Stitchin' Post in Sisters

Freddy Moran is coming to Sisters!

Jean was recently teaching in California.  While there, she had the pleasure of spending some time with Freddy Moran.  Jean was very taken with Freddy's new "collage quilts".

 

Now Freddy will be joining us at the Stitchin' Post during Art Quilt Symposium week!  Freddy will be teaching a three-day workshop called "Patchwork Collage~Freddy Moran Style!"  Freddy begins with a patchwork of black & white large-scale prints and then builds her collage from the background toward the foreground in bright, bold color.  Click here for more details about the workshop!   

Here are more photos taken by Jean while visiting Freddy's House~

 

A self-portrait...?

A peek at Freddy's stash...

and scrap bins (remember...let nothing go to waste!)

What fun to sneak a peek into a working studio that isn't "airbrushed" for a studio magazine.  I like to see where REAL women create! 

(We'll stop there, as you DO NOT want to see where this real woman creates!) ~Tamra

 

Photos from Barbara Shapel workshops

Barabara Shapel was teaching in our classroom last week!  She taught a one-day workshop on "The Art of Machine Quilting" and a three-day workshop called "Waterdance."  I had the privilege of attending the three-day workshop, and all I can say is...you missed a good one!  Barbara is a fantastic teacher as well as an incredible machine quilter.

Here are photos of some of the quilts she shared in class:

The owl quilt is solid black fabric on the back but appears to be two-sided because of the "thread-painting" method Barbara uses for quilting.  REALLY amazing!

 

Here's Barbara with the teaching sample she made during the Waterdance workshop: 

Click here to see a Facebook photo album of student work!

In addition to learning how to make the beautiful Waterdance quilt, Barbara taught us how to make our quilts reversible with simple piecing of the backing fabric, and then how to add thread-painted details in the quilting.

 

Simple straight-line quilting across the moon, using invisible thread on top and in the bobbin.  Barbara says, "Keep it consistently inconsistent."

 

 

Wave quilting is made using long sweeping lines along the pieced waves on the front on the quilt, and then filled in with "bubbles."  Barbara uses a wide variety of threads including polyester, rayon, variegated, and metalics on the top and in the bobbin to create the two-sided quilting.

I loved the workshop and Barbara's teaching style.  I accomplished more work than I usually get done in a classroom setting, I learned new piecing techniques in class, and I can't wait to try the quilting techniques at home.  The next time Barbara Shapel comes to Sisters to teach, do something special for yourself and take a workshop with her...you'll thank me for it!   ~Tamra

From a different perspective...

Jean was teaching in Colorado week before last.  Here is a link to pictures from the workshop, and a little background story written by Denise Starck (Graphic Designer at Quiltmaker Magazine) who attended the workshop.  Its like being a fly on the wall...

 

Jean has a workshop, "Of The Earth," coming up May 7th-11th here at the Stitchin' Post. There are just four spaces left.  Click here for more information.

 

Sharing work from Jean's Intuitive Color and Design 2 Workshop

Last fall, Terri attended Jean's "Intuitive Color and Design 2" workshop.  Today, she sent in a photo of her completed project which she refers to as her "Greece project."  She said that other than the color, it is completely different than what she had started in class.  I think it is just beautiful and very calming to look at.  Great job Terri!

 

Jean is currently in a transition phase with her workshops.  Her new book "Journey to Inspired Art Quilting" will be out this summer.  She is, of course, designing a new series of workshops based on the new book.  The first workshop (at the Stitchin' Post) will be November 16, 17 & 18, 2012.  Reserve your space today!

 

Quilt for Two Rivers: A Metolius Meander

Fiber artists
contributing to the Quilt for Two Rivers are blogging about
their quilt panels for the single, 40-foot quilt which honors Sisters, Oregon’s Treasured
Landscape. Featured this week:

A METOLIUS MEANDER by Tonye Belinda Phillips

Section
#11 of the Quilt for Two Rivers
25”x30”

My heart and my soul belong to the Metolius basin. 
There was never any question that my focus would be on this beautiful
and magical river valley. I fell in love
with Camp Sherman
and the Metolius River when I was a young girl. And since 1972 I have been a permanent
resident of Camp Sherman. 

My piece, “A Metolius Meander,” showcases a rustic cabin nestled in among the towering ponderosa,
larch, fir and aspen trees that grow so majestically along the Metolius River. 
The color of the dirt, pine needles, lichen and cinders come alive to
add even more interest and texture. This
piece has been “painted” using commercial fabrics. It also includes both
raw-edge and hand appliqué as well as machine and hand quilting.

- Tonye Belinda Phillips

Pull up a chair...

This is one of the coolest things I have seen in a while (...and I get to see some pretty cool quilted items around here!)  Can you guess who made it?

