Stand-by

I started with a quick sketch of some tree skeletons on Monday morning, and they have captured my attention. At the bottom of my sketchbook page that day I had written the following:

'against everchanging colors of winter skies--
morning pinks; cloudless clear blues;
soft greys; dark deep cold blues'

The lines of the trees were a way of seeing those amazing skies - everyday.

Little did I know that night I would have a bit of private tour of Helene Davis's studio here in Paducah.
She is an art quilter and hand-dyer...

and when I saw her latest work my mouth dropped for she had captured my skies!

Long story, short -- she agreed to let me come visit today--
maybe take a few pictures today, so I am jazzed!

My little set of four tree skeleton designs may be lucky enough to even find some amazing sky fabric just for them. In the meantime,  please stand-by....

Find the Way!

Van Gough

Tolle Perry

Fernand Leger

Michele Mikesell

Erte

Yesterday, the photos I shared with you used very strong actual lines to pull your attention into the picture.

Today:
See where your eye is pulled.
Then try to figure out what the artist used to move you visually through the piece.

These artists are using 'implied' line:
One not really there, but created by other means
to pull our eye and attention to areas as if there was an actual line.

In Van Gough's piece notice how he uses the boats and the shoreline to pull us in.
Tolle Perry uses the flowers and window itself to pulls us in the center circle.
Arms, eye direction, and mechanical do dads of Fernand Leger's piece keep pulling us back in to see more.
How about the others?

How could you use this in your next project?

My mind it spinning with possibilities --
Hope this get's your inspirational juices going.

Stitchin' On
~Rose

Hmmm...which way?

Happy Toolin' Tuesday!
Last night was a meeting of the Paducah Fiber Group-my third since moving here-
A delight as always.
I especially had my eyes open toward how these fellow fabric folks utilize 'line' in their work.

The search had it's rewards and I will be sharing two of the group's artists with you later this month. I'm pretty excited...can hardly wait to visit their studios and talk with them more!

But, for today I thought we could 'tool around' and see some photo examples how LINE is used to portray direction:

Which way to go? Do you have a favorite?

Good thing 'line' is here to show the way.

Enjoy your day, and as you 'tool around' keep a look out for 'line';
the path followed or the path you are creating.

Stitch On!
~Rose

With Exploration Comes Insight

Happy Monday everyone,
Time to be off and going --
always love the new beginning feel of Monday.
Maybe a time to start something new, or tweak something already underway...

though in either case I feel...
Curiosity and exploration create a direct path to discovery...
so, pull on the walking shoes and head out for a bit of wandering.

During my my own
5-minute word inspired sketch-wandering this morning,
I chose the words that have kept popping up as I wandered around my new hometown.

tree skeletons

here's a peek into my sketchbook,
can you see how my own mind turned almost immediately on making them into fabric sketches
-  why not?Go for your own wander today.
Share a word or words of your own...
or, give mine a whirl and share yours!

Meanwhile, wonder how I might use these as inspiration for some fabric line creating this week.

Stitching On!
~Rose

Filler Up! Sunday Inspirations

Welcome to the first Sunday -
Inspirations Filler' Up!

Could not have picked a better day to be home. Brrr, I sit here, bundled up, wearing fingerless mittens, and typing away; hopefully bringing you some kick-start ideas..

For me, keeping a journal-sketchbook is a must!
It lets you try new things, make note of those special things that cross my path, and generally keep me moving forward.

Any sketchbook, or piece a paper will do -
for my favorite TO DO is the 5 minute warm up line sketches.
(pretty appropriate for this month, too...heh)

LINE -
The beginning and the end
sometimes rolled all up in one.
On it's own, or with a few or thousand, line may be used to express a mood, or an emotion;  direction or movement.

So by just picking one of these types of words and letting the pencil, pen, marker, paintbrush wander over the page to capture ideas inspired by the word, you may open up a door to creative opportunity.

Give it a try - time yourself and pick out one of the words below and see what comes:

alone, curious, inside, around, wiggle, leap

I like to try one a day, but I hereby give you permission to have fun and try as many as you like, and believe it or not there are sites out there to give you whole lists of movement words or emotion words to bring to play.

So, Filler' Up!
and have fun...
~Rose

Is it a Bird? Is it a Plane?

No, it's Superman!
Brought to you on this Funtastic Friday.
Friday...the perfect day to get-away, or make those weekend plans to get-away.

Superman here lives just across the river here in Metropolis... Illinois,
and it's fun to go wander about and meet some of the town's super heros.

You never know who you may run into down an alleyway.

Or, what inspirational 'line' finds you might find along the way.

I do recommend being ready to take off on a moments notice,

clicking and sketching along the way...
the fun finds to inspire you another day!


Happy Friday Everyone...
I'm Off!
~Rose

Filling in the Blanks

My month of line discoveries and sharing continues with this small, fun & fast project.
I had posted a couple of pics yesterday of the space in my master bedroom calling out for attention. The little sitting area looked bare, and while the wicker all needs a coat of paint, that will have to wait for spring.

The quilt is much loved and has been used and washed for now over 10 years -- it is very linear -- put together with strips of various sizes on one side (inspired by a Bauhaus weaving in - Women's Work), the other used all the leftovers -- still can not decide which side I like best.

I liked the ideas some of you suggested, but pillows did seem the easiest and fastest solution. The pillows had to be colorful and hint of line. Of course, a little plant shopping added a bit more visual fun, too!. Plants don't ship when moving cross-country, so the house seems ready for a bit of green, right about now.
Follow along, as I tell all with pictures!

the new look - already being enjoyed by Edgar

made two of these - 18" finished pillows

purchased 3/4yd of aqua felt & used some scraps for the circles
1. Cut 2 - 19" squares of the felt

2. Mark your felt to make 32 mixed colors of 3" circles
I used a small saucer as a guide and a felt tip pen to mark the circles

3. Then cut them each out

4. I used my Chaco-liner to make a grid for placing the felt circles
Both vertically & horizontally I marked a line 1-1/2" from the edge,
then another line 2" in from that, and 3 more lines each 4" from the previous

5. With the lines marked, I placed the circles
then I used a small smudge of glue stick to hold each in place while I stitched.

6. I used a running stitch and stitched over grid pattern,
creating a fun pattern & holding all the circles in place.

 I chose some the fun new varigated 6-strand embroidery floss
that I started carrying last year, and since a heavier line
was wanted, I used all six strands.

7. For the 2-backs I chose to upcycle an 2X flannel shirt.
I start by cutting off the arms, and cutting out the side seams.
Then I cut out the collar area & back shoulders & trim away the rounded tails.
Next, I turn it right sides together, pin along the top & bottome
Then stitch both, leaving me with a large tube.
With the button section facing up, cut through the center from selvage to selvage.
This leaves two large pieces each with a button section that will become your pillow back opening.

8. Unbutton one of the buttons - lay out the stitched backing face up on table.
Lay the felt pillow top right side down on the backing and pin all the way around.

9. At sewing machine,1/2" from edge, stitch all the way around
10. Once stitched, trim corners and turn inside out, and unbutton the backing
11. Lastly, insert an 18" pillow form, button up & use.

Phew, luckily it's faster to stitch up the pillows than to write out the directions.
Fixing up the house & learning about line - who knew?
Hope you have a chance to stitch up one for yourself.

I'm STITCHING ON!
~Rose