Monday, February 24, 2014

My Quip - Silence is Not Necessarily No Progress

Good Day,

Andy and I have been trying some new things, definitely some new techniques.  Concurrently we are working on four quilts and wall hangings: H-1; H-2; Tampa Kaleidoscope; and Warhol's Itch.

We also have a number of other current project that in the vernacular of the quilter may or may not be deemed "UFO".  Are these unfinished? Of course they are. But are they are "unfinished objects" just stuffed in any closet?  Our current projects are blatantly and easily accessible, to us.  The main issue is which ones should we like to work on right now.

Our current project list is in alphabetical order. "C" means that that area is completed, and a percentage is the degree of completion. A blank space translates to "We haven't got there yet." A red "C" means that the quilt or wall hanging has been completed.

Quilt
Design
Fabric Chosen
Top
Border
Back
Quilting Design
In Progress -
An Unnamed Classic
C
C
C
Astro-Physics
C
C
C
C
25%
Batique Om
75%
Blumish One
C
C
C
Civil War Re-Enactment II
25%
C
Damask
50%
Equality
C
C
C
C
GPS - Where's CK?
25%
H-1
75%
C
50%
H-2
30%
75%
Hummingbird
C
C
C
Joseph's Coat
C
C
C
C
Joseph's Pants
50%
C
Ladies on The Boardwalk
50%
Mauk II
C
C
Native American
50%
Orange Peel Indian Summer
C
C
C
Ràn
50%
Tampa Kaleidoscope
C
C
C
C
C
80%
The Amulet
C
C
C
C
C
25%
The Bird Cage
50%
The Eagle
C
50%
Trees
C
50%
C
Warhol's Itch
C
C
50%
C
C
Completed -
BW 1950 - C -
C
C
C
C
C
C
BW 2010 - C -
C
C
C
C
C
C
Blumish Two - C -
C
C
C
C
C
C
K&J 2013 - C -
C
C
C
C
C
C


Please feel free to contact us at Quilts SB. We welcome your questions, thoughts, and ideas.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy
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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

My Quip - H-1 - Quilt and Wall Hanging - A Sneak Peak

Good Day,

We do not stop.


Thought you would like a sneak peek at our new project. H-1, a quilt and wall hanging.

H-1 is just our pseudonym. Our decision on the new name will be soon revealed.

The design has been completed. This one has us excited as we see the fabric translate into production from our original design.


If you have any questions about H-1 we may or may not answer them. Can't reveal too, too much. Andy and I would certainly like your thoughts, ideas, and comments. Please feel free to contact us at Quilts SB.

Oh and by the way we are currently working on the design for another new one, a companion to H-1, H-2.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy
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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

My Quip – Warhol’s Itch – Some New and Quick Pleats - Update

Good Day,

Andy and I thought that you may like a quick peek at the progress we have been making on our new Warhol’s Itch.


This one is certainly something different. The design and the layout of the fabric is looking more and more like our original intention and draft.

 



Follow the progress and our previous posts.

My Quip – Warhol’s Itch – The Progress Continues

My Quip – Warhol’s Itch – A New Wall Hanging

My Quip - Marilyn’s First Draft – The Reconstruction Underway

Quilt – Warhol’s Marilyn

That's all we're going to reveal right now.  If you have any thoughts, questions, comments, ideas please feel free to contact us at Quilts SB.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy
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Monday, February 17, 2014

Q116 – BW 2010 – Quilt and Wall Hanging

Good Day,

BW 2010 is our abstract mosaic work and a companion piece to our BW 1950.


BW 2010 is NOT a portrait. It will, all-things-being-equal, is our representation of Betty White. All-things-being-equal there may be some semblance of connection between the original and our production.

We chose Betty White because she is Betty White. She is the actress, that over many years has always been able to make both of us laugh. Her extreme characters are each individually unique. Each is to be treasured as her skills open a distinctive persona which ultimately finds a place in our hearts. In 2013 Betty White was awarded by the Guinness World Records with having the longest television career for a female entertainer. From Wikipedia, “Betty White is regarded as a television pioneer for being one of the first women in television to have creative control in front of and behind the camera.” Betty White is the president emerita of the Morris Animal Foundation where she has served as a trustee since 1971. Our BW 1950 along with our BW 2010 is our attempt to capture the sensitivity of 60 years of Betty White.


BW 2010 was inspired by a 2010 photograph of Betty White when she was 88 years old. The original photograph was taken by David Shankbone. Our technique is to create an abstract mosaic using 18 fabrics to represent the color picture. The construction of BW 2010 is of 900 squares created by 0.8-inch squares and isosceles triangles which each have two sides that are 0.8 inches and a diagonal of 1.13 inch.


The piecing of BW 2010 is sort of complicated. Care was taken when joining the little pieces, especially the triangles. After two small pieces are sewn together they have to be finger-pressed open at the seam and then pressed with an iron. It is not as difficult as it sounds. Finger-pressing is sort of like setting up a fold prior to using a heated source like an iron. The iron is then used to then “fix” the fold.


Our quilting technique is to stitch as close to each ditch to create an almost “hand-done” mosaic art piece. Our BW 2010 is the companion art quilt to our BW 1950.

We have decided that the best way to quilt and showcase our BW 2010 is to quilt it as if were the mosaic that we intended it to be. I kept thinking and dreaming of Frank McRae when he is lovingly putting the mosaic tiles back in place in the 1987 film *batteries not included. And we are trying to create that similar type of presentation with our quilt and wall hanging.

Follow the progression of our BW 2010 via the following links.





























