the backing to pull right side out, and then fused my quilt label over the opening.  Final step was gluing and thread tacking the embellishments to the quilt top and beading the edges.  This quilt exemplifies what I enjoy most about art quilting ~ small experiment projects which incorporate recycling, hand beading, embellishments and surface design.

Judy W's Spiral: "Staircase To Heaven"

First I'd like to apologize for being tardy with this submission.  Between torrential wind wreaking havoc and felling two significant trees from our landscape, plus a delayed front deck replacement with construction materials adding to the 'disaster status' of our yard, my schedule went completely awry.  This is the first year in a long time that I can say I might be looking forward to winter!

Now, about the spiral theme.  I was off to a slow start and no firm ideas would gel.  Time was nearly up and very few doodles were striking my fancy.  My photo of the spiral staircase inside our Alaska Railroad train car just wasn't working out so I Googled spiral staircase images and found this one, although the original was in black and white.  Using my iPhoto tools, I chose a green color that reminded me of fiddle head ferns.  The image was printed on a June Tailor Colorfast 100% Cotton Fabric Sheet For Ink Jet Printers and heat set with a dry iron.

"Staircase To Heaven" embraces my love of curved lines, spiral staircases, fiddle head ferns when they first begin to unfurl in the spring, but most of all, I love the photo angle with its upward movement that leads my thoughts toward infinity and eternity in heaven.  The black/gold spiral border print was luckily in my stash, as well as the gold spiral braid.  I chose to extensively accent the spiral movement with predominantly green and gold glass beads.  The stair treads are machine quilted with a variegated green Blendable thread.  I machine stitched the braid with gold metallic thread.  I'm not sure the details will show up well enough in this photo but my husband said, "this looks rich".  I agree with him.  It really glows in person.

Alaskan Greetings From Judy W. (aka Jude)

Spring Fling (my SAQA 2011 Auction Piece)

Much appreciation to everyone for enthusiastically welcoming me into the fold, with a special thanks to Kathy, who knew nothing of my ongoing interest in joining the Mavens until she phoned me last week.  I’m extremely excited to journey artistically with each of you as we share our combined creative strengths.

Husband Kurt, our two daughters Kristen, Kari and Son-in-Law Joshua, and my parents all reside in Anchorage and have encouraged my art from day one.  Even my West Highland White Terrier Maggie Mae, who routinely fled from my studio when I machine sewed, now keeps me company in my basement studio since her hearing started failing this year.

My quilt journey began in a 1988 class which covered all the basics start to finish.  From that point on, I shelved most all other creative interests to pursue my quilt addiction.  I’ve taken and taught classes, had a few quilts published in magazines, developed four quilt patterns (retail) in the mid-90’s, offered my services as a consignment quilter/designer for four years, and worked in a local quilt store.  I also organized a local quilter’s (weekend) bazaar two years, with huge success. 

As an Anchorage Log Cabin Quilt Guild member since 1990, I have participated in several satellite groups through the years.  I’m currently completing a third year with a Round Robin Group.  A few years prior to Kathy’s move to Texas, she and I became SAQA members and ‘art quilt partners’ to seriously study fabric art techniques and surface design as they pertain to art quilting.  She and I produced three art quilt First Friday events.

I pursue art quilting for the creative challenge and a desire to combine the various fiber arts, beading, painting and sewing experience I've learned thus far, into mixed-media quilts. Bold colors, garden themes and texture frequently surface in my work,  and my personal goal is to try something new in everything I do.

Zentipede

This photo depicts one of my favorite, more recent art pieces.   The background fabric was a dyeing session with Kathy which I later doodled with fabric markers, machine free motion quilted and then heavily beaded - not my norm.  It is called Zentipede because it reminded my daughter and I of a centipede and the Zen comes from Zen art doodling which I'd been exploring.  I was glad to see Zentangle mentioned in a previous comment.  Zentangle and Zendoodle are the same thing.

I'm glad to announce the 'south' theme finally gelled in my mind this afternoon. I know the what, but have to work on executing the how.  This evening I completely caught up with reading ALL of the previous MM posts and comments.  So glad to be on board with all you Mavens!