Houston Was Wonderful

Once a year I go to Houston for the IQA Fall Quilt Festival. It is a fabulous show... beautiful quilts up and down the aisles. Thousands of other quilters with the same passion and love of quilts.
Hopefully I got to see everyone! I met quite a few new friends as well ...

Oh , we laughed until our faces were sore... Oh, and we cried too. Here we are at a Chinese Restaurant very close to where the festival is held. Dear Friends...Patricia, Mariya, Sarah and Annette miss you!!!
The show is huge, we have heard it called The Academy Awards of Quilting.

This is some of the show floor . The building that holds the quilts , venders and food area is the equivalate of 11 football fields stacked length-ways together. There are 2 other levels as well to the George R. Brown Convention Center where classes are held.

Together again with my sisters Helen Godden and Annette M. Hendricks and very dear family and friends 

Helen's beautiful" Freedom " quilt. The freedom she feels when she is  working with fabric, colour and thread. I believe Helen Godden Teacher has started her own Australian Quilting Retreat Program.

Annette M. Hendricks with her award winning beautiful quilt The Solace of Persephone. The story of Persephone's life that was chosen for her. Annette Lectures throughout the USA.
My dear sisters I love you so much...I am so blessed to know you ... I hold you both in my heart always
I hope 3S can come together once again to create the amazing things we do when we work together!
Miss everyone very much...

A Store on Etsy

I finally did it, opened a store on etsy.com
For a few years now I have thought of opening a small store 
I was showing The Dusty Trail quilt around some of the business' downtown one day, when Natalie Tkach at Nature's Fare told me about etsy an on-line store.
So far I have posted 10 items and realize that I have quite a few... more to put on display in my store
There is some wonderful stores on etsy , a lot... of handmade art, beautiful creations...
There has been quite a few hits , people going in and looking at the art in the store. I like that
www.etsy.com/store/GailThomasArt

To Paint Or Not To Paint

The paint has been flying lately
I have been painting fabric panels for my next quilt
The idea I have is very different again for me
This new one will involve alot of painting before I can get to the sewing stage

The quilting of The Dusty Trail is complete, I am tucking all the threads back in . The label is ready to go on . The sleeve has some machine sewing then it will be ready to be sewn on . I am excited, I hope to send TDT to Houston soon

The Dusty Trail Goes To Houston

I so excited.. I just can't hide it ...
The Dusty Trail has been selected as a finalist to be exhibited at the 2010 International Quilting Association Festival/Houston in the annual IQA Fall Judged Show.

The Dusty Trail
62"X38"
White cotton dyed and painted, free motion threadwork and quilting, raw edge applique, trapunto and hand embroidery
100 hours of painting , 500 hours sewing ...

The Cowpoke knows the end result of this horse round-up.

We however do not know what is over the next hill or beyond the horizon. For some their life path it has been clear, for others it has been The Dusty Trail

The Cowboy is Ed Peterson on his 1948 horse round-up Alberta/Saskatchewan.

I Am In Design Mode

Besides getting my quilt done, I have been designing a few things
There are these two tote bags that I have designed for my class at A Quilter's Retreat May 2011.  http://www.quiltersescape.com/
For creating the model of the larger bag I decided to use some of Ricky Tim's fabric.
I chose a fairly dark blue with a bit of black and his black with a slightly bluish gray dyed fabric.
The larger tote is painted with a dark background.  The smaller tote I want to use white cotton paint/dyed to enhance this bag.

This is a sketch of the projects that we will be working on at the retreat. I had to add the fairy cause the retreat is very close to Ferndale, Ca

Next week I am going to be posting The Dusty Trail

I am Whole

On Saturday June 19th I tested for my 3rd Dan in TaeKwonDo.
It was a great day, I am so lucky to have Mr. JJ Lee in my life.
Mr Lee tested six of us for 5 hours and have I learned so much from him. I am going to the Do Jang tonight to get started.  I want to work on my running jumping frontkicks, and my sidekicks.
My patterns I thought were just Ok , one-step sparring pretty good, sparring OK, breaking ... well,... requires work ...alot of work. I do not know whether I passed ... yet I would do it all again.
I was worried that I would injure myself yet I am quite good , a little sore yet whole.

