Found Objects

It all started with finding several plastic tiebacks for roman shades.  In the middle of making a new cloth doll, I immediately "saw" breasts and arms in these little contraptions.

As often happens, one thing led to another...

And one felt "doll front" soon morphed into three.

As I cut the shapes and attached buttons and beads for breasts, it occurred to me that maybe these won't be small dolls after all, but rather, perhaps, parts of an art quilt.

 

 Out came the stash. This is my favorite so far.  This may grow into my SAQA donation to benefit the New England Quilt Museum during the New England SAQA show in January, 2011, "No Holes Barred" (see link under to New England Quilt Museum under the category "Giving Back"). Or not--it's too early in the process to know.

Art Quilt in Process

At first I planned on putting together a quick, simple nine-patch block to make a pillow. Now that I've spent a couple evenings hand quilting to outline and/or echo the patterns on the commercial fabric, this seems to be turning into a small art quilt.  As always, time will tell.

About 14" square at this stage

Below are two detail images of the hand quilting:

Sweet, funky doll

I've been working on simple samples of soft dolls and animals in order to create a model to use for making small toys to give to children in difficult situations. I'd also like to organize and lead some workshops at drop-in shelters and similar places as a way to teach basic sewing skills and give others the opportunity to pass on gifts they've made.

With her unbleached muslin head, torso, and arms, and commercial fabric legs and feet, this doll is a funky composite of ideas and techniques stored in my head. She's stuffed with unbleached wool roving except for her feet, which are filled with noisy, crunchy dried organic buckwheat hulls.*

 

Note her "joints" at the elbows, hips and knees. She can sit or kneel (with support).  

* Organic dried buckwheat hulls are clean and light; they make great filling for some projects. My source is J. Crow's Marketplace (see link). They also have wonderful dried flowers, oils, and other related products. 

Rebuilding Rock Walls

My view from the window for the past two weeks.

Kokeshi Inspired

After making some kokeshi dolls from the Melly and Me pattern, I decided to alter the embroidery design and doll shape to try and make a Chinese doll from the Japanese model.  Cultural appropriation aside, with apologies, I think I'm getting there.

  

My move to Beijing is fast-approaching and I would like to have a few dolls in hand to give to children I meet and also to use as samples for possible workshops.  I've found Japanese doll patterns and manufactured dolls aplenty, but next to none for Chinese children.  Perhaps I'll be able to educate myself a bit more once I'm there and able to explore.

I changed the original pattern to put a base on the doll.  Maybe it's just me, but I like my dolls to stand or sit on their own.



 

Kokeshi/Matryoshka Inspired Dolls

These dolls were inspired by the Cloth Paper Scissors Reader Challenge, "Stenciled Garden."  

Fronts of finished (or nearly finished) dolls.  I hand stitched the facial features and machine stitched the outline of the body. After clipping seams and turning, I stuffed loosely with unbleached wool roving.  They have small bases of lightweight cardboard, so they stand on their own.

The back view.

Each doll has her own distinct personality. 

Painted Dolls

I've been experimenting with Lumiere fabric paints since using them in Melanie Testa's Soy Wax Resist Workshop at Create! in Chicago this summer. 

I penciled a loose doll outline on unbleached muslin--something between a kokshei and matryoshki shaped figure.

Next, I painted the base layer and, after giving it about 30 minutes to dry, I stenciled and masked the flower from Cloth Paper Scissors' Reader's Challenge, "stencil garden" (see link for Cloth Paper Scissors and then go to "Reader's Challenge" to learn more and/or participate).  Note: Putting a towel under the fabric helps speed drying time. 

Three dolls are 4.5-5.5" high and three are 7-8" high.

I added dots with paint and lines with permanent marker.

Next, I matched fabric from my stash to the dolls "fronts." which are still just painted muslin in these photos.

Below are the three larger doll fronts and matching fabric for the backs.

Best Friends

Nellie is an 18 month old Lab/St. Bernard cross and Peanut is a 12/13+ year old male cat.

I made these kokeshi dolls for a house warming gift for extended family. They'd recently visited Japan and are enamored of all things Japanese.  I found the pattern online (free) from Melly and Me (see links). I varied the color and sash patterns, and also tweaked the pattern a bit, adding an oval base so the dolls would stand on their own. 

China Bound

I'm moving to Beijing for two or three years in January (2011). At first there will be a back-and-forth transition time to meet family needs and professional commitments, then it will be full time. 

This is a park near the apartment. 

I'm interested in Chinese culture in terms of time, ancient to contemporary, and locale, rural to urban. I plan to immerse myself in popular culture and fiber arts/crafts. At this point, I know very little about contemporary Chinese fiber/textile arts.  Some of the world's best quilters come from Japan and South Korea, both countries are just a couple hours away by plane.

Another park near the Beijing apartment.

First, I have to get my head around such a major shift in location and lifestyle. 

Autumn in New England

The trees in my backyard are beginning to show their fall colors.

Crafting at the Beach

I'm still limping from whatever I did to my foot last month in Guatemala--feels like severe tendonitis--so I'm not walking the beach as planned, but rocking on the porch and crafting to keep busy.

Round feet so figure can stand

This little critter is about four inches tall and five and a half or so long (no measuring tape here. It's made from gray wool felt and teal and blue "Eco" felt from recycled bottles.

Maine Coast in September

The shore is lovely in the fall, when the days are milder and the crowds have dispersed. 

Birds

I try to shoot shadow-free photos, but this time I liked the effect of the soft shadow behind the bird.

I used squares fabric from a "layer cake" bundle and ironed mid-weight fusible interfacing to the fabric before cutting. As a final step, I brushed the bird with a thinned solution of matte Mod Podge to seal it. 

This pattern was/is (it's still available) in the Winter 2009/2010 International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene Magazine: 

http://www.joggles.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=20007

Sunset

As the days grow shorter, the setting sun gives a vibrant, rosy tangerine hue to the clouds over Mt. Monadnock. 

The mid-term elections were yesterday. Two steps forward, three back.