Birds, feathers and such!

I'm back!!

I have taken a small break to rework how I use this blog!  Last Fall I was a bit too eager to post works in progress and ended up losing out on business and design.  It was a bitter pill but I've learned my lesson.  Moving forward posts will be of completed quilts that have been watermarked, copyrighted, and/or verifiable that it is my original design.   I love and appreciate my readers and friends and I encourage comments and communications.  But I also need to be more responsible to my talent. 

Alright.  'Nuff said!

Some very exciting things have been happening in the studio this year!

In March I was asked to participate in a celebration of the novel The Giver by speaking about the Psychology of Color and how its used in our media, politics and art.  It was a fantastic experience and I love every minute!  The main event was a book signing and lecture with Lois Lowry herself!  Such an amazing evening getting to meet her and talk quilts with her.  But my personal favorite was having two of my quilts selected as a back drop for her signing!!  (SQUEEE!!)

Me with the GREAT Lois Lowry ~April 30, 2015

As part of my preparation for this event and after reading The Giver about three times over, this little wall hanging came to fruition!   I call it "Fly Away Geese!"  I hope you can see the humor in it! 

What I am most excited to share with you is a piece I just finished yesterday!  I've never worked harder on a piece - or thought more outside the box - than with this piece! 

Meet "Mandala Bird" - a quilt collage with so many different techniques!  I can't help my love of birds and peacocks, and also my love for mhendi and henna. This work includes hand piecing, machine piecing, English paper piecing, silk acrylic painting, thread painting, hand quilting, machine quilting, machine applique, hand applique.

Answers to questions I've already received:
Yes, this project is finished!
Yes, the blocks are attached to each other.  There are 2 sleeves on the back - one at the top and one 10" below - to hang it and give it additional support.

This feather is appliqued with thread art.

This block is all thread art.

The hexagons are first curve pieced then English paper pieced together and then hand appliqued to a background.  Finished, the measure 1" wide.
The 2 round blocks are bound, not stitch'n'flip.

The mandala is appliqued with henna style quilting

The wings are pieced with appliqued hexagons on the belly and wings.

The inspiration for the form came from reading Neil Gaimen's Sandman graphic novels.  It's a standard format to have one large panel in the middle broken up by several smaller frames that picture the topics of conversation between characters.  This is exactly what I did.  My peacock is my panel, the smaller frames focus on features of the bird.

My proudest moment - curve pieced hexi's!!  Love them!  I made them to look like the tiny layered feathers of a bird's belly

My favorite block of all - silk painted with thread art over!

I really loved making this piece and hope you enjoy it, too!  I understand it is very non-traditional.  So beyond non-traditional it's kind'a in it's own corner!   So I am open to any questions!

Until then,  Cheers! 

Mood:  Sunny
Music: "Wake Me Up" by Avicii