Great news!!

My work at the Hui No'eau is now featured in there online shop!  I dropped off a few in my Quiltlet Series, so if you are interested in purchasing one of these pieces, contact the Hui No'eau!

Quiltlet #6

9" x 9"

** In my best effort, I can define the words "Hui No'eau" (hoo-ee no-ee-ow) as a collection of artists.  There is a rich and interesting history about this center which can be found on their website.

Dyed Fabric Resources

I'm putting together a list of hand-dyed fabric resources for my students, and I figured I might as well swing this by you to see if you had any other ideas for me.  Although I sell my own fabric from time to time, I can't picture having it as a primary source of income for me.  I have not personally purchased from these vendors, so I can't tell you what the fabric looks like in person.  Enjoy!

On Etsy:

• Dyecandy - Batik Quality cotton.  A good assortment of fabric bundles and single pieces.  A wide range of saturated colors.  Mild mottling. 
• Keepsake Wool - A limited range of fabric packs.  Solid colors.  Pastel shades.  
• North Country Quilts - Fat Quarter sets in complimentary and split complimentary sets.
• Vicki Welsh - A wide variety of cotton sets and yardage.  Many different colors, and textures ranging from slightly mottled to patterned.

On the Web:

• Dye Arts - Primrose Gradations - Lovely assortment of hand-dyed cotton bundled sets.  Fabric is slightly mottled, yet appears solid from a distance.   Custom orders welcome.
• Textile art - Hand-Dyed fabrics by Janet Smith.  She has a diversity of palates, and a good range of gradations.  Mostly mottled and colors appear on the less-saturated side.
• Cherrywood Fabrics - Hand dyed cotton with suede look.  A good assortment of bundles and yardage.  Saturated colors.  Solid in appearance.
• Artfabrik - by Laura Wasilowski- A large assortment of multi-colored cotton fabric in stripey texture.
• Bryer Patch Studio - by Caryl Bryer Fallert - A small supply of hand-dyed gradations left.  She is now selling gradations from Benartex.

Self Portrait Tuesday: The lazy days of summer...

Life is doing exactly what it's supposed to around here... our lack of school-year schedule allows us to take our days in slow gentle doses.  My garden is doing quite well.  Not bad, actually for someone whose green thumb is a work in progress.  I planted a bed and absent-mindedly forgot to label what it was.  For weeks I'd go outside and look at it for any little clue as to what it would turn out to be.  Thankfully, I remember now!  It's zinnias!  Silly me.

My tomato plants are bursting with fruit: Our peach trees show promise:IMHO a summer garden just isn't complete without big fat sunflowers!  No seeds on this one.  Should have read the label... can you tell I'm new at this?  No matter,  just looking at them fills my heart with sunshine!When I'm feeling low, frustrated, blue... all it takes is five minutes out here.  My garden seems to have the magical ability to take my cares away.  I'm filled with gratitude and appreciation...

for sun-filled lazy days...

for thriving sunflowers and tomatoes...

... and for the infinite possibilities locked in a drop of water.

 

The Class...

I've wanted to tell you about this class I'm teaching.  It's a six week course designed to help students explore the concepts of color, value, repetition, contrast and unity.  I'm teaching them to cut freehand and piece curved pieces.   When they are done, they each will have at least two quilts (hopefully finished... ahem), and we will have covered all aspects of complete quilt construction.  Thus far, two weeks into it, the class and my students are exceeding my expectations!

It's a whole new world, this teaching thing, and I can see how more workshops like this one can be developed.  It's all derived from my latest "Elements" series, and the pieces I've made during the past year.  I wish I could say it's been an easy ride for me, but truth be told IT'S WORK!! Ha, ha, ha!  Good thing is, it's work I love and given the flood of new ideas and inspiration that has come from this, I'm sure I'll continue teaching for a while!

Right now :: Thursday evening

Right now I'm enjoying:

• arriving home from a long day at work... full of having worked hard... knowing I did my best.
• catching up with friends and family on the book... seeing what they've been up to... sending a friendly message here and there.
• looking at squares on here and here... thinking of this quilt which waits for me downstairs... wondering how cool it will look when finished.
• hanging with my husband and children... enjoying the evening... anticipating a good nights rest, only to wake again and do it all over.
• hoping you too are loving this moment, right here, right now.

Here today, gone to...

Kauai!  I know that's not how the saying goes, but I just couldn't resist.  We took a little break from our usual routine to enjoy a few days on the garden island.  Now, I've been in Hawaii, most of my life, but Kauai was the island I traveled to the least... of the major six that is.  It was damaged by Hurricane Iwa in 1982 and then again by Hurricane Iniki in 1992, which was the grandaddy of them all, chewing up Kauai for breakfast.  The island was devastated, and I stayed away fearing any vacation I took there would be amongst post-hurricane ruins.  I'm happy to report our trip there wasn't like that at all, and other than the abundance of chickens, the island seems to have made a full recovery!  We hiked on some pretty awesome trails, kayaked up a river and enjoyed ourselves in the sun.  Our trip was far too short yet thankfully we have pictures and memories that will last a while.  Right now, I'm thinking of excuses to return...