Jean brought this awesome chair into the store Thursday morning!  She started it just after Christmas and worked a little bit at a time between her other numerous projects.  The chair will reside in the entry of her artfully decorated home.

Here are some photos of the work in progress:

Jean machine-pieced the covers for the chair, and then fashioned them into a slipcover (which can be removed if necessary for laundering.)  Most of the construction of the slipcover was also done on a sewing machine.  Only a small section needed to be hand-sewn to create the curved corners for the top of the chair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a detailed close-up of the intuitive-style gentle curve piecing for which Jean is so well known:

You can learn more about this type of quilting in Jean's book Intuitive Color and Design.

Jean doesn't have any plans to move into the upholstery business, but it is always fun to create new quilting challenges~especially when they turn out this great!

 

 

 

She'll have you in stitches!

This year during Customer Appreciation Days (April 19, 20 & 21) we have the privilege of inviting Laura Wasilowski of Artfabrik to be our featured instructor.  Laura is a contemporary quilt maker who has developed a whimsical style featuring hand-dyed fabrics, fusing techniques and embroidery embellishment. 

Laura has authored several books, including her newest Fanciful Stitches Colorful Quilts.  She also writes a blog and has a fantastic website, where she gives great information about how to make improvisational art pieces, helpful tips on fusing and wonderful "how-to" information about decorative hand stitching.  (Be sure to check out "Thread-u-cation" on her website; there you will find fabulous step-by-step photos & instructions for adding decorative stitch detailing!)

Click here to see Laura's impressive portfolio!

During her stay with us, Laura will be teaching two workshops:  Stitch After Fusing (top photo shown above) and Tiny Homes (bottom photo shown above.)  There are just a handful of spots left in each of these workshops.  Do not hesitate a moment longer...get your registration in ASAP!

On Saturday, April 21st (11 am), Laura will be giving a lecture/trunk show called "So Many Chickens, So Little Time:  Diary of a Serial Quilter."  With Laura's sense of humor, this is sure to be a morning filled with laughter!  The lecture is $10 and seating is limited.  Register online, or call the store (541-549-6061.)

I can't wait to meet Laura...hope to see you in our classroom! ~Tamra

 

"The Affair of the Necklace"

 "Journeys" Art Quilters' Annual Exhibit
January 3 to February 28, 2012

Artists' Reception
January 6, 2012
4 to 6 pm

at Sisters Art Works
204 W Adams Ave in Sisters
(Mon-Fri 9 am to 4 pm, Sat 10 am to 2 pm)

 

    Don't miss this special exhibit featuring work from the "Journeys" Art Quilters.  Members were challenged to make a quilt (18" x 45") inspired by the necklace shown above.  There are twelve quilts in the exhibit flourshing with color, texture, embellishments and fantastic creativity!  

 

 

Fabrications~The Art of Quilting

February 1-29, 2012
Arts Central in Bend will be having
a special exhibit of art quilts,
sponsored by the
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. 
Throughout the month of February,
this exhibit will showcase
quilters from Central Oregon! 

February 3 (5-8pm)
Join us in Bend for
First Friday Art Walk.
There will be an artists' reception
  where you can meet the artists,
explore their creative processes
and preview the
2012 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show
Poster and Raffle Quilt.

 

Arts Central
(formerly Mirror Pond Gallery) is located at:
875 NW Brooks Street in Bend
Open Wed-Sat, 11am to 4pm

 

"Santiam Pass"

"Santiam Pass" by Jean Wells-Keenan and Patty Bently

 

Jean has been working on a collabrative project with Patty Bently, an oil painter from Portland, Oregon.

The art above, called "Santiam Pass," is a a set of five separate panels.  Pieces 1,3,and 5 are paintings by Patty, while pieces 2 and 4 are quilts made by Jean.  The art will be on display at the 2011 Sitka Art Invitational Show to be held November 4, 5 & 6 at the World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon.    

The two artists came up with the idea of commemorating the 2003 B&B Complex Fire along the Santiam Pass.  A simple sketch of the landscape and selecting a color palette were the starting points.  Jean first pieced the land in panels 2 and 4, then sent the work to Patty, who did the preliminary paintings on panels 1, 3 and 5. 

After the base work was complete, Jean and Patty met again to plan the placement of the tree snags and the details to be added to all five panels, that would unite the panels into one flowing work. 

Jean added the tree snags, quilted her pieces, finished them with art facings and returned the panels to Patty.  Patty finished the paintings and took the peices to a framer.  The quilts hang free from the top and the paintings are stretched over frames that are about 3/4" in width. A dimensional feeling is created when you look at the piece.

If you are in the Portland area, stop by the 2011 Sitka Art Invitational Show and enjoy all the marvelous artwork on display November 4-6th.