Palau Quilt

Commissioned by Katherine Skinner

Completed TODAY!

Just got this sucker out of the dryer and laid it out on the floor to photograph. Wouldn't you know that even with me on a ladder, with the camera literally flat against the ceiling, I STILL couldn't get the entire thing in one frame?? Fortunately, my Photoshop skills have not been completely lost and was able to splice two images together. It's funny how different things can look through a camera and how much time you can spend in front of a computer just trying to get it to look like the way it looks in person. But of course nothings the same as seeing it in person! Or sleeping under it!!

Me on top of the ladder. 

There were literally sweat drips coming off my brow trying to get this shot!

So many reasons to love this picture. 

It's very fitting that I should run across this in the "random-drawer-where-everything-gets-shoved" drawer since I just completed a double wedding ring quilt of my own. This double wedding ring quilt hung in my room for many years (unconsciously molding me, I'm sure) until it was replaced by a Matrix poster or some other silly thing of high school importance. I have wanted to pull it out again and have another look at it. I don't know anything about it except that it's now living in one of my grandmother's closets. And I remember my favorite pieces being the fabrics that were falling apart with batting sticking out.

Also of note is the time of day this photo was taken. Obviously a mother's sick joke at getting her daughter out of bed. Sick, mom!

Some pictures from the past week...

The leaves have fallen but we're having gorgeous 60 degree days,

...the beer is gettin' goooooooood,

...the boyz are practicing hard,

 ...and I'm figgerin' it out. 

This is a continuation on an idea I started in college. Hate to say I started this piece a while back...like years back, but it's resurfaced and getting some attention, thanks to the 5-year old I baby sat next door. I picked the letter beads up from her. They are what I've been looking for to finish this project. 

We did a bead swap ;)

 Tryin' out some new stuff out on the back porch

 Flour and water never looked so good! Managed to get this done before the cold set in again.

If this paste resist technique turns out effective, maybe you'll see the finished result! Still waiting for the dye to dry before I get it in the wash and pull the letters off.

OMG OMG OMG I was standing up on my little ladder and realized that my entire wedding ring quilt top was placed on the work table for its final stitch. CRAZY. This has taken me 103 hours and 40 minutes. I couldn't be happier with the outcome.

In case you hadn't noticed, that's the floor and that's the ceiling. This one's a jumbo, measuring 100" by 85". I was looking through my quilt records and realized that this will be my 18th quilt completed....WOW.

~

 New art going up on the wall everyday!
I'm anxious to get these pieces in frames so I can really start seeing the finished product I've been envisioning. And that's a matter of finding a free moment in the busy woodworker's schedule...

I admit to being a bit of a defeatist with this whole full-time art life I've taken up...

"why are you doing this?"

"you sound awfully pretentious calling yourself an artist"

"you find this more important than looking for a job??"

"you think your art even matters?"

All insecurities aside, I know there's a point somewhere in all this tangle of stranded knitting. And maybe I don't have my most confident foot in the door but there's something in me that tells me to go with it and just do. 

There's always magic in action.

~

Last days of work at the denim factory. Up next: freedom. I'm taking control of my little creative life and devoting myself FULL-TIME to making art!! I finally said "What am I waiting for?" and took the plunge. Lots of new work in the making, am going to put on my first solo art show centered around knitting and the written word. Y'all wanna taste of what I'm cooking up in the studio?

Maybe not the most exciting Saturday night, but at least I've got some company. Trailblazing new paths into stranded knitting, realizing how little I know and learning a LOT.

~

New handmade business cards. Pretty sure you can't put hand-made on your business card if you don't hand-make them.

New tunes I'm enjoying while working.

New part of the "Q" quilt. Love the interplay of colors.

New chair I found in the back of my dad's warehouse.

New quilt top completed!! There's still a little more appliqué I want to do and am playing with screen-printing ideas...

~

There are the moments that we save,

And the dreams that fade away.

And sometimes, they come together,

And we can walk through the room we made.

                                                                 -Future Islands    

Happy engagement, Katelin! We're so excited to celebrate with you in Durham!

Really having fun playing with the clothes I'm cutting up for the latest quilt project on my design wall.

 My client threw out the idea of an interactive flip book as inspiration for this keepsake quilt...

 ...which I loved, trying to keep snaps snapping and buttons buttoning. Also, just preserving the fact that these used to be clothes worn by a very tiny, special booty!

 This couldn't be more of a departure from the double wedding ring quilt and the change is greatly appreciated!

The initial sketch I drew before starting and still continues to guide me through the building process.

Outdoor sewing! I love my new studio but it has NO windows...good for fabric storage, not good for people. I pulled the machine out back onto Adam's deck in Greensboro while his band practiced inside. You mean live music AND fresh air?? I think I'll be able to get these velvet corners done after all!

Eventually the velvet corners will turn into velvet diamonds. So far only two columns are sewn together to be able to see this final design motif.

I ended up staying out here till the sun went down. Adam's bandmate, Hunter, was so kind as to bring me a lamp so I wasn't blindly ironing creases into my beautiful melons!

Latest quilt project finally in progress!! Sometimes that first step can be the hardest to motivate yourself to take. I'm titling this quilt the "Q" quilt, named after the boy who it is destined for and who used to wear all these little clothes!

Can't wait to get this bad boy organizer hung up in the studio. Those who are close to me know that I don't "do" power tools so I'ma need to sucker someone into feeling sorry for me to get those holes drilled into my cement wall.

The navy velvet corners are now getting sewn onto the ends of all the blue arches. If there was any way I could've made this already-challenging step harder, it would be to sew it in velvet. Thanks a lot, ambition. I mean at least it's not stretch velvet...yeah, not stretch velvet. Keep telling yourself that, Ann.

I can't believe that I was able to participate in NY Fashion Week and NOT live in NYC! I peacefully fretted over my work last weekend and let the crazies go north to fret during the week. While I'm just doing the technical aspects of putting on a fashion show, I could't be more excited for myself. I made the dress on the left and the pants on the right. Everything designed by Victor and Sarah Lytvinenko of Raleigh Denim.

It makes me feel good to look at my wall at the end of the day and really notice the progression.  It's also helping me see that my light-to-dark gradient is coming through.  I've had problems with finding just the right lighter shades to fill out the top, so it'll be nice to eventually see how the top will look once those issues get resolved...

New design wall!!!! Yayyyerrr!!!

Now if only that new quilt top will start appearing!

Really happy with this one.  Learned how to edge with I-cord and finally got to use an antler button.