... I'm hoping you too are finding the time for a little get-away of your own!

Guest Blogger

Hi! I'm Gail, Robin's partner in a book writing project. We thought it was time for me to introduce myself. I have only known Robin for a little while, although I have read her blog for awhile. Last January I noticed it was her birthday-it was my birthday too! So I wrote to say happy birthday and to send her information about my quilt slide show on my new blog: gjbquilts.blogspot.com. A few days later she had the idea we should write a book together, and as a result of that we have been working on that project all this year.

I live in Illinois, in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. I am married and have 3 sons. My husband is a high school orchestra director and plays the violin. As you can see from the picture, I play cello. I play in orchestras in the area and give private lessons. My youngest son is a senior in engineering at U of I, another son is an art school graduate looking for a job, and the oldest is a computer programmer, married and living in Cincinnati.

I come from a family of artists: my father was a commercial artist, my sister is an art teacher and my brother a free lance illustrator. I went into music but always loved to do artistic things. I have always loved to make things: from napkins and tissue paper pictures with my sister when we were little, to Noah's arks, birch bark containers more recently, and have made traditional quilts for 20 years. A few years ago, while feeling a lack of interest in starting yet another quilt, I saw a postcard for a Melody Johnson workshop. When I saw the quilt that was pictured I didn't know quilts could look like that! Since then I have completely gone over to the art quilt side. I dye my own fabrics, have gone to 3 Nancy Crow workshops, exhibited and sold quilts in the Chicago area.

Writing this book with Robin has been fun and challenging! Recently we met in person at the SAQA Symposium in Ohio. We both brought our quilts and laid them all out on the floor. It was quite a sight! Thank you to Robin for inviting me to be a part of this: it has been a wonderful way for both of us to grow as quilters as we have someone to talk with about our frustrations and successes as we go along. Everyone should try it!

Guest Poster: Candied Fabrics

Hello there, it’s me again, Candy Glendening, of Candied Fabrics! I was a guest for Robin earlier this Spring, and I’m BACK!

Right now, I’m in the throes of making some new journal covers, and need to take nice pictures of them, so I thought I’d share what I’m doing here!

First, I tried to to some natural light pictures the other day, you can see them here on an earlier post, but here’s an example:

This is probably the best shot of the bunch, because all the light came from the window, thus one direction, I had a really hard time getting details in the shadowy areas. Oh, if you’d like to see where I’m taking the photos, the journals are lying on my new chaise, with a slipcover dyed by me! (To see my frenetic redecorating efforts this month see here, here, and here)…oh and the blinds were all the way open when I was taking these pix):

Anyway, taking pictures of small things can be made easier by making a light box. Google how to make your own and you’ll get a million different versions…but here is mine! (Sorry about the not so good pix here, but as you can see – the good camera is in the shot!

SO, my fancy light box is a big Rubbermaid type plastic box, with a long piece of white paper draped inside the top, back & bottom (I happen to have really long photographers paper given to me, but you could use white posterboard as well – the curving up from the bottom to the back wall is what you want.) Then 2 clip lamps perched precariously shining through the sides of the box…I diffused this light a bit by putting a piece of tissue paper between the light and the box. The lights are huge, “trumpet top” CFLs. I learned about them here: (this is a GREAT resource about photographing quilts!) These 2 were the only lights used.

I then turned off the flash, set my white balance and started clicking. I was much happier with my shots. I still had to tweak a little in Photoshop, but much less than I had before. Mostly I just played with the levels to get the whites whiter. Kathy Mack has some awesome tips about tweaking digital photos on her blog, this is the one that talks about levels, but they all are worth a read, and written by a sewist, not a photographer, in language we quilters can understand!!!!!

    The one problem with this setup is that it’s not that big – to get interior photos I had to prop them open on the back wall, then rotate the photo – I think these look weird…is it just me?

And here is the “money shot” – I LOVE this one…what do you think, are these better?    So, I hope you enjoyed my little trip through trying to take better pictures. I’m now off to sew 30 of these babies by…Saturday! Yikes!!!!

Make your own city:

I don't know why, but certain things strike me as worthy of promoting. Like this coffee cup, this fabric, no wait, this fabric, or maybe this one (don't get me started), and this new stamp set by Yellow Owl Workshop:

I have several of these stamp sets, and bring them out when friends come over to play. They are also great for creating your own gift tags! I've even been known to mix and match the stamps... I have deer on a hillside overlooking the ocean with the moon peeking through snowfall.... yeah, you get the picture... :)

Wouldn't it be cool if they did a "Hawaiian" themed stamp set! Picture a volcano, a rainbow, a palm tree... a surf board and waves... hint, hint hint!

I wanted to say thank you so much to those of you who pointed out flickr's "no commerce" policy. Apparently they are pretty clear about that... fine print which I overlooked... ahem. Anyway, not wanting flickr to shut down my presence there, I've removed my "shop" and will have to find a new venue.

Also, I'll be away on a short trip for a few days. I've lined up a couple of guest bloggers. Enjoy!

