Friday, January 25, 2008

Convention

A light bulb flashed this last week. The Republican National Convention will be held in St Paul this summer. Why hasn't this registered with me before? The Republican National Convention. In my backyard. Where I can find a venue to display the project. The project that everyone who writes national policy should see.

The fire has been lit!! The more blocks we have completed by convention time , the more powerful the piece will be! I'm working on finding a venue for the project to hang, or possibly be carried in a parade or, or, or..... it's brainstorming time! If you have any ideas, pass them along!

There was some great energy last night at my MCQ meeting!! Thanks for all the blocks and supplies donated!! You Ladies Rock!!

Another idea - zip ties around the sticks onto chain link fence. The pictures I took in November look really great on the fence. On the fence is how a lot of people feel about the war anymore. We want the troops home, but don't want to risk further chaos for the Iraqis. Folks who once supported the war, are now regretting that stance. We might need to look at fences. hmmm....

Keep on stitching!
Piece,
Caron

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Supply and Demand

Hey Quilters! Has anyone been cleaning and organizing as part of their '08 resolutions? Found any solid colored cottons collecting dust? Have any batting scraps? Any of those brass basting pins sitting around taking up space? Send them my way!

I'm getting prepared for a couple of get - togethers where we will be hanging out, enjoying each others company, while working on the project. The more blocks I have prepared for knotting or beading the better. I would love it if you wanted to go ahead and make the blocks yourself, I would never rule that out!

Drop me an e-mail if you have any stuff to send, and I will get you my address.

BTW - A couple things are in the works, hopefully I can update on at least one later in the week.
Keep your fingers crossed!

Friday, January 11, 2008

Cut Ups

I figured out that 1 5/8 yards of solid fabric can be cut up for 18 blocks with very little waste. Thought I'd share it with anyone who is working on blocks.

Make 3 - 6" cuts; subcut into 3 cuts @ 6", and 1 cut @3.5"


Make 11 - 3.5" cuts. 5 of them are subcut into 2 cuts @ 6" and 1 cut @ 7.5"


The next 5 are subcut into 2 cuts @ 7.5" and 1 cut @ 6"


The last strip gets subcut into 3 - 7.5 "cuts. Depending on the width of the fabric, I sometimes have to piece the last 2 from this section with scraps from above.



Now you're set to follow the original tutorial and put them together.

Again, THANKS to everyone who is working on this with me!!

Sunday, January 6, 2008

WBUUC





Friends from MQC and I hung our art work at White Bear Lake Unitarian Universalist Church yesterday. The church has a beautiful new sanctuary and common areas that are so welcoming for fiber art.

Thanks to everyone who has sent in blocks recently!!** I hung 11 panels of the project. It hangs on the wall opposite the entrance to the sanctuary, and is beautiful. The people from the church were very excited to have it there, and my friends from MCQ have been so helpful and encouraging. It was nice to be able show off how far we've come.

There is a table with the blog address, and blocks so folks can help.

What a good time we had hanging this and all the other beautiful work. Here are some photos of us hard at work.


This show will hang at the WBUUC until February 10th. If you're nearby it would be a nice stop. There's a great little drive in diner down the road for lunch.





**UPDATE!!! I have received a couple of blocks that have the knots in a peace symbol pattern. While I am ever so thankful for help, but, I do have a caveat. I want this piece to be more abstract, and allow each person viewing it to be free to feel and think whatever they need to feel and think without ideas being put in their heads. Any abstract design is fine for the knots or beads. Just nothing dogmatic. It's the dogma that I believe gets us into these nasty situations to begin with. I live in a big "red" bubble in a "blue" state. I have learned that whispering is sometimes louder than shouting.

I am going to keep the peace symbol blocks on my design board as my inspiration, because that is what this project means for me.