Hello Again I am Back

I have been a quilting
The Dusty Trail 62"X38"is nearly complete
When I look at this quilt , I do not know what to expect . It is so different to all my others. Very subtle
Oh, I have to thank Heather at Superior Threads. All the thread colours that she picked out for me in Houston, those ended up being the threads colours I use on The Dusty Trail
I used a lot of the bottom line on the top and bottom. Works really well as the thread is very fine so it blends right in and is very subtle (I know I used that word again yet it fits with what it looks like)
Oh, on the threadwork for the foreground grass and weeds I used some varigated Superior threads. I like the effect a little bit of shine and variation in colour showing movement
100 hours for the painting, white cotton fabric dyed and painted, 500 hours and counting for threadwork, quilting,trapunto, raw edge applique, hand-sewing
I called the quilt The Dusty Trail because when I was working on it I cried a lot. At times I even had to stop quilting so that my eyes would clear. This quilt triggered something in me, I started receiving images of my past as I worked.
I think it could be something to do with the colours, I love the combination of colours in this quilt
The cowpoke knows the end result to this particular roundup
In our lives here on earth they can be challenging and some even with hard lessons, we do not know what is over the next hill or what is on the horizon
For some it has been The Dusty Trail

The Quilting is Nearly Done

Time flies when you are having fun. I have almost finished the quilting on The Quilt With No Name. Actually feels kind of strange. The painting was a month , the threadwork was a month and the quilting the same. I found that quilting is much more intense on the old body though especially the neck. The Quilt looks good .
Oh I received Grandmother's Legacy back from Paducah. I received wonderful comments from the judges. Thank you
I sent off some info to Dixie McBride at A Quilter's Retreat . I can paint anything you can throw at me yet ask me to write a class discription or bio for myself and it becomes my own stonewall in front of me. Dixie I believe is fixing my class discription so that everyone can understand. Thank you
I am so excited about Quilter's retreat. For a couple of weeks I have been working on designing some really cool decorative blocks. I have designed in my head two really funtional tote bags as well, both are for the class as part of their Kit . Also the Kit will contain Angel Paint and two brushes
I talked to Jackie Haliburton of Angel Paint about all the paint that she is going to ship, great lady to talk to.
Oh , I think I got most of the dandelions pulled in the front yard . Harvested the ones closest to the house for tea
The apple trees are out and beautiful . The plum flowered a little I think she is taking a break this year . Have to get the potatoes in ...

The Sun is Shining

It has been awhile seen I posted anything .
We were out in Cherryville yesterday , what a great day
 I did some quilting before I left though . It takes me 1 1/2 hours to sew from one side to the other so I am doing 1 1/2 inches of quilt in that time . Patience Gail. I have 13 inches left to do ( Approx size 61"X46") So 13 " by 61 "
I do not know if that makes any sense .
I have been designing some cool stuff lately , a plan is developing in my head as to what I am going to use them for . Possibly for my classes The Art of Painting on Fabric . Something to go in the kit
I hope to also design a series of crossstitch patterns , that is for the future

The Quilting of The Quilt With no Name

I am almost finished the quilting of the sky .
The quilting is so relaxing and almost comforting . The quilt starts to lie flat and feel as though it is becoming complete . Felling good...
                                                
                                                The back fabric

                                                  Quilting the sky

 

      

Short Week

It feels like we just got home from Vancouver . Wonderful Easter
This week though was about getting all the jobs that were suppose to be done over the weekend complete
Yet there is light at the end of the tunnel and I am going to quilt today ya!!!
Actually the quilting is looking good . The dyed and painted back fabric looks like old barn wood. With the quilting it is giving the back fabric the grain of the wood effect
I am loving Superior Thread it is so...smooth
Photos soon

Another Day in Vancouver

The wind is a little calmer than it was yesterday . The sun actually came out
I am surrounded with family ,  the kitchen has been my friend all afternoon . The food was great , Lindsey did a good job. 13 people for supper
I hope to do some drawing either tonight or tomorrow , I feel that I have to get back to it soon
I prefer hiding in the bedroom every once and awhile , that is why I am writing this now
I showed Brynlee and my Brother my sketch for Th Three Sister's Three , they like it

Easter in Vancouver

The wind is blowing and it is cool outside actually quite a switch from Vernon.
The Quilt With No Name I left at home cause it is already to start quilting TQWNN is ready and waiting.It feels very strange to be away from home and my art work . I brought a few things with me to work on yet it is not the same . When I am at home almost every room contains some art project that I am working on . Basically I just go from one room to another . My quilting studio is the old dining room , I love where it is situated in the house cause I can close the door and it is very private and quiet
I think I am going to do some sketching today , I am hoping to come up with some good designs for my The Art of Drawing on Fabric kit that I am working on . I have a few but they are not doing anything for me at the moment . I also want to design some new Stain-glass quilt patterns . I have four that I will be putting them on my blog soon . Swan Lake , Iris , Double Your Blessings and Panda Reflections
Happy Easter

The Computer Is Home Again

I think there is still something upsetting the computer
The Quilt With No Name is at the quilting stage
I am very happy so far . That is about all I have been working on for the past couple of weeks . I enjoyed working with Superior Thread for the threadwork such a beautiful thread to use . Oh and I like their needles as well
The back has been dyed and painted and is ready to go
When starting a new stage of a quilt I am always nervous as soon as I start not too bad and by the second day well...... we are having fun now
I will starting putting photos next week of the quilting