Work of the week #20

My finished piece of the week, another study of the strip project I started long ago.  I still have the final piece hanging on my design wall and the kids ask me from time to time when I'm going to finish it.  Don't know.  I really should take care if it soon!

Improv Strip study #2

31" x 31.5"

This little wall-hanging is destined to be a gift for a newly married couple.  Actually, they've been married for a little while now.  Did you know Emily Post says you have up to a year to get the newlyweds a gift?  I kid you not!  She really did!  I remember when we were first married, we received all sorts of gifts that first year.  We got lots of things to drink out of... mixers, champaign flutes, wine glasses, martini glasses, a flask... us lightweights? Yeah right!  

Back to the quilt.  I absolutely LOVE wonky wedding gifts like this.  They beat out the wok and blender routine.  When Jamey and I were first married, we got a completely wacky piece of art. Our jaws dropped when we opened up the package.  Seriously!   It had little wooden wing-like things that moved when you touched it.  I remember not knowing what to do with it in the early days.  Just what room do I hang it in?  Now, I cherish that dusty old wonky, tired, weirdo piece of wanna-be art.  It hangs proudly on the wall of our playroom, because it really is a fun piece, and it did get the "present of the year" award!  Can you tell I'm fairly certain the guy who gave this to us doesn't read my blog?  Now, I wouldn't get rid of it even if you paid me to!  

I'm hoping this quilt will earn the same place in our newlywed friends' hearts!  I'll have to enclose a note which reads:

"Give it fifteen years... I promise you will like it! Hang this in any room of the house... just not the bathroom!  Anything but that!  And please, don't tell me if I win the 'present of the year' award... I don't think it would look good on my (artists) resume!"

 

Good news, bad news:

Good news:  I'm sold out of fabric!

Bad news:  I'm sold out of fabric!

I had no idea my fabric would be such a hit!  I'll have to get to work!

Thank you all for your support!  It means the world to me!  Cheers!  Robin

Shop Simply Robin

I've decided to do things a little differently around here.  I love Etsy, you know I do, but am finding the process of listing a new item to be labor intensive.  Most of my sales have been generated from this website and I question whether or not Etsy has sent me new customers.  To be fair, I didn't play the game well; on Etsy you have to make friends, add favorites, participate in forums... to get noticed.  It's good for some people, really good in fact, just not right for me.  So soon I'll be closing my shop on Etsy and focusing on selling stuff here.

On the sidebar of this blog you may have noticed a new widget.  It's my new place of business... a flickr group of items I have for sale.  Here you will find little quilts and hand-dyed fabrics.  I've been asked several times by people that when I decided to sell my fabric to let them know.  Well here ya go!

I just love how these little bundles turned out.  The color is mostly smooth, but as I mentioned on Flickr, minor imperfections in the color smoothness are viewed as a bonus not a detriment.  I see it as proof positive that this fabric was indeed dyed by hand, thus making each piece unique and preserving authenticity.  Each bundle is $10 plus $6 for S&H (U.S.), contact me if you want me to ship internationally.  Also, because I'm working from my own collection of Hand-Dyed fabrics, I may not be able to replicate what you see here, so if you see something you like, I suggest you snatch it up!  Please, ask questions about my fabric or other items in my shop; it will let me know what I've left out.

My class went well yesterday, better than I expected... which is good when all I thought I was going to do was melt on the floor and cry like a toddler!  And just why can't fully grown adults throw a tantrum when they are stressed???  But I digress... pardon me...  I have five more evenings with these ladies and I promise to talk about it more later, and naturally, I'll show you photos!  Just know all went well, no tantrums, and a pretty good start on my "Teaching Maiden Voyage!"  Thank you for your kind words and thoughts.  I could feel the goodness!

Fabric Bundles:

Not much time to post... I'll explain later.  For now, enjoy the eye-candy!  Cheers!

Self Portrait Tuesdsay

The kids are at day camp this week.  I'm trying to make the best use of my time by finishing up an old project, organizing my studio and planning my class.  I'm currently working on a little quilt, much like this one, both are leftovers from a large quilt I started a while ago.  It's a "safe" little quilt... the quilting and binding I could do in my sleep... it's the perfect thing for relaxing my mind before my class starts on Wednesday.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, but really, with all I've done, this too should be something I could do in my sleep!  Pardon me if this post is sparse... please, enjoy the view!

The little white dress that was:

Yesterday was not only Father's Day (Happy Father's Day honey), but it was also the summer solstice, which officially marks the beginning of summer.  Around here, it's a subtle change, but one to be celebrated none the less!  More sunshine means more opportunity to do some dyeing, which is exactly what my daughter did upon discovering a pure white dress tucked away in the abyss of her closet... ahem.

"Green to match my eyes," was her wish and although her eyes are not exactly this shade, the dress suits her just fine!

Now, this is what summer's all about!

It's such a simple thing... a green dress... a sprinkler in the yard... 

... turning an ordinary afternoon into something worth remembering.

This dress may once again return to the "abyss" but surely the memory created with it won't be forgotten.