Week 22

We are well on the way to the half-way mark for the year, and I have my piece for Week 22.  In keeping with my black and white theme that I've had going for the last few weeks, this week's piece is a weaving using black and white fabrics, and yarns with a couple of eyelash yarns thrown in for bling and texture. 

This weaving was actually done a couple of years ago, but since it fits in with my 6 inch pieces, I'm going to use it for one of the weeks.  It was done on a cardboard look using black yarn as the warp; when finished, I fused it to my stabilizer.

Week 21

This is the 21st week of 2016, and I have just completed my 21st piece.  It is a Twisted Log Cabin, done in black and white.  I first tried to paper piece with the stabilizer as the foundation, onto which I had traced the pattern, but quickly found it to be too cumbersome, so I then printed the pattern onto typing paper, and pieced it that way.  After it was completed, I tore the paper away and glued the finished piece onto my stabilizer.  Much easier! 

I've done several twisted log cabins before, but always with gradated hand dyed fabrics; this is the first one I've done with prints.  It is a bit busy, but I think you can still see the twist in the colors. 

Our trip to New Mexico, WHO KNEW?

We took our first trip to New Mexico, Angel Fire to be exact, a week or so ago.  The cabin we stayed in was a lovely log cabin with a loft.  Very comfortable.

And yes, that is snow on the ground.  We had over 4 inches of snow on the way up to Angel Fire, and while there it snowed the first night.  It melted during the warmth of the day, though.  The weather was quite cool overnight with the daytime temps in the 60's and 70's--very spring-like and comfortable.

Angel Fire is at about 8500 feet, with surrounding mountains achieving over 10,000 feet; snow was on the higher elevations continuously.  There were breathtaking views in every direction.  One day trip took us to the Rio Grande Gorge, with a view from the bridge that was heady, to say the least. 

The city of Taos was fun, with wonderful restaurants and numerous art galleries.  (And a couple of fabric shops with quilting, silk fabrics and hand-dyed silk ribbon)

Another day trip took us to the city of Raton, where we discovered an extinct VOLCANO (WHO KNEW???) in the nearby burb of Capulin, wisely named the Capulin Volcano!  The trip up to the top of the volcano was nail-biting, with me driving and definitely NOT looking down over the side of the road where there were NO roadside rail guards. 

We bravely walked the tiny paved trail to the top of the volcano rim (with several breathing breaks!) and the view was truly spectacular, you could see for miles.  The volcano erupted about 56,000 years ago and volcanic rocks are visible all along the highway leading to the volcano.

Wildlife was plentiful everywhere you looked in northeastern New Mexico.   We had mule deer feeding on the grass in the front and back of the cabin almost every day, and a resident bunny was also observed.

On the Enchanted Circle drive, we observed mountain sheep

and also saw prong horn antelope (more difficult to photograph from the moving car) when we drove to Raton.    It was almost like going to the zoo.  All the animals we saw were completely nonchalant and just looked at us curiously as we drove by.  Definitely not like our local Oklahoma wildlife.  Our trip came to an end, as all vacations do, but we plan to return to the area again, or perhaps stay at Santa Fe next time to take in some of the sights around there.  

Week 20

We are at week 20 for my weekly 6-inch pieces, and this is my submission.  I am working in black and white using a stitch and flip technique. 

 The fabrics are stitched onto the stabilizer that I am using for all my pieces; it is Pelon's 910.  I used 4 black with white patterned fabrics and 5 different white with black patterned fabrics for the strip piecing.  No additional quilting has been done. 
I am still working on the ocean book and hope to have it finished in the next couple of weeks. 

Week 19

This piece is the last panel for my ocean fiber book, and the Week 19 entry.  I have done some FMS (free motion stitching) to enhance the reflection of the sun on the water. 

 I now have to finish the back of each panel and then assemble the "book" but I hope to have it done for the FAO exhibit as the entry process begins the end of May.  When the book is complete, I will post the results. 

Week 18 late post

I'm late posting Week 18 because we went away for a week to New Mexico, and didn't have internet access.  That was a bit of a surprise.  So even though I had week 18 done, I was unable to post the picture.  It is another panel in my ocean fiber book:

The jellyfish are made out of a shiny sheer fabric, with some eyelash yarn for their stingers.  I may still add some more kelp, as I found marvelous hand-dyed silk ribbon at a shop in Taos.  We'll see. 
Anyway, week 19 is already done, but I need to take a picture of it in order to post this weeks' contribution.  It should be up by Wednesday....