It’s pouring rain. It’s OK. For one, Southern California needs it. For another, it’s not like I could go anywhere…well, except for a hike, and that’s not happening. I took my second Craft Napa class today, and it was fun. Valerie Goodwin makes these cool map quilts and I’ve always been fascinated with them, so it was interesting to see how she makes them and hear how she thinks.
So yeah, this was kind of a pattern class. We all started with the same basic materials and pattern, but I enjoyed thinking about transparent layers more than I think I ever have…
The map lines use a fabric-cutting machine. My mom only has 2 or 3 of those. Not that I need to do maps. I was thinking scribbles and letters and cursive writing. But I do like maps.
There’s the Acropolis. So I’m still working on this. I had to stop stitching because the paint needed to dry…
Tons more hand stitching, plus machine stitching, plus IDK what else. A fun way to spend the day, anyway. I appreciate the online opportunities to hang out and do fabric stuff I’ve never done before. I don’t need more projects to finish, but there’s something really important in looking at your art in a different way, and looking at other people’s art. I miss that with no exhibits I can go to right now…or maybe just a few? Visions isn’t open…but I guess the show up at Front Porch Gallery has limited hours. Maybe next weekend.
I did get up early (for a Saturday) for that class. Now I am tired. It’s OK. I enjoyed it.
Thursday night, I quilted with my monthly quilting group on Zoom…got a good 2 hours in…
It’s a very detailed quilt, so nothing about this is quick.
But the thread has stopped its psychotic breaking, so that makes it much nicer.
Friday night, after gaming, I went back to the torso area, which has an insane amount of detail…
Got the ribcage and the heart done…
And moved on to the face. I thought we might use the machine for class today, so I stopped there and pulled her off the machine. I have all the sky section and the tree to do, which is a lot, but it also is more than halfway done. Hopefully I’ll get some more done tonight; we’ll see.
I have a bunch of schoolwork to do, as always. I did some of it while on the stationary bike on Thursday night…
It was just posting assignments in each of the classes. I knew this weekend would be kind of full; I usually do this on Sunday, but I have a meeting then. The plus is that it’s done. I still need to make a couple of videos and post all of the art stuff, but since I don’t know what half of that is yet, it’s hard to get it done ahead of time.
Speaking of art, we’re doing cardboard sculpture next, so I’ve been teaching them joining techniques…
I guess the plus is that I don’t have to build my own version of sculpture…just show them how to do the bits and pieces. Twice. Because I have two levels of art. Ugh.
Friday, we took the dogs on a short walk. Calli can’t do the longer ones any more.
But she loves them so much. Simba is a freak…this is his response to bikes.
He basically wants to kill them. Not recommended.
Calli post hike…
Kitten didn’t even go on a hike…
But she is one of the three old ladies in the house.
This cracks me up.
It’s a new world, y’all. Except it’s not. Too many angry upset people out there still. I talk about some of that (and who the hell knows what else!) in a podcast, the Unbroken Chain podcast. I was interviewed by Maura James last weekend and she asked lots of good questions…
If you know me personally, you know I can ramble for a good long time.
Actually, if you read my blog, you already know that.
It’s how my brain works. I have lots of words and lots of pictures and they all need to get out. Here’s a link. Hopefully. If I did it right.
I appreciate her searching me out and caring enough to come up with good things to talk about. Certainly a lot of what I talked about is on my mind for the next quilt. So there’s that.
OK. I’m tired. I’m going to get more tea and decide what’s next. Still waiting for the paint to dry on Athens for me to do the machine stitching, plus I still have a quilt to finish, plus two videos to make for school, and probably there’s a bunch of other shit that needs doing that I’m just not remembering because my brain has been in artmaking mode all day, which is such a wonderful place to be. Yeah. Happy Saturday, all.
Kathy Nida 