I Have Started a Gallery Blog

My Gallery Blog is bluestardragongallery.blogspot.com
The Gallery is going to be an on goes thing . The reason is because I have a lot of art pieces and quilts to show you
I am sewing around the figures in The Quilt With No Name
Very excited .
Today I want to begin dyeing the back fabric.
Hope to be finished the threadwork soon and on to the applique and quilting
Received an email from Mike at Grove Eternal and it is a go
I have a few more stories to write about my fantasy quilts and I can send him the images and stories plus my bio
I am going to go and do some sewing
Have a colourful day

Grandmother's Legacy is on It's Way to Paducah

I had Grandmother's Legacy all packaged up last week, got down to UPS and guess what too soon , that is a first !!! Today she is on her way to Paducah .
Spent most of the weekend on the The Quilt With No Name and getting stories written up for my fantasy/goddess series to put on Grove Eternal website . I hope to include The Colour Side of the Moon and Fairy Moon . I emailed Mike today to see whether he will accept my art quilts in with the drawings Today I am doing threadwork on the middle ground and foreground on TQWNN.
I am happy the way things are coming together

Photos of the Sky

You have to take into consideration all the threads and I have not pressed it yet

The Sky Is Falling Threads

Wow I have alot of threads to sew back in after the sky is complete . The Quilt With No Name's sky looks good . I am pleased . I will take a photo tomorrow in the daylight .
That is about all I have been working on today , I call it work yet I know it is definitely play time ... right ???
Have a colourful evening

The Endless Sky

It sort of feels like that cause I have been sewing for days on the sky of The Quilt With No Name . So far so good , it looks like how I was hoping it was going to look .
Changed the thread to a darker blue from Bottom Line for the clouds and sky that are on the edge of the quilt at the top , I want the thread to give the illusion that these clouds and sky are closer to the viewer.

The English Branch

I forgot to mention that the watercolour of all the teeth and gorgeous red hair is half complete, aways to go or should I say only 10 more paint washes, give or take... yet a light at the end ...

I Know It Is Tuesday Yet Where Did The Weekend Go

Beautiful days out there somewhere , actually right outside the door
It was a few days of picking out threads , some of my threads are small and on top of that I baste things !!! Then the delightful job of putting everything back hopefully the way they were !
I am talking about the readjustment of Grandmother's Legacy sleeve for AQS Paducah Show , I also hope to never do that again !!!
This week is continuing the threadwork on The Quilt With No Name . I am at a very important part so I am doing it slowly , the blue sky . Decided to use Superior Threads Bottom Line a light blue on bottom and top looks alright so far ...
The yellowish cloud I did the same sort of line sewing using Superior Threads Bottom Line . Heather helped me choose and she picked out the thread that I am using in the quilt . Heather also was the one that told me to try Bottom of the Line on the top and bottom

There used to be a store in my home town that was called Dreamweaver
this store was wonderful . The owners of Dreamweaver are now on line and I have asked them if I may advertise my Goddess series and possibly my Art Quilts and they have agreed . So that means that I am about to tell their story to the world... kind of cool . The excuses I can come up with to not to write the stories ... oh yeah I am good at that . I do not notice a dirty floor until the day I have set aside to work on the epic sagas or oh I should ...
The commission piece I have been working on forever . It is the one that I always put aside so that I can use the table space for a much better reason , so this watercolour has been set aside alot .Well , I have news that it is actually looking good , I am pleased . They might receive their painting yet !

The Computer is Home

The computer is home and a new larger monitor came with it , very nice...
Yesterday was a day of learning patience all over again . The sleeve requirement for Paducah is 1/2" from top of quilt my for Grandmother's Legacy was 1/4"
First I had to get through my hand sewing then I had basted and then machine sewn the binding and the sleeve together . Oh , the best part was getting the binding back on , I am being sarcastic !
Today is a hand-sewing day putting the bits back together
I also hope to do some more thread work on the sky of The Quilt With no Name . Actually I am quite pleased with the progress so far .

First day of blogging /or what the heck am I doing ?

Still on Harry's computer so I am going to make this short
I have heard that blogging is a good idea , I believe who ever started the whole thing must agree
My quilt which I have no name for as of yet is coming quite well . I have been sewing for about 4 hours a day . I find that that way I can really look at the quilt and decide what... am I doing now ??? I am at the threadwork stage of the sky , it is funny when you work on something that you enjoy time just slips by . I have tunes going as I work usually big band , 70's stuff , hand stitching usually Ricky Tims . Have not got to that stage though .
Photos will come when I have the other computer back
I am getting all the paperwork ready , then sending Grandmother's Legacy to Paducah next week . I am excited to be in the show