First Portrait Quilt in Progress

What a great workshop Marylee taught after our monthly guild meeting yesterday! She covered her process of building a picture into a quilt in our program beforehand, so the group that stayed were really ready to begin the project.
This is a pixelated blow up of my sister, Noni. Her proper name in Noreen. She is 15 months younger than me. She is about 3 here. On the right is my in-process, in a monochromatic colorway. I have four fabrics, 3 are laid down here. A light,medium light, medium and dark.  You also see the drawing/pattern on clear vinyl over the top. This is used as a placement guide, much like some people do for applique. When all the bits are finally in the correct position, since she has warned us that a very marginal misplaced piece can skew the entire piece, we will fuse them in place. Marylee had us start our first foray into picture quilting, with a monochromatic color palette, because it is more forgiving than flesh tones. I have to say I love it! I love the whole process. Can't wait to have time to get back to this. It does require concentration.

Beth is doing the Hanson's! First I love that she is making hers in shades of orange, but her line drawing looks pretty cool! Can't wait to see it finished.

Cynda had a great picture of her puppy! Look at that line drawing! This will be really great when it is done.

Marylee made this quilt for our chocolate challenge last year. It was my favorite. I believe she calls this "More Chocolate Cake Momma" . Its her son.

Everyone totally absorbed in the task at hand. Fun day with friends!

Michael's football game was in Rochester at Sahlens  Sport Park last night. They play University of Rochester in the annual Courage Bowl which benefits Camp Good Days. A just cause. After the familiar football roller coaster this week (will he start, will he play, is his shoulder re-injured, is his knee holding up, is his hip not aching) he did start and play three quarters until the next string went in since Fisher was winning 52-3. They won. Good game.

After final tweaking in my altered book for the RR with Melissa, Jody and her mom, I am ready to mail to Jody. Here are pics of the final product. Searching for all the bits, deciding what to add next is what makes doing these books exciting at every junction. I will be working on Melissa's book next.

Final front cover.

Inside cover and facing page. I made a transfer of a Batavia map with packing tape. (regular clear packing tape, a  copy of your image, burnish well, soak in warm water til you can rub off all paper pulp on tape and voile) The "x" silver brad marks where I live. On the facing page I recycled a vellum envelope with my address on it by stitching it down to a scrapbook bit with some bandage gauze in between.

Final second page layout...I glued the pull down, altered file folder to the far left. Adding silver stamping, black oil pastel and silver and gold gel pen accents.

The pull down says..."be patient" aunt molly said. My Aunt Molly, actually my father's aunt, was the most influential woman in my life. She preached patience to Noni and I as children. I do possess patience. Most of the time. 

I actually emptied three boxes of fabric and put them in a cubby in my someday-soon studio upstairs! The task of getting it all together up there is daunting!  I obviously have to purge. Which is hurdle number one. I do love my stuff! But I found I love some things far less now than when I acquired them. Batiks anyone?

Watching the Emmy's right now. Some funny moments. The opening number was pretty amusing. Even when I was a kid I loved to watch award shows to see what people were wearing. Some of these women are so thin however, bones showing all over, that nothing they put on looks good. Someone should tell them. 

Charlie Sheen's appearance was weird. He's just creepy. 

I am just about ready for bed however, and will see all the interesting highlights on ET tomorrow evening!

A guilty pleasure since it started 30 years ago. Melissa remembers their theme song as a bedtime serenade!

This week brings me 40 hours of hard work, a podiatrist appointment and a good chance of a third painful shot in my plantar fascitis, dinner with a group of old work friends and many undiscovered adventures I am sure!

I have learned:

1. The New Girl looks promising as a new favorite comedy. 
2. Will actually watch Two and a Half Men this week. I didn't watch because Charlie Sheen is gross.
3. Paper piecing should be less frustrating. I love the sharp points though. Worth the effort.