Grandnephews x-mas sweater

This is the sweater I just finished for my sister Deb's grandbaby.


I saw the sweater on Wee Wonderfuls blog and thought it was the cutest little kids sweater. The pattern is from Miss Beas Rainy day by Rowan a cute little book that I ended up ordering from Amazon UK, did you know you can do that? There's an Amazon Japan too! Ooh the possibilities... The yarn is cotton worsted from Knitpicks.

Arts & Crafts Day is coming

Mark your calendars November 30th is Arts & Crafts Day. The homeschooling daughter of a friend has created this holiday. I think it is one we should all observe, these are her intentions:

I made up arts and crafts day so more people would do crafts. Arts and crafts day is a day that you are supposed to do all the arts and crafts you can do in one day. Then you think of which craft you should give which person. The next time you see that person you give it too the person you thought of. Arts and crafts day is on November the 30. Good craft ideas for arts and craft day.

1 Draw a picture of your friend
2 Use a shoe box to make a doll house
3 Collage
4 sock monkeys
Etc… please spread the word by blogs by phone or by mouth

Rules

What is it about rules that make us want to break them. Rules can be very limiting or totally inspiring. The new rule in the International Quilt Festival World of Beauty contest is “no sharps” meaning nothing sharp on a quilt, due to barbed wire being on a quilt a year ago. And as many of you know our group quilt Fauna, done before the rule change, was rejected from this show because it had copper wire on it. You can see the gorgeous panel that caused the problems here.

I guess it must be my natural rebellious nature that when some one says something is not allowed, especially when it comes to making art -specifically quilt related- I want to do it. My head has been spinning with ideas of more ways to incorporate metal with quilting. I think about the potentially great quilts that would not be eligible because of this rule, and I want to make them, as an example of what they will be missing.

I understand the reasons for this rule: insurance, special handling during judging and hanging, but unfortunately it is also limiting to the possibilities of new and different art. Without changing ideas, techniques and imagery, it all begins to look the same, it looses its energy and is no longer exciting. It becomes just another quilt show.

You probably won't be seeing this in Houston.

This is an 8" square of copper screen with painted Lutradur stitched to it. The embossed metal house has open doors to reveal a 2" x 3" painting that is machine quilted.


It can also stand up on a flat surface.

Finished

Finally finished the Agave. This and four other quilts will be going to a gallery show in Austin, TX for the month of December.

Craft fair bummer

Unfortunately we had a terrible rainstorm the night of the craft fair and no one came. All the kids had worked so hard, their table displays looked great. There were some sales made none the less, so the kids weren't too unhappy.

Here is Ty's origami raindeer and more of Nina's monsters.

Homeschool Teen Craft Fair

This week I have been helping my kids do the last minute preparations for the teen craft fair this friday. They have been in high production mode and want to make some cash!

Ty is selling Origami ornaments. Primarily these sonobe modules and also oragami raindeer.


Nina has created a line of stuffed monster dolls in polar fleece and soft velvety fur.


These are the next few in progress.

Off to Houston friday

I'm going to the International Quilt Festival for the weekend. To see the show but mostly to hang out with my textile art group gal pals from Texas. I am so proud of Kathy York from Austin who won first place large art with her wonderful quilt Little Cities.