If you have any comment, thought, ideas feel free to contact us at Quilts SB.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy
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Thursday, February 13, 2014

My Quip - Warhol's Itch - The Progress Continues

Good Day,

Andy and I have been quiet. Posting to Quilts SB? Yes.  Working on our new projects? Well, not exactly. We've been working on a very different project of which we're both extremely excited.

Will it turn out okay? Hell if we know, but as you do know we have become the type of quilters that we feel that there might be a lot to gain from experimentation and trying something completely different.  And our new project is definitely different.



This is only a sneak peek. This one is a quilt and wall hanging that will be approximately 48" wide and 36" long, give or take.


And the quilt sandwich has already been made. The background, currently under construction, is of 100% cooton and a shade of white.

We are naming this new project, Warhol's Itch.And we're not sure, as yet, what category of quilt this may fall under.

Check back to Quilts SB for our progress and updates on all our current working projects. If you have any comments, questions, thoughts, and ideas please contact us at Quilts SB.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy
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Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Q115 – BW 1950 – Quilt and Wall Hanging

Good Day,

BW 1950 is our abstract mosaic work. Our BW 1950 is a likeness. It is our representation of Betty White. We hope that there may be some semblance of connection between the original and our production.


I had to look up a definition of the phrase “abstract art”. Abstract art: Art that does not attempt to represent external, recognizable reality but seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, forms, colors, and textures. From Dictionary.com – Abstract art seeks to break away from traditional representation of physical objects. It explores the relationships of forms and colors, whereasmore traditional are represents the world in recognizable images.

We chose Betty White because she is Betty White. She is the actress, that over many years has always been able to make both of us laugh. Her extreme characters are each individually unique. Each is to be treasured as her skills open a distinctive persona which ultimately finds a place in our hearts. In 2013 Betty White was awarded by the Guinness World Records with having the longest television career for a female entertainer. From Wikipedia, “Betty White is regarded as a television pioneer for being one of the first women in television to have creative control in front of and behind the camera.” Betty White is the president emerita of the Morris Animal Foundation where she has served as a trustee since 1971. Our BW 1950 along with our BW 2010 is our attempt to capture the sensitivity of 60 years of Betty White.


BW 1950 was inspired by a 1950 black and white photograph of Betty White when she was 28 years old. The original photograph is a part of the Getty Collection. Our technique is to create an abstract mosaic using 16 fabrics to represent the black and white picture. The construction of BW 1950 is of 900 squares created by 0.8-inch squares and isosceles triangles.

It is our abstract construction of a black and white portrait. The quilt and wall hanging when complete will measure 24-inches square. It is composed of 0.8-inch squares and isosceles triangles which each have two sides that are 0.8 inches and a diagonal of 1.13 inch. If our BW 1950 was constructed of only squares it would be an assembly of 900 squares created from 16 different fabrics.


The piecing of BW 1950 is sort of complicated. Care was taken when joining the little pieces, especially the triangles. After two small pieces are sewn together they have to be finger-pressed open at the seam and then pressed with an iron. It is not as difficult as it sounds. Finger-pressing is sort of like setting up a fold prior to using a heated source like an iron. The iron is then used to then “fix” the fold.


Our quilting technique is to stitch as close to each ditch to create an almost “hand-done” mosaic art piece. Our BW 1950 is the companion art quilt to our BW 2010. We have decided that the best way to quilt and showcase our BW 1950 is to quilt it as if were the mosaic that we intended it to be. I kept thinking and dreaming of Frank McRae when he is lovingly putting the mosaic tiles back in place in the 1987 film *batteries not included. And we are trying to create that similar type of presentation with our quilt and wall hanging.

Follow the progression of our BW 1950 via the following links.


If you have any comment, thought, idea feel free to contact us at Quilts SB.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy
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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

My Quip – Warhol’s Itch – A New Wall Hanging

Good Day,

If at first you don't succeed…

Well we have started the remaking of our own design and effort and this new wall hanging and quilt is our Warhol’s Itch.


The above image is the base of the top of our experiment and challenge. It measures 48” wide and 36” long.

We crossed-stitched the six Marilyn’s with one of our embroidery machines in 1998. Each Marilyn is a rectangle 8 ½” by 11”. We used the same portraits in our attempt and creation Warhol’s Marilyn above. Check the original details at Q13 – Quilt – Warhol’s Marilyn.


Andy and I are somewhat critical of our earlier attempt which we worked on just as we were beginning to learn how to quilt. We have taken our Warhol’s Marilyn apart and we are repurposing, if that’s the correct word, the six cross-stitched portraits.

Our new quilt and hanging is Warhol's Itch... In our new design we have decided on three, maybe four fabrics, excluding that of the cross-stitched portraits. The base has been pieced.

The batting and the backing have now been pinned.




This should definitely prove interesting. All-things-being-equal our new design will take shape.

If you have any thoughts, questions, ideas, please feel free to contact us at Quilts SB.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy
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Sunday, February 2, 2014

My Quip – BW 1950 and BW 2010 - Notable Women Quilt Initiative – Rogue Art Quilters, Ashland, Oregon

Good Day,

Our BW 1950 and BW 2010 have both arrived at their destination, the Notable Women Quilt Initiative. The Rogue Art Quilters have confirmed their receipt in Ashland, Oregon.


BW 1950


 BW 2010

The Notable Women Quilt Initiative is a Global Quilt initiative celebrating women who have made a difference throughout history.

This Initiative is sponsored by the Rogue Art Quilters of Ashland, Oregon.

To date a number of venues and exhibits have been confirmed beginning in March and running through September with more in the making. Each Notable Woman Quilt is required to be a 24” square production and construction. The art pieces have begun to be received and are being displayed at the Notable Women Quilt Initiative.  Follow this link to view the Quilts of the Initiative.

Andy and I are excited to have been accepted as a part of this project.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy.
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