jennifer's blog

White on White

Today I posted to the Forum in Jude Hill's class. I wanted to put more pictures here and add some words about my process. I realize I have neglected this blog for quite awhile because of other interests (I decided to back up a little and take some basic art classes) I do want to post here more often though because I love reading what other class members are doing.

It's not easy to see white on white but I gathered some antique linens and cloth with machine embroidered flowers (at the bottom).  Loved doing all the raveling and fringing.  I started with the three flowers in the middle of the piece, gathering and forming the flowers, tacking down and "what-iffing" away.  I guess I'm still looking for The Story in everything.

So I'll say the story here is about three little blossoms catching some rays and let that be just fine for now.  Smiling.

Great Horned Owl

I wanted a Halloween flag for my porch so I decided on this owl image. I hear her singing to her friends before the sun comes up.  It is such a beautiful call. 

I used the sewing methods I've learned from Jude Hill's Magic Diaries class.  I really love to stitch by hand so I assembled this without using my sewing machine, just too noisey and exciting for me.  I used linen for the back and blind stitched that to flannel. Then I built the front using applique and piecing. It's easy to just catch the flannel so that the stitches do not show on the back. So far I haven't been able to plan my quilting phase and the embroidering of the top and make the back look decent.

Here is an enlarged view of the front.  I wanted the night sky to have some stars and didn't want to take the time to break out the fabric dyes so I splattered bleach on my navy thrift store fabric...just too much fun!!

Beginnings and Endings

I have not been posting here because the past six months have been quite a whirlwind. There was the wedding of my amazing daughter;

The peaceful passing of my incredible 90 year old Mom;

And a move for me to the sweet little town of Mount Dora in the heart of Florida...

The stitchings have helped me maintain my sanity through all of these changes. Now that Spirit Diaries have started again I am hoping to post here more often. I love Jude's teachings and this group of thread sisters.

This is a small wall hanging I've been working on.  It was boroed, in Jude fashion, onto a scarf from the thrift store. I had it pinned together for a long time. Just that little bird in her cage...now with all of these new changes I felt the need to add the other birdie on the ground... maybe she will even take flight someday  - HA! ...

 

Magic Cloth #1

Finally I've moved my Magic Cloth along enough to post. This project has been such a joy for me. I have quite a way to go but I've decided that this cloth and the ones to follow are a life's work so no need to rush them along.  I love to hold this cloth in my lap and turn it the way Jude does until I find the area I want to work on next.  I am insired by Deb Lativa's beautiful hand dyed fabrics and use them whenever I can. And I'm sure many of my clothmates will see inspirations I've received from  them as well.  I've included some details and will post again when I've made more progress. Thanks for your interest.  And I want to acknowledge, again, how grateful I am to have this class in my life.  I have been taking classes here for more than a year now and this outlet for my creative expression has helped me through some challenging times. So thank you Jude and thank all of you beautiful stitchers out there!

p.s. I love the symbol of the Tree of Life - to me it represents All.  I've made each leaf a different color because there are so many different pieces that come together to make the whole - different but all One, all the same.  My wren sit at the tree's heart. She will almost be enclosed by the beautiful leafy brances but I'm leaving an opening so she can fly to the sun when she's ready...ha!

 

Germination

 

This is my entry into Jude's Magic Feather Project. 

Germination

I grow plants for a living in a little town in central Florida so it makes sense that this little seedling came to mind.  I am finding my creative voice through Jude’s generous teachings and the sharings of so many far flung stitchers.  I count this class as one of my blessings every day.

 I dyed these fabrics using Setacolor and some sunbeams.  The shibori is my first attempt.  I love the way it turned out looking like a flower bush, a happy accident.   

Jude, this sprout’s for you!!   jenni-lynn

Barely Hanging On

 
 
 
I found a shirt in my thrift store hunts with this beautiful print. It looks like a water color to me.  I did a lot of background stitching in white, I'm not sure that photographed well.  I took jaihn's lead and put a sunbeam on this photo and I like that idea alot.

I felt that it needed something so I searched beetles/bugs online and found this lady bug. I was studing this cloth, looking for the story here, realizing that we are learning to let our cloths speak to us. I saw that of all the places I could have put this little bug I had placed her percariously on the edge of a flower. She looks like she is scrambling a bit, which feels so true for me some days.  She knows how to  fly but is saving that for emergencies....  : )

 

jenni-lynn Magic Diaries 9 patch

I'm really not sure where to start my new cloth adventure so I took Jude's advice and made a nine patch.  This one looked so much better on the back that I decided to turn it over.

 
 

I am feeling attracted to more muted colors and using circles and spirals....

 
 
These are my favorites!  Again I want to say what a joy this experience is for me.  Off to NY to help out the kids and I will have Deb Lacativa's beautiful fabrics in my pocket.

Sun Moon Stars

 
 
 
This is the assignment for  Jude's  Sun Moon Stars class.  I was glad to have a little break between classes so that I could spend more time with this one.  It grew to be about 18x28.  The largest I've attempted so far.  I started with the reverse applique of the sun in the middle. When I traveled to NY in May to help my kids I took this little scrap in my pocket.  The cloth grew slowly around that scrap.  A cosmic looking printed cotton on the right and midnight blue linen on the left. I decided to use some of the dyed fabrics from our clothmates so I have a Glennis velvet moon and used a piece of  Arlee eco dyed cloth for the moon on the right side.  I used the paper piecing method Jude taught us on the border. ..very calming.

Here are a few close ups.

 

 

It was odd to me that as I added the stitches and beads for the flow of energy coming from  the earth I stitched up to the sun.  I felt that it was important though I'm not really sure of the story here.  I do believe that our positive thoughts have power. They go out into the Universe and make great winds in space...he he... fun!

Father Sun

 

It's so funny what you see when you take a picture.  This little house is listing left...I'm sure that has some significance but the main thing I see when I look at this cloth is the many happy hours spent in the doing of it.

I started with Jude's suggestion and auditioned fabrics on my design board, walking by and tweeking and basting and "what-ifing'.  I saw a shirt in the thrift store that looked like a garden and I thought about it so much I had to go back and get it.  (Felt a little guilty because it WAS a beautiful shirt someone could have worn... now it's a one-armed beautiful shirt. )  I knew I wanted to make a path to the water.  It seemed very important.  Now it looks like everything is moving to the water.   I love that Deanna saw my heart flowers as kites.  So I'm letting my heart flag fly!

These cloths are hanging up in my space and I look at them all the time. I'm beginning to see a common theme.  I'm not being self-critical here, just noticing a sweet/corney/polly-anna trend.  I believe that the quiet hours spend here are healing and renewing.  I've decided to just stitch.  These are challenging times for our family so I am not underestimating the Power of the Cloth in my life right now.   Thank you all, it's wonderful to have a place to share.

 

Nature's Gift

 

Some evenings I step out the door to decide if I should take a walk. I know when I hear a bird call me or see a dragonfly.  It may sound a bit odd but sometimes I feel that Mother Nature is leaving me gifts. It might be a feather or an amazing stick or noticing something new.  Yesterday I was just following my nose and chose a new path and this is the gift that the Mother left for me.  So